The Road to Egypt World Cup 2030 : 30 Football fans allowed in Egyptian Premier league's matches

Egypt’s Premier League will kick-start within hours in Alexandria with a football match between Ittihad Alexandria and El Mokawloon at Alexandria Stadium.
Both teams are allowed to get 15 football fans only to watch the game in the stadium, which in total of 30 football fans.
This is according to the Egyptian Football Association “EFA”’s orders concerning this season of the Egyptian Premier League.
The EFA said that each club got 15 fans officially and temporary to watch the local tournament this season.
Ironically the football team members will be more in numbers than its fans.

Ahly fans by AFP 

The head of tournaments at EFA Amer Hussein said that if we asked about why the public could watch the matches at the stadium then we should ask the interior ministry.
I respect the honesty of Hussein, this is the truth we all know about in Egypt.

The announcement of the EFA comes just two weeks after the announcement of Egypt’s minister of youth and sports Ashraf Sobhi declared boldly that our country was seeking to host World Cup 2030.

Blood Lunar Eclipse 2018 : From Cairo with love

It is said to be the longest lunar eclipse our part of the world would see in the 21st century and so I could not ignore it. I had waited for it since I read the news earlier July.
When the eclipse started, I could not see it from our house’s balcony because it was hiding behind a big tree “I am praying that tree is left alone and to be completely ignored by the municipality workers”  and so I had to go to the street to see that beautiful transformation of the moon.

The partial lunar eclipse 

Again I made a scene in the street as I stood with tripod paying gazing at the star. I listened to very expected comments especially from teenage boys who were wondering what I was photographing.
Only a nice old couple praised my action for photographing the moon.

The partial lunar eclipse 

“Bravo,” The old man and his wife who kept following the moon eclipse told me when they saw me with my camera and tripod.

The Big Black sarcophagus Circus of Alexandria

Earlier Thursday, the Egyptian authorities surprised the world by its decision to open that big black mysterious sarcophagus found earlier July in Alexandria governorate and the whole matter turned in to another original Egyptian black comedy with crazy statements and red piss water 10,000 people want to drink from all over the world.

The original black sarcophagus as found in Alexandria 

I remember Egypt’s ministry of antiquities announced that it would open that black granite sarcophagus in a big event allowing international media to cover just like what it had done with the colossal statue of King Psmatik I in Matareya in March 2017.

Inviting international media to cover the event especially all the world was technically speaking and wondering about who was in that sarcophagus could have an excellent move. People from all over the world were excited according to comments online especially it is black sarcophagus like the one in the Mummy shitty film franchise.😒😒

It was a good opportunity to promote for Alexandria as a historical place full of historical touristic ancient sites and museums.

The fact that that sarcophagus is made of granite, which is an expensive material only found in Aswan made may speculate that it could be a man of high status.
Some even had a wild imagination that it could be the tomb of Alexander, the great. It is wild imagination because historically and logically that small tomb could not be the tomb of the greatest military commander in ancient World who allegedly died somewhere near India.
Nevertheless, that excitement was not used properly.

Egyptian journalists knew about the opening operation only on Wednesday and those who were lucky enough to go were not allowed to go and film the operation directly.

There was military police guarding the location that was covered by tent cloth similar to Croatia flag.

The Croatia tent coth in the location at Sidi Gabr in Alexandria
"Al Watan newspaper"

I understood that the military police was there because the ministry of antiquities needed to use a crane owned by the army to lift up the heavy granite sarcophagus which nobody even dared to ask how it was put down so low.

I know that modern day Alexandria was built over layers of old Alexandrias but still one must wonder especially we are speaking about granite brought from Aswan in the South of Egypt.

Seen in Cairo : The Last Days of S. Hinhayat in Maspero Triangle

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A post shared by Zeinobia (@zeinobia) on Jul 22, 2018 at 9:13am PDT

Seen in Cairo what it could be the last days of 111-years S. Hinhayat shop, Egypt’s oldest surviving watches and clock shop “most probably in the MiddleEast”.

I have been fascinated with that sign and how it says "Established in 1907" and how its Egyptian owner and his heirs have kept the name of that Bulgarian man "Solomon Hinhayat" since he had sold it their grandfather in 1948.

Unfortunately, that shop won’t be here for too long as its building will be demolished for that mega development project of Maspero triangle despite it was originally excluded and was going to be renovated according to an agreement between the residents and shop owners of the building and the governorate.
I feel really sad 😞

Once Again Jewelry of Egypt’s King Farouk go under the hammer : Lost Egyptian History

World-Famous Sotheby’s auctioned in London items that were once owned Egypt’s last King, King Farouk I in early June and once again there has been a complete silence on how those beautiful items that are part of the Egyptian National heritage found their way to the famous auction house.

The items were sold as part of Fine Jewels auction held earlier June.

Here is a quick look to the items previously owned by King Farouk that were sold in early June 2018

✽Lot No.199: Tie pin and cufflinks as well Ruby and diamond tie pin✽

There are tie pin and cufflinks made of 18-carat gold mounted with coins depicting young King Farouk of Egypt. The other tip pin in the lot is more beautiful.

The coins and the tie pins "Sotheby's"

It is decorated with the Egyptian kingdom’s crown set with calibré-cut rubies and single-cut diamonds.

The two tie pins and cufflinks were sold in their original green leather pouched stamped with the following in French “AH. Naguib Rey, Fournisseur de Sa Majsete’ Le Roi D’Egypt. Le Cairo-Paris” which is translated in to “A.H Naguib Rey {I think it Bey}, the fournisser of his Majesty King Farouk of Egypt {specialized in buying fancy stuff for the king}, Cairo and Paris.

AH. Naguib is Ahmed Naguib or as known in the Egyptian modern history Ahmed Pasha Naguib, King Farouk’s special Jeweler.

Historically, King Farouk I met his second wife Nariman at the Naguib Pasha’s Jewelry shop at Abdel Khalek Tharwet street in Cairo when she was searching with her family for engagement jewelry for her first engagement.

Interestingly, Ahmed Pasha Naguib used owned one of Presidency villas beside Heliopolis Palace where ousted Mubarak used to stay and there has been a battle between Naguib Pasha heirs and the state about it. That villa should return to them but what you know !!
The family of Naguib Pasha is still working in Jewelry business in Egypt.
Back to the auction.
Originally estimated at GBP 220-350, those two tie pins and cufflinks were sold for GBP 4,000 “ LE 95,825”
Sotheby's did not release online information related to how it acquired those items or when they were made.

Seen in Cairo : Celebrating Les Bleus' Victory in Russia

Cairo tower from October bridge

It seems that Egypt’s Cairo tower celebrated France’s victory in World Cup 2018 in Russia too.
I took that photo shortly after France was crowned for the second time in its history as the winner of the World Cup.

It seems that officially Egypt was supporting somehow the Les Bleus boys too as tourism minister Rania Al-Mashat saw the football match along with France's ambassador to Cairo Stephane Romatet at the French Culture Center in Downtown Cairo.

Al-Mashat was supporting France so enthusiastically to the level that I believe she was a graduate of some French high school in Cairo.

FYI currently Egypt and France have got very strong economic as well as political and military relations. France has become among the top sources of arms to the Egyptian armed.

Egypt has become one the biggest arms customers to France to the level that human rights' criticisms do not concern the French Republic anymore. 

The French investments in Egypt reached 4 billion Euros according to minister Saher Nasr of investment in June. 
France's President Macron is also expected to visit Cairo in the upcoming months

I was supporting France's too. My family cheered for it too. I like the Les Bleus and let's be frank, Les Bleus represent Africa too in the Mondial.😆

Seen in Sidi Abdel Rahman : All degrees of blue

All degrees of blue are here.
That photo was taken from a nice beach at Egypt’s NorthCoast.
Sidi Abdel Rahman beaches are one of the best-hidden secrets of Egypt and one of its lost golden opportunities to boost international tourism 

News from the Egyptian Galaxy : National anthem in hospitals , Nile River in new Capital and a new Egyptian bid for World Cup 2030

The vacation is on a verge to an end so I gather a couple of interesting news to share it with because they are to be ignored.
I can not ignore something like this below especially it has been creating buzz as well as endless memes in Egypt’s social media universe.

From left to right: Minister Hala Zayed, CEO Ahmed Zaki Abdeen and minister Ashraf Sobhi

Egypt’s health minister decides to make hospitals all over the country play the national anthem daily

On Tuesday, newly appointed minister Hala Zayed issued a decision to make state-run hospitals play the national anthem daily in order to bolster patriotism as well the medical oath to bolster professionalism among the hospital staff.
As soon as the news hit the social media, it turned into a meme but seriously speaking it drew huge criticism as there are bigger and more serious problems in state-run hospitals and its staff from doctors than bolstering their patriotism.
Despite the criticism, Minister Zayed insisted in a meeting with editors in chiefs on Wednesday that she would not pull her decision back because it will bolster the patriotism and professionalism among the listeners.
On Wednesday the decision came into effect and Al-Warraq Central Hospital was the first in the Arab Republic of Egypt to play the national anthem like that.

The Media Empires of Egypt : A New and Quiet Reshuffle

This news came quietly last week and nobody paid attention despite it is quite interesting.
On 5 July Thursday, Egyptian Media Company announced that it acquired Al-Hayat TV Network and according to its CEO Tamer Morsi, the Egyptian Media would reboot the network with new material that would make the TV channels return to the lead of Egyptian TV channels.
Very short news but behind there is a lot to say.

In September 2017, Tawasul which is a subsidiary of Falcon International Group announced that it acquired the once-successful-but-currently-troubled-AL-Hayat TV network from its founder, businessman and former New Wafd Party leader El-Siyad El-Badawy for allegedly LE 1.4 billion or USD 79 Million pounds.

Since the acquisitions, we have been reading a lot about restructuring TV channels and the network attempting to attract big names of TV hosts and TV executives but in vain.

Tamer Morsi and Yasser Selim "Youm 7"

I do not know honestly why Falcon International group which is said to have connections with Egyptian General intelligence service; decided to put it on sale.

Now it is acquired by none other than Egyptian Media which was acquired too in December 2017 by Eagle Capital For Investment.

The 57357 Hospital Controversy’s latest update : A Media gag order “Updated”

Updated on Saturday 7 July 2018

Egypt’s Prosecutor General Nabil Sadek issued a an order to summon the head of the Supreme Council For Media Regulations “SCM” Makram Mohamed Ahmed to High State security prosecution over the media gag order he issued on Wednesday related to ongoing investigations into the 57357 Children Cancer hospital’s corruption charges.

In his statement, Sadek slammed the SCM and its veteran Pro-regime journalist Ahmed accusing him of imposing on the jurisdiction of the judicial and executive authority “media gag order”into the matter. Sadek who has issued too many media gag orders in the past also called media to ignore the SCM’s gag order.

Sadek also imposed a media gag on the investigation with SCM head Makram Mohamed Ahmed in one of biggest ironies recently !!

He issued a media gag on an investigation into a media gag order !!

This is the first time state institutions’ clash on something like that.

On Wednesday, the “SCM” issued a media gag order against all what is published or broadcasted about the 57357 Children Cancer Hospital and its current controversy saga about the public donations that ended at wrong pockets till the end of the current investigations into its matters.
The state-of-art biggest children cancer hospital in Egypt is facing accusations of corruption and embezzlement of donations.
Al-Masry Al-Youm “AMAY” Daily published in June a series of investigative op-eds or reports to be accurate by famous screenplay writer Wahid Hamed about the hospital and its general manager Dr.Sherif Abou El-Naga questioning the way he runs the medical facility. (1,2,3,4,5) {They were pulled from the official website of AMAY but they exist online}.

57357 Children Cancer hospital's building  n Cairo

Basically, Hamed accuses Abou El-Naga and his family of monopolizing the board of directors and of having high salaries when the hospital depends only on donations.
As the accusations began to increase, many people began to fear that their donations did not help in curing sick children for free but rather in the pockets of famous doctors.

In late June, Egyptian Social Solidarity ministry which monitors NGOs and charity hospitals announced that it formed a committee to investigate those accusations.
The committee is made up of judges and auditors.

The hospital and its general manager deny that accusations accusing Hamed of being part of a systematic campaign against them. They say the campaign actually started at Veto before moving to more popular and readable AMAY.
Wahid Hamed and Veto are not the first one to raise questions about the NGO hospital that has got the biggest ad campaigns I believe among the NGOs. “Tarek Nour communications, its advertising agency says that it is doing it for free”

At less known Ida2at.com website, Dousky Ahmed also published a similar investigative reported in June 2017.

Disney’s Princesses : The Egyptian version

I am currently on a vacation so I will try to keep things light in Egyptian Chronicles as much as possible.
“Disney in Egyptian” Facebook page announced recently about competition for amateur artists and illustrators to depict Disney’s Princesses in Egypt and as Egyptians in Egyptian Facebook group “Draw” and the results are amazing.
The popular fan Facebook selected the best 202 illustrations showing Disney’s princesses as Egyptian women living in old and modern-day Egypt. “There is an extra post with over 200 illustrations as well”
Here are my favorite illustrations.

Disney princesses in Modern-day Egypt "From left: Veiled Jasmine, a shabbier Ariel, cool Snowhite
Preganent Cinderella, bookworm Belle and a poor but casual Aurora" by unknown artists