Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Egypt on Feb. 9-10 signals a “new phase” in Russian diplomacy in the Middle East.
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Egypt Women Against the Coup Marks Women's Day Highlighting Suffering Under Repressive ... - 0 views
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This article was written during International Women's day and hightlights what women face under repressive regime. "At the hands of the coup regime in Egypt, women suffer horrific crimes including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrest, violent rape, displacement, severe torture (often leading to permanent disability), sham military trials, unjust death sentences, enforced disappearances, brutal degrading treatment of political prisoners' wives and daughters while visiting relatives in the military junta's detention centers."
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UN, Russia take lead in Syria diplomacy - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East - 0 views
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Despite deteriorating ties with the United States and NATO countries over Ukraine, Maxim Suchkov writes, "Russia is anything but isolated, while Europe is no longer the promised land for the state that seeks recognition of its global influence."
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Egypt and Russia have “shared positions on a number of regional issues; closely aligned interests (particularly on fighting international terrorism); a successful track record of bilateral cooperation on various fronts; and a strong personal bond of trust between respective leaders.”
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Egypt’s leadership has grown frustrated with US admonitions and criticisms of its governance record, and from Cairo’s perspective, bewildering discussions of conditions on US military aid
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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is hardly ready to ditch his country’s long-standing ties to the United States, the prospect of Russian arms and assistance could prove a useful complement to what some in Cairo consider more uncertain US support, especially as Egypt faces an ongoing terrorist insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula.
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Naumkin adds th
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Russia also considers Egypt an ally in its efforts to broker a political settlement in Syria
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as a result of the Russian president’s visit to Cairo, the parties might agree to pool their forces in the context of a Syrian settlement.
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It might be understandable for some analysts to dismiss the Moscow conference, given the diplomatic false starts over four years in a conflict that has left more than 150,000 dead, 7.6 million displaced, 3.2 million refugees, 12.2 million in need of humanitarian assistance and at least 680,000 injured, according to the United Nations.
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Syrian opposition figures were not allowed to participate in the Jan. 26-29 Moscow conference as representatives of opposition parties, such as the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces (SOC), the leading umbrella group based in Turkey
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The absence of the SOC and other representatives of the external opposition no doubt limited the potential impact of the conference,
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Participants agreed to an 11-point list of “Moscow Principles” and a four-point “Appeal to the International Community” affirming the need to fight terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State (IS), rejecting outside interference and calling for increased humanitarian aid, while agreeing to meet again in a month’s time.
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acknowledged the possibility for other organizations to play a role in future talks
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vigorously supported the law, claiming its passage is essential in defending democracy
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“Success tempted the AKP, prompting it to revert back to its Islamism and initiate a much more ambitious narrative of building a new regional order, and even a new global order. Meanwhile, Erdogan turned into an unquestionable leader who is not limited by facts and creates his own facts, as envisioned by his Islamist ideology and extraordinary intuition. In the eyes of his hard-core supporters, he is not a mere political leader who formulates pragmatic policies. He is a total leader who redefines everything.”
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Michelle Obama opts to forgo headscarf during Saudi Arabia visit - 0 views
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Michelle Obama has drawn attention to the severe restrictions placed on women in Saudi Arabia by not wearing a headscarf during a visit to the country after the death of King Abdullah. The US first lady's decision to not cover her hair when she and President Obama met Abdullah's successor, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, on Tuesday caused a stir on social media, prompting the hashtag #michelle_obama_notveiled.
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Russia's Putin, Egypt's Sisi say committed to fighting terrorism | Reuters - 0 views
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United by a deep hostility toward Islamists, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Russia's Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday they were both committed to fighting the threat of terrorism.
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Sisi, who is fighting a raging Islamist insurgency in the Sinai region, said Putin had agreed with him that "the challenge of terrorism that faces Egypt, and which Russia also faces, does not stop at any borders
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utin, making his first state visit to Egypt in a decade, said they agreed on "reinforcing our efforts in combating terrorism
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The Kremlin chief was the first leader of a major power to visit Egypt since former army chief Sisi became president in 2014
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Sisi has repeatedly called for concerted counter-terrorism efforts in the Middle East and the West. Egypt has fought Islamist militancy for decades, mostly through security crackdowns that have weakened, but failed to eliminate, radical group
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Putin has also resorted to force against Islamists, sending troops to quell a separatist rebellion in Chechnya, but still confronts insurgents in parts of the predominantly Muslim North Caucasus region
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Putin, facing Western isolation and sanctions over his support for pro-Russian separatists in neighboring Ukraine, received a grand welcome in Cair
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Sisi has since opened up to Moscow, describing Russia on Tuesday as a "strategic friend"
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Egypt and the Soviet Union were close allies until the 1970s when Cairo moved closer to the United States, which brokered its 1979 peace deal with Israel.
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Putin said he expected a new round of talks on the Syrian conflict, following on from a meeting of some opposition figures and the Damascus government in Moscow last month
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The Moscow talks, which ended on Jan. 29, were not seen as yielding a breakthrough as they were shunned by the key political opposition in Syria and did not involve the main insurgent groups fighting on the ground
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Moscow has been a long-standing ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
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Not only is Russia aligning with Syria, but it is also getting closer to Egypt and its government. Egypt's president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi believes that its relationship with Russia is a "strategic alliance" which is what other middle eastern countries, such as Syria, believe.
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Pope Francis leads Mass in Turkish Cathedral | Nation | Daily Sabah - 0 views
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pope francis pope catholics muslims Turkey tolerance
shared by Briana S on 01 Dec 14
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Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the globe's estimated one billion Catholics, has celebrated a special Mass in Istanbul on the second day of his official visit to Turkey. Security was tight at the Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in the city's... | Daily Sabah After graciously visiting Turkey, one of the countries in the Middle East that has only 1% population of non-Muslims to speak words of tolerance between Muslims and the West. He also addressed Christians with hopes of influencing them to be more accepting/respectful of Islam.
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أسباب زيارة السيسي للمنطقة الغربية العسكرية | الموجز - 0 views
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"The Reasons for Sisi's Visit to the Western Military Zone." Article in Arabic on Egypt's airstrikes against ISIS in Libya.
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Saudi Arabia's dress code for women and Michelle Obama - 0 views
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economist saudi arabia dress dress code code 'michelle obama'
shared by kkerby223 on 08 Apr 15
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Michelle Obama visited Saudi Arabia in loose fitting clothing but without a burka or head scarf or any traditional conservative clothing options. This sparked a debate as to how strict the laws actually are for dress and if women can still express themselves. There are laws dictating a certain level of conservative clothing requiring burkas be worn by women unless they are at home. However, there are many cuts, styles, and colors in burkas as well the ability to accessorize with any shoes, purse, sunglasses, and jewelry.
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King of Bahrain in Russia for talks with Putin - Yahoo News - 0 views
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President Vladimir Putin has hosted the ruler of Bahrain for talks focused on the Syrian crisis and economic cooperation. this visit has bad reflect among arab people, and the most people in middle east don't apprtiate it.
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Biden: Iran under close watch amid reports of missile tests - The Washington Post - 0 views
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This recent update is a report on Vice President Joe Biden's visit with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden assures Israel U.S. will back Israel's security in response to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps reports their "ballistic missiles are capable of reaching Israel." Israel was not in favor of U.S. negotiations re: Iran Nuclear Deal last year, and they seriously doubt more security assurance from our end.
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Syria crisis: Russia and China step up warning over strike - BBC News - 0 views
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Russia and China have stepped up their warnings against military intervention in Syria, with Moscow saying any such action would have "catastrophic consequences" for the region
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The US and its allies are considering launching strikes on Syria in response to deadly attacks
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The US said there was "undeniable" proof of a chemical attack
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UN chemical weapons inspectors are due to start a second day of investigations in the suburbs of Damascus
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UN team came under sniper fire as they tried to visit an area west of the city
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US officials said there was "little doubt" that President Bashar al-Assad's government was to blame
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Russian foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich has called on the international community to show "prudence" over the crisis and observe international law.
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Attempts to bypass the Security Council, once again to create artificial groundless excuses for a military intervention in the region are fraught with new suffering in Syria and catastrophic consequences for other countries of the Middle East and North Africa
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US said it was postponing a meeting on Syria with Russian diplomats, citing "ongoing consultations" about alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria
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The two sides had been due to meet in The Hague on Wednesday to discuss setting up an international conference on finding a political solution to the crisis
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Western powers were rushing to conclusions about who may have used chemical weapons in Syria before UN inspectors had completed their investigation
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Both the Syrian government and rebels have blamed each other for last Wednesday's attacks
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Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres said three hospitals it supported in the Damascus area had treated about 3,600 patients with "neurotoxic symptoms", of whom 355 had died
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UK is making contingency plans for military action in Syri
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Earlier in the day, the UN convoy came under fire from unidentified snipers and was forced to turn back before resuming its journey
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In the most forceful US reaction yet, US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday described the recent attacks in the Damascus area as a "moral obscenity
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Syrian government had something to hide
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What we saw in Syria last week should shock the conscience of the world. It defies any code of moralit
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President Obama believes there must be accountability for those who would use the world's most heinous weapons against the world's most vulnerable peopl
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Analysts believe the most likely US action would be sea-launched cruise missiles targeting Syrian military installations.
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the West had not produced any proof that President Assad's forces had used chemical weapons
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some Western countries that military action against the Syrian government could be taken without a UN mandate
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Mr Lavrov said the use of force without Security Council backing would be "a crude violation of international law
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an international military response to the suspected use of chemical weapons would be possible without the backing of the UN
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The UN Security Council is divided, with Russia and China opposing military intervention and the UK and France warning that the UN could be bypassed if there was "great humanitarian need".
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if the West does not intervene to support freedom and democracy in Egypt and Syria, the Middle East will face catastrophe
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After Western powers suspected that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against the Syrian people, tensions grew against them and Russia, China, and Syria. The Eastern Powers believe that Western powers are overstepping their bounds for their need of power but the Western powers think that they need to interfere to help the people.
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Syria keen on Russian expansion in Middle East - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East - 0 views
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Syria has called on its Russian ally to expand in the Middle East, by expanding its small pier in the city of Tartus and turning it into a base
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This has coincided with Saudi Arabia leading a coalition against Ansar Allah in Yemen, with a cover by the United States
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meeting with a group of Russian journalists March 27, and in response to a question on Damascus’ desire to see a wider Russian activity in the Middle East, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he certainly welcomes “any expansion of Russian presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, precisely on the Syrian shores and ports.
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Assad said: “The Russian presence in different parts of the world, including the Eastern Mediterranean and the Syrian port of Tartus, is very necessary, in order to create a sort of balance, which the world has lost after the dissolution of the Soviet Union more than 20 years ago.
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Syrian president welcomed the Russian presence in his country and the region. “For us, the stronger this presence is in our region, the better it is for stability [in the region], because Russia is assuming an important role in world stability,”
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Syrian nod is only a repetition of a former call made under the rule of late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, who saw that the presence of a Russian military representation in Syria in the Mediterranean region contributes to the promotion of the idea of “the balance of terror” against Israel and the United States
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The talk was, however, halted, until the last two years, when an actual need to promote Russian presence in the Mediterranean emerged in light of the reignition of the Cold War.
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deployment of missile systems on the Mediterranean coast, as a sort of “symbolic deterrence.” The rumors were repeated as the NATO missile defense project was announced, which was supposed to be deployed in different countries, including Turkey and other countries bordering Russia
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e US invasion of Iraq, as the US desire to change the face of the Middle East seemed free of any rational considerations. Assad made several visits to Moscow, and although this has not been publicly mentioned, Syrian diplomats and officials stressed to As-Safir that Syria expressed its desire to expand the Russian presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly through Tartus, so that it turns into a military presence with limited standards
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, Russia and Syria signed the biggest deal of its kind to explore oil in the Syrian waters, which covers a 2,190 square-kilometer surface area, and to achieve economic ambitions, namely extracting 2.5 billion barrels of oil and 8.5 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, the oil and gas magazine said back then
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is understandable, without neglecting the importance of other political and military issue
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“any decision to modernize the infrastructure of the Russian Material-Technical Support Point in Tartus can only be made after a political decision is taken in this regard, in coordination with the Syrian side.” He explained that any modernization should “take into account the political and military situation in the Mediterranean region,” and therefore “it will include the promotion of all sorts of protection in the facility, including surface-to-air missiles and anti-riots weapons, and will be in coordination with the Syrian side.”
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Syria is determined to keep Russia in the loop when it comes to its presence in the Middle East. As the United States increases its presence so to those Russia and Syria claims that they encourage Russian presence solely to "keep the balance" in the Middle East.
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Syria opposition praises France's anti-Assad stance | News , Middle East | THE DAILY STAR - 0 views
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Syria's exiled opposition praised France Sunday for maintaining its "exemplary" opposition to President Bashar Assad after a group of French lawmakers made a controversial visit to Damascus this week.
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The position of France has always been exemplary, and your country has consistently held to the side of the Syrian people against any attempt to rehabilitate the regime in Damascus under false protenses
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The trip reignited debate in Europe over whether it was time to rebuild diplomatic ties with the Syrian regime in order to counter the greater threat from jihadi groups such as ISIS.
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Those who argue they should cooperate with the Syrian regime to fight terrorism will only find the phenomenon worsenin
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The National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces warmly welcomes the firm position expressed by France regarding the cause of the Syrian people and its aspiration to form a civil democratic state
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According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights activist group, the conflict in Syria, which started as a pro-democracy uprising seeking Assad's ouster in March 2011 and morphed into a full-blown war, has left more than 200,000 people dead
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France is continuing to oppose Syrian President Bashar Assad stating that his government will not be the best group to combat terrorism. They continue to side with the Syrian people and their aspiration to forma civil democratic state.
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Egyptians visit Washington to defend their 'revolution' - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the ... - 0 views
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United States egypt egyptian revolution washington
shared by sheldonmer on 03 Nov 14
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during an anti-Morsi and anti-Muslim Brotherhood protest in Tahrir Square in Cairo, June 28, 2013. (photo by REUTERSAsmaa Waguih)
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group of influential Egyptians sought to convince a dozen Americans that the removal of elected president Mohammed Morsi in 2013 and his replacement by Field Marshal Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was a plus for Egypt’s political evolution and US interests.
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Morsi had violated the constitution by claiming dictatorial powers in November 2012 and acquiesced in the brutal beating of demonstrators in front of the presidential palace. Crime rose during Morsi’s tenure and Egyptians were afraid to walk the streets or send their kids to school, she told Al-Monitor.
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The Americans, in turn, criticized Egypt for criminalizing the Muslim Brotherhood, killing more than a thousand people and detaining thousands more, including journalists and secular liberals, in the aftermath of Morsi’s ouster.
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Coptic and other Christian leaders and a representative of the Ministry of Endowments. T
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told Al-Monitor that the Egyptians conveyed their support for Sisi, who, after ruling as head of a military council that replaced Morsi, was elected president in May with a large percentage of votes, although a smaller turnout than in the previous presidential election.
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Zaki said the delegation also expressed their view that while “we know we are moving toward a strong state, a strong state needs civil society and political opposition.” The third message, he said, was that Egypt wants US support in the fight against terrorism.
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Washington has praised Cairo for mediating last summer’s Gaza war between Israel and Hamas and expressed sympathy for those fighting Islamic extremists, such as the Egyptian soldiers killed in the Sinai Peninsula on Oct. 24.
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l some restrictions on US aid to Egypt and many analysts in Washington assert that Egypt cannot return to stability while repressing major components of its society. They also criticize an impending edict for civil society groups to register with the government, which has led many respected foreign-funded nonprofit organizations
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encouraged the Egyptians to embrace political and religious pluralism. “The Egyptians should understand that no government can deliver peace, prosperity and law and order that does not involve all sections of society,” he said.
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“Don’t deal with us like a teacher with a pupil,” said Nashwa el-Houfi, a columnist for the daily newspaper Al Watan. “No one has the whole truth. You have part and I have part.”
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Another plea was for Americans to stop acting as though they knew better what was in the interests of a country with a recorded history going back 7,000 years.
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This article talks about how some Americans feel like Egypt did itself a disservice by getting rid of Morsi's rule. This article describes the conversation had by some members of the Egyptian delegation that were invited to Washington by Hands Along the Nile Development Services. This articles goes on to talk about different issues regarding U.S., Egyptian relations and basically was the U.S. condones and what it doesn't, as if it mattered.
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The article mentions the views of Americans and the views of Egyptians regarding the state of Egypt with concerns surrounding the Muslim Brotherhood. Egyptians were able to carry a message to Americans. Egyptians voiced their want for U.S assistance with terrorism.
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Reza Aslan Slams Bill Maher For Islam Comments - 0 views
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This Iranian-American writer and scholar, Reza Aslan, points out how dumb the media has been covering stories about Islam, and how they are using bigotry to sum up all Muslim countries together.
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Did you see the follow up on CNN? The anchor (I guess that's what you'd call him) said that Aslan's *tone* reinforced the idea that Muslims are hostile people. I also recommend watching Ben Affleck's visit to Maher's show if you haven't seen that too. Coincidentally, a Palestinian-American scholar lost his tenured job at University of Illinois again for the "uncivil tone" of his Twitter account.
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Wow that's truly awful that'd they'd follow up like that but it's not surprising coming from a fear-mongering giant like CNN lol. It's sad that that's the only way they could wrap out how he basically schooled them in their knowledge of violence worldwide. And yes i've seen that interview too
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Three Years After Gadhafi's Death, Libya Slides Into Civil War As Death Toll Rises In B... - 0 views
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sliding further and further into all-out civil war, with pro-government forces battling Islamist militias for power in the eastern city of Benghazi, where the revolution that ousted Gadhafi started in 2011.
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renegade army general Khalifa Hifter, the man who has assembled a militia of former Libyan soldiers and is leading them on a campaign to oust Islamists from the country.
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He is now at the head of a militia that supports moderate values against radical Islam in a campaign called "Operation Dignity."
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The new Libyan House of Representatives, which was elected in June, has formally announced its alliance with Hifter on Monday
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But other Arab nations are intervening directly in the conflict.
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Hifter would now lead Libyan army soldiers as well in the fight against the Islamist militias.
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Operation Dawn, seized Tripoli in August, parliament and the rest of the government have all decamped to faraway Tobruk, in the eastern end of the country close to Egypt.
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Egyptian officials told the Associated Press that Egyptian warplanes, operated by Libyan pilots, were bombing Islamist militias in Libya. Both Libyan and Egyptian officials later denied those reports, and aviation experts said it was highly unlikely that Libyan pilots would have the skills needed. On Monday, the presidents of Egypt and Sudan said they would support the Libyan military.
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Prime Minister Abdullah al Thinni is planning to visit Moscow to seek Russian support for the army.
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Revolutionaries Unveiled - Cyberactivism & Women's Role in the Arab Uprisings - 0 views
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For a short summary of this article, please visit: Women,Cyberactivism, & the Arab Spring by Courney Radsch] Cyberactivism refers to the use of digital media technologies and social media platforms for sociopolitical contestation. Yet cyberactivism, with its emphasis on the virtual public sphere, is not exclusive of traditional activism.
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Rouhani due in Paris as Iran drums up business with French - BBC News - 0 views
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Iranian president Hassan Rouhani will arrive in France on Wednesday for the second leg of his state visit to Europe, after three days in Italy. Mr Rouhani is expected to secure valuable trade deals following the lifting of international sanctions over Iran's nuclear program.
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Hillary Clinton Gives Israeli Education Program Spotlight on Campaign Trail - Israel - ... - 0 views
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ch week in Israel, young parents open their homes to local instructors who teach them how to prepare their toddlers for school.
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In her bid for the Democratic nomination, Clinton rarely misses an opportunity to tout her record on early childhood education, from her first job out of law school at the Children’s Defense Fund to her Too Small To Fail program at The Clinton Foundation.
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The story of how Clinton brought the Israeli education program to America starts with a coincidence.
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In 1969, an Israeli educator named Avima Lombard conceived the program as a way to help the children of North African immigrants get a head start in the Israeli school system
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Clinton’s associates in Arkansas apparently had a similar reaction when she told them they would have to travel to the Holy Land for HIPPY training: “‘Israel! Where is Israel?’”
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HIPPY has been studied widely in academic and research settings.
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But the two strong personalities also clashed occasionally. For several years, Lombard demanded that certain HIPPY USA staff members receive training in Israel. As the program grew, this practice became expensive and unsustainable, leading HIPPY USA to start training staff in Arkansas.
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In 1998, Hillary Clinton visited a HIPPY event in Jerusalem while accompanying her husband when he was president. It was around holiday time, and Clinton was photographed with HIPPY children and their mothers.
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HIlary Clinton is using the Israeli Education program to highlight her campaign. She wants to promote Israeli education and how she supports early education. Hilary Clinton adds she wants to support overseas education as well
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Israel's Netanyahu says Moscow talks aimed at preventing clashes in Middle East - 0 views
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his visit to Moscow on Monday was aimed at preventing clashes between Russian and Israeli military forces in the Middle East. Putin, meeting with Netanyahu, said Russia's actions in the Middle East would be always "responsible."