The holiest month in the Islamic calendar promises this year to be the strangest ever for the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims. In Cairo, known as the city of a thousand minarets, the coronavirus has cast a long shadow.
Author: DECLAN WALSH
Concerns of a Coup Stir in Sudan as Capital Braces for a Virus Lockdown
Civilian and military leaders are jostling for power as the capital, Khartoum, begins a three-week lockdown on Saturday.
Autocrats’ Quandary: You Can’t Arrest a Virus
The world’s strongmen are reverting to their standard playbook to project an aura of control. It’s a risky strategy for a chaotic crisis.
In Egypt, Tourists Torn Between Ancient Temples and Coronavirus Tests
Egyptian officials insist that it’s safe to visit. But on Monday, tourists in the ancient city of Luxor were confined to their hotels as doctors tested for the virus.
Mubarak’s Three-Decade Rule Is Brushed Aside in War-Hero Burial
A funeral for Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s former ruler, highlighted his military record but sought to play down his position as the country’s longest-serving president.
As Egypt’s Population Hits 100 Million, Celebration Is Muted
With little habitable land, deepening poverty and dwindling supplies of water, the future looks bleak. And there is no sign of a slowdown.
Mercy Flight Leaves Yemen Capital, Cracking a 3-Year Blockade
A United Nations plane took seven seriously ill Yemenis to Jordan on Monday, the culmination of 18 months of fraught negotiations with Saudi Arabia.
In Libya, Toothless U.N. Embargo Lets Foreign States Meddle With Impunity
A bombing that killed and wounded dozens of migrants may have been a war crime, a United Nations inquiry found. One problem: It failed to name a culprit.
Al Qaeda Claims It Directed Florida Naval Base Shooting
In an audiotape message, Al Qaeda’s leader in Yemen claimed responsibility for the December attack that killed three U.S. sailors. The militant himself was most likely killed in a drone strike after he made the tape.
Libyan Rivals Announce a Truce in the Battle for Tripoli
A cease-fire, first put forward by Turkey and Russia, stirred hopes for an end to the fight for Libya’s capital.