
Contents: Sectarian Sunni-Shia split deepens over Iran – Saudi split; President Obama may have to choose between Saudi Arabia and Iran; Hezbollah-Israel violence growing on Lebanon border; Residents of Tel Aviv Israel in panic after Friday’s gunfire attack; European and Wall St stocks fall sharply, following China
by John J. Xenakis5 Jan 2016, 4:00 AM PST0

As the fifth anniversary of the social media-driven Arab Spring uprisings approaches, Egyptian authorities have arrested three influential Facebook administrators, accusing them of belonging to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. On Saturday Egypt’s Interior Ministry charged two men and one woman,
by Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D.3 Jan 2016, 5:23 AM PST0

TEL AVIV – In the first such visit in 35 years, the head of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church attended the funeral of a local bishop in Jerusalem, sparking controversy in Egypt for Pope Tawadros and his decision to enter the Jewish state.
by Aaron Klein and Ali Waked30 Nov 2015, 5:53 AM PST0

The New York Times reports that former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s effort to have his corruption charges overturned by an appeals court has failed, as the court reconfirmed his three-year prison sentence on Saturday. However, Mubarak might be leaving jail soon anyway, given the total amount of time he has spent in detention since 2011.
by John Hayward11 May 2015, 8:02 AM PST0

30 dead in Cairo Egypt as soccer fans clash with police; Greece’s Alexis Tsipras approaches Wednesday confrontation with Europe
by John J. Xenakis9 Feb 2015, 6:18 AM PST0