Al Ahly and Sunshine Stars finally leave Mali

An Egyptian military plane airlifted Ahly out of Bamako on Thursday afternoon headed for Cairo.

The six players and two officials from Stars left on Friday to return home via Benin.

The two teams were stranded after Monday's attempted counter-coup caused the airport to be closed.

Ahly's flight after their 1-0 loss in the African Champions League to Stade Malien was initially delayed by bad weather.

Overnight curfew imposed after Egypt mass prrotest clashes

Egypt's ruling military council imposed an overnight curfew in the area around the defence ministry in Cairo after one soldier was reported killed and hundreds wounded in clashes there.

Soldiers used water cannons and tear gas against protesters on Friday.

Dozens of people were arrested. Protesters later dispersed and some joined a protest in Tahrir Square.

On Wednesday, unidentified assailants attacked protesters outside the ministry, leaving at least 20 dead.

Soldier killed, many injured and arrested in fresh Egypt clashes

One soldier is reported to have been killed and hundreds of people hurt in fresh clashes between Egyptian security forces and protesters in Cairo.

Soldiers used water cannons and tear gas outside the defence ministry.

Dozens of people have been arrested and a night-time curfew is now in force. Protesters later dispersed and some joined a protest in Tahrir Square.

At least 20 killed as attackers target Cairo protest in Egypt

At least 20 people have been killed in Cairo in an attack on a protest near the Egyptian Ministry of Defence.

The unknown attackers used rocks, clubs, firebombs and shotguns. The protesters retaliated, beating some assailants.
Soldiers and police have now intervened to stop the clashes, but as long as six hours after the violence started.
Two leading presidential candidates have suspended campaigning in protest at the way authorities handled it.
Abdul Moneim Aboul Fotouh, an independent Islamist, and Mohammed Mursi, head of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), criticised the authorities' response.

Unknown gun men kill six at Cairo protest

Unknown assailants have killed at least six people at a protest against Egypt's ruling generals near the defence ministry in Cairo, officials say.

Witnesses described how the attackers set on them at dawn using rocks, clubs, firebombs and firing shotguns.
Up to 100 people were also reportedly injured and are being treated at a field clinic in the Abbasiya district.
Many of the protesters are supporters of a Salafist preacher barred from standing in the presidential election.
Hazem Abu Ismail was disqualified because his mother held dual Egyptian-US citizenship, violating rules laid out in a constitutional declaration approved after an uprising forced President Hosni Mubarak to step down.
Mr Abu Ismail complained that he was the victim of a "plot" by the military authorities, but the election commission said it had found no evidence.

Egypt generals ban Mubarak-era presidency candidates

Egypt's ruling generals have approved an amendment to a law that would bar senior officials from the Mubarak era from running for president.

The change could affect Ahmed Shafiq, who served as prime minister last year.

Reports say the amended law could be published on Thursday, when the final list of candidates will be announced.

Legal experts say that if the amendment is published second, it might have no legal bearing on the candidate list, allowing Mr Shafiq to stand next month.

Hosni Mubarak's former vice-president and spy chief, Omar Suleiman, has already been disqualified for different reasons, along with two Islamists.

Publication delay

The BBC's Jon Leyne says the amendment to the law governing political rights bars was rushed through the Islamist-dominated parliament after Mr Suleiman announced he was standing for president.

It bars from the presidency anyone who served in senior positions in government and the ruling National Democratic Party under President Mubarak in the decade before he was forced to step down by an uprising in February 2011.

The list of positions does not include that of minister, so it does not threaten to derail the candidacy of Amr Moussa, who was Mr Mubarak's foreign minister before he became Arab League secretary general.

The amendment would disqualify Mr Shafiq, a former air force commander and cabinet minister who was appointed prime minister in the last days of Mr Mubarak's rule and served for a short period under the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), which assumed presidential powers.

The military council had been expected to veto the idea.

Now the generals have made it clear they have ratified the law, but it is still not clear that it will actually come into force in time for the first round of the election on 23 and 24 May, our correspondent adds.

State newspaper al-Ahram noted that if the law was published before the Higher Presidential Election Commission (HPEC) announced the final list of candidates on Thursday, it would lead to Mr Shafiq's disqualification.

But it also cited a legal expert who said that according to the constitutional declaration approved in a referendum in March 2011, if the law was issued afterwards, the HPEC's list of candidates could not be challenged, allowing Mr Shafiq to run.

Another newspaper, Youm al-Sabaa, said the law would be announced in an official gazette on Thursday and would take effect on Friday.

The main candidates still in the race beside Mr Shafiq and Mr Moussa are the independent, moderate Islamist Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh and Mohammed Mursi, the chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP).

Egyptian riot club Masry to be relegated on return

Egypt's Al Masry have had their punishment for a riot which killed 74 people earlier this year increased.

The club's existing ban remains in place, but when they return for the 2013/14 season they will be forced to play in the second division.

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) extended the sanctions following an appeal hearing on Tuesday.

The club whose fans bore the brunt of the violence, Cairo's Al Ahly,were furious at the initial punishment.

More than 70 people face charges arising from the violence, which erupted after a league match between Masry and Ahly on 1 February.

The ban on Masry applies to their senior team only - but the club is to be obliged to honour the contracts of its top players, even though they will not be in action for more than 12 months.

A four-year ban on the Port Said stadium stands and the club's fans will be excluded from all their matches for the first year of their return.

A number of lesser punishments were imposed on Ahly for their role in the riot.

They appealed against those, and a four-match ban on their fans has been reduced to only one game.

But midfielder Hossam Ghaly has had a four match ban increased to six games.

Ahly's response to the increase in Masry's punishment, and reaction to the changes in their own, is likely to be determined at a board meeting, which will be held shortly.

Egypt presidential poll bans on candidates upheld

Ten candidates who had applied to run in the Egyptian presidential election have lost their appeals against disqualification, officials say.

A judicial panel found no new evidence was offered by the hopefuls, including ex-spy chief Omar Suleiman and Muslim Brotherhood leader Khairat al-Shater.
The ultraconservative Salafist, Hazem Abu Ismail, also lost his appeal. The three were considered front-runners.
The BBC's correspondent in Cairo says the decision reshapes the election.
A final list of candidates will be published on 26 April, when the election campaign officially begins.
Hundreds of supporters of Mr Abu Ismail are staging a sit-in outside the commission's headquarters in Cairo which is surrounded by military police and armoured cars.
When their candidate's rejection was announced, some of them threw stones and briefly scuffled with police.
Mr Abu Ismail also arrived at the building, telling supporters: "We are exposed to a conspiracy by parties that you cannot imagine. What is happening inside the committee is treachery to create divisions."

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Egypt's football deaths trial opens amid chaotic scenes

The trial of dozens of people charged in connection with Egypt's worst football violence has opened in Cairo amid chaotic scenes.

The defendants, including nine police officers, disrupted proceedings as they chanted to proclaim their innocence and protests took place outside.

They are charged with murder or negligence over the violence.

At least 74 people died after clashes erupted following a match in the city of Port Said on 1 February.

Conspiracy theory

On Monday, the defendants appeared in the same courtroom at the Cairo Police College where former President Hosni Mubarak was put on trial last year.

The proceedings then quickly descended into chaos, as some of the accused jumped on benches in the court cage and waved their fists at the prosecutors.

"We either get our rights or we die," they chanted.

Meanwhile, relatives of the victims held up pictures of their loved ones, and some of them wept, the BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo reports.

For a time the session was adjourned, but it was resumed for the charges to be read out.

Outside the court building, supporters of the two clubs involved in the disaster also demonstrated.

February's game was between the home team, al-Masry, and Cairo's club, al-Ahly.

Al-Masry won 3-1, but its fans later invaded the pitch, attacking al-Ahly players and fans.

The two clubs are long-standing rivals whose games have required a large security presence.

Rumours that the police had failed to intervene sparked days of clashes across the country in which a further 16 people died.

There were also claims that fans had been allowed to take knives and other weapons into the stadium.

Many Egyptians believe the tragedy was orchestrated as a way of taking revenge for the role played by al-Ahly supporters in last year's revolution that ousted Mr Mubarak, our correspondent says.

In the days after the game, large protests blaming the military government for the deaths were held outside the interior ministry in Cairo.

Egypt coach tips Eagles to rule Africa

All the players of the national team that lost 2-3 to Egypt last Thursday in an international friendly in Dubai, have vowed that they will not make the mistakes that caused the last minute loss in their qualifiers for the South Africa 2013 Nations Cup and the Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifier.

First to speak was the man regarded as a surprise pick by Coach Stephen Keshi for the encounter on Thursday, Enyimba of Aba’s Henry Uche. “The referee was poor, but I think we lost concentration at some point and that was why they were able to get the last minute goal”, the fair skinned midfield anchor, whose performance was rated above average said. He said he forsees a better outing when the team steps out against Gabon next month in Libreville.

Towering defender, Azubuike Egwueke of Warri Wolves, said the Egyptians were ordinary but were overrated by the team. “I think we thought of them as the team that won two Cup of Nations back to back and it affected us, but we are learning fast and soon the world will see the real Super Eagles”.;

Team skipper, Chigozie Agbuim, said he has taken some lessons from the game but noted that the entire team caved in at the wrong time. “We let our guards down thinking that we have drawn the game and we paid for it, I know that it won’t happen next time, because we have learnt this one the bitter way”, he said.

Egyptian Head Coach Bob Bradley on his part, while blaming his team’s lack of finesse against Nigeria on match rustiness, said he foresees the Nigerian side ruling African football in less than six months if the NFF is able to hold the team together. “Wonderful players with wonderful skills that we could not match, they have a bright future if they stick together”, he said.

Pharaohs Beat Eagles 3-2 In Dubai Thriller

The Pharaohs of Egypt defeated Nigeria’s Super Eagles 3-2 in an international friendly match played in Dubai on Thursday.
The Super Eagles gave a good account of themselves but the Egyptians were too hot for them to handle as they lost the tie inside the El Nasri Stadium in Dubai.
Nigeria took the lead in the 13th minute through Sunday Mba, after he was set up by Uche Kalu of Enyimba.
Egypt equalised in the 25th minute when midfielder Ahmed Temsah cashed in on a defensive mix-up between centre halves Azubuike Egwuekwe and Papa Idris.
The Pharaohs then shot into the lead on 33 minutes courtesy of a penalty kick converted by Mohamed Aboutrika after full back Juwon Oshaniwa fouled an Egyptian player inside the box.
The Eagles made it 2-2 in the 42nd minute through a cheeky back-heel effort by an impressive Kalu from an Ejike Uzoenyi corner kick.
It earlier looked like a sweet reward for the Eagles as they mounted pressure on their Egyptian opponents.
And, just when it seemed there would be no more goals in the game, Egypt grabbed the winner in stoppage time through Ahmed Hassan Mekki following an error in the Eagles defence.
Egypt paraded their top stars like Aboutrika, Hossam Ghaly, Hossam Ashour with Sunderland ace Ahmed Elmohamady starting from the bench after his English club released him to join his country’s team.
Meanwhile, Eagles boss, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has heaped praises on his players following their gallant display against the Pharaohs of Egypt.
Addressing the players after the match, Big Boss Keshi said despite the frustrating display by the referee, the team showed character, grit and concentration till the last whistle.
“The referee… if he has a conscience, should know that he robbed us, because we had a penalty that was not given and the last goals looked questionable but like I told you I expected this type of officiating. “Pick yourself up and lets get set for the next round of games”, he told the players.

Egypt name 73 for their provisional Olympics squad

Egypt's under-23 coach Hany Ramzy has named 73 players in his provisional list for the men's Olympic football tournament.

In order assess all the players he has 14 friendly games lined up between 15 April and 19 July.

The list includes several senior players including Ahmed Hassan, Mohamed Aboutrika and Essam El Hadary

Ramzy will be allowed to add three players over 23 years old to his squad for the Olympics.

Currently 27 of the players are in Costa Rica at a training camp where they have friendlies against their hosts and Uruguay lined up.

They are also hoping to confirm further games with Panama and Honduras.

Following that they have a friendly scheduled for 19 May against an as yet unknown opponent.

The squad will then take part in a tournament in the French city of Toulouse at the end of May and another event in Saudi Arabia in June.

There are further games against Italy, Brazil and Switzerland planned for July.

Egypt qualified for their first Olympics since the 1992 Games in Barcelona by finishing third at the African Under-23 Championships in Morocco last year.

Egypt court suspends constitutional assembly

A court in Egypt has suspended the 100-member assembly appointed last month to draft the country's new constitution.

Several lawsuits had demanded Cairo's Administrative Court block the decision to form the panel as it did not reflect the diversity of Egyptian society.

They said women, young people and minorities were under-represented.

Islamists from the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and the Salafist Nour party, which dominate parliament, have a near-majority.

Liberals and secularists fear some of them would like to amend the constitution so that it follows the principles of Islamic law more strictly.

The new document will also determine the rights of Egypt's religious and ethnic minority groups and the balance of power between the president - previously the supreme authority - and parliament.

Once the assembly has produced a draft, it will be put to a referendum. It had been hoped that would take place before May's presidential election.

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