30 October - 5 November 2003 [662]
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Ramadan in Baghdad
The first day of Ramadan was marked in Baghdad by a hardening of resistance, slaughter and chaos, writes Salah HemeidThe politics of exclusion
How national can the dialogue be without the Muslim Brotherhood? Not very, the group's leading members tell Omayma Abdel-LatifPhoto catpion
With the US keeping its live artillery aimed at suspected enemies in Iraq it is left to the Arab world to demonstrate the peaceful uses of the cannon...
Working through the details
What to do about developments in the Palestinian territories and Iraq remain prominent diplomatic topics. Nevine Khalil reportsReturn of the king
The 3000-year-old mummy of 19th Dynasty King Ramses I made its way back to Egypt last week. Nevine El-Aref was there for the homecoming celebrationsDealing with the dialogue
Preparatory meetings being held as a prelude to a national dialogue featured several disagreements between the NDP and two opposition parties. Gamal Essam El-Din reportsA battle half-won
As feminists and NGO advocates celebrated the legal recognition of the New Woman Research Centre, Mariz Tadros discovers the battle is far from overAvoiding the jam
Will this year's Ramadan traffic be any better than last year's? Reem Nafie seeks an answerNewsreel
The Arab International Women's Conference that took place in London last week featured high-level discussions regarding the need for the world's governments to avoid conflicts in order to facilitate development...
Can Israel have it all?
Israel's ability to strike inside Syria with impunity is another reminder that military parity simply doesn't exist in the region, Galal Nassar commentsFlipper wouldn't approve
Reports that Israel has fitted German submarines with nuclear warheads have not just left the government in Berlin high and dry. They also signal an ominous sea-change in the Middle East's balance of military power, writes Dominic ColdwellKilling the two-state solution
New walls and demolitions put a viable two-state solution that much closer to extinction, reports Khalid Amayreh from JerusalemGearing up for stability
Arab diplomacy is stepping up its efforts on Iraq and Palestine. Dina Ezzat reportsOn the mend
Private banks, cheaper cars and higher salaries are some recent measures pushing Syria towards a brighter economic future. Iason Athanasiadis in Aleppo asks what went rightMore than just a royal reshuffle
The appointment of a new cabinet in Jordan this week signalled a greater involvement by the king in the running of the country, Sana Abdallah reports from AmmanArab eyes on Sudan
With a Sudanese peace conference around the corner, Arabs are trying to get on board. Dina Ezzat reportsSafe landing
By reaching an agreement with the IAEA, Iran has foiled the American plot to set the Tehran regime up for a fall, reports Mostafa Al-LabbadNo free lunch
Pledges to Iraq at the Madrid donors' conference fell short of the billions needed to rebuild the country, writes Salah HemeidMissing in action
Caught in the crosshairs of jittery soldiers, Iraqi civilians are feeling the full force of occupation, writes Nyier AbdouFood for thought
Competitive as it is, the lucrative US food market is worth a shot by Egyptian exporters, writes Sherine NasrA leaner Ramadan
For anyone involved in the food trade, Ramadan is usually the annual opportunity for increasing sales. This year, however, may be different, reports Mona El-FiqiWith the government's blessings
Gamal Essam El-Din assesses the USAID-Egyptian relationship and speaks with the new USAID Mission Director Kenneth Ellis about the organisation's place in a post - 9/11 world and its role in EgyptThe USAID debate
Last week's visit by the newly appointed USAID/Egypt Mission Director Kenneth Ellis to Minya gave some insight into the role of USAID in a post-9/11 world, reports Gamal Essam El-DinReclaiming the streets
After a six-month lull American anti-war protesters are back in force. Khaled Dawoud and Anayat Durrani report from Washington and San FranciscoBush woos Asia, somewhat
George W Bush trod on sensitive ground in his whirlwind Asian tour, writes Damien Kingsbury from JakartaGarroting Galloway
George Galloway had to pay the price for supporting Iraq, reports Alistair Alexander from London'Cuba sí'
The Bush administration is itching to launch a regime change in Cuba, writes Faiza RadyVoting and more voting
Most Colombians will not be thrilled by the upshots of a referendum for reform, Hisham El-Naggar writes from Buenos AiresDivided they fall
Accusations of racism and a lack of cooperation are making a bad situation worse for a Balkanised Muslim American community, writes Jaideep Mukerji
Israeli opposition to Sharon
The new found voice of the Israeli left may represent a last hope for peace, writes Ibrahim NafieHeresies of statehood
Has the Arab world ever really understood the relation between state and nation? Azmi Bishara seeks answers in the collapse of political society in IraqDemocracy and the national debate
Mohamed Sid-Ahmed believes democracy to be the centrepiece of a genuine national revival in EgyptFrom pulse to poll
A recent poll in Iraq holds surprises for Arabs and Americans alike, writes Abdel-Moneim SaidAmerican irresponsibility act
The Syrian Accountability Act's progress through the US Congress is not only a blow to Syria but to regional stability at large, Sami Moubayed writesEditorial: Nuclear hypocrisies
It is time the international community embraced long- standing Egyptian proposals to make the Middle East a region free of weapons of mass destruction (WMD)...Close up
Greater Israel
Without pretense of inside information or claims of insight or deep analysis, it is clear that the US has abandoned the roadmap and that the peace process portfolio has been closed...
By Salama A SalamaSoapbox
Our market economy
Depending on your point of view, the Egyptian transition to a market economy commenced either 30 or 12 years ago...
By Bahaa AlieddinTwo faces of Ramadan
This year the holy month of Ramadan greets a populace trapped between a historical vision of the month as a time of scented beauty, Sufi chanting and staying up at Fishawi till suhour on the one hand, and the painful reality of political, economic and administrative problems...
By Naguib MahfouzBahgory One-line: ARAFAT, SHARON
The bombshell
A novelist's rejection of a state award, the opening of a national dialogue and a campaign against the US ambassador were some of this week's top stories. Amira Howeidy reviews the Egyptian pressNot in the mood
This week, more than others, was time for the Arab press to lament the disunity of the Arab world. Dina Ezzat shares in the agonyBottom Lines
Quotes from the Arab press
Reaching out
Nehad Selaiha enjoys the fruits of a dual modern dance workshop at the Creativity CentreIn progress: A character exploration
Frank Bradley, who teaches at the American University in Cairo, is a theatre director and professor...
By Sherif NakhlaPlain Talk
I will probably never venture to use a computer. Somehow I get a sense of satisfaction from using a pen to trust my thoughts to paper...
By Mursi Saad El-DinAn impossible honour
Youssef Rakha sums up the repercussions of novelist Sonallah Ibrahim's refusal to accept the second Novelists Conference awardSpeaking truth to power
Sonallah Ibrahim's dramatic last act finally made sense of the last minute dedication of the second conference on the Arab novel to Edward Said, writes Mona AnisThe value of freedom
Sonallah Ibrahim's refusal to accept a LE100,000 award from the Higher Council for Culture in recognition of his contribution to Arabic literature was greeted with massive applause, writes Samia MehrezTinkering tailor
It all started with an invitation to a wedding. And it all ended in tears...
By Colette KinsellaEasy with the ouzo
Gamal Nkrumah drinks in the Alexandrian viewCourgettes Soup with yoghurt and cream
Weekly recipe
By Moushira Abdel-MalekPull up a chair
With Ramadan blessings passing from plate to mouth in the Muslim world, Yasmine El-Rashidi explores life around the tableTake a deep breath if you dare
With black smog back for the fifth year, Reem Nafie tries to find out why Cairenes can't breatheWorking your way out
Efforts to combat poverty worldwide have met little success and Egypt is no exception. Gihan Shahine sifts through a new ILO report in search for answersChicken feed
Animal protein is an important component of Ramadan meals, and chicken has long been an economic alternative to red meat. Lina Mahmoud discovers this is no longer the caseDated market
For decades the advent of Ramadan meant a visit to the date market in Rod Al-Farag. This year, however, may be the last of a long tradition. Gazebeya El-Hamamsy reports
'A philosophy of colours'
Alexandria's long-awaited National Museum is open. Nevine El-Aref tours the state-of-the-art complex
Road to Athens fogs up
Egyptian football fell flat on its face in the first hurdle to the Olympics, reports Mohamed El-Sayed'We won'
Despite Nigeria claiming first prize, the National Olympic Committee says Egypt took top honours at the All-Africa Games. Inas Mazhar weighs the argumentsMandela hoping
Former South African President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela was welcomed by FIFA President Joseph Blatter to the headquarters of world football's governing body in Zurich on Sunday...Briefs
Kim Clijsters won her third straight Seat Open title with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Chanda Rubin and returned to the No.1 ranking...
That's entertainment
An entertainment page introduced in Al-Ahram in 1933 was devoted almost entirely to the cinema, local and foreign. Its stories covered movie companies, the transition from silent movies to the talkies and the technology that went into making films. Professor Yunan Labib Rizk traces the rise to prominence of the "seventh art"
Mohamed Selim El-Awa: Faith in the struggle
Political thought, activism, and the spaces between
Profile by Omayma Abdel-Latif
Pack of Cards
By Madame SosostrisLimelight
By Lubna Abdel-Aziz