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Geopolitics

From Gaza To “Arab NATO”: Egypt’s Art Of Saying No Without Saying No

Egypt has perfected the art of passive resistance in navigating international pressures — delaying, complicating, and outlasting unwanted initiatives. From blocking the Arab NATO project to managing the fate of two Red Sea islands, Cairo deploys its bureaucratic “Madame Afaf” tactic to stall without confrontation.

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Geopolitics In The News Society

Le Weekend ➡️ Poland’s presidential showdown, between Europe and its illiberal shadow

May 31-June 1 • Who owns AI?• RIP Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o• Reading from a mile away• … and much more ⬇️  STARTER Poland’s presidential showdown, between Europe and its illiberal shadow It has become something of a classic pattern: every election in Europe is presented as decisive in the battle between democracy and illiberalism — […]

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Society

From Coachella To Antiquity? Reflections On Egypt’s Cultural Exceptionalism

Mohamed Ramadan’s performance at Coachella marks a stark contrast from Egypt’s golden era of art, when creativity served as the nation’s conscience.

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Economy

The Economic Occupation Of Egypt: How Gulf States’ Petrodollars Control A Once Great Arab Nation

Egypt’s economic subjugation: A nation for sale.

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Future Society Women Worldwide

Why TikTokers Are In The Crosshairs Of Egypt’s Morality War

Yet another female social media influencer is facing accusations of violating Egyptian family values. This crackdown, which is linked to Egypt’s broader social and legal climate, disproportionately impacts women.

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Society Women Worldwide

Egypt’s Scourge Of “Honor Killings” Relies On Leniency — From Both Courts And Families

Reducing sentences in family violence cases isn’t uncommon in Egypt. So women struggle from both: their families and the courts.

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Geopolitics

Madame Afaf v. Donald Trump? Egypt’s Passive Diplomacy Can Be Key To Middle East Peace

Egypt has perfected the art of passive resistance in navigating international pressures — delaying, complicating, and outlasting unwanted initiatives. From blocking the Arab NATO project to managing the fate of two Red Sea islands, Cairo deploys its bureaucratic “Madame Afaf” tactic to stall without confrontation. As Trump returns with bold regional proposals, Egypt is once again playing the long game, waiting out the storm.

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Geopolitics

USAID Cuts, A Gift To ISIS? Perils And Power Inside Syria’s Al-Hol Camp

A number of international humanitarian organizations, local associations, and organizations operate within the al-Hol refugee camp in northern Syria. Most of these organizations are primarily funded by the U.S., meaning that three sectors and several community segments are directly affected by the U.S. State Department’s decision to halt foreign aid.

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Society

How Egypt’s Ramadan Tournaments Can Save Soccer From Its Corporate Overlords

The Egyptian people love soccer, but those who rule its professional leagues don’t seem to care about the sport. The people had to find a solution, on city streets and remote villages — and special once-a-year Ramadan tournaments.

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Society

In Egypt, A Straight Line From Inflation To Lower Birth Rates

Economic crisis and higher inflation in Egypt have prompted many young married people to abandon the idea of having children. And if they decide to have children, they just want one or two at most to be able to provide them a decent life.

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Eyes on the U.S. Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

With Trump’s Gaza Plan, Egypt Could Pull Out Of 1979 Camp David Treaty

Following President Trump’s shocking proposal for the U.S. to redevelop Gaza, leaders in Cairo are seriously considering canceling the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty. An Egyptian official has said that the U.S. plan, which would displace the Palestinian people, would will push the entire Middle East into a military confrontation whose scope and repercussions are unknown.

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Geopolitics

In Syria’s Al-Hol Camp, U.S. Foreign Aid Freeze Is A Gift To ISIS

A number of international humanitarian organizations, local associations, and organizations operate within the al-Hol refugee camp in northern Syria. Most of these organizations are primarily funded by the U.S., meaning that three sectors and several community segments are directly affected by the U.S. State Department’s decision to halt foreign aid.

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

Inside The Egypt-Jordan Resistance To Trump’s Plan To Clear Palestinians Out Of Gaza

Trump’s suggestion that Egypt and Jordan take Palestinians in Gaza is the ultimate nightmare scenario for Cairo and Amman, but the U.S. president looks prepared to use his leverage to get a deal the Israelis would prefer.

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Geopolitics

Qatar, The New Standard Of Soft Power Will Be Key To Middle East Peace

Qatar was crucial to the ceasefire negotiations in the Middle East. It proves that you don’t need a large army or nuclear weapons to play an important role in the world.

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

This Gaza Ceasefire Deal Was On The Table For Months — Why Netanyahu Said “Yes” Now

Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States — with an important role played by Donald Trump — along with Qatar and Egypt. It’s a relief to families of hostages and Palestinians in Gaza but also raises the question of the “day after,” which remains unwritten.

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

Ceasefire In Gaza Appears Imminent — It’s The “Trump Effect” At Play

A ceasefire could happen any moment now in Gaza, with Donald Trump’s surrogates playing a key role in softening Benjamin Netanyahu. The president-elect wants to reenter the White House having already ended a conflict, even if nothing is actually resolved for the long term.

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Geopolitics

Why Al-Sharaa’s Rise In Syria Is Making Jordan So Nervous

Jordan has cautiously followed the emergence of Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, from the ranks of jihad fighters to a statesman. Amman is increasingly concerned that the Muslim Brotherhood could exploit the rise of Islamists in Syria to sow chaos in Jordan, or the return of extremist fighters to areas on its borders.

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Society Women Worldwide

The Plague Of Egyptian Cleric Impunity In Sexual Assault Cases

In Egypt, there is a disturbingly high rate of sexual abuse cases by members of the clergy who evade accountability. It’s time for Egyptian authorities to create better mechanisms to investigate these cases, punish perpetrators, and support survivors.

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Israel-Palestine War

The Saga Of Family Separation On Both Sides Of The Egypt-Gaza Border

Tens of thousands of Palestinian families have been torn apart by the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza. Cairo-based independent news website Al-Manassa talks with Palestinians in Egypt who are separated from family members trapped in the coastal enclave.

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Society Women Worldwide

“Honor” Killings In Egypt Get Leniency From The Courts — And Victims’ Families

Reducing sentences in family violence cases isn’t uncommon in Egypt. So women struggle from both: their families and the courts.

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Geopolitics

Taking Down Tyrants — Can Syria Learn From The Arab World’s Past Mistakes?

The direction of Syria’s new rulers remains uncertain, but examples of transitions in Iraq, Egypt, Libya or Tunisia after the fall of their dictators highlight the pitfalls to avoid. Will Syria be able to escape them?

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Geopolitics Society

Arrest Of Italian-Egyptian Adult Film Star Revives Fears Of Prisoner Abuse In Egypt

Italy is seeking information about the condition of Sharif el-Anain, an Italy-based adult film actor who was arrested in Egypt earlier this month under unclear circumstances. Italians have not forgotten Giulio Regeni, a 28-year-old Italian researcher of labor rights, who died in Egyptian police custody after allegedly being tortured.

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Society Women Worldwide

In Egypt, How Myths Stand Between Women And Their Bodies

In conservative societies like Egypt’s, myths about the female body, including about self-care and sexuality, are very common. For Cairo-based Al-Manassa, Wafaa Khairi talks with Egyptian women about these myths and how they have impacted their physical and emotional health.

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Geopolitics

Has Sudan Cleared The RSF From Khartoum? Refugees Think It’s Now Safe To Go Home

The military has cleared many neighborhoods in Khartoum and Omdurman from RSF fighters, paving the road for many refugees to return home.

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Geopolitics

Like After 1967, Arab Leaders Have One Last Chance To Stop Israel — And Save Face

Will the Arabs take the initiative to take tangible measures before the fire reaches their countries, or will they be forced to be mere tools and bases to protect Israel? After the six-day war of 1967, the Three No’s of an Arab Summit set a new hardline. That should be the model now.

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This Happened

Presidential Milestone To  Pharaoh’s Tomb — On This Day In History, November 4

A historical presidential election, a political assassination and a surprising discovery in Egypt.

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

The Endgame Of The Israeli “Generals’ Plan”? Push Gazans Into Egypt

Israel’s new offensive in northern Gaza is trying to make the region uninhabitable, and force Palestinians into the south, toward the Egyptian border and into the Sinai. But since the start of the war, Egypt is dead set against taking in more war refugees.

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This Happened

This Happened — October 14: Arafat, Peres And Rabin Receive Nobel Peace Prize

Updated Oct. 14, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. Thirty years ago on this day, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Yasser Arafat, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres. Why were Yasser Arafat, Yitzhak Rabin, and Shimon Peres awarded the Nobel Peace Prize? Yasser Arafat, Yitzhak Rabin, and Shimon Peres were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in […]

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Society Women Worldwide

In Modern Egypt, Ancient Myths For Getting Pregnant Are Alive And Kicking

Stepping over dead bodies. Visiting shrines. Laying on the ground and rolling in a desert cemetery. These are ancient practices that some Egyptian women still turn to in hopes of becoming pregnant.

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Economy Society

The Skyrocketing Prices Of Tuk-Tuks Are Crashing Young Egyptians’ Plans

Over the past five years, tuk-tuk prices have soared because of a government ban on importing the vehicle, and the inflation waves that rocked the Arab world’s most populous country. But tuk-tuks are not only a preferred system of transport, they are also a source of income for a large part of the Egyptian population — and the price hikes are crushing many young people’s dreams.

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Ideas Migrant Lives Society

Xenophobe Or Xenophile? Face-To-Face With A Refugee, Find Out Who You Really Are

Is there anyone among us who can live with the guilt of turning away those who escaped death and sought refuge in Egypt? Can our conscience bear the death of an individual because we closed our door and let him die?

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Geopolitics Ideas

From Sports To Politics, What Egypt Doesn’t Understand About Competition

Egypt disqualified a track cyclist from the Paris Olympics following an incident of unsportsmanlike behavior. But there is general confusion in Egyptian society — whether in politics or soccer — over the concept of competition.

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Geopolitics Ideas Israel-Palestine War

Israel’s “War Of Extermination” Keeps Burning — Why Has International Outrage Gone Quiet?

Some Palestinians believe the Israel-Hamas in Gaza war has turned into a war of attrition. But it is, in reality, one of extermination. And the people of Gaza are no longer hiding their criticism with the international community that for nine months has failed to stop the war.

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Geopolitics

Why Egypt’s Government Isn’t Worried About Protests — Or The Muslim Brotherhood

The Muslim Brotherhood called for anti-government protests on July 12, yet again failing to understand what is really on Egyptians’ minds and overestimating their readiness of taking to the street against the government of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

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Society

The Pious, Political And Musical Twists Of Egypt’s “Islamic Bands”

The Islamic Bands were especially popular in the early 2000s, then became a tool of the Muslim Brotherhood after their victory following the Arab Spring. Then they largely disappeared, until showing up more recently on social media.

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This Happened

This Happened — July 3: Morsi Ousted In Egypt Coup

Updated July 3, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. On this day 10 years ago, a military coup led to the overthrow of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi. The coup was orchestrated by the Egyptian military, led by General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who later became the President of Egypt. Why was there a military coup against Morsi? The […]

Categories
Geopolitics Migrant Lives

Egypt’s Racist Targeting Of Sudanese Refugees Can Count On European Support

Hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers have been detained, many of them deported, in recent months in Egypt amid an orchestrated campaign that is targeting African refugees in the country.

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This Happened

This Happened — June 10: The End Of The Six-Day War

Updated June 10, 2024 at 12:40 p.m. On this day in 1967, the Six-Day War ended, as Israel faced off against its Arab neighbors, including Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. How did the Six-Day War end? The Six-Day War ended with Israel achieving a decisive victory. Israel successfully captured and occupied territories from Egypt (Sinai Peninsula […]

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Israel-Palestine War

Israel-Egypt Tensions Risk Boiling Over In Gaza’s Buffer Zone

The killing of an Egyptian soldier by Israeli fire on the border with Gaza, and Israel’s control of a buffer zone has increased tensions between Israel and Egypt, which finds itself in a difficult position.


Categories
Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

Why Netanyahu’s “Total Victory” Objective In Gaza Is Backfiring So Badly

The “day after” the war in Gaza increasingly becomes hard to even imagine, as Israel’s prime minister sticks to his guns despite all evidence that says Hamas cannot be eradicated. The humanitarian toll, including Sunday’s airstrike on a displacement camp in Rafah, makes negotiations look increasingly impossible.

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