CAIRO: A group of human rights activists are organizing a protest in front of the Egyptian mission in New York City on Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 31 in support of the imprisoned Egyptian student blogger Abdel Kareem Amer. “We are joining together in solidarity for a peaceful protest against the Egyptian government’s treatment of Kareem, and …

But can the uneasy Fatah-Hamas truce last? Another flare-up in the Arab world and another Egyptian diplomatic initiative to bring about an end to hostilities. The past two years have proven to be most challenging for Egypt’s diplomatic corps and mediators, flying nearly non-stop from one Arab and African capital to the next. And I …

CAIRO: Warring Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have agreed to yet another ceasefire in the wake of an Israeli response to a Palestinian suicide bombing in Eilat and President Mahmoud Abbas’ visit to Egypt. “There must be a political solution to keep the truce permanent. As it stands now, this will be yet another temporary …

NAIROBI: The humanitarian crisis in the western Sudanese region of Darfur will deteriorate this year unless key political decisions involving the government, the Darfurian rebel groups and the international community are urgently taken, an international nongovernmental organization working in the war-torn region warned on Friday. Unless there is increased recognition, within Sudan and internationally, of …

CAIRO: Egypt’s biggest-circulation daily Al Ahram claimed in a front page article published Sunday that former Egyptian ambassador to Iraq Ihab Al-Sherif was killed by Iranian intelligence in 2005. The front page article cited “diplomatic sources who said that Iranian intelligence “stood behind the kidnapping and subsequent disappearance of Al-Sherif with the aim of preventing …

US is aiming to destroy what it first built In early January, US forces in Iraq began to arrest Iranian men and charge them with inciting sectarian warfare in the already war-ravaged country. In the northern city of Mosul ten days ago, US troops arrested three Iranians who had no identification papers. Despite the irritating …

Associated Press CAIRO: Egypt s Criminal Court on Monday ordered the release of the banned Muslim Brotherhood s No. 3 leader and 15 others after 45 days in detention, the Islamist group and police said. The group s third-highest ranking member, Khayrat El-Shater, 55, the movement s chief strategist and a main financier, was arrested …

CAIRO: The Muslim Brotherhood opposition group on Saturday lashed out at the leaders of the rival Palestinian factions, holding them responsible for the bloodshed in the Palestinian territories. Deadly clashes between supporters of the ruling Hamas movement and loyalists of President Mahmoud Abbas s Fatah party have resulted in the deaths of at least 23 …

CAIRO: The appointment of Abdel Wahab El Messiri as the new General Coordinator of the Kefaya opposition movement is expected to refocus the group’s energies to push for political reformation. Hany Anan, a founding member of the movement, told The Daily Star Egypt that the next stage in Kefaya’s contribution to the democratic reform process …

CAIRO: The Arab League envoy to Baghdad, the sole Arab diplomat still in the city, has resigned because of a lack of Arab vision over the conflict in Iraq, according to his resignation letter obtained by AFP Sunday. In the handwritten letter, Mokhtar Lamani said he had decided to quit at the end of February, …

GAZA CITY: In Gaza s Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood, the buildings are riddled with bullet holes and windows have been shattered – grim reminders of the fierce internecine clashes that have turned this metropolis into a ghost town. This neighborhood has become a ghost town in a state of war, says one resident, Jumaa al-Saqqa, a …

Reuters UNITED NATIONS: The UN General Assembly condemned on Friday denials of the Holocaust in a US-drafted resolution responding to a Tehran conference dominated by speakers questioning the extermination of 6 million Jews in World War Two. The measure, co-sponsored by more than 100 countries, including all Western nations as well as Rwanda, Brazil, Mexico …

CAIRO: As African leaders consider the likelihood of sending peacekeeping forces to Somalia, analysts believe that additional forces must go hand in hand with a diplomatic solution. “African Union (AU) troops entering Somalia without the acceptance of the Somali people or without a political settlement being introduced, will lead to the continuation of the violence, …

BEIRUT: Beirut warily returned to normal Friday after an overnight curfew – the first in a decade – prompted by street fighting between government and opposition supporters that left four dead and 152 hurt. Shops and offices reopened after the curfew was lifted at 6 am, but schools and universities remained shut on government orders, …

CAIRO: Newspaper editor Ibrahim Eissa, Judge Hisham Bastawisi and politician Osama Ghazali Harb made dire predictions for the year 2007 at the Ibn Khaldun Center’s annual New Year’s event on Tuesday night. Speaking to a crowded room of liberal Egyptian civil society leaders, politicians and foreign diplomats, the panel warned of a year full of …

GAZA CITY: Tensions rose in the Gaza Strip on Friday after renewed clashes between the ruling Hamas movement and president Mahmud Abbas s Fatah party left five people dead in less than 24 hours. A Fatah loyalist, a Hamas member and a teenager were killed in the volatile coastal strip on Friday, while another two …

Associated Press CAIRO: Former U.N. chief weapons inspector Hans Blix on Thursday said it would be at least a decade before Egypt and Jordan could launch a nuclear program and urged Egypt to sign additional protocols allowing for greater inspection oversight. Blix also said it was not illegal for Iran to enrich uranium but stressed …

CAIRO: In an attempt to resume its role on the political scene, the Kefaya movement chose Abdel Wahab El Meseiry as its new General Coordinator. El Meseiry would lead the Movement, which calls for democratic reform, succeeding George Isaac. El Meseiry told The Daily Star Egypt that Isaac was the one who initiated the change …

United States Representative Wayne Gilchrest is a Republican Congressman serving the State of Maryland’s 1st District. Recently, Michael Shank, Policy Director for the 3D Security Initiative in Washington DC, interviewed US Congressman Gilchrest for THE DAILY STAR EGYPT. Shank: Is the United States maximizing its diplomatic capacity in the Middle East? My perspective is that …

CAIRO: Republican and Democratic representatives from the United States Congress have issued a bipartisan letter to the Egyptian government, calling for the immediate release of student blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Soliman Amer who is currently standing trial for “defaming Islam on his Internet blog. Initiated by Congressman Trent Franks (R) and Congressman Barney Frank (D) …

CAIRO: Sawfat El Sherif, head of the Shura Council (SC), the upper house of Parliament, announced Wednesday Jan. 24 the new formation of the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR). El Sherif said during the parliamentary session that only two current members have asked him personally to withdraw their memberships: Bahi El Din Hassan, head …

Consultations held over regional issues CAIRO: The idea of sending peace keeping troops to Darfur and Sudan was on the agenda of the Libya-hosted summit which brought together the leaders of Egypt, Algeria and Libya, analysts have said. “Questions were asked and points of view exchanged in the summit over the possibility of sending Arab …

CAIRO: It is said that for those who fall from a height, time slows down. Depending on which floor they are on or which precipice they are leering over, the drop could take four seconds. Give or take. In Lebanon, the fall into the abyss has taken two years. Two years since former Premier Rafik …

CAIRO: The Shura Council (SC) discussed and decided on Monday to finalize nine agreements for drilling and searching for petroleum and natural gas in Egypt. The discussion of the estimated 412-page draft agreements lasted an hour and half. Deputy Mohammed Farid Zakaria objected to the way the government pushes such important agreements through the SC. …

Cairo: Nilesat continues to host Sunni Insurgency channel Friendly US requests to pull an Iraqi satellite channel off the Egyptian government-run Nilesat satellite have been rebuffed. The Al-Zawraa channel highlights the point of view of the Iraqi resistance and various armed groups who say they are fighting against US and Iranian occupation. It often airs …

Reuters BEIRUT: Thousands of Shia Muslim and Christian protesters blocked roads in Lebanon with blazing tires on Tuesday in a campaign to oust the government, and at least a dozen people were wounded in gunfire between rival factions. At least 48 people were hurt in scuffles, especially in Beirut and Christian areas, security sources said. …

CAIRO: Egyptian security forces arrested seven members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood north of the Egyptian capital on Wednesday in a widening crackdown on the country s largest opposition movement, the group said. The arrests brought the number of Brotherhood members held in Egyptian jails to more than 270, most of them arrested over the …

Associated Press BEIRUT, Lebanon: Cleaners swept smoldering car tires and bulldozers removed debris and other obstacles from major highways as a tense calm shrouded Lebanon Wednesday, a day after violence between government supporters and opponents killed three and injured more than 170. As the country took toll of the worst escalation of the Hezbollah-led opposition …