RENEWED, Africa Nations Cup-winning coach Hassan Shehata’s contract with the Egyptian Football Association. Shehata will take charge of the title defense for the 2008 finals in Ghana as Egypt prepares to face Botswana, Burundi and Mauritania in the qualifiers.

Shehata was appointed coach in November 2004, taking over from Italian Marco Tardelli. He had previously been in charge at Cairo club Arab Contractors and also steered Egypt’s under-20 side to victory at the 2003 African Youth Championships. Shehata played for Egypt for more than a decade, competing in three Nations Cup finals.

NOMINATED, by Egypt, Amr Moussa, for another term as secretary-general of the Arab League. Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit officially announced the nomination last month after President Hosni Mubarak informed his Arab counterparts he wished to see Moussa remain in office. At press time, Arab leaders were expected to discuss the issue at a summit scheduled to take place in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on March 28-29, 2006.

INAUGURATED, the Raees El-Malaaka Mikhail Cathedral, in Aswan, by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. The cathedral is built on an area of one feddan and cost LE 12 million to complete. Senior government officials including the governor of Aswan accompanied the Pope to the opening of what is now the biggest cathedral in Upper Egypt.

HOSTED, by Dr. Saleh Lamie, head of the Center for Reviving Islamic Architecture, a series of seminars in Amman, under the auspices of the UNESCO, to underline the methodologies used in restoring the Mosque of Al-Imam Al-Hady and Al-Imam Hassan Al-Askari.

TRANSFERRED, under tight security, by the Ministry of Awqaf, the Moshaf Al-Imam Aly, from Al-Imam Al-Hussein Mosque to the Central Library for Islamic Manuscripts. The transfer was the first step in a project restore the priceless Qur’an before digitizing it and making it available for purchase on CD. Digital copies will be deposited at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Dar El-Kutub and the Organization of the Islamic Conference’s research authority.

Associated Press Amr Moussa

WON, the 2005 Lorenzo Natali Prize in the Arab World, Lebanon and Israel, by Egyptian journalist Mustafa El-Menshawy. El-Menshawy placed second after Lebanese Anne-Marie Jazzar El-Hage for his story “Growing Anger at Arrests” published by Al-Ahram Weekly. The prize is an annual award commemorating Lorenzo Natali, a former European commissioner for development and a fervent defender of human rights. The prize is given to 15 journalists from around the world for their commitment to human rights and democracy issues.

AWARDED, to Prince Charles of Wales, an honorary doctorate from Al-Azhar University. Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar Mohammed Sayed Tantawi presided over the award of the degree while Charles visited Al-Azhar during a nearly week-long visit to Egypt last month.  et