Nine Lebanese were killed after days of clashes in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli between long-time bitter foes, the Sunni dominated Bab al-Tabbaneh and the Alawite Jabal Mohsen neighborhoods. Clashes and tensions in Tripoli are not new and represent persistent volatility in Lebanon, as well as in the region, both in terms of politics
Recent weeks have seen a heating up of the fight against cells of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) operating in the southern provinces of Yemen. During the unrest that began in the 2011 uprising, the Islamists succeeded in making considerable gains both on the battlefield against the lackluster troops of the military and in
The latest bloodshed in Cairo underscores worrying trends and emerging realities regarding Egypt’s internal security and political future. The recent clashes in the vicinity of Cairo’s Abbasseya Square illustrate the readiness of prominent political groups to forcefully impose their views, demands, and ideologies as they battle for the country’s new identity. Sadly for Egypt, this
The recent wave of suicide bombings in Syria, along with Lebanon’s seizure of a weapons-laden cargo ship intended for Syrian rebels, underscores the infiltration of not only Sunni-jihadist ideology into Syria, but also weapons, tactics, and fighters from throughout the Middle East. Those forces, along with radical Syrian Islamists, are likely set to intensify their
Syrian troops have reportedly held their fire soon after the UN-backed truce took effect at 6:00 am on April 12. Despite the ceasefire, one person in Hama and an army officer in Aleppo were reportedly killed. However, major hostilities and heavy shellings were reportedly completely halted. The opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) who urged Syrians
Possibility of power outages has grown as employees of the Jordanian Electric Power Company (JEPCO) and the Central Electricity Generating Company (CEGCO) have escalated their open-ended strike. Electricity Workers Union (EWU) said yesterday April 10 that the union will stop replacing night shift workers who are not abiding by the strike, and will halt maintenance
Traffic jams are expected nationwide throughout April 13-15, as many vacationers make their way back home. Possible delays are also expected in Ben Gurion International Airport on Sunday, April 15, as an excess of 50 thousand people are expected to return from their holidays. We advise allowing for extra travelling time due to impending delays.
The Muslim Brotherhood has announced that it will hold a massive rally in the iconic square on April 13 to protest the addition of Omar Suleiman to the presidential race. In addition, in spite of a court ruling that has granted eligibility to Salafi candidate Hazem Abu Ismail, members of the movement are expected to
Bishop Christoforos and four priests stopped traffic at the crossing in the morning of April 11 after they were not allowed to cross into northern Cyprus. Turkish Cypriot’s would not let him pass, since according to them he is not the official Bishop for the Karapas peninsula and remains on the ‘stop list.’ Please be
In addition to yesterday’s attacks against Shiite villagers with sticks and knives, tensions remain high over calls by protesters to cancel the Grand Prix, scheduled for April 20-22. Protests are also planned to take place today at 16:00 local time on Sitra Island and at 20:00 in the Karbabad area. Despite calls by motorsport chiefs