Newsweek Egypt Launches English-Language Blog in Response to ‘Inaccurate' Press The Egyptian foreign ministry has launched an English-language blog that aims to counteract "inaccurate" reporting on the country by the foreign press. Launched earlier this week, Egypt MFA Blog: Egypt Connects "provides a tool to supplement formal channels of information and to circumvent the labyrinthine editorial policies of the mainstream international media," Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry wrote in a welcome note on the blog, which is run using the blogging site WordPress. "The aim is to provide a more objective narrative of events in Egypt for those who seek more than just the partial truth," he said. It's also intended for people interested in learning more about Egyptian foreign policy. Read more: http://www.newsweek.com/egyptian-government-launches-english-language-blog-response-inaccurate-366358 Middle East Eye Egypt to announce parliamentary elections schedule on Sunday The date for the start of Egypt's long-awaited parliamentary polls will be announced at press conference this Sunday, the country's election committee said on Thursday. The committee will announce "when the vote will begin, the timetable for the poll, and conditions and time of candidacy," the committee's spokesman Omar Marawan told Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram. The vote, previously scheduled for 22 March, was postponed after a court ruled that part of an electoral law was unconstitutional. Read more: http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/egypt-announce-parliamentary-elections-schedule-sunday-1734046663#sthash.3d6TBbxb.dpuf All Africa Egypt to Ban Rice Export Starting September - Trade Ministry Official Egypt's ministry of trade and industry will ban the export of all types of rice starting September 1, a ministry official said on Thursday. The ministry is yet to decide on the duration of the ban, said Sayed Abu Qomsan, a deputy for the minister. The ban reverses an earlier decision issued last October which allowed the export of Egyptian medium-grain rice with a 2000 Egyptian-pound ($279.72) tariff per tonne, payable to the government. Export licenses granted after the 2014 decision remain valid, despite the recent ban. Read more: http://allafrica.com/stories/201508271533.html
