The Times of Israel A long war ahead of Egypt in Sinai This has undoubtedly been the strongest blow suffered by the Egypt of Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi since Egypt's second revolution in June 2013, and certainly since his election as president. True, there have been previous terrorist attacks that have cost the lives of tens of soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula, but Thursday's attack, which killed 30 soldiers and civilians and left dozens more injured, occurred despite an ongoing military operation against the aggressive terrorist gangs that populate the Sinai. Thursday's chain of attacks underlines the arsenal of capabilities still possessed by the extremist Islamic groups in the peninsula. The assessment in Cairo is that the operations of the Egyptian army in Sinai will ultimately eliminate terrorism but the war may take two years, maybe more. Cairo understands that the name of the game is patience, despite the severe price the Egyptian army will have to pay. Read more: http://www.timesofisrael.com/a-long-war-ahead-of-egypt-in-sinai/ Forbes Falling global oil prices have provided some cover for governments like Egypt's to finally dial back expensive and ultimately unsustainable subsidy programs, as the reductions don't land quite the same punch when prices are already lower. This is especially true in a place like Egypt where the revenue needed to pay for said subsidies is not attached to a country's own energy earnings, such as Venezuela. The government spent about $6.35 billion on energy subsidies in the first six months of the fiscal year that began in July – a lower result that was a direct result of the collapse of global energy prices. This was possible without the kind of blowback that similar subsidy reform campaigns have elicited in the past. With the notion of bringing the country's production efforts back up to speed and fully doing away with its sizable debt to foreign producers, Egypt's energy sector still has a long way to go towards long-term recovery, but for now, there is plenty to celebrate – as long as prices and tempers remain under control. Read more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/christophercoats/2015/01/30/egypt-receives-relief-from-global-oil-drop/ The New York Times Deadly attacks in Egypt The Egyptian president is cutting short a visit to an African Union summit meeting today after nearly simultaneous attacks on several security posts in the Sinai Peninsula left at least 26 people dead. It is the first big episode of violence since militants in the region pledged allegiance to the Islamic State last year. Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/30/nytnow/latest-news-egypt-attacks-isis-suge-knight.html?_r=0 World Bulletin US condemns deadly attacks in Egypt's North Sinai The United States strongly condemned the deadly attacks in Egypt's North Sinai that killed at least 29 people and wounded 47 others late Thursday. "We express our sincere condolences to the victims, their families, and the government and people of Egypt," State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement. "A prosperous and strong Egypt requires an environment of security and stability, and the United States remains steadfast in its support of the Egyptian government's efforts to combat the threat of terrorism in Egypt as part of our continuing commitment to the strategic partnership between our two countries." Psaki added. Read more: http://www.worldbulletin.net/news/154072/us-condemns-deadly-attacks-in-egypts-north-sinai
