Egyptian Chronicles

Friday, June 23, 2017

#Ramadan Arabian Nights 2017 : Princess Sea Pearl "Ep.25", "EP.26", "EP.27" and "EP.28"

First, Happy Eid in advance.
Second, we are getting close to the end of Ramadan as well the end of our tale for this year, the tale of Princess Sea Pearl.
Now, we stopped at the Twenty-third Night in the previous post. Sadly enough I could not find Episode twenty-four anywhere online even at the Egyptian State Radio's archives.

Nevertheless, based on the previous episodes and the upcoming episodes I can tell you that it is about that second meeting between Princess Sea Pearl and Hamal Al-Asya where they will fall in the love.

I can tell you also that in Episode 396 of the Radio Arabian nights show that Princess Sea Pearl marries Hamal Al-Asya and as she becomes a human, she loses her memory.

Third, here are our episodes for tonight.

Episode 397 or Twenty-Fifth night

This is what the Syrian refugees did to our Egyptian economy

Tuesday, the world celebrated the World Refugees Day. United Nations and its organizations above them UNHCR as well many countries in the world used that day to highlight their efforts to help the refugees around the globe.
The world is facing one hell of a refugees problem that it has not seen before since the WWII.
Back in our corner of the world, there has been one hell of silence when it comes to the Arab governments or Arab media.
In a sad irony, the Middle East or rather the Arab world is the Source of more than the half of refugees around the globe now.
Aside from Palestinian refugees who have been in limbo since 1948 and 1967, we have got Syrian refugees, Iraqi refugees, Yemeni refugees, Sudanese refugees and Somali refugees.
The media is busy with Ramadan TV season and at the same time the internal Gulf crisis as far as I could tell.
In Egypt, we got also Ramadan TV season, bad economy and a worse political situation with the ongoing Tiran and Sanafir Saga.Yet I have not forgotten about this important day.

It is never too late to post something about the refugees in Egypt or any other place in the world.

Earlier this month, I have read interesting facts that made me love the Syrian refugees in Jobs Make difference report published by UNDP, International Labor Organization "ILO" and World Food Programme "WFP.

For example; the inflow of Syrian direct investments headed to Egypt, Jordan and Turkey as things escalated from revolution to civil war in an easy way.

The report says that Syrian refugees in Egypt injected in those years not less than $800 million.
Yes, $800 million were injected into our economy through Syrian investors and businessmen who moved to Cairo.
The $800 million could have been more if it were not for the restrictions on foreigners to invest in Egypt as they lack to access to credit and banking.
They also must have Egyptian partners.

Two Syrian young men working in ful and falafel restaurant

Two Syrians working in a falafel and beans shop at the Syrian street in October City
in 2016. See more photos here

I believe the source of those millions is the textile factories. Yes, Syrian textile factories that found a huge demand in Egypt.

#Ramadan Arabian Nights 2017 : Princess Sea Pearl "Ep.20", "EP.21", "EP.22" and "EP.23"

And we continue our tale for this year, the tale of Princess Sea Pearl.

Again this Ramadan is special for personal as well for general reasons that make me share with you those episodes in that way.
To refresh your mind, here is a link to the past episodes so you can remember what Hamal Al-Asya has done.
Now without further delay and lots of useless and endless talk, here are the episodes.
We will see how Hamal Al-Asya meets with Princess Sea Pearl and how his life will be turned upside down. His wicked stepmother and so-called brother return back to our tale for this year for more bitterness and wickedness as usual.

Episode 392 or the twentieth night

Episode 393 or the twenty-first night

Seen in Cairo : Once a famous Cinema Theater

Location Azbakeya Garden, Ghayt Al Adah, Abdeen, Cairo Governorate, Egypt

Seen in Downtown Cairo the once famous and currently closed down "Opera" Cinema theater.
It survived the Grand fire of Cairo in February 1952 but it did not survive the curse of time.

Now it is closed down and surrounded with ugly big buildings and shops in the overcrowded Opera square aka Al-Ataba Square. According to friends , it is being renovated and it will be opened soon.
I do not know when it was built or who owned or owns it but I know it was named after Egypt's Khedival Opera House.

They are over 90 websites now : Online Censorship does not want to stop in Egypt "Updated"

Whoever runs this ongoing online censorship latest crackdown does not want to stop !!

This post has been updated on 18th June 2017.

Cairo-based human rights law firm Association for Freedom of Thoughts and Expression "AFTE" filed a lawsuit at the Administrative court appealing against the decision to ban certain websites in Egypt without legal basis nor official explanation.

Now the number of blocked websites in Egypt jumped from 65 in the past 48 hours to 77 to 93 websites on 18 June according to "AFTE".

The new blocked websites in Egypt are:

I feel that sad that Al-Manassa news and citizen journalism platform has been blocked.
I think that website founded by veteran blogger and journalist Nora Younis joined the blocked websites list for its distinguished for its parliament's coverage.
The website had an excellent parliamentary correspondent who used to reveal the tiniest thing happening the in the House of Representatives.
It was among that the few websites that followed minute by minute on Wednesday how the Tiran and Sanafir Islands deal passed.

Turkey-based Noon Post is similar to Sasa Post. The Islamic-leaning website used to have very interesting news reports and investigative reports from time to time.
Now, I think Nooun Feminist webzine is paying the price of having a similar name to Noon Post

Nooun's logo after being blocked
"Nooun's Facebbok page"

because other than that I cannot find a reason on why this blog webzine dedicated to women's affairs and issues would be blocked now !!!!

Tiran and Sanafir Saga : The summer of 1967 Redux

A group of opposition figures called for mass protests across Egypt in the past 48 following the fast approval of Egypt' House of Representatives on the Egyptian Saudi maritime borders demarcation deal on Wednesday.

According to the deal and despite the history of Egyptian sovereignty, the Tiran and Sanafir Red Sea are part of the Saudi territories after this approval.

Former Presidential candidate and Nasserite political founder of the Karma Party and Popular Current Hamdeen Sabhi called for protests on Friday.
I do not know where or when those protests are going to be, to be honest.

It seems that the security predicted that there would be protests and thus in the past 48 hours as there are extended security crackdown as well mass arrests for activists across the country.

According to the latest Socialist Popular Alliance party statement, there are currently 64 detainees arrested from Cairo, Giza, Port Said, Gharbia, Sharkia, Al-Ismailia, Qalyubia, Fayoum, Alexandria, Aswan, Damietta, Kafr Al-Sheikh, Behaira, Bani Suef and Suez.

The current crackdown targets independent activists as well party members like The Constitution Party, The Socialist Popular Alliance Party and El-Karma Party as well Bread and Liberty party.
I am afraid that the protests would not attract too many people because we are speaking about Ramadan, Summer and above them fear.

Lawyers protesting against the agreement at their syndicate earlier
Thursday "Reuters"

People are afraid of protesting thanks to the infamous protest law.
There had been small protests this week against the agreement whether at the Journalists Syndicate or Lawyers Syndicate or the doctors' syndicate so you can imagine how downtown Cairo was locked down in the past few days.

Aside from the usual crackdown, the government to close down El-Sadat Metro station in Tahrir.