Swiss investigate Mubarak links to money laundering gang

The Swiss Embassy in Cairo said on Tuesday that the Swiss authorities are investigating whether members of the family of ousted President Hosni Mubarak had joined a gang involved in money laundering.

The embassy also explained that, according to Swiss laws, Egypt would be absolved of having to prove the illegality of the family members’ frozen assets in Switzerland if they are found guilty of laundering money, which may expedite the return of the money.

Meanwhile, Assem al-Gohary, assistant justice minister for illicit gains affairs, met with the Cypriot acting ambassador to Cairo, Andreas Kasapis, to discuss the repatriation of money syphoned off to Cyprus.

Kasapis said his government is willing to cooperate with Egypt in this regard, in light of the good relations between the two countries.

Both sides agreed to meet again next month to follow up on the matter.

source : http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/506775

Brotherhood sells low-cost military meat to gain votes

The Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party has erected outlets in popular neighborhoods to sell meat at discounted prices as part of its campaign for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

The Brotherhood has sold low-cost meat before ahead of elections. However, the novelty this time is that the group is selling meat produced on farms belonging to the armed forces.

To accompany its meat-retailing operations, the Islamist group uses the slogan of "We Work for the Good of Egypt," which it used in the last parliamentary elections.

source : http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/506781

National Association for Change suggests 11 steps to power handover

The National Association for Change (NAC) on Wednesday launched an initiative to ease the handover of power to a civil authority under the slogan “An Army That Protects Us, Not Governs Us.”

The initiative consists of 11 steps, starting with the armed forces immediately handing over power to a temporary "rescue" government with presidential powers, while the military manages the nation's external affairs, defense and national security until a new parliament is elected.

The government would be tasked with cleansing the Interior Ministry before the parliamentary and presidential elections, and preparing a short-term plan to improve the economy and reduce unemployment.

read more http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/506785

source : almasryalyoum

Egypt's SCAF members interviewed in special joint broadcast Wednesday

A frank encounter with SCAF' was promised by TV hosts, who didn't reveal which of the 20 members of the ruling military council will appear on national television at 9pm

 Tahrir TV and Dream 2 have announced that their main evening talk shows "Fel Midan" and "10 PM" will be hosting a joint broadcast in which they will speak to members of Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) on air, starting at 9 PM Cairo local time.

It is the first time SCAF members speak on natinal television, after the army was widely criticised for its handling of the Maspero demonstrations for coptic rights on 9 October, that left 27 dead and more than 300 injured.

It is as yet unclear which members of SCAF will appear.

Both channels have aired special promos of the broadcast in the last two days, announcing a mobile hotline through which viewers could text questions to SCAF.

"Fel Midan" is presented by the journalist Ibrahim Eissa, while "10 PM" is presented by the TV hostess Mona El-Shazly

On the occasion both popular TV hosts promised “a frank encounter with SCAF”. Dream 2’s “10PM” talk show was the first TV show in Egypt to host members of SCAF in February.

source : http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/24575.aspx