News and Analysis (1/27/14)

The “change to a political roadmap that could pave the way for the swift election of army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi” but the change in the “order of elections is likely to deepen tensions in Egypt, which is struggling to cope with waves of political violence” …

… but “[a]s usual in a polarised Egypt, there were competing narratives”  to responsibility for the violence …

… but the government encourages those who rally for Sisi to consolidate his control, while dispersing Islamists and liberals with teargas and birdshot:

“Persuaded” by his “advisers” to give the BBC an interview, the aging inspiration of the “Hizmet” movement, in failing health, denies of involvement in the prosecution of the corruption scandal in Turkey. Did someone else “give the direct order for the net to close in on Mr Erdogan’s allies?” And why did the BBC publish a sanitized version of its report one hour later?

“Jeremy Hodge, a 26 year old from Los Angeles, told The Associated Press on Sunday that he still doesn’t know why he was arrested and held.” He is concerned over the safety of “his roommate, 36-year-old Egyptian filmmaker Hossam Eddin el-Meneai … [who] remains in custody”:

“Just before the constitution vote, Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa appointed a caretaker cabinet…. [T]he new constitution recognizes Islam as the country’s religion … [and] enshrines freedom of conscience and belief, and equality between the sexes”:

“The proposed convoy of aid to Homs … would provide a tangible success for a peace conference beset from the start by low expectations. But the opposition accused the government of ‘stalling’ and said no progress had been made yet. Homs also once more came under mortar attacks from the government”:

The boycott targets “Israeli institutions that colluded with the occupation, including Hebrew University, which illegally built parts of its campus in the occupied territories …to raise awareness of Palestinians’ lack of academic freedom, not only in the occupied territories but also within Israel’s 1948 boundaries”:

US differences with Karzai reflect an underlying disagreement on reconciliation and as to whether the Taliban should have any role in Afghanistan’s future:

A peace agreement is signed, and the government attacks those who would oppose it:

“The attack came after a banner was found hanging outside three Penang churches, including The Assumption, on Sunday. The banner read: “Allah is great, Jesus is the son of Allah.” The churches have lodged complaints with police over the banner”:


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