Los Angeles Times Egypt court upholds 'debauchery' conviction amid anti-gay campaign An Egyptian appeals court on Saturday upheld the conviction of eight men convicted last month of "debauchery" amid an increasingly harsh government campaign against homosexuality, though the court reduced the men's three-year prison terms to one year, state media reported. Homosexuality in itself is not illegal in Egypt, but the government, has moved to promote conservative social mores by taking aim at groups such as gays and atheists. The anti-gay campaign, popular among pious elements in both Muslim and Christian communities, comes as the government has imposed harsh restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly that rival or surpass repression under longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak. With thousands already behind bars, the government has shown no sign of restoring basic liberties, despite urging from human rights groups and Western governments. Read more: http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-egypt-gay-rights-20141228-story.html Sunday's Zaman El-Sisi's Egypt (I) I am back in Egypt, the most important country in the Arab world. Egypt is a lynchpin for the security and stability of the region, so the Middle East needs a strong and stable Egypt. Over the last few years the country has gone through some very dark days, undergoing significant upheaval, violence and bloodshed. The economy has disintegrated and dreams of democratic governance have been shattered. So what do ordinary Egyptians think of the current situation? It is clear they are tired of turmoil; there is ongoing revolution fatigue. The majority of Egyptians I spoke to up and down the country presently accept and, in some cases, even welcomes Sisi's rule despite recognizing that he is no different to Mubarak. In fact with the MB's poor economic and political performance and ties with some unsavory groups which left many Egyptians fearful for the future, many including a large number of Christians, told me that they saw him as a "savior," which to me sounded unbelievable given the massive ongoing human rights violations and the killings that have taken place. However, when I raised these issues including the jailing of civil society and journalists, women's rights, etc., there was very little concern. What is a concern is stability and having the economy boosted. The revolution and the counterrevolution cost Egypt billions, in particular from the tourism sector. While it is now picking up again, there is still a long way to go. Read more: http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist/amanda-paul/el-sisis-egypt-i_368131.html The Times of Israel Hamas said concerned by Egypt-Qatar thaw Hamas fears its ties with Qatar will be hindered by the reported reconciliation efforts between Doha and Egypt, London-based Arab paper Rai al-Youm reported Saturday, according to Israel Radio. According to the report, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal, who has been hosted by Qatar since leaving war-torn Syria in 2012, has reached out to Qatari leaders to receive clarifications on the matter, and has been assured that the amended ties with Cairo would not affect Doha's relations with Hamas. This warming of relations could be worrying to Hamas, as Doha may no longer provide a comfortable home for its leadership. A Kuwaiti newspaper reported Friday that Qatar may suspend its support for Hamas in light of developments. But a Hamas spokesman, Husam Badran, told Israel Radio on Saturday there was no change in Qatar's attitude to the group. Read more: http://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-said-concerned-over-egypt-qatar-thaw/
