September 2007  Volume # 28  Issue 09

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Home | Inside this issue    Cover Story et To Do in February    Cover Story Gaining Ground by Jessica Gray and John Prosser Though problems persist, NGOs are starting to make headway    Cover Story Hard Lessons by Azza Khattab Like the graduates it turns out, the Ministry of Education has memorized all the right answers. But will officials ever learn how to apply them to fix the system?    Cover Story Institutional Dilemma by Dina Basiony Still regarded as a venerable authority on Islam by Sunni Muslims at large, Al-Azhar seems to have lost its stature at home    Cover Story La Vita è Bella by May El Khishen With Aperitivo, the team behind La Bodega has done it again    Cover Story Past Perfect by Dr. Mursi Saad el-Din, CBE Editor in Chief Dr. Mursi Saad el-Din muses on three decades of publishing    Cover Story Read All About It, Online by Passant Rabie Egyptian online-only news organizations are slowly gaining local readership, but official recognition is still a long way off    Cover Story Remaking History’s Shelves by Michael Kaput With grand plans for a museum in every governorate, the SCA is looking to spring history from its tourist trap    Cover Story Safe Surfing by Nadine El Sayed The Cyber Peace Initiative promotes protection against online predators    Cover Story Say Eih? by Passant Rabie Love it or hate it, Arabish is part of the lingua franca. Now new technologies are turning that slang into Arabic script.    Cover Story    Strings Attached by Lara El Gibaly Untangling a forgotten art at the Cairo Puppet Theater    Cover Story    The Censor’s Scissors by Lamia Hassan Egypt Today sheds light on how the censorship process really works    Cover Story The Cloth Divide by Ethar El-Katatney As religious scholars and politicians debate the veil, the segregation it seems to inspire is often overlooked    Cover Story    The Tunes of Change by Osama Diab For a new generation of young artists, music is not just about love    Cover Story    Three Decades of Discovery by May Kaddah Modern technology and innovation bring new insight to Egypt’s past    Cover Story War Films Films’ ability to change perspective illuminates dark periods in history    Cover Story We've Got You Covered by Kate Durham “It is our aim to move with modern Cairo.” So wrote founder Bill Harrison in the inaugural issue of Cairo Today, a 12-page black-and-white newsletter that hit newsstands on December 1, 1979. Over the next three decades, Cairo and Egypt have moved quickly, and the magazine that is now Egypt Today has kept pace with the nation.    Cover Story While blockbusters brought in the cash last month, dramas and Oscar-nominated films dominate February's offerings    Cover Story A Little Piece of Quiet by Michael Kaput In the urban jungle, can a bookworm find a little peace?    Cover Story Culture, Chaos and Controversy by Jessica Gray The forty-second Cairo International Book Fair spotlights Russian literature and Jerusalem    Cover Story How to Get Published by Passant Rabie The road to having your book published is strenuous but rewarding    Cover Story Libraries for All by Dina Basiony Nearly 1,000 public libraries across the nation are ready to inform and entertain all year long    Cover Story Make Space on the Shelf by Michael Kaput, Michael Ide, Nadine El Sayed,Passant Rabie, Lamia Hassan, John Prosser and May El Khishen From new releases to obscure gems, et’s must-read list crosses the spectrum of genres    Cover Story Not Just a Bookstore by Osama Diab A new generation of bookstores is revolutionizing the book market in Egypt    Cover Story Read All About It by Nadine El Sayed A look at the nation’s tried and true bookshops    Cover Story Scavenger Hunt by Kate Durham Once you’ve found the used book markets, let the books find you    Cover Story The Book Seller by Andrew Schurgott Harby Mohseb has spent a lifetime amid the shelves at Ezbekya    Cover Story What’s Really Wrong with the Middle East by Osama Diab Author and journalist Brian Whitaker diagnoses the region’s problems    Cover Story HIGH HOPES The nation’s pride had a roller coaster ride in 2009    Cover Story Same Old, Same Old by Ethar El-Katatney In 2050, a fifth of Egyptians will be age 60 and older. How will the country accomodate its aging population?    Cover Story Safety on the set by Lamia Hassan As the stunts that fill the cinema seats get better, so do the dangers of filming them. Yet 2009 recorded no major accidents, compared to the high-profile mishaps of years past. Egypt Today goes behind the scenes to find out what is going right in the world of stuntmen.    Cover Story Meet the Leaders by Dina Basiony Everyone seems to be talking about the 2011 presidential elections — everyone, that is, except those who might actually run. While the popular vote is calling for a popular candidate, the Constitution limits eligibility for the high office to leaders from the nation’s most viable political parties. In the run-up to the nation’s second multi-candidate presidential race, Egypt Today talks to the parties most likely to field contenders.    Cover Story    Family Champion by Dina Basiony Moushira Khattab, head of the newly created Ministry of Family and Population, has been lauded as a crusader for human rights and lambasted as a threat to traditional values    Cover Story Age of Insecurity by Azza Khattab Whatever happened to the Egyptians, indeed? The ‘good old days’ of our parents may not have always been good, but they were considerably safer. Today, our morbid fascination with true-crime stories is gorging on a glut of true crimes. What is to be done as our streets, homes and even rhetoric become even more violent?    Cover Story Gearing Up for DownTime by Karim Abdullah When stocking the suitcase for El-Sahel, beach towels and bathing suits are no-brainers. But leave room for the high- and low-tech toys that will help you make the most of your holiday — and every day.    Cover Story A Date With Diplomacy by Dina Basiony In an Egypt Today exclusive, former Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher reflects on 30 years of peace and the way forward    Cover Story    Adventures on Land and Sea by Lamia Hassan Sand and sea – what more do you need for the perfect active weekend?    Cover Story    Airport Guide by Lindsey Parietti Long layovers can be boring and frustrating, but with a little planning you can keep yourself occupied and maybe even enjoy your transit time    Cover Story    An Oasis Like No Other by Erika Sherk A largely untouched paradise in the Western Desert, Siwa reigns supreme among the Egyptian oases    Cover Story    Baby, Let’s Cruise by Dina Yehia Nile cruises can be five-star cruise-ship glamour or a quiet, slow sail down the river    Cover Story    Culture in the Capital by Lamia Hassan Dive into some of the city’s most amazing cultural hotspots    Cover Story    Get Out of Town, High Tech-Style by Tamer Hafez Technology to make your life easier while traveling    Cover Story    Here Comes the Sun by Dina Basiony Summer’s coming, and it’s off to the North Coast    Cover Story    Let’s Play by May Kaddah Whether indoor or outdoor, there are a growing number of places for family fun    Cover Story    Medieval Cairo by Ethar El-Katatney The monuments of El-Muez Street are getting a makeover    Cover Story    Mediterranean Memories by May El Khishen Alexandria offers Roman ruins, European style, fine dining and a break from big-city life    Cover Story    Mesmerizing Marsa Alam by May El Khishen Crystal blue water, colorful corals and diverse aquatic life makes Marsa Alam a diver’s dream    Cover Story    Out All Night by Passant Rabie It’s hard to imagine that only a few years ago, Sharm El-Sheikh was a small fishing village – now it is the party town of the Middle East    Cover Story    Pamper Your Puppy by Dina Basiony Sometimes our canine friends need to get away too    Cover Story    Playing in the Peninsula by Osama Diab From the huts of Nuweiba to honeymoon suites in Taba Heights, a Sinai vacation suits any budget    Cover Story    Red Sea Romp by Passant Rabie For a holiday to be remembered, visit some of the country’smost beautiful resorts along the Red Sea    Cover Story    Staycation by Dina Yehia Escape for a day within the walls of one of Cairo’s premier hotels    Cover Story    Sun Seekers’ Heaven by Ali El-Bahnasawy Sunshine and wide open spaces are the cure for city-weary travelers    Cover Story    Sweet Dreams in Syria by Lesley Lababidi Boutique hotels in Damascus and Aleppo offer tourists a more historic experience    Cover Story    The Green Fields of Fayoum by James Chester Flora, fauna and pharaonic treasures make Cairo’s closest oasis the perfect escape    Cover Story    Unexpected Break? by Kate Durham et looks at the best websites for finding last-minute airfare deals    Cover Story    Vacation with the Ancients by Kholoud Khalifa Luxor and Aswan provide an escape to the ancient world    Cover Story Wild Beasts No More by Manal el-Jesri When word got out about a proposed law that promotes reintegrating mentally ill patients into society, the media and public went crazy at the thought of opening the asylum doors. With advances in psychiatric medicine, however, many residents of the nation's mental health hospitals are ready and willing to go home — and have been waiting for decades.    Cover Story Sirens of Failure by Ali El-Bahnasawy The Ministry of Health is upgrading the nation’s ambulances, with more than 1,200 new vehicles and professionally dressed paramedics pressed into service. But what good is a new ambulance when the driver can’t find your house?    Cover Story    A Taste of Asia by Kholoud Khalifa Take a trip to the East with Indian, Chinese, Thai, Korean or Japanese cuisine    Cover Story    Breakfast Out of Bed by Passant Rabie It’s the most important meal. Good thing we have lots of options.    Cover Story    Get Your (Fast) Food On by Jessica Gray No shortage of comfort-filled dining options in this country    Cover Story    Going Vegetarian by Rebecca Collard Sustaining a meat-free diet here requires heavy reliance on mezza and cuisine from the further east    Cover Story    In the Kitchen by Lindsey Parietti Professional chefs offer tips on everything from selecting the best cookbook to making a no-fuss dessert that is sure to impress your guests    Cover Story    Less Tameya, More Tabouleh by Erin Cunningham From the Maghreb to the streets of Tehran, use Cairo to explore some of the Middle East’s tastiest cuisine    Cover Story    Making Money at the Table by Tamer Hafez When meetings in offices are no longer impressive (no matter how many certificates you hang), take the client out for a smart meal to make a good impression    Cover Story    Quite Continental by Erika Sherk Where to find tea on the lawn and even a full-blown roast dinner    Cover Story    See and Be Seen by May El Khishen Big night out? Head to one of our favorite nightspots.    Cover Story    Street Food Done Right by Ali El Bahnasawy Looking to eat local? Here’s our guide to some of the best places for fuul, koshari, kofta and molokheyya in the city    Cover Story    The Last Resort by Kate Durham When it comes to entertaining family — or that special someone you hope becomes family — it is hard to go wrong with five-star fare    Cover Story    Under the Sea by James Chester With the Mediterranean and the Red seas in our backyard, seafood is a sure thing    Cover Story    Underground Dining Scene by May El Khishen An alternative dining guide to whet your appetite and sense of adventure    Cover Story MAADI SINGS THE BLUES by Azza Khattab The redistricting of Maadi out of Cairo created not just a constitutional debacle, but a contractual dispute that is leaving behind massive piles of moldering garbage and a looming public health problem.    Cover Story LivingPoets Society by Manal el-Jesri The lives and legacies of Fouad Haddad and Salah Jaheen, two of the nation’s most revered poets, intertwine in their very talented families    Cover Story The Other Side of the Tracks by Manal el-Jesri Residents of the nation’s shantytowns are often invisible to the rest of society, until a disaster such as the Duweiqa rockslide or the fire at the Qale’et El-Kabsh slum. Those living in Ezbet Arab Abu Regeila say they would rather be invisible than face the disaster in front of them: eviction.    Cover Story The Statesman by Andrew Schurgott Boutros Boutros-Ghali gives his take on the United Nations, the War on Terror and democracy here at home    Cover Story Reaching Across the Divide by Ethar El-Katatney Voices from peace activists on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict    Cover Story Asia Bar by Hassan Hassan Enjoy luxurious Far Eastern and Indian cuisine on the Nile    Cover Story Bahgat’s Books by May Kaddah Religion, politics and humor can be a tricky mix, but Ahmad Bahgat’s writing on Egyptian life hits the mark    Cover Story Culture 101    Cover Story Fusion II by Karim Ezzeldin The wizards of Asian cuisine come to Mohandiseen    Cover Story Growing Up Parentless by Nadine el Sayed Life in Egypt’s orphanages is not as bad as many believe, although orphans still face society’s stigma when they venture into the outside world    Cover Story Montenegro: Adriatic Escape by Erin Cunningham Super-yachts, local brandy and an abundance of UNESCO world heritage sites make Montenegro’s Adriatic coastline an overlooked summer destination just a stone’s throw across the Mediterranean    Cover Story Release Your Inner Beach Body by Hassan Hassan Easy, hassle-free steps to getting rid of that winter weight.    Cover Story Seashells’ Moment in the Sun by Richard Hoath The new book by Mary Lyn Rusmore-Villaume is a way to collect beautiful shells without leaving your home    Cover Story Strike by Hassan Hassan Cairo is slowly but surely becoming a little less of a fashionista’s nightmare. Over the past few years, international brand names have been popping up everywhere from CityStarsto the Four Seasons. Here’s what’s cool now.    Cover Story Summer Dancing by Tamer Hafez Add a little Latin flavor to your summer by skipping Sharm and picking up salsa in Cairo instead    Cover Story The End of Spring by Erika Sherk Sahar Khalifeh’s newly translated novel is a vivid picture of brotherly love and destruction during the siege of Ramallah    Cover Story The Piano Man by Norhan Elhakeem American pianist Mark Damisch wants the people of the Middle East to make music, not war    Cover Story Wagamama by Rebecca Collard The renowned international chain brings ‘positive eating’ to Cairo    Cover Story Art Imitates Work by Ali El Bahnasawy While the term ‘struggling artist’ still applies, contemporary art is gaining a following, and its makers are earning a paycheck    Cover Story    The Price of Success    Cover Story BEST IN SHOW by Mohsen Allam For more than 100 years, El Zahraa Stud farm has been breeding world-class Arabian horses. Its annual competition is a chance to showcase some of the finest horses in Egypt to an international audience.    Cover Story Cultural 101    Cover Story Identity Crisis 101 s the world becomes increasingly globalized, with national boundaries no longer limiting where one can travel or live, it is inevitable that more and more people will end up straddling multiple cultures. by Ethar El-Katatney Whether born Egyptian and raised abroad or raised in Egypt to bi-cultural parents, ‘halfies’ find themselves constantly afloat between two worlds    Cover Story It’s Not Just Fish by Jeff Neumann Looking for good sushi in Cairo? Well, you’re not alone. With Okashi, your search may soon be over.    Cover Story Outlook    Cover Story    Reading, Writing and ‘Rithmetic by Nadine El Sayed CHOOSE THE BEST EDUCATION TO SET YOUR KIDS ON THE RIGHT PATH FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES    Cover Story Stories in the Sand by Richard Hoath A Gilf Kebir safari is the most extreme of extreme desert treks    Cover Story Summer Lovin’ by Hassan Hassan It’s never too late to look good for El-Sahel — think more workout, less carbs and a simple but snazzy wardrobe    Cover Story The Savory Subcontinent by Rebecca Collard Kandahar offers impressive Indian cuisine, so long as your mother isn’t from Mumbai    Cover Story The Warrior Of Light by Mohamed Shady From the romantic 1960s to the hi-tech twenty-first century, Paulo Coelho masters the art of whispering to the heart    Cover Story What to do    Cover Story A Day at the Museum by May Kaddah Antiquities of all sorts are getting new and refurbished homes    Cover Story Ancient History in the Present Tense by Megan Detrie Let the sites of Aswan and Luxor awe you with the majesty of what once was    Cover Story Cairo’s 5-Star Oases by Ethar El-Katatney Enjoy a short but sweet vacation with a day-use package    Cover Story Cultural Cairo by Hassan Hassan & Hossam Zaater Forget the noise, pollution and madness of Cairo for a minute and delve into some of the city’s cultural treasures, both historic and modern    Cover Story Cyprus by Charles Berret An idyllic Mediterranean island with modern cities, mythic beaches, Arcadian mountains and enough ethnic conflict to keep things interesting    Cover Story Endless Coast by Asma Al-Sharif From Ain Sokhna to Marsa Alam, the Red Sea caters to your dream vacation    Cover Story ESCAPE! Our Fifth Annual Guide to Getting Away From It All    Cover Story Fields of Valor by Jeff Neumann The World War II battle site of El-Alamein shows El-Sahel’s solemn side    Cover Story Historic Haunts by Ethar El-Katatney El-Muez Lideen Allah Street offers a stroll down memory lane    Cover Story Moroccan Marvels by Rebecca Collard If you’re considering a trip to the other side of North Africa, pass on Casablanca and head south to the charms of Marrakech and Essaouira    Cover Story On the Canal by Hossam Zaater Within 200 kilometers of the capital, Port Said and Ismailia are well-suited for waterfront getaways    Cover Story On the Holy Trail by Ethar El-Katatney A tour of Christian sites takes you across the country    Cover Story Pack it up by Hassan Hassan Packing isn’t rocket science — a calm, collected approach will take you far    Cover Story Playtime by Nadine El Sayed There are more than just sand castles and swingsets waiting for kids on vacation    Cover Story Sharm El-Chic by Hassan Hassan Dive all day, dine in the desert, dance all night — SharmEl-Sheikh has got what you want, when you want it    Cover Story Siwa Some speculate that the Garden of Eden was in the once-verdant Sahara Desert; Once you visit the oasis of Siwa, you’ll believe it    Cover Story Who Said You Had to Go South for the Sun? by Nadine El Sayed El-Sahel is the choice summer getaway for a break from the capital’s searing urban grime    Cover Story A Portraitof Poverty by Manal el-Jesri From a working single mom to a leading member of the ruling party, a pensioner to the country’s top business editor, we paint a portrait of what it means to be poor in Egypt —and what poverty could mean for the nation    Cover Story Who Have Borne the Battle by Ethar El-Katatney In 1973, the nation called and they answered. They restored Sinai to Egyptian hands, restored pride to a despondent nation. Egypt’s war veterans, from the 1940s to the peacekeepers of today, asked for nothing in return. Sadly, that’s exactly what most of them got.    Cover Story A Dying Revolution? In 1952, modern Egypt was born. Gamal Abdel Nasser’s promises and ideals set lofty new goals for a nation. Half a century later, we look at the legacy of the Revolution and ask: Does anything remain of Nasser’s vision today?    Cover Story A COMPLICATED FRIENDSHIP    Cover Story Ready for the World by Janet Key While hundreds of foreign students come to the American University in Cairo each year, Egyptian students have until recently had considerably fewer opportunities to study abroad. Now the university has started sending groups to Europe and the United States in an exchange that goes beyond academics. In an et exclusive, students from AUC’s first trip to the US share their experiences.    Cover Story Nomads in No-Man’s Land by Cache Seel Rulers have come and gone, but none have won the trust of the the Eastern Desert’s tribes. Now that the Beja tribes are grudgingly considering settlements, is this the end of the “Fuzzy-Wuzzy” way of life?    Cover Story The PEOPLE’S MUFTI Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa, the nation’s most visible and media-friendly mufti ever, speaks out on dialogue between the Peoples of the Book, fatwas and why it is that journalists always seem to ask him the same questions    Cover Story    TOUGH MEDICINE Washington-born Hamza Yusuf is one of the most learned sheikhs of our time — and a man with some tough messages Muslims, Christians and Jews alike need to hear whether they want to or not    Cover Story Voices of Islam by Ethar El-Katatney    Cover Story    VOICES OF ISLAM by Ethar El-Katatney Egypt Today speaks with three of the most influential and progressive voices in the modern Islamic world. Their message? That Muslims have a key role to play in todays society, both in Islamic countries and in the West.    Cover Story ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL by Patrick FitzPatrick For some 25 years, the nation has woken to pictures of the First Lady plastered all over the daily newspapers, on television and on billboards proclaiming her the patron of the underprivileged. But how much do you know about her role in changing the face of society? In one of her longest interviews ever, Suzanne Mubarak reveals herself an activist, a reformer, a dedicated grandmother and family woman — and an astute politician with an ambitious agenda for tackling the concerns of the average Egyptian.    Cover Story Your Essential Guide to Ramadan TV by Sherif Awad Get ready for the annual viewing marathon, this year promising more — huge emphasis here on more — of what Ramadan couch potatoes have come to love and look forward to    Cover Story A Hybrid City by Nadine El-Sayed Once a quiet suburb, Heliopolis now jives and bustles with the busiest of Cairo’s neighborhoods    Cover Story    Euroflair, Anyone? by Hassan Hassan From riches to rags to well riches again, Zamalek is Cairo’s trendiest old-line neighborhood    Cover Story Home of CityStars by Nadine El Sayed The pretender to Mohandiseen’s retail throne    Cover Story It Never Sleeps by Marwa Helal In a city that prides itself on never sleeping, Mohandiseen is Cairo on speed, only with decent shopping    Cover Story Mohandiseen Lite by Beige Luciano-Adams You’ll have to choose carefully, but Dokki has bargains    Cover Story The Maze by Tamer Hafez City by day and ghost town by night, Garden City is a neighborhood of contradictions    Cover Story The Un-Nasr City by Hassan Hassan New Cairo delivers what Heliopolis and Nasr City promised: Civilized living    Cover Story    Welcome to the ‘Burbs by Nicolè A. Staab With all the perks of big city life — but without the noise, congestion and concrete of Mohandiseen — Maadi is a haven for suburbanites    Cover Story Where Elegance Went to Die Downtown abounds in stunning bargains, but only if you’re willing to invest thousands in renovations    Cover Story True-Love.com by Ethar El-Katatney With the traditional ‘salon marriage’ fast becoming a passé way to meet a prospective wife or husband, a new breed of tech-savvy youth are turning to matchmaking websites to find a partner. But is it socially acceptable?    Cover Story Pride of Place by Manal el-Jesri At least 70,000 Egyptians are literally card-carrying descendants of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his family. Senior Writer Manal el-Jesri goes inside the society that certifies their belonging to Al-Ashraaf and wonders: Is this branch of a family that is as ancient as the Holy Qur’an ready to deal with a new Saudi society and the rise of DNA testing?More than social and religious prestige are at stake: Did the Prophet himself not say that the Mahdi who will bring peace to Earth after much war and destruction would be “from my family, from the sons of Fatima”?    Cover Story 3 AngryMen by Manal el-Jesri Three of the nation’s top columnists on how their pens and 400 words help them keep everyone from the government to the opposition accountable to the man on the street.    Cover Story The Lyrics are the Stones by Omar Attum Review: Israeli Arab trio DAM brings all the fire and protest of hip-hop to bear on Israel    Cover Story Action and Adventure by Marwa Helal There can be more to Egyptian weekends than lazing about and seeing the sights. For the active or adventurous type, Omm El-Donia has plenty to offer.    Cover Story Bed By Day, Beach By Night by Nadine El Sayed Known for its beaches and perfect summer weather, the North Coast’s fun doesn’t end when the sun goes down. Catering to a young, hip crowd, more often than not you’ll see the beach used as a bed during the day and a dance floor at night.    Cover Story DesertDay Trips by Yasmeen El Mallah A short drive out of the city will put you in a whole new world of vast dunes and bare rock    Cover Story Egypt’s Mediterranean Jewel by Yasmeen El Mallah If Egypt is the gift of the Nile, then Alexandria is the gift of the Mediterranean, and a great destination for a weekend break from the capital    Cover Story Eternal Siwa by Hassan Hassan Siwa, one of Egypt’s oldest continually inhabited settlements dating back to 10,000BC, is like nowhere else on Earth    Cover Story Make Your Escape by Egypt Today staff Our fourth annual guide to getting away from it all    Cover Story One Day at a Time by Imogen Kimber Want to enjoy the luxuries of a hotel withoutgoing away for the weekend? Day use in oneof Cairo’s many world class hotels could be the answer.    Cover Story Quest for Knowledge by Noha Mohammed Celebrate Egypt’s rich religious heritage    Cover Story Red Sea by Noha Mohammed There is something for everyone — from fishing to suntanning, adventure tourism to a near-European town — on the Red Sea Riviera    Cover Story Remembering Heroes by Tom Gara While sunning yourself in El-Sahel this summer, take a momentto remember those who fell nearby on Second World War battlefields    Cover Story Something for Everyone by Nadine El Sayed Beautiful beaches, great hotels and Egypt’s hottest party scene make Sharm El-Sheikh the country’s top tourist destination    Cover Story The Quest for Culture by Hassan Hassan Look up, look down, look all around and in every district of Cairo you’ll find something to catch the eye be it architecture, shops, galleries or restaurants. Let our walking tour be your guide.    Cover Story The Sinai Peninsula by Dan Reese There’s much more to the Sinai than just Sharm El-Sheikh. From the pilgrims of St. Catherine to the hippies of Dahab, tourists of all stripes have found Sinai’s breathtaking mountain vistas and sunny beaches to be accessible and deeply satisfying getaways.    Cover Story Three Days Without a Necktie by Zahi Hawass as told to Dan Reese The world’s most prominent archaeologist tells us what he would do if he ever slowed down long enough to take a long weekend    Cover Story Fairy Tale Ending? by Nadine El Sayed Are young newlyweds tying the knot too soon — and regretting it? “Til death do us part” seems a long way off when you’re wedded as a teen.    Cover Story Free for a Quickie? by Nazeera Hanem If communication is the key to successful relationships, why are so many couples breaking up after steamy phone conversations? The answer: It isn’t their spouse on the other end of the line.    Cover Story Going it Alone by Yasmeen El Mallah Raising kids isn’t easy, but try doing it solo. Single fathers have to raise their kids while trying to navigate a maze of social expectations and judgment.    Cover Story Impartial Observers by Noha Mohammed Many consider the idea of turning to a stranger to settle marital disputes ‘eib or just plain outlandish, but marriage counselors say they’ve got lots to offer    Cover Story Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptian Family by et staff From cheating and talking to your kids about sex to single dads and romance on film. Part one of a two-part series.    Cover Story Sex and the Modern (Pre-)Teen by Hadia Mostafa Wait too long to talk with your kids about the “Birds and the Bees” and you’ll find that television, the internet and their friends have beaten you to the punch    Cover Story The Hard Sell by Hassan S. Hassan While a handful of directors today are willing to take a risk and jump off the slapstick comedy wagon, distributors and audiences still seem convinced serious movies about sexuality, family and love aren’t worth their hard-earned pounds. A comedy alluding to sex, the female body and lewd portrayals of belly dancers is fine,but take sex out of that context and producers fear audiences will stay home.    Cover Story I Spy by Richard Hoath Break out the binoculars and the birding notebook — if you can get past the red tape.    Cover Story It’s Settled, Then by Cache Seel Relocating Gurna residents has long been a controversial subject. But now that an estimated 70 percent of the community has been lodged in new housing, there is little point in continuing the argument over whether or not it should have happened in the first place. Instead, Luxor residents living along Sphinx Alley had best take note: They’re next in the ambitious relocation and preservation project. Do they have much to look forward to?    Cover Story    A Bumpy Ride by Cache Seel Disasters on the roads, railways and seas kept transportation safety (and the lack thereof) high on the government’s agenda    Cover Story    A Triple Whammy by Noha Mohammed From Islamofascism to Danish cartoons and the errors of a Pope, 2006 was a tough year for interfaith dialogue and understanding    Cover Story    Bend It LikeAbu Trika? by Karim Ezzeldin It’s mostly football here, so don’t complain because, frankly, we aren’t about to go off and try to change the worlderrcountry    Cover Story    Come the Apocalypse? by Azza Khattab Libel law reforms, jailed journalists and a new “National Media Regulatory Authority” aside, last year didn’t herald the coming of the apocalypse for media professionals. But it wasn’t exactly the Year of Media Reform, either.    Cover Story    Milestones by Noha Mohammed From football frenzy to the passing of a literary legend,2006 was a year of ups and downs    Cover Story    Open Mouth, Insert Foot by ­Manal el-Jesri From the banning of films to missteps about veilsand stray fatwas, it was an, uhm, interesting year in arts and culture    Cover Story    Stone Man Walking by Cache Seel In a move watched by millions, the landmark statue of Ramses II crossed Cairo to its new home by the Pyramids    Cover Story    The Story of the Year by Manal el-Jesri Pollution is slowly killing us —full stop. From poisoned air and contaminated water to refuse in the streets, the nation’s environmental problems are slowly poisoning thousands of people every year.    Cover Story    The Year in Entertainment From gay characters on screen to veiled comebacks    Cover Story    Tragedy in Paradise by Cache Seel The tourist town of Dahab definitely made headline news, but not in the way that the Sinai or the country would have liked    Cover Story    Worth a Thousand Words by ­Cache Seel A roundup of the news making last year’s headlines — in photos.    Cover Story Us and Them by Sherif Awad While Egyptian and Arab media are busy churning out commercial releases for local consumption instead of attempting to present a better image of Muslims to the West, American and European filmmakers explore the issue of Islamic fundamentalism from their own perspectives.    Cover Story The Forgotten War by Chris Sands Despite billions in foreign aid and tens of thousands of NATO-led troops on the ground, low-scale warfare between coalition troops and Islamist militants has blown up into a full-fledged insurgency. With the Afghan people now losing confidence in both NATO and the Karzai government, it’s hard not to wonder whether the Taliban is about to make a comeback. A report from the front lines in Afghanistan.    Cover Story Novel Approach by Manal el-Jesri The world bade farewell last month to a beloved author. Naguib Mahfouz left behind 35 novels, 15 short story collections and hundreds of unpublished “Dreams.” His real legacy was not his work, but his (re-)creation of the Arab novel itself    Cover Story Speak Truth toPower by Noha El-Hennawy Never known as a radical or activist intellectual, was Naguib Mahfouz living a life of civil servitude? His precious literary contributions may just prove otherwise.    Cover Story My Doctor, My Butcher? by Manal el-Jesri With little hope of a law regulating organ transplants being passed anytime soon, kidney trafficking has become big business over the past few decades. Is Egypt really becoming the regional hub for a dark industry — the “Brazil of the Middle East,” as an online South African newspaper recently declared?    Cover Story A Gold Mine Worth LE 23 Billion (and counting) by Cache Seel An Egyptian-Australian family is set to start extracting gold from an ancient Pharaonic mine — and could revolutionize Egypt’s economy in the process.    Cover Story Licensed toPrint Money? by Azza Khattab Investigators are looking for skeletons in the media’s closets. While the independent press can’t claim to be corruption-free, the spotlight has fallen squarely on major state-owned publishing houses and the nation’s self-styled Hollywood.    Cover Story Settling for More or Less? by Cache Seel Bedouin extremists’ alleged involvement in recent terror attacks has put the spotlight squarely on the nation’s most fragile ethnic minority as it grapples with extremism, poverty, unemployment and genetic diseases caused by inbreeding. With distrust between the tribes and Cairo running high, are resettlement campaigns an option?    Cover Story RUMOR HAS IT... by Azza Khattab From avian flu to spoiled vaccines, sex gum to sex scandals, society loves nothing more than a juicy rumor. While most everyone agrees the alternative reality rumormongers weave can be a bit distracting, is a proposed government authority to fight gossip really the answer?    Cover Story Ain Sokhna by Carol Walker Sun, sea and ice cream for all thosewho want to get away for the day    Cover Story Alexandria by Noha El-Hennawy Although for the past decade or so the North Coast has attracted most of the Cairene crowd that once flooded Alexandria each summer, the nation’s second city still has die-hard fans    Cover Story Beirut, Lebanon by Cache Seel The ultimate glamorous long weekend    Cover Story Birdwatching by Richard Hoath Get out in the fresh air and closer to nature. For the nation’s avid birdwatchers, the sky’s the limit.    Cover Story Cairo for Kids by Manal el-Jesri Great tips for parents who want to get out and about and enjoy the capital with the kids    Cover Story Christian Sites by Viviana Mazza Follow in the footsteps of the Holy Family    Cover Story Cultural Cairo by Manal el-Jesri The uncontested cultural capital of the Arab world can fill up many a weekend and can even make for a great night out    Cover Story Dahab by Viviana Mazza This tiny Bedouin town has become a haven for tourists looking for the easy life    Cover Story Damascus, Syria by Mohamed El-Hebeishy Delight in the many attractions of one of the world’s oldest cities    Cover Story Day Uses in Cairo by Salwa El-Sayed Take a mini-vacation without the time and expense of leaving Cairo    Cover Story Desert Day Trips by Hadia Mostafa Hit the sand with a group of friends — if you can read a map    Cover Story El-Alamein by Egypt Today Staff Honor the memories of those who fell on Egypt’s WWII battlefields with a visit to the Commonwealth, German and Italian cemeteries    Cover Story El-Arish by Viviana Mazza Take your pick of palm tree-lined beaches or birdwatching adventures    Cover Story El-Fayoum by Azza Khattab The perfect day trip for those with a passion for fetir —or water wheels    Cover Story El-Gouna by Hadia Mostafa Experience the quaint elegance of the old Riviera — on the Red Sea    Cover Story El-Qursaya by Fayza Hassan Pay a peaceful visit to this undiscovered piece of ‘rustic’ heaven in the heart of chaotic Cairo    Cover Story El-Sahel by Hadia Mostafa Egypt’s North Coast is the Hamptons and Cape Cod, Egyptian style    Cover Story From Nuweiba to Taba by Kate Durham A soothing stretch of sand along Sinai’s east coast    Cover Story Gilf Kebir and Gabal Elba by Noha Mohammed Egypt’s far corners offer breathtaking and very different excursions for those looking for extreme adventure tourism    Cover Story Golfing by Kate Durham Egypt’s selection of greens is a matter of course    Cover Story Hunting and Fishing by Kate Durham Sportsmen looking for a challenge can pit themselves against nature    Cover Story Hurghada by Viviana Mazza Once a quiet alternative to Sharm El-Sheikh, the Red Sea’s Hurghada now bustles with energy year-round    Cover Story King Mariout by Kate Durham Escape to this lavishly concealed Alexandrian retreat    Cover Story Lake Borolos by Mohamed El-Hebeishy This delightful day trip is about more than just birds    Cover Story Lake Nasser by Manal el-Jesri Take in the ancient temples from the deck of a cruise ship in Lake Nasser    Cover Story Luxor and Aswan by Amira Salah-Ahmed Welcome to the antiquities capitals of the world    Cover Story Makadi Bay by Noha Mohammed There’s something here for everyone looking for an all-inclusive getaway    Cover Story Make Your Escape by Egypt Today Staff Our annual 52 Weekends Special Issue is your ultimate travel guide to Egypt.    Cover Story Marsa Alam by Viviana Mazza With its rare marine life and brilliant corals, Marsa Alam is fast becoming the nation’s top diving destination    Cover Story Marsa Matruh by Noha El-Hennawy Decades after diva Layla Murad sang about the genie in Marsa Matruh’s seas, the turquoise waters of the coastal city are still as tempting as ever    Cover Story Museums Across Egypt by Fayza Hassan (with et files) How many museums (for there are many) have you been to in Egypt? Here are a few for you to consider, from wonderful to weird.    Cover Story Nabq by Noha Mohammed Welcome to the quieter side of Sharm El-Sheikh    Cover Story Natural Protectorates by Mohamed El-Hebeishy Explore Egypt’s 24 national nature parks, from mountains to marshes, desert dunes to coastlines    Cover Story Nile Cruises by Carol Walker Enjoy the calming effect of riverside scenery as you drift along in style    Cover Story Petra, Jordan by Mohamed El-Hebeishy The lost rose-red city, better known as Petra, is a trekker’s paradise    Cover Story Quseir by Amira Salah-Ahmed An alternative to the overcrowded Hurghada is just around the corner    Cover Story Ras Sidr by Carol Walker Life’s a breeze at South Sinai’s top spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing    Cover Story Safaga by Noha El-Hennawy Nothing is like a breath of fresh air at Safaga’s pollution-free beaches    Cover Story Sharm El-Sheikh by Hadia Mostafa Egypt’s premiere beach resort is all grown up and packing in foreign tourists    Cover Story Siwa by Kate Durham Relax in Egypt’s most beautifully primitive oasis    Cover Story Soma Bay by Noha Mohammed Where the sun always shines    Cover Story St. Catherine by Kate Durham The village of St. Catherine’s has more to offer than just Mount Sinai    Cover Story The Canal by Kate Durham Carved by Egyptian hands, defended with Egyptian blood, the Suez Canal runs not only between two continents, but straight through the hearts of the Egyptian people. Its northern span also connects the two historic burgs of Port Said and Ismailia.    Cover Story The Delta by Kate Durham Better known for agriculture and sweets than antiquities, the Delta offers sights and sounds with a lot of personality    Cover Story The Egyptian Museum by Carol Walker There is too much to see in a single visit to the Egyptian Museum, but with some advance planning, you just might be able to take in most of the Pharaonic glory    Cover Story The Great Desert Circuit by Viviana Mazza The Western Desert oases of Bahariyya, Farafra, Dakhla and Kharga offer nature, history and culture    Cover Story The Precincts of Al-Azhar by Fayza Hassan To soak up the Old City’s atmosphere, stick to a short, focused visit, then head over to Azhar Park to gaze upon the capital    Cover Story Turkey by Noha Mohammed Our neighbor across the Mediterranean offers affordable, Muslim-friendly vacations    Cover Story Uganda by Cache Seel From the source of the Nile to a population of endangered mountain gorillas, the Pearl of Africa has something for everyone    Cover Story Uyoun Moussa by Noha Mohammed If you’re looking for a healthy alternative, this is the place to be    Cover Story Zahi Hawass’ Egypt by David Lee Wilson Go on an exclusive guided tour of Egypt with the world’s foremost Egyptologist    Cover Story    A Voice for Peace by Hadia Mostafa With God in his heart and the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) at his side, British-born singing sensation Sami Yusuf is taking the world by storm — and even has non-Muslims humming his tunes — but don’t make the mistake of calling the widely acclaimed ‘King of Islamic Pop’ a preacher    Cover Story Death becomes them by Manal el-Jesri From the washing of the body through burial and prayers, death is a thriving business in the nation’s capital. But a rift is growing between traditional paid body washers, grave diggers and Qur’an reciters and more conservative Muslim volunteers who say hanutis, turabis and mughasileen know nothing about Shari    Cover Story    Playing with fire by Azza Khattab The illicit manufacture of fireworks maims and kills men, women and children in the nation’s forgotten hamlets. As the poorest of the poor continue to ply their deadly trade, activists and security officials alike are demanding citizens say “no” to the noisy amusements that remain a hallmark of our celebrations.    Cover Story    THE LOST FAITH by Cache Seel Feared, hated and torn asunder, the Yezidi peoples of northern Iraq, who claim to be the guardians of the first monotheistic religion, a faith that predates Judaism, Christianity and Islam, have been used as political pawns for centuries. Today, despite the odds, some are standing their ground in Iraq’s embattled north.    Cover Story The Need for Speed by Manal el-Jesri A street race gone wrong on the Airport Road in the capital city claimed the lives of at least five last month, shining the spotlight on one of Egypt’s most unusual subcultures. Throw in a fugitive Qatari prince and It’s Too Fast, Too Furious, Egyptian style.    Cover Story    A Month of Traditions by et staff From prayer and food to faces, health and entertainment, there's something for everyone in our Ultimate Guide to the Holy Month of Ramadan. Start below, then enjoy other thematic entries on the right-hand side.    Cover Story    Fatwa Corner by Azza Khattab    Cover Story    Food Lingo by Karim Ezzeldin and Noha Mohammed Your guide to Ramadan food terminology    Cover Story    Food,Glorious Food by Egypt Today staff Iftar in under and hour, breakfast on a shoestring and how to make certain there's something on your iftar table for everyone    Cover Story    Health Corner by Azza Khattab Ask the Doctor    Cover Story    Islamic Information by Karim Ezzeldin All you need to know during the Holy Month and beyond    Cover Story    Kids’ Corner by Egypt Today staff Thoughts on how to introduce your kids to Ramadan - and how to occupy the little angels while you're fasting    Cover Story    Let the Good Times Roll by Egypt Today staff Getting out of the house - and surviving the onslaught of Ramadan soaps    Cover Story    observing the holy month abroad by Viviana Mazza Tips for enjoying a good Ramadan in the West    Cover Story    Ramadan Resolutions by Egypt Today staff How to beat traffic and survive work-related stress while fasting    Cover Story    Staying Healthy by Egypt Today staff How to fight flab by exercising and eating right at iftar and beyond    Cover Story    Top 5 Flashiest Places for Iftar and Sohour by Egypt Today Staff Because sometimes, you've simply got to entertain outside the house (or escape your mother-in-law's cooking)    Cover Story    Top 5 Places to get Ramadan Sweets by Ahmed Namatalla    Cover Story    Top 5 Things to do after Midnight in Old Cairo by Ahmed Namatalla From shisha to trinkets and fuul    Cover Story    The Buttons to Push by Manal el-Jesri Egyptians are chewing over so many issues, that presidential candidates may not even know where to start when it comes to pinpointing the key issues that will win them votes. Ahead of the first-ever presidential elections this month, experts and analysts speak out on which buttons candidates need to push to get voters to the polls.    Cover Story    The times they are a changin by Azza Khattab Of the dozens who filed nomination papers, zero independents and 10 party leaders won the autonomous Presidential Election Commission’s seal of approval to contest the nation’s first direct, multi-candidate presidential election.Meet the men who would be president.    Cover Story    The young turks by Noha El-Hennawy Three years after being hand-picked by Gamal Mubarak to join his powerful Policy Secretariat, liberal reformers at the ruling National Democratic Party angle to shore up democracy from within the establishment before, during and after Egypt’s first multi-party presidential contest.    Cover Story    A Man of the Times by Azza Khattab Al-Wafd columnist Abbas El-Tarabeely named him The Curlew, but as soon as he took over the radio, Omar Bateesha gave strict orders to abandon all use of titles: “Titles don’t add or subtract from your value as an artist. You don’t develop wings once you’ve become a curlew. Or do you?”    Cover Story    Every Trick in the Book by Azza Khattab Nadia Saleh is a woman who wears her heart on her sleeve. The walking encyclopedia has always been a rebel — and is one of the few today with the courage to admit that car owners have become the radio’s primary listeners.    Cover Story    Faces behind the Mic by Azza Khattab They have shaped public opinion for generations as the eyes and ears of the nation. Today their jobs — and indeed the industry in its entirety — are on the line as they struggle to compete with TV and the internet. Tune in to the world of Egyptian radio.    Cover Story    Here Comes Trouble by Azza Khattab Aly Pasha Sabri accused her of inciting a revolution. Singer Abdel-Halim Hafez asked her to appear in the biopic of his life. A former Cairo governor told the government it had to choose between keeping him in office or her on air. As for her colleagues at the Egyptian Radio and Television Union? They’re simply convinced that veteran radio host Amal Fahmy is possessed.    Cover Story    The Storyteller by Azza Khattab Everybody envies Fadeela Tawfik, even President Hosni Mubarak: “You have an anthem of your own, while I don’t,” he teased her as he awarded her the Legion of Merit. And if you don’t know the song that introduces Abla Fadeela’s program, odds are you’ve never been an Egyptian child.    Cover Story Birth of the Patriots How patriotic song played out from the revolution through the 1973 war    Cover Story Figureheads by Rania Al Malky Always Subject to the laws of ‘unnatural’ selection of the state, could the music which never appears in the mainstream media make a comeback amid all the promises of reform?    Cover Story The Writing’s on the Wall by Ahmed Namatalla The disappearance of political signs from public squares and private balconies last month had nothing to do with censorship and everything to do with the new election campaign legislation. A look at who is buying signs, and why, in the run-up to the fall presidential and parliamentary contests.    Cover Story The Race is On by Noha El-Hennawy Voters approved a constitutional change that will see the nation’s first-ever presidential election take place this fall. Get ready for the most interesting summer of politics the nation has seen in more than half a century.    Cover Story The Converts by Azza Khattab A rare look at the experience of two Jews who converted to Islam at the time of the revolution, yet found it difficult to escape their former identity    Cover Story The Guardian by Azza Khattab How the president of the Jewish Community of Cairo is keeping the memory of her forefathers alive as she struggles to preserve the nation’s Jewish heritage sites    Cover Story The Neighbors by Azza Khattab A walk through Cairo’s Jewish Quarter fails to turn up the area’s last Jewish resident, but finds some Egyptians willing to talk about what they say were “good times” in another era.    Cover Story Without a Trace by Manal el-Jesri While the authorities are doggedly tracking down disappearances associated with crime, thousands of missing person cases go unsolved each year as the law, the media and academia turn a blind eye to cases with scarce details or a missing motive. For families with missing children, just knowing would soothe years of mourning.    Cover Story NATURE NOTES Goes to BELIZE by Richard Hoath Our naturalist’s diary of his trip to Belize, an undiscovered gem in Central America rich in protected animal life and comic relief.    Cover Story On the Hustings by Noha El-Hennawy The ruling National Democratic Party says President Hosni Mubarak will be its candidate of choice to face the nation in a fall presidential referendum. Yet the president himself claims he has yet to decide whether he’s ready to hit the campaign trail for a fifth time and says he welcomes challengers. Three have offered. Welcome to an unprecedented debate.    Cover Story With a Little Common Sense by Ahmed Namatalla A leading Egyptian feminist, sociologist, medical doctor and active writer on Arab women’s issues, Dr. Nawal El-Saadawi wants to become the nation’s first female president    Cover Story    Hadith Classified    Cover Story IN WORD AND DEED by by Noha El-Hennawy Reformist thinker Gamal El-Banna re-ignites an age-old debate, contesting the role of Sunnah in modern-day Islam    Cover Story    Timeline Dates and Events of the Prophet’s (PBUH) life    Cover Story    Who is Gamal El-Banna? Although his brother is hailed as the founder of political Islam and considered a strong believer in dogma, Gamal El-Banna holds very liberal views on the same faith    Cover Story The Arafat Chronicles by Azza Khattab    Cover Story The Road Map    Cover Story The Unilateral Disengagement Plan    Cover Story Unilateral Disengagement: The View from Israel by Noha El-Hennawy    Cover Story WAITING FOR GANDHI by by Azza Khattab Arafat is gone, and with him the myth that the Israelis have no partner with whom to shape a lasting peace. The questions now: Will the death of Abu Ammar give birth to a new peace process under a leader able to rein in the armed resistance? And will that leader find a willing partner on the Israeli side of the table?    Cover Story Waiting in the Wings by Azza Khattab    Cover Story RAMADAN as seen through the lenses of photographers around the world    Cover Story A House Divided by Azza Khattab Three brothers are in jail for plotting an aborted terror attack on Khan El-Khalili. Guilty or not, their fate has set mother against father.    Cover Story Sadat’s Assassin by Azza Khattab Islamboli may have pulled the trigger, but Col. Aboud El-Zumor set the plan in motion    Cover Story The “Conspiracy” by Azza Khattab Mohammed Atta, Sr., still claims there is no evidence linking his son to 9/11    Cover Story The Making of Extremists by Azza Khattab A look at how some of the world’s most notorious extremists were raised and at families in denial.    Cover Story The Mastermind by Azza Khattab A founder of Al-Jihad and Al-Qaeda, Ayman Al-Zawahri grew up as a gentle boy in Maadi who said it was “inhumane to hurt another human being”    Cover Story A House Divided by Azza Khattab Three brothers are in jail for plotting an aborted terror attack on Khan El-Khalili. Guilty or not, their fate has set mother against father.    Cover Story    Al-Akhbar columnist, former Washington correspondent Maha Abdel Fattah by Azza Khattab    Cover Story    Amb. Moushira Khattab by Noha Chakkal Secretary-general of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM)    Cover Story    Amba Marcos by Réhab El-Bakry Bishop of Shubra El-Kheima    Cover Story    Dr. Diaa Rashwan by Manal el-Jesri Expert on political Islam and extremist groups, analyst at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies    Cover Story    Dr. Farouk El Baz by Noha Chakkal NASA space scientist, Director of the Center for Remote Sensing at Boston University, president of the Arab Society for Desert Research    Cover Story    Dr. Kamal Ibrahim by Kamal Ibrahim, MD Professor of spinal surgery, advocate of inter-faith dialogue, life-long student, dean of the Coptic diaspora    Cover Story    Dr. Malak Zaalouk by Noha Chakkal Director of Education, UNICEF Egypt    Cover Story    Dr. Milad Hanna by Azza Khattab Urban planner, African affairs expert, former head of the PA’s Housing Committee    Cover Story    Dr. Refaat Al-Saeed by Manal el-Jesri President of Al-Tagammua Party, Member of the Shura Council, reformer    Cover Story    Dr. Yehia El-Zeini by Manal el-Jesri Dean of the nation’s architects, president of the Architecture Committee of the Supreme Cultural Council, the force behind the creation of Gihaz El-Tansiq El-Hadary (The Civilized Landscaping Coordination Authority)    Cover Story    Farida Al-Naqqash by Manal el-Jesri Literary critic, editor-in-chief of Adab wa Naqd magazine, a Tagammua party publication    Cover Story    Gamal El-Banna by Yasmin Moll Moderate Islamic thinker, author of more than 40 books on Islam, brother of Muslim Brotherhood founder Hassan El-Banna    Cover Story    Gamal El-Ghitani by Noha El-Hennawy Novelist, editor-in-chief of the weekly literary journal Akhbar Al-Adab    Cover Story    Hisham Fahmy by Mirette F. Mabrouk Executive Director, American Chamber of Commerce, Egypt    Cover Story    Iman Bibars by Yasmin Moll Feminist, founder of ADEW    Cover Story    Magdi Mehanna by Manal el-Jesri Journalist, former managing editor of Al-Wafd, reformed television talk-show host, columnist for the upstart independent daily Al-Masri Al-Youm    Cover Story    Mirette F. Mabrouk by Mirette F. Mabrouk Publishing Director, IBA Media    Cover Story    Mme. Justice Tahani El-Gebali by Réhab El-Bakry Justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court, Egypt’s first female judge    Cover Story    Mounir Fakhry Abdelnour by Yasmin Moll Opposition member of Parliament, head of the Wafdist caucus in the PA, reformer, business leader    Cover Story    Mr. Justice Mohamed Hamed El-Gamal Former head of Maglis El-Dowla (the State Council) by Azza Khattab    Cover Story    Osama Kamal by Rasha Mady Veteran radio personality, first Channel 2 English Television News presenter    Cover Story    Prof. Saad Eddin Ibrahim by Yasmin Moll Professor of sociology, human rights activist, founder of the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies, international cause célèbre    Cover Story    Rachid Mohamed Rachid by Réhab El-Bakry Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry, business leader, member of the World Economic Forum in Davos    Cover Story Sadat’s Assassin by Azza Khattab Islamboli may have pulled the trigger, but Col. Aboud El-Zumor set the plan in motion    Cover Story    Shahida El-Baz by Noha Chakkal Political economist, civil society activist    Cover Story    Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb by Rania Al Malky President of Al-Azhar University, advocate of moderation and tolerance, former Mufti    Cover Story    Tamer Habib by Réhab El-Bakry Screenwriter    Cover Story The “Conspiracy” by Azza Khattab Mohammed Atta, Sr., still claims there is no evidence linking his son to 9/11    Cover Story The Making of Extremists by Azza Khattab A look at how some of the world’s most notorious extremists were raised and at families in denial.    Cover Story The Mastermind by Azza Khattab A founder of Al-Jihad and Al-Qaeda, Ayman Al-Zawahri grew up as a gentle boy in Maadi who said it was “inhumane to hurt another human being”    Cover Story Where Are We Headed in the Next 25 Years? by Patrick Fitzpatrick, Manal el-Jesri, Azza Khattab, Réhab El-Bakry, Noha El-Hennawy, Yasmin Moll, Rasha Mady, Noha Chakkal, Mirette F. Mabrouk and Rania Al Malky Some of the nation's leading figures in politics, religion, human rights, culture, arts and business contemplate Egypt's future    Cover Story    Cabinet: A Readers Guide by Azza Khattab A thumbnail guide to all 34 members of Ahmed Nazifs Cabinet, from new faces to the old guard    Cover Story    Ebeids legacy in facts and figures by Azza Khattab Say this much about the former PM: At least he floated the Egyptian pound    Cover Story    Who is Dr. Ahmed Nazif by Azza Khattab The new PMs track record in office made him one of the highlights of his predecessors Cabinet    Cover Story Winds of Change by Azza Khattab Ahmed Nazif is good news, but in a nation where the average citizen cares more about where he'll get his next fuul sandwich than about internet access, the new prime minister must make progress on a host of problems left behind by Atef Ebeid before he can break the ice between citizens and the government.Topping the priority list: Spurring an economic recovery, gaining control of his Cabinet and improving the lot of the poor, all while fending off critics' claims that a technocrat can't orchestrate the political reforms the nation needs.With a presidential referendum looming in fall 2005, time is already running out for one of the most intriguing prime ministers we'0ve had in decades.    Cover Story Sally's Story by Azza Khattab Sixteen years ago, Sayed Mursi went under the knife to become Sally, sparking a national debate on sex-change surgery. Today, as more and more children are born with genital defects, are we ready for round two?    Cover Story    Sex Changes: Haram or hala? by Azza Khattab Muslim religious scholars are as divided when it comes to sex changes as they are on many other medical issues    Cover Story    What you think by Reader Pol The results of our web poll on whether you think sex-change surgery should be permitted or not    Cover Story Searching for Cinderella by Kris Kenway Three years after her death, we walk the streets of London to paint a portrait of Soad Hosnis last days in exile a world in which poetry, shopping expeditions and girlish giggles mixed with chronic pain, health farms and the impossibility of returning home as Zuzu    Cover Story IN THE NAME OF HONOR by Manal el-Jesri Do Parliament and women’s rights groups have what it takes to launch a constitutional challenge?    Cover Story Kiss democracy goodbye if the extremists take over. President Hosni Mubarak    Cover Story RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ACCUSED AND THE VICTIM IN CASES OF MURDER BASED ON SUSPICION    Cover Story REPORTED REASONS FOR HONOR KILLINGS, BY CATEGORY    Cover Story THE ACCUSED’S REACTION TO SUSPICION    Cover Story The Stats

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