Monthly Archives: February 2013

The Military Cannot Save Egypt

  (Photo by Reuters, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi (C) sits next to the head of the Egyptian military General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi) This piece is initially published in Al-Monitor, I hope it can open the debate about the potential army … Continue reading

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Egyptian Aak: Week 8

(Protesters outside of prosecutor-general office Feb 22 by Mai Shaheen. Ahram online)  Monday Constitutional court rejects election law. Al-Nour party advisors leave posts in strange circumstances. Protests freeze Port Said work for second day Israel proposes alternative to Suez Canal.‪ As … Continue reading

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Why do Islamists hate Valentine’s Day?

(Photo of Egyptian Preacher Abu-Islam via Reuters) Originally published in the Daily News Egypt “Valentine’s Day represents for the Christians, a celebration of adultery and prostitution, and those who go out on this day are prostitutes.” That is how Abu Islam, a … Continue reading

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Egyptian Aak: Week 7

(Cairo, Qubba Palace clashes by AFP’s Mohamed El Shahed and DNE’s Ahmed AlMalky) Main Headlines Monday Today marks the second anniversary of the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak Egypt threatened with possible plagues of locusts A new Grand Mufti chosen; many activists surprised … Continue reading

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Egypt and Iran—odd bedfellows?

(Photo: Ahmadinejad and Mohamed Morsi- via Twitter @PoliticallyAff) This piece is published in the Daily News Egypt The extraordinary and well-organised funeral procession of the deposed Iranian Shah in 1980 marked the first state funeral to be held in Old Cairo … Continue reading

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Egyptian Aak: Week 6

(Anti-sexual harassment march in Cairo 6th of February. Twitter via @_amroali) Main Headlines  Monday Activist dies following three days of torture in police custody. Signature campaign demands the departure of President Morsi. Egypt’s central bank tightens the pound ‘s trading band … Continue reading

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Egyptian Aak: Week 5

A photo of police brutality in Egypt tweeted by Rana Allam, editor of Daily News Egypt @Run_Rana Week 5 Main Headlines: Monday Egypt’s Shura Council green-lights the president’s emergency measures. Egypt’s National Salvation Front rejects dialogue with President Morsi. Protesters … Continue reading

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Egypt: A Twilight Without A New Dawn

Egyptian protesters demonstrate in Port Said, where some people are calling for the city to secede. (Mohammed Abed / AFP/Getty Images / LA times/ February 1, 2013) Egypt has always been portrayed in folk history as a woman with eternal youth, defiant and … Continue reading

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Will Egypt Reach a Consensus?

This piece initially published in Al-Monitor There was something almost ecstatic about Egypt during its uprising against Mubarak. A nation that was once dismissed as old and submissive had risen up against its dictator and managed to do it in style. … Continue reading

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