Happy Halloween from Cairo’s Khan El-Khalili

Happy Halloween from Cairo’s Khan El-Khalili.

Those creepy Egyptian puppets I found in Khan El-Khalili market are found all year but they always remind me of Halloween with their dark circle eyes around their eyes.

Creepy puppets indeed 

Certain gated communities and compounds in the upscale Cairo upscales like in Sheikh Ziyad or 5th Settlement began to organize Halloween trick and treats rounds for the children.
Needless to say for conservatives, this angers them which is something expected.
Personally, I like kids to dress up and take candy.
Having fun in those hard times is not a bad thing.

Out of the crypt : Algeria’s Bouteflika is running for 2019 Presidential elections.

I am sorry for being rude, so rude to choose this headline. I know it is but it is the only suitable thing I can see.
Algeria’s ruling party National Liberation Front “FLN” declared on Sunday that President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika was going to run for the presidency in the upcoming Presidential elections in April 2019 according to official Algeria Press Service “APS” news agency !!

Algerian president Bouteflika casting his vote in the last presidential elections
Algeria has seen "Reuters"

I could not find the exact news on the official APS website but I found news reports like Former elected MPs called Bouteflika to run for the fifth time and the National Rally For Democracy Party calls President Bouteflika to continue that building the nation process and to run for the office again !!
It is on France 24 and the Algerians have not denied so the news is true.

Back to APS news reports, well I am familiar with that crap of supporting the great president for life. I am Egyptian and I see and hear that talk 24/7.

Abdel Aziz Bouteflika who is currently 81-years-old suffered a stroke in 2013 and has been confined to a wheelchair since then.

Once again the fate of Syria is determined by Non-Syrians

This photo is another indication that Sykes-Picot agreement is still alive and kicking and Arab as well Non Arab people who live in Syria still have no power over their own destiny.

Where are the Syrians? "France 24"

Leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Turkey met on Saturday in Istanbul where they called for a ceasefire and the formation of a committee to write down a new constitution.
There is no direct representative of Syrian people here in that photo.

Israel’s Bibi visits Oman Friday Morning then Gaza gets hit Saturday Morning

It is early Saturday morning and Gaza is currently being shelled by Israeli forces and deep night turned into a familiar apocalypse scene from hell the people there know it very well.

Gaza early Saturday as Israel began to target Hamas spots 

In response, Palestinian resistance factions began to shell the illegal Israeli settlements with its rockets in retaliation and it goes on.

Early Friday morning, Oman made a rare major unfortunate news appearance when its reluctant Sultan Qaboos received none other than Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife as well the director of Israeli intelligence service aka Mossad Yossi Cohen in an unannounced visit.

Bibi and the rest of the goons at Muscat 

Despite Oman does not have any official relations with Israel “I do not know why”, its relations with the Zionist state goes back to 1970s along with Morocco.

Photos of the week : It is all about liberty

Liberty and freedom are the true meaning of this week’s best photos from my humble simple point of view.
The first photo of the week is that photo taken by Palestinian photographer Mustafa Hassouna of Anadolu News agency on Monday 22, October at the Mediterranean Sea as protesters tried to end Gaza blockade by sea for the 13th time.

Anger and liberty lead the people in Gaza 

In the first glance, you will be amazed by how beautiful this photo capturing that moment of defiance and dignity at that Gaza seashore.
In the second glance, that photo will remind with none other than that famous painting representing the French revolution
That one
This is 1830-“Liberty leading people” by Eugene Delacroix.
That’s a Delacroix’ living photo with doubt and it is about liberty.
The hero of that photo that looks like a modern day David standing against Israeli Goliath is named A’ed Abu Amr and he goes to protests with that same flag he was carrying in the photo.

“If I get killed, I want to be wrapped by the same flag,” He said as there is a fear that he will be identified and killed by Israeli snipers. I fear that but I think his world fame now can give him some protection, hopefully, it will.
In statements about his new fame, the young man from Gaza said that he and other Palestinians were demanding the right of return and the dignity of the future generation.
The Palestinians want to be free, want liberty for real.
They want to break that inhuman blockade that stripped them from all the basic needs in the world. They will break that blockade sooner and later.

The second photo is sad and I believe if Eugene Delacroix or any of those romantic lithography painters saw it, it would inspire them as some Arabian tragedy.

Saudi Arabia says at last that Jamal Khashoggi entered the consulate and never came out of it but do not How or Who or What or Why !!

Now after 19 days of denying and manipulating, Saudi Arabia admits that renowned journalist Jamal Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and never came out of it alive.

Early Friday “Midnight actually”, Saudi News agency “SPA” and the official state-owned news channel “Al-ekhbariya TV” announced suddenly that Saudi public prosecutor has issued a statement about the case of “Citizen Jamal Khashoggi”
The very short and vague statement of Saudi public prosecutor stated that preliminary investigations into the case of “Citizen Jamal Khashoggi showed his death.
The statement adding that there are 18 suspects involved in that case who are all Saudi nationals.

Preliminary investigations carried out by the Public Prosecution into the disappearance case of the citizen Jamal bin Ahmad Khashoggi revealed that the discussions that took place between him and the persons who met him during his attendance in the Kingdom's consulate in Istanbul led to a quarrel and a brawl with the citizen /Jamal Khashoggi, resulted in his death !!

The statement did not share any more details about the identity of those suspects nor more importantly, it did not answer one logic question: Where is Jamal Khashoggi’s body?
It is unclear if those 18 suspects included the 15 alleged suspects Turkish and US press spoke about in their leaks in the past 17 days or not. The only thing we know that those 18 suspects were being investigated.

Farewell Jamal, he said his word and walked away graphic
A popular one in the Arab world

The statement is also an insult to human intelligence as it belittles the murder of a Saudi citizen , a human being describing it in a cold bold as a “fist fight” !!

18 suspects or 15 one of them having a fist fight with a man in his late 50s inside the consulate and nobody is stopping them from the guards or officials !! This is a consulate not an alley in Istanbul !!
Anyhow that statement was just the beginning of more mid-night royal orders issued from the Kingdom made at Washington local time if I may say.

King Salman issued a royal decree to found a committee headed by his son, Crown prince Mohamed Bin Salman aka MBS to restructure the General intelligence presidency.
That Royal decree issued in the Midnight comes as King Salman who has got a comeback relieved deputy president of General intelligence and former Saudi armed spokesperson Ahmed Assiri of his post along with three other top Saudi General intelligence officials.

Needless to say, you do not need to be a Saudi internal affairs experts to know that we are in front a scapegoating process where big names in the General intelligence service as well MBS’ close advisers sacrifice themselves so MBS can get away from that crime.
Ironically, back in the Mideast, thanks to Saudi Whistleblowers like Mujtahidd gave very close details on how MBS will get away with it.
They even mentioned the name of Assiri especially too.
Sadly enough, I remember how MBS sat with Bloomberg reporters and told them in Riyadh that Gamal Khashoggi left the consulate.

What the hell happening in Alexandria ? "Updated"

I know I have not been blogging actively as I am currently torn between work, flu and cold and following the Jamal Khashoggi’s sad saga and its developments. I find extreme angry and depressed.
Nevertheless here I am trying to blog what annoys me and what cheers me nowadays in my country Egypt.
From a couple of days ago, I read a news that bothered me a lot.
Some local Facebook news page in Alexandria spoke about how people spotted the army’s military police inside the perimeter of the historical and famous Aziza Fahmy palace.
The page showed photos for the army’s vehicles outside the palace claiming that its fences were being demolished.
It was said that the Armed Forces Engineering authority was allegedly building a huge hotel complex on the land of the palace.
Some concerned citizens include myself fear that the palace which was built in 1905 for Egyptian socialite Aziza Fahmy of the Fahmy clan is going to be demolished.
All the surviving palaces of Fahmy clan "owned by ladies" are pieces of arts in their own way.
Journalist Nabil Abu Shal says that the Palace won’t be demolished and that it will be “embraced” by the armed forces owned-Tolip hotel “yes, this is its correct spelling, there is a hotel chain owned by army called Tolip”

The alleged design

He even posted an alleged design for that hotel.

According to architect Hussein Mahran , this alleged design is not the final nor the official one. He also added in a comment on Twitter that the design and drafting technique were very outdated and there were several proposals for that plot since the 1990s.

Now judging from that photo I took in May 2016, I do not know how the army’s engineering corps will build that alleged hotel considering the space around the palace is not that big !?

Aziza Fahmy palace in real life

It is not that big !!
Yes, it is the third biggest historical palace in Alexandria if you take into consideration its garden but still, it is not that big to host such hotel as it appears in that alleged design.

Also, what is in the future for that free public beach in front of the palace and its garden?

Seen in Cairo : Another downtown building's facade

Another Downtown Cairo beauty 

Seen in Cairo: Downtown Cairo always amazes you every time you go there with its beautiful buildings and distinguished architectural styles.
That building near Opera square caught my attention with its windows.
I do not know what exact style it is but I feel it is a mix of gothic and Venetian architectural style.
I bet its designer was Italian. 

Seen in Cairo : The spikes of Kasr Al-Nil bridge

Kasr Al Nil Lion surrounded by spikes 

Seen in Cairo: Kasr Al-Nil bridge's lion is protected by sharp spikes.
To stop vandals and teenagers from climbing and sitting on the statue after its recent renovation, the government installed sharp spikes and it has worked so far.

The 406-meter bridge was renovated in 2016 with the cost of LE 8 million.
To be honest it is the first time I would notice the spikes. Maybe, they were installed later.

They may stop vandals but I think they may not stop angry protesters if they are determinant to occupy the bridge like in 2011.

Hisham Al-Ashmawy is arrested in Libya and it is a big deal

Egypt has officially demanded Libya to extradite the country’s most wanted man Hisham Ashmawy after his surprising arrest earlier in Libya.
I think within hours the man who was sentenced to death in Egypt in at least two military trials, will be transferred back home.

Hisham Al-Ashmawy after his arrest
in Derna 

According to Libya’s National army aka “Hafter’s forces”, Al-Ashmaway was arrested in the city of Derna that was once a stronghold of Al-Qaeda fighters in the Eastern city earlier Monday. “About 3.30 am Libya local time”. 

He was found along a group of his men in El-Maghar district in the city, which was the last part of it that was not liberated yet from Islamist militants’ control.

What I have read so far, the Libyan forces got intel information from Cairo about Ashmawy.
The spokesperson of Libyan national armed forces said on social media that the 1980-born was wearing an explosive belt when he was busted.

The spokesperson added that due to the surprise and shock, he could not use it.
Some say that Al-Ashmawy did not use it and resist the Libyan army because he was accompanied by women and children.
To be specific the widow of Omar Rifai Sorour and her four children.
Egyptian Omar Rifai Sorour was a prominent member of Al-Qaeda in Libya who was killed in June 2018.
Omar Sorour was the militant group’s Islamic jurist.

And the boy became a Mathematician : Meet Dr. Omar Mohsen

This is one of the true happy news that made me proud as well optimistic about the future.
In April 2011,
I wrote about this 15-years-old mathematics genius who was doing his master’s degree in the American University in Cairo " AUC" during then and that genius’ name was Omar Othman or as he is known now as Omar Mohsen. "Yes, Masters degree"

Dr. Omar Mohsen right now in
Parsi 

Now, the boy has grown and became a young man.

The 22-years old mathematician has got his Ph.D. degree from Universite Paris Diderot or Paris Diderot University on Thursday according to his father.

According to his professor of Mathematics in Cairo University Hany El-Hosseini,  Mohsen's thesis was examined before a panel of 7- internationally renowned Mathematicians including Professor Alain Connes, who received Fields Medal  "It is like Nobel Price for Mathematicians."
El-Hosseini also explained what Mohsen was doing in Cairo University's Faculty of Sciences.

It turned out that he was studying unofficially mathematics in CU's Faculty of Sciences from 2009 and 2012 in parallel of his study in the AUC as well as studying for the preparatory degree in the Egyptian basic education system.
Among his professors and teachers besides Dr. Hany El-Hosseini is Dr. Laila Soueif  "Yes, the famous political activist".

In 2012, a French professor met Omar Mohsen while he was attended one of the summer camps for students like him, something like a camp for brilliant students and was impressed with his talent and thinking.

Melania Trump in Egypt : A Quiet Six of October war anniversary

Probably this is the quietest Six of October war anniversary I have ever seen in my life in Egypt. No fireworks at night or airshows in the morning.
The only main event of the day was the very short visit of Melania Trump to Egypt, its last stop in its very quick fashionable African tour.

Melania Trump at the Sphinx "Masrawy"

The First Lady of the United States “FLOTUS” arrived Cairo earlier Morning where she was received by Egypt’s First Entasser Amer “I like the fact that officially she is using her family surname instead of her husband’s surname” at Cairo International Airport.

They went to the Presidential Palace where they were joined by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi who spoke about the importance of cooperation between the United States and Egypt in their talks.
Entasser Amer held bilateral talks with FLOTUS where they discussed also bilateral relations and cooperation to the end of that talk.

Media Empires of Egypt : And Egyptian Media acquires CBC Network in the end officially

A month ago, the media map in Egypt had a very interesting reshuffle that was significant.
Egypt’s Media Empire The Egyptian Media Group “EMG” acquired 51% of Future Media and Telecommunications Group, the mother company of CBC Network, thus becoming the company that technically controls the media with the lion's share for real in Egypt.

On 5 September 2018, Egypt’s daily financial newspaper “Al Mal” quoted an anonymous TV host on the TV network speaking about the acquisition which was to be announced later.
The anonymous TV host also spoke about the suspension of famous TV host Lamis El-Hadidy who up till this moment has not returned back to her Saturday-Wednesday News Night talk show on CBC TV for no apparent reason after her summer vacation.

News reports say that EMG wanted her to present her show on ONTV “which it owns” instead of CBC but she refused. The news was not confirmed or denied but it made many people wonder why EMG had the power to stop her from appearing on CBC in the first despite her contract.

The upcoming lines will explain why technically from a managerial point of view some executives in EMG thought they had the right to move her like that aside from all the political analysis said off the records then.
According to Al Mal Daily, EMG had already owned 30% of the shares in Future Media company so in the new deal it only would acquire 21% of the shares to have the controlling stake in the company that was founded in July 2011.

Five days later on 10 September,, Egyptian Media Group announced officially that it acquired 51% of Future Media and photos showing EMG CEO Tamer Morsi shaking hands with Future Media CEO Mohamed El-Amin.

The statement released to the media did not include how much EMG paid to acquire those additional 21% nor it mentioned either the rest of the shareholders or their identities or even when the talks started to change the ownership structure.

Mohamed El-Amin and Tamer Morsi "Egyptian Media Group"

In May, Al-Amin denied what he considered rumours about “an upcoming change in the ownership structure of the group” claiming that those rumours were aimed to the fact the advertising market before the start of the Holy Season of Ramadan. “The highest TV season for viewership, it is like Super bowel but 24/7 for 30 days”