Washington and the Art of the Possible
By Raghuram Rajan CHICAGO: These days, the United States media are full of ordinary Americans venting their rage at the incompetence and immaturity of their politicians. Even though the US government’s…
China’s inflation muddle
By Yu Yongding BEIJING: Even as the debt crises in Europe and the United States loom large and the global economic recovery falters, inflation is making a comeback worldwide. Indeed, emerging-market…
No honor in ‘honor’ killings
By Rasha Dewedar CAIRO: Women in Arab countries have become increasingly visible in demonstrations for democracy, especially in Egypt and Tunisia. However, they still face hurdles, many of which were discussed…
Madonna’s Malawian school a barren field of failed dreams
The abandoned site looks more like a quarried mine than a pop superstar's multi-million-dollar dream to groom girls into Malawi's next leaders and doctors. But the bleak, leveled terraces of…
One-on-one with Norwegian Wood’ director Anh Hung Tran
No other Vietnamese filmmaker has come close to matching the critical and commercial success that greeted the films of Anh Hung Tran. With his first two pictures, Tran earned Venice…
Folk singer Hassan El-Asmar dies at 52
CAIRO: Popular Egyptian folk singer Hassan El-Asmar died Sunday at age 52 in Cleopatra Hospital from a fatal heart attack. His funeral was held at the Noor Mosque…
Ordinary citizen, not protester subjected to military trial, says wife
CAIRO: In a decision that flies in the face of promises by SCAF to limit military trials for civilians, Mohammed Ali, a student, was sentenced to two years in prison…
Negotiations underway over planned Tahrir iftar, protest
CAIRO: Negations are currently underway between different political groups and movements to reach consensus over a protest and iftar banquet planned for Friday in Tahrir Square. A number of political…
MB holds public internal elections, calls for national unity in annual iftar
CAIRO: During its annual iftar Saturday, the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) called for political unity between all national currents in order to go through the transitional period “peacefully and safely”.…
Democratic Alliance demands urgent meeting with SCAF over elections law
CAIRO: Democratic Alliance parties rejected on Sunday the parliament law, saying they don’t “recognize” it and demanding an urgent meeting with the ruling military council to discuss it. …