Thanks, France: Egypt Curtails Sale of Yellow Vests

The violent protests in France are causing shockwaves throughout the world, including now in Egypt. Security authorities there are warily anticipating the eighth anniversary next month of the uprising that helped unseat President Hosni Mubarak, so to help tamp down tensions and keep "copycat" demonstrations at bay, per the Independent, they've decided to restrict an item seen recently in Paris and other EU cities: the reflective yellow vests known as "gilets jaunes." Citing anonymous officials, the Guardian reports that walk-in buyers will no longer be able to pick up the vests; vendors who sell them are now only permitted to sell them wholesale to approved companies, and only with an OK from the police. Those who don't comply will be punished, the officials note, though they're not expanding on what that means. The restriction is said to be in effect until the end of January. (More Egypt stories.)