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From This Collection

Free Zones: A Tale of Two Economies

Jun 23, 2011
Think one economy is hard enough to regulate? Try Two. In the U.A.E., so-called "free zones" allow foreigners to set up businesses for nominal fe...

The costs of Arab economic security

Jun 22, 2011
For citizens of the UAE, most of life -- economics, social status -- is taken of. But there are hidden costs.

A Private Sector for the Public Good in Egypt

Jun 22, 2011
The World Bank may not have anticipated the Arab Spring uprisings, but they claim to have a plan for the future. They've announced billions of do...

My Visit to Another Planet

Jun 22, 2011
As a kid during the Apollo project, I very much wanted to walk on the moon, or even better, another planet some day. I seem to have just missed N...

How Much? The Costs of Economic Security

Jun 22, 2011
For Emiratis, getting a cushy government job is the easy and preferred choice. In fact, the government provides amble benefits with little work. ...

Housing crisis in Egypt

Jun 21, 2011
Creating a better economic future for Egypt means dealing with the lack of housing in Cairo.

An oasis of sustainability

Jun 21, 2011
The United Arab Emirates -- home to oil wells and air conditioners -- decided to build the world's most sustainable city. Then the financial crisis hit.

For public good, not for profit.

Building Community in Cairo's Satellite Cities

Jun 21, 2011
In Egypt's capital, good affordable housing isn't just a concern -- It's a demand. While Cairo's swelling population clings to the Nile, some Egy...

Oasis or Mirage? The Costs of a Sustainable City

Jun 21, 2011
Masdar City sounds like a utopia. Located in the deserts outside Abu Dhabi, the capital of the U.A.E., it was envisioned as the world's first car...

In Egypt, Affordable Housing is the Price of Love

Jun 21, 2011
Think affordable housing is just a matter of number crunching and government regulation? How about sex? OK, so maybe not just "sex," but in Egy...