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MENASource

Apr 5, 2013

Mystery Meat at al-Azhar Shakes up Egypt’s Ideological Front Lines

By Kurt Werthmuller

Egypt’s social, political, and economic fabric appears this spring as fragile as it has ever been, between violent clashes near the Muslim Brotherhood’s Muqattam headquarters two weeks ago, repressive legal campaigns against Bassem Youssef and Ali Qandil, and a disturbing trend of radical Islamist vigilantism. Given this mess, it’s easy to overlook the messy aftermath […]

MENASource

Apr 5, 2013

Lebanon’s parliamentary consultations: Political breakthrough or deadlock?

By Faysal Itani and Sarah Grebowski

Despite media warnings of a political vacuum in Lebanon following the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Mikati of Lebanon, many Lebanese politicians seem more relieved than worried. Although the government’s collapse does indeed raise the risk of destabilization as Lebanon grapples with the spillover effect of Syria’s war, the country’s current crisis is better described […]

Middle East

MENASource

Apr 5, 2013

Top News: Fire Destroys Offices at South Cairo Criminal Court; Judge Says Fires Were Deliberate

By Egypt Source

A fire has severely damaged the prosecution offices at the South Cairo Criminal Court in Bab El-Khalq. The fire, which broke out early on Thursday morning, destroyed everything inside and caused the ceiling to collapse, al-Ahram Arabic news website reports. 

MENASource

Apr 5, 2013

Implications of Egypt’s Sukuk Law

By David Mikhail

The Shura Council approved the Sukuk Law on March 19, 2013, sending it on its way to final approval by the presidency. As the first legislation to follow the FJP’s strong rhetoric on the subject of Islamic finance, the law seems to carry a dual-mandate: an addition to Egypt’s dwindling economic crisis-management tools that doubles […]

MENASource

Apr 4, 2013

The IMF is Back in Town

By Mohsin Khan and Svetlana Milbert

The arrival of an IMF team this week in Cairo has naturally set off a wave of speculation about the likelihood of an IMF program.  Minister of Planning Ashraf Al-Araby said today that agreement would be reached in a couple of weeks, which would presumably mean the program would be finalized at the IMF Spring […]

Economy & Business

MENASource

Apr 4, 2013

Top News: Al-Azhar Students End Protest, University Head Removed

By Egypt Source

The Supreme Council of Al-Azhar on Wednesday dismissed the head of Al-Azhar University Osama al-Abd over the mass food poisoning of 561 students after eating meals at the university.  GOVERNMENT & OPPOSITION We still can ban religious slogans, says Elections Committee The High Elections Commission can ban the use of religious slogans in campaigning although […]

MENASource

Apr 4, 2013

The Syrian National Fund: One of Many Tools to Save Syria

By Hussein M. El-Amach

Saving Syria is conditional on the immediate and total removal of the Assad regime, by force or via political settlement. Otherwise, dragging on the stalemate will leave nothing to be saved. The cost of the Arab Spring in Syria has been catastrophic in comparison to other countries. Syria has suffered severe destruction at the hands […]

Syria

MENASource

Apr 4, 2013

The Buck Dies Here: Why Egypt’s Interior Ministry Refuses to be Tamed

By Amro Ali

Ambushes, kidnappings, torture and murder have come to characterize Egypt’s security sector’s engagement with the Egyptian public in both pre- and post-revolution Egypt. This has left many asking: How did the interior ministry survive its pre-Mubarak incarnation given that one of the revolution’s key demands was police reform?  The issue is more complex than simply […]

MENASource

Apr 3, 2013

Libya Needs National Reconciliation, Not Retribution

By Karim Mezran

If a strong initiative is not undertaken rapidly by the Libyan government and its Western allies, the state of Libya risks implosion or a return to authoritarianism. The confluence of internal fragmentation, continued attacks against the central authorities in Tripoli, and ongoing human rights violations throughout the country is putting the very existence of the […]

Libya United States and Canada

MENASource

Apr 3, 2013

Top News: Government Threatens to Shut Down Satellite Channel CBC

By Egypt Source

State body the General Authority for Investment (GAFI) has warned television channel CBC it will revoke its licence if prominent satirist Bassem Youssef’s weekly show ‘al-Bernameg’ does not comply with the standards of the media free zone, where the channel is based.