Years of Western sanctions are partly to blame for the crisis. But economists say poor management by the country’s authoritarian clerical rulers also plays a big part.
Author: VIVIAN YEE
Iran Announces Amnesty, but It May Not Spare Many Protesters
While the government said tens of thousands of prisoners were to be freed or get reduced sentences, rights advocates suggested the move was a sham.
Inflation Is So High in Egypt That Eggs Are a Luxury
After months of punishing inflation and a plummeting currency, Egyptians are growing louder about the crisis. In exchange for a bailout, the I.M.F. is imposing stern conditions on the government.
Tunisian Cave Village Empties Out in Face of Drought and Modernity’s Draw
For 1,000 years, homes dug into a desert cliff have sheltered olive farmers and sheep herders from summer heat and winter cold. But an exodus threatens its future. “We are left alone here.”
Actress Detained for Supporting Iranian Protests Is Released on Bail
Taraneh Alidoosti, one of the most high-profile targets in Iran’s campaign against celebrities who have expressed solidarity with the demonstrators, was arrested on Dec. 18.
In a Hospital Ward, the Wounds of Tunisia’s Failed Democracy Don’t Heal
Tunisia’s road to democracy began with a self-immolation, and such cases have filled hospital burn wards ever since, as elected leaders failed to deliver on a promise of prosperity.
Algeria Cracks Down on Last Remaining Independent Media Outlet
The country has effectively closed down one of the last places in Algeria for freewheeling political debate, which carried on even as the military-backed regime that leads the country grew increasingly authoritarian.
Iran Has Abolished Morality Police, Official Suggests, After Months of Protests
The move, which the government did not confirm, might be a concession to the protest movement that erupted after the death of a young woman in the custody of the morality police.
A U.S.-Iran Soccer Showdown Intensifies With Protests as a Backdrop
The unrest that has gripped Iran for the past two months has heightened what would already have been a tense encounter at the World Cup in Qatar on Tuesday between the two geopolitical foes.
Alaa Abd El Fattah, Egyptian Political Prisoner, Had Near-Death Experience, Family Says
Alaa Abd El Fattah, who is being given nutrients intravenously, told his relatives he collapsed in prison but planned to resume his hunger strike again.