Praying hard to make the rain fall
By Arieh O’Sullivan JERUSALEM: It’s been said that everyone talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it. Well, seven years of drought in the Holy Land has been…
Israel blocks two UN Gaza schools, citing Hamas threat
GAZA CITY: UN plans to address Gaza's schooling shortage have hit a wall, with Israel banning the construction of two new schools on a site it says could be targeted…
Public holiday in Iran’s capital due to pollution
TEHRAN: Iranian authorities have declared a two-day public holiday in the capital and some other cities in an attempt to reduce dangerous levels of air pollution, media reported on Tuesday.…
Leaks hurt US ability to do diplomatic business, say experts
WASHINGTON: The massive leak of diplomatic cables has put a chill on US diplomatic contacts at a time when President Barack Obama's administration is trying to rebuild world trust in…
‘Empire Strikes Back’ director Kershner dies in LA
US director Irvin Kershner, who made "The Empire Strikes Back," has died at the age of 87, Star Wars creator George Lucas said Monday, praising him as a "mentor" and…
Race row erupts over ‘The Hobbit’, says report
By AFP Peter Jackson's troubled "Hobbit" project has become embroiled in a race row after a would-be extra was told she was too dark to play a one of the…
Freedom to Create ends with celebration
After a week of events highlighting creativity in Cairo, Freedom to Create ended with an awards ceremony and concert celebration held at the Salah Eldin Citadel. The event was hosted…
34th Cairo film fest opens with ‘Another Year’
Film aficionados are gearing up to indulge their love for the big screen with this year’s Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) selection, from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9. The opening…
Saudi-Alcoa JV signs $1.9 billion financing deals
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia Mining Co (Maaden) and US Alcoa signed financing deals worth 7.1 billion riyals ($1.9 billion) for the first phase of their joint $10.8 billion Aluminium project in…
Qatar: Eyes on the prize
By Oxford Business Group Qatar is ratcheting up its campaign to host the 2022 World Cup as the race nears an end. With a decision due on December 2, boosts have…