My Jerusalem
JERUSALEM: "What now?" asks the final line of Lea Goldberg's poem on the heavenly and earthly Jerusalems. Those of us in the earthly metropolis know that the dualistic divide isn't…
Civil society transforming Morocco
FEZ, Morocco: The past 20 years have been witness to several positive developments amongst Morocco’s civil society, demonstrating that organizations in this sector can inform national policy in this ever-evolving…
Setting the facts straight about Thailand
Dear Editor, I wish to refer to the article “Thailand on the precipice” by Mr. Sin-Ming Shaw (Published May 24, 2010) which reflects a crucial misunderstanding of the political situation…
Rights bodies urge Kuwait to drop charges against writer
KUWAIT CITY: Two leading international human rights organizations have welcomed the release of prominent Kuwaiti writer Mohammad Abdulqader Al-Jassem but urged the Gulf state to drop charges against him. "Though…
EU opens new chapter of membership talks with Turkey
BRUSSELS: The EU made an encouraging gesture towards Turkey Wednesday, nudging forward Ankara's laborious membership talks, amid fears that Europe's refusal to embrace the country is pushing it "eastwards." Representatives…
Saudi clerics battle over adult-breastfeeding, music fatwas
RIYADH: One cleric's endorsement of breastfeeding for grown men and another's saying music is not un-Islamic have opened up a pitched battle in Saudi Arabia over who can issue fatwas,…
Al Jazeera launches free TV service in Britain
LONDON: Arab news network Al Jazeera will begin broadcasting its English news channel on Britain's Freeview free digital platform on Thursday, making the UK its biggest English-speaking market for free…
Israeli soldier, civilians arrested for spying for Hezbollah
JERUSALEM: An Israeli soldier and several civilians have been arrested for allegedly passing information to the Lebanese militia Hezbollah and smuggling drugs across the border, the army said on Wednesday.…
A special regime for Jerusalem
OTTAWA: Over the past few months, the issue of Jerusalem has once again risen as a matter of dangerous contention between Israel and Palestine. Claims to the city and, above…
Is academic freedom worth its price?
WARWICK, UK: Is academic freedom affordable in a time of economic crisis? That was the topic for discussion at the annual signing of the Magna Charta Universitatum at the mother…