Abbas talking with US, EU reps ahead of UN bid
RAMALLAH: President Mahmoud Abbas is holding talks with US and European envoys ahead of the Palestinian UN membership bid, a senior Palestinian official said on Tuesday. Yasser Abed Rabbo, a…
A PALESTINIAN VIEW: Until the dust settles
By Ghassan Khatib There is no doubt that the dramatic and revolutionary changes that are underway in Egypt will have an impact on the way Egypt handles its relationship with neighboring…
Democracy’s saintly challenger
By Shashi Tharoor NEW DELHI: India is no stranger to protest movements, hunger strikes, and the mass mobilization of citizens for a popular cause. But the recent fast by the Gandhian…
Ben Bernanke’s Dream World
By J. Bradford DeLong BERKELEY: US Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke is not regarded as an oracle in the way that his predecessor, Alan Greenspan, was before the financial crisis.…
What can replace the dollar?
By Barry Eichengreen BERKELEY: For more than a half-century, the US dollar has been not only America’s currency, but the world’s as well. It has been the dominant unit used in…
Egypt media hails Mubarak trial a success for him
CAIRO: Ex-president Hosni Mubarak came out well from his third appearance at trial without being implicated by witnesses in firing at protesters during the revolt against him, Egyptian media said…
Venice: Greek film ‘Alps’ explores grief
Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos' latest film, "Alps," proposes a novel, if disquieting, technique for grief counseling. "Alps" is the name chosen to designate an ad-hoc group whose members stand in…
You call that a revolution?
By Joseph Fahim The very first Egyptian film I reviewed was “Katkout,” the 2006 Mohamed Saad star-vehicle that became the former king of comedy’s last bona-fide commercial hit. In the years…
Most markets up as Europe early gains ease fears
DUBAI: Most Middle East markets rose on Tuesday as a positive opening on European bourses eased investors' fears following sharp declines in world stocks a day earlier. Egypt’s main index…
Growth, trade sluggish in 2011, finds UN report
CAIRO: The overall recovery of the world economy is slowing down in 2011 with strong downside risks, according to the United Nations’ “Trade and Development Report 2011.” “Global GDP is…