Human lung stem cell discovered

Scientists believe they’ve discovered stem cells in the lung that can make a wide variety of the organ’s tissues, a finding that might open new doors for treating emphysema and other diseases. When these human cells were injected into mice, they showed their versatility by rebuilding airways, air sacs and […]

VIEW: Anti-women bias in fiqh — Part I

It is the unilateralist approach of the sole proprietors of fiqh to matters of faith in the socio-economic lives of Muslims that has given rise to certain malpractices. One such area that has a far-reaching and deeply destabilising impact on society is the way fiqh seems to treat females with […]

Conclusions of Jakarta ASEAN Summit

The two-day 18th ASEAN Summit concluded here Sunday with the release of the Chair’s Statement on ASEAN Community-building, the implementation of ASEAN Charter and other issues. JOINT EFFORTS FOR COMMUNITY-BUILDING The leaders agreed and adopted three joint statements on “ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations”, “Establishment of the […]

Egyptian tycoon wants to revamp Swiss ski areas

by Susan Vogel-Misicka, swissinfo.ch Egyptian billionaire Samih Sawiris wants to team up with a Swedish company to link and upgrade Switzerland’s Andermatt and Sedrun ski resorts. A letter of intent published on Wednesday shows that Andermatt Swiss Alps – a subsidiary of Sawiris’ Orascom Development – is joining forces with […]

Editorial: GCC expansion Admitting new members like Jordan and Morocco raises a plethora of questions

Arab News: This newspaper has in the past predicted that the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council would evolve into an Arab political and economic union in the same way that the six-member European Economic Community developed into today’s 27-member European Union. Nonetheless, Tuesday’s announcement following its summit in Riyadh that the […]

Palestinians threaten to go to UN over Israel tax row

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (AFP) – The Palestinian leadership on Wednesday voted to appeal for United Nations intervention to force a defiant Israel to hand badly needed blocked tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority. “The executive committee has decided to turn to all international bodies, including the UN Security Council, to demand […]

Obama to lay out new Mideast strategy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama will give a major speech, possibly as early as next week, laying out his new Middle East strategy after the killing of Osama bin Laden and amid upheaval in the Arab world, U.S. officials said on Wednesday. A key sticking point is whether Obama, […]

Zurich set for vote on assisted suicide

by Ariane Gigon in Zurich, swissinfo.ch Voters in Zurich are being given mixed messages about whether to allow or prevent people from being able to decide how to end their own lives. The slogans are punchy and powerful: “Freedom at the end!” on one side against “Save life!” on the […]

Beginning the End of America’s Longest War

In roughly two months, President Barack Obama is going to announce the beginning of the end of America’s longest war. He could not have known, when he initially set this summer for the beginning of the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, that the timing would work out so perfectly. […]