WASHINGTON: Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel telephoned his Egyptian counterpart on Saturday to voice U.S. concerns about a new Egyptian law that curbs protests and has prompted the arrest of a group of Egyptian girls and political activists, a spokesman said.

The National Defence Council met on Saturday, headed by interim President Adly Mansour, to discuss recent developments, after which the presidency released a statement reiterating the state’s commitment to respect freedom of expression, but also to ensure the safety of citizens.

CAIRO: The Journalists’ Syndicate, in cooperation with the General Union for Palestinian Women, will celebrate the International Day for Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Sunday at 5 pm in the Journalists’ Syndicate.

Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawy expressed disappointment over incidents that took place on Tuesday when demonstrators protested before the Shura Council.

CAIRO: Minister of Planning Ashraf El-Araby presented on Wednesday at a government meeting a report about progress made in stimulating the economy, saying that delivery rates witnessed an increase in comparison to previous periods, Youm7 reported.

The Interior Ministry said it has approved a request to protest in Cairo's Talaat Harb Square on Wednesday. The ministry announced the protest could take place in downtown between 4-10 pm, after which it would be dispersed. The statement acknowledged that protesters were "expressing their rejection of the protest law and demanding the release" of those detained the day before.

CAIRO: Peaceful demonstrations should not be dispersed violently, said Hasan Shahin, member of Tamarod movement political office in a phone call to Tahrir satellite channel.

The Egyptian police tried for the first time on Tuesday to implement a controversial law on protests which was issued by the president earlier this week.

Tamarod co-founder Hassan Shahin has announced he will go "on strike" until protesters arrested outside the Shura Council on Tuesday are freed.

In response to the alleged stealing of samples from the Great Pyramid by two German amateur archaeologists, Egypt's antiquities ministry issued a press release Wednesday discrediting all findings by the German pair.

ALEXANDRIA: Alexandria’s Misdemeanor Court sentenced 14 girls affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood to 11 years and one month in prison Wednesday on charges of hindering traffic, and being members of a banned group that aims to destabilize the country.

Egyptian-German writer Hamed Abdel-Samad, suspected to have been kidnapped in Cairo Sunday, has returned to his hotel on his own volition, a security official told state news agency MENA Wednesday.

Former judge Mahmoud El-Khodeiry was arrested in Alexandria late Monday, reported the Middle East News Agency (MENA), on accusations of supervising torture, according to one of the defendant's lawyers.

Some Gulf countries have recently tried to persuade the government to go back to negotiations with the IMF on a $2 billion loan, but the Finance Ministry rejected the matter, saying that the Egyptian economy does not currently need a loan, after the gap in the budget had been bridged through Arab aid, say government sources.

CAIRO: Minister of Foreign Affairs Nabil Fahmy will meet with Ahmed al-Jarba, the head of the National Coalition for Syrian Opposition Forces, on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawy said that the referendum on the constitution is proceeding in accordance with the transitional period plan, which would allow the referendum to be held in mid-January 2014.

Azazy Ali Azazy, the National Salvation Front spokesperson and the leading member of Popular Current, said that both the front and the current call for voting “yes” to the constitution amendments, in the upcoming referendum.

CAIRO: The Freedom Committee of the Egyptian Bar Association is opposing a new protest law issued by interim President Adly Mansour, and is threatening “massive demonstrations,” if it is not withdrawn within 48 hours, said committee spokesman Assad Heikal on Monday.

Interior Ministry has officially begun enforcing the controversial protest law, issued on Sunday. Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim held a meeting with his deputies to consider ways of implementing the law.

CAIRO: Chairperson of the Egyptian Civil Protection Authority (CPA) Maj Gen. Mamdouh Abdul Kader denied that an explosion occurred next to Ithadeya Presidential Palace that killed two policemen, as one news agency published earlier.

CAIRO: The Karama (Dignity) Party will join the Tamarod movement, the Popular Current and Arab Nasserist party in an alliance to run for the upcoming parliamentary elections, said Karama party leader Mohamed Sami on Monday.