Egypt
To Kill a Novelist
The attempted assassination of the Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz is remembered as a story of Islamist extremism. Yet the original controversy sparked by his work, particularly “Children of the Alley,” was more to do with his powerful political vision than his views on religion.
Writing Home
It is widely acknowledged that the extinction of a language is a devastating cultural loss for ethnic minorities, but these Nubians raise a different question: What happens when an alphabet disappears? And is it possible — or even desirable — to save a script?
An Egyptian President Once Spoke to Nubians in Their Own Language
The question of whether Egypt’s first president delivered a speech in the threatened Nubian language of Kenzi is more than purely symbolic. It goes to the heart of questions of identity that have long plagued Nubia and its marginalized people, torn between their roots and the Egyptian nationalist project.
Getting To Know Cairo’s Four-Pawed Inhabitants
After visiting Cairo’s animal shelters, Mostafa Abdel Aty decided to spread awareness about the city’s strays to improve their situation. His Meow Tours now take people through the streets to meet and feed their animal inhabitants, bringing people and neighborhoods together.
In Egypt, Priceless History Is Paved Over for Traffic and Tourism
The insistence on demolishing old cemeteries seems strange, as they are some of the most beautiful Islamic burial grounds in the world. Despite the numerous roads and axes penetrating them from all directions, committees have doubted the utility of these roads, and those constructed have seen little traffic.
An Indian Singer Stirs Mubarak Nostalgia for Egyptians
As Egypt deals with an oppressive regime, economic hardship and loss of prestige in the region, the popular Indian singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya’s striking resemblance to the late Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak has become a viral sensation, spotlighting some Egyptians’ nostalgia for the supposedly good old days.
Rethinking Nasser: A New Look at One of the Arab World’s Most Polarizing Figures — With Alex Rowell
Is the legacy of former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser due for a rethink? New Lines’ Online Editor Alex Rowell thinks so. On this week’s episode of The Lede he discusses his new book, “We Are Your Soldiers: How Gamal Abdel Nasser Remade the Arab World.”