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Court sinks Egyptian-Saudi island deal

A court ruling supposedly has ended Egypt’s attempt to hand over two strategic Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, but the government hasn’t necessarily given up.
Security forces attempt to block Egyptian lawyer and ex-Presidential candidate Khaled Ali (C-R), who is marching in support of a ruling against the Egypt-Saudi border demarcation agreement, in front of the State Council courthouse in Cairo, Egypt, January 16, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany - RTSVPRW
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Cheers filled Cairo’s streets Jan. 16 as Egypt’s Supreme Administrative Court rejected a government plan to transfer the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia.

The judicial decision came Jan. 16 after a fierce fight both on the streets and in the country’s courtrooms, and people are now calling for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his government to be tried for treason.

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