Latest in Opinion Highlight
Latest in Opinion
La La Land: Escapism the audience deserves
La La Land is written and directed by Damien Chazelle
Think that 2016 was a tough year for Saudi Arabia? Wait until you see 2017
2016 was not a good year for Saudi Arabia. Sharply lowered oil prices sparked a domestic financial crisis that is forcing the country to restructure its economy. Saud Arabia’s bitter struggle with Iran for regional hegemony has embroiled it in wars and political conflicts which it has been unable to win, leaving Saudi Arabia no …
UN security council’s recent resolution: victory or defeat?
Many Palestinian, Arab, and global entities celebrated the voting of the UN security council on Resolution 2334 which significantly condemns all forms of Israeli settlement on Palestinian lands occupied in 1967, demands Israel to stop all settlement activities in these lands including East Jerusalem, and considers any Israeli settlement activity a flagrant violation of international …
The illusion of subsidising
I belong to a generation that used to do well with a monthly allowance of EGP 3 in the 1980s during the first years of preparatory school. Once I enrolled in university, this allowance reached EGP 30, and it was enough for us to enjoy life. This generation had not imagined it would witness a …
In Mahmoud Abou Zaid’s realism, women claim modest victories
Mahmoud Abou Zaid passed away in December 2016
The double skills gap
Building a skilled workforce requires new employment strategies, but one must not forget what experienced employees have to offer
The Stopover: Every war is different, every war is the same
The Stopover is directed by Delphine Coulin and Muriel Coulin
Ran: a visually magnificent Shakespearian carnage
Ran is directed by Akira Kurosawa
US abstention on Israeli settlement resolution too little, too late
The United States’ abstention from voting on the UN security council’s anti-settlement resolution is a serious blow to prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policy of annexation in the West Bank. The bureau of Israel’s prime minister said that “Israel rejects the contemptible, anti-Israel UN resolution and will not subordinate itself to it.” The decision to abstain from voting is the …
What if terrorising terrorism fails?
Whether we like it or not, the world is grappling with this question under the current wave of terrorism under the Islamic State (IS). Many democratic countries have adhered to the saying: “No negotiations with terrorists or those threatening to use violence against peaceful citizens.” We will continue fighting, chasing, and imprisoning them until we …
Towards a new world order in Eurasia? The role of Russia and China
A new Russian-led, China-backed Eurasia-centred world order may be in the making against the backdrop of alleged Russian cyberwarfare against the United States and Europe. Analysts see a pattern in Russian moves that could serve China’s interests should US president-elect Donald Trump adopt a more confrontational approach towards Beijing. Suggestions that Russian president Vladimir Putin …
Please stay calm, right-wing politicians are happy now, and thank you, Merkel
On Monday in the Breitscheidplatz Christmas market in Berlin, while families enjoyed the last Sunday before Christmas and the scent of cinnamon, sugar, and cardamom filled the air, a stolen lorry pierced the tranquil environment killing nine people and injuring dozens more. At the time of writing this everything was still uncertain, however social media …
Al-Beida Wal-Hagar (Charlatan): philosophical critique of Egypt’s 1980s
Al-Beida Wal-Hagar was directed by Ali Abdel Khaleq
El-Keif: what lies behind the comedy?
El-Keif was directed by Ali Abdel Khaleq
El Aar: a Dostoyevskian approach to shame
El-Aar was directed by Ali Abdel Khaleq
We need an Arab Marshal Plan
This period in our region’s history will have a long-term effect, not only on the relationship between people and society, but also society and the state, and among the regional states as well. Major global incidents have always had an impact on the Middle East more so than any other region in the world. To …
Istanbul bombings: soccer in the bull’s eye
Twin bombs in central Istanbul may not have targeted Besiktas JK’s newly refurbished Vodafone Arena stadium, but it underscores the propaganda value of attacking a soccer match for both jihadist and non-jihadist groups. They also raise questions about counter-terrorism strategies. The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, a splinter of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), claimed responsibility …
Reconciliation with Rashid—a step towards justice
I know that my point of view about reconciliation with former minister of industry Rashid Mohamed Rashid will be met with objection by many, but I invite you to look at the issue with more neutrality. Last week, the committee concerned with recovering misappropriated funds has made a decision to reconcile with Rashid after he …
Poverty: the dark side of the American empire
If we have learned anything from this last presidential election, it is that poverty continues to be a concept ignored by president-elect Donald Trump and by United States politicians. Although both avoid using the word like a naked man avoids a poisonous snake, poverty is integral to the current reality of the US socio-political landscape. …
The price of Egyptian bureaucracy
Learning that officials, who are designated to solve Egypt socioeconomic challenges, are the core beneficiaries of keeping them superseded, should have prompted us a long time ago to realise why we have been living with those challenges for decades. This is the myth of Egyptian bureaucracy—a number of old-fashioned executives who have been ruling …
The Muslim Brotherhood: the one-size-fits-all approach
The Muslim Brotherhood is a fundamentalist group, and subsequently they believe they possess the absolute truth. They are ultra-conservative. They were founded on fundamentalist approaches. They base everything on religion. They consider the Qur’an, Haddith, and Sunna to be the ultimate sources of all types of knowledge. Brotherhood founder Hassan Al-Banna highlighted the importance of …
Arabic Movie: a critical approach to nostalgia
Arabic Movie is directed by Eyal Sagui Bizawe and Sara Tsifroni
At Titi’s Balcony: understanding oneself through understanding the other
At Titi’s Balcony is directed by Yasmina Benari
A Present From the Past: on the memories we choose to keep alive
A Present From the Past is directed by Kawthar Mokhtar
Egypt must push ahead with reforms to attract investment, spur growth, create job opportunities
Egypt has struggled in the five years since the Arab Spring, as political uncertainty and economic instability erode investor confidence and limit growth. Its economy has expanded a modest 2.5% annually between 2011 and 2015. Foreign exchange reserves have dipped to precariously low levels. An overvalued currency has hurt Egypt’s export competitiveness. Foreign currency shortages …
If only we could celebrate like the Philippines celebrated 2 years ago
The Philippines generates $25bn annually from call centre exports
Cairo International Film Critics Week: aspiring critics experiment with various tools of film analysis
Daily News Egypt publishes the 10 best reviews, selected by the instructor of the workshop
Juste la Fin du Monde: a family’s sweetest kind of lie
Juste la Fin du Monde was screened at the Cairo International Film Festival
Mimosa: camera as God
Mimosa was screened at the Cairo International Film Festival
Stopover: the anatomy of the warrior’s rest
Stopover was screened at the Cairo International Film Festival