Latest from Karim Zidan
Trump, the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the Battle for America’s Soul
Donald Trump helped build the Ultimate Fighting Championship by giving it vital early promotion. Years later, it has become a cultural extension of the MAGA movement, with UFC officials and fighters transforming into ambassadors for Trump’s political career.
Imane Khelif Has Been Caught in the Crossfire of a Dispute Over Who Controls Boxing
A recent press conference held by the International Boxing Association failed to justify its campaign on the gender eligibility of women fighters at the Olympics. But it did shine a spotlight on a chaotic, Russian-backed organization seeking to gain influence by making mischief, with Imane Khelif caught in the crossfire.
In Egypt, Society’s Well-Being Is Reflected in the Mangoes
The mangoes were not as good as they usually were. One of my favorite varieties, the Alfons — a cousin of the Indian Alphonso — was bitter and inedible, while the reddish Naoumi carried a muted sweetness that left me craving a phantom taste. The Fas variety — the father of Egypt’s mango — was stained by sunburn. Something was wrong.
The Rise and Fall of Sawt el-Qahira, the Arab World’s First Record Label
From its roots as a passion project empowering Egyptian musicians, through its evolution into a tool for state propaganda, to its current role as a peddler of nostalgia and religious teachings, Sawt el-Qahira stands as a vivid reflection of successive visions for Egypt.
How Ramzan Kadyrov Uses MMA Fighting To Cement His Power
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Chechnya's Ramzan Kadyrov has begun positioning his sons not just as skilled fighters but as future politicians, and even trained soldiers, in an attempt to cement his dynastic lineage.
The Artist Who Captured a Bygone Cairo
Menhat Helmy was a pioneering printmaker and painter, and among the first Egyptian artists to create elaborate etchings that captured the intricacies and minutiae of life in Cairo during unprecedented socioeconomic changes that transformed the country under former president Gamal Abdel Nasser.
Chechnya’s Fight Club Joins Putin’s War
Chechnya’s pro-Putin leader Ramzan Kadyrov is weaponizing combat sports to remake Chechen society – and build himself loyal soldiers.