Egypt Follow

JAILED EGYPTIAN anti-war activists have been freed. Most had been held in jail since an anti-war demonstration in the capital, Cairo, in January. Some, like Kemal Khalil, a leader of Egypt's anti-war movement, had been kidnapped by undercover police. All had been held without charge.

AN IMPORTANT conference held in Cairo, Egypt, last December attracted 400 delegates and launched the International Campaign Against US Aggression on Iraq. The conference issued a declaration against war and globalisation. The key points of the declaration include:

ACTIVISTS FROM the anti-war and "anti-globalisation" movement joined forces with delegates from across the Arab world at a remarkable conference in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, in late December. The Egyptian government tried to ban it. Then it was forced to allow it to go ahead. The 1,000-strong demonstration that followed the conference was surrounded by riot police and armoured cars.

GEORGE BUSH IS as determined as ever to attack Iraq. Some newspapers last week claimed a United Nations (UN) deal had averted war. But despite all the manoeuvring at the UN Bush is preparing to attack Iraq. Last week the US continued its huge build-up of weapons in the Gulf. US troops are pouring through the Suez Canal in Egypt. One ship carrying fighter jets has arrived in the Persian Gulf, and another is heading there.

IN 1897, 46,000 plumed and scrubbed troops marched through London to mark Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee. They were drawn from an empire that included over a quarter of the world's people. There was a camel corps from India, the Dyak police from Borneo, Muslim zaptiehs in their red fezzes, soldiers from Fiji, Egypt, Sierra Leone, Zanzibar and many more.

The Egyptian writer Nawal El Saadawi spoke to Wael Fateen about women, globalisation and the Middle East.

LEADERS ACROSS the Middle East are terrified that Israel's war on the Palestinians will provoke wide scale revolt. Representatives from Egypt and Jordan have pleaded with Bush to help them quell unrest by appearing to check Sharon's excesses. Anne Adams has just visited Egypt. She says the Arab rulers are right to be fearful of the pro-Palestinian movement.

THE ATTACK on Afghanistan has provoked a wave of anger against the US and Britain across the Middle East. As the first bombs fell, protests erupted in Palestine, Syria, Egypt and many other countries.

"TERRORIST LINK as 217 Killed In Jet Disaster" was the headline in the Sun the day after EgyptAir's plane plunged into the sea. Much of the press immediately assumed shadowy bombers were to blame for the tragedy. You had to search much further to find out some interesting facts.