The problem all along, this Turkish writer argues, has been the Egyptian Army. And its takedown of the Muslim Brotherhood will only breed extremist terrorists.
country: Egypt
Stay updated with comprehensive news on Egypt from Worldcrunch. Discover insights on Egyptian politics, economic strategies, societal issues, and cultural landmarks with translations from top international sources. Highlights include Cairo, Alexandria, and cultural events.
Since the army’s assault on Muslim Brotherhood began, Egypt’s non-Muslim minority, the Copts, have been killed and their churches and buildings burned by radicals in the Brotherhood.
The liberal arm of the anti-Muslim Brotherhood movement is unlikely to survive the army’s bloody attack on supporters of former President Mohamed Morsi.
CAIRO – What has become of Tahrir Square? It is of course still right there, in the center of Cairo, just off the banks of the Nile, the eternal Egyptian Museum, the Nile Hilton hotel (under seemingly endless restoration) and the Mogamma — the huge Stalinist building that serves as permanent headquarters for the Egyptian […]
The protests that led to the Egyptian president’s fall began in a tiny Cairo apartment, but ultimately got the backing of anti-Muslim Brotherhood businessmen — and the military.
BERLIN – After the fall of Mohammed Morsi in Egypt, the West is still trying to figure out what words to use to describe what is happening. In Berlin, no one wants to use the P-word, so instead of referring to a military putsch, Germany’s Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle spoke of a “stay in democratic […]
The Egyptian Army Chief and Defense Minister had ordered the ultimatum to President Morsi, and then followed through. A portrait of Egypt’s strongest strong man.
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That Imperfect Aspiration We Call Democracy
From Rio to Cairo, from Snowden to Erdogan, the excess and limits of the popular will.
CAIRO – Several million demonstrators add up to a considerable force that no elected leader can ignore. Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood have a lot more people demonstrating against them than ever took the streets against former president Hosni Mubarak. And still, given the off-with-their-heads rhetoric on both sides, the latest protests […]
ADDIS ABABA – On June 3, Egyptian politicians were caught in a televised diplomatic gaffe, which could have cost them dearly. Invited by Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi to a debate on the $4.2 billion hydroelectric dam that Ethiopia is about to start building across the Blue Nile, one of the two major tributaries of the […]
-Essay- CAIRO – Copts are being persecuted in Egypt. So, what’s new about that? This has been the norm in our “beloved homeland” since at least the 1970s. But in fact, there is something new: sectarianism against Copts and many other minorities — including Shias, Bahais, and Bedouins — intensified after the beginning of the […]
CAIRO – Rafah and other cities on the Sinai peninsula’s north coast have been suffering from pollution of the Mediterranean Sea and its underground water reservoir, which has caused serious environmental and health issues for the local population, experts argue. Some blame Israel for the pollution, while others attribute it to domestic sources. The National […]
ALEXANDRIA — Misr Station in downtown Alexandria is not much to look at by the standards of the fading, crumbling glories that prevail in Egypt’s second-largest city. On any given weekday, thousands of commuters flock to the disheveled station, passing through on their way to and from work. Much of the time, their faces are […]
RASHID – Rosetta is not the town it once was, nor does it attract visitors in the same way it once did. It is somewhat surprising, considering that the town is located where the world’s longest river empties into the sea, and where the key to understanding that river’s greatest civilization was discovered – the […]
CAIRO – The Latin word, and not just any word, jumps right out amidst the medley of Arabic writing on the classroom blackboard. “G-Spot,” repeats Nehal Badie out loud from under her grey hijab. The woman’s firm tone stands in contrast with the unlikely words she uses. Some giggles break the silence in the room, […]
Some say, in the long run, segregating bus and tram lines will actually make it worse.
MOQATTAM – After stray dogs violently attacked two children in Moqattam last month, their families pressured the local veterinary council to put an end to the problem by poisoning the animals with strychnine — a deadly pesticide. As a lethal product, strychnine should not be deposited at random, as it can also threaten residents’ health. […]
Warnings that the government has failed to protect Antinoupolis, among the largest Egyptian archaeological sites, which is being “systematically destroyed” by those who want to farm the land.
CAIRO – It just happened one day, without prior notice. On Jan. 26, Moheddin Marwan lowered the iron curtain of his grocery store at lunchtime. When he came back to work the next day, he just stood there petrified, as motionless as the new barricade that blocked the access to his shop. Stacked up like […]
Street artists spray the images of the women who have fought for equality in Egypt, from the early 20th century to the Jan. 25 uprising.
In Egypt’s capital, “D.capuccino” is the latest sign of piety since Mubarak fell. In separate sections for men, women and families, it serves up Italian coffee and “pure, Islamic values.”
-OpEd- CAIRO – I believe the presence of armed gangs and the incidents of rape during Tahrir Square protests represent a serious problem. I do not just sympathize with the victims: women and revolutionaries who were, and still are, subjected to wide-scale suppression or abuse. I am concerned about two issues; the first of them […]
CAIRO – Among the amazing landscapes Egypt possesses, the most precious are undoubtedly the seashores on the North Coast and the Red Sea, as well as the desert. Countless sites in these areas are unique and rare wonders of nature, and require special care and protection. The Egyptian Tourism Ministry has a plan for how […]
As President Mohamed Morsi wagged his finger at Egyptians in his televised address to the nation on January 27, my mind wandered back to the televised addresses former President Hosni Mubarak gave during his last 18 days in power. Back then, too, there were pitched battles in the streets of Cairo, Suez and Port Said. […]
-OpEd- CAIRO – As Egypt sinks deeper into crisis, the main political parties, which are fighting for power, are now starting to talk about a “national dialogue.” If they are unable to reach an agreement, the army might have to step in. When he confused the democratic ideals of the Egyptian revolution with the political […]
PORT SAID – Following an unpopular court ruling linked to a deadly burst of violence last year, clashes in this northern Egyptian city have left at least 30 dead on Saturday. The Ministry of Health announced the death toll in a statement, added that more than 300 people have been injured in the clashes. According […]
CAIRO – While still both recognizing the ongoing struggle for freedom and social justice, the Muslim Brotherhood and its political party on one side and the opposition on the other will mark the second anniversary of the Jan. 25 Egyptian revolution in two very different ways. As the Brotherhood and its Freedom and Justice Party […]
Many across the Arab region believed Muslim Brotherhood leadership in Egypt was the path to a new unity to defy Israel and the U.S. in the region. A different reality is setting in.
From its founding, the Muslim Brotherhood has been hostile, yet not completely rigid, toward the Jewish State. Now, will President Morsi invite Egyptian Jews to return home?
CAIRO – “Hey there, Number 28!” – A friend texts me using my new nickname. Indeed, for at least one day of every month that’s what I answer to; Number 28. That’s where I fall in the list of 43 defendants on trial for working in what the government deemed “illegal civil society organizations.” It’s […]
CAIRO – The Muslim Brotherhood has been accused of illegally receiving 10 billion Egytian pounds ($1.5 billion) from the United States government. Prosecutor General Talaat Abdallah ordered an immediate investigation into the charges on Thursday. Lawyers Mohamed Ali Abd al-Wahab and Yasser Mohamed Sayab filed the complaint, in which they quoted Mitt Romney — the […]
-Essay- CAIRO – During the painful Ettehadiya battle earlier this month between Brotherhood supporters and youthful opposition, the violence was not just physical. The scene was also a battlefield of chants. We chanted, “horriya” (freedom). They responded, “Sharia.” Then we uttered, “Jika.” Then they fell into a temporary silence, bedazzled and confused about what the […]
CAIRO – Some of the most widely circulated images and clips in the past year and a half have been taken using smartphones, leading a well-known activist to write on Facebook in late November that: “An effective use of a smart phone can sometimes replace the need for a Kalashnikov.” His comment came around the […]
CAIRO- The khatba has made a comeback in the last few years. A modern and polished version of the modestly dressed middle-aged matchmaker from the movies who visits families with a collection of pictures of prospective brides and grooms, a few Cairo women are looking once again to facilitate marriages and help people find their […]
CAIRO – On December 5, violent clashes raged for hours between supporters and opponents of President Mohamed Morsi, after the latter attacked a sit-in outside the presidential palace by protesters rejecting the constitutional declaration and a snap referendum. A total of 49 people were captured, beaten and kept overnight in makeshift holding cells as their […]
EL GOUNA – In Samih Sawiris’ world, “small scale” is not a concept that gets much play. Over the years, the scion of Egypt’s richest family has shown a flair for the oversized, even to the point of eccentricity. Twenty years ago Sawiris bought up around 40 million square meters of sand and rock and […]
CAIRO – After clashes one night this week near the presidential palace, I went to a mosque near the palace. I knew it would be open, as it was time for the dawn prayer. I immediately recognized people from the Muslim Brotherhood, especially when I saw my neighbor from our town on the outskirts of […]
CAIRO – The economic stagnation of the past year and a half has taken a toll on many businesses, but a fleet of Islamic investment banks in Egypt sees opportunity in the emerging new order. Ridge Islamic Capital, one such investment bank, has found a niche in the finance sector and made plans to capitalize […]
CAIRO – Five male members of an atheist group congregate in one of Cairo’s crowded downtown bars, sipping beer and Pepsi as they discuss their thoughts on religion, sex, science, culture, politics and Egypt’s new ruling regime. The group, which also shares idea on an atheist website, has been holding weekly meetings since Mohamed Morsi […]
CAIRO – Mohamed Gad al-Rab, more commonly known as Sambo, was not a committed revolutionary. He did not participate in the 18-day uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak, nor the immediate events that followed it. Inadvertently, he became an icon in events after much of the history had been made, having been caught up in the […]