MENASource

Yemen’s Economy Needs Action Now

By Danya Greenfield & Stefanie A. Hausheer

On the heels of a major attack against Yemen’s defense ministry last Thursday, it is easy to focus on the dire security situation and the connection between the current political stalemate in the National Dialogue with the uptick in violence and attacks on government officials and institutions.

Key Questions on Egypt’s Upcoming Constitutional Referendum

As Egypt prepares to go to a constitutional referendum in January, details have begun to emerge on party positions on the constitution, security measures for the referendum, and who will be monitoring in Egypt’s polling stations. With the final draft of the constitution submitted to interim president Adly Mansour, he has 30 days to call […]

Top News: Clashes in Egypt between students and police for the third day

By MENASource

A security official says police have fired tear gas to prevent students of Egypt’s Islamic al-Azhar University from taking protests outside their campus, in the third straight day of unrest there. Student spokesman Mahmoud Salah said the students organized a strike Tuesday in solidarity with university staff who he said was beaten by security in the […]

Top News: Clashes between Students and Police for the Third Day

By EgyptSource

Clashes erupted on Tuesday between students supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and the security located on Azhar University campus, reported the state-owned news agency MENA.

The Aspirations of Egypt’s Forgotten Atheists and Shiites

By Fady Salah

The new amendments in Egypt’s 2012 controversial constitution succeeded in satisfying the Nubian and Amazigh minorities living in Egypt. Nubian novelist Haggag Oddoul, who represented Nubians in the fifty-member assembly amending the constitution and Amany El-Wesahy, the head of Egypt’s Amazigh community told EgyptSource the new constitution emphasizes Egypt’s cultural diversity and protects the rights […]

Syria: Talk to Assad?

By Frederic C. Hof

Commenting recently to The New York Times, Ryan Crocker (the former United States ambassador to Syria and several other places) suggested, “We need to start talking to the Assad regime again… It will have to be done very, very quietly. But bad as Assad is, he is not as bad as the jihadis who would […]

An Economic Vision for the New Libya

By Nate Mason

Leaders of the new Libya have never articulated a way forward for the nation. In the absence of a unifying goal, the state is devolving into a zero-sum battle for oil wealth among tribal, religious, and municipally identified groups. This devolution is exacerbated by several factors, but primarily it is a fight over resources. Libyans […]

Top News: Judges Recuse Themselves as Brotherhood Leaders Trials Begin

Giza’s criminal court on Monday postponed the trial of top Muslim Brotherhood leaders to February 11 so that it can study the case and declare witnesses. Earlier on Saturday, the Judges of Cairo Criminal Court recused themselves from the trial of Muslim Brotherhood leading figure Mohamed al-Beltagy and Islamist preacher Safwat Hegazy, saying it has felt unease over […]

Unintended Consequences in Syria

By Faysal Itani

The most significant development in the Syrian conflict is neither chemical weapons disarmament nor international posturing over the Geneva II process, but US engagement with the newly-formed Jabha al-Islamiyya, or Islamic Front—a coalition of Islamist nationalist militia. After two and a half years of hand-wringing, meandering, and denial, US strategy in Syria finally began to […]