Cultural knocks FIRE that broke out in a private storehouse made of wood was put out before spreading to a nearby archaeological site. But the Cairo Opera House (COH) was not as lucky after two paintings by the well known Egyptian artist Hamed Nada were stolen. The theft was discovered by security guards who found broken window frames on the first floor where the paintings were on display. Culture Minister Farouk Hosni tasked a committee to inspect all COH paintings and those exhibited in art museums throughout Egypt. It will also take steps to prevent their smuggling abroad. The paintings were done in 1988 to mark the opening of the COH. Each one cost LE2,000 at the time. The warehouse is situated in front of the Al-Amir Taz archaeological site in Al-Sayeda Zeinab. Hosni called on the Ministry of Endowments and the Cairo governorate to remove all inflammable material from the site and dump garbage which had been accumulating near the site. Sectarian death EIGHTEEN Copts and 12 Muslims are being detained for four days after sectarian clashes broke out in Al-Tayeba village in Minya in which one Copt was killed and four were injured, including a Muslim. Minya police chief Major General Gamal Gad said clashes erupted late Friday after a Muslim youth allegedly sexually harassed a Christian woman walking with her brother. The fighting spread to include crowds from both sides using knives and guns. Random gunshots resulted in the killing of the alleged assailant, 27-year-old Yeshua Gamal Nashed. Those arrested face charges of an illegal congregation, vandalism, arson and murder by beating to death. Police are still investigating the source of the bullet that killed Nashed. Eyewitnesses said a gun was fired a few minutes after anti-riot police used tear gas to disperse the mob. Seventy-five per cent of Al-Tayeba's 30,000 residents are Christian. The village church and some of its well known families, both Muslim and Christian, suggested that the victim's family accept compensation in exchange for reconciliation, Gamal Nashed, the father of the victim, told the press. "I told them that the deyya [cash compensation for the victim's family] and reconciliation are out of the question until I find out who killed my son," he said. Nashed who refused to receive condolences for his son's death, said his son did not know any of the disputing sides and that he had just returned from Libya to get married. Just three hours earlier, similar clashes erupted after a Copt tried to sell his house, located in an all-Christian neighbourhood, to a Muslim. Fights broke out after Christian neighbours were angered when the potential buyer dropped by to check the house. Gad said heavy security forces were deployed Saturday to the village. Ten years jail THREE people were sentenced to 10 years each and fined between LE275,000 and LE550,000 after being convicted of bribery. Cairo's Criminal Court sentenced Ayman Abdel-Moneim, who is both director-general of the Cultural Development Fund and supervisor of the Historic Cairo Development project, Hussein Ahmed Hussein, head of the Nubian Antiquities Salvage Fund, and Abdel-Hamid Qotb, head of the Engineering Department at the Supreme Council of Antiquities. The three were found guilty of receiving bribes from five contractors who sought to secure contracts worth more than LE50 million to carry out restoration works in historic Cairo and other archaeological sites in Egypt. Those charged with paying the bribes were given 10 years suspended sentences. A sixth was acquitted. Fatal collision AT LEAST 13 people were killed and 24 were injured in a road accident when a bus and a truck collided head-on south of the Egyptian capital of Cairo on Sunday. Security sources said the bus had been trying to overtake another vehicle when it hit a truck travelling in the opposite direction near the town of Beni Sweif. The bus had been taking Egyptians from Giza, near Cairo, to Beni Sweif following the Muslim Eid Al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The accident occurred near the city of Beni Sweif, some 120 kilometres south of Cairo. On Wednesday, eight family members, including seven children, were killed and three others injured when a microbus overturned on the road from Cairo to Assiut, about 330km south of Cairo. Traffic accidents are common in Egypt with an estimated annual death toll of some 6,000 people and 30,000 injured. Traffic regulations in Egypt are often badly enforced and vehicles poorly maintained. A new traffic law, enforced on 1 August, entailed tougher punishment for lawbreakers in a bid to improve road safety and ease the country's chronic road congestion in addition to reducing road accidents. Fiery ideas A SERIES of fires have leapt from Cairo to outside the capital, damaging more property and fuelling conspiracy theories. In Mahala Al-Kobra three textile factories burnt down before fire fighters in Gharbiya governorate managed to put them out Saturday morning. Workers arriving at the factories at 6am saw the fires destroying a huge number of air-conditioners and other equipment, along with textile that was being prepared for manufacturing. The blaze was put out after three hours. While losses have not yet been officially announced they are expected to exceed LE10 million. No deaths or injuries have been reported. The probable cause of the fire could be "electric sparks as the machines were re-started after the holidays," a security official said. "The textile factories of course are full of raw cotton supplies and inflammable materials. The fire spread quickly." In Gisr Al-Suez in Cairo a five-storey clothes factory caught fire on Monday before 50 fire engines brought it under control. The fire started on the first floor of the factory then spread to the rest of the plant, burning furniture, fabrics, clothes and plastic products. The fire lasted for 14 hours and preliminary losses are estimated at LE50 million. Another huge fire took place in the Chipsy factory in the industrial zone of Sixth of October City on Sunday, destroying massive amounts of the company's products. Nine workers were treated for smoke inhalation. More than 15 fire engines were needed to put out the fire. Investigations as to the cause are ongoing. The series of fires is kindling a conspiracy theory which is quite appealing to many Egyptians, given the blaze which damaged the parliament building on 19 August followed by the National Theatre in Cairo which caught fire last month. Compiled by Reem Leila
