The guardian Egypt hails $8bn Suez canal expansion as gift to world at lavish ceremony In a blaze of hyper-nationalist fanfare, Egypt's government has inaugurated an $8bn (£5.2bn) expansion of the Suez canal with an elaborate ceremony hailing the project as a national achievement. The Egyptian president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, wearing his military uniform and trademark dark sunglasses in the sweltering heat, flew to the site on Thursday on board a military helicopter and immediately embarked on to a monarchy-era yacht that sailed to the venue. The yacht was flanked by navy warships as helicopters, jet fighters and military transport aircraft flew overhead. A visibly triumphant Sisi stood on the vessel's upper deck, waving to wellwishers and folklore dance troupes performing on the shore. At one point, a young boy in military uniform holding an Egyptian flag joined him on deck. Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/06/egypt-suez-canal-expansion The New York Times Suez Canal Upgrade May And Egypt's Economic Journey "Egypt Rejoices," the television networks and newspapers declared, announcing "Egypt's gift to the world." Businesses were closed, the streets of Cairo were empty, and the airwaves were full of patriotic songs and music videos — all featuring adoring images of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi interspersed with footage of cargo sailing toward the sea. With a pageant of soaring jets and singing schoolgirls that lasted hours, Mr. Sisi on Thursday inaugurated what he called "the new Suez Canal" and portrayed it as the cornerstone of his plans for an economic turnaround. "Egyptians needed to confirm to themselves and the world that they still can," Mr. Sisi declared to an audience of dignitaries assembled near the Suez Canal city of Ismailia for the opening. He called it "an additional artery of prosperity for the world." On Friday, every imam in Egypt is expected to preach about its benefits and cite the example of a trench dug by the Prophet Muhammad that led to a battlefield victory, according to instructions from the religious authorities. Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/07/world/middleeast/suez-canal-channel-egypt.html?_r=0 Euro news Deadline expires on Friday in Egypt for kidnapped Croatian worker The new Suez canal may have opened to great fanfare but the future of the Croatian worker kidnapped by a terrorist group is far from bright. Their deadline for Egypt to release a high-profile female militant expires on Friday. If she is not freed the group, the Sinai Province of Islamic State, says it will execute Tomislav Salopek, who works for the French oil and gas geology company CGG. "It is terrible for a young man with two small children, it shook me up. I don't know how that man can be helped. I mean, couldn't we help him, is it possible to help him?" said one woman in Zagreb. Read more: http://www.euronews.com/2015/08/06/deadline-expires-on-friday-in-egypt-for-kidnapped-croatian-worker/ Al Monitor Egyptian fishermen tangled in Egypt-Sudan fray Since April 7, the Sudanese state has held 101 Egyptian fishermen from the fishing boats Hoda Al-Rahman, Princess Malak and Princess Mariam. The fishermen were on their way to Eritrea to fish when the Sudanese navy arrested them on April 7 for invading Sudanese territorial waters and fishing without a permit. One elderly man was excluded from the case, while six youths were deported to Cairo. On April 12, a Sudanese court fined each crew member arrested 5,000 Egyptian pounds ($638) and sentenced them to two months in prison. Each captain was penalized 10,000 pounds ($1,277) and six months in prison. The boats' owners, who were not on board, hired Sudanese attorney Intisar Suleiman, who appealed against the court's judgment and won an acquittal July 23. The three retained boats were also released. Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/08/egypt-sudan-arrest-fishermen.html#ixzz3i6qpihiq
