Leila Fadel

Half-Finished Buildings A Symbol Of Forgotten Promise In Egypt

Leila Fadel — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:16:00 +0000

Transcript

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

And not far from Luxor, on the coast of the Red Sea, is another place with great potential to attract tourists. It's called Marsa Alam. It has miles and miles of beautiful coastline, barrier coral reefs and diving spots.

Libyan Radio Station Promotes Democracy, One Rap At A Time

Leila Fadel — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:07:00 +0000

Many of the militia fighters who rose up and ousted former dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011 have refused to lay down their arms and are still challenging the post-revolutionary government.

Yet the militias are facing a challenge of their own. They now come under verbal attack on one of Libya's newest radio stations, Radio Zone.

Bassem Arady, a presenter at the station, says pretty much whatever's on his mind.

Muslim Brotherhood Struggles To Live Up To Campaign Promises

Leila Fadel — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 21:12:00 +0000

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

It's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Audie Cornish.

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

And I'm Melissa Block.

Egypt is settling in for what looks to be a hot and painful summer with power cuts, price hikes and political stagnation. All that could spark renewed protests against President Mohammed Morsi and his allies in the Muslim Brotherhood.

After The War, A Bitter Feud Remains In Two Libyan Towns

Leila Fadel — Wed, 29 May 2013 06:55:00 +0000

Little boys play soccer in the afternoon heat at a makeshift camp near Libya's capital Tripoli. Their homes, or what's left of them, are in Tawargha, a small town about 20 miles from the Mediterranean coast.

The town has been empty since August of 2011. Its residents fled in cars and on foot, under fire from rebel militiamen from the nearby town of Misrata.

The siege of Misrata was one of the bloodiest battles of the Libyan war.

Elected Leadership Struggles To Rule In Libya

Leila Fadel — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:26:00 +0000

In Libya, guns are still everywhere and the elected leadership is struggling to rule as militias use guns and intimidation when they don't get their way. Most recently they surrounded two ministries and state television to force through a political isolation law that bars former members of Moammar Gaddafi's regime from government posts.

From The Heart Of Egypt's Revolt, The Pulse Of Artistic Life

Leila Fadel — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

Egypt's capital, Cairo, is now synonymous with protests and sometimes violence. Late at night, the once-bustling downtown streets are largely empty these days.

How Different Cultures Handle Personal Space

Leila Fadel — Sun, 05 May 2013 09:24:00 +0000

Our perspectives on personal space — the distance we keep between the person in front of us at an ATM, the way we subdivide the area of an elevator — are often heavily influenced by the norms of the places we inhabit.

Jerry Seinfeld once focused an episode of his sitcom on the concept of personal space, giving us a new term: the "close talker."

Of course, invasions of personal space aren't always merely awkward.

Egyptian Activists Say Their Religion Isn't Your Business

Leila Fadel — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 09:03:00 +0000

Since Egypt's revolution began, tensions among Egypt's Muslims and Christians have only increased. Earlier this month, it once again turned deadly. Tit-for-tat killings left three Muslims and at least six Christians dead.

That and other religious violence is prompting a public debate about religious identity in Egypt. One group of young Egyptians wants to remove religious labels from national ID cards.

'Where The Trouble Starts'

Aalam Wassef, one of those advocates, will gladly tell you he's a video artist, a musician and a publisher.

Egypt's Jon Stewart Says He Won't Back Down Amid Charges

Leila Fadel — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 07:21:00 +0000

It's 9:30 p.m. on a Friday night, and Bassem Youssef's show is on TV screens at cafes throughout downtown Cairo.

It's the Egyptian political satirist's first show since he was summoned to the prosecutor general's office to answer questions about the jokes he makes on TV.

Egypt Negotiates Necessary IMF Loan

Leila Fadel — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 09:11:00 +0000

Two years after the revolution, Egypt is in a deep economic crisis.

Islamists Say They Are Filling Vacuum Left By Egyptian State

Leila Fadel — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:44:00 +0000

In the lush Nile Valley city of Assiut, the police went on strike earlier this month, along with thousands of other cops across the country. They demanded the ouster of the minister of interior, and more guns and equipment to deal with anti-government protests.

A group of hard-line Islamists then stunned the city, which is south of Cairo, by promising to handle security during the strike. The next day, the policemen were back at work.

But the group, Gamaa al-Islamiya, says it will continue to provide services when the government fails.

In Post-Revolution Egypt, Fears Of Police Abuse Deepening

Leila Fadel — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 08:02:00 +0000

Egypt's police force was the underpinning of former President Hosni Mubarak's iron-fisted regime, and it quickly became the enemy of Egypt's 2011 revolution.

Yet there has been little to no reform of the police force to date. Human rights groups say the police have begun to act like armed gangs, laying down collective punishment in restive areas across the country. But the police say they are the victims, under constant attack by anti-government protesters.

On Feb.

Egyptian Women Begin To Speak Out Against Sexual Violence

Leila Fadel — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:43:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

A very different story now, from Egypt. There, sexual violence against women is on the rise. And a warning: Some of what you'll hear in the next few minutes is disturbing, starting with this: Women who show up at protests are in danger of being mobbed by men and gang raped. During the most recent demonstration, one victim was sexually assaulted with a knife, another strangled with her scarf, and another violated in front of her children.

Group Of Violent Anarchists Emerges Amid Egypt's Political Turmoil

Leila Fadel — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:44:00 +0000

A group of anarchic young men and women in Egypt roam through protests, faces covered, and refuse to speak to media. They bill themselves as armed resistance and have flooded YouTube with videos of themselves making Molotov cocktails and threatening Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. The country's prosecutor general designated them a home-grown terrorist group on Tuesday. Seasoned activists who blame the government for the root of the violence over the past five days say the group is counter-productive and their methods hurt the cause.

Criticism Against Egypt's Opposition Coalition Grows

Leila Fadel — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 11:39:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Now, you can't really have a democracy unless the people in power also have an opposition.

For The First Time In Decades, Iran's President Visits Egypt

Leila Fadel — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 22:26:00 +0000

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday became the first Iranian leader to visit Egypt since the 1970s, the latest sign of the thawing of relations between the rival Muslim nations.

Ahmadinejad received a red-carpet welcome as Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi greeted him on the tarmac at Cairo International Airport with a kiss on each cheek.

Under Egypt's former leader, Hosni Mubarak, a visit like this would never have happened.

Egypt is a leading Sunni Muslim nation, while Iran is the most influential Shiite Muslim country.

Egyptian Cleric's Mission: Spread Salafi Doctrine

Leila Fadel — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 11:09:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Having overthrown their autocratic leaders, several Arab nations now face the question of how to govern themselves.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

One of the toughest questions is the role that Islam should play in crafting new laws. Secular or moderate groups hope to leave space for democratic debate rather than clerical rule. That's especially true in Egypt, which has a large Christian minority.

INSKEEP: This morning, we'll meet a man who prefers a different path.

Egyptians Grown Weary Of Ongoing Political Clashes

Leila Fadel — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:59:00 +0000

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

In Egypt today, rival political factions met with the nation's highest religious official. They were searching for ways to end the violence of the past week that has left some 60 people dead.

Salafi Rapper Sings About His Identity Crisis

Leila Fadel — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:10:00 +0000

Former Salafi, turned rapper, Omar Kamal left the Salafi fold during Egypt's revolution. He says that when Salafis came out of the dark they showed their hypocrisy. To the rhythm of beat boxing, he uses his lyrics to chronicle his own identity crisis — a crisis that reflects Egypt's struggle to find itself.

Tunisian Veil Ban: Frontline Of Identity War

Leila Fadel — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:33:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

The secretary of state made several visits to North Africa where the Arab uprisings began in 2011. Those uprisings widened the political space for religious conservatives.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And in the country we'll visit next, people have been arguing over a powerful symbol of ultra-conservative Islam: the face veil.

INSKEEP: Tunisia is not a country where women are compelled to cover their faces or their hair.

Tunisia's Salafis: 'A Danger' Or Preachers Of God's Law?

Leila Fadel — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 08:32:00 +0000

The uprisings of the Arab Spring unleashed a new political force in the region — Salafis, ultraconservative Muslims who aspire to a society ruled entirely by a rigid form of Islamic law. Their models are the salaf, or ancestors, referring to the earliest Muslims who lived during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad.

To their critics, the Salafis are religious fanatics who are trying to drag the region back to 7th century Arabia.

At Least 40 People Dead In Egypt As Violent Protests Continue

Leila Fadel — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:09:00 +0000
Transcript
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.
The political crisis in Egypt is deepening. Today, as violence flared in multiple cities, the main opposition coalition rejected President Mohammed Morsi's call for dialogue. The worst clashes have been in Port Said on the Mediterranean. Over the past three days, at least 43 people have been killed there. The rioting was sparked by death sentences handed down against 21 local soccer fans.

Egypt's Salafis Emerge As Powerful, And Controversial, Political Force

Leila Fadel — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:30:00 +0000
The uprisings of the Arab Spring unleashed a new political force in the region — Salafis. These ultra-conservative Muslims aspire to a society ruled entirely by a rigid form of Islamic law. Their models are the salaf, or ancestors, referring to the earliest Muslims who lived during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad.
To their critics, the Salafis are religious fanatics who are trying to drag the region back to 7th-century Arabia.

Muslim Brotherhood Tries To Distract From Second Anniversary Of Egyptian Revolt

Leila Fadel — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:20:00 +0000
On the second anniversary of the Egyptian revolution on Friday, liberal and secular opposition groups held protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square. The Muslim Brotherhood did not hold counter-demonstrations this time. Instead, its members did charitable work in poor districts of Cairo and other cities.

Constitution Vote Seen As Referendum On Egyptian Brotherhood

Leila Fadel — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 21:17:00 +0000
Update Dec. 23, at 5:30 a.m.:
Egypt's constitution appears to have passed with 64 percent of Egyptians voting "yes," according to preliminary results issued by state-run media. But the document passed under a cloud of controversy as the opposition to the Islamist-backed document cried fraud.
Once official results are announced, President Mohammed Morsi is expected to give up his all-inclusive powers. A set of controversial decrees he issued last month, that effectively put him above the law, will be void when the constitution is adopted.

Is Morsi Morphing Into Authoritarian He Opposed?

Leila Fadel — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 22:19:00 +0000
When Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi was elected, some Egyptians jokingly referred to him as the Muslim Brotherhood's "spare tire." He was the backup candidate of the Islamist organization, whose first choice for the presidency was barred from running.
But Morsi has proved much more formidable than many Egyptians believed.
Before becoming president, Morsi was unaccustomed to the limelight, something that was clear during his first press conference after being elected last summer.

Egypt's Constitution Vote Mired In Controversy

Leila Fadel — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 10:04:00 +0000
Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
And in Egypt, a panel of Islamist lawmakers has approved a new draft constitution, but what should have been a welcome step in the country's transition to democracy is instead mired in controversy.

Egypt Rushes To Pass Draft Constitution Amid Protest

Leila Fadel — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 22:37:00 +0000
A new draft constitution will be unveiled in Cairo on Thursday, but it is far from clear whether the move will help resolve or deepen the crisis between President Mohamed Morsi and Egypt's judges. Robert Siegel talks with Leila Fadel, who is in Cairo.

Protestors In Egypt Denounce President's 'Power Grab'

Leila Fadel — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:13:00 +0000
Huge crowds thronged Cairo's iconic Tahrir Square on Tuesday voicing their opposition to what they see as a power grab by President Mohamed Morsi. Robert Siegel talks to Leila Fadel.

Egyptian Judges Prepare For A Strike

Leila Fadel — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 23:18:00 +0000
After a series of controversial decrees by Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi, the country's judges are conflicted over what to do.
The president and Egypt's highest judicial authority met Monday to try to resolve the crisis, but the decrees, which essentially nullify judicial oversight, remained in place. And the judges are going ahead with plans for a strike.
Yussef Auf has been a judge for 10 years and says he has never witnessed such an affront to his profession.
"It's the biggest attack on the judges so far I've seen in my life.