MENASource

Top News: Egypt Designated a “Country of Particular Concern” in US Religious Freedom Report

By EgyptSource

For the fifth year in a row, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommended in its 2015 report that Egypt be designated a “country of particular concern,” or CPC, under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).

EconSource: World Bank May Compensate Syria’s Neighbors for Refugee Costs

By EconSource

The World Bank plans to discuss the possibility of compensating Syria’s neighbors for the substantial financial cost of hosting refugees for long periods of time, Senior Advisor to the World Bank President Colin Bruce said in Geneva on Thursday.

Egyptians Face Few Options at Parliamentary Polls

By Emily Crane Linn

Starting October 16, Egypt will come to the end of its dragged out transitional period by holding its first parliamentary election since 2012. Heralded as the final step in Egypt’s revolutionary roadmap, this election is anything but revolutionary. Rather, it has been marked by a sense political apathy reminiscent of former president Hosni Mubarak’s reign.

The ISIS Link to the Ankara Bombing

By Aaron Stein

On Saturday October 10, two bombers detonated suicide vests near the main Ankara train station, killing ninety-seven people gathering to attend a peace rally. The incident is Turkey’s worst terrorist attack and comes two months after the Turkish Air Force began airstrikes in support of the US-led coalition to fight the Islamic State (ISIS or […]

Top News: Regime Forces, ISIS, Rebels Square off in Aleppo

By MENASource

ISIS militants battled rival insurgent groups on Wednesday north of the city of Aleppo, where officials say the Syrian army is preparing an offensive of its own backed by Iranian soldiers and Russian jets.

Top News: Egypt to Receive $3 Billion Loan From World Bank

By EgyptSource

Egypt will receive a $3 billion loan from the World Bank in installments over the next three years to support the state’s budget, Finance Minister Hany Dimian said on the sidelines of an economic conference on Wednesday.

EconSource: Tunisia, EU Launch Talks on Free Trade Agreement

By EconSource

Tunisia and the European Union (EU) launched negotiations Tuesday for a comprehensive free trade agreement, a deal some Tunisian experts fear could undermine their economy.

Turkey Bombing Kills 97 at Ankara Peace Rally

On Saturday morning, two explosions targeted a Turkish peace rally in Ankara, killing at least 97 people and wounding hundreds more. The rally was organized by workers’ unions and NGOs, and attended by thousands of opposition supporters and Kurdish activists in a call for greater democracy and an end to the violence between the Turkish […]

Top News: Gamal, Alaa Mubarak to be Released From Prison

By EgyptSource

An Egyptian court ordered the release of the sons of deposed autocrat Hosni Mubarak on Monday, taking into account time already served on a corruption conviction.

EconSource: UN, World Bank to Launch Refugee and Reconstruction Bonds

By EconSource

International agencies plan to raise billions of dollars to tackle the worsening refugee crisis in the Middle East and North Africa by issuing new bonds to help displaced people and support reconstruction in the region.