Oil versus tourism: At odds on the Red Sea
HURGHADA/CAIRO: Home for pristine diving spots and almost 200 oil drilling platforms, the Red Sea is a battlefield for two of Egypt’s pivotal sources of income, tourism and petroleum. A…
Putting an end to intolerance in Indonesia
JAKARTA: The beginning of 2010 saw much violence directed towards Indonesia’s religious minorities. On Jan. 3, a group called the People Communication Forum burnt down the Filadelfia Church, a house…
Why Jerusalem? The politics of poetry
JERUSALEM: one of the most ancient and richly-imagined cities in the world, and also the city that seems most intractable to peaceful resolution. At least since the time of King…
Life by the numbers
NEW YORK: Last week, I learned that I don't have cancer. My doctor called and said, “I have some good news!” Fortunately, we were in the middle of a fire…
The niqab or an education?
CAIRO: Last October, in an editorial titled “Confronting the Niqab” I supported the decision by now deceased Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar Tantawy to ban the full face-veil (niqab) from all-girls…
THE REEL ESTATE: A botched game with the ‘Big Guys’
I was briefly acquainted with veteran scriptwriter Bachir El-Dik nine years ago during my first internship. Working as a production assistant on the first Egyptian animated feature (which, alas, never…
EU ambassador looks forward to bright future with Egypt
CAIRO: Enhancing relations with Egypt, especially on the political level, is the top priority for the European Union delegation here, Ambassador Marc Franco told a press conference Thursday. The delegation…
PGA: Delahoussaye seizes early lead at Canadian Open
TORONTO: Brent Delahoussaye shot an eight-under 62 to equal the Canadian Open record as Americans dominated the leaderboard after the opening round of the $5.1 million event. The 29-year-old Delahoussaye…
Gaza tunnel smugglers cutting through Egypt’s wall
RAFAH, Gaza Strip: A Palestinian tunnel smuggler with a blowtorch sliced through an underground steel wall early Thursday, the latest of what officials say are hundreds of holes cut into…
Roddick’s Atlanta match to re-creates history in Tennis
ATLANTA: Andy Roddick resumed where he left off nearly a decade ago, advancing with a 6-1, 6-7 (1/7), 6-3 win over Rajeev Ram at the Atlanta Tennis Championships nine years…