Egypt

15 Sep 2022; MEMO: The Biden administration has decided to withhold $130 million of foreign military aid to Egypt over its failure to fulfil human rights conditions, US officials said on Wednesday, but allowed some funds to go through due to its determination that Cairo has made progress on political detentions, Reuters reports.

16 Sep 2022; MEMO: Egyptian and French naval forces carried out joint naval drills in French territorial waters, with the aim of "supporting efforts to maintain stability in the region", the Egyptian military spokesman said in a statement yesterday.

"The Egyptian-French naval training activities, Cleopatra-2022, which will last for several days, have been launched in French territorial waters," Gharib Abdel Hafez said.

14 Sep 2022; MEMO: Egyptian authorities have released Al Jazeera journalist. Ahmed Al Nagdy from detention, the pan-Arab, Qatar-based television network reported on Wednesday, quoting Al Nagdy's lawyer, Reuters reports.

The move comes as Egypt's President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, visits Doha, his first since the two countries restored relations last year following a regional diplomatic rift.

The visit comes as Egypt seeks further financial support and investment to cushion an economic shock caused by the war in Ukraine.

14 Sep 2022; MEMO: Israeli political and security circles are concerned about the possible fall of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi amid the ongoing internal crises that Cairo has been facing, an Israeli newspaper reported.

In an editorial written by journalist and expert on Arab affairs, Smadar Peri, Yedioth Aharonoth's Hebrew site said: "Sisi's speech last Thursday was one of the harshest, most horrific and ugliest speeches during the past eight years of his rule."

14 Sep 2022; MEMO: Three prisoners have died in Egyptian jails over a two day period, with human rights groups calling for investigations into the deaths and conditions they were held in, Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported yesterday.

The paper said Mohmmad Zaki passed away on Saturday in Al Gamassa Prison following the deterioration of his health.

Zaki was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being charged for arson against a court in the city of Ismailiya, east of Egypt.

13 Sep 2022; MEMO: Two NGOs have brought a case in France against Egyptian officials for crimes against humanity and against French officials for complicity.

The complaint follows an investigation by the NGO Disclose, which last year revealed a systematic bombing campaign against civilians suspected of smuggling in the Western Desert on the border with Libya.

12 Sep 2022; MEMO: Developing country climate financing needs should start being reframed at the UN climate summit in November, in order to move beyond the outdated – and unfulfilled – $100 billion that rich nations had pledged to deliver each year, the UN high-level climate champion for Egypt said, Reuters reports.

12 Sep 2022; MEMO: An adviser to the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) has denied issuing a circular announcing the use of the Russian ruble instead of the US dollar, local media reported.

This came after the head of the Egyptian Parliament's Tourism Committee, Nora Ali, was quoted by Egyptian media as praising the Central Bank's decision to adopt the use of the Russian ruble in the list of major currencies used in local banks.

CAIRO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. authorities' move to "redefine" accountability over the killing of an Al Jazeera journalist exposes U.S. bias and failure to keep its own values, an opinion piece published on the Al-Jazeera English-language news channel has said.

Back in May when Shireen Abu Akleh, an American citizen, was fatally shot while covering conflicts in the West Bank, the U.S. State Department was quick to condemn the killing and urged that those responsible "should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Cairo; 11 Sep 2022 (UMMN):  In a bid to promote Russian tourism in the country, Egypt is to allow tourists to pay through the Russian Mir system starting later this month, an Egyptian Central Bank official told Al-Monitor.

Russian Ruble will be on the list of currencies used by Egyptian banks and be used by tourism companies and hotels.