Support for LAist comes from
Become a sponsor
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Donate
Stay Connected

LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network.

Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen
Donate
Podcasts Take Two
Cairo protests hit home for many Egyptian-Americans
solid orange rectangular banner
()
Take Two Logo
Aug 15, 2013
Listen • 12:12
Cairo protests hit home for many Egyptian-Americans
It's a tense situation for many Egyptians here in the U.S., as they watch the violent struggles for the future of their country from afar.
A supporter of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi shouts during clashes with Egyptian security forces in Cairo's Nasr City district, Egypt, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013. Egyptian police in riot gear swept in with armored vehicles and bulldozers Wednesday to clear two sprawling encampments of supporters of the country's ousted Islamist president in Cairo, showering protesters with tear gas as the sound of gunfire rang out. (AP Photo/Manu Brabo)
A supporter of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi shouts during clashes with Egyptian security forces in Cairo's Nasr City district, Egypt, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013. Egyptian police in riot gear swept in with armored vehicles and bulldozers Wednesday to clear two sprawling encampments of supporters of the country's ousted Islamist president in Cairo, showering protesters with tear gas as the sound of gunfire rang out. (AP Photo/Manu Brabo)
(
Manu Brabo/AP
)

It's a tense situation for many Egyptians here in the U.S., as they watch the violent struggles for the future of their country from afar.

The death toll in Egypt there continues to rise. Egyptian authorities are now saying more than 500 people died in yesterday's violent clashes between police and supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi. More than 3, 700 people have been injured.

President Obama announced this morning that the U.S. would not go forward with a previously planned joint military exercise, citing yesterday's violence.

To get the latest news we turn to Amira Ahmed Deputy Editor of the online news site MadaMasr. 

Then, it's a tense situation for many Egyptians here in the U.S., as they watch the violent struggles for the future of their country from afar. We're joined by Mohamed Kolkela, a realtor in Long Beach who immigrated to the U.S. from Egypt in 2001.

Also on the line is Nile el Wardan,  a professor of public policy with dual national citizenship who teaches at American University in Cairo. She grew up in La Jolla, California and is currently there during her summer vacation.