The lyrics of Sting coming out in book form
When Sting first appeared on the stage in April 2001, dwarfed by the Pyramids in the background, he was greeted by thousands of Egyptian fans. Though there are no plans…
What can be done at Sharm El-Sheikh
No one fears instability and violence in Iraq more than the Iraqis and their neighbors. But mutual suspicions and rivalries, and a lack of US commitment to regional diplomacy, have…
After the Winograd report, can Olmert survive?
After Israel's inability last summer to achieve a conclusive victory over Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, public pressure forced Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government to appoint a commission to examine the…
The perils of sectarianism in opposing Iran
Saudi Arabia has undergone a remarkable political rebirth in the past few months, emerging as the Middle East's most assertive Arab power. Until recently, various internal and international pressures constrained…
What is it about Western secularism?
Some years ago, the Tunisian Islamist leader-in-exile, Rashid Ghannoushi, wrote a book on public rights in Islam. He pointed out that there were particular historical reasons why Europe had separated…
Tuning into music's missing link
Sharkiat explores the relation between Hindu and Arab beatsA diverse audience of all ages and nationalities flocked on Monday to the Cairo Opera House's open-air theater, under the moon and…
Experiments in electronica
Last Friday night the Goethe Institute and 100Copies Records invited music lovers to sample the best of Cairo's electronic and experimental music scene. The heavy beats and unnatural sounds of…
Virginia Tech massacre reopens debate on violence on local screens
The Virginia Tech University massacre is expected to make moviemakers think twice before producing any films that might lead to violent behavior. After all, allegations have been made that violence…
Just tango on
I must confess, I'm a tango virgin. One of my very few experiences of the Argentinean dance was that great bit in the film "Scent of a Woman when Al…
