LEGISLATION WATCH- The House of Representatives’ Legislative Committee completed yesterday its review of amendments to the Criminal Procedures Act, Ahram Gate reports. The committee postponed to a later date its discussion and vote on contentious articles of the legislation pertaining to pre-trial detention. The amendments, which Cabinet had approved in October, introduce new avenues of mediation outside the court system, including for murder cases. Other issues addressed include witness protection and the regulation of no-fly and airport arrival watchlists.

The House general assembly also signed off on the third USD 1.15 bn tranche of the World Bank’s USD 3 bn facility to support Egypt’s economic reforms, Al Shorouk reports. Also rubber-stamped was a EUR 186 mn loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to help upgrade sewage and wastewater systems in Fayoum, Ahram Gate reports.

House Speaker Ali Abdel Aal also referred a basket of legislation and agreements to sub-committees for review, Al Masry Al Youm reports. These include amendments to an agreement Egypt signed with the International Civil Aviation Authority in 2016 to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the aviation sector, which was referred to the Civil Aviation and Tourism Committee, an agreement signed with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization to use solar power in running irrigation networks.