‘Black Swan’ wins top honor at indie Spirit Awards
The ballet thriller "Black Swan" won four prizes Saturday at the Spirit Awards honoring independent film, including best picture, best actress for Natalie Portman and director for Darren Aronofsky. James…
Food for thought in North Korea
By Christopher Hill DENVER: Meet any Korean of a certain age, and you will learn about barley season, which begins in February and stretches through the cold months of early spring…
The Middle East awakening
By Joschka Fischer BERLIN: When the democratic revolt in Tunisia successfully ousted the old regime, the world reacted with amazement. Democracy from below in the Arab world? After the overthrow of…
Former interior minister to go on trial March 5
CAIRO: Egypt's once widely feared interior minister Habib El-Adly is to appear before a criminal court on March 5 accused of money laundering, judicial sources told AFP on Sunday. El-Adly…
EFSA chairman resigns to formulate conflict of interest policies
CAIRO: Ziad Bahaa Eldin resigned Sunday from his post as chairman of the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority after being tasked to lead efforts to create a national policy that mitigates…
Oman police clash with stone-throwing protesters
MUSCAT: Omani police fired tear gas on Sunday at stone-throwing protesters in the industrial city of Sohar who were demanding political reforms as regional Arab unrest spread to the Gulf…
Saleh vows to resist Yemen protests
SANAA: Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh vowed Sunday to defend his three-decade regime "with every drop of blood", accusing opponents of hijacking gathering protests in a ploy to split the…
Iraq PM gives cabinet 100-day ultimatum after demos
BAGHDAD: Iraq's prime minister warned his cabinet on Sunday to shape up within 100 days or face "changes" as a third provincial governor stepped down following massive nationwide demonstrations. Nuri…
UN Security Council imposes sanctions on Gaddafi
TRIPOLI/UNITED: The UN Security Council unanimously imposed travel and asset sanctions on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and close aides, ratcheting up pressure on him to quit before any more blood…
Less haste, more speed: A path to transition and reform in Egypt
By Tamer Bahgat and Khalid El-Sherif CAIRO: "Today we reign in our valley and restore the glory of our past, and build glory with our hands. A country we sacrifice for…