Egypt, Algeria may face play-off


Football's world governing body, Fifa, has confirmed that Algeria and Egypt could face a play-off to decide who qualifies for the 2010 World Cup.
If Egypt beat Algeria by a two-goal margin in Cairo in the final Group C game the two sides will be inseparable.
Both teams will have the same points as well as identical goals scored and goals conceded.
Fifa says rather than a drawing of lots there will be a single play-off game on a neutral ground on 18 November.
At present no venue for the play-off match has been decided.
The possible play-off means that Egypt have had to cancel their friendly against Germany planned for the 18 November.
Instead Germany will now play fellow World Cup qualifiers the Ivory Coast.

bbc

Arab League chief eyes Egyptian presidency

The head of the Arab League indicated in an interview published Tuesday that he may consider running for Egypt's presidency in elections scheduled for 2011.
Amr Moussa's remarks come amid a heated debate in Egypt about who would replace President Hosni Mubarak who has ruled the Arab world's most populated nation for 28 years. The 81-year-old Mubarak has not said whether he will run for another six-year term in the 2011 vote.
Mubarak, 81, has no designated successor and there is widespread speculation that he plans to pass power over to his son, Gamal. The 45-year old former banker has become increasingly influential in the ruling party over the last decade.
Arab League chief Moussa is wildly popular in Egypt and the Arab world for his frequent criticism of the United States and Israel on such issues as the Palestinians and Iraq. A career diplomat, he served as Egypt's foreign minister under Mubarak for nearly a decade before being named league secretary-general in 2002.
"Every capable and efficient citizen has the right to aspire for the supreme post, which is the president of the republic," the 73-year-old Moussa said in the interview with the independent Egyptian newspaper, Al-Shorouk. "Undoubtedly, I am like others looking forward to participate in the project of Egypt's resurrection," he said.
Mubarak's ruling party has a lock on all levels of the government and dominates parliament, and past elections have seen widespread reports of vote rigging in the party's favor. Moreover, opposition parties are weakened and have little popular support, so whatever candidate gains the party nomination for the 2011 vote would have an overwhelming likelihood of winning.
By SALAH NASRAWI (AP)

What is the Great Sphinx?

The Great Sphinx is a large human-headed lion that was carved from a mound of natural rock. It is located in Giza where it guards the front of Khafra's pyramid.
Legends have been told for many years about the Great Sphinx. These stories tell about the powers and mysteries of this sphinx. Some people even believe that there are hidden passageways or rooms underneath the Great Sphinx, but nothing has been found yet.
The beginning of one story about the Great Sphinx is written on a stele between the sphinx's paws.
The story reads that one day, a young prince fell asleep next to the Great Sphinx. He had been hunting all day, and was very tired. He dreamt that the Great Sphinx promised that he would become the ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt if he cleared away the sand covering its body (the Great Sphinx was covered up to its neck).
The rest of the story is gone, so you will have to use your imagination to work out the ending. This stele was put up by the pharaoh Thutmosis IV who lived around 1400 B.C.
This is part of the beard of the Great Sphinx. The beard was added during the New Kingdom- hundreds of years after the Great Sphinx was first carved.