Human rights are once again leading the conversation on Egypt this morning: The Washington Post has been particularly vocal in its response to Tuesday’s news that the US State Department will withhold USD 130 mn in military aid to Egypt on human rights grounds. The paper’s foreign policy commentator Josh Rogin describes Biden’s choice as a weak compromise that will neither satisfy rights advocates nor meaningfully strengthen bilateral ties, while in a separate opinion piece Egyptian human rights advocate Mohamed Soltan writes that the decision betrays voters who elected Biden on a promise to pursue a rights-centered foreign policy. Meanwhile, Reporters without Borders is sounding the alarm on the mental health of detained activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, who has been held in custody for the past two years.

Also making headlines:

• It hasn’t been a smooth entrance to Egypt for Amazon: Amazon recently opened its first African logistics center in Egypt and jettisoned its local Souq brand, but customers have been less than pleased about its service, raising questions about its competitiveness with better established local companies. (The Africa Report)
• Fifty-three Egyptians have been repatriated to Cairo by Libyan authorities after they were arrested for attempting to migrate by boat to Europe. Two suspected human traffickers in the case are in detention in Libya, accused of kidnapping and torturing Egyptian migrants for ransom, among other charges. (AP)
• An Egyptian man who says he was assaulted during LGBT+ conversion therapy is among those profiled in a report on the abusive practice amid moves from several countries to ban it. (Reuters)
• Egyptian designer Noura Galal is challenging body and beauty standards through her tailor-made fashion brand Rafeya, launched in 2015. (Reuters)