Acknowledgement of historical peacemaking
WASHINGTON: At the present time, there is a fundamental perceptual difference between the so-called peace camps among Israelis and Palestinians, on the one hand, and, on the other, those who…
A way forward to help the Palestinians
More than a year has passed since the European Union suspended its direct budget support to the Palestinian Authority (PA) in response to the formation of the Hamas-led government. Although…
Poland's revolution is consuming its democratic child
Recently, the European Parliament condemned the Polish government's attempt to strip Bronislaw Geremek of his parliamentary mandate. A leader of Solidarity, a former political prisoner, and the foreign minister responsible…
Despite early hope: like father, like son
The first time I met Anwar Al-Bunni, in June 2005, one of Syria's numerous state-owned newspapers had just called him a traitor. Over tea that he made himself and countless…
What is Caesar's and what isn't in the Arab world
It is hard to get away from a central fact of Middle Eastern politics and statehood: the significant role played by the military and security forces in the business of…
End the 'old boy' deal to choose a World Bank president
The whole sorry Wolfowitz affair looks like it is finally drawing to a close. It is hard to believe he will stay on much longer at the World Bank, and…
THE REEL ESTATE: An invigorating breath of French breeze
How do the French do it? is question that may persistently nag the mind whenever one watches a sweeping, enchanting French story like the latest Francis Veber s directed film…
Karnak Café is Mahfouz's angriest novel
CAIRO: It's hard to approach Naguib Mahfouz's Karnak Café without remembering Ali Badrakhan's harrowing 1975 film adaptation of this book about Nasser-era Egypt and our 1967 defeat to Israel. This…
KHAWAGA'S TALE: Fair play on the fairway
The Golf Hotel in Ain Sokhna hosted the last of the season's tournaments on Saturday, which was won by Mrs Wang Xiao Ming with a score of 69. The course,…
Finance Minister upbeat about economy, defends real estate tax
CAIRO : Egyptian Finance Minister Youssef Boutros Ghali was upbeat last night about the performance of the economy with an anticipated growth rate of up to seven percent by the…
