Egypt's Coptic Church on Thursday issued a statement criticising the system used to form Egypt's recently-established constituent assembly, tasked with drafting a new national constitution. Half the members of the 100-seat assembly were drawn from Egypt's first post-Mubarak parliament – roughly three quarters of which is controlled by Islamist parties – and half from among non-parliamentarians.

Members from the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and the Salafi-oriented Nour Party have slammed a ruling by the State Council's Administrative Court on Tuesday, which reversed an earlier Parliament decision to form the panel tasked with drafting Egypt's new constitution.

A greatly-respected Islamist figure, who is seen by many as a true fearless revolutionary voice and a tremendously knowledgeable yet jovial and modest man, Hazem Salah Abu-Ismail gained in popularity and appeared to stand a strong chance of assuming power in post-Mubarak Egypt.

Electronic warfare between Khairat al-Shater's supporters and opponents has escalated on social networking websites since the Brotherhood leader was nominated to run last week. On Facebook, the number of fans of the "I will not elect Khairat al-Shater" page reached 141000, compared to the 90000 fans of Shater's official campaign page.

Around 100 Coptic Christians flew from Cairo to Tel Aviv Monday in contravention of a ban placed on travel to the Occupied Palestinian Territories by the Church's late patriarch Pope Shenouda III. "I am travelling to witness the divine light of Christ that glows in Jerusalem," one of the pilgrims said.

A bid for power by Hosni Mubarak's former intelligence chief is an insult to Egypt's revolution that, if successful, would trigger a second nationwide revolt, the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate for Egypt's presidency said.

After the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak, Kamal El-Helbawy returned to Egypt after spending 23 years as the Muslim Brotherhood's spokesperson in Europe. The 73-year-old arrived with high expectations but became increasingly critical of the group he had defended for years. He resigned from the group during a live TV broadcast on Saturday after the Brotherhood's Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie announced that the group would nominate his deputy, Khairat El-Shater, for president.

JERUSALEM — Thousands of Christians gathered in Jerusalem for Easter Sunday to commemorate Jesus Christ's resurrection, crowding into one of Christianity's holiest churches, worshipping, singing and praying. Catholics and Protestants took in turns to hold ceremonies within the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built on the site where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI implored the Syrian regime Sunday to heed international demands to end the bloodshed and voiced hope that the joy of Easter would comfort Christians suffering because of their faith.

After leaving Tahrir Square late on Friday, supporters of presidential hopeful, Hazem Salah Abu-Ismail, threatened to escalate their protests against what they describe as a fraudulent political and media campaign against the Salafist candidate. Their demonstrations already saw some chaos and violence.

Presidential hopeful Khairat El-Shater has filed his recommendation forms at the Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission (SPEC) in order to be placed on Egypt's presidential ballot as the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) candidate.

Less than a week ago, thousands of Sheikh Hazem Salah Abu Ismail’s supporters marched to the Presidential Elections Commission to accompany the Salafi presidential hopeful as he filed his nomination papers. The celebratory march followed a blitz of poster campaigning that has made Abu Ismail’s face a ubiquitous sight on the streets of Cairo. The hype around the Salafi’s campaign was making headlines and, suddenly, raising expectations for Abu Ismail’s chances at the polls.

The Muslim Brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice Party's presidential hopeful Khairat al-Shater submitted the papers required for his candidacy to the Presidential Elections Commission in Heliopolis on Thursday. Shater headed to the commission headquarters with thousands of supporters from across Egypt.

Former members of the Constituent Assembly on Thursday declared their refusal of the deadline announced by People’s Assembly Speaker Saad al-Katatny for them to return to the assembly without conditions. Katatny gave the withdrawn members a deadline of one week before the next assembly session.

Aboud al-Zomor, member of the Jama’a al-Islamiya Shura Council, has said the Muslim Brotherhood has the right to go back on its decision not to field candidates in the presidential election if circumstances change.

The Muslim Brotherhood's presidential candidate Khairat El-Shater's legal status remains questionable, following ambiguous details surrounding his most recent prison sentences. The presidential hopeful is known to be one of the masterminds behind the Islamist organisation as well as being its main finance manager, having merged his expanding wealth with that of the group during the mid-90s.

Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb is meeting on Wednesday with acting Coptic Pope Pachomius to discuss developments in the constituent assembly crisis, state-run news service MENA reported on Tuesday. Both religious institutions had agreed to withdraw from the assembly on the grounds that they are not properly represented in it, and that it is dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Following news that the Muslim Brotherhood will be putting their member Khairat El-Shater forward for president, Mohamed Selim El-Awa’s campaign coordinator Mohamed Moemen told Ahram Online that he was concerned about the chances for an Islamist success.

Nader Bakar, spokesperson for the Salafi Nour Party, has denied reports that his party has decided to back Khairat al-Shater, the Muslim Brotherhood’s presidential candidate. Earlier, media reports quoted the Ahmad Khalil, a leading figure in the Nour Party, as saying that the party would support Shater.

An Egyptian court on Wednesday sentenced a 17-year-old Christian boy to three years in jail for publishing cartoons on his Facebook page that mocked Islam and the Prophet Mohamed, actions that sparked sectarian violence.

Divisions may erupt among the Islamist factions in Egypt, and a split vote among supporters of Islamist presidential hopefuls running in the upcoming presidential elections is expected, said Nageh Ibrahim, a member of Jama'a al-Islamiya’s Shura Council. In a statement to Al-Masry Al-Youm on Monday Ibrahim said, "There will be a split of votes and a mild division within all Islamist movements."