African farmland deals need rules, grass-roots warn
MONTPELLIER: Large-scale foreign leases of African farmland risk driving conflict and fuelling corruption in the region without regulation, regional experts told a conference on agricultural development. If rules for responsible…
Ian McEwan tackles global warming in 'Solar'
A warming planet, deadlocked politicians, feuding scientists. The headlines about climate change are a source of worry and satisfaction to Ian McEwan.The British writer's new novel, "Solar, brings the problem…
THE REEL ESTATE: An open letter to Egyptian film-goers
Dear Egyptian audience,For the past four years, I've been unremittingly singing your praises in these pages, asserting that you have finally come of age. For the past four years, I've…
Egyptians quit French film festival over Israeli entry
CAIRO: Egyptian filmmakers who were to sit on the jury of a French film festival in Cairo are boycotting the event because of an Israeli entry, saying they refuse to…
Iraq a catalyst for US-Syria rapprochement?
DAMASUC: Following five years of tense relations between the United States and Syria, the Barack Obama Administration has appointed a new ambassador to Damascus - the current Deputy Ambassador to…
Stumbling in the dark
SAO PAULO: As well-intentioned gestures go, Earth Hour is hard to beat. At the stroke of 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 27, nearly a billion people in more than 120…
The unknown promise of Internet freedom
MELBOURNE: Google has withdrawn from China, arguing that it is no longer willing to design its search engine to block information that the Chinese government does not wish its citizens…
Jerusalem and beyond
TEL AVIV: The policy of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's government on Jerusalem is ill conceived. This was amply demonstrated by the announcement of the construction of 1,600 new apartments…
Saudi Arabia 'holds off on executing sorcerer'
BEIRUT: Saudi Arabia has apparently decided to hold off on carrying out the execution of a Lebanese former TV presenter convicted of sorcery, a Lebanese minister and the man s…
Al-Balagh official says board only wanted to develop Islam Online
CAIRO: The issue at popular Islamic resource Islam Online (IOL) was part of a "plan to diversify the website's content and outreach and not an attack on the website's progressive…