Egyptian Youssef Ziedan takes home the 2009 Arabic Booker
CAIRO: Historian and novelist Youssef Ziedan won the second International Prize for Arabic Fiction - the Arabic Booker prize - on Monday for his best-selling novel "Azazeel (Beelzebub). Ziedan is…
Iran's muddled presidential politics
WASHINGTON, DC: The decision of former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami not to seek the presidency again has revealed how muddled Iranian presidential politics now is. In trying to sort out…
Water wars and water woes
WASHINGTON, DC: Water privatization is often portrayed as morally wrong but if we look beyond ideology and sentimentality this doesn't add up. Poor countries, where lack of water and sanitation…
The fatal myth of a drug-free world
VIENNA: Negotiations at the United Nations High Level Summit on drugs in Vienna last week fell flat. Although 25 countries officially stated their support for proven methods such as needle…
Ayman Nour disbarred
CAIRO: Former Ghad party leader Ayman Nour revealed that his name has been struck off by the Lawyers Syndicate on Monday.Nour was speaking at a seminar held at Cairo s…
Doctors protest 'paltry' salaries
CAIRO: Doctors protested on the steps of their Doctors' Syndicate Tuesday against a government pay scheme introduced last year.Wearing white coats and holding up placards with slogans reading "a doctor's…
Assaulter of Nadim Center manager referred to misdemeanors court
CAIRO: The northern Damanhour prosecution office referred to the misdemeanors court a central security officer accused of assaulting a doctor with El Nadim Center for the Rehabilitation of the Victims…
Environment ministry cracks down on factories recycling hospital waste
CAIRO: The Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs has impounded 33 tons of hospital waste slated to be illegally used by two factories in the manufacture of toys and cotton…