The messages sent to the world by the Arab League (AL) summit held in Tunisia, together with the impact of raising the minimum wage from LE1,200 to LE2,000 in Egypt were two issues that captured the attention of the press this week. The editorial of the official daily Al-Ahram said the AL summit acquired its importance from the top-level representation of the member states, in addition to the strongly-worded communique issued at the end. The communique, the edit added, sent the world important and strong messages, namely that it is vital to resolve the Palestinian issue via a just and comprehensive peace that guarantees the rights of Palestinians in establishing their state with Jerusalem as its capital and the return of Palestinian refugees. "With regards to the Golan Heights, the AL statement emphasised the Arab states' rejection of the US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Heights because it is a flagrant violation of international laws and UN resolutions 242 and 497,” the edit elaborated. The other messages delivered by the summit included a warning about the danger of external interference in the Arab region as well as the importance of achieving Arab economic integration that is likely to improve the living standards of the Arab peoples. Meanwhile, Mohamed Amin regarded the decision to raise the minimum wage as “historic”. “The minimum wage revealed by the president yesterday is the minimum standard of living that respects the humanity of state employees,” Amin wrote in the daily Al-Masry Al-Youm. However, he raised a few questions on how retirees will cope with their meagre pension, whether a rise of 15 per cent is enough after they wasted their lives and whether it is logical that the newly employed takes in LE2,000 and the pensioner only LE1,500. Amin concluded that the political decision to raise wages and pensions is timely and the outcome of genuine economic success. It has nothing to do with the constitutional amendments, he added, but an acknowledgment that people are suffering and that they have the right to relax. Hamdi Rizk talked about another issue related to raising wages: price hikes. He referred to President Al-Sisi's advice to people to boycott goods whose prices unexpectedly increase. "The president also warned Egyptians to be wary of merchants who are likely to pounce like snakes over the new raise and will compete with each other in hiking prices,” Rizk wrote in his regular column in Al-Youm Al-Sabei. Thus, he called on people to boycott these merchants as boycotts have proven a successful weapon. Moreover, Rizk added, the Ministry of Supply should impose guidelines for prices, if not obligatory, on goods. He also called on the minister of supply not to allow any goods to be sold unless they have the prices written on them as stipulated by a law that has yet to be promulgated. 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April Fool's Day By Doaa Al-Adl, Al-Masry Al-Youm
