Endorse the nuclear test ban
By Carl Bildt STOCKHOLM/MEXICO CITY: Indonesia’s parliament has just taken a historic step, one that makes the planet safer from the threat of nuclear weapons. The importance of Indonesia’s decision to…
AN ISRAELI VIEW: The regional Islamist circumstances are changing
By Yossi Alpher The notion of integrating Hamas, and with it the Gaza Strip, into a Palestinian unity government reflects the primary trend that has thus far defined the Arab revolutionary…
Arafa nine-month net profit halves
CAIRO: Arafa Holding, Egypt's biggest garment exporter, posted a 50 percent fall in consolidated net profit to $6.5 million for the nine months from February to October, the stock exchange…
OPEC oil deal puts Saudi back in charge
VIENNA: OPEC oil producers on Wednesday sealed their first new production limit in three years in a deal that settles a 6-month-old argument over output levels firmly in Saudi Arabia's…
Gold hovers near two-month lows as euro struggles
LONDON: Gold steadied on Wednesday, after having neared two-month lows the day before in its largest monthly slide since September, prompted by the dollar's rise against the euro to 11-month…
Saudi sukuk may serve monetary policy goals
DUBAI: A proposed Islamic bond issue by Saudi Arabia is important not so much because it would raise money for the country — the kingdom does not need the cash…
Volumes, foreign limits may deny UAE, Qatar MSCI upgrade
DUBAI: Low market liquidity in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar's failure to raise foreign ownership limits threaten to deny MSCI emerging market status to the Gulf neighbors for a…
Coca-Cola buys stake in Saudi beverage co for $980 mln
DUBAI: The world's largest soft-drink maker Coca-Cola Co acquired about half of the equity in the beverage business of Saudi Arabia-based Aujan Industries for $980 million to expand its presence…
Islamists look to extend success in Egypt polls
CAIRO: Islamists who swept to victory in the first stage of Egypt's parliamentary elections were looking to extend their winning streak in a second round of voting on Wednesday. Some…
Spielberg, Jackson introduce Tintin to America
Steven Spielberg hopes he's the typical American when it comes to Tintin: the filmmaker had never heard of the guy, but once he got acquainted, they became friends for life.…