CAIRO (Reuters) - Christians gathered on Sunday to pay final respects to Pope Shenouda III, who sought to soothe sectarian tension in his four decades atop Egypt's Orthodox Church but saw increasing flareups in the majority Muslim nation in the last months of his life.
Friction has worsened since President Hosni Mubarak, who suppressed Islamists, was ousted last year. Since then Shenouda, who died on Saturday aged 88, often called for harmony and regularly met Muslim and other leaders.
A ship carrying a cargo of weapons with explosives en route from the USA to Egypt must not be allowed to offload because of a substantial risk the weapons will be used by Egyptian security forces to commit human rights violations, Amnesty International said on Thursday.
The organization has tracked the Dutch-flagged ship, MV Schippersgracht, for the past two months. It is currently in the Mediterranean Sea and due to arrive in Egypt early next week.
An Egyptian military tribunal on Sunday acquitted an army doctor of a charge of public obscenity filed by a protester who claimed she was forced to undergo a virginity test while in detention.
Army doctor Ahmed Adel speaks to the media after being acquitted in Cairo Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El-Ghany
The court denied the humiliating tests even took place, despite a ruling by another court and admissions by generals quoted by a leading rights group.
The ruling further infuriated the country's revolutionary youth movements, who have said claims of the virginity tests were the first sign that the generals who took over from deposed President Hosni Mubarak 13 months ago were carrying on his repressive practices.
This is from Ikhwan Web, in English only, why not in Arabic???
Freedom and Justice Party Supports Role of NGOs as Essential to Democratic Process
The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) today re-iterated its support for the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in supporting the democratic process, especially in nascent democracies. Under the previous, autocratic, regime, Egypt suffered many violations of civic and democratic rights
(20 February 2012- Cairo) The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) today re-iterated its support for the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in supporting the democratic process, especially in nascent democracies. Under the previous, autocratic, regime, Egypt suffered many violations of civic and democratic rights. NGOs played an important role during that time in exposing the many atrocities of the regime.
Egypt's central security forces continue to use tough tactics against protesters
It was no coincidence that Egypt's uprising began on Police Day last year; protesters' original demands included the resignation of the hated former interior minister, Habib al-Adly, and an end to the abuses committed by his security forces.
Egypt's rulers face backlash after lifting travel ban on Americans
Egypt had portrayed its case against American NGOs as necessary to thwart foreign agents intent on harming the country. Now angry Egyptians say their rulers have caved to US pressure.
In this Feb. 26 file photo, Egyptian protesters chant anti-military ruling slogans during a trial of employees of pro-democracy groups charged with using foreign funds to foment unrest in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt has lifted a travel ban on Feb. 29 for seven Americans charged with fomenting unrest by working for illegally funded pro-democracy groups, signaling an end to the worst crisis in Egypt-U.S. relations in 30 years.
KIRKCALDY; St Marks Coptic Orthodox Church, 264 Links Street; The 20th anniversary of the consecration of the church; Father MARK AZIZ photo; WALTER NEILSON
THE congregation of a Kirkcaldy church will be celebrating this weekend as the church reaches an important historical milestone.
The 20th anniversary of the consecration of St Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Church in Links Street will be marked with a Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning followed by a celebratory reception.
CAIRO (Reuters) - The top U.S. military officer met Egypt's ruling generals in Cairo Saturday and discussed the case of U.S. pro-democracy activists charged in an investigation that has strained ties between Cairo and Washington.
General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was the first senior U.S. official to visit Cairo since the charges were brought against 43 foreign and Egyptian activists following a probe into civil society groups.
Egypt's post-revolutionary authorities have set it on a collision course with Washington, its erstwhile ally, by deciding to charge 44 NGO workers including 19 Americans with illegal activities.
The security situation in Egypt was high on the agenda of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the scheduled talks in Sofia with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov Photo: AFP/GETTY
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has blasted the use of a controversial movie portraying American Muslims as extremists to help train New York police officers.
The mayor said police chiefs used ‘terrible judgment’ in screening The Third Jihad to nearly 1,500 recruits.
‘As soon as they found out about it, they stopped it,’ added Mr. Bloomberg.
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Image: In the video, the White House is shown with a black flag flying overhead and the words Islam Will Dominate
The movie – which was played during counter-terrorism training seminars – features scenes of Christians being shot in the head, car bombs exploding and a doctored picture of a black Islamic flag is shown flying over the White House.
Egypt Releases 27 Copts Falsely Detained in Maspero Massacre
By Mary Abdelmassih
(AINA) -- The Cairo Criminal Court decided this week to accept the appeal and release, pending investigations, the remaining 27 Coptic detainees arrested in connection with the events of Maspero Massacre on October 9, where 27 Copts were killed and 329 injured (AINA 10-10-2011).
This decision was hailed by the church and the various Coptic rights groups. Besides welcoming the decision of the civilian court as a just verdict considering that the detainees were all innocent, it showed, according to various Coptic organizations, the injustice of the military prosecution's investigations. A view shared among all Copts is that releasing the detainees is not enough, those responsible for the killings should be brought to justice.
Taking a moral stand: Prime Minister David Cameron said it was time to teach right from wrong
David Cameron last night called on the Archbishop of Canterbury to lead a return to the ‘moral code’ of the Bible.
In a highly personal speech about faith, the Prime Minister accused Dr Rowan Williams of failing to speak ‘to the whole nation’ when he criticised Government austerity policies and expressed sympathy with the summer rioters.
Protesters clashed with Egypt's security forces in central Cairo on Sunday after the humiliating police beating of a veiled woman in Tahrir Square triggered widespread outrage in the country's pro-democracy movement.
Egypt's security forces attack a woman in Tahrir Square Photo: REUTERS
At least ten people have been killed in three days of violence as Egypt's generals launched a clumsy and often brutal attempt to end weeks of protests against their rule.
Amid the fresh bloodshed and chaos that turned the centre of the city once more into a familiar scene of mayhem and anger, one incident, captured on film, stoked tensions more than any other.
Footage, widely broadcast on the internet, showed helmeted officers charging towards a veiled woman among the protesters in Tahrir Square earlier in the weekend. Dragging her along the ground, they beat her with their clubs and aimed kick after kick at her limp body.
Amid New Clashes in Cairo, Civilian Advisory Council Suspends Its Work
Ahmed Ali/Associated Press
Egyptian soldiers beat a protester wearing a veil in Tahrir Square in Cairo on Friday. The graffiti depicts members of the military ruling council and says “Killer.” More Photos »
Egyptian protesters threw rocks and firebombs at military police near Tahrir Square on Friday. More Photos »
The advisory council’s decision followed a renewed outbreak of violence both in the center of Cairo on Friday and at vote-counting centers around the country the previous night. Election monitors said the violence threatened to undermine the credibility of Egypt’s first parliamentary election since the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak 10 months ago.
There was a remarkable debate in the House of Lords on Friday, which I don't think was widely reported. But it showed that Christians are coming together in a new way to try to influence foreign policy.
John Patten said: "We are facing religious cleansing in parts of the Middle East and may be entering what might be thought of as an Arab winter for Christians, Jews and other minority groups alike on a scale that we have not hitherto seen."
He suggested that the American government would never tolerate a government which persecuted homosexuals the way that Christians are persecuted across the Middle East: "We must persuade our rulers to treat religious freedoms as being just as basic as other, much vaunted human rights."
Cambridge University Dons Told Don't Shake Hands With Muslim Or Disabled Students
Huffington Post UK
Cambridge University Told Dons Not To Shake Hands With Muslim Or Disabled Students
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Cambridge University has warned its dons not to shake hands with Muslims or students with disabilities for fear of offending them.
The top university has cautioned its academics not to proffer their hand automatically in case the gesture causes an upset. A directive has also gone to admissions tutors which explains that some people are "culturally sensitive" to the traditional British style of greeting.
Question for written answer E-009701/2011to the CommissionRule 117
Mario Borghezio (EFD)
Subject:EU action to defend religious freedom of Coptic Christians
Across the world, Coptic Christians are protesting ever more loudly against the killings which continue to take place in Egypt and which over recent days have claimed dozens of lives.
In contrast, the European institutions are almost completely silent on the subject. Does the Commission not intend to take concrete and decisive steps to remind the Egyptian Government of its duty to protect the Coptic Christian minority, prevent any acts of violence from being perpetrated against its members and ensure that they are able fully to exercise their right to religious freedom?
Secret Video Shows Egyptian Police, Security Staging Attack on Copts
By Mary Abdelmassih
(AINA) -- Millions of people world-wide have seen videos of Egyptian Army trucks chasing and crushing Christian protesters under their wheels during the events of the Maspero Massacre on October 9, which claimed the lives of 27 and injured 329 Christians (AINA 10-10-2011).
The ruling military council has denied that military forces used live ammunition against the Maspero protesters, or that personnel intentionally used armored vehicles to run over civilians. After blaming the Copts for using firearms, they later changed their story and put the blame on "unidentified" civilians who infiltrated the demonstrations, targeting both the peaceful protesters and the military police to cause a rift between the military council and the people. In all of its statements the military has cleared the army of any wrong-doings.
Secret Video Shows Egyptian Police, Security Staging Attack on Copts
By Mary Abdelmassih
(AINA) -- Millions of people world-wide have seen videos of Egyptian Army trucks chasing and crushing Christian protesters under their wheels during the events of the Maspero Massacre on October 9, which claimed the lives of 27 and injured 329 Christians (AINA 10-10-2011).
The ruling military council has denied that military forces used live ammunition against the Maspero protesters, or that personnel intentionally used armored vehicles to run over civilians. After blaming the Copts for using firearms, they later changed their story and put the blame on "unidentified" civilians who infiltrated the demonstrations, targeting both the peaceful protesters and the military police to cause a rift between the military council and the people. In all of its statements the military has cleared the army of any wrong-doings.
