By Rami G. Khouri The Daily Star, Lebanon My pleasure at speaking this week in Ottawa at a gathering at the International Development Research Center of Canada was compounded by the very thoughtful questions and comments that members of the audience offered. The audience raised new questions in my mind […]
Political forces in Egypt today face a dilemma: either proceed ahead expeditiously to elections in order to end the post-revolutionary rule of the military or slow down the electoral timetable and prioritize the writing of a new constitution. New political parties want more time to organize; parties, movements associated with […]
Egypt’s women were on the front line of protests in Tahrir Square that led to the ousting of former President Hosni Mubarak, but they are becoming increasingly concerned that they are being sidelined as a new Egypt takes shape. There are fewer women in the cabinet than under Mr Mubarak. […]
Noam Chomsky is one of the major intellectuals of our time. The eighty-two-year-old American linguist, philosopher and activist is a severe critic of US foreign and economic policy. Ceyda Nurtsch talked to him about the Arabic spring in its global context Mr. Chomsky, many people claim that the Arab world […]
By GALAL FAKKAR | ARAB NEWS JEDDAH: An official of the Egyptian Haj Mission said Wednesday pilgrim ferry service between Egypt and Saudi Arabia would be resumed this year. “The ferry service was canceled last year because of poor safety arrangements in the vessels,” said Egyptian Haj Mission Deputy Chief […]
By REUTERS CAIRO: The head of the Arab League voiced “worry” on Monday about almost three months of clashes in Syria but signalled division in the 22-member body over how to proceed. “Though their views differ, Arab states are all worried, angry and actively monitoring the current crisis in Syria,” […]
by Abdelhafidh Abdeleli, swissinfo.ch Swiss non-governmental organisations working in North Africa and the Middle East welcome changes underway in the region, but warn that not all problems will be solved. The NGOs say that while more democracy is on the cards, constitutional changes and more social justice are needed to […]
By SARAH EL DEEB CAIRO — An Egyptian security official says authorities have detained an alleged Israeli agent and are interrogating him on suspicion he tried to recruit protesters during the popular uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak. The official said Sunday the alleged spy entered Egypt and posed as […]
In the months since Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation, his successors have signalled a shift in foreign policy by reaching out to former adversaries. Egypt’s government has welcomed Iranian diplomats and embraced the Palestinian group Hamas. Many interpret such moves as clear evidence of Egypt’s desire for a diplomacy that […]
The Egyptian military was celebrated for helping to facilitate a peaceful revolution there three months ago. But now accusations have surfaced that they subjected young women to degrading “virginity tests” in what appears to have been an attempt to control the population. One woman told SPIEGEL her story. Before she describes how […]
CAIRO (AFP) – The Arab League’s outgoing chief and Egyptian presidential candidate Amr Musa told French television on Thursday that he wants to work for peace between Israel and Palestinians but not at any price. “Egypt’s position will have to get back to a position of influence in the region […]
US and its allies assist will be using neoliberal economic policies to make sure new Arab governments stay in line. For decades during the Cold War, the rhetoric of US and Western European imperial power was one of promoting democracy around the world. Indeed, as the Soviet model became attractive […]
by Robert Fisk, The Independent President Obama has shown himself to be weak in his dealings with the Middle East, says Robert Fisk, and the Arab world is turning its back with contempt. Its future will be shaped without American influence This month, in the Middle East, has seen the […]
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By Robert Fisk, Middle East Correspondent Behind the Arab Spring lie its secrets. Turkey and Qatar have now developed a passionate anger towards Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian regime – the Turks even planning for a “safe haven” inside Syrian territory if they fear a tide of refugees approaching the Turkish border […]
Cairo (CNN) — A senior Egyptian general admits that “virginity checks” were performed on women arrested at a demonstration this spring, the first such admission after previous denials by military authorities. The allegations arose in an Amnesty International report, published weeks after the March 9 protest. It claimed female demonstrators were beaten, […]
Gaza – PNN – Hundreds of Palestinian moved in and out of the Gaza Strip on Saturday as the Egyptian Authorities reopened the Rafah crossing with the Gaza Strip after four years of closure. As Palestinian residents expressed happiness and hope that the opening of Rafah border crossing with Egypt […]
Gil Yaron, Special to The Star JERUSALEM—It’s been a while since a jubilant mood reigned in the streets of Gaza, but on Friday, many people were almost euphoric. “Everyone is happy — this is the dawn of a new era,” Muhammad Dawwas, a journalist from Gaza City, said in an […]
By REUTERS DEAUVILLE, France: The Group of Eight promised $20 billion in aid to Tunisia and Egypt on Friday and held out the prospect of billions more to foster the Arab Spring and the new democracies emerging from popular uprisings. Likening it to the fall of the Berlin Wall that […]
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Archaeologists have uncovered as many as 17 buried pyramids in Egypt with the help of NASA satellite imagery, according to a documentary to be aired by the BBC on Monday. Led by US researcher Sarah Parcak at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the team has already […]