Latest in Politics Highlight
Latest in Politics
EU refuses to link aid to political reform
CAIRO: The European Union (EU) on Tuesday reaffirmed its policy of not making political reform a conditional requisite of the aid it supplies to Egypt. Speaking at a press conference to mark the latest stage of EU aid in the Egyptian education sector, EU Head of Operations in Egypt, Georgios Tsitsopoulos says that “the EU …
Israeli forces arrest Hamas Cabinet ministers, dig into Gaza
GAZA CITY: Israeli troops rounded up dozens of ministers and lawmakers from the Palestinians ruling Hamas party on Thursday, while pressing a military campaign in Gaza meant to win the release of an Israeli soldier held by Hamas gunmen. Israeli warplanes also buzzed over the summer home of Syria s president, Bashar Assad, who harbors …
Press round-up: News centers around intellectual freedom
New judiciary law and Ibrahim Eissa s imprisonment dominate news CAIRO: The new judiciary law, the year-long jail sentence Al-Destour editor Ibrahim Eissa received for insulting the president, and the coverage of Pope Shenouda s illness showed a widening gap between independent, opposition and state-run press. This gap was topic for discussion in several editorials. …
Gaza gunmen blow hole in Egypt-Gaza border wall
GAZA: Masked Palestinian gunmen blew a 4 meter wide hole on Thursday in the border wall between the Gaza Strip and Egypt after Israel launched a military campaign to free a kidnapped soldier, witnesses said. Two Palestinian security personnel were injured in the explosion, and security forces were ordered to the area to prevent people …
Touring the capital
Author of “Cairo: The Family Guide talks about discovering the city CAIRO: School is out for the summer and the kids are on the loose. While trying to figure out how to keep them occupied and out of trouble during the holidays, this is a good time to explore Cairo, and Lesley Lababidi, author of …
A glamorous wedding
ŠΘ # # # The couple danced till the early hours of the morning with family and friends to the tunes of Assy El Helani, Samir Sabry and Assy El Helani, above, Ahmed El Halaby and spouse with Kholoud El Hagal # # Youssra, Karim and Sara
Egyptian MP warns Israeli offensive could threaten peace deal
CAIRO: The head of the Egyptian parliament s foreign affairs committee warned Thursday that Israel s offensive in the Palestinian territories could threaten Egypt s peace treaty with the Jewish state. Israel should not think that the peace reached with an Arab country can be guaranteed while it continues to perpetrate its crimes and aggressions, …
Palatial pageantry
Shirley Johnston writes about Egypt’s palaces and villas When Shirley Johnston arrived in Egypt to write and produce her book, “Egyptian Palaces and Villas: 1808-1960, she never expected it to take five years. “There was much more to explore than I thought, says Johnston of Egypt’s architectural treasures from that period. The historical period that …
Treasuring our heritage
UNESCO funds museums to showcase antiquities in Cairo and Alexandria Two grand museums in Cairo and Alexandria have been given the go-ahead by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, (UNESCO). Shadia Kenawy, Egypt s ambassador to UNESCO, said that investment from the international organization will support a number of projects being implemented in …
Arab League in emergency talks over Mideast flare up
CAIRO: The Arab League was due to convene an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss the spiraling crisis between Israel and the Palestinians, an official said. The meeting, held at the level of permanent representatives, was requested by Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar, the official said. Zahar s governing Hamas movement came under unprecedented pressure overnight …
Turning an ordinary plane ride into an enthralling experience
CAIRO: “Liberty of expression can come in the form of writing, film, from intellects or from body language. The body is a huge tool for reflecting social and political issues, says Walid Awni, pioneering choreographer of modern dance, an art often described as the most expressionistic form of dance. On the stage of the Cairo …
Tomb in Egypt reveals flowers, not mummies
Could have been tomb of King Tutankhamen’s mother LUXOR, Egypt: Archaeologists hoped the first tomb discovered in the Valley of the Kings in 80 years would hold the mummy of King Tutankhamen’s mother. They opened the last of eight sarcophagi, revealing no mummies but finding something almost as valuable: embalming materials and ancient woven flowers. …
NGO's present plans to EUROMED conference
CAIRO: In an effort to enhance and facilitate the creation and management of women’s enterprises, 30 non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) from 10 Mediterranean countries presented seven different projects for women’s economic development in a three-day EUROMED conference under the theme: “Enhancing Opportunities of Women in Economic Life Program. Catherine Colomb-Nancy, EUROMED operations manager, says the program, …
Factory worker shortage addressed
Factories in the free zone complain of lack of manpower CAIRO: Despite the unemployment crisis that plagues many of Egypt’s poorer governorates, the governorate of Port Said is claiming that it suffers from a lack of human resources needed to work in the factories that are being set up for investment projects in the free …
Piraeus to launch new brokerage firm in CASE
CAIRO: Piraeus Bank in Egypt has approved a proposal to set up a new brokerage firm in the Cairo & Alexandria Stock Exchanges with a total capital of LE 5 million ($879,000). Gamal Moharram, the chief executive of Piraeus Bank-Egypt, told NOOZZ on Tuesday that his bank would submit an application to the Capital Market …
World pressure exerted upon Egypt to clear old mines from past wars
CAIRO: Two landmines south of the resort town of Dahab exploded, killing three Egyptians and severely wounding two others, amid warnings from local and international human rights groups concerning Egypt’s landmine problem and their constant calls for immediate aid to end it. Egypt was declared by Landmine Monitor (LM) in late 2005 as “one of …
Second round wrap-up: Football super powers dominate the scene
Traditional powerhouses fill up the ranks of the quarterfinals CAIRO: An intense level of world-class football was exhibited throughout the round of 16 at the World Cup 2006, where traditional powerhouses in the world of football have booked their place in the upcoming quarterfinals. The quarterfinals will witness six of the former world champions, Brazil, …
Reformers say new judiciary law doesn't go far enough
Associated Press CAIRO: Parliament approved changes in judiciary laws, meeting some key demands of Egypt s pro-democracy movement though reformers said Tuesday it did not go far enough to guarantee judges independence from the government s control. The bill was passed Monday night after months of debate, sharpened by the arrests of hundreds of people …
Israel launches full-scale raid into Gaza
Egypt continues efforts to free soldier “before Gaza is destroyed RAFAH: Palestinians dug in behind walls and embankments in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday after Israel sent in troops and tanks, and bombarded bridges and a power station from the air to pressure militants to release a captured soldier. No casualties were reported. It …
Making nightlife sparkle
CAIRO: In Egypt, entertainment is sometimes in short supply, with many complaining that there is simply not enough activity taking place. That was the case until last December, when the nightlife scene took a turn for the better, introducing a higher quality of music and people. The two men behind this are Aly El-Awady and …
French court rules Egyptian crash case must be heard in France
PARIS: A French court Tuesday rejected an appeal by families of victims of a plane crash at the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh for the civil case to be heard under United States jurisdiction. The accident on January 3, 2004 claimed 148 lives, including those of 134 French passengers, when a chartered Boeing 737-300 …
Activists continue to push for change
CAIRO: On Tuesday evening, a few hundred activists demonstrated in front of the press syndicate, calling for the release of fellow pro-democracy activists currently detained. Among the demonstrators were several recently released detainees who showed up dressed in white, a tribute to what they were forced to wear while in detention at Tora prison. Kamal …
New coins still rare in Cairo
LE 1 and 50 piaster coins are interesting novelties but still a hassle CAIRO: When Yehia Mohamed showed a cab driver the newly introduced LE 1 and 50 piaster coins, the driver immediately asked to take them; Mohamed had no option but to hand them to the eager driver. About a month after their introduction …
MSA's 10th anniversary
ŠΘ # # # The event, held at the MSA Sixth of October campus, was attended by more than 1,000 people including Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, seen here with his spouse and Nawal El Degwy # # Abdel Aziz Hegazy and spouse, and Ahmed Darwish
Egypt's tourist industry continues to grow despite recent bombings
CAIRO: In the last year, Sinai’s largest resorts, Sharm El Sheikh and the beach resort of Dahab were targeted by suicide bombers seeking to de-rail Egypt’s economy by targeting the country’s vital tourist industry. Tourism in Egypt is directly linked to the national economy, making tourists a symbolic target for terrorists operating in the region …
Eclectic mix of referees comes with eccentricities
BERLIN: Their ranks include a tax inspector, a tire salesman, even an airline pilot. Then they step on the soccer field and become referees. Conventional wisdom holds that the best referees are the ones that nobody notices. Instead, these arbiters of what is fair and what is foul are fast becoming the story of this …
Police kill two wanted for Sinai attacks
CAIRO: Egyptian security forces on Tuesday shot dead two men named as members of a group behind deadly bombings in Sinai tourist resorts, security sources said. The security forces shot Ibrahim Hamid and his brother Sami in northern Sinai, where the authorities say the militant group was based. A gun battle started when police arrived …
Heated debate in parliament over judicial bill
CAIRO: Egypt s parliament was the scene of heated debate on Monday after Speaker Fathi Sorour had accused opposition MPs of polluting the ideas of the judiciary , the official news agency MENA said. Monday s session was discussing a controversial draft law on the authority of the judiciary, a day after a walkout by …
Egypt beefs up Gaza border, remains quiet on mediation for kidnapped soldier
CAIRO: Egypt has beefed up security along its border with the Gaza Strip as Israel was poised for an assault against the territory to free one of its kidnapped soldiers, security sources said Tuesday. More than 1,000 lightly-armed policemen were dispatched to reinforce the 750-strong paramilitary unit of border guards deployed in the area since …
A cast of unknowns delivers an outstanding performance in "Awqat Faragh"
“Awqat Faragh (Leisure Time) Director: Mohamed MostafaStory and Script: Mohamed Moqbel and Amr GamalActors: Randa El Beheiry, Ahmed Hatem, Safa, Karim Qassem, Ahmed Haddad, Amr Abed CAIRO: After buying a cigarette from a kiosk, Ahmed asks his friend about what to do. Gradually the conversation flows to their relationships and sexual conquests. In the same …