WATANI International
7 March 2010
Inflation up
According to Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics, Egypt’s nationwide inflation rate rose to 13.6 per cent in January, up from 13.1 per cent last December. Since last February, the Central Bank of Egypt cut the key interest rate six times to boost the economy which attained a growth rate of 4.7 per cent in 2008/2009, down from more than 7 per cent the previous year, due to the global economic crisis. Finally passed
Following years of bitter controversy, Egypt’s Parliament has finally approved a law on organ transplant. Speaker of Parliament Fathi Sorour said the law is based on important principles such as preventing organ trafficking and protecting the right to life. Out of a total of 444 MPs, Sorour said, 86 opposed the law and one lawmaker abstained from voting.
Indian tea
Representatives of tea producers and exporters from India, led by the chairman of the Tea Board of India, have paid a visit to Cairo earlier this month. The Indian embassy in Cairo organised meetings between the delegation and interested Egyptian tea importers in both the private and public sectors.
Alex Book Fair
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA) is organising the Alexandria International Book Fair in its eighth session during the period from 25 February to 14 March. Mauritania will be the guest of honour of this year’s fair.
Chinese all over
A Chinese Culture Week was recently launched in Rihab City on the eastern outskirts of Cairo. The Culture Week, aiming to showcase Chinese traditional culture to Egyptians, includes Chinese musical instruments exhibition, tea art show, costume show of China’s minority groups, martial art show, and a show dedicated to exhibiting the special folk-custom goods of China’s lunar new year.
Street and museum
Mrs Suzanne Mubarak has recently opened the newly renovated Fatimid buildings on al-Muizz Lideenillah Street in Islamic Cairo. The renovations cost some EGP40 million and were aimed at turning the street into an open museum.
The street goes back to the 10th century and was once a major one in Cairo. It was named after the Fatimid Caliph who conquered Egypt in 969. At the Mohamed Ali Sabeel on the Muizz Street, Mrs Mubarak opened the textile museum which showcases textile works from different Egyptian ages.