Fahmi in Kuwait FOREIGN Minister Nabil Fahmi delivered Egypt's address during his participation in the preparatory ministerial meeting for the third Arab-African summit in Kuwait on 19 and 20 November. In the speech, Fahmi emphasised the importance of Arab-African cooperation in implementing major infrastructure projects “because these projects are the basis for development in the Arab and African regions”. On the margins of the meeting Fahmi met the deputy prime minister of Somalia, Foreign Minister Fawzia Youssef Haji during which they discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to improve them in all fields. Fahmi confirmed that Egypt is keen to listen to the needs of Somalia and to appraise the possibility of meeting them. He referred to Egypt's decision to establish a development agency which can be used to give the required push for bilateral relations. Fahmi also met with his Algerian counterpart Ramadan Lamamra during which they discussed ways to improve bilateral relations. Foreign Ministry spokesman Badr Abdel-Atti stated that Lamamra reiterated his country's full support for the resumption of Egypt's role in the African Union and that Algeria would exert every effort to end the present situation. He was referring to the African Union decision to suspend Egypt's membership following the ouster of Mohamed Morsi as president in July. During his meeting with Nkosazama Dlamini-Zuma, the chairperson of the African Union commission, Fahmi discussed the decision, emphasising that while Egypt was against the decision it would not affect Egypt's link to the African continent. Fahmi also met his Jordanian counterpart Nasser Gouda and tackled the regional situation and ways to boost peace in the Middle East. The two officials also discussed the Syrian issue and ways to reach a political settlement during Geneva II, as Abdel-Atti stated. Fahmi also met his Sudanese counterpart Ali Kerty in which they discussed holding a meeting to study the recommendations of the technical committee regarding the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Fahmi left for Kuwait on Saturday. Church attack SECURITY forces on Tuesday arrested two men suspected of involvement in an attack on a church earlier the same day in the Nile Delta province of Gharbiya. Early Tuesday morning, two men on a motorbike opened fire on the Abu Sefein Church in the city of Kafr Al-Zayat, leaving two policemen — who had been stationed outside the church — suffering injuries from birdshot. According to a statement issued by the Gharbiya Security Directorate, the two suspects, both of whom had previous criminal records, were arrested. Initial questioning of the two men revealed that they had shot at the policemen because the latter had arrested them earlier for alcohol intoxication, the security directorate said. The assailants were drinking alcohol near the church and were asked by the policemen to leave. The situation escalated into a brawl and the assailants fired birdshot to injure the policemen before fleeing, according to the security directorate. The attack is very similar to the one that targeted the Virgin Church in the Giza suburb of Warraq last month. Four people were killed and 18 others injured when two militants riding a motorbike opened fire at a number of people emerging from a wedding ceremony at the church. The October attack drew immediate condemnation from Egypt's Al-Azhar Islamic Institution, which called it a “terrorist” act and asserted that attacks on Christian houses of worship were forbidden by Islam. Mubarak retrial adjourned OUSTED president Hosni Mubarak's retrial was adjourned by a Cairo criminal court on Monday until December so as to allow for new witness testimonies. The retrial of Mubarak's two sons and his interior minister Habib Al-Adli was also postponed. In the Monday session, the court ruled to defer the case to 14, 15 and 16 December in order to summon former head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) Hussein Tantawi, former chief of staff Sami Anan and former military police head Hamdi Badeen. The defendants include six security aides of Al-Adli, who face charges of complicity in killings during the 25 January Revolution that left almost 900 protesters dead. Mubarak's first trial began in August 2011. One year later, the 85-year-old president and his interior minister both received life sentences on charges of political responsibility for the killing of peaceful protesters during the 18 days that led to Mubarak's ouster. The verdicts were appealed for procedural improprieties in January 2013 and a retrial was opened. Mubarak, along with business tycoon Hussein Salem, also face charges of squandering public funds by selling natural gas to Israel at below market prices. The former president is currently under house arrest by order of the government after serving the maximum period of two years in provisional detention. Minors, women on trial PROSECUTORS on Monday referred 21 women and girls to the criminal court on charges related to a pro-Morsi protest. They have been charged with offences related to a march in support of former president Mohamed Morsi in October in Alexandria's eastern Roushdi district. The detained adults are due to appear at an urgent criminal court on Wednesday, while the juveniles will be referred to a court for minors. The detained group including 14 women and seven girls are facing criminal charges of illegal assembly, disturbing public security and order, possession of bladed weapons and rocks and endangering citizens' lives. The 21 detainees belong to a group called the 7am Movement which organises peaceful protests against the 3 July ousting of former president Morsi. The protests start before the beginning of the school day, hence the name. The group, which started in Alexandria, has spread to Greater Cairo and launched a campaign called “Our girls are a red line”. Since Morsi's ouster in July and following widespread protests, interim authorities have launched a major crackdown on supporters of the president, arresting thousands. The toppled leader himself, along with 14 other Islamists, is on trial for incitement to murder protesters in December 2012.
