Latest in Opinion Highlight
Latest in Opinion
Opinion: The right decision to penalize Russia
Russia have been heavily punished by UEFA for the behavior of their fans at Euro 2016. It is the right decision, but also one that is only made in the worst case scenarios, writes DW’s Jens Krepela.
Opinion: Schweinsteiger is still a key player for Germany
The strong play of Toni Kroos and Sami Khedira against Ukraine showed that Germany do not need Bastian Schweinsteiger to win games. But the Germany captain proved his worth in a different way.
Men’s hair takes centre stage in battle over legitimacy of political Islam
The Muslim world’s battle over the legitimacy of political Islam has expanded to the soccer pitch as proponents and opponents of interpreting the faith politically seek to impose their public morals, with men’s hairstyles and facial hair taking centre stage. At the core of the battle are fans and players, a reflection of society as …
Evaluating Al-Sisi at the two-year mark
On 8 June, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi completed half of his first presidential term, and there are only two years left before he faces a new presidential election. I do not think the coming election will be similar in its circumstances and consequences to the former election that led Al-Sisi to Itihadiya Palace two years …
Western allies join Egypt in war against democratic values
When western countries are criticised for legitimising Egypt’s oppressive rule, excuses are offered in return. One response is that Egypt does not heed their concerns regarding the dire human rights conditions. “We’ve tried telling them, but they don’t listen,” is a common way of phrasing it. As to why business deals proceed smoothly despite Egypt’s …
Will Al-Sisi succeed in neutering Egypt’s vibrant society?
“Neutering is the solution”, a precept that most authoritarians believe in and work towards realising. A quiet, dull, passive society better suits the needs of authoritarian presidents than does a vibrant society that has large numbers of initiators, innovators and, obviously, leaders. Egypt’s main dilemma is that the task of driving and influencing an extremely …
Opinion: Russia’s parallel universe
Russia’s response to the recent doping allegations shows that the country is living in a parallel universe. This increasingly resembles the old Soviet Union and forces Russians into isolation, writes Juri Rescheto.
Opinion: Expansion of Euro 2016 dilutes the tournament’s meaning
The European Championship’s simplicity used to be one of its biggest strengths. But the latest expansion of the tournament will take the edge of some fixtures and reward mediocrity, writes DW’s Matt Pearson.
Ramadan: individuality and conformity
This piece might be uncomfortable for some people. Over the years, we have grown accustomed to celebrating the holy month of Ramadan as one of the most festive occasions of the year. Undoubtedly, the religious value of the month in the Islamic faith and its spiritual purposes are unquestionable. In Egyptian society in particular, Ramadan …
Mr. Trump is a toy soldier
Toy soldiers (miniature figurines representing real soldiers) have a long history. They have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, and have since appeared in many cultures and eras. During the 18th century, toy soldiers became very popular, inspired by the military exploits of Frederik the Great, the King of Prussia. An important producer of plastic soldiers in …
We are not like you
As soon as I heard about the sectarian events in Abu Qirqas in Minya several events popped into my mind. I looked them up in newspaper archives and have collected them as they are presented below. Quoted from Al-Masry Al-Youm on 6 February 2008: “Four of Al-Ahly fans are arrested and accused of burning a …
Leaked exams and the demolition of institutions
I’ll start in Algeria, where the scandal of a leaked baccalaureate exam in 2016 raised controversy, prompting Algerian authorities to conduct a full investigation into the case. The Algerian ministry of education launched an investigation into circulated reports that some parties had leaked the topics of the baccalaureate exam on social media. Algerian media recently …
Turkish soccer brawls: the battle for the future of the Kemalist state
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan dresses up his increasing authoritarianism with nationalist and religious overtones, sparking battles over the future of the Kemalist state. Those battles, pitting nationalist and conservative forces against secularists and Kurds, are nowhere more evident than on Turkish soccer pitches. A series of incidents in recent months highlighted the mounting tensions …
Part II: It was the only world power and today it seeks to regain its regional power
In the second of his two part series, Sayed Ghoneim explains the development of civilisation and its origins in Egypt
Hepta and the return of romance to Egyptian cinema
Hepta (The Last Lecture) was probably the most anticipated Egyptian movie of the year, which comes as no surprise as it is based on the massively successful, best-selling novel of the same title. The novel received polarising reviews, which ranged from being called a masterpiece of modern Egyptian romantic fiction to a piece of overly …
Opinion: India must act against Afrophobia in its cities
A Congolese teacher was recently beaten to death in New Delhi. There have been several cases of violence against Africans over the years, but what’s embarrassing is the Indian government’s response, writes Shivam Vij.
Part II: Putting one’s ear to the ground: rumblings of mounting discontent
(The following is a transcript of a lecture presented at the Middle East Institute’s conference “The Middle East peace process after the Arab uprisings”.) Israeli Palestinian youth hold a racist Israeli society responsible for their plight but feel a Palestinian society that refuses to acknowledge their plight is equally guilty. Abed recalls a childhood friend …
Shakespeare answers internet complaint calls
Imagination is one of the games that fulfil our desires. It also helps us escape reality. Imagination also has many other functions, including enhancing comparative thinking in order to know whether we are really doing what we want to do, and whether there was a better way to reach what we want. If you have …
Egypt in a monopoly of information
Day after day, there are more signs demonstrating the lack of any willingness on the Egyptian state’s part to even remotely apply the principles of freedom of information that are stipulated in Egypt’s Constitution. Between measures like media gags, cracking down on civil society organisations, delegitimising international human rights reports and official statements that ask …
Part I: Putting one’s ear to the ground: rumblings of mounting discontent
(The following is a transcript of a lecture presented at the Middle East Institute’s conference “The Middle East peace process after the Arab uprisings”.) When Jeremy Bowen, the BBC’s Middle East editor, returned to Jerusalem earlier this month, he was asked by colleagues what story he would be covering. The story seemed evident to Jeremy. …
Of change, business, and governments
Some decades ago, Bill Gates of Microsoft, during a visit to Georgetown University, pronounced that there was no need for his company to have a Washington office. Oh ye of little faith—today the firm has “seen the light” and supports a major operation in Washington, D.C. In order to learn we must understand the context …
We need a strategy to counter corruption, Mr. President
Egypt is in need of effort from its nationals who have a vision and can make decisive, bold decisions. We have countless problems, but also solutions. We look for foreign funding to invest in Egypt, but we should also consider the wasted billions of the state budget through studying and researching to balance inputs and …
A hand spans worth of space
“May we stay as strong and as fearless of saying the truth next year and all the years to come,” my cellmates told me with great enthusiasm in wishing me a happy birthday and celebrating another year added to my account in this life. Today, I passed into a new year of my life inside a …
Dear Muslims
Dear Muslims, Have you ever met a Christian who joking said, “Praise Jesus” and then followed it by, “Why haven’t you converted to Christianity already?” Have you ever taken a taxi and been forced to sit there while the driver listens to hymns at a high volume? Have you ever heard the pastor on Sundays …
Opinion: No stimulus, but G7 talks in Japan bear fruit
Though risks to the global economy are growing, national leaders at the G7 summit did not manage to reach an agreement on a stimulus program. Nonetheless, the meeting in Japan was important, DW’s Christoph Kober writes.
Cairo: mission impossible?
Opinion writers, more so than their hard news brethren, have a running conversation with the reader. Ideally, that monologue is, paradoxically, a dialogue in the writer’s mind, with the goal being to clarify a muddy picture for the reader. Objectivity, is not a goal per se for anyone. So you look, you feel, you analyse, …
Chasing fried eggs with Jorge Luis Borges
During a recent trip to Argentina I was talking to an old friend, a successful psychiatrist, about Jorge Luis Borges, the famous Argentine writer considered by many as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. She told me about the only time she had met him. “I had gone to a lecture by Borges at …
Oman: a peaceful oasis in a flaming region
In a fractious, unstable region rife with conflict, one country appears to be unscathed. It is telling that Oman emerged not only intact from the ramifications of the Arab Spring, but also shied away from the intense polarisation that has hijacked the rest of the Middle East. Oman’s position on various regional issues is self-evidently …
Why enterprises in Egypt need an “Open Hybrid Cloud”
Before getting into the details of why enterprises in Egypt need an open hybrid cloud, let’s take a look at the building blocks. An open hybrid cloud consists of five core pillars: the first pillar is the capability to empower IT organisations with the right tools to address the demand of the line of business …
Playing politics: the AFC gets tied up in knots
Two recent incidents involving the refusal of Arab teams to play their Palestinian counterparts on Palestinian soil highlight the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) willingness to play politics at the Palestinians’ expense at times with the connivance of the Palestine Authority headed by President Mahmoud Abbas. The incidents further spotlight the consequences of the incestuous relationship …