Aboul Gheit officially takes up Arab League Secretary General post
Former Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu el-Gheit officially took up Sunday post of the Arab League Secretary-General to be a successor to Nabil al-Arabi. The diplomat has made several strong anti-Iran statements, and emphasized the importance of keeping the Syrian army intact, regardless of the fate of President Bashar al-Assad. Egypt has monopolized the position of SC of the Arab League since its foundation in 1945, except for a Tunisian who assumed the post for about 11 years in an anti-Egypt stance following its peace treaty with Israel.
Egypt’s al-Azhar condemns Bangladesh attack
Al-Azhar Institution has strongly condemned the terrorist attack that targeted a restaurant in the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka and claimed lives of 20 people, mostly foreigners, and injured several others, according to a statement issued form the Islamic Sunni Institution Saturday. “Such criminal acts are far away from the tolerant teachings of the Islamic religion,” the statement read.
Human Rights Committee probes Minya sectarian violence
The Egyptian National Council for Human Rights (ENCHR) will send Sunday a committee to investigate into violence incidents that took place in Koum el-Lofy Village, in Upper Egypt, after a number of residents set fire to a house owned by a Christian man over allegations he will transform the house into a church, Youm7 reported ENCHR Chairperson George Isehaq.
Parliament’s fact-finding on corruption of wheat supply asks more data from Military, Agriculture bodies
The Agriculture Committee of Egypt’s House of Representatives and chairman of the fact-finding committee on the corruption of the wheat supply have addressed the Ministry of Agriculture, the Military Engineering Authority (MEA), and a number of international experts to provide information and data on the wheat supply, Youm7 reported. There are allegations of wasting 240 million EGP (about $27 million) of wheat procurement from the silos.
Bill exempts investors in Sinai, Upper Egypt from taxes
Egypt’s Parliament is considering a new investment bill, per which investors in Sinai and Upper Egypt governortaes will be exempted from taxes as a way to encourage investment projects in these areas, Youm7 reported Parliamentarian Salah Mikheimar Sunday.
