MENASource

Obama-GCC Summit: Syria is the Elephant in the Room

By Hanin Ghaddar

President Barack Obama will host the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders next week at the White House and Camp David to discuss security issues in the Middle East.

Top News: Kerry Meets with Gulf Ministers on Iran, Yemen

Concerns over a final nuclear deal with Iran and civil war in Yemen will top the agenda of talks in Paris on Friday between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Gulf Arab states. Kerry met counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain, as well as the head of the […]

The Iran Deal, Camp David, and Nuclear Nonproliferation in the Middle East

By Nabil Fahmy

Leaders from the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will convene at Camp David on May 13 and 14, where they were initially invited to deliberate with President Barack Obama on the Iranian nuclear framework agreement.

Top News: Sisi Frees Presidency, Cabinet from Some Public Sector Labor Laws

By EgyptSource

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a decree exempting him and the Prime Minister from following public sector labor regulations when it comes to hiring and firing top staffers. Articles 19 and 20 of the Civil Service Law, which was ratified in February this year, hold that senior and executive management positions in the public sector […]

EconSource: US Official Says Majority of Iraq’s Baiji Refinery Controlled by ISIS

By EconSource

Iraqi security forces are “all but cut off” at the Baiji oil refinery by the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) and now only control about 20 percent of the facility, according to a senior US official.

More give, less take needed at the GCC Camp David summit

By Matthew Kroenig

The purpose of the upcoming summit at Camp David between President Barack Obama and leaders from the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is clear. America’s traditional partners in the Gulf feel nervous in the wake of an announced framework agreement that will allow Iran to keep its latent nuclear weapons capability, while providing […]

All the King’s Men Will Have a Hard Time Putting Yemen Together Again

By Adam Simpson

The Saudi Arabia-led coalition announced the end of Operation Decisive Storm on April 21 and rebranded the continued military intervention in Yemen “Restoring Hope.” Though the Saudis claimed to have completed their objectives, the ongoing bombing campaign and musings over a ground operation suggest this is patently not the case.

Top News: Forces Loyal to Libya’s Tobruk Shoot Down Rival Warplane

Forces loyal to Libya’s internationally recognized Tobruk-based government said that on Wednesday they shot down a warplane belonging to the rival Tripoli-based government.

Top News: Egypt Court Rejects Suit Demanding Entry Ban for Hamas Members

By EgyptSource

An Egyptian court rejected Wednesday a lawsuit calling for an entry ban into Egypt for members of Hamas. The Commissioner Authority of the State Council rejected the lawsuit filed by lawyer Samir Sabry saying the lawyer did not elaborate on his grounds for demanding the ban.

Court Ruling Threatens Egypt’s Labor Movement

By Khaled Dawoud

A recent ruling issued by the Supreme Administrative Court, outlawing labor strikes, has called into question the ability of Egyptian workers to defend their interests peacefully. The ruling, which forcibly retires striking employees, was criticized by labor and human rights activists for several reasons. First, it ignores article 15 in the Constitution, which states that […]