Militants seize parts of a Yemeni city, say officials
SANAA: Islamic militants emboldened by months of turmoil in Yemen launched a surprise dawn attack Wednesday on a southern city, seizing entire neighborhoods after gunfights with government forces, security officials…
NATO leaders in talks amid fresh Libya strikes
TRIPOLI: NATO's chief will hold talks on Libya with British leaders on Wednesday after the alliance battered Moamer Kadhafi's forces even as its top brass raised concerns about the 11-week…
UN alarm at north Sudan bombardment
KHARTOUM: UN officials expressed alarm on Wednesday after Sudan stepped up air strikes in South Kordofan on the south Sudan border, as clerics, activists and politicians alleged a campaign of…
Copts call for forming committee to discuss unified houses of worship law
By Essam Fadl CAIRO: The Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical Churches urged the ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) to form a committee comprising Al-Azhar and the three churches to discuss…
Egypt’s Sufis see Islamist threat after Mubarak
By Shaimaa Fayed and Abdel Rahman Youssef / Reuters CAIRO/ALEXANDRIA: Down the narrow alleyways of Cairo's Sayyeda Zeinab neighborhood, 100 men sway their heads and clap in rhythm as they invoke…
Rights group initiative aims to include people in writing the constitution
CAIRO: The Hisham Mubarak Law Center launched an initiative titled “Let’s Write Our Constitution” to include the Egyptian people in the process of drafting the constitution. The portrayal of the…
Tahrir Square’s ‘conspicuous’ flaw
By Philip Whitfield CAIRO: Jack Welch built what became the most valuable company in the world making tangible things. Welch was a kid with hope in his heart and an empty…
Liberal parties say might enter elections with a unified roster
By Tamim Elyan CAIRO: A number of liberal parties said that they are considering forming a coalition and competing in the upcoming legislative elections with a unified roster and will push…
NATO and the New Turkey
By Sinan Ulgen ISTANBUL: Turkey joined NATO at the beginning of the Cold War to gain United States protection in the event of a Soviet attack. Back then, Turkey was clearly…
How to set goals
By Bjørn Lomborg COPENHAGEN: At this century’s start, leaders from every country agreed to pursue the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals. The ambition was to improve significantly the lot of the…