Latest in Politics Highlight
Latest in Politics
Honoring Syrian actor
Art in a sea of sand
Creative caravan journeys through the Western DesertBy Joseph Badtke-Berkow The stone faces in the limestone cliffs that rise from the sands of the Western Desert like giant decorated facades of an unfinished temple, have surely never seen the likes of the modern tech-wizardry about to confront them. Egyptian artist Wael Shawky built a screen atop …
They may not have caused a stir at the Cairo Film Festival, but digital films are set to take over the filmmaking world
In the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), a new category emerged this year called “digital films . Many viewers were unfamiliar with the term, and due to poor advertising this category was underestimated. Digital films are those filmed with digital cameras, rather than the traditional 35-millimeter film camera used in cinema. Evidently these films cannot …
Egypt seeks gradual implementation of EU-demanded reforms
MFTI: 2010 target for free trade with EU unlikely to be met but vision will prevail. CAIRO: Government and business leaders met with the European Commission s Enterprise Policy Unit Wednesday to discuss Egypt s implementation of the Euro-Mediterranean Charter for Enterprise, a program paving the way for tariff-free trade between the two sides by …
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty: Retire it or Retool it
With the United States Congress stamp of approval this month on India’s nuclear pursuits, it may behoove world’s leaders to retire the near-defunct Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and start configuring a new regulatory framework. The NPT is on its last breath for two reasons: Firstly, countries like Iran and North Korea, both signatories to the …
Egypt releases details on American held on suspicion terror links
Egyptian authorities are holding an American on suspicion of having terror ties, and a security official says the man is from Ohio. The American was arrested late last month along with eleven Europeans and an unknown number of Egyptians and Arabs from other countries who were accused of belonging to an Islamist terror cell plotting …
NATO may soon fail amid the Afghan opium fields
When the Soviet Union collapsed, many predicted the end of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Yet a few weeks ago, NATO held its summit meeting in the Latvian capital of Riga, formerly part of the USSR. NATO was created in 1949 as an alliance to contain Soviet power. Its focus was on Western Europe, and, …
Fame, fortune and a social conscience
If you were passing by the American University in Cairo yesterday afternoon, you might have been forgiven for thinking there was rock concert held at its gates. The air trembled with full-throated, bloodcurdling screams. If the Arabs had pulled off a few of those back in Andalucia, the Spaniards would still be speaking Arabic. The …
The Kurds worry they're in for more betrayal
Following the Democratic victory in the mid-term congressional elections and the Baker-Hamilton Commission recommendations, the Bush administration is under pressure to change its Iraq policy. Among those most alarmed by the prospect of change, especially if it involves a premature US withdrawal, are the Iraqi Kurds. Unlike any other group in Iraq, the Kurds bet …
Muslim Brotherhood join regional outcry condemning Israeli nuke program
Agence France-Presse CAIRO: Iran and Arab states on Wednesday seized on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert s statement implying that Israel has nuclear weapons, calling it proof of a regional threat and demanding UN action. Egypt s opposition Muslim Brothers, who control a fifth of parliament, reacted angrily and demanded an urgent parliament session attended by …
On Iraq, time is short for Tony Blair
Let’s start with the obvious. The report of the Iraq Study Group wasn’t much about Britain. Fair enough. But unfortunately, it wasn’t about Iraq either. It was simply, top to bottom, about America. Its principal conclusion, as far I could see from London, was that America is being badly damaged by its involvement in Iraq …
Brotherhood senior figure no longer under house arrest
CAIRO: A day after his release from prison on Saturday, Essam El-Erian, one of the most prominent leaders of the banned-but-tolerated Muslim Brotherhood opposition group was placed under house arrest. But on Monday, the authorities lifted the arrest and the physician by training was told he was free. “But no one knows till when, El-Erian …
Clash of civilizations? Well, not really
Panel discusses the place of Islam in Europe CAIRO: It’s the year 2106, and England’s first Muslim Prime Minister sets up shop at 10 Downing St., where he meets regularly with Islamic scholars to make policy decisions. On the continent, children at public schools in France take time out of history lectures to learn scriptures …
Israel's Olmert 'instructs' Italian PM on how to address press on Palestine issue
Reuters Israeli pundits make much of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert s powers of persuasion, but this was one bit of proof that he might well have wanted to do without. An Israeli television station broadcasted candid footage on Thursday that appeared to show Olmert, during his first official visit to Rome, coaching Italian Prime Minister …
Clooney meets Gamal Mubarak
Hamas gunmen try to force their way into Gaza from Egypt
GAZA CITY: Dozens of armed gunmen loyal to Hamas stormed Gaza s Rafah border crossing with Egypt Thursday, after Israel ordered it closed to prevent Prime Minister Ismail Haniya from returning with tens of millions of dollars, witnesses said. Up to 80 members of Hamas s armed wing and the ruling Islamists’ security troops forced …
Word On The Street: Clooney's visit
He came, he met and he left. George Clooney came to Egypt and met with Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit, First Lady Suzanne and son Gamal. He came to seek a solution for the crippling humanitarian crisis in Darfur. So what do Egyptians think of his visit? The Daily Star Egypt found out. “I don’t …
Egypt does not oppose Arab nuclear ambitions
Egypt does not oppose the peaceful applications of nuclear power in the manner Arab Gulf countries recently declared they want to pursue, an Egyptian diplomatic source told The Daily Star Egypt. The source stated “Egypt has no opposition against any country seeking a peaceful nuclear program as long as it adheres to the international standards …
What's in a loaf? Quite a bit, experts say
If there is one distinct feature of Cairo’s polluted streets, it is the impromptu baladi bread vendors who either display their staple in plastic bags on the ground or atop wooden crates on bicycles as vehicles hurry by. While so much bread on display may indicate that there is more than ample supply of this …
Pharmaceutical Giant Inaugurates First Plant in Middle East
AstraZeneca CEO believes Egypt has made great strides in industry A $32-million factory was officially opened Monday in 6th of October city by international pharmaceutical behemoth AstraZeneca, the first plant built by the company in the Middle East. The plant boasts three production lines over 7000 square meters with an output of 250 million tablets …
Clooney's visit turned eyes to Darfur, but a solution needs more
Expert says solution requires total changes in approach of Sudanese government and diplomatic mediators CAIRO: The George Clooney-led celebrity squad that visited Egypt this week has definitely garnered attention to the Darfur crisis, but could they bring about a solution? Hani Raslan, expert on Sudanese affairs at Al Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic studies, …
Egypt targets $500 mln of Irish investments in electronic content business
The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology is close to finalizing talks with a number of Irish investors over investments of US$500 million in the Egyptian electronic content business. The Minister of Communication & Information Technology, Tarek Kamel, said on Tuesday that the move is a byproduct of the initiatives for integration between the communication …
Telecenter workshop convenes in Egypt
CAIRO: The telecentre.org program in association with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) recently hosted a telecenter stakeholders’ consultation workshop. The event was part of the ongoing telecentre scoping study the program commissioned to document telecenter experiences and challenges in North Africa and the Middle East. The process is expected to inform future telecentre.org programming …
Palestinian novelist explore lives of Palestinian women in "The Inheritance"
The Inheritance By Sahar Khalifeh Translated by Aida Adib Bamia The American University in Cairo Press, 2005 Mahfouz medal winner Palestinian author Sahar Khalifeh examines the stark realities in the lives of Palestinian women in The Inheritance. Through her protagonist, Zeynab, born to an American mother and a Palestinian father, the author illuminates the disorienting …
Al Ahly sets African record but ready to clash with Brazilian samba
With its Sunday bashing of New Zealand’s Auckland City 2-0 at the Fifa Club World championship in Japan, Al Ahly became the first African team to win a Club World Cup match. Coach Manuel Jose urged the African champions not to be overawed by the occasion when they turn out in Tokyo s National Stadium …
EU, Egypt sign LE 660 mln agreement to reform the health insurance system
Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Commission in Egypt Klaus Ebermann will sign on Thursday, Dec. 14 an LE 660 million agreement to support the Egyptian government s reform of the health insurance system. This agreement aims to ultimately provide a universal coverage of primary health care to all …
Not quite married
Israeli firm in 2bn dollar deal with Egypt-Israel gas consortium
Israel s private Dorad Energy firm has signed a $ 2 billion deal for Egyptian natural gas with an Egyptian-Israeli consortium, its spokesman told AFP Monday. The deal was signed last week by Dorad and East Mediterranean Gas (EMG), a joint venture between Egyptian General Petroleum Corp. and Israel s private Merhav energy firm. Under …
Egypt targets LE 50 bln of investments in transport industry
Egypt expects investment inflows in the transport sector to be around LE 50 billion over the next five years, according to Minister of Transports Mohammad Mansour. The investments are also expected to diversify in marine transports, railways, roads and bridges, river transport, and underground systems. Mansour said to an audience at the Cairo Investment Forum …
Muslim Brotherhood students dress as militias in Al Azhar sit-in
Brotherhood leader say incident is misinterpreted, stresses the organization doesn t have a military wing CAIRO: Students affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood demonstrated in militia-styled outfits on Al Azhar University campus last week. And although the demonstration sparked questions as of the direction of Brotherhood policies and their possible adoption of violence, the ministry of …