Al-Ahram Weekly | Home News

French Prime Minister Jospin, in the course of a two-day visit, examined ways of promoting economic cooperation and held discussions with President Mubarak and Yasser Arafat on the issue of declaring a Palestinian state. Nevine Khalil writes on the political aspect of the visit while Shaden Shehab and Shaimaa Labib explore its economic dimension

'Vital for the future'
The principal aim of French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin's visit was to boost bilateral economic cooperation. "Our relations are eternal... France wants to join in modern Egypt's economic development because this is vital for the future," he told reporters. --read on--

May Day speech
In his Labour Day address broadcast last Thursday, President Hosni Mubarak said that Egypt's top two priorities are "identifying and addressing the skills needed in hi-tech projects, and raising the quality of workers to meet with modern standards". Mubarak said that these two goals will help Egypt meet the challenges of the next century. --read on--

Moussa lauds PA decision
Foreign Minister Amr Moussa described as "extremely intelligent" the Palestinian decision not to go ahead with a declaration of independence on 4 May. Gamal Essam El-Din reports

'Neither evil nor a blessing'
US ambassador to Egypt, Daniel Kurtzer, in an encounter with Egyptian journalists, defended American policy against charges of double-standards. Nadia Abou El-Magd attended

Talks with Portugal

Focus on Iran

'Trip to Tunis

Decision welcomed

Security in the Horn

Local government purged
Prime Minister Ganzouri has replaced a group of leading municipal officials in an attempt to encourage investment and economic development by stamping out corruption, reports Shaden Shehab

Hosni slams his critics
Culture Minister Farouk Hosni has defended before parliament a decision to relocate the Museum of Islamic Arts from its present traffic-congested district to the Citadel area. Gamal Essam El-Din was there

Bringing Sinai even closer
A new tunnel is to be constructed connecting Sinai with the rest of Egypt via the Suez Canal. Rehab Saad reports

Competition over rubbish?
The establishment of garbage-recycling factories by the government is being put forward as the solution to the rubbish problem. Mariz Tadros explores the prospects

'Fake' journalist arrested
The founder of an independent press syndicate has been arrested and charged with illegally parading as a journalist and setting up an illegal union, reports Shaden Shehab

'Lawyers seek elusive unity
The Committee for Lawyers' Unity is planning a mid-May general conference to discuss ways of ending the three-year sequestration imposed upon the Bar Association. Mona El-Nahhas reports

Militant suspect sought
A court in Uruguay is soon expected to make a final ruling on an Egyptian request to hand over a suspected Islamist militant arrested in the South American country. Jailan Halawi reviews the case

Gama'a lawyers threaten walkout
Lawyers defending 21 suspected leaders of Al-Gama'a Al-Islamiya against charges of plotting to assassinate top government officials have threatened to withdraw from the case, citing difficulty in obtaining vital information. Khaled Dawoud attended

Trial test
Military trials did not contribute to the decline in militant Islamist violence, claims the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights. Amira Howeidy reviews a report by the human rights group

Obituary

Construction king
Othman Ahmed Othman (1917-1999)

Crossing lines
Youssef Ouf (1928 -1999)