(AP-Business Week) Hamza Hendawi - The spirit of Cairo, a metropolis of 18 million, has been deeply scarred by 32 months of turmoil and bloodshed from two "revolutions," constant protests and crackdowns, and a military coup. Residents talk of an unfamiliar edginess. People are more suspicious of each other, whether because of increased crime or constant media warnings of conspiracies and terrorism. The mood goes beyond ideology. With police rarely enforcing regulations, many people flout laws - whether it's the cafes that take over sidewalks or thugs who seize plots of land. A curfew in place for nearly two months has been eased to start at midnight. Political violence has killed more than 2,000 people in the city and wounded many others since the Jan. 25, 2011, revolution that ousted Mubarak. Now the mood is defined by a media blitz demonizing the Islamists, idolizing military chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, and intimidating critics.
2013-10-11 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive