The Wall Street Journal Egypt's Morsi Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison An Egyptian criminal court sentenced ousted President Mohammed Morsi to 20 years in prison on charges of fomenting violence, while it acquitted him of premeditated murder, a crime that would have carried a mandatory death penalty. The verdict marks the first legal decision against the former president, who faces four other trials stemming from his one year in office before being deposed in a popularly backed military coup in July 2013. Read more: http://www.wsj.com/articles/egypts-morsi-sentenced-to-prison-1429606801 Bloomberg Business U.S. Double Message Seals Shift in Egypt Ties Years After Carter The Obama administration sent a double message last month when it resumed military aid to Egypt. The most populous Arab nation will now receive F-16 jets, Harpoon anti-ship missiles and Abrams tank upgrade kits withheld following the military ouster of its elected president in July 2013. Starting in 2018, however, its army will no longer be allowed to buy weapons on credit, a privilege enjoyed since the 1979 peace accord with Israel. Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-21/u-s-double-message-seals-shift-in-egypt-ties-years-after-carter Daily Mail Belly dancer is sentenced to six months in prison for 'insulting Egypt' An Egyptian court has sentenced a popular Armenian belly dancer to six months in prison for 'insulting the Egyptian flag' after she wore a tight dress in its red, white and black color scheme. The court in Agouza, west of Cairo, said Sofinar Gourian, popularly known as 'Safinaz', was fined £15,000 after being found guilty in a case raised by a private complainant. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3047460/Egypt-court-sentences-belly-dancer-insulting-flag.html The Irish Times Egypt being lobbied regularly on Ibrahim Halawa, says Minister Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan said he has been in regular contact with his Egyptian counterpart to argue the case for the release of Ibrahim Halawa, the Irish teenager incarcerated in a Cairo jail and facing a possible death penalty. Mr Halawa was one of 493 people arrested for their alleged role in violence during protests that took place on August 16th and 17th, 2013, in the Ramisis area of central Cairo. Read more: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/egypt-being-lobbied-regularly-on-ibrahim-halawa-says-minister-1.2184191 Reuters Dubai's Arabtec says in talks with banks to fund Egypt project Dubai builder Arabtec said on Wednesday it was in talks with several local and international banks on financing the first phase of its project to build one million housing units in Egypt. Arabtec, which has yet to sign a final deal on the project with the government, did not say how much it was looking to borrow or provide any other details. Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/22/arabtec-egypt-loans-idUSL5N0XJ0A420150422
