Latest in Politics Highlight
Latest in Politics
Key suspect in Egypt mass-mutilation killings found innocent
CAIRO: The principal suspect in the gruesome killing of 10 people, including four children, in an Egyptian village in December 2005 was cleared of all charges by a court on Wednesday. Police had been investigating Mohammed Ali Abdel-Latif, 27, for the brutal murder of four men, two women and four children on Dec. 29 2005 …
Mosque imam faces charges over fatwa termed anti-Semitic
CAIRO: Mosque Imam Safwat Hijazi is facing a legal investigation by Egyptian authorities for a fatwa that he issued earlier allowing the killing of Israeli military officials and soldiers visiting Egypt. The Cairo imam was called into Egypt’s supreme state security court on Monday, facing charges as a result. “I only said that we should …
The Red Zone
I have not read the interview that Dr. Hossam Badrawi gave to Al-Wafd newspaper on his proposal to nominate Mr. Gamal Mubarak as President, but I did read the correction published by Al Wafd. I understood from it that it was merely a personal statement; it was made from his personal point of view and …
Yearly Aida ritual missing the subtleties, but strong on extravagance
CAIRO: Verdi s Aida looks, feels and sounds like a true opera. Costumes, settings and performances are all extravagant. From the beginning, it is clear the viewer is in for a grand epic of a story. The curtains lift to an impressive opening scene with ancient Memphis in the background, setting a high standard maintained …
Annan, in Egypt for talks, sees end of Israel blockade of Lebanon in 48 hours
Agence France-Presse ALEXANDRIA: Israel should lift its blockade of Lebanon within 48 hours, UN chief Kofi Annan said Tuesday in Egypt as he stepped up efforts to release Israeli prisoners and shore up a fragile truce in Lebanon. Annan s announcement of an imminent end to the crippling nearly eight-week air and sea blockade was …
Orascom one of 11 firms interested in Bosnian Serb telco sale
BANJA LUKA, Bosnia: Eleven firms, including France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom-owned Magyar Telekom, have shown interest in the sale of Bosnia s Telekom Srpske, the government said on Tuesday. These and five other firms, including Egypt s Orascom, are yet to buy the tender documentation enabling them to bid by Oct. 4 for a 65 …
EFG Hermes approves LE 2.9 billion Abraaj offer
EFG to use money for regional expansion, e-trading network CAIRO: EFG Hermes shareholders approved on Sunday Abraaj Capital s offer to purchase 97 million shares, representing a 25 percent stake, at LE 30 per share. Upon finalization, Abraaj will hold two board seats and become the largest single shareholder in EFG. The approval came a …
Gaultier all the fashion as he scents success
Agence France-Presse CAIRO: Gregory Gaultier earned himself a showdown with Amr Shabana, the world champion from Egypt, on Monday and made sure that two Frenchmen reached the semi-finals of the World Open for the first time with a display almost as brilliant as the nearby illuminated pyramids at night. The European champion also signaled himself …
Bird flu re-emerges in Egyptian poultry after lull
Reuters CAIRO: Egypt has detected four new cases of bird flu in poultry, the first infections found in two months of a disease that has killed six people in the country this year and wracked its poultry industry, officials said on Monday. Three of the cases were found late last week in so-called backyard, or …
Up to five dead in yet another train crash
CAIRO: An Egyptian passenger train and a freight train collided head-on on Monday, killing up to five people and injuring 28 others in the second fatal rail crash in Egypt in two weeks, security sources said. The sources said rescue workers had recovered two bodies from the wreckage including the driver of one of the …
Fund raiser
"Last town in Egypt" agonizes as Gaza closure drags on
Agence France-Presse RAFAH: As Gaza Strip Palestinians remain trapped in their tiny war-battered territory by an Israeli blockade, the Egyptian side of the border town of Rafah slowly sinks into economic depression. For the people on the other side, I was the first shop in Egypt. Now I am the last and I have no …
Bringing hip hop to the Arabic speaking world
CAIRO: Decked out in flashy chain necklaces, baggy jeans and a closely shaved head, Omar Tohme looks every inch as intimidating as the violently passionate lyrics he raps in his music. But behind his aggressive hip hop front is the suave, gentlemanly demeanor of a person confident in himself and in what he calls “the …
Natural gas is still Egypt's fastest-growing industry
CAIRO: Despite very rapid expansion over the last few years, Egypt s gas sector is showing no signs of saturation: it is still the country s fastest-growing industry. Egypt is now the sixth-largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the world, but positive recent developments, in both supply and demand, mean that it has …
Rachid seeks more trade with China
Trade with China lags far behind EU and US CAIRO: An Egyptian business delegation, headed by Minister of Trade and Industry Rachid Mohamed Rachid, began a week-long visit to China yesterday seeking to attract more Chinese investment to the country and increase bilateral trade. In 2005, total trade reached just over $1 billion (LE 5.75 …
World Food Program appeals to Arab League nations for more support
CAIRO: In a meeting at the Arab League headquarters, the World Food Program (WFP) asked its member states to expand their contributions to the program’s operations in the region and elsewhere. “WFP has no secured funding base; we rely entirely on voluntary donations. For that reason, we are always on the lookout for new partners, …
Africa backed IMF vote plan in face of opposition
Egypt one of 50 developing countries to oppose overall package Reuters WASHINGTON: Africa endorsed a proposal adopted by the International Monetary Fund last week to increase the voting power of emerging economies, despite heavy opposition from major developing nations concerned that the plan may fail to reduce U.S. and European dominance. Damian Ondo Mane, one …
Government launches ambitious plan for development of northern coast region
CAIRO: The government has launched an ambitious plan to develop the western part of the Northern Coast area at an estimated cost of LE 60 billion by 2022. Developed by the Egyptian Ministries of Planning and International Cooperation, the plan envisages investments to focus on development schemes directed to export-oriented activities and the promotion of …
New bird flu cases reported in southern Egypt
CAIRO: New cases of domestic fowl with bird flu were found in southern Egypt and Cairo last week, the Health Ministry said Monday, the first new cases to be reported in months. Health Ministry official Amr Qandil said four people suspected with symptoms of bird flu in the southern province of Sohag were tested negative …
Al Qaradawy: "Sufism" is the Shiaa means of infiltrating Egypt
Islamic firebrand Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawi weighs in on Shiaas, corruption, political freedom and the late Naguib Mahfouz CAIRO: The Islamic propagandist, Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawy, has warned against what he called the Shiaa penetration of Egypt. In his annual meeting with journalists, he stressed that he believed that the Shiaa are trying to spread their beliefs …
Opposition group Kefaya campaigning to abolish Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty
CAIRO: The Kefaya (enough) movement, which has held demonstrations over the past two years under the slogan: No for renewal [of President Mubarak s rule] and no for succession [of power to his son, Gamal Mubarak] has decided, following recent events, to campaign against the Camp David peace treaty. Under the title of Together for …
African giants demonstrate strength in Nations Cup
JOHANNESBURG: The giants of African football demonstrated their strength in the first series of 2008 Nations Cup qualifiers this weekend. Of the eight teams among the top 10 in action, defending champions Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon, Senegal, Morocco and Togo won while Guinea and Tunisia featured in goalless draws. Hosts Ghana qualify automatically for the biennial …
Academic honor
Driver of overturned bus in Sinai gets 1 year for crash that killed 13
Associated Press CAIRO: The driver of a bus carrying tourists that overturned in the Sinai Peninsula last month, killing 12 Israeli Arabs and an Egyptian, was convicted of negligent manslaughter Saturday, a court official said. A court in the Sinai town of Nuweiba sentenced Ahmad Hanafi Abu El-Elah to a one-year jail term, said the …
Egypt tops Burundi as African Cup qualifiers kick-off
CAIRO: Egypt, Nigeria and Senegal kicked off the African Cup of Nations qualifying tournament with wins Saturday. Nigeria, which failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, beat neighbor Niger 2-0 while Senegal topped Mozambique 2-0 and Egypt downed Burundi 4-1. South Africa, which will host the next World Cup in 2010, and is soon …
Kieslowski retrospect high point of festival
Cairo Caravan fails to draw audiences similar to Alexandria’s CAIRO: After two weeks of purely intellectual festivities, the Fourth Caravan of the Euro-Arab Cinema finally came to an end last Tuesday in Cairo. The film festival, initially scheduled for Amman and Beirut, was met with mixed success, unlike Alexandria’s Caravan. In fact, it was the …
World squash champion Shabana through to the quarter-finals
Agence France-Presse CAIRO: World champion Amr Shabana was close to losing his world title to his best friend before reaching the quarter-finals in front of the Pyramids here on Saturday. The local hero was 2-8 down in the third game and had to save three game balls before surviving 11-6, 5-11, 11-9, 11-10 against Mohammed …
Summer concert
Merger creates Crédit Agricole Egypt
Management expects to double bank size in next few years CAIRO: Egyptian American Bank (EAB) and Calyon Bank announced their merger yesterday into Crédit Agricole Egypt (CAE). “From a business perspective, Egyptian society will benefit from increased competition and the development of new useful services that cater to the needs of the Egyptian consumer, says …
Egypt seeks 'special relationship' with trade giant China, says minister
Agence France-Presse CAIRO: Egypt is striving to become an integral part of China s trade strategy and seal a special relationship with the Asian giant that could surpass its partnership with the United States within five years, Trade Minister Mohammed Rachid told AFP. Rachid is leaving Monday on a six-day trade mission to China, where …