RECENT ARTICLES
Farewell Ms. Weinstein
I liked Carmen. She was a cool lady. She will be missed. Originally published on Foreign Policy Transitions. "You must be Esti's grandson," said one lady as she pinched my cheek. "Leave [...]
“ريادة الأعمال للجميع” and “the revolutions within the Revolution” – my new TEDx Talks
I had the pleasure of speaking at the TEDxCairo conference last December - my first TEDx speech in Arabic, and it was a ton of fun. Titled "Democratising Entrepreneurship", I spoke of the opportunities and [...]
Bassem Youssef and the Sultan
[Originally posted on Foreign Policy.] Mocking rulers is a tradition almost as old as rule itself. At times mockery is subtle and allegorical; at others it is blunt, sometimes gauche, but always funny. [...]
Don’t overlook Bahrain, it’s a matter of life and death
I feel really strongly about Bahrain - not only because of friends there, but also because I feel that I am probably not doing enough to publicize what's going on there. So here's a very [...]
Just how much are Qaddafi supporters worth to Egypt?
Crossposted on Foreign Policy Transitions. Mubarak's Egypt was one of the CIA's favorite destinations under their "extraordinary rendition" program: A human rights-free zone where torture at the CIA's hands, hampered by delicate legislation, was supervised by the chief of [...]
Did Chokri Belaid die for nothing?
Crossposted on Foreign Policy: Transitions. What has changed in Tunisia since opposition leader Chokri Belaid was assassinated? I’ve asked many Tunisian friends that question. Most remained silent for a few seconds, smiled sadly, [...]
Do the Ikhwan Shake!
In North Africa, there's more to the Harlem Shake than, well, Shaking: it is, for a new generation of youngsters, their first act of political rebellion too. Posted on Foreign Policy Magazine: Transitions. [...]
Morocco: Where is the February 20th movement heading?
Live from Rabat, Morocco! I couldn't pass on the opportunity to attend a protest (naturally). I wrote this. [Thanks to RB for being a gracious guide to Morocco's protest movement]. Cross-posted on Foreign Policy Transitions. [...]
Chinese Food on Revolution Day
How i spent my February 11th. Crossposted on FP Transitions. There is one tradition that Muslims and Jews in the West agree on: They both like to eat Chinese food on Christmas Eve. It's [...]
Article Archive
Egypt After the Spring: Revolt and Reaction.
Egypt After the Spring: Revolt and Reaction. This Adelphi volume brings together senior sch olars as well as rising analysts of Egypt to examine the tumultuous period from the January 2011 uprising against Hosni Mubarak, [...]
The US elections (and their aftermath), covered as we do African elections
Had to be done (actually surprised it hasn't already): Writing about the latest US elections like US media writes about African countries. **COUNTRY CRISIS WATCH** [insert CNN "breaking news" type of jingle] The US of A, [...]
Refugees don’t want handouts: they want jobs
Jobs would give refugees both money and dignity Image: REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke Polykastro, Greece Khaled wakes up early. Most people in the refugee camp in Polykastro, in northern Greece, do – the tents [...]