Author: Adam Sakaria

“Not too long ago, the Mediterranean was described as ‘NATO’s lake’ — a sleepy backwater in a world dominated by conflict. After the implosion of the Soviet Union, ships of the U.S.-led alliance enjoyed unfettered and uncontested access from Gibraltar to Beirut,” said regional expert Geoffrey Aronson in a July report from the Middle East Institute. “The region’s problems centered upon land-based disputes, Israel’s seemingly intractable conflict with Arab states foremost among them. Who imagined that the 20th-century dispute over Cyprus would morph into a 21st-century zero-sum conflict over access to undersea gas resources — a competition that divides NATO…

Read More

With the global pandemic shuttering businesses, art and related enterprises   were some of the first and worst to be hit. For artists, who depend on gatherings and venues like museums and galleries that are antithetical to social distancing, it’s not a pretty picture. Though the economy is struggling and spirits flagging, Safarkhan Art Gallery and others are trying to adapt. “We want to provide something for the community that is positive in these difficult times by giving young artists a chance to exhibit and to have hope for their careers,” says Mona Said, co-owner and operator of the Zamalek gallery, …

Read More

The internet’s unprecedented reach and its ability to influence decisions have thrust the monetization of digital content to the forefront of corporate strategies. “With the rapid development of the industry and tools … and successfully traversing revenue opportunities tactically and tactfully, clearly the opportunity to earn is now more accessible and lucrative than ever,” wrote Anthony Svirskis, the CEO of TRIBE, in Fortune in May. The company is a “marketplace connecting brands and agencies with social media influencers.” Accordingly, the opportunities to make money from content have never been greater. “Publishers have more than one choice when it comes to…

Read More

As the number of fatalities from the COVID-19 pandemic crossed the 100,000 mark at the end of May, opponents of the Trump administration believe the ending of lockdowns are coming at an inopportune moment, but the fact remains that all 50 states are now in some phase of reopening. This crucially puts President Trump’s dearly desired ‘American Comeback’ plans firmly in motion before the November elections. According to Johns Hopkins University, that is the highest in the world, with more than 1.2 million recorded infections. However, the timing of the decision seems inescapable as U.S. jobless claims have surged past…

Read More

Health conscientiousness and fitness have moved comfortably into the mainstream in developed nations and are picking up steam in the developing world, driven by the hyperconnectivity of young adults and increasingly by middle-aged professionals and retirees. Fitness as a pastime has evolved as new-age practices and conceptual workouts gain traction that could see them supplant more traditional exercises like playing sports or going to the gym. While familiar workouts such as personal training, weights and hiking remain popular, modern fitness trends have broadened to encompass novel and tech-assisted forms of physical activity like high intensity interval training (HIIT), yoga and…

Read More

“People sitting opposite you when you’re dealing with China, their first priority is the party, not profits,” said Joshua Eisenman, associate professor of public affairs at Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. He led an October discussion at AmCham on Beijing’s economic and political strategy in Africa. “Xi Jinping is now the undisputed leader of China and there is no collective leadership; the Communist Party is stronger than ever,” he said. “And we have not managed to trade China into a liberal democracy.” With both the United States and China vying to expand their global…

Read More

Reversing its post-2011 slump when the country was prone to regular blackouts for residential consumers and forced factory closures, the Egyptian energy sector has re-emerged as a veritable powerhouse, now boasting a surplus of electricity. Deputy Minister of Finance Ahmed Kojack says the government allocated about EGP 57 billion ($3.5 billion) this fiscal year to establish renewable energy infrastructure, upgrade fossil fuel facilities and take the country into its new age of energy. Industry experts say electricity will be a growth engine for the foreseeable future in tandem with the country’s booming oil and gas sector. “The idea is to…

Read More

Global textile production emits 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases annually, more than international airline flights and maritime shipping combined. The industry already uses more than 79 billion cubic meters of fresh water per year, and that is projected to increase by 50 percent in 2030, according to the Pulse of the Fashion Industry report by the Global Fashion Agenda and Boston Consulting Group. It also said 20 percent of global freshwater pollution is due to textile treatment and dyeing. In August, multinational clothing companies including Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Prada, H&M and Zara announced the Fashion Pact initiative to combat…

Read More

Systems engineers, CEOs, and government officials are mobilizing in the face of ramped-up threats to corporate and public sector digital assets to protect consumers and businesses in Egypt and throughout the Middle East. “In line with global trends, cybercrime in Egypt increased by 190 percent from 2012 to 2017,” says Ziad Abdel Tawab, who heads the Cabinet’s Information and Decision Support Center [IDSC], “but most of the crimes targeted penetrating websites and altering their homepages and content.” For the third consecutive year, the support center and Egyptian Supreme Cybersecurity Council will convene the Arab Security Conference in September in Cairo.…

Read More