Newsreel

---

New peace call

PRESIDENT Hosni Mubarak issued a fresh appeal this week to all Palestinian factions to settle their political differences in favour of a united cause of independence and statehood. In the annual address that the president makes on the eve of the Muslim world's celebration of the birth of the Prophet Mohamed, Mubarak dealt with the fate of the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks and inter-Palestinian differences.

"The [failure] to reach a fair solution to the Palestinian cause is only inciting anger not just among Palestinians but indeed among all Muslim and Arab states. It breeds frustration, extremism and violence and threatens the stability and security of the region and the world at large," Mubarak warned on Tuesday evening.

Mubarak said that Israel should learn from history that occupation is ultimately defied and that its own security is pending on a fair, lasting and comprehensive resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The president stressed that the success of the Palestinian- Israeli peace talks is "a joint responsibility" for both sides. He said that Egypt is exercising diplomatic influence to support and secure the success of these talks.

Earlier in the day, Mubarak received Marc Otte, the Middle East envoy of the European Union (EU), and Dimitrij Rupel, foreign minister of Slovenia, the current EU chair, for a briefing on the latest European efforts to promote Middle East peace.

Accident kills 23

TWENTY-three people, 20 of whom were police conscripts, were killed on Sunday evening when a truck collided into their vehicle on the Cairo-Alexandria highway. According to an initial investigation, the driver of the truck, who died in the accident along with two passengers, was driving at high speed, running into the police vehicle and smashing it in two.

Fifteen people were declared dead at the scene of the crash while eight others died from their injuries.

Thirteen policemen are receiving treatment in Al-Haram Hospital.

The passengers were on their way to a theatre in Cairo.

Following the accident, the highway was jammed for hours.

On Monday, police vehicles started to transport the bodies of the victims to their families in various governorates. The Interior Ministry has given LE2,000 to the victims' families in immediate aid.

An investigation into the cause of the accident is now being conducted by the general prosecution.

Road accidents in Egypt are usually caused by speeding, poor maintenance of vehicles and poor roads.

Last month, 29 people were killed in a pile-up on a road south of Cairo that was blamed on fog.

Nour appeal rejected

OPPOSITION leader Ayman Nour has had an appeal to be freed from jail turned down.

The Higher Administrative Court on Monday quashed an appeal filed by Nour, in which he contested the ruling passed in July by the first degree Administrative Court which turned down his request for release from prison on health grounds.

The ruling this week said Nour's health does not necessitate his release. Nour is suffering from illnesses which are not connected with where he is staying, the ruling clarified, adding that Nour would not get better if he left prison.

Nour suffers from diabetes and has serious heart problems.

Nour's lawyer Amir Salem issued an appeal to President Mubarak asking him to pardon the 43-year-old Nour due to the deteriorating health of his claimant.

Nour, serving a five-year jail term on forgery charges, came second to President Mubarak in 2005 in the country's first multi-candidate presidential elections.

Should Nour be pardoned, he would not be allowed to practice any of his political rights, including the right to run in any future elections.

"In accordance with a release or pardon by the president, he will not exercise political rights. He won't fight anyone... he would be released just to get medical treatment," Salem told reporters.

Political analysts argue that the government wanted Nour out just to pave the way for Mubarak's son Gamal to succeed his father as president.

Oil rig explodes

AN OIL rig in Abu Redeis in southern Sinai exploded Saturday, causing a huge blaze. According to accounts of officials working for the petroleum company, the explosion was caused by a gas leakage from a petroleum well.

In the wake of the incident, the well, which produces 9,000 barrels a day, was closed for 48 hours.

At a press conference on Monday, officials at the Petroleum Ministry said the explosion was caused by technical problems. They said there were no casualties.

Full of HOPE

PFIZER CEO Jeff Kindler and Minister of Health and Population Hatem El-Gibali have discussed the new training programme for Egyptian physicians, nurses and professionals, Reem Leila reports.

Under the plan over 100 courses will be given to train more than 10,000 healthcare professionals who in turn will train others. The one-year venture also aims at helping ensure the success of the National Training Institute (NTI) in Abbasiya. According to Kindler, Pfizer will grant Egypt $500,000 for the project Health Opportunity for People in Egypt (HOPE) to help support training activities at the NTI. "With the current contribution, our total support to this programme now stands at $4.5 million over the past five years," Kindler said.

Egyptian healthcare professionals are to be trained on how to identify bogus medicine and keep them out of the marketplace. They will also be trained on how to help a higher proportion of smokers kick the habit. "Being the Health Ministry we are committed to health and well-being and we fully support this training programme to help stop smoking in the country," El-Gibali said.

Compiled by Mona El-Nahhas