Latest in Politics Highlight
Latest in Politics
Oops, she did it again
Supermodel in yet another alleged bang up LONDON: British supermodel Naomi Campbell – currently facing assault charges in the United States – was released on police bail early Thursday over claims she attacked her drugs counsellor in London. The 36-year-old catwalk star was arrested at an address in the Westminster area of central London at …
Fleeing Sudan, rape victims find a hard life in Egypt
CAIRO- Saa’deya, not her real name, is a 35-year-old widow and mother of six who fled Sudan more than 10 years ago. She was a union leader at the communications company that employed her until the day in 1993 when she had to explain a new privatization deal to union members. Her co-workers protested the …
Mubarak and EU chief will meet to discuss peace initiatives
CAIRO: President Hosni Mubarak will meet Javier Solana, the European Union’s (EU) foreign policy chief, to discuss a Middle East peace plan, the Daily Star Egypt has learned. According to sources contacted by telephone at the European Union in Brussels, the two-day talks will take place in Cairo and begin on Oct. 29. Egyptian foreign …
The other Egypt
Poverty, sickness and discrimination in the country s forgotten region MINYA: Whenever the subject of Upper Egypt pops up in any conversation, images of a certain degree of poverty and a primitive lifestyle always come to mind. For years, I ve heard about the distressing conditions of the country s poorest region and the brutal …
Schumacher could mull return in a few years
BERLIN: Michael Schumacher, Germany s retired seven-time Forumla One champion, says he is not interested in a return to motor racing in any form at the moment but admits he may feel different in a couple of years. The 37-year-old Schumacher had his 249th and final race on Sunday when he finished fourth in the …
Egypt reaches out to Syria
Diplomatic mission may indicate improved bilateral relations CAIRO: It may not be commanding global headlines, but this week s visit to Syria by intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman could be much more than a low-key diplomatic mission. Both countries are anxious to improve their relations, under deep strain since Israel s onslaught on Lebanon in July. …
Suez Canal can fend off Panama competition – adviser
ISMAILIA: An expanded Panama Canal could win some business from the Suez Canal, its partial competitor on the other side of the world, an adviser to the Suez Canal Authority said on Monday. But the Suez Canal can fight back by adjusting its transit fees to keep it attractive to ship-owners who might be tempted …
Dialogue with the Sphinx
Henrik Ibsen makes a theatrical debut at the Pyramids Theatre fans will have the chance to catch one of Egypt’s oldest and best-loved personalities flex his acting skills this week. The Sphinx – or the mythical creature’s voice at least – will join 40 other actors and the Cairo Symphony Orchestra for a massive staging …
Social dramas win out this season
The battle for viewers during the Ramadan TV race CAIRO: Social dramas dominated the small screen this Ramadan, marking the return of many stars who had failed to impress in last season s TV race. Whether it was Nour El-Sherif as the middle-class father struggling to uphold his ethics, Yehia El-Fakharany as the opposition politician …
US are going to "call it a victory" when they pull out from Iraq
Some months ago, former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski was explaining to a senior Bush administration official his plan for a phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq over 12 months, in consultation with the Iraqis. “We’re going to do the same thing, the senior official confided, “but we’re going to call it victory. This …
Sports Roundup: Abdul-Ghani out for two weeks
Zamalek midfielder Alaa Abdul-Ghani will be out of action for a fortnight after suffering an arm injury during his side s Arab Champions League (ACL) match against OS Meknes. The 27-year-old broke his right arm in Zamalek s 2-2 draw with Morocco s Meknes in the second-leg of the ACL preliminary round on Sunday, the …
Crime Scene: Fire kills ahead of iftar; jealousy rears its ugly head
Young girl raped and killed; washing machine takes woman s life CAIRO: The last days of Ramadan were marked by many crimes and unfortunate incidents. As people prepared for the Eid Al-Fitr feast, fires, murders, and thefts cast a grim pall over the holiday. Al-Basateen district witnessed a sorrowful incident right around iftar, reported Al-Gomhuriah …
Egyptian nationals imprisoned in US on slavery charges
LOS ANGELES: Two Egyptian nationals who pleaded guilty to enslaving a 10-year-old Egyptian girl at their Southern California home, making her work long hours serving their family of seven, were sentenced on Monday to prison terms. Abdel Nasser Youssef Ibrahim, 57, was sentenced to three years in federal prison and his former wife, Amal Ahmed …
Telecom companies plan cable through Mideast
CAIRO: Telecom companies from Egypt, Italy, India, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates plan to build a submarine cable linking Europe to India through the Middle East, Telecom Egypt said on Monday. State-controlled Telecom Egypt has signed a memorandum of understanding on the project with Etisalat of the UAE, Saudi Telecom, Telecom Italia Sparkle …
UN faces uphill battle for Arab hearts and minds
Sentiments threaten to hamper development projects progress CAIRO: The United Nations has faced much regional criticism of late. The recent war on Lebanon and the delay in a United Nations Security Council move to end the conflict resulted in widespread resentment directed toward the international body. Such sentiments have also created yet another obstacle to …
Peace possible between Arabs and Israel – El-Baradei
WASHINGTON: The head of the UN nuclear agency said Tuesday that despite a sense of insecurity in the Middle East and in other world trouble spots, a glimmer of hope exists that could bring peace between the Arabs and Israel and elsewhere. Mohamed El-Baradei, an Egyptian, said since Israel has agreed for the first time …
Media gatherings
Alleged arms smuggler nabbed in northern Sinai
Two Israelis arrested as they illegally crossed border CAIRO: Police arrested a fourth person suspected of involvement in arms trafficking to the Gaza Strip, security sources said Wednesday. A security official speaking on condition of anonymity said Ibrahim Saleh was captured Tuesday in northern Sinai. The confessions of three other arms smugglers nabbed on Oct. …
Article sparks controversy over fasting and patient health
Scholar: Patients should not sacrifice health to fast Ramadan Medical practitioners should not advise their patients to fast for Ramadan if their health does not permit it, medical and religious experts have told The Daily Star Egypt. Mohammed Seif Nasr, a cardiac surgeon at the Egyptian National Heart Institute had alleged in an article published …
Muslims celebrate Eid with calls for tolerance
Agence France-Presse CAIRO: Millions of Muslims across the world on Tuesday celebrated Eid al-Fitr, the feast marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, with calls for tolerance amid a surge of violence in Iraq and heightened security in Asia. Top clerics in the Middle East called for acceptance and dialogue following a year …
Happy Eid
Due to the Eid-al-Fitr Holidays, there will be no print editions of The Daily Star Egypt on Tuesday, October 24 and Wednesday, October 25.The next edition will be on Thursday, October 26. We wish you all a Happy Eid.
Experts disagree with Abul-Gheit over Hezbollah
Foreign minister blames resistance movement for war Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit’s assessment that the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah started the war with Israel to avoid being disarmed by the Lebanese government is false revisionism and a distortion of the facts, political analysts have told The Daily Star Egypt. Abul-Gheit told Egyptian television late Saturday that …
A poultry affair
Another human case of bird flu puts Egyptians on high alert CAIRO: Local health officials blamed the most recent case of human bird-flu infection in Egypt on poor observance of government regulations aimed at stamping out the virus last week. This came after it was confirmed on Wednesday that a 39-year-old woman in the Nile …
Sports Round Up
Sfaxien thrash Bizertin to send warning note Sfaxien issued a warning note to Al-Ahly after trashing Bizertin 4-0 at home in the Tunisian League on Wednesday. Joetex Frimpong opened the score in the 55th minute before Tarek Ziadi doubled the lead four minutes past the hour mark. Zoubair Essafi added the third 10 minutes from …
Crime Scene: Mother of nine dies defending son
Medical malpractice takes woman’s life; donkey finds owner’s dead body CAIRO: This week, murder, rape and traffic accidents made headline news in the crime sections of local newspapers. In one such incident, a mother of nine was killed while defending her son, reported Al-Wafd in their Oct. 19 edition. A 23-year-old man went to the …
Transport ministry to launch bids on four river ports under BOT arrangement
The Ministry of Transport is poised to launch bids on four river ports for investors under the BOT (Borrow Operate Transfer) arrangements. The four ports include one in Cairo and three in other governorates. Karim Abul Khair, chairman of the General Authority of River Transport, said the authority was conducting a comprehensive examination of the …
MoP signs three agreements with Chinese companies
CAIRO: The Ministry of Petroleum signed three agreements with Chinese oil and gas companies during a recent visit by the Minister of Petroleum Sameh Fahmi to China. The first agreement involves the establishment of a joint venture to manufacture oil drillers in order to explore for oil in Egypt, which will be the first of …
Beneficiaries of IMC support sales record $460 mln through international exhibitions
CAIRO: The cumulative value of the exports of the Egyptian companies which participated in international exhibitions with support from the EU-financed Industry Modernization Center reached almost $460m as of September 2006, according to Adham Nadim, deputy executive manager of the IMC. Nadim pointed out that the IMC financed participation of 1,289 companies in international exhibitions …
Authorities detain Bedouins attempting to smuggle weapons to Gaza
CAIRO: Three Bedouins were arrested on suspicion of attempting to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip from northern Sinai, security sources said. Abdullah Salem Abdullah, Kamal Mussalam Salem and Hani Eid Ibrahim were arrested Friday at a checkpoint 160 km. from the border town of Rafah after police found 159 crates containing automatic weapons and …
Egypt proposes 'middle solution' to Darfur crisis
CAIRO: Egypt on Saturday proposed a middle solution to the Darfur crisis, suggesting UN peacekeepers in Sudan s war-torn region be funded by the international body rather than by their respective states. A middle solution could include funding the necessary peacekeeping forces in Darfur from the budget of the United Nations, removing pressures of funding …