The Russian plane crash in Egypt was brought down by a bomb. According to French aviation officials it was not due to technical failures. They added the flight data recorder – the black box - suggests a “violent, sudden” explosion caused the crash, killing all 224 people on board.
According to British spies, intercepted militant calls indicated a bomb was put in the hold before take-off. Militants, known as the Sinai Province, and who are linked to the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria, have said they downed the plane.
A new Suez Canal is being built in Egypt. It will run alongside the current Suez Canal. The idea is simple – by building a second canal it will allow the number of ships passing through to practically double, thus increasing trade. This will mean a lot more money coming into the Egyptian economy.
The idea is the brainchild of Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi who is hoping the new second canal will kickstart the country’s ailing economy. For the last few years it has been down on its knees; due to the Arab Spring happening and ultimately then falling flat on its face.
It started in Tunisia when one young unemployed man set himself on fire in a stance against unemployment, price rises and poverty. Sidi Bouzid’s death created a revolution in the country that forced regime change. In fact, the sudden flight of President Ben Ali revealed how weak his dictatorship was.
Tunisia, known for its tourism, had been slammed by the UN for its state brutality of beatings and sleep deprivation. Interim control has now passed to Rachid Ghannouchi who returned from exile in London. The Tunisian revolution marked the start of a new era in the Arab world.
Category: North Africa / Arab countries / Regime Change
