Sports It's
all business now
The transformation of sports into
big business -- and how Egypt must
deal with that reality -- was the focus of
Sports and Youth Minister, Aleyiddin Helal's discussion
with the Shura Council recently, reports Al-Akhbar.
Helal said that sporting clubs must acknowledge
that sports have become a business more than
anything else, and that this required new ways of dealing
with matters such as funding competitive teams
and youth development programs. The clubs should not
expect the government to fund their operations, Helal
emphasized.
The Minister's comments come as Egyptians are becoming
increasingly familiar with concepts like higher
salaries for professional players, and a growing
number of players opting for foreign play where
wages are higher.
Helal -- a political science professor at Cairo University -- argued that there was a
dire need for greater political
understanding amongst youth so that problems
like these can be dealt with in a more methodical
and logical manner.
(November 12, 2001)
Television Moussa
moves to satellite Lots of ads have been
appearing in the papers for the new
Showtime network show called Secrets of the Stars. Hosted
by Mamdouh Moussa, the show, according to the ads,
will be uncensored on Showtime.
The migration of Moussa's show -- a version of which
previously aired on Egyptian TV -- to the pay-TV network is a first of
its kind, and is being played for all it's worth
by Showtime, in the hope of garnering more subscribers. Whether or not
the show will be vastly uncensored
on Showtime, as the show's marketing campaign promises, remains to be
seen. After all, how many secrets
can Moussa's all-too-familiar list of stars
-- Amr Diab, Nawal El-Zoghby, etc. -- really reveal?
In any case, a watered-down version called
"Street of Stars" will air on Egyptian TV during Ramadan as
well. Moussa has been criticized heavily for his virtual
non -presence as an announcer, but
anyone will admit that he does seem to have a very close
relationship with a lot of the stars. They let him
follow them around on their world travels, and ask silly
questions about their lives, loves, and art.
(November 12, 2001)
Crime Child
heist foiled A household maid who ran off
with her employer's 5-month-old
baby was captured, and the child returned to
its parents, before the baby could be sold to a child
merchant in Fayoum, the papers report. Police managed
to capture the 20-year-old maid, who along with
her husband -- who has a criminal record -- came up with the plan to
steal a baby and sell it on the black market.
The woman had found work as a household servant via one of the many employment offices that
feature maid services. After just
three days of being assigned to Nasr
City household, the maid was asked to remain in the
car with the family baby while the housewife did some shopping.
When she came back to the car the housewife found
both servant and baby gone. Police were able to trail
the woman to Fayoum, where she and her husband were
arrested. Police say they are currently searching for
the woman whom they had arranged to sell the baby to. (November 12, 2001)
New
developments Agha
Khan in Aleppo
The Syrian city of Aleppo played host to the award ceremony
for this year's Agha Khan awards for excellence in Islamic architecture.
Egypt's Nubian Museum won a top prize in the
competition, and Gaballa Ali Gaballa, head of the Supreme
Council for Antiquities, was in Aleppo for the occasion.
Gaballah citied remarks by the president of UNESCO
stating that the Nubian Museum -- which is located in Aswan -- was a
perfect example of a 21st century
museum. Egypt has previously picked
up the prestigious prize, awarded every three years
by the Agha Khan foundation, for Cairo's Sayeda Zeinab
cultural park. (November 12, 2001)
