POMED’s Weekly Wire for December 19 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of Egypt's second phase of parliamentary elections and the appointment of Ennahda Secretary General Hamadi Jebali as Tunisia's prime minister. Protesters in Yemen gathered to demand the trial of President Saleh, and Syrian defectors revealed they were given “killing quotas.” Congress passed the omnibus package for FY 2012, which includes foreign aid funding for Egypt, Tunisia, and ...

POMED's Weekly Wire for December 5 is now available. Last week, Egypt held the first stage of parliamentary elections, in which the Muslim Brotherhood emerged as the front runner. The Kuwaiti parliament was dissolved and the Prime Minister resigned following mass protests, while the West increased pressure on Syria with tighter sanctions against its energy and financial sectors. In Yemen, the Prime Minister-designate promised to form a new government amid continued ...

POMED’s Weekly Wire for November 28 is now available. Last week, violence erupted in Tahrir Square as Egyptian security forces cracked down on protesters demanding an end to military rule and a firm timetable for the military to transfer power to a civilian government. In Bahrain, the highly-anticipated BICI report documenting human rights violations was released, and the government promised reforms in response. Syria refused to accept terms of an Arab League deal, and the ...

POMED’s Weekly Wire for November 21 is now available. Last week, protesters stormed the Kuwaiti parliament demanding the prime minister's resignation, as the Arab League continued to negotiate with Syria over a ceasefire with demonstrators. Egypt’s Supreme Court ruled that it was illegal to ban former National Democratic Party members from political participation, while the Working Group on Egypt called on the U.S. to condition its aid to Egypt on democratic ...

POMED's Weekly Wire for November 14 is now available. This week, the Arab League attempted to broker a ceasefire agreement in Syria to quell escalating violence.  Calls were made for a rejuvenation of popular demonstrations in Bahrain as crackdowns on protesters continued.  The Tunisia Administrative Court accepted appeals by Aridha Chaabia to reinstate parliamentary seats originally invalidated for campaign finance violations.  Secretary of State Hilary Clinton gave a speech at the ...

POMED's Weekly Wire for November 7 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of continued violence in Syria, as well as of an elderly opposition member who was reportedly beaten to death in Bahrain. The expanding political role of Qatar was widely discussed, and Egyptian activists faced further mistreatment from the SCAF. In Washington, more members of Congress signed on to the resolution to halt the proposed $53 million ...

POMED's Weekly Wire for October 31 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of Tunisia's first free and fair elections in which Islamist party Ennahda won a plurality of seats. Ambassador Robert Ford was called back to Washington from Syria, and Egyptian rights groups voiced their concern over the SCAF’s human rights record during its tenure in power. Meanwhile, NATO announced an end to operations in Libya and the ...

POMED's Weekly Wire for October 17 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of pressure from some members of Congress to halt a proposed arms sale to Bahrain. Secretary Clinton met with SCAF officials, and President Obama announced the reestablishment of the Peace Corps in Tunisia. Meanwhile, dozens of imams demonstrated in Morocco, and Qatar confirmed a $500 million grant to Egypt. In Bahrain, the parliament issued a vote of ...

POMED's Weekly Wire for September 26 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of the Saudi decision to grant women the right to vote in the 2015 elections. We also looked at Ali Abdullah Saleh's return to Yemen, intensified protests in Bahrain ahead of by-elections on Saturday, and renewed protests in Morocco. Bashar al-Assad continued to face international pressure, Egypt's Supreme Council of Armed Forces extended the emergency law to next ...

POMED's Weekly Wire for September 19 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of a senior State Department visit to Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E., as well as the State Department's announcement about the opening of the Middle East Transitions office. Syrian unrest continued as activists formed the Syrian National Council, Algeria loosened longstanding media restrictions, and Iran and Egypt tightened constraints on their press. Mahmoud Jibril gave his first public ...

POMED's Weekly Wire for September 12 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of legislation linking the fate of the Lockerbie bomber to future aid for Libya, as well as upcoming State Department visits to Egypt and Tunisia. Scores of Bahraini prisoners were released, thousands of protesters returned to Tahrir Square to reinvigorate Egypt’s revolution, and the Tunisian government restricted union activity. In Syria, violence and demonstrations persisted throughout the ...

POMED's Weekly Wire for August 29 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of the ongoing debate in Congress about foreign aid, as well as rising tensions in Bahrain as protests escalated. After granting asylum to Gadhafi's family, Algeria expressed willingness to recognize the TNC once a government is formed, and in Libya Muammar Gadhafi vowed to resist the rebels. Assad responded with continued violence as regional pressure and local ...

POMED's Weekly Wire for August 29 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of Libyan rebels' assault on Tripoli, as well as ongoing violence in Syria as opposition leaders began to form a national council. The Yemeni Prime Minister returned to Sana’a, while President Ali Abdullah Saleh remains defiant that he will soon return. And Bahraini authorities continued their repression of pro-democracy activists as Nabeel Rajab was summoned to a ...

POMED's Weekly Wire for August 22 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of Libyan rebels' capture of Gadhafi's sons in Tripoli, as well as the release of a TNC constitutional charter outlining plans to transition to democracy.  President Barack Obama, the European Union, Britain, France, Germany and Canada called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down. Hosni Mubarak's trial will resume in September, and Morocco announced an early ...

POMED's Weekly Wire for August 15 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of the recalls of several Arab ambassadors from Damascus, as well as the release of nearly 150 prisoners in Bahrain amidst growing criticism of the Independent Commission of Inquiry. The TNC took control over the Libyan embassy in Washington as rebels steadily advanced towards Tripoli, and confusion remained over the political future of ...

POMED's Weekly Wire for August 8 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of the Syrian regime’s escalating crackdown, as well as the trial of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, his sons, and the former interior minister. The Bahraini government released from prison two prominent opposition MPs, and Libyan fighting slowed as the opposition regrouped after the death of a major general. The full Weekly Wire can be viewed here.

POMED's Weekly Wire for July 25 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of increased violence in Syria, as well as ongoing discussions between NATO, Russia, and others about Libya. Protests in Jordan were met with police violence and a lawsuit by journalists, and there were renewed protests in Tunisia. Gulf countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, and Iran, continued to imprison pro-democracy supporters. Congress hosted several hearings on events ...

POMED's Weekly Wire for July 18 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of the Syrian regime's reaction to large protests, as well as U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford's visit to Hama. The National Dialogue began in Bahrain with the full participation of opposition group al-Wefaq, although it withdrew from parts of the dialogue later in the week, and protests in Egypt grew throughout the week. The full Weekly Wire can be viewed here.

POMED's Weekly Wire for July 11 is now available. This week's edition includes coverage of the Syrian regime's reaction to large protests, as well as U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford's visit to Hama. The National Dialogue began in Bahrain with the full participation of opposition group al-Wefaq, although it withdrew from parts of the dialogue later in the week, and protests in Egypt grew throughout the week. The full Weekly Wire can ...

POMED’s Weekly Wire for June 27 is now available. This week’s edition includes coverage of the Bahraini government's issuing of severe prison sentences to human rights activists and opposition leaders, as well as escalating international criticism of the Syrian regime. Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman called for an immediate political transition on his visit to Yemen, and ousted Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali ...