Palestinians applaud surprise unity deal, Israel growls
RAMALLAH: A surprise deal to end decades of rivalry between Fatah and Hamas was on Thursday welcomed by the Palestinian leadership, but denounced by Israel as crossing "a red line."…
US board faults Egypt on religious freedom
WASHINGTON: A US commission called Thursday for Egypt to be put on a blacklist for lack of religious freedom, saying attacks on Coptic Christians and other minorities have worsened despite…
Cairo University students protest at Israeli embassy
CAIRO: Tens of Cairo University students protested Wednesday in front of the Israeli embassy demanding the expulsion of its ambassador and breaking ties between Israel and Egypt. Students were later…
Perpetrators of Arish gas pipe blast unidentified, says official
CAIRO: Security officials have yet to identify the perpetrators of an explosion of a gas terminal in the North Sinai capital city of Al-Arish, which went off in the early…
Army says media completely free, despite HRW report
CAIRO: The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) said in a statement issued Wednesday on its Facebook page, that it does not interfere in the media’s policies, claiming that…
Egyptians find their voice after years of repression
CAIRO: For decades, authoritarian rule and police brutality ensured the only voice heard from Egypt was that of its leaders. Since popular protests deposed President Hosni Mubarak, the silent majority…
Egypt secular parties in race for credibility
CAIRO: Political groups with a secular vision of Egypt are racing to build a coalition to compete against the nation's better established Islamists in parliamentary elections planned for September. Their…
Middle East government priorities: fiscal policy
Recent events in the Middle East have led to a range of short-term responses from governments in the region, especially increased government expenditures to relieve cost of living pressures and…
A new chance in Egypt for Islamic finance
DUBAI/CAIRO: Covered head-to-toe in a black abaya embroidered with red and yellow flowers, Amal Abbas waits for her turn to place a deposit at Cairo's Al Baraka Egypt Bank, one…
Safeguarding the banking sector: Lessons learned from fallout
As a response to the fallout caused by the financial crisis in the past years, the Independent Commission on Banking was tasked in June 2010 by the UK government to…