Selected work
Wall Street Journal author page
Archived articles at TIME
Selected articles from years past:
2015:
Egyptian activists fear female genital mutilation initiative will fall short | The Guardian
Aggressive government strategy to enforce law against FGM fails to emphasize women’s rights, claim skeptics
Now showing at Cairo's arthouse cinema: the spirit of 2011 | The Guardian
A network of film-makers and fans keep the cultural fervor of the revolution alive under an authoritarian government – but it was a look back at Egypt’s golden age of film that filled the auditorium
Egyptian Court Sentences Ousted President Morsi to Death | The New York Times
Morsi’s conviction is the latest sign of the undoing of the uprising that overthrew Mubarak.
Former Egyptian President Faces Death Penalty | TIME
One of Mohamed Morsi's trials comes to a conclusion in Egypt
Egyptians Question President’s Decision to Go to War in Yemen | TIME
Egypt's involvement in a Saudi-led military operation in Yemen raises the specter of the disastrous 1960s invasion.
American Among Nearly 40 Sentenced to Life in Prison for Egypt Protests | The New York Times
American-Egyptian activist Mohamed Soltan was among those arrested in 2013 in the aftermath of the Rabaa crackdown.
Seymour Hersh on My Lai and the state of investigative journalism | CJR
My interview with the legendary reporter on investigations and his recent return to Vietnam.
Egyptian Woman Reveals 42-Year Secret of Survival: Pretending to Be a Man | The New York Times
Many people believed Sisa Abu Daooh was a man until several weeks ago, when she publicly revealed her 42-year-old secret.
ISIS Allies Try to Cut off Libya’s Oil Revenue | TIME
The militants move to undermine opponents as the country descends further into chaos.
Yemen on the Brink of All-Out War as Rebels Move South | TIME
Analysts fear all-out warfare could allow al-Qaeda to grow in strength and stature
Egyptian activist Alaa Abd El Fattah sentenced to five years in jail | The Guardian
Alaa Abd El Fattah – a software engineer, blogger and activist – was an icon of the 2011 revolution that removed Hosni Mubarak from power.
Christians Mourn Their Relatives Beheaded by ISIS | TIME
A dispatch from the upper Egyptian village mourning their relatives executed in Libya
Why journalists are struggling to cover Libya | CJR
How to reliably report news from a country where conflict has made important locations off-limits to outsiders?
Libya and Egypt launch air strikes against Isis after militants post beheadings video | The Guardian
President Sisi had vowed to ‘avenge the criminal killings’ after release of video purporting to show killing of 21 Christians
Jordan Vows Revenge for ISIS Burning of Pilot | TIME
The captured pilot’s ordeal had dominated news in Jordan since he was captured.
Why western media overlooked a massacre in Nigeria | CJR
The Baga killings underscored an old problem: News from sub-Saharan Africa is underreported.
Egypt Frees Australian Journalist But Leaves Many More in Jail | TIME
Peter Greste is deported from Egypt, but other journalists, and thousands of Egyptian political prisoners, remain in prison.
The Story Behind the Photo of Shaimaa al-Sabbagh’s Dying Moments | TIME
An interview with photographer Islam Osama's, who captured the iconic image of the Egyptian activist's death
Pro-regime journalists are shaping public opinion in Egypt | CJR
Some journalists in Egypt have a close relationship with the regime.
Egyptian Families Plead for Help for the Forgotten ISIS Hostages | TIME
The families of the Egyptian Coptic workers kidnapped in Libya appeal for aid.
2014:
Egyptian Involvement Sparked Libya Oil Port Battle, Expert Says | TIME
Islamists suspected Libya's government in Tobruk was receiving reinforcements from Egypt
Egypt’s Rights Groups View Report on CIA Torture With Weary Familiarity | TIME
It's a reminder of Egypt's past as a home for "outsourced" torture — and its present regime's alleged use of the same kinds of practices
ISIS-linked Camps in Libya Fan Concerns About Growing Militant Threat | TIME
With two rival governments struggling for control, a top U.S. general confirms the presence of ISIS training camps in eastern Libya
Sinai Insurgency Shows Signs of Spreading after ISIS-Linked Militants Say They Killed U.S. Engineer | TIME
Sinai-based group Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis claims it killed William Henderson.
Mubarak Court Ruling Another Blow to the Spirit of Egypt’s Revolution | TIME
A court clears the former president of charges over the killing of demonstrators.
Approach ISIS tweets with caution | Columbia Journalism Review
"It's clear that that they've gotten some pretty sophisticated media strategists and social media tacticians on their team"
Why did Iran imprison Jason Rezaian? | Columbia Journalism Review
The Washington Post reporter is still inside Evin prison.
Western media: Stop ignoring the Central African Republic crisis | Columbia Journalism Review
When it comes to Africa, there is an empathy gap.
Why it’s getting harder to report on Syria | Columbia Journalism Review
Rebel areas are increasingly dangerous and the regime has mostly stopped giving out press credentials.
Egypt's Generals Want a New Canal | Businessweek
An ambitious plan to build a new lane of the Suez Canal in just one year may make more sense politically than economically.
The relentless trauma of covering Gaza | Columbia Journalism Review
Seasoned war correspondents talk about their limits in situations of extreme violence.
Egyptians Debate Gender Violence After Video Shows Woman Being Raped in Crowd | TIME
A mass sexual assault in Cairo's iconic Tahrir Square provokes a rare national discussion on gender-based violence.
Bassem Youssef Abruptly Cancels Egyptian Satire Show Before Sisi Declared President | TIME
The Arab world's most influential political humorist calls it quits as the space for freedom of expression contracts in Egypt.
Here’s Why Egypt Extended Presidential Elections to a Third Day | TIME
Authorities extend voting after low turnout threatens to undercut the mandate presidential favorite Sisi hoped for.
Egypt Votes in Anticipation of al-Sisi Victory | TIME
An election day dispatch from the once restive city of Port Said.
Egypt Election Boycotts Can’t Stop Sisi’s Inevitable March to Presidency | TIME
Whether out of protest or apathy, millions prepare to sit out Egypt's presidential election.
Egypt’s Judges Flex Their Muscles |TIME
Mass death sentences in Egypt exposed the uncomfortable realities of a powerful judiciary renowned for its independence but with many judges displaying loyalty to the security state.
Egypt's Growing Political Prisoner Problem | VICE
Sherif Farag defended his master's thesis in prison. He is just one of the 21,000 political detainees are in Egypt's prisons.
When it boils down to Nasserism | Mada Masr
Two candidates in Egypt's 2014 presidential election claim differing versions of the legacy of late president Gamal Abdel Nasser.
Turmoil at Al-Azhar: Religion, Politics, and the Egyptian State | The Revealer
Egypt's seat of religious learning is rocked by internal protests, but the institution is vying for power in Egypt's new political order.
Copts in a Revolutionary Age: Egypt’s Last Secularists? | The Revealer
As Egypt's Coptic pope tilts toward the military-backed government, the church is roiled by unprecedented political contention.
Khalid Abdalla Has His Eye On Egypt | VICE
My interview with one of the protagonists of the Oscar-nominated documentary The Square, about the Egyptian revolution.
Egypt’s Former President Goes to Trial as Army Chief Eyes Top Job | TIME
Egypt's top military body backs general Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi for the presidency.
Why Egyptians Are Voting Away Their Freedoms | TIME
Egypt's constitutional referendum guarantees the military-backed regime greater powers.
Al Jazeera Arrests Cause Concern in Egypt | Columbia Journalism Review
Egyptian authorities detain four Al Jazeera English journalists, prompting new worries over freedom of expression.
2013:
Egypt’s Military-Backed Rulers Brand Muslim Brotherhood ‘Terrorist’ and Extend Crackdown | TIME
Bomb attacks signal a new dark phase in Egypt, where the military-led government has deepened its crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood
Egypt's New Protest Law May Spark Another Crisis | TIME
A a law criminalizing protest activity could stir some of Egypt's dormant revolutionaries.
The Spoiler | Beacon Reader
Fifty-three people die as demonstrators challenge the military-
Egyptian Authorities ‘Beat Up’ Ohio State Grad in Cairo Prison | TIME
In a letter smuggled from a Cairo prison, a young Egyptian-American activist describes torture at the hands of his captors.
In Egypt, an anti-Brotherhood media crackdown | Columbia Journalism Review
Egypt's military government brings back direct censorship of the media.
Searing Pictures from Egypt's turmoil | The New Republic
I sit down with the talented young Egyptian photojournalist Mosa'ab Elshamy to talk about his work, his brother's imprisonment by the government, fear, and courage.
Cairo Bomb Blast Can’t Dent Rise of Egypt’s Dictatorship-Era Security State | TIME
In the wake of a failed assassination attempt on Egypt's Interior Minister, a deep examination at the resurgence of the Mubarak-era security state.
What Syria Means for Egypt: Pro-Assad Mood Marks Return of Arab Nationalism | TIME
The prospect of U.S. military action in Syria stokes nationalism in Egypt, and raises the specter of Nasser.
Egyptian Military Crackdown Leads to Arrest of American Citizen | TIME
In its efforts to suppress the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s military-backed government arrests at least one American accused of supporting the opposition.
Former Top Egyptian Militant Vows Peace, Warns Mubarak | TIME
Gama'a Islamiya leader Abboud el-Zomor, who was jailed for 30 years over the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, says he has disavowed armed struggle. Published on TIME.com
Turmoil in Egypt: TIME Journalist Gets Caught in Cairo’s Latest Day of Rage | TIME
Egypt's worst political violence in decades draws throws Cairo into chaos. An eyewitness report. Published on TIME.com
Cairo Counts Its Dead After Egypt’s Crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood | TIME
A dispatch from Cairo as the death toll soars from the military-backed government's crackdown on largely Islamist protesters. Published on TIME.com
'Paying the rent for our protectors' | Al Jazeera America
Oman's massive increase in defense spending has as much to do with U.S. hegemony as it does with defense. Published on Al Jazeera America.
The Iran Coverage Conundrum | Columbia Journalism Review
Access restrictions, along with a stress on diplomatic and security issues hobble U.S. news organizations' coverage of Iran.
This Woman's Dad Was Tortured and Imprisoned in Bahrain | VICE
Maryam Al-Khawaja is the scion of Bahrain's preeminent dissident family.
Portrait of an Activist: Razan Ghazzawi, the Syrian Blogger Turned Exile | TIME
After chronicling her country's uprising against Bashar Assad, Razan Ghazzawi survived prison twice, and was forced to flee the country.
‘No Glimmers of Hope’: Two Years After Egypt’s Revolution, an Economic Crisis Looms | TIME
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood-led government fails to resolve the country's structural economic problems.
Cairo’s New Normal: Protests Spawn a World of Walls and Barricades | TIME
In an attempt to contain demonstrations, the Egyptian authorities have carved up downtown Cairo with a system of walls.
Mubarak’s New Trial: How Egyptian Politics Will Weave Its Way into It | TIME
The fate of Mubarak's trial over the killing of demonstrators is bound up with power struggles within the Egyptian state. Published on
Egypt's Black Bloc—Exclusive Interview | VICE
Anarchist-inspired Black Blocs emerge in Egyptian protests.
The Revolution Is Still Going on in Egypt—In Tiny Flashes | VICE
Following the 2012 protests against President Mohamed Morsi, an atmosphere of stalemate prevails in Egypt.
Is SpongeBob SquarePants the New Che Guevarra? | VICE
A curious new face appears in Tahrir Square: SpongeBob SquarePants.
2012:
Israeli airstrikes hit Gazan media facilities | Columbia Journalism Review
Israel's air force strikes the office building in Gaza where I once worked.
Best of Enemies: Why Occupy Activists Are Working with New York City’s Government | TIME
The Occupy movement reinvents itself as a relief effort in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.