Egypt's State of Emergency Hurting Business - East Idaho News
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Egypt’s State of Emergency Hurting Business

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Getty 030512 EgyptianFlag?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1379492277930iStockphoto/Thinkstock(CAIRO) — Egypt’s economy, which has been having problems since the February 2011 revolution, has been weakened even more by the ouster last July of President Mohamed Morsi.

A huge part of the problem is the security crackdown imposed by the interim government after the military bulldozed two encampments of pro-Morsi supporters in August, leading to hundreds of deaths.

Business in Cairo has been hit particularly hard by the state of emergency, which was extended at least through the end of October, because of a nighttime curfew that effectively closes up all shops and restaurants from dusk until dawn.

Normally, Egyptians try to do much of their shopping at night because of their jobs but with fewer hours, business has also fallen off during the daytime.

Meanwhile, commuting has become a major chore for many workers because rail service in and out of the city has been suspended to prevent Morsi supporters from entering Cairo from other parts of Egypt.

This is forcing commuters to find other modes of transportation, usually the bus, which adds travel time and is generally costlier than the train.

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