CULF 3331: "Middle Eastern Revolutions"

This article gives in depth explanations of the intricate networks involved in the Muslim Brotherhood. The spread of the organization in America is also discussed.

Algeria is a country of origin and transit for trafficking in persons, women men and children, for forced labor, sexual exploitation and organ harvesting. Victims from Sub-Sahara Africa enter Algeria voluntarily and are trafficked to Europe. Men are primarily subjected to forced labor while women become part of the prostitution chain, paying off their smuggling debts.

Discusses the origins of the Muslim Brotherhood in America as well as how the organization has spread. There are more similarities on the spread of the organization then I initially thought.

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."

This article was written during International Women's day, and describes what has been achieved to help equality. Before March 2000, no Egyptian women could file for a divorce expect if she could convince the courts that she has suffered physically or psychologically abuse from the husband. Now, women in Egypt have the advent of 'Khul' (no-fault divorce), though it did not truly help the women of Egypt.

This article talks about how women's economic and social empower remains low in 2016. According to the Egyptian Centre for Women's Rights, gender equality status remains low in terms of economic and social empowerment and violence against women. Though some progress has happened with equality, about a 14% increase in female representatives in the parliamentary elections.

This article written by Hillary E. Crawford explains to us some ways we can help Egyptian women fight for equality. She continues to explain that Egypt, on their own, are making small strides. "In September 2014, Egypt's parliament acknowledged the prevalence of sexual violence toward women by creating an Interior Ministry unit that installed street cameras to better monitor and prevent sexual attacks."

Putin has decided to withdraw the bulk of Russian forces from Syria. This comes as a surprise, but he claims that Russia's military objective in Syria have been completed.

Both the Syrian government and the opposition have reported violations of the cease fire. Although the US is on board with the truce, Russia seems to believe they are not and are planning to use force against violators until the US agrees to the joint rules. 

This post is written from an author's point of view. She did years work of research for her film "The Price of Sex." She mentions how human trafficking is typically occurred because the people who are sold are living in poverty and are falsely promised a good job that will allow them to provide for their families.

Algeria is a source country for women to be subjected to forced labor along with sex trafficking and men are often subjected to forced labor. Algeria is a destination for undocumented migration and human trafficking. Criminals and traffickers smuggle people in and out of the country and are sold to neighboring countries.

The Algerian government does not recognize human trafficking an illegal offense. Instead Algerian authorities use the offenses of "hiding and exchange of children", "abuse of job authority to sexually exploit others", "forced prostitution" and others to prosecute some forms of trafficking in persons.

THERE is nothing Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, likes more than taking everyone by surprise. Except, perhaps, demonstrating that his country is an independent actor on the world stage that has to be taken seriously. Thus, the announcement from the Kremlin on March 14th that Russia was partially withdrawing its forces in Syria was vintage Putin.

A California pistachio producer has recalled some of its pistachios after the nuts were linked to a strain of Salmonella that made 11 people ill in nine U.S. states between December and February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The producer, Wonderful Pistachios, said the recall is voluntary.

A closely watched indicator of Dubai's economic health on Wednesday revealed the first contraction of its private sector economy since the recession of 2009, underlining the growing impact on the city-state of low oil prices and global economic

FOR the past half-century, the world economy has been held hostage by just one country: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Vast petroleum reserves and untapped production allowed the kingdom to play an outsize role as swing producer, filling or draining the global system at will.

It's a secret of the vast U.S. Treasury market, a holdover from an age of oil shortages and mighty petrodollars: Just how much of America's debt does Saudi Arabia own? But now that question -- unanswered since the 1970s, under an unusual blackout by the U.S.

Equality does not mean justice for women in Egypt, according to some.

A survey ranked Egypt 22nd, dead last, among all Arab states for women's rights. Categories vary from women in politics, women's rights, and domestic violence with women.

Women's rights in Egypt has made little to no progress since the passing of an anti-demonstration law in 2013. The movement has been forced to become stealthier.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has made some gestures toward women, though his overall human rights record remains controversial.

Former ambassador to South Africa and the Czech and Slovak republics is defending Egyptian government saying that it is making progress. Examples of women receiving lighter punishments feels like a win for equality.