Egypt experts warn of full-blown currency war
CAIRO: Increasingly over the past few months, talk of a currency war breaking out between major economic powers has been common in policy circles, said Magda Kandil — the executive…
Israel slams criticism of hotel demolition
JERUSALEM: Israel on Monday strongly rejected criticism from the United States, European Union and Arab countries over the demolition of a well-known east Jerusalem hotel to make way for settler…
A journey through an Egyptian’s new modern architecture
CAIRO: Ahmad Hamid remembers being a young boy watching his mother and her friends gather for their weekly tea and sewing get together at his family’s house on Sunday mornings.…
77 dead in Iran Air plane crash
TEHRAN: Iran on Monday launched a probe after an Iran Air passenger jet crashed and broke into pieces in heavy snow and fog killing 77 people and injuring dozens of…
Clinton says sanctions complicate Iran nuclear goals
ABU DHABI: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said here Monday that international sanctions have made it "much more difficult" for Iran to pursue its nuclear ambitions. Kicking off a…
Egypt inflation edges up, rates seen steady for now
CAIRO: Egyptian urban inflation inched higher in the year to December, but the pace of increase is unlikely to prompt the central bank to raise interest rates this month to…
Saudi bourse moving closer to foreign access, says document
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia's stock market committee is moving closer to allowing foreign investors direct market access, a document seen by Reuters showed. At a Dec. 21 meeting bourse officials asked…
Asset-backed sukuk framework seen lifting demand
DUBAI: A master agreement for asset-backed Islamic bonds will help spur demand for securitized paper in the fast-growing industry, bankers and lawyers said. Islamic finance industry body IIFM is looking…
Algeria: Highs and lows in education
By Oxford Business Group This has been a historic year for the Algerian education sector, with a record percentage of students passing national exams and government initiatives expanding schooling subsidies.…
Iraqi bourse sees rise in foreign investors in 2011
BAGHDAD: War-torn Iraq is expected to attract more overseas investment this year after foreigners were net buyers on its stock exchange in 2010, snapping up $53 million worth of shares,…