Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

In Banī Mazār village, al-Minya governorate, al-Shaykh Fadl Secondary School refused to let a Coptic girl, first secondary grade, in for the eighth day running for refusing to wear a hijāb.

When the girl's father went to school to object the measure, the school administration filed a libel report against him.

The school had imposed hijāb on all Coptic girls. All schoolgirls wore hijāb in order to be allowed in except this girl.

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Egyptian newspapers dedicated much of their Sunday coverage to ‘Āmir ‘Āshūr, the man accused of killing one Christian and injuring five others on a train in southern Egypt last Tuesday...

The article reports on the opening of the building of the Banī Mazār Diocese.

Interpretations of freedom vary enormously around the world. In this editorial Drs. Hulsman comments on discussions about the Egyptian view of freedom and states that some people believe that religious identity has become more important than national identity in Egypt.

The article reports on the church trial of an Orthodox priest on charges of financial and moral indiscretions.

Mīnā Butrus discusses the motivation behind Pope Shenouda’s recent decision to confiscate a book entitled, ‘al-Urthodhiksīyyah al-Sharqīyyah, Ṭarīq al-Ḥayāt’ [Oriental Orthodoxy, the Way of Life], authored by Father Anthony Conaris, despite the book having been translated under the supervision of Bishop Athanasius, former secretary of the pope.

Y?suf Sidhum welcomes the new year and hopes to see a positive change in Egypt. He highlights the positive economic development, and recalls negative incidents from 2006

The author wonders about the increasing coverage of Coptic affairs in Egyptian press, and points to a number of specific periodicals that have increased their focus on such issues.

The author criticizes the practices of state security apparatuses, for failing to effectively enforce the law and refer lawbreakers to justice.