Morning Edition: NGO Arrests In Egypt

Diplomatic relations between Egypt and the United States have become increasingly strained in the year since the ouster of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The news this week that 19 Americans working in Egypt have been charged with operating in the country without a license and receiving illegal foreign aid have only compounded the situation. The U.S. has threatened to pull some $1.3 billion in annual aid to the country if the charges aren't dropped. At this point, Egypt's military government is sticking by the arrests. WNPR's Ray Hardman recently spoke with foreign policy expert Scott Bates, in fact, just minutes before we spoke he got word via Facebook from one of the 19 Americans being detained in that country.