"The Tlass family were once acolytes of the Assad dynasty, but as the regime crackdown targeted their fellow Sunni clansmen, they hatched a plan to flee to Paris. Julian Borger, Martin Chulov and Kim Willsher report on what the escape of Manaf Tlass reveals about the strategy of the 'Friends of Syria'"

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As politicians and economists start drawing up plans to bring Egypt's economy back from the brink, the country's small business owners say they are unlikely to reap benefits any time soon.

The election of a new president, Mohammed Morsi,has put the country on a firmer footing on the path to establishing civil democratic rule.

But changes to the cabinet and delays on rewriting the constitution have kept the economic situation uncertain.

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