Tourism minister optimistic over future
By AFP BERLIN: Egypt's hard-hit tourism sector is facing a new start after a "difficult" 2011 but there is reason for optimism, the Egyptian tourism minister said on Tuesday. The…
Continuity in Egypt: An interview with Saad Eddin Ibrahim
CAIRO: An outspoken critic of the ousted regime, Saad Eddin Ibrahim, head of the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies in Cairo, draws parallels between Hosni Mubarak’s reign and that…
Student movement not losing momentum
By Mennatallah Fouad Youssef CAIRO: Fourteen months after Hosni Mubarak was ousted, university students are still on the frontlines battling against remnants of the old regime. After Mubarak’s removal, students debated…
Women’s groups to commemorate Int’l Women’s Day
By Mohamed Samir / Reuters CAIRO: A number of women’s rights groups are planning marches to commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8, downplaying a repeat of last year’s scenario when…
Eastern Libya declares semiautonomous region
By Rami Al-Shaheibi / AP BENGHAZI, Libya: Tribal leaders and militia commanders declared a semiautonomous region in oil-rich eastern Libya on Tuesday, a move opponents fear will be the first step…
Ratings agencies have no plans to rate UAE, Dubai: Fitch
By Carolyn Cohn / Reuters LONDON: Ratings agencies have no plans to give the United Arab Emirates or Dubai a credit rating because their governments have not asked to be rated,…
Dubai’s flying shoppers could ease its debt burden
By Una Galani / Reuters DUBAI: Dubai is relying on what it does best to help solve its debt woes: shopping. After successfully borrowing against road toll receipts last year, the…
Oil falls to $123, supply fears easing
By Drazen Jorgic / Reuters LONDON: Oil eased towards $123 a barrel on Tuesday, as higher flows from Iraq and Saudi Arabia offset concern that sanctions on Iran would disrupt supply…
Tunisia cuts 2012 growth forecast to 3.5 pct
By Tarek Amara / Reuters TUNIS: Tunisia has cut its economic growth forecast for this year to 3.5 percent, down from a previous forecast of 4.5 percent due to declines in…
Egypt cbank accepts repos worth LE 14 bln
By Mohamed Samir / Reuters CAIRO: Egypt's central bank accepted LE 14.434 billion ($2.39 billion) in seven-day repurchase agreements in the money market on Tuesday. It had offered 17 billion pounds.…