Stay Updated


Content

MENASource

Jan 7, 2015

Jailing Democracy Activists Increases Anger Ahead of Parliamentary Elections

By Khaled Dawoud

A two-year prison term issued by a Cairo Appeals Court on December 28 against twenty-three activists is likely to have a negative impact among youth on the upcoming parliament elections. Convicted with organizing an illegal protest in front of the Ittihadeya Presidential Palace in Heliopolis six months ago, the activists were sentenced on the basis […]

North Africa

MENASource

Jan 6, 2015

EconSource: Egypt’s foreign reserves fall to $15.33 billion

By EconSource

According to the Egyptian Central Bank, Egypt’s foreign currency reserves fell to $15.33 billion at the end of December from $15.88 billion the previous month. Foreign reserves fell sharply after the 2011 uprising but had risen again with the inflow of billions of dollars of aid from the Gulf countries. In November, Egypt repaid to […]

MENASource

Jan 6, 2015

Top News: Obama Invites New Tunisian President to Washington

By MENASource

President Barack Obama called newly elected Tunisian President Béji Caïd Essebsi to congratulate him and invite him to visit Washington, DC and the White House.

MENASource

Jan 6, 2015

Top News: Two Policemen Killed in Minya Church Attack

By EgyptSource

Unknown assailants killed two policemen on Tuesday during an attack on a church in the Upper Egyptian province of Minya. 

MENASource

Jan 5, 2015

Top News: Former Regime Official Nominated as New Tunisian Prime Minister

By MENASource

Habib Essid, a former Tunisian interior minister, has been nominated as prime minister to form a new government after an agreement among political parties in the newly elected parliament.

MENASource

Jan 5, 2015

Syria: The Gutman Report

By Frederic C. Hof

Turkey-based, Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Roy Gutman of McClatchy closed out 2014 with a dispatch that would be shocking if only there were still capacity for shock when it comes to Washington’s Syria policy. Gutman reported being told by Syrian opposition leaders of being ignored by the Obama administration last April when they warned of […]

Syria

MENASource

Jan 5, 2015

Top News: Egyptian Court Orders Retrial of Al Jazeera Journalists

By EgyptSource

Egypt’s highest court has ordered a retrial of three jailed journalists working for Al Jazeera television, citing procedural flaws in last year’s trial, defense lawyers said on Thursday.

MENASource

Jan 5, 2015

EconSource: Egypt’s current account hits deficit of $1.4 billion in first quarter

By EconSource

Egypt’s current account recorded a $1.4 billion deficit from July to September, in contrast to a $610 million surplus in the same period last year when Gulf states provided billions of dollars in aid. According to a statement by the Egyptian central bank, the deficit was driven by a wider trade gap and a contraction […]

MENASource

Dec 24, 2014

Assured Dysfunction: Egypt’s Parliamentary Constituencies Law

By Ryan J. Suto

Earlier this week Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi approved a law to govern the upcoming parliamentary elections, presently scheduled to occur “before the end of March 2015.” The law creates an electoral system which is overly complex, marginalizes political parties, and allows for easy government manipulation.

North Africa

MENASource

Dec 24, 2014

Top New: Qatari Intelligence Chief in Cairo for Reconciliation Talks

By EgyptSource

Egyptian and Qatari intelligence officials have met in Cairo to discuss reconciliation as part of Saudi-brokered efforts to end an 18-month standoff over Doha’s support of the Muslim Brotherhood, security and diplomatic sources said.