Leading the conversation on Egypt in the foreign press this morning is the death of satirical filmmaker Shady Habash, 23, in Tora Prison, where he had been in pre-trial detention since 2018. The cause of Habash’s death has not yet been disclosed. The story is getting ink in: NY Times | BBC Arabic | Washington Post | France’s AFP | Deutsche Welle | Wall Street Journal | International Business Times | The Guardian.

Other headlines to keep on your radar:

  • Foreign Policy suggests that the covid-19 outbreak could have an impact on politics in Egypt.
  • Reuters looks at the drying-up of remittances from foreign workers, including Egyptians in the Gulf, due to lockdown measures.
  • The harvest must go on: Reuters is out with a feature on curfew-exempt Egyptian farmers during the wheat harvest season, as the country aims to increase its strategic commodity reserves.
  • Ramadan drama spills over into diplomatic ties: Israel’s Foreign Ministry has issued a statement denouncing Egyptian mosalsal “El Nehaya,” which depicts a future absent of the Israeli state, according to the Guardian.
  • Bringing the circus home: The AP and VOA News both look at a sibling duo from a family of lion tamers who are now putting on shows with a circus lion from their homes.
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