Monthly Archives: February 2013

Top Egypt archaeologist sees hope for future in past

By | 2013-02-16T01:44:13-04:00 February 16th, 2013|Archeology and History|

The keeper of Egypt’s archaeological treasures sees hope for the nation’s future in its pharaonic past.   Mohammed Ibrahim, head of the antiquities ministry, likens Egypt’s turbulent emergence from autocracy to the periods of decline that afflicted the nation on the Nile between the fall and rise of its three ancient kingdoms.   “We have

Egypt Approves New Controversial Protest Law

By | 2013-02-16T01:20:34-04:00 February 16th, 2013|News|

Egypt's cabinet on Wednesday approved a new draft law regulating public demonstrations that was swiftly slammed by rights groups as restrictive, AFP reports.   The law, which needs the ratification of the upper house of parliament, was created "to ensure the peaceful nature of demonstrations," Justice Minister Ahmed Mekki told reporters.   The law aims

France to Expel Radical Islamist Imams ‘In Coming Days’

By | 2013-02-14T03:19:14-04:00 February 14th, 2013|News|

French Interior Minister Manuel Valls announced Sunday that the French government will be taking steps in the coming days to deport several radical Muslim clerics from the country in an effort to counter the rising tide of radical Islam and prevalent threat of “global jihadism.”   "Many radical preachers of foreign origin will be deported

Thousands Protest Egypt’s Morsi 2 Years Post-Mubarak

By | 2013-02-13T14:35:34-04:00 February 13th, 2013|News|

Thousands demonstrated against Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi and his political backers, the country's ruling Muslim Brotherhood, on the second anniversary of former President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster from power.   Protesters in planned anti-government marches set out Monday evening from around the Egyptian capital of Cairo, heading towards Tahrir Square, the birthplace of the January 25

Israeli Warplanes Soar Through Lebanese Skies

By | 2013-02-13T14:03:31-04:00 February 13th, 2013|Reports|

Four Israeli war planes were seen flying in the skies of Lebanon on Tuesday, according to that country’s official news agency. Israel Air Force aircraft were reportedly seen flying in the afternoon sometime between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm local time, sources said late in the day.   By Wednesday, the reports became an official

Egyptians turn to black market for hard currency

By | 2013-02-11T14:33:36-04:00 February 11th, 2013|News|

A run on Egypt’s pound has left foreign currency in short supply and driven some dealers into the streets in search of people with U.S. dollars to sell, spawning a new black market.   The currency’s decline was triggered by a political uprising that swept Hosni Mubarak from power in 2011 and it has officially

Libya Christians fear rise of Islamic extremism

By | 2013-02-11T14:10:05-04:00 February 11th, 2013|Islam|

“Not a day goes by without tombs being vandalized,” says Dalmasso Bruno, caretaker of the Italian cemetery in the Libyan capital where Christians fear rising Muslim extremism.   “Human bones have been taken out of their tomb and scattered across the cemetery” in central Tripoli, he said. “The Libyan authorities came and took pictures. They

Iranians on revolution day chant ‘death to America’

By | 2013-02-10T15:00:40-04:00 February 10th, 2013|News|

Hundreds of thousands of people marched on Sunday in Tehran and other cities chanting “Death to America” as Iran marked the 34th anniversary of the Islamic revolution that ousted the U.S.-backed shah.    In the capital, crowds waving Iranian flags and portraits of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini walked toward the landmark Azadi (Freedom) Square,

Egypt denies fire broke out at Karnak temple

By | 2013-02-10T13:54:31-04:00 February 10th, 2013|News|

Egypt’s Minister of Antiquities Mohammed Ibrahim denied earlier media reports that a fire broke out inside the Temple of Karnak in Luxor, asserting that what happened was a limited fire in some plants in the open ground outside the temple.    Minister Ibrahim added that the fire was extinguished immediately and that about 60 tourists

Thousands Demonstrate Against Morsi in Egypt

By | 2013-02-10T13:28:40-04:00 February 10th, 2013|News|

Thousands took to the streets across Egypt on Friday, after opposition groups called for "Friday of dignity" rallies demanding President Mohammed Morsi fulfill the goals of the revolt that brought him to power.   Banging on drums, waving flags and clapping in unison, demonstrators marched from several locations in the capital to Tahrir Square and