News Coverage prepared for: The European Union delegation to Egypt . Disclaimer: “This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of authors of articles and under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of IPSOS or the European Union.” 1 . Thematic Headlines Domestic Scene Tantawi, Abbas Discuss Efforts to Bid Palestinian Ranks Islamists Win 70% of Shura Seats Ahram Reveals Israel’s Spy Network FM: Egypt Working With Britain to Sign Extradition Agreement FJP Works on Constituent Assembly Draft Law 6April Denies Supporting Aboul- Fotouh for Presidency Katatni Meets Haniya in Cairo FJP Discusses Presidential Endorsement, Decision within Two Weeks Mubarak Trial Could Be the Last for Judge before Retirement Advisory Council to Discuss Amending Controversial Constitutional Article FM: NGO Case in the Hands of Investigators Presidential Candidate Victim of Assault Syrian Ambassador Leaves Egypt Foreign Press Warns of Mubarak’s Vindication Prosecution Prolongs Detention of Mubarak Sons Pending Investigation Moussa: Marginalizing Sinai Bedouins Soon Over El-Awa: Down with Military Rule Using Legitimate Methods Amnesty International: Authorities Not Serious In Ending Mubarak’s Regime Supreme Constitutional Court to Examine Parliamentary Elections Law Mubarak to Remain in International Medical Center Sabahy: The Parliament Does Not Represent the Revolution Khaled Ali Runs for President Amending Controversial Article Affects Presidential Elections Timetable Refaat to Pronounce Verdict on 2 June FJP Negotiations over Coalition Government Copts Disagree over Presidential Endorsement Presidential Election Timetable to Be Announced Sunday 2 Newspapers (24/02/2012) Page: 1 Authors: Ashraf Abu El-Houl and Khaled El-Asmaay Tantawi, Abbas Discuss Efforts to Close Palestinian Ranks Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, Head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), met with President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas. Tantawi and Abbas discussed recent developments in the Middle East region and their impact on the peace process. The two sides also discussed the current political situation and the outcome of talks meant to close the Palestinian ranks. The talks also tackled steps taken to implement inter-Palestinian reconciliation. SCAF Deputy Chairman and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Lt. Gen. Sami Anan, Egyptian Intelligence Chief Mourad Mowafi, and a number of SCAF members, in addition to the Palestinian accompanying delegation, attended the meeting. Similar news was reported in Masry Youm pages 1&6; Gomhoria page 4; Tahrir page 11; Akhbar page 3. Page: 1, 41 3 Author: Mohamed Anz Islamists Win 70% of Shura Seats The Islamic currents represent by FJP and Al-Nour Salafi Party won an overwhelming majority in the latest Shura elections. Both parties gained 70% of the seats, with FJP leading the polls by 59%. FJP won 52 seats in the second phase and 54 seats in the first phase. While, Al-Nour won 18 seats in the second phase and 19 seats in the first. One third of the Shura members are to be appointed by the next elected president. Similar news was reported in Masry Youm page 4; Gomhoria page 4; Dostour page 5; Tahrir page 10; Shorouk pages 1&6; Youm7 page 3; Akhbar page 3. Page: 1, 4, 5 4 Author: Essam El-Meligy, Sameera Ali Ayyad Ahram Reveals Israel’s Spy Network Al-Ahram newspaper maintains it has acquired valuable and documented information in a case of espionage against Egypt that took place over the last year. The information reveals that a number of Egyptians and foreigners are involved in enabling Israel to intercept calls to senior officials. The Economic Court holds on Monday the first session of trial against four leading officials in Mobinel Cellular Network for placing a 70-meter antenna at a station it established in North Sinai when the approved height is 12-metres only. The station included additional antennas with no apparent reason. The station is only 2 kilometers away from the Egyptian Israeli borders The Jordanian suspect, Bashar Ibrahim, who used to work for Mobinel and is currently under trial in front of the Criminal Court, confessed he collaborated with Israeli citizen Offir Harrari, to smuggle 300 mobile chips to Israel to help intercept calls. Page: 1 Author: London, MENA 5 FM: Egypt Working With Britain to Sign Extradition Agreement Egypt is in talks with Britain on the signing of an extradition agreement, said Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr. During consultations in London, the British side promised to adopt serious measures regarding the file of the Mubarak regime officials, who fled to Britain, and help unfreeze their assets, Amr said. Shifting to the NGOs case, Amr voiced Egypt's adherence to settle this matter through the judiciary. During a meeting with McCain in Cairo, SCAF had made it clear that no exceptional measure will be taken for the sake of Americans involved in the NGO case, Amr added. Similar news was reported in Gomhoria page 3; Youm7 page1. Page: 1, 41 Author: Amany Maged, Abeer El-Morsy FJP Works on Constituent Assembly Draft Law 6 Freedom and Justice Party’s executive committee discussed in its meeting yesterday a draft law for the criteria of choosing Constituent Assembly members. The law is to be presented to the Parliament next week. The draft law mentions selecting 40 Parliamentary members; 30 PA members and 10 Shura members, alongside 60 members who represent different currents from outside the parliament. The PA’s Suggestions Committee recommended referring the law that discusses the 100 Constituent Assembly members to the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee. MP Mohamed Anwar El-Sadat suggested that only the Parliament could have the right of selecting Constituent Assembly non-parliamentary members. Page: 41 Author: Tarek Ismail 6April Denies Supporting Aboul- Fotouh for Presidency 7 Media Spokesperson of 6April Movement (The Democratic Front), Selim El-Hawary, denied allegations that the movement plans on supporting Dr. Abd El-Moneim Abul Fotouh in the presidential elections, despite sentiments of respect towards him, El-Hawary said. Selim said that the movement is neutral towards all presidential candidates, studying all their stances until the date of opening candidature. Pages: 1, 6 Author: Khalifa Gab Allah, Dalia Othman, Mohamed Abd El-Kader, Mohamed Gharib Katatni Meets Haniya in Cairo 8 Hamas leader and Former Head of the Palestinian Government, Ismail Haniya, is on a several-day visit to Egypt in order to discuss mutual issues for importance. PA Speaker Saad El- Katatni met with Haniya yesterday. Haniya denied allegations raised by El-Adly in his trial that members from Hamas infiltrated among Egyptian youth and participated in the vandalism that took place during January revolution. “Hamas has never interfered in Egyptian affairs, whether before or after the revolution,” said Haniya in the first visit of its kind. The Palestinian government announced that Haniya had reached a solution for the electricity cutoff problem in Gaza Strip during his visit to Cairo. Similar news was reported in Dostour page 1; Tahrir page11; Shorouk page1; Youm7 page 1; Akhbar page7. Pages: 1, 7 Authors: Hamdy Dabsh, Osama El-Mahdy, Hany El-Wazeery, Ghada Mohamed Sherif FJP Discusses Presidential Endorsement, Decision within Two Weeks 9 Helmy al-Gazzar, a member in FJP executive committee and MB’s Guidance Bureau, has said that the bureau will meet in two weeks to discuss supporting a presidential candidate. “FJP will have the final decision on who to endorse,” he said. Party leaders have said that the group would not support any of the existing candidates, including Islamist candidate Mohamed Selim al-Awa, and that the candidate it would finally choose, would be a surprise. Young members of the Muslim Brotherhood were displeased with news that the Brotherhood may insist that the vice presidential candidate be MB so the youth of the group do not vote for Abd El-Moneim Aboul Fotouh. The Salafi current held a number of meetings in Alexandria to decide on which candidate to support in the presidential elections. A number of members in El-Nour and El- Asala Salafi parties disagreed over endorsing Hazem Salah Abu Ismail. Similar news was reported in Tahrir page 1; Shorouk page 1&5 ; Youm7 page5. Page: 1 Author: Ahmed Shalaby, Fatma Abu Shanab Mubarak Trial Could Be the Last for Judge before Retirement 10 Judicial sources at the Cairo Court of Appeal said that Ahmed Refaat, head of North Cairo Criminal Court, may not preside over any other case after 2 June, the date set for the verdict in the case of ousted President Mubarak, former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly and six of his deputies. The sources said that Refaat might retire on 30 June. It is customary in the Court of Appeal to not refer any cases to a judge three months before his retirement, the sources said, adding that Refaat would announce if he were retiring during the same session of pronouncing the verdict. Lawyers involved in the case said delivering the verdict a hundred days after closing arguments means that the judge has not formed an opinion on the case. A sigh of relief was voiced by the defendants, especially Alaa Mubarak, who feared the verdict would be announced in Wednesday’s session, according to well-informed sources. Page: 1 Author: Sara Nour El-Dein Advisory Council to Discuss Amending Controversial Constitutional Article 11 The Advisory Council plans on meeting Saturday to discuss amending article28 of the constitutional declaration granting the Presidential Election Commission the ability to issue unchallengeable decisions. Osama Borhan, Advisory Council secretary general, said the Presidential Election Commission makes administrative decisions and thus its decisions should be susceptible to legal challenge. The Advisory Council has not yet developed a legal procedure to amend the article, but expects to decide on one during Saturday's meeting to submit to SCAF.