ABU DHABI — Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairperson of the Family Welfare Foundation, received a delgation of diplomats’ wives from Dubai and the Northern Emirates here yesterday. They had come to extend Eid greetings to Shaikha Fatima.

By Kate Gaier 6:45 pm January 1, 2007 An arrest is made in a year old murder case in Cairo... but the motive is still anyone's guess. Neighbors say Pearl Johnson was a kind-hearted woman. Even though she was disabled, she would help anyone.

Al-Qaida's number two man is aiming some New Year's criticism at the leaders of Egypt and the Palestinians. But Ayman al-Zawahri's statement hasn't been authenticated.

Panaji, Jan 1 Muslim brethren celebrated Bakr-Id with ritualistic fervour in Goa. Friends and relatives besides people from other faiths wished the members of Muslim community Eid Mubarak on the auspicious occasion. Prayers were offered at mosques throughout Goa during the day.

Israeli officials on Monday denied claims that they were close to a deal that would secure the release of a captured soldier held by Palestinian militants, citing excessive demands by the Islamic Hamas.

Statistics

GDP: purchasing power parity - $295.2 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17%
industry: 32%
services: 51% (1999)

Population below poverty line: 16.7% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 26.7% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.7% (1999)

Labor force: 19 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, services 38%, industry 22% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate: 9.9% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $20.7 billion
expenditures: $22.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99)

Industries: textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, petroleum, construction, cement, metals

Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 69,960 GWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 78.72%
hydro: 21.28%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)

Electricity - consumption: 54,000 GWh (1998)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Agriculture - products: cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats; fish

Exports: $8.7 billion (f.o.b., 2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals

Exports - partners: EU 47%, US 14%, Turkey 8% (1998)

Imports: $14.7 billion (f.o.b., 2003 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

Imports - partners: EU 42%, US 16%, Japan 5% (1998)

Debt - external: $30 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $2.25 billion (1999)

Currency: 1 Egyptian pound = 100 piasters

Exchange rates: Egyptian pounds per US$1 - market rate - 5.7700 (September 2005), 3.4050 (January 2000), 3.4050 (1999), 3.3880 (1998), 3.3880 (1997), 3.3880 (1996), 3.3900 (1995)

Fiscal year: from 1 July - to 30 June