CAIRO: Arab governments are poised to reach an agreement with the United States over its declared policy shift in Iraq in exchange for a renewed effort to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told the press Monday that the planned resumption of high-level Israeli-Palestinian contacts would be the most serious Middle …

CAIRO: Egyptian authorities have released Howayda Taha, a producer at the Al-Jazeera documentary channel, on bail for the amount of LE 10,000 after accusing her of fabricating scenes of torture in police stations. A source at the channel said that Taha underwent two consecutive days of interrogation and was released on bail on Monday. Her …

Security forces discovered a cache of explosives on Sunday in the Sinai peninsula, where bomb attacks have killed more than 100 people since 2004, security sources said. The cache consisted of at least 500 kg of TNT hidden in two gas containers and large plastic bags and was found in the desert area near El-Arish, …

CAIRO: The Ministry of Interior has charged and detained Howayda Taha, a producer in Al-Jazeera’s newly-launched Documentary Channel, for possession of 50 videotapes that allegedly include simulated torture scenes in Egyptian police stations. On Jan. 8, Cairo International Airport security prevented the Doha-based producer from boarding a plane for Qatar and confiscated 50 videotapes in …

CAIRO: Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora said Saturday that an Arab League initiative aimed at resolving the ongoing political crisis in Lebanon was the only serious one. It is the only serious initiative that currently exists, Seniora told reporters after a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo. We must continue to encourage this …

CAIRO: The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) is in the final stages of forming a political party, said Mohamed Habib, deputy head of the banned-but-tolerated group. Habib told The Daily Star Egypt that the Brotherhood’s political committee is in the process of finalizing its charter, which will be announced in a matter of weeks. According to a …

Cairo: President Hosni Mubarak’s warnings for Iran not to interfere in Iraq as the oil-rich Arab country continues its downward spiral to civil war is part and parcel of Egypt’s foreign policy, experts have said. Head of the International Relations Unit at Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies Hassan Abu Taleb told The …

JERUSALEM: Defense Minister Amir Peretz, leader of Israel s Labor Party, has chosen Arab lawmaker Raleb Majadele to be a Cabinet minister, Israeli media reported Wednesday. Majadele would be the second Israeli Arab to serve in the Cabinet. Salah Tarif, a Druse leader, served nine months as a minister without portfolio before resigning in January …

CAIRO: The Muslim Brotherhood rebutted on Friday accusations by President Hosni Mubarak that the fundamentalist group poses a national security threat, saying his claims are aimed at stirring fears in the Egyptian public. The President warned in an interview that the Muslim Brotherhood could threaten foreign investment and isolate Egypt from the world if it …

CAIRO: The Shura Council (SC), the upper house of parliament, unanimously approved on Thursday the 34 constitutional amendments suggested by President Mubarak late last year. Safwat Al-Sherif, head of the SC, said after the voting: “I hereby announce the agreement of the Shura Council on the amendments which on President Mubarak asked parliament debate. He …

Cairo: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s Mideast visit is an attempt to shore up support amongst Arab states for American policy in the region, analysts say. “She’s seeking help from countries of the region in solving American problems, Waheed Abdel-Meguid, head of Arab research at Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, told …

CAIRO: President Hosni Mubarak has delivered the strongest warning yet to Tehran to stay out of Iraq, in an interview published Thursday. Iran is trying to gain support in Iraq and in the region and I say to all: don t touch Iraq, said Mubarak in remarks carried by the Egyptian weekly Al-Osboa. Iraq is …

Foreign Ministers declare aim to find permanent solution to Israel conflict CAIRO: King Abdullah II of Jordan met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo Wednesday to discuss a solution for the ongoing conflict between Palestinian factions and to revive the stalled peace process with Israel. Thirty people have been killed as fighting continues between …

Cairo: The Arab Investment Dispute Settlement Court, established by the League of Arab States, heard a petition for appeal brought by a Saudi investor against the Tunisian government Wednesday. The case was first brought to the Court’s attention in 2004 and claimed that the Tunisian government was in breach of a contract signed July 16, …

Half of military budget earmarked for new weaponry CAIRO: The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) marked in a ceremony the delivery of 35 remanufactured AH-64D Apache helicopters from Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, a unit of The Boeing Company as reported by rotorhub.com. Present at the ceremony were 150 representatives from the EAF, Boeing and the US …

Condemnation of Saddam execution widening rift, analysts say CAIRO: The execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has sent ripples of anger throughout the Middle East but may now be cause for a diplomatic rift between Iraq and its neighbors, analysts have said. In the face of mounting condemnation at the manner in which his …

CAIRO: Intellectuals and activists denounced Minister of Religious Endowments Hamdy Zaqzuq for expelling an employee from a meeting for refusing to remove her niqab (the full face cover). The religious counselor was asked by a Zaqzuq aide to remove her face veil before Zaqzuq s speech opening a training session Tuesday for religious advisors and …

Talks to centre on Iraq, Palestinian peace efforts CAIRO: US Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice will visit Egypt later this month as part of a regional tour to ramp up Middle East Peace efforts and gain support for President Bush’s renewed offensive in Iraq, American officials announced. “It s no secret that we have encouraged …

CAIRO: Two of the five Egyptian nationals held at the notorious US prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba have been released, the Ministry of Interior confirmed late last week. While the identity of the two men are still unknown, one of the them reportedly arrived in Egypt while the other requested not to return to …

BAGHDAD: A grisly new video showing the body of Saddam Hussein shortly after his hanging, his head sharply twisted to one side and a gaping bloody wound to his neck, was posted on the Internet Tuesday. The 27-second footage, apparently taken with a cell phone camera, is expected to trigger fresh outrage in Iraq over …

CAIRO: Minister of State for Legislative Councils and Legal Affairs Mofeed Shehab launched into a tirade against Egypt’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mohammed Qassem during the Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Mecca) over what he perceived to be inadequate support by the embassy for the official Egyptian delegation for the Hajj, which Shehab was heading. According …

CAIRO: Jordan s King Abdullah II is due in Cairo Wednesday to discuss latest developments in the region with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, a statement from the presidency said Tuesday. The two leaders will focus in particular on the situation on the Palestinian front, spokesman Suleiman Awad said. President Hosni Mubarak is eager to pursue …

CAIRO: Independent members of parliament and Muslim Brotherhood MPs in the People’s Assembly early this week, rejected amendments to Articles 76, 77 and 88 of the constitution, while human rights activists declare their fears of the anti-terrorism law. The MPs claimed that changes to Article 88, which gave the judiciary the authority to supervise elections, …

CAIRO: A district criminal court in Zakazik ruled that 13 Muslim Brotherhood members serving a 15-day jail term be released. According to Mohamed Habib, Muslim Brotherhood Deputy Leader, the 13 men have not been freed yet. By law the prosecution can appeal the verdict within 48 hours of its release, so we will have to …

ROME: A preliminary hearing implicating 25 CIA agents and a US army colonel in the 2003 kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric opened Tuesday in Milan with none of the defendants present, the Ansa news agency reported. Judge Caterina Interlandi is to decide whether the case, which also implicates the former head of Italy s military …

CAIRO: Fearing that Palestinian infighting will lead to a complete collapse of law and order in Palestine, President Hosni Mubarak issued Monday a stern message to the rival factions to halt the violence. It is the Palestinian people who will pay the price of these conflicts between the Palestinians, Mubarak told the official Mena news …

CAIRO: The French foreign minister called on Lebanese political factions to end their confrontation ahead of an international donors conference, saying during his brief Mideast visit Saturday that stability was key to restoring the country s struggling economy. Egypt and France agree on the ways to achieve this, Douste-Blazy said, listing mediation efforts by the …

CAIRO: The Supreme Administrative court upheld on Jan. 6 a ruling issued by the political parties committee rejecting the applications of 12 groups for official recognition and status. They said the Supreme Administrative Court ruled that the 12 groups fell short of meeting new requirements to set up political parties in Egypt. The rules require …

CAIRO: On Thursday Jan. 4, Egyptian security forces raided the houses of two Muslim Brotherhood leaders Mohamed Goda, business man, and Dr. Hamdy Allam, physician, in El Sharkia. Goda, who was not present in his home at the time of the attack, turned himself voluntarily to a police station at El Sharkia on the same …

Reuters JERUSALEM: The Bush administration will provide $86 million to strengthen security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, expanding US involvement in his struggle with Hamas, according to documents seen Friday. Fighting between Abbas s Fatah faction and Hamas, the ruling Islamist group, has surged since talks on forming a unity government collapsed and …