Category: Blogs

EconSource: Egypt’s economy grew 4.3 percent in second fiscal quarter

By EconSource

According to Egypt’s Planning Minister, Egypt’s economy grew 4.3 percent in the quarter ending in December 2013, compared with 1.4 percent during the same period the previous year. Unemployment was also calculated at 12.9 percent at the end of December, down from 13.4 percent a year earlier. The MInister further added that Egypt’s GDP grew […]

Time for Some Straight Talk on NATO

By Andrew A. Michta, American Interest

Unfortunately, there is a direct link between the lack of political will in Europe to respond to hard power emergencies and the stark decline in countries’ military capabilities and capacities.

Ukraine: The High Cost of Ignoring Russia’s Land Grab in Crimea

Report documents rights abuses; Kremlin ‘greatest security challenge,’ says Atlantic Council’s Herbst The apparent US indifference toward the annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in February 2014 amounts to giving Russian President Vladimir Putin a green light to commit similar acts of aggression against other countries, panelists warned during a March 6 conference at the Atlantic […]

Patriotism and Nationalism in Egypt

By Sally Toma

I first met him in Tahrir Square, following the bloody events of February 2. On the day known as the Battle of the Camel, at least eleven were killed and over 600 wounded.  Mina Daniel, wounded earlier that day, was a Copt who struggled with other socialists for justice, freedom, and above all dignity for […]

Gender and the Jihadist: Radical Islam and Women

By Rola el-Husseini

The approach of International Women’s Day on March 8 prompts some reflection not only on the difficulties women face in the Middle East, but also their changing roles in conflict and religion. As religious extremism dominates the headlines, subtle shifts in how women engage with this phenomenon begin to emerge.

Syria: “Military Pressure Particularly May Be Necessary”

By Frederic C. Hof

In his March 5, 2015 press availability in Riyadh with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, Secretary of State John Kerry went out of his way to douse regional speculation (often articulated in the form of total certainty) that the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) entails cooperation with the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Who Are Egypt’s New Ministers?

By Ali Mohamed

In a surprise move, Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab announced a minor cabinet reshuffle that included eight ministries ahead of Egypt’s March economic conference. The reshuffle included the ministries of culture, tourism, agriculture, communications, education, and interior. Of the eight new ministers, two are taking up entirely new portfolios – the ministry of population and the ministry […]

Top News: Houthis Seize National Dialogue Headquarters in Yemen

By MENASource

Houthi militia seized the offices of a political conciliation body late on Wednesday, hours after the president refused UN-brokered talks with their powerful movement unless they withdrew from Sana’a.