Al-Ahram Weekly | Home News

		Al-Ahram Weekly 9 - 15 December 1999 Issue No. 459
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875

SHARM MEETINGS: President Hosni Mubarak met separately in Sharm El-Sheikh on Tuesday with Prime Minister Atef Ebeid, as well as with the director of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and a delegation from the US Congress to discuss Egypt's economic development. --read on--

A DREAM COME TRUE: Mrs Suzanne Mubarak presented new home-owners with allotment certificates for 100 housing units -- part of 5,000 units whose construction was completed -- representing the first phase of the Future Foundation project in a ceremony at Al-Obour City last week. The foundation was established in 1998 under the auspices of Mrs Mubarak, with a mission to provide affordable housing for low-income groups through government land grants, private donations and the proceeds of fund-raising events.--read on--

Parliament debates millennium-eve party
After an appearance at the Shura Council last week, Farouk Hosni went to the People's Assembly to answer the questions of parliamentarians on the planned third-millennium celebration, Gamal Essam El-Din reports

Democracy between four walls
At yet another democracy conference, delegates debated theory but the floor was more concerned with rights on the ground. Fatemah Farag attended

Round two to Al-Shaab
A one-year campaign by an opposition newspaper waged against the agriculture minister is likely to continue after jail sentences against three of its journalists were annulled Gamal Essam El-Din reports

EOHR spurns award
HAFEZ Abu Se'da, secretary-general of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR), has turned down an award by Religious Freedom House, a Washington-based non-governmental organisation. This American NGO confers annual awards on individuals who have contributed to the struggle against human rights violations, particularly those of a religious nature. --read on--

Manners of motoring
It's getting more and more dangerous out there. Fatemah Farag dodges cars while searching for an explanation for the steep rise in road accidents

Road rules
The People's Assembly has approved in principle a new bill aimed at streamlining traffic, tightening control over driving licences and protecting the environment from car exhaust pollution, Gamal Essam El-Din reports

Fanus The extra day
Civil servants have one additional reason to celebrate Ramadan this year, but as Mariz Tadros reports, congested traffic may continue to be a major problem

The Gama'a as a safety valve?
A leader of the militant Al-Gama'a Al-Islamiya has warned the government against undermining the "safety valve" provided by his group. Jailan Halawi examines the apparent paradox