“I deplore the deaths of Ahmed Abdel Gawad, Mosab Al-Shami and Tamer Abdel Raouf,” said the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, calling on Egyptian authorities “to do everything possible to ensure the security of media workers.”

Ms. Bokova expressed her distress and concern over the violence directed against the media in Egypt, where five media professionals have been killed while carrying out their duties in the span of a few days.

According to Reporters Without Borders, Mr. Gawad, a reporter for the Egyptian daily Al-Akhbar, and Mr. Al-Shami, a photojournalist for Rassd News Network, were killed on 14 August while covering demonstrations in the capital, Cairo. Both died from gunshot injuries.

Mr. Raouf was the regional director of Egypt’s Al-Ahram newspaper. He was shot dead at a vehicle checkpoint in Damanhur, in the Beheira Governorate in northern Egypt, on 19 August. Another journalist in the car, Hamed Al-Barbari, was injured.

Ms. Bokova also condemned yesterday the murder of Pakistani journalist Haji Abdul Razzak and Guatemalan journalist Carlos Alberto Orellana Chávez.

Mr. Razzak, 35, was a reporter for the Urdu-language newspaper Daily Tawar. His mutilated body was found in the city of Karachi last Wednesday. He had been reported missing since 24 March.

A broadcast journalist in Guatemala, Mr. Orellana Chávez hosted a news programme on Optimo 23 cable television after having directed Radio Victoria for over 25 years. According to Reporters Without Borders, he was shot down as he was driving to work some 50 kilometres from Mazatenango, the provincial capital of Suchitepequez, in the south of the country.

Ms. Bokova called on Pakistani and Guatemalan authorities “to do all in their power” to investigate the killings and shed light on these heinous crimes.

Mubarak was taken from Cairo’s Tora prison by medical helicopter on Thursday, following a court ruling which ordered his release. A medical helicopter then carried Mubarak to the Maadi Medical Hospital afternoon, according to local media.

Interim Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi has ordered Mubarak be placed under house arrest, according to AFP, with his travel ban remaining in effect.

Although Mubarak is released from prison he still faces charges of being involved in the killing of peaceful protesters in the 2011 uprising.

Mubarak was convicted last year of corruption and involvement in the murder of protesters during an uprising where Egyptians took to Tahrir Square for 18 days to demand his ouster.

Meanwhile, supporters of Egypt’s ousted president Mohamed Mursi called on the Egyptian people to protest against the army Friday.

Egypt has witnessed unprecedented violent clashes since security forces dispersed two major pro-Morsi sit-ins in the country a week ago.

Until now, almost 1,000 people have been killed across the country, according to Al Jazeera.

Islamist groups in Egypt have been accusing Mursi’s ouster in early July as a “military coup”.

In July this year, Mohamed Morsi, the first democratically elected president, was deposed by the armed forces after only one year in office.

In a televised statement on Wednesday by Army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, he announced that the constitution would be suspended, and early elections would take place.

The general, who had issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Mr. Morsi on Monday to respond to resolve the political crisis in the country said the president’s defiant response in a televised address on Tuesday had failed “to meet the demands of the masses of the people.” And calls by the armed forces for reconciliation.

The general’s announcement came after the armed forces had deployed tanks and troops in Cairo and other cities where pro-Mursi crowds were massing, according to Al Ahram English news website.

Mursi will be replaced by the chief justice of constitutional court, Adly Mansour. He will be sworn in on Thursday.

Shortly before the army’s announcement Mursi remained defiant that his presidency was still valid and refuseed to bow down to what he called an illegal coup.

Ahmed al-Tayeb, Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Cairo’s ancient seat of Muslim learning, and Pope Tawadros, the head of the Coptic Church, both backed the army’s decision and made brief statements following the announcement, Al Jazeera reported.

Cairo has asked for a $4.8 billion loan, but officials have said it might seek more.

Meanwhile, as many foreign investors are waiting for an IMF agreement before they return back to Egypt, Egyptian stocks tumbled further on Wednesday after an Egyptian administrative court ruled on Tuesday that Centamin’s (CEY.L) contract to exploit the Sukari gold mine in Egypt was invalid, according to Al Ahram Online.

An IMF team, which held an initial round of talks with the new government of President Mohamed Mursi in late August, returned to Cairo on Tuesday. Various Egyptian governments have been negotiating for an IMF loan for the last year and a half.

Egypt formally asked the IMF for a loan in August to help it since ex president Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February 2011. The IMF has in return asked Egypt to present it with a programme and line up additional financing from other agencies and countries, according to Reuters.

The IMF wants Egypt to take long-term steps to narrow a budget deficit that has grown to 11 percent of gross domestic product since the uprising, and measures to reduce costly state fuel subsidies will be key to any deal, the news agency reproted. .

Egypt had made a request for a $3.2bn loan earlier this year. The loan agreement was supposed to be signed in the spring, but it was delayed by disagreements between the now-dissolved parliament and the former government, which was formed by the military council before the presidential elections.

Since the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak, activists have been taking to the streets in an attempt to raise awareness about the likely consequences of IMF loans. 
Egyptians blame the IMF and the World Bank for a privatisation programme executed by the Mubarak regime.

He added that he will remain in his current until the end of his mandate according to the judiciary law.

According to the Egyptian legal system, the president doesn’t have the power to dismiss the prosecutor general from office, state-run media Al Ahram reported.

Earlier on Thursday Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi removed Mahmoud from the post he has held since 2006. He appointed him ambassador to the Vatican.

The state broadcaster said that his transfer was made by presidential decree.

Mahmoud was considered to be a remnant of ousted president Hosni Mubarak’s regime.

On February 2, 2011, pro-Mubarak forces organized a notorious camel-borne assault on protesters last year.

Earlier on Thursday, hundreds of protesters demonstrated in Cairo against the acquittal of the 24 Mubarak-era officials. The Youth Movement of April 6, had called for demonstrations on Thursday and Friday, demanding that the accused in this case be “retried”
, according to Al Jazeera, while, 
various political parties and groups also have called for demonstrations on Friday against the country’s Islamist-dominated Constituent Assembly, to demand that a more representative body be formed and justice be done for protesters killed or tortured last year.

Almost 850 people were killed in the popular protests that led to Mubarak’s ouster on February last year.

“The authorities have indicated that Egypt would like the IMF to support Egypt’s economic program financially to help the country recover and to lay the foundation for strong growth that benefits all,” Lagarde told reporters August 22 after meetings with President Mohamad Mursi, Prime Minister Hesham Kandil, Finance Minister Mumtaz El-Saieed, and other senior Egyptian officials.

In a statement on the IMF’s website Legarde said that Egypt faced considerable challenges, including the need to restart growth and reduce budget and balance of payments deficits. She also emphasized the importance of creating jobs and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises.

Egypt had made a request for a $3.2bn loan earlier this year. The loan agreement was supposed to be signed in the spring, but it was delayed by disagreements between the now-dissolved parliament and the former government, which was formed by the military council before the presidential elections., according to Al Jazeera.

A technical team will be arriving in Cairo in early September to work with the authorities on their programme and discuss possible forms of financial support from the IMF.

Since the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak, activists have been taking to the streets in ana ttempt to raise  awareness about the likely consequences of IMF loans. 
Egyptians blame the IMF and the World Bank for a privatisation programme executed by the Mubarak regime.

Lagarde’s visit to Egypt is the second to an Arab country going through transition, after her visit to Tunisia earlier this year. With the recent approval of two programs, one for Jordan and the other for Morocco, the IMF has committed to support the region with over $8 billion. The IMF also provided financial support for Yemen earlier this year.

Presidential spokesman Yasser Ali said Mursi had appointed Tantawi as his adviser. Mursi also decreed that Abdul-Fatah al-Sessi would replace Tantawi as defense minister and the general commander of the army.

The chief of the army staff, Sami Anan, was appointed as a presidential adviser while Lieutenant-General Sidki Sayed Ahmed was named as Anan’s replacement.

Besides Tantawi and Anan, Morsi also ordered the retirement of the commanders of the navy, air defence and air force.

In an address to the nation on Sunday evening, Mursi said that his move was not directed at individuals.

”The decisions I took today were not meant ever to target certain persons, nor did I intend to embarrass institutions, nor was my aim to narrow freedoms,” he said, Al Jazeera reported.

“I did not mean to send a negative message about anyone, but my aim was the benefit of this nation and its people.

When Hosni Mubarak was ousted in a popular uprising in February 2011 Mubarak transferred authority to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, headed by the Tantawi, making him the de facto head of state until elections brought the President Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood to power this year.

Relations between the military and the Muslim Brotherhood have been tense since the downfall of former President Hosni Mubarak.

The move comes as Egypt’s freshly-elected government faces criticism for unrest in the northern Sinai region, where militants attacked a border post last week, killing 16 troops.

Bedouin militants are believed to be behind the attacks of the pipeline which now accounts to 15thsince a popular uprising toppled former president Hosni Mubarak in February 2011, AFP reported.

An official in the company that manages the pipeline said exports of gas to both Israel and Jordan had been halted since an explosion that hit the pipeline in April and that the flames were caused by residual gas, however, residents of El-Arish said gas shipments had resumed three days ago through the pipeline, AFP reported.

Egypt in April canceled its agreement to supply gas to Israel to agree on a new price.

The 2005 Egypt-Israel gas deal has been viewed by many Egyptians with great suspicion while critics point out Israel got gas at below market prices making the deal a rip-off for Egypt.

After the January 2011 uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak, the deal came under attack from revolutionary groups and critics who said the deal was one of the former president’s worst crimes. The pipeline was bombed by unknown assailants 14 times causing Egypt to halt the deal a month later. Some Mubarak-era ministers and businessmen have faced trial and imprisoned for selling the gas to Israel at so low prices.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks yet.

He took the oath on Saturday before the Supreme Constitutional Court rather than parliament, a step mandated by the ruling military council after it dissolved parliament two weeks ago.

“I swear by the Almighty God to sincerely preserve the republican order and to respect the constitution and law, and completely care for the people’s interest,” he said at the ceremony at the court, according to Al Arabiya.

Mursi has pledged to reclaim presidential powers stripped by the military council that took over after Mubarak’s overthrow, according to Al Jazeera. 

In a rousing speech before tens of thousands of people in Tahrir on Friday, he promised dignity and social justice and swore to uphold the constitution, reciting the words of an oath which he took later formally in front of the supreme constitutional court.

He stressed that “the will of the people is above everybody,” challenging an army which has sought to shield itself from parliamentary oversight.

Mursi opened his speech by addressing himself to “the Muslims and Christians of Egypt,” and promised to preserve a civil state.

Mursi also promised to end torture and discrimination, and to deliver social justice for millions of Egyptians.

Internationally, he said Egypt would back the Palestinians and called for an end to the bloodshed in Syria.

 “I announce from here that Egypt, its people and presidential institution stand with the Palestinian people until they regain all their rights,” he said.

“We support the Syrian people and we want the bloodshed to stop,” he added.

The military council is scheduled to announce on Saturday that it is fulfilling its pledge made when it took over from Mubarak to transfer power to an elected president, according to a statement obtained by Reuters.

 

No outright winner is expected to emerge from the two-day vote, so a runoff is scheduled to take place for June 16-17 between the two top winners, according to AFP. Voters have 13 candidates to choose from. Among the contenders is former foreign minister and Arab League chief Amr Moussa, Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak’s last prime minister, Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate Mohamed Mursi faces competition from Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh, a former Muslim Brotherhood leader and centrist Islamist candidate.

The main issue for voters is the Egyptian economy, as the net president will take over a struglling and stagnant economy. Nearly half of Egyptians live at or below the poverty line, defined as $2 per day, and youth unemployment is 25 per cent, according to Al Jazeera.

The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), in power since Mubarak’s ouster, has called on Egyptians to turn out en masse to the polls, while warning against any “violation”, Al Arabiya reports. “The participation of citizens in the presidential election is the best guarantee of the transparency and security of the electoral process,” Mohammed al-Assar, a member of the SCAF said.

According to the electoral rules laid down by the Presidential Elections Commission, candidates may can no longer appear on television, give media interviews or conduct any public activity that may influence voters in the 23 to 24 May election.

Candidates have been campaigning across the country for weeks while 
a ban on campaign activities, laid down by the Presidential Election Commission came into force for 48 hours before the vote. The SCAF has vowed to hand power to civilian rule bu July 1, after a president is elected.

Meanwhile, Former US President Jimmy Carter, head of the Carter Center rights group, arrived in Cairo Sunday leading a delegation from Paris that will stay in Egypt for one week to monitor the election. Egypt has welcomed 22 observers from the Carter Center to join 80 other people coming from different countries to monitor the first election after Hosni Mubarak resigned from office amid the uprising last year, according to Egypt Independent. Several other international observers arrived Sunday coming from New York and European cities.