Police announced on Saturday the arrest of 18 leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood on charges of inciting violence against police and army and planning for terrorist attacks.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen, in a phone call, welcomed Pope Tawadros in Jerusalem and offered his sincere condolences in the departure of Abba Abraham, Coptic Bishop of Jerusalem.

Spokesman for the Coptic Orthodox Church said that Pope Tawadros traveled to Jerusalem on Thursday to attend the funeral of Anba Abraham, Bishop of Jerusalem, who passed away on Wednesday.

Ticino in Switzerland passed a law that officially bans wearing niqab in public areas, restaurants and shops. A fine of 10 thousand francs is due in case the law is broken.

During his current visit to Japan, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with the President of the Japanese parliament to discuss the relations between the two countries.

Coptic Orthodox Church denounced today the terrorist attack that targeted judges at Sinai. It added in statement today that such attack aims to hinder the road map since the judges were in Sinai to supervise the second phase of the Parliamentary elections.

Spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said that Egypt rejects the statements of secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, concerning the killing of infiltrators on the Egyptian border with Libya.

Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of Saint Mark See, invited the Egyptians to participate actively in the voting process in the parliamentary elections.

Ambassador Hamdi Loza, Deputy Foreign Minister, said that the total number of votes in the second phase abroad amounted 37 168 votes.

Pope Twadross, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of Saint Mark, invited the masses of the Copts and the Egyptians to take part in the ongoing parliamentary elections.

Police announced today the arrest of 29 leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood on charges of attacking police and army. Extra security measures have been taken in Egypt these days and the matter is under investigation.

Reuters news agency reported that the Russian intelligence services have confirmed that a terrorist bombing attack was behind the fall of the Russian aircraft in Sinai last week. Traces of explosives were found in the wreckage of the plane. The Federal Security Service confirmed that the bomb weighed one kilogram .

The Church of St. George in Fayoum celebrated the commemoration of the consecration of the first church of St. George.

Ahmed Abdul Aziz Mustafa, Egypt's ambassador to Uganda, held meeting with the media representatives in Uganda on Friday to clarify the Egyptian point of view concerning the Russian airplane crash in the Sinai.

Ahmed Abu Zeid, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the Egyptian embassies abroad continue to confirm the extra security measures taken by the Egyptian authorities after the accident of the Russian plane.

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry denounced the statements made by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Monday concerning the arrest of journalist Hossam Bahgat.

Abba Moussa, Bishto op of Youth, is in good health and is carrying on his duties, according Abba Rafael, secretary of the Holy Synod and Bishop of Central Cairo Churches.

Unknown gunmen kidnapped a child called Kastor Amir Bushra, 5 years old, for 100.000 LE ransom. They threatened his family that they would kill the child in case the money was not paid on time.

Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of Saint Mark See, signed on Monday a historic agreement between the Claremont University and Saints Athanasius and Cyril Theological Coptic Orthodox school.

Father Paul Halim, spokesman for the Coptic Orthodox Church, said that former acting Patriarch, Bishop Pachomius, casted his vote today in Behira governorate in spite of his serious illness.

Several Coptic activists denounced luxury of Pope Tawadros during his visit to America after he appeared riding private airplane and expensive cars.