Author: Adam Sakaria

“The amount of energy that Bitcoin consumes is concerning. Its transactions use more than [entire] countries [consume], and this figure is bound to rise because of the asset’s growing mining difficulty that demands more power to execute,” said Edith Reads, author at TradingPlatforms, in a January article in The National. Digital currencies, which refer to independent cryptocurrencies and the eventual government-issued versions, aka “govcoins,” have become a global phenomenon. Accordingly, they have raised concerns beyond the realms of finance and economics, including the environmental impact of cryptocurrency mining. Critics argue that the electricity needed to mine digital currencies often comes…

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Egypt and countries around the globe are adopting markedly different approaches to vaccine passports, affecting travel in various ways. As countries begin to emerge from the thick of the pandemic, despite the omicron variant, there is a breadth of policies that both complicate and, in many instances, alleviate international travel restrictions. Accordingly, internationally recognized proof of vaccination (vaccine passports) is central to any discussion of how and to what extent a country will reopen to visitors. However, there is little to suggest there will be a one-size-fits-all approach. What is certain, though, is that such documents are key to revitalizing…

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In the wake of the COP26 summit, Chinese efforts to curb emissions and concretely commit to renewables have come under scrutiny as Beijing contends with a domestic energy crisis. China emits more greenhouse gases than all industrialized nations combined, “but so far has only promised to peak those emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060,” said a Yahoo News report by Ben Adler in late October. China recently became embroiled in controversy over its pledges to meet emissions targets, with many criticizing its lack of commitment at the G20 held October in Rome and the subsequent COP26 (U.N.…

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Although the business of traveling is not what it once was, a semblance of normalcy is beginning to return. Traveling abroad during a pandemic is no straightforward affair, from delays to roadblocks to unexpected twists and turns in the precarious maze of pandemic protocols. Nevertheless, my partner and I recently undertook a long-awaited holiday and found the inconveniences of COVID-19 still apparent, albeit less so than in 2020. The plan was to leave Egypt for separate visits to our families and meet up in the United Kingdom. Between us, we hit airports in seven nations (Qatar, Australia, Singapore, Germany, the…

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Could nuclear power experience a resurgence as a cheap and clean energy source as nations fail to meet their carbon emission goals? Nuclear power is now firmly back in the spotlight as an increasing number of experts, governments and NGOs lead the charge to reposition it as a safe, reliable, and green energy source as the world comes to grips with the effects of climate change. While many might be wary of it, given that it uses uranium U-235, a highly radioactive material, nuclear power plants have seen many advances to make them safe. “Aside from its reliability … nuclear…

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Fustat’s new National Museum of Egyptian Civilization is a worthy prelude to the highly anticipated opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, heralding a new age of tourism. Billed as the “Pharaohs’ Golden Parade,” the mummies of some of Egypt’s most immortalized rulers emerged from their resting places in a lavish procession through Cairo. The mummies of Ramses the Great, Seti I, Thutmose I and Ahmose Nefertari were among the 18 kings and four queens that made the journey about 3,000 years after their burial in the iconic Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens in Egypt’s distant south.…

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President Biden has reinstated America’s commitment to the landmark accord in no uncertain terms as the lynchpin of his climate protection strategy. Labeling the climate crisis as an existential threat to the world and a matter of national security for the U.S., Biden gathered 40 world leaders for a virtual summit on April 26, where he promised to cut America’s emissions by half by 2030. Among the attendees were the 17 nations responsible for four-fifths of the global greenhouse gas emissions. The aim is to re-establish America as the worldwide leader in green investments. Despite the absence of an Egyptian…

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“Angel investing — I think we should always touch on this point — is not charity. It is professional investing where you make a return; crucially, you also have a wider lasting impact,” said Aly El Shalakany, chairman of Cairo Angels, during a December AmCham event. It is likely the riskiest type of investment, seeing that it almost always assesses the potential of a startup rather than actual achievements, hence the name “angel.” When an investor provides angel funding, no debt is created. Instead, the investor receives an equity or ownership stake in the firm. The more capital or technical…

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Heralded as a “milestone in global health” by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in mid-December, the United Nations’ global vaccine partnership COVAX has lined up nearly 2 billion doses of existing and candidate vaccines for use worldwide. The 190-nation initiative seeks to ensure that all countries have equal access to coronavirus vaccines, with the initial delivery of some shots in the first quarter of 2021. According to the WHO, COVAX has agreements in place to access nearly 2 billion doses of several COVID-19 vaccine candidates. The deal lays the groundwork to secure additional amounts. The United States…

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The morning flight from Cairo to London’s Heathrow Airport is one of the most traveled routes on EgyptAir’s schedule. Although not without its inconveniences, traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic might actually not be the worst time to fly, especially to a quarantine-free destination. In fact, it may be an opportune time to do so. My partner and I took the 9:10 a.m. flight out of Cairo International Airport at the end of October. While we were hesitant about making the journey during the beginning stages of what seems like a second wave of COVID-19 enveloping most of Europe — the…

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