Reuters Hopes dim Egypt to release Australian Al Jazeera journalist soon Hopes are fading for the release of Australian journalist Peter Greste, who has been in jail in Egypt for a year, after Cairo sent mixed signals about his case, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said on Monday. The Al Jazeera reporter is serving seven to 10 years for crimes that include spreading lies to help a "terrorist organization" referomg to the Muslim Brotherhood group which is banned in Egypt. "We had indications that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi would exercise his authority regarding a pardon or a clemency plea in advance of the appeal," Bishop told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/29/us-australia-egypt-jazeera-idUSKBN0K704Q20141229 Egypt to try 15 students in military courts over violence An Egyptian prosecutor referred 15 alleged members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood to a military court on Sunday on violence-related charges, the state news agency reported. The accused are 15 students from Zagazig University in the Nile Delta who face charges including inciting riots, belonging to a terrorist organisation and protesting without a permit. Read more: http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKBN0K70B920141229 Turkish Press Egypt raises security alert level for New Year celebrations Egyptian security forces have raised their alert level ahead of New Year celebrations. The Interior Ministry said in a Sunday statement that the alert level has been raised to secure celebrations of the New Year and the birth of Islam's prophet Muhammad. Read more: http://www.turkishpress.com/news/416919/
