Egypt names first-ever Christian head of country’s top court

BY SAMY MAGDY
Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s president has sworn in the first-ever Coptic Christian to head the country’s highest court. Judge Boulos Fahmy is the 19th person to preside over the Supreme Constitutional Court since it was established in 1969. President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi picked the 65-year-old Fahmy from among the court’s five oldest of 15 sitting judges, as is prescribed by law. Fahmy succeeded Judge Saeed Marei, who reportedly retired over health reasons. Fahmy has headed the court’s General Secretariat since 2014. His appointment as chief judge has been welcomed by many in the Muslim majority country.