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MENASource

Dec 17, 2015

Top News: UN to Adopt Resolution to Disrupt ISIS Funds

By MENASource

Finance ministers from the 15 Security Council nations will adopt a plan Thursday aimed at disrupting outside revenue that the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) gets from oil and antiquities sales, ransom payments, and other criminal activities.

MENASource

Dec 17, 2015

Top News: UK Will Not Ban Muslim Brotherhood But Finds Link to Extremism

By EgyptSource

 A British governmental review into Egypt’s outlawed Muslim Brotherhood published on Thursday concluded that membership in or links to the political group should be considered a possible indicator of extremism, but that it should not be banned.

MENASource

Dec 17, 2015

EconSource: Gulf States Raise Interest Rate After US Fed Decision

By EconSource

Gulf states raised their interest rates Wednesday after a landmark decision by the US Federal Reserve to hike its rates. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates announced hikes of a quarter of a percentage point in key official rates.

MENASource

Dec 16, 2015

Top News: Chiefs of Rival Libya Parliaments Meet for First Time

By MENASource

The heads of Libya’s rival parliaments met on Tuesday for the first time since the latest fighting started more than a year ago, and ahead of the expected signing of a UN plan for a national unity government, Libyan television reported.

MENASource

Dec 16, 2015

Top News: Sisi Discusses Newly Formed Islamic Military Coalition With Saudi Crown Prince

By EgyptSource

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received Saudi Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohamed bin Salman in Cairo on Tuesday for the second meeting of the Egyptian-Saudi Coordination Council.

MENASource

Dec 16, 2015

EconSource: Saudi Arabia Announces Oil Assistance, Investments for Egypt

By EconSource

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman on Tuesday pledged a total of $8 billion in investment and aid to Egypt over the next five years. Saudi ships will also “support” traffic in the Suez Canal.

MENASource

Dec 15, 2015

Top News: Yemen Peace Talks Open in Switzerland, as Some Houthis Reportedly Ignore Ceasefire

By MENASource

Peace talks between Yemen’s warring parties began under UN auspices on Tuesday at an undisclosed location in Switzerland, aimed at clinching a permanent ceasefire and a political transition. Representatives of the Yemeni government and Houthi forces arrived in Switzerland with delegations of 18 people each.

MENASource

Dec 15, 2015

Top News: Egypt is Second Largest Jailer of Journalists Says CPJ

By EgyptSource

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in its latest report that Egypt is second to China as the world’s worst jailer of journalists, with 23 journalists currently in jail, eight of whom were imprisoned in 2015.

MENASource

Dec 15, 2015

EconSource: IMF Warns Gulf States to Make Major Fiscal Adjustments

By EconSource

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is warning Gulf states to speed up fiscal reforms. To counter sustained low oil prices, Gulf states and other major Middle East oil producers need to make “difficult decisions” and “major adjustments,” IMF Middle East Director Masood Ahmed said at the Arab Strategy Forum in Dubai.

MENASource

Dec 14, 2015

Top News: Egypt Sinai Crash Probe Finds No Evidence of Terrorism

By MENASource

Egypt said on Monday it had found no evidence so far of terrorism or other illegal action linked to the crash of a Russian passenger plane in Sinai that killed all 224 people on board on October 31.