JERUSALEM: Israel on Friday closed down its embassy in Mauritania, one of three Arab nations that have diplomatic ties with the Jewish state, the foreign ministry said, in the wake of a dispute over the Gaza war. Following a Jan. 16 decision of the Mauritanian government to freeze ties with Israel, and at the request …

CAIRO: Somali pirates released an Egyptian cargo ship on Wednesday with its 28 crew whom they had seized off the Somali coast on New Year s Day, the state-run MENA news agency reported. The release of the vessel followed mediation efforts by Egyptian intelligence and foreign ministry officials, MENA said without making any mention of …

CAIRO: Sudanese President Omar Al-Beshir expelled 10 aid organizations in the wake of the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) Wednesday, which he labeled a “conspiracy. “This is an attempt to get at Sudan, he told a cabinet meeting Thursday, labeling the United Nations, the ICC and other organizations “tools of the …

CAIRO: International donors to the Palestinians will meet on April to follow up on commitments made at the meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday, a Norwegian diplomat told AFP. Egypt said after the conference that nearly $5.2 billion was pledged by international donors to rebuild the Gaza Strip and support the Palestinian economy after the …

SHARM EL SHEIKH: The Gaza reconstruction conference that was held in Sharm El-Sheikh Monday, though trumpeted as a success, was overcast by doubts regarding the implementation of the $4.5 billion in pledges. But past the $4.5 billion (which could possibly rise to $5.2 billion) the donors have raised questions over the method of implementing the …

CAIRO: While the Central Auditing Agency’s (CAA) annual report listed 21 achievements made by the government over the 2007-2008 year, it also pointed to major shortcomings. According to the report – which was presented to the People’s Assembly (PA) earlier this week by chairman of the CAA Gawdat Al-Malt – the government’s most notable achievement …

CAIRO: Egypt called on Wednesday for International Criminal Court to delay its arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al-Beshir for war crimes in Darfur, the official MENA news agency said. Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit “calls on the UN Security Council to convene an emergency meeting … with the aim of taking a decision calling …

SHARM EL-SHEIKH: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton vowed to push for a two-state solution and a viable Palestinian state Monday during the Gaza donors’ conference. “The assistance we are offering is integral to our broader goals of comprehensive peace and a two state solution. We are working with our Palestinian partners to help pave …

CAIRO: The People’s Assembly’s proposals and complaints committee drafted a new law criminalizing issuing a fatwa without a special license. The draft law imposes a three-year jail sentence to any unauthorized person issuing a fatwa, and is only applicable to Egyptians. It also stipulates that the Islamic Research Center and Dar Al Ifta be the …

CAIRO: Despite a $200 million cut in economic aid to Egypt approved by the United States House of Representatives on Feb. 25, analysts say it is not likely to make a dent in Egypt’s economy. The cut was part of the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act, a bill designating federal funding for the remainder of the …

SHARM EL-SHEIKH: Hamas will not receive any of the American aid earmarked for the reconstruction of Gaza and the Palestinian Authority, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday at the Gaza donors conference. Speaking at the second session of the conference alongside other foreign ministers and Quartet Middle East Envoy Tony Blair, Clinton, as …

CAIRO: Members of Egypt’s April 6 Youth group have called for a general strike, a year after they had made a similar call via social networking website Facebook. A statement posted on a Facebook group counting over 70,000 members refers to various grievances including corruption, unsatisfactory education in schools, overcrowded public transport and the increasing …

SHARM EL SHEIKH: The one day conference Monday to support the Palestinian economy and the reconstruction of Gaza saw pledges of financial assistance, but stressed the need for a lasting peace between Palestinians and Israelis. The Palestinians cannot afford to wait any longer for a peace that will not come, said President Hosni Mubarak in …

CAIRO: Gamal Mubarak s trip to Washington today has politicians and analysts speculating about the motives and significance for Egyptian-American relations of the President s son s two-day visit to the United States. In his first visit to the United States since 2006, Mubarak will be meeting several congressmen and US officials while attending discussions …

BEIT LAHIYA, Gaza Strip: The seven foul-smelling lagoons of sewage near Gaza s coast were supposed to be replaced by a globally funded waste treatment plant. Instead, they epitomize the nightmare faced by foreign donors as they seek to rebuild the territory and open a pathway to peace. The multimillion dollar project has been delayed …

CAIRO: Lawyers vowed to continue their sit-in inside the Lawyers’ Syndicate throughout this week in protest at a new draft law that would increase lawsuit fees 10-fold. The Legislative Committee of the People’s Assembly (PA) had already approved the draft law. It’s now pending the approval of the members of parliament. Mohamed Khalil Kwaitah, MP …

BRUSSELS: The European Commission announced Friday that it would donate ?436 million ($553 million) in aid to the conflict-torn Gaza Strip at an international donors conference next week. By offering a substantial aid package we confirm our generosity and commitment towards the Palestinians, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said in a statement. The commissioner …

JERUSALEM: Benjamin Netanyahu failed to persuade his centrist rival, Tzipi Livni, to join him in a broad coalition Friday, increasing the likelihood that Israel s next government will be an alliance of hawks and hard-line religious parties opposed to substantial concessions for peace. However, Livni did not shut the door on any possibility of an …

WASHINGTON: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is to embark Sunday on her first trip to the Middle East and Europe as the United States top diplomat, the State Department announced Thursday. Clinton, who visited Asia last week on her first foreign tour since starting work last month, will travel March 1-7 to Egypt, Israel, the …

CAIRO: Rival Palestinian groups agreed on Thursday to set up a unity government by the end of March after reconciliation talks aimed at ending long-running factional feuding, Palestinian officials said. The agreement, which could lead to the creation of a Palestinian government acceptable to the international community, was announced by officials from two Palestinian factions …

CAIRO: Saudi Arabia has replaced Egypt as the regional leader, according to a recent US National Intelligence Council report. The report, “Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan: Policies on Regional Issues and Support for US Goals in the Middle East, was issued based on a conference that brought together Middle Eastern scholars and specialists in June …

CAIRO: Egyptian security services do not believe a deadly bombing near a tourist site in Cairo that killed a French teenager was targeting French people in particular, an official told AFP on Wednesday. The inquiry is continuing, dozens of people have been questioned and three suspects are in custody, but that French people were the …

ADDIS ABABA, WASHINGTON: African Union president Jean Ping and US officials have denounced the attack in Cairo that killed a French teenager and wounded 25 other people, most of them foreign tourists. Ping condemned the blind violence of the weekend attack in a statement issued from the African Union s headquarters in Addis Ababa late …

CAIRO: Palestinian rival groups Fatah and Hamas held a series of icebreaking meetings ahead of wider reconciliation talks aimed at repairing the gaping rift between the two groups, members said Wednesday. The discussions, mediated by Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, focused on releasing detainees and ending the negative media campaigns each side is waging against …

CAIRO: While reaching a consensus that the push for change has taken a socio-economic rather than a strictly political direction, Egyptian intellectuals, analysts and political activists are still debating the implications of the recent Judges’ Club elections on what’s been labeled as the “Correction Wave in Egypt. Apprehension and optimism were both present at a …

JERUSALEM: Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Wednesday warned that Israel would launch another military operation in Gaza if the alleged smuggling of arms from Iran to the territory s Hamas rulers continues. Iran must be made aware that the weapon smuggling to Syria, Lebanon and Hamas constitutes a severe violation of international agreements, and must …

JERUSALEM: Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has named two senior officials to replace Amos Gilad, who was suspended as Israel s pointman for Gaza truce talks, public radio said on Tuesday. Yuval Diskin, the head of the Shin Beth internal intelligence agency, and Shalom Turjeman, a senior Olmert aide, will now handle talks with Egypt …

CAIRO: Further suspects were taken in for questioning over the Al-Hussein bombings on Sunday while others have been released, according to various press reports. Police have taken in 11 suspects from the site of the bombing for questioning while releasing three – two women wearing the niqab and a man – who had been detained …

CAIRO: The Rafah border crossing remained open Tuesday for the third day running to allow Palestinians to come in from Gaza and others to return to the strip. About 1,153 Palestinians have entered Egypt since the crossing opened Sunday. They were mostly students heading to their countries of study, medical patients seeking treatment in Egypt …