Politics

Explainer| What is the Strait of Hormuz, and why its closure matters to Egypt?

Politics_

Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has raised fears of a wider regional crisis. But why is the narrow waterway so critical to global trade and energy supplies?

Youssef Ebrahem_ 5-3-2026

Explainer| What is the Strait of Hormuz, and why its closure matters to Egypt?

Iran and the Gulf’s balancing act under Washington’s shadow

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With Iran targeting US bases and Gulf skies on edge, regional capitals recalibrate. Wary of war, wary of Tehran, and still tethered to Washington.

Gasser El-Dabea_ 4-3-2026

Iran and the Gulf’s balancing act under Washington’s shadow

External war, internal fractures: A separatist moment for Iran?

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As US-Israeli strikes intensify, Iran faces rising separatist mobilization at home, reviving ethnic fault lines and testing the state’s cohesion in a volatile post-Khamenei moment

Mohamed Khairy_ 3-3-2026

External war, internal fractures: A separatist moment for Iran?

The shadowed debut of Egypt’s Minister of Culture

Politics_

Jihan Zaki vowed to "erase ugliness," but her debut as Culture Minister is being eclipsed by a messy portrait of "ghost" tenures, asset dramas, and a stinging court ruling

Abdel Halim Hefaina_ 24-2-2026

The shadowed debut of Egypt’s Minister of Culture

Parliament Diaries| A rare consensus on import reform

Politics_

The House moves to replace prison sentences with financial fines, sending a message of "reassurance" to a private sector under currency pressure.

Enas Hussein_ 18-2-2026

Parliament Diaries| A rare consensus on import reform

Jasper Jeffers: The quiet manager of loud wars

Politics_

Fronting an ISF that monitors violations, shields Israel, and institutionalizes asymmetry, Jeffers’ rise in Gaza exports Lebanon’s “managed tension” model to a besieged strip.

Ahmed Hosny_ 18-2-2026

Jasper Jeffers: The quiet manager of loud wars

Al Manassa, rights groups set accountability deadline for AppLogic

Politics_

Al Manassa and rights groups set a Feb. 26 deadline for AppLogic to explain its role in Egypt’s digital crackdown, demanding 1% of profits go to the journalists and outlets harmed.

Al Manassa_ 15-2-2026

Al Manassa, rights groups set accountability deadline for AppLogic

Hussein Eissa: An economist to secure the prime minister’s survival

Politics_

Egypt’s cabinet reshuffle elevates Hussein Eissa to deputy PM for economic affairs, signaling a push to revive privatization, rein in debt, and steady IMF talks.

Mohamed Ibrahim_ 12-2-2026

Hussein Eissa: An economist to secure the prime minister’s survival

Explainer| Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi assassinated. Who wanted him gone, and what happens next?

Politics_

Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, son of Libya’s former ruler, was assassinated in Zintan, reigniting rivalries and raising urgent questions about the nation’s fractured future.

Eli Siegel-Bernstein_ 7-2-2026

Explainer| Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi assassinated. Who wanted him gone, and what happens next?

Interview| Iran’s envoy in Cairo on protests, sanctions, and why “we are not Venezuela or Iraq”

Politics_

Iran’s envoy in Cairo tells Al Manassa protests began over inflation, then “chaos” followed. He blames foreign infiltrators, and defends the internet blackout.

Enjy Abdel Wahab_ 28-1-2026

Interview| Iran’s envoy in Cairo on protests, sanctions, and why “we are not Venezuela or Iraq”

Explainer| Can the Kurds really be a part of the new Syria, and on whose terms?

Politics_

Syria's army battles Kurdish-led forces as the new government pushes for centralized control against demands for autonomy. Fragile ceasefires keep collapsing over this core divide.

Eli Siegel-Bernstein_ 22-1-2026

Explainer| Can the Kurds really be a part of the new Syria, and on whose terms?

Mapping the Muslim Brotherhood’s options: Reform or rupture

Politics_

Criminalization, regional pressure and internal fracture leave the Muslim Brotherhood confronting a question of survival—or reinvention.

Abdelmoneim Mahmoud_ 19-1-2026

Mapping the Muslim Brotherhood’s options: Reform or rupture

Red Sea fault lines: Can Cairo-Riyadh counterbalance the Zionist-Emirati alliance?

Politics_

The Cairo-Riyadh alignment on Yemen and Sudan is no fleeting overlap; but a strategic strike against Israel’s blueprint to re-engineer the existing Middle Eastern order.

Mohamed Saad Abdel Hafeez_ 15-1-2026

Red Sea fault lines: Can Cairo-Riyadh counterbalance the Zionist-Emirati alliance?

Hisham Badawi: From secret keeper to House speaker

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Once the state’s silent enforcer, Hisham Badawi now leads the legislature. Can a keeper of secrets hold power to account?

Mohamed Napolion_ 14-1-2026

Hisham Badawi: From secret keeper to House speaker

Netanyahu’s Somaliland gamble: Israel’s new frontier in the Horn of Africa

Politics_

To effectively defend the interests of Egypt and other affected regional states, political leaders cannot rely on the UN Security Council

Mohamed Bassal_ 4-1-2026

Netanyahu’s Somaliland gamble: Israel’s new frontier in the Horn of Africa

Saudi-UAE rift over Yemen exposes deeper gulf power struggle

Politics_

UAE says it will withdraw remaining forces from Yemen after Saudi Arabia struck Mukalla. Egypt is likely to mediate for preserving what remains of Arab cohesion in a fragile region

Mohamed El Kholy_ 31-12-2025

Saudi-UAE rift over Yemen exposes deeper gulf power struggle

The UAE's secret $2.3B bet on Israeli missile tech

Politics_

UAE's $2.3B secret deal with Israel's Elbit for J-MUSIC anti-missile tech exposes deepening ties despite Gaza backlash. From civilian jets to Sudan proxies, it fuels Emirati power

Eli Siegel-Bernstein_ 30-12-2025

The UAE's secret $2.3B bet on Israeli missile tech

The Inside Story of The Power Struggle within Hamas: Meshaal’s pragmatism VS Al-Hayya’s rifle

Politics_

Exclusive sources tell Al Manassa that Hamas’ Shura Council is heading into a January 2026 showdown over leadership, Iran ties and the future of the armed struggle.

Abdelmoneim Mahmoud_ 29-12-2025

The Inside Story of The Power Struggle within Hamas: Meshaal’s pragmatism VS Al-Hayya’s rifle

Maritime fault lines: Libya’s gas diplomacy tests Egypt-Turkey thaw

Politics_

Libya’s maritime dispute with Turkey resurfaces as Egypt and Greece push back. Cairo eyes energy dominance, while Tripoli navigates fragile alliances and legal dilemmas.

Ahmed Albordeny_ 22-12-2025

Maritime fault lines: Libya’s gas diplomacy tests Egypt-Turkey thaw

Ghassan Al-Dahini and the recycling of chaos in Gaza

Politics_

From jihadist to Israeli-backed militia leader, Al-Dahini’s rise exposes a risky “day after” gamble—recycling extremism into local proxies that could drag Gaza into civil war.

Yousef Okail_ 18-12-2025

Ghassan Al-Dahini and the recycling of chaos in Gaza

A Year Without Assad| A new Middle East begins in Damascus

Politics_

One year on from Assad’s fall, Syria’s upheaval is reshaping the region. From Ankara to Tel Aviv and Washington to Tehran, Damascus has become the hinge of a new political order.

Mohamed El Kholy_ 14-12-2025

A Year Without Assad| A new Middle East begins in Damascus

Basma Moussa: A Baha'i woman against all forms of oppression

Politics_

A Baha'i who faced lifelong discrimination, Basma Moussa quietly challenged Egypt’s institutions and exposed the limits of belonging.

Mohamed El Kholy_ 11-12-2025

Basma Moussa: A Baha'i woman against all forms of oppression

A Year Without Assad| The metamorphosis of a jihadist

Politics_

A year after Assad’s fall, Ahmad Al-Sharaa—formerly the jihadist Al-Joulani—represents the defeat and cooption of political Islam to serve the agendas of regional players

Amr Adly_ 10-12-2025

A Year Without Assad| The metamorphosis of a jihadist

How voters’ ballots evaporated after the president’s veto

Politics_

After the president’s veto, rerun elections in Imbaba and other constituencies slashed vote totals, lifted independents, and exposed how engineered results can suddenly unravel.

Safaa Essam Eddin_ 10-12-2025

How voters’ ballots evaporated after the president’s veto

A Year Without Assad| Damascus and Cairo in the shadow of Al-Sharaa’s uneasy rise

Politics_

As Syria reshapes itself under Al-Sharaa, Cairo watches with wary restraint. A year after Assad’s fall, old fears, new alliances, and shifting power define a fragile region

Ahmed Albordeny_ 9-12-2025

A Year Without Assad| Damascus and Cairo in the shadow of Al-Sharaa’s uneasy rise

Engineered Collapse: The final effort to polish Egypt’s parliamentary vote fails

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Annulled districts, clashing narratives, and rare court rulings expose fractures in the political engineering behind Egypt’s 2025 parliament and raise doubts over its legitimacy.

Mohamed Napolion_ 4-12-2025

Engineered Collapse: The final effort to polish Egypt’s parliamentary vote fails

Water workers raise their voices, but is the state listening?

Politics_

Cairo drinking water workers lead rare, organized protests over wages, delayed bonuses, and job insecurity, exposing how austerity and soaring prices are eroding daily life.

Ahmed Khalifa_ 1-12-2025

Water workers raise their voices, but is the state listening?

The Empire's Vizier: Epstein and the new Middle East

Politics_

Long after his death, Epstein’s shadow lingers—across war zones, intelligence corridors, and tech firms carving and re-molding today’s Middle East.

Nihal Salama_ 27-11-2025

The Empire's Vizier: Epstein and the new Middle East

Election rigged by bribery, no matter the president’s shout

Politics_

Widespread vote buying, staged crowds and voter steering marked Egypt’s second election phase, defying the president’s call for cleaner voting and repeating phase one’s violations.

Mohamed Napolion_ 25-11-2025

Election rigged by bribery, no matter the president’s shout

Parliamentary elections with a local-council flavor

Politics_

Campaigns focus on services over legislation, reflecting weak competition, muted opposition, and voter frustration amid rising living costs.

Ahmed Albordeny_ 24-11-2025

Parliamentary elections with a local-council flavor

Who’s to Blame? Election fallout sparks rare public rift inside Egypt’s judiciary

Politics_

On the eve of the second round, Egypt’s judicial “family” is locked in a public feud over who supervised and who is to blame for the troubled first phase of the elections.

Mohamed Napolion_ 24-11-2025

Who’s to Blame? Election fallout sparks rare public rift inside Egypt’s judiciary

Britain's 'Core Protection': A temporary visa in asylum limbo

Politics_

UK unveils sweeping asylum overhaul—temporary protection and tougher removals for all refugees, with Arab and Egyptian claimants among those most affected.

Raphael Isaac_ 23-11-2025

Britain's 'Core Protection': A temporary visa in asylum limbo

2025 elections: What next after the president’s seismic intervention?

Politics_

Presidential intervention upends engineered elections, voiding 19 districts and reshaping expectations for the second phase.

Safaa Essam Eddin_ 23-11-2025

2025 elections: What next after the president’s seismic intervention?

The Gulf’s moment is Saudi

Politics_

Saudi Arabia, not Qatar or the UAE, is best placed to turn today’s “Gulf moment” into lasting regional power, from Gaza diplomacy to economic weight.

Amr Adly_ 20-11-2025

The Gulf’s moment is Saudi

Déjà vu in Egypt’s parliamentary elections

Politics_

Election day for first phase of House vote echoed the Senate: empty polls, staged crowds, widespread violations, and rampant vote buying shaping a tightly controlled process.

Mohamed Napolion_ 11-11-2025

Déjà vu in Egypt’s parliamentary elections

The Talgo train deal: Not quite out of love for the President

Politics_

A Spanish train deal hailed as a presidential favor hides conflicting figures and missing costs—raising questions about transparency in Egypt’s 158 million euro Talgo contract.

رحاب عليوة_ 10-11-2025

The Talgo train deal: Not quite out of love for the President

El-Sisi's last parliament?

Politics_

Analysts see Egypt’s new parliament—elected without real competition—as a potential step toward scrapping presidential term limits and extending El-Sisi’s rule.

Mohamed El Kholy_ 9-11-2025

El-Sisi's last parliament?

Mamdani wins New York: A mayor who won’t apologize for being radical

Politics_

Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old Muslim democratic socialist, reshapes New York politics with a radical agenda challenging party and corporate power.

Mohamed Gad_ 6-11-2025

Mamdani wins New York: A mayor who won’t apologize for being radical

Law on Trial: UNRWA, ICJ, and Israel's politics of defiance

Politics_

As Israel blocks aid and defies the ICJ, the Court’s ruling is clear: UNRWA is indispensable, and Israel’s legal obligations are no longer open to negotiation.

Nourhan Fahmy_ 6-11-2025

Law on Trial: UNRWA, ICJ, and Israel's politics of defiance

Nazism, exile, and touchscreens: In Cairo with freed Palestinian prisoners

Politics_

Freed Palestinian prisoners speak of torture, exile, and guilt amid Israel’s war on Gaza, torn between haunting memories and unbroken defiance.

Mohamed El Kholy_ 3-11-2025

Nazism, exile, and touchscreens: In Cairo with freed Palestinian prisoners

Britain’s Gaza paradox: Diplomacy in the shadow of death

Politics_

After a Gaza ceasefire, Britain’s ‘recognition’ of Palestine exposes deep hypocrisy: mass protests, arms sales, and intelligence support show UK complicity it still denies.

Cara Burdon_ 23-10-2025

Britain’s Gaza paradox: Diplomacy in the shadow of death

Gaza on life support under Israeli control

Politics_

Gaza struggles for survival under Israeli control as a fragile cease-fire continues, revealing destruction, displacement, and the fight to rebuild amid occupation.

Salem Elrayyes_ 20-10-2025

Gaza on life support under Israeli control

‘We Don’t Want the World Cup’​​​​​​​: Morocco’s Gen Z protests

Politics_

After eight childbirth deaths, Morocco’s #GenZ212 rallies nationwide, denouncing corruption and World Cup spending, demanding healthcare, dignity and accountability.

Yousef Okail_ 19-10-2025

‘We Don’t Want the World Cup’​​​​​​​: Morocco’s Gen Z protests

Question of the century: Does Trump's plan jeopardize the Palestinian cause?

Politics_

Trump’s Gaza plan sparks debate over vague promises, shifting power, and uncertain “real-power guarantees” meant to protect inalienable Palestinian rights and prevent renewed war.

Mohamed Bassal_ 16-10-2025

Question of the century: Does Trump's plan jeopardize the Palestinian cause?

Parliament Diaries| 2025 House elections, reconfiguring power

Politics_

Egypt's 2025 House elections signal a shake-up: veteran MPs sidelined, opposition gains space, and ex-ministers return in a tightly managed political recalibration.

Safaa Essam Eddin_ 15-10-2025

Parliament Diaries| 2025 House elections, reconfiguring power

Gaza’s gamble: The price of making the world watch

Politics_

Two years after Oct. 7, Gaza endures vast losses as Israel faces growing isolation. Legal pressure builds, but repeated US vetoes blunt accountability and delay a ceasefire.

Ahmed Albordeny_ 7-10-2025

Gaza’s gamble: The price of making the world watch

Raphael Cohen: The translator who chose to stand on the line of fire

Politics_

Cohen's whole life has been a refusal of easy binaries—Jew or Arab, East or West, translator or activist. He carries all those identities within him, refusing to be boxed in one.

Dina Samak_ 6-10-2025

Raphael Cohen: The translator who chose to stand on the line of fire

Interview| Basel Ramsis on Gaza, the flotilla, and a journey cut short

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Forced off the Freedom Flotilla through accidental injury, filmmaker Basel Ramsis recounts the “senseless coincidence,” the trauma of leaving, and why Gaza must remain the hero.

Hoda Fayek_ 3-10-2025

Interview| Basel Ramsis on Gaza, the flotilla, and a journey cut short