Bank forecasts Egypt growth at 3.5 pct
CAIRO: Egypt s economic growth rate could fall by 50 percent in the current fiscal year, a leading international bank said Thursday, as the global financial meltdown pummels Suez Canal…
Hamas deputy leader in Cairo for truce talks
CAIRO: A senior Hamas delegation led by the movement s deputy head Moussa Abu Marzuk arrived in Cairo on Wednesday, the eve of another round of talks on a truce…
Mubarak calls for greater role for Abbas
ISTANBUL: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday called for a greater role for moderate Palestinian factions led by President Mahmoud Abbas following talks with Turkish officials who are keen on…
Future of the peace process uncertain as Israelis vote for the right
CAIRO: As the final tally for the Israeli elections becomes known, the close results highlight the ambiguity over who will form the coalition government.The centrist Kadima party was the victor…
Egypt can be key contributor to solar, wind energy
CAIRO: Blessed with year-round sunlight and soft winds, Egypt has strong potential to produce green energy, said Gerhard Sabathil, European Commission's directorate general for external relations."Because of its geographical location,…
Downtown Cairo retail in a recession?
CAIRO: As 2009 slinks into its second month, the pulsing streets of downtown Cairo and the stores that line them are hurting - badly.Downtown Cairo was once the epicenter of…
Pinocchio joins Shakespeare at new ballet performance
This week the Cairo Opera Ballet Company presents two back-to-back performances of "Pinocchio and "Jeu d'echecs (Shakespeare Suite).Contrasting lively flamboyance with a moodier sophistication - both works contrast on technical…
Meek at work
Writing is hard work, acclaimed British writer James Meek assures me. A journalist of 20 years, and a writer with two short story collections and four novels to his credit,…
The vanished beauty of Gaza
So much of what we hear about Gaza today is too morbid and disheartening for words to describe. Yet, everyday we see the state of Gaza in gruesome full color:…
From dust to dance
Fifteen Sesostris Street, Downtown Alexandria may appear as an unlikely location for a dance center. Smack in the heart of the city's financial district, it is more accustomed to pinstripe…