BBC Monitoring

Text of report in English by Egyptian news agency MENA

Cairo, 11 September: Al-Dustur Chief Editor Ibrahim Isa was referred to trial 1 October over rumours he published in his newspaper purporting the president was sick.

Isa has spread the rumours intentionally to harm public interest, the prosecution found out.

Isa published news on the president's health condition although he was aware it was untrue, according to the prosecution.

Up to 350m dollars worth [of] foreign investments fled the country due to the rumours, investigations showed.

Capital Market Authority (CMA) said there had been remarkable declines in the Cairo and Alexandria Stock Exchange (CASE) because of the rumours.

Source: MENA news agency, Cairo, in English 1210 gmt 11 Sep 07