Opinion
Egypt’s breaking point?
February 2, 2011
Egypt’s breaking point?
As we write these words, pro-Mubarak supporters have descended upon Tahrir Square, violently attacking thousands of demonstrators who have been…
The gravity of pharaohs
January 29, 2011
The gravity of pharaohs
The dizzyingly rapid demise of Mubarak's exceptionally stable regime is a surprise to even the most seasoned analysts and avid…
Egypt’s New Opposition
January 27, 2011
Egypt’s New Opposition
The 25 January protests which hit Egypt yesterday may prove to be a historic turning point for Egypt’s small and…
Stories from the Day of Anger
January 27, 2011
Stories from the Day of Anger
Yesterday afternoon I sat on the road in the middle of Tahrir Square next to fresh graffiti calling for the…
25 January between past and present
January 26, 2011
25 January between past and present
On 25 January 1952, Brigadier Exham--head of a British military operation in Ismailia--called Egyptian Communication Lieutenant Sherif al-Adad to tell…
The West watches on
January 25, 2011
The West watches on
The clear reluctance on the part of Arab regimes and Western powers to support the Tunisian revolution is amazing. This…
Tunisian exceptions
January 24, 2011
Tunisian exceptions
After the ouster of former Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, I spoke to a Tunisian friend who had just…
Stiglitz in Egypt: On crucial questions of public policy
January 22, 2011
Stiglitz in Egypt: On crucial questions of public policy
On a visit to Egypt, I received an invitation from the Access to Knowledge for Development Center (A2K4D), headed by…
Where does urban harmony begin?
January 22, 2011
Where does urban harmony begin?
Cairo, the palimpsest city with multiple layers of dense continuous inhabitation, is currently seeking reconstructive plastic surgery. With ailing infrastructure…
My days in Tunisia
January 22, 2011
My days in Tunisia
I began writing these words under curfew in the heart of the Tunisian capital, one day after the Tunisian popular…