Egypt: Presidential Nominations Open on March 10
[Egypt Online]
Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the chief of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces SCAF conferred on Monday 6/2/2012 Counselor Farouq Sultan, the president of the Supreme Constitutional Court and the head of the Presidential Elections Commission on the legal measures for opening nomination for the presidential elections.
Egypt: MP On Hunger Strike Calls for End of Violence Against Protesters
[Aswat Masriya]
Member of Parliament (MP), Ziad Al-Alimi, calls for the Ministry of Interior to stop all use of violence against the protesters.
Egypt: Rights Activists At Risk of Prison
[HRInfo]
Egyptian authorities should drop all charges against unregistered nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and stop the criminal investigation of such groups, Human Rights Watch said today. Authorities should not take action against NGOs until Egypt's new parliament proposes legislation consistent with international legal standards, Human Rights Watch said. The organizations under investigation are not registered under the Mubarak-era Associations Law, in many cases because the government failed to respond to
Tunisia: Court Should Drop Prison Term Given to Journalist
[HRInfo]
A Tunisian appeals court should throw out the prison sentence against journalist Abdel Aziz al-Jaridi at a February 10 hearing and authorities should use his case as an opportunity to break from the repressive practices of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's era, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Egypt: Two Journalists Attacked, One Detained
[HRInfo]
The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns official attacks on journalists covering political unrest in Egypt this weekend. At least two journalists were shot by security forces in the past three days, and a third journalist was assaulted in police custody, according to news reports.
Egypt: Five MPs to Stage Sit-in to Protest Clashes
[Aswat Masriya]
Five MPs started a sit-in to protest against using violence against protesters and what they called "dictatorship of the majority" in the parliament, Aswat Masriya correspondent reported. These MPs are Zeyad Al-Elemi, Hamdi Al-Fakharani, Atef Meghawri, Nasr El-Din Sherif and Mohamed Shabana.
Libya: Food Voucher Scheme to Help Vulnerable
[UN News]
A new United Nations food voucher scheme aims to help vulnerable families in the Libyan port city of Benghazi get the food they need while also boosting the local economy in the wake of the conflict that wracked the country last year.
Egypt: Foreign NGO Workers Face Trial Over Funding
[Monitor]
Cairo -
At least 43 employees of various NGOs have been referred to court by Egyptian investigating judges over their alleged involvement in banned activities and illegally receiving foreign funds.
Ghana/Tunisia: Nation Through to AFCON Semis After Defeating Tunisia
[GFA]
An injury time goal by captain Andre Ayew, Ghana's fourth player to lead on the night secured the Black Stars a semi-final place with a clash against Zambia on Wednesday.
Ghana/Tunisia: Nation Expected Tight Tunisia Clash - Appiah
[GFA]
Assistant Black Stars coach, Kwesi Appiah says Ghana always expected a tight game against Tunisia at 2012 Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.
Egypt: Demonstrations Continue
[Cameroon Tribune]
The failure of Egypt's ruling Military Council to securely transfer power to civil leadership within the specified timeline is fueling new, violent protests with deadly clashes between protesters and the police yesterday February 5 entering the fourth day, the local press reported.
Egypt: Call for Govt to End Restrictions on NGO Activity
[TI]
Berlin -
Transparency International, the global organisation leading the fight against corruption, calls on the Egyptian military government to stop pursuing criminal charges against those working for non-governmental organisations, to end restrictions on NGO activity and to provide a safe space for citizens to voice their views and concerns.
Tunisia: Ex-Foreign Affairs Minister Condemns Expulsion of Syrian Ambassador
[Tunisia Live]
The Initiative (Al Moubadara) party, led by Kamel Morjane, issued a communiqué yesterday blasting the the current Tunisian government's decision to expel the Syrian ambassador to Tunisia. The communiqué stated that the decision should have been made collectively by process of discussion in one of the Constituent Assembly's sessions.
North Africa: President Initiates Tour for Revival of Arab Maghreb Union
[Tunisia Live]
Tunisian President, Moncef Marzouki, will begin a six-day tour through the countries comprising the North African Maghreb on Wednesday February 8, 2012. The trip aims at reviving relationships among the member-nations of the Arab Maghreb Union.
Egypt: Parliament Speaker - Needs of Comfort Provided to MPs On Strike
[Aswat Masriya]
Speaker of the People's Assembly, Mohamed Saad Al-Katatni, has ordered for all needs of comfort to be provided to members who have decided to participate in the sit-in.
Egypt: Moussa - Early Presidential Nomination, Positive Step
[Aswat Masriya]
Presidential candidate, Amr Moussa, has said that the decision to open nomination gates in March is a positive step, however he asks for a timetable with all major dates of the transitional process.
Egypt: Low Turnout in Run-Offs for First Round of Shura Elections
[Aswat Masriya]
The Shura Council (upper house) elections has failed for the second time to attract the masses to cast their votes.
Tunisia/Ghana: Appiah Slams Tunisia Behaviour
[Vanguard]
Ghana assistant coach Kwesi Appiah was disappointed with Tunisia's aggressive behaviour as the Black Stars ran out 2-1 winners in extra time in their AFCON quarter-finals on Sunday.
Egypt: Run Offs in Shura Council Elections
[Egypt Online]
The run off round in the first stage of the Shura Council elections will be held Tuesday 7/2/2012 in 13 governorates.
Egypt: WB Funds Projects in Country, Australia Extracts Gold
[Egypt Online]
Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr said that he sensed the desire of a number of friendly countries and the World Bank (WB) to support Egypt's economic and finance projects during the next stage.
Egypt: Irrigation Minister - Nile Basin Cooperation to Witness Tangible Progress
[Egypt Online]
Cooperation between Egypt and the Nile Basin states will witness tangible progress during the coming stage, said Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hisham Qandeel on Monday 6/2/2012.
Egypt: Parliament Warns Against Plot to Undermine the State
[Egypt Online]
At its session, the revolution parliament discussed on Monday 6/2/2012 a wide range of volatile crises and problems in the Egyptian political street which were spawned by recent Port Said incidents and the clashes between demonstrators and the police troops in front of the ministry of interior and the raging controversy on issues of interest to the masses.
Egypt: Conducting Electricity to Owainat, Reclaiming 40,000 Acres
[Egypt Online]
Electricity and Energy sector completes on Tuesday 7/2/2012 conducting the electricity to all wells of the first phase of reclamation and planting 220 acres in Owainat project.
Egypt: Country Stresses Palestinian Inalienable Right to Establish Independent State
[Egypt Online]
Ambassador Ahmed Fathallah, the 1st undersecretary for Foreign Ministry said on Monday 6/2/2012 that Egypt will not stand silent regarding the Palestinian status under the unjust Israeli occupation.
Egypt: Coordination Council to Follow Up Plan of Promoting Exports
[Egypt Online]
Mahmoud Eissa Industry and Foreign Trade Minister said on Monday 6/2/2012 that a coordination council will be established to promote Egyptian exports.
Egypt: Advisory Council to Discuss Tense Positions
[Egypt Online]
The Advisory Council will meet on Tuesday 7/2/2012 to discuss the measures which should be taken with regard to the tense situation.
Egypt: Exempting Tourism From Taxes in April Considered
[Egypt Online]
Prime Minister Kamal el-Ganzouri held a meeting Monday 6/2/2012 of the committee on employing all the idle workforce and production sites in all fields across the country.
Tunisia: Ambassador to Tour U.S. to Promote Investment
[Tunisia Live]
The Tunisian ambassador to the US, Mohamed Salah Tekaya, will be participating in a roadshow to promote investment in Tunisia from the 13th to the 17th of February in three different American cities: Chicago, Atlanta and Houston.
Egypt: ANHRI Condemns Attacks On Protestors and Raids On Houses in Search for a Camera
[HRInfo]
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) condemned today the Egyptian security services for breaching the agreement held with the MPs yesterday night, by attacking protestors in all the streets leading to the MIO; chasing them and arresting dozens of them, as well as using excessive force that led to the injury of hundreds of them, including the head of the medical syndicate, Khairy Abdel Dayem, and several other activists including the young activist "Salma Said" who was shot by cartridges
Kenya: Girls Fall Short At Algeria Games Qualifiers
[Nairobi Star]
Kenya women's team hopes of qualifying for the London Olympics went up in smoke after losing to hosts Algeria 3-1 in Blida on Saturday.