IRAQ: How the French Inspired the Torture

The kind of torture inflicted upon Iraqi prisoners by the U.S. army followed methods France used during the Algerian war of independence in the late 1950s, several French historians and journalists say.

GLOBALISATION-SPAIN: Workers Await the ‘Positive Side’ of Outsourcing

Controversy and protests abound in Spain when it comes to the phenomenon known as outsourcing: when local or transnational companies move their operations abroad, following the path of lowest production costs.

ECONOMY-MIDEAST: Exporters See Gains in EU Partnership

A trade agreement between Egypt and the European Union has opened new markets to exporters and paved the way towards the establishment of a Euro-Mediterranean free trade zone.

POLITICS-U.S.: Mideast Reform Stresses Economic Liberalisation

A U.S. proposal to democratise the Middle East on the agenda of next week's meeting of leaders of the world's most industrialised countries has metamorphosed into an economic blueprint for the region, with the World Bank and other financial institutions slated to play a central role.

MIDEAST: Another Giant League Backwards

The last Arab League summit looks like it will go the way of Arab gatherings that leave behind little more than memories of quarrels.

POLITICS: Latest U.S. Terror Warning Raises Questions

Two of the seven suspected terrorists linked by the Bush administration to an impending "hard" attack on the United States are probably not even in North America, said officials Wednesday.

MIDEAST: Arab Leaders Have Another Go at Agreeing

The sharp escalation in violence in the Palestinian territories and in Iraq places heavy pressure on Arab leaders to take a united stand at this weekend's summit.