Sisi keeps a lid on

Egyptians face another four years of authoritarian rule

"I want 10 Zohrs," joked President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi in front of the television cameras at the official ceremony marking the start of the gas project. The reflected glory from even one more find on the scale of Zohr would, in normal circumstances, be no bad thing for a head of state seeking re-election. But Sisi needs no such lucky charm. With or without another Zohr he knows that when the votes are counted after the elections in late March he'll begin another term as Egypt's president. This is because, for a variety of reasons, all serious challengers have either decided, or been strongly persuaded, to drop out. Only one weak candidate is standing against him—presumably to give the poll