A devaluation option for Southern Europe
By Emmanuel Farhi, Gita Gopinath and Oleg Itskhoki CAMBRIDGE: This year is likely to mark a make-or-break ordeal for the euro. The eurozone’s survival demands a credible solution to its long-running…
Cuba’s sculptor of the stars can’t quit tobacco
By Jean-Herve Deiller / AFP Fidel Castro, Winston Churchill, Jack Nicholson, Groucho Marx and Arnold Schwarzenegger — meet the cast of notables Janio Nunez has sculpted entirely out of Cuba's famed…
Court adjourns NGO case to April 10, HRW urges Egypt to drop charges
By Mai Shams El-Din CAIRO: Head of the Cairo Criminal Court, Justice Makram Awwad adjourned until April 10 the trial of non-Egyptian NGOs charged with illicit foreign funding, ordering the Prosecutor…
THE REEL ESTATE: The magic lantern, the silent wizard and me
By Joseph Fahim What was the very first movie you’ve ever seen? Mine was Victor Fleming’s classic musical “The Wizard of Oz” starring Judy Garland. I was probably four years old.…
World powers want ‘serious dialogue’ with Iran
By Simon Sturdee / AFP VIENNA: World powers said Thursday that mooted talks with Iran must be "serious" and urged Tehran to allow UN inspectors access to a military base thought…
Autonomy bid in Libya prompts fears of nation’s break-up
By Ibrahim Majbari / AFP TRIPOLI: Tribesmen and politicians in Libya's oil-rich east have polarized public opinion, raised fears that the country might break apart and prompted some of his sharpest…
Egypt parliament to reject government in vote: Brotherhood
By Tom Perry / Reuters CAIRO: The Egyptian parliament is likely to declare it has lost confidence in the government of Prime Minister Kamal El-Ganzoury via a formal vote, Muslim Brotherhood…
IEG evaluates World Bank response to financial crisis
By Amir Makar CAIRO: In spite of facing some macro-economic hurdles, countries that were better prepared to engage in the World Bank’s crisis-related financial sector operations were less affected by the…
Israel’s “tunnel rats” brace for new guerrilla war
By Lianne Gross / Reuters SIRKIN SPECIAL FORCES BASE: Fearing a surge in tunnel and bunker construction by Lebanon's Hezbollah and Palestinian insurgents, Israel is training its troops to hunt below…
Despite hardships, Palestinians train for Olympics
By Ibrahim Barzak and Mohammed / AP GAZA CITY: Darting down the bumpy streets of Gaza wearing a cheap pair of sneakers, Palestinian runner Bahaa Al-Farra dodges potholes and traffic as…