Why is Egypt obsessed with women's clothes?
In recent months, there have been a plethora of stories emerging from Egypt, in which women’s clothing and bodies have been policed.
Women have been arrested, barred and publicly condemned for either being too skimpily or too conservatively dressed – and contrary to popular assumptions, these attacks have largely not come from religious bodies, but rather from the so-called secular state and private businesses.
Continue reading on Egyptian Streets
I want to help refugees, as long as they don't come here
The picture of a desperate Syrian refugee, carrying his sleeping daughter in one arm while trying to sell pens on the streets of Beirut, went viral last week. In response, a crowdfunding campaign called “Help Abdul and Reem start a new life” was launched on Thursday, August 20, by Gissur Simonarson, an Icelandic journalist.
This poses a stark contrast to the reaction of the governments (and no small share of the people) of many of these same countries, when faced with the recent influx of refugees.
Continue reading on Muftah
Is the Muslim Brotherhood turning to violence?
An exclusive in the privately owned daily Shorouk last week announced that seven groups within the Muslim Brotherhood have paid allegiance to the Islamic State, raising concerns that the group is abandoning its official non-violent approach.
Shorouk’s report quotes “Brotherhood members” saying that seven groups, referred to as “operations groups,” decided to leave the Brotherhood and pledge allegiance to the Islamic State after growing frustrated with the organization’s mismanagement and internal rifts.
Continue reading on Mada Masr
