{"id":559502,"date":"2021-01-24T03:39:05","date_gmt":"2021-01-24T03:39:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2021\/01\/24\/protests-in-tunisia-russia-plus-qatar-says-its-not-going-to-tell-al-jazeera-to-shush\/"},"modified":"2021-01-24T03:39:05","modified_gmt":"2021-01-24T03:39:05","slug":"protests-in-tunisia-russia-plus-qatar-says-its-not-going-to-tell-al-jazeera-to-shush","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2021\/01\/24\/protests-in-tunisia-russia-plus-qatar-says-its-not-going-to-tell-al-jazeera-to-shush\/","title":{"rendered":"Protests in Tunisia, Russia. Plus: Qatar says it\u2019s not going to tell Al Jazeera to shush."},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a> Protesters in Tunisia are marching like it\u2019s 2011 <\/strong>as hundreds took the the streets of Tunis yesterday, reports Reuters<\/a>. Hundreds have been arrested<\/a> since demonstrators began clashing with police in several Tunisian cities earlier this month, with people venting anger against the country\u2019s high unemployment rate. The government has <\/strong>banned protests<\/a><\/strong> and extended its 8pm-5am curfew as covid-19 infections spread. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Russia is also dealing with protests<\/strong> that saw police arrest thousands \u201cas demonstrations in support of jailed opposition leader Aleksei Nvalny swept the nation, beginning in the Far East, where people braved subzero temperatures, and reaching the capital.\u201d The story is front page in the NYT<\/a> and the FT<\/a>, while Reuters<\/a> has more.<\/p>\n

No dice on reining in Al Jazeera?<\/strong> A Qatari official denied that a meeting between Egyptian, Emirati, and Qatari officials \u2014 during which Doha had allegedly promised to tone down Al Jazeera\u2019s rhetoric against Egypt \u2014 took place at all, telling Reuters<\/a> that the countries\u2019 diplomatic relations were only restored \u201cvia written correspondence.\u201d Qatar\u2019s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also said in televised statements that Al Jazeera is \u201can independent media institution,\u201d casting doubt on whether Cairo and Doha see eye to eye on the broadcaster. The newswire had cited<\/a> Egyptian intelligence officials last week as saying that Qatar had agreed to tone down Al Jazeera\u2019s critical coverage of Egypt.<\/p>\n

The dramatic epilogue to the four-year Trump experiment kicks off 8 February when the<\/strong> former president faces his second impeachment trial.<\/strong> Senators agreed to push back proceedings by two weeks to focus on newly sworn-in President Joe Biden\u2019s legislative agenda and cabinet appointments, the chamber\u2019s majority leader, Chuck Schumer, said, according to Reuters<\/a>. The House of Representatives will formally hand the impeachment article to the Senate on Monday, accusing Trump of inciting an insurrection against Congress for the Capitol riot on 6 January.<\/p>\n

A step to frictionless trade with Sudan?<\/strong> Egypt and Sudan plan to remove import duties on some products crossing the border, with an eye to eventually eliminating \u201call [trade] barriers,\u201d Trade Minister Nevine Gamea said yesterday<\/a> following talks with several Sudanese cabinet ministers in Khartoum. The minister, who was in Sudan for the International Khartoum Fair, stopped short of giving further details.<\/p>\n

Egypt and Sudan\u2019s planned freezone is moving forward<\/strong> as the feasibility study is now complete for the zone, which will be set up at the border between the two countries, Gamea said in a meeting with Sudanese Industry and Trade Minister Madani Abbas on Thursday, according to Al Shorouk<\/a>. The two countries had begun discussing the potential zone back in 2017<\/a>.<\/p>\n

BRIEFLY NOTED-<\/strong><\/p>\n