Al-Ahram Weekly | Home News

Rank-and-file dissenters
The new People's Assembly is due to convene. Gamal Essam El-Din reports that it will contain many more opposition voices than was previously the case

Dreaming of better times
Following the poor electoral performance of the legal opposition parties, Omayma Abdel-Latif asks whether political reform may be their only salvation

Watch this space
The outlawed Muslim Brotherhood has emerged as the largest opposition bloc in the new People's Assembly. Amira Howeidy assesses its chances of having a significant impact on domestic politics

The meaning of success
Amina Elbendary follows the trail of the female candidates who won parliamentary seats

The rising voice of Arab women
Ten of the Arab world's first ladies converged upon Cairo last week for the first regional summit for Arab women. Dahlia Hammouda listened to their statements pledging support to the Palestinian cause and pushing for the improved status of women in their societies

Comments from the summit
Conference highlights

The power of principles
One of the three main sponsors of the First Arab Women's Summit is the Hariri Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded in Lebanon by Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri. Al-Hariri is well known for his philanthropic activities, particularly in the reconstruction of Lebanon, education and general social welfare. Bahiyya Al-Hariri, his sister, is a member of the Lebanese parliament and is on the board of the Hariri Foundation. In Cairo to head the foundation's delegation to the conference, she spoke to Dahlia Hammouda about her evaluation of the summit and the humanitarian causes the Hariri Foundation champions

In quest of stronger ties
The Supreme Egyptian-Syrian Joint Committee affirmed its commitment to Arab and Islamic summit resolutions and took steps to bolster bilateral economic relations. Shaden Shehab reports from Damascus

Daylight robbery
Jailan Halawi describes what happened when Egypt witnessed this week its first major bank robbery in years

Curtain falls on a saga
The military trial of 20 leading figures of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood has finally come to a close. Khaled Dawoud reports on a 14-month episode

As long as it's fair
The trial of a sociology professor accused of undermining Egypt's reputation has begun. For many international observers, it is Egypt's lega; system that is under closest scrutiny

Newsreel