The struggle for mastery of the Pacific
TOKYO: On May 1, the Shanghai Expo began, illuminated by a huge fireworks display. The festivities will continue until the end of October. In 1970, Japan celebrated its own tremendous…
The Chinese road to Pyongyang
NEW YORK: Kim Jong Il’s visit to China this week was a gentle reminder that the road to Pyongyang leads through Beijing. China is the only power that has remained…
Chinese-style mosque a symbol of Indonesia's diversity
JAKARTA: It is undoubtedly exotic in its looks, but to the naive passerby the only thing that may seem truly extraordinary about this building in Palembang, the capital city of…
Egyptian economy is yet to see full effect of Greek crisis
By Amr Ramadan Daily News Egypt CAIRO: Last week the Egyptian stock market witnessed its largest single-day drop in two years when its main index, EGX, fell by 5 percent…
Swine flu cases confirmed in Alex, ministry denies a comeback
CAIRO: The committee monitoring the swine flu situation in Alexandria has confirmed four cases of the H1N1 flu virus in the governorate. The first case is that of a two-year-old…
Rights group demands release of Ahmadiyya detainees
CAIRO: The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) demanded nine Egyptians detained under the emergency law for holding unorthodox religious views be released Sunday, in a message to Minister of…
Journalists' Syndicate, rights groups denounce Kefaya coordinator's detention in Amman
CAIRO: The Journalists’ Syndicate and human rights groups denounced Sunday the detention of journalist and General Coordinator of the Kefaya Movement for Change Abdel-Halim Qandil in Amman. Qandil was reportedly…
Court abandons case of Copt accused of raping Muslim girl
CAIRO: The Qena Criminal Court announced on Saturday that it has stepped down from the case of Girgis Baroumi, a 22-year-old Copt accused of raping a 12-year-old girl in the…
For Iraqis, learning Hebrew is a mixed blessing
BAGHDAD: Wearing an elegant pink headscarf, Marwa Abdel Karim serenades her fellow Baghdad University students with a heartfelt rendition of "Filled With Love," remarkable for the language in which it…
Turning tide for Egypt as head of Arab League
At its base, it’s a glorified debating forum; that’s how political analyst Shadi Hamid describes the Arab League. The organization has been dubbed a toothless tiger, dominating headlines and gathering…