Al-Jumhūrīyah

Muná Makram 'Ubayd, an al-Wafd Party figure, said that there is not presently an Islamic State in Egypt, nor will there be after the January Revolution, where there is no room for eliminating any element in the country. She stressed her support of the civil state.

She added that Egypt is a civil state and will remain a civil state. However, she supports keeping article II in the Constitution.

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The Egyptian Union for Human Rights Organization and the Public Coptic Association held a press conference to respond to the appointed U.S. envoy for minorities' rights in the Middle East and the Arab world.

 Coptic Orthodox Pope Shenouda III made intensive calls to the Ethiopian Church to reach a positive Ethiopian decision about Egypt's share from Nile River, as well as solving the current problem of establishing al-Alfīyah dam.

Church sources said that the pope is praying for this problem.

 Salafī Public Will Front, Coalition of Islamist Power, announced their agreement on seven demands for the Friday of public will on July 29, 2011, on top of those demands that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces [SCAF] to put a clear timeline for parliamentary and presidential election.

The Cairo Court of Appeals has said that the trial of former President Husnī Mubārak and former Minister of the Interior Habīb al-‘Ādlī, may be held in Sharm al-Shaykh hospital, depending on the discretion of the Criminal Court. This has raised concern in Sharm el-Sheikh about high security risks in the city, as well as the negative impact it would have on tourism.

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An official source at the Coptic Orthodox papacy has rejected Maurice Sādiq's statements, which have provoked all Egyptian citizens, both Muslims and Copts.

An archpriest of the Coptic Orthodox Church criticized the ministry of solidarity & social justice for sending a delegation to search for Kāmīliyā Shīhātah inside his Coptic Peace Society.

Salīb Mattá Sawiris, who is also a member of the Millī Council (Community Council), said the Kāmīliyā issue is supposed to be closed once and for all after the Azhar's administration announced she has not converted to Islam.

A reverend was assaulted in his church office in Abū al-Maṭāmīr, Beheira, following demands from a local man for money.

The Islamic Legitimate Body of Rights and Reform (ILBRR) called for a gathering of the Azhar scholars, salafists and the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) next Friday, and for another million-man march to defend the sharī'ah.

Grand Shaykh of the Azhar Dr. Ahmad al-Tayīb said absolute freedom is chaos that would pose a threat to the society as a whole.

"As Arab and Muslim people, we have our own traditions and values that do not go along with absolute democracy. In our societies, we believe that religion is the thing that directs man to good," Tayīb said on July 13 during a meeting with visiting Speaker of the Polish Senate Bogdan Borusewicz and his accompanying delegation in Cairo.

He cast doubts regarding recent rumors that there were foreign interference in Egypt's January 25 revolution.

[Reviewer's Note: News story was also covered in al-Jumhūrīyah, page 4, July 14, 2011]

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