Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak interrupted a keynote speech to parliament on Wenesday for about 45 minutes after suffering a "severe 'flu". State television showed a pale-looking Mubarak, smiling as members of parliament stood to applaud his return to the chamber of the People's Assembly before he resumed his speech. He spoke about the crisis in the Middle East before terminating his speech five minutes later and leaving again. Information Minister Safwat al-Sharif said the 75-year-old president was suffering from "a severe 'flu, accompanied by fever".
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Earlier, Mubarak was seen coughing, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping perspiration from his brow moments before state television cut the broadcast of his speech for several minutes. Sound transmission continued for seconds longer than the picture, with coughing and shouting heard. When the broadcast of the assembly resumed, Mubarak was absent from the podium and a television announcer reported the president had suffered a "minor health problem". The assembly speaker, Fathi Srur, told the chamber "the president is fine and in several minutes he will come back to resume his speech". But it was about 45 minutes before he reappeared in the amphitheater-like chamber, where the members of parliament had waited in their seats. Mubarak had postponed to Wednesday the keynote speech he originally planned to deliver to parliament on Sunday after falling ill with a fever. |