New Al-Ahram chairman OMAR Sami has been appointed temporary chairman of Al-Ahram Establishment. Sami succeeds Mamdouh Al-Wali who was dismissed by the Supreme Press Council after a petition was submitted by the board of directors of Al-Ahram. Sami was general director of Al-Ahram Establishment. He also served for two years as director of AMAC, Al-Ahram's technology solution and management training centre. “I am honoured to serve as chairman of Al-Ahram Establishment,” said Sami in a reception at Al-Ahram headquarters on Sunday. Sami said that the financial situation of Al-Ahram has been stable since August and that he expected the “full cooperation of all Al-Ahram staff to pass through this critical stage of the country's economy”. Sami was appointed by the Supreme Press Council. A major shake-up of the national press is expected soon. Ties with Moscow FOREIGN Minister Nabil Fahmi left Moscow with a “positive impression” regarding Russia's vision of the internal situation in Egypt and its willingness to cooperate with the country. Fahmi told the Middle East News Agency (MENA) at the end of his visit that he sensed a Russian willingness to embark on fruitful cooperation between the two states. He said cooperation in investment, technology and infrastructure will be boosted. “We agreed to establish cooperation between the foreign ministers of the two states in the hope of holding an Egyptian-Russian ministerial committee next spring,” Fahmi told MENA. Fahmi also met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Monday. The two ministers discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations in a number of areas including politics, economics and trade. They also discussed regional issues, with the Syrian conflict and the Palestinian issue at the top of the agenda, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Fahmi underlined to Lavrov Egypt's commitment to implementing the roadmap according to the set timetable in spite of all the challenges that the country faces. Ahead of the meeting, Fahmi congratulated Russia on its diplomatic efforts in reaching an agreement with the United States on how to deal with the issue of chemical weapons. Talks between Fahmi and Lavrov were part of Fahmi's two-day working visit to Moscow, Fahmi's first foreign visit since becoming foreign minister in July. Before the meetings began in Moscow, Lavrov said Russia has an interest in the situation stabilising in Egypt. He added that Russia believes that Egypt plays an important role in the Arab world. The Russian minister also stressed that it was essential for the Egyptian people to choose their own path when moving forward with the current political transition. He added that Egypt's stability is important to the future relationship between the two countries. Curfew shortened THE HOURS of the nightly curfew in key governorates will be reduced, from 12am to 5am. The adjustment — from 11pm to 6am — is being made to accommodate the beginning of the school year on Saturday 21 September, to facilitate the movement of students to attend school. The curfew was put in place in 14 governorates, including the capital, on 14 August after nationwide protests and unrest following the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi. The government also put in place a state of emergency which was extended for two months earlier this week. The curfew was initially from 7pm to 6am, but the starting time was changed to 9pm on 24 August and 11pm on 31 August, except on Fridays, when it has remained at 7pm. It was not clear whether the new changes would include Fridays, the first day of the weekend and the usual day of the week for planned protests and demonstrations. Campus security MINISTER of Higher Education Hossam Eissa was forced to quit a conference held at Cairo University on Tuesday entitled “Egypt's Revolution Constitution” after hundreds of students held a protest against a judicial powers of arrest decision that will be granted a number of university campus security personnel. Eissa said he has no authority to cancel the decision and that each public university administration has to take this decision after talks with its student unions and faculty. “This decision was taken by the Supreme Council of Universities last April, and I am against it,” Eissa said, adding that the previous Muslim Brotherhood government “was responsible for pushing the council to this decision to curb the students freedom against their rule. “Former Minister of Higher Education Mustafa Mossad sent a request to the minister of justice in April to grant 300 campus security personnel across Egypt powers of arrest. On Sunday, Cairo University President Gaber Nassar revealed that Cairo University will not implement the decision. Mustafa Saad, vice president of Cairo University's Student Union, said the president made the decision after a meeting with the student union. Sixty-five Cairo University faculty staff issued a joint statement last week addressing Nassar and interim Minister of Higher Education Hossam Eissa, calling for the cancellation of the decision. In their statement, the staff said that huge efforts were exerted to achieve independence by the universities and rid them of the presence of security apparatuses. MB assets frozen North Cairo Criminal Court on Tuesday stated it supported decrees issued by the general prosecution ordering a freeze of the assets of 25 MB leaders. The names cited in the ruling are: MB Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie; his deputy Khairat Al-Shater; former supreme guide Mahdi Akef, and other leading MB members including Mahmoud Ezzat, Saad Al-Katatni, Essam Al-Erian and Mohamed Al-Beltagui. The court also approved freezing the assets of Salafi figure Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, leading Wasat Party member Essam Sultan, Islamist preacher Safwat Hegazi, former MP Mohamed Al-Omda and leading figures of Al-Gamaa Islamiya Assem Abdel-Maged and Tarek Al-Zomor. The freeze followed the violent dispersal of two pro-Morsi sit-ins on 14 August. In the wake of the break-ups security forces carried out mass arrests of prominent members of the MB, many of whom are charged with inciting violence and murder. Fact finding THE CABINET has approved the formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate the violent events that followed the 30 June protests. The cabinet said in a statement on Monday that it has commissioned the National Council for Human Rights to collect and record data from the events that followed Morsi's ouster, including several deadly clashes. The committee could use the help of Egyptian experts or even international figures, the statement added. The committee is expected to present its report within three to four months.
