Egyptian X-File: What was that international conspiracy implemented in Cairo that Akher Saa issue no.926 spoke about?

On the occasion of the 73rd anniversary of July 23—our official National Day, regardless of whether it's considered a movement, a coup, or a revolution—I came across something by pure coincidence last week.

It was issue no. 926 of Akher Saa magazine, published on 23 July 1952.

“An International Conspiracy Implemented in Cairo.” 
The cover of Akher Saa issue no.926 on 23 July 1952

Gracing the cover was the beautiful (and now, most likely, late) daughter of Mr. Mahmoud Beik Saleh El-Falky, then undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance in Alexandria’s Corniche district. Strangely, the magazine never mentioned her name on the cover—despite prominently featuring her. I’m not sure why.

1952 was probably among the final years when Akher Saa still featured socialites on its covers.

What intrigued me even more is that I believe Mahmoud Beik and his daughter are buried in the famous El-Falky Cemetery, established by Mahmoud Pasha El-Falky—the pioneering father of modern Egyptian astronomy.

Sadly, the El-Falky Cemetery was demolished this past April to make way for a new highway, despite public outcry and campaigns to spare Cairo’s historic City of the Dead. 

We lost that irreplaceable part of Cairo, despite all efforts and even a presidential committee formed to assess the situation, which concluded that there was no need to remove those cemeteries. 

Back to the magazine: the headline on that same 23 July 1952 issue read, in bold—
“An International Conspiracy Implemented in Cairo.”

It is Friday 13th : War Erupts Between Israel and Iran; Egypt First to Be Affected “Updated”

Friday, 13th June 2025 will be another unforgettable date in the Middle East.

In an unprecedented escalation, Israel launched a massive, coordinated operation under the name “Rising Lion” to strike deep into Iranian territory, targeting nuclear facilities and assassinating high-ranking military officials, mostly inside civilian areas.

The attacks caused widespread destruction in Tehran and other cities, reportedly killing over 400 people, mostly civilians, including children.

The operation, seemingly aimed at weakening the regime and sparking internal dissent, backfired as angry protests erupted not against the government, but in support of retaliation and accelerating Iran's nuclear ambitions, aka build nuclear bombs ASAP.

Friday evening, Iran launched a massive retaliatory strike—firing around 100–150 ballistic missiles (plus drones)—across at least two waves toward central Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Despite Israel’s air defenses that include US air defenses, the Iranian missiles breached and struck urban and military sites; one reportedly hit the IDF’s headquarters area in Tel Aviv, causing structural damage and injuring dozens—reports estimate 22–40 people hurt, with one civilian confirmed dead.

The barrage, code-named “True Promise” by the Iranian government, marked the first direct ballistic retaliation against Israel.

The scale and intensity of the strike mark a dangerous turning point. What the Iranians feared for 30 years has happened.

In other words, war broke out directly between Israel and Iran.

In some historical coincidence, it is Friday the 13^th, and it is June.

Kodak Agfa presents: Cairo’s Ramadan Bazaar of Ahmed Maher Street or from Bab El-Khalk to Bab Zewaila Gate aka Taht el-Rab’a “Part.1”

I initially thought this would be a simple walk down a single street. But I should have known better. We’re talking about a street in Islamic Cairo—layers upon layers of history.

That’s why this post will be divided into two parts.

Ramadan crescent became a lantern too in Taht al-Rab'a 

This year, I decided to explore the street on foot instead of driving, as I did last year when I took Bab El-Khalq to Bab Zuweila via Ahmed Maher Street, historically and socially known as Taht el-Rab’a.

Walking through it is an entirely different experience, especially with the annual Ramadan bazaar taking shape in the middle of Sha’ban, about 15 days before the holy month begins.

Tahte El-Rab’a Street starts at the Cairo Security Directorate—currently undergoing major renovations—and ends at Bab Zuweila.

For more than 150 years lanterns have been made and sold in Taht el-Rab'a 

The street is the heart of Egypt’s traditional handmade Ramadan lantern industry, locally and globally.

It is home to workshops that craft these lanterns from glass and tin, most of them family businesses passed down through generations.

One of the workshops specialized in lanterns, as well as tinware and copperware 

Some of these workshops also produce other tinware and copperware items, as demand for such dinnerware has recently increased.

However, during this time of year, the primary focus remains on Ramadan lanterns.

 

One of the workshops specialized in lanterns, as well as tinware and copperware 

The exact reason why or how Taht El-Rab’a became a hub for lantern-making remains unclear, but historians trace this tradition back about a century and a half.

The Richest Arabs in 2024: Egypt and Lebanon Still Have the Most Billionaires in the Region Again “Despite shitty economy”

This post should have been published but here I am rushing to get it online before the end of 2024.

I could not publish then because of the ongoing genocide in Gaza but I think I was wrong. I should have published it on time and not let depression due to the news cycle get me.

Now to the annual disclaimers: Forbes Middle East has not included Saudi billionaires on its list since 2018. The list is based on published information and assets.

As Arabs, we are aware that there is another unofficial list of the Richest Arabs whose fortunes remain secret and unknown.

This secret list includes Arab rulers except for Lebanese PM Mikati and ex-Lebanese PM Saad El-Hariri who already come from filthy rich families with multi-billion business empires.

For the third year in a row, Lebanon and Egypt have the highest number of billionaires in the region, with six and five.

It's worth noting that the same individuals from last year are present, though their rankings have shifted. However, one has left the list due to his passing: Mohamed El-Fayed.

Published in May, here is Forbes 2024 World's Richest Arabs and Africans aka billionaires subsequently the Richest Egyptians. 

According to Forbes, Nassef Sawiris of Egypt is still maintaining his position as the richest Egyptian in the world, with a net worth of US $8.8 billion. He also ranks as the fourth richest African. This year, his global rank on the Forbes World's Billionaires list is 287th, a notable rise from his 2023 position of 305th.

His wealth has risen by $1.4 billion compared to 2023.

Nevertheless, Nassef Sawiris has been dethroned as the richest Arab in the world by none other than Pavel Durov. Originally from Russia, Durov, the only tech CEO on the list, obtained Emirati citizenship, ironically earning him the leading spot in the Arab billionaires club.

Durov is not the only non-Arab to make it to the list. A group of Indian tycoons residing in the UAE also joined, including Renuka Jagtiani, the first businesswoman to make the list. These foreign entries have pushed Arab billionaires down the rankings.

Kodak Agfa Presents : Egypt’s Spring Flowers Show 2024 “91st edition”

Another belated post. How can you post a post about flowers show when there are ongoing genocides whether in Gaza or Sudan, especially Gaza.

Again, I was waiting for a truce, so I can’t post this, but it seems there is no hope.

A truck full of flowers and plants of every type you can imagine 

Also, I went to the Autumn Flowers Show 2024. “Yeah, it turned out that Egypt got one,” and I must share the Spring flowers before I go for the Autumn flowers.

The Spring Flowers Show 2024 was delayed nearly four times as I have read.

It was not inaugurated by the Minister of Agriculture as the custom for unknown reasons.

Into one of the partitions in the show

It was not held at its original time on 21 March because it was during Ramadan at that time.

I can’t find a reason why because actually it was used to be held in Ramadan and even with activities after the Iftar.

The show kicked off on 19 May till the last day of Eid Al-Adha which was on 19 June.

Kodak Agfa presents: El-Mawlid bazaar 2024 at Cairo’s El-Sayeda Zeinab in photos and videos

I should have posted weeks ago, but I could not with the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the war on Lebanon by Israel.

It is never too late though. Tonight is actually the Mawlid of Imam El-Hussein so it is a suitable night to share those photos.

God knows when I took the camera and went to El-Sayeda Zeinab to see how the Mawlid El-Nabawi annual bazaar. 

It was an attempt to break the cycle of depressing news.

Yes, it is the same street that I go to every year.

It helped a bit.

It was a good temporary escape so here are the photos and videos from one of Cairo’s biggest Mawlid Al-Nabawi sweets bazaar.

Mawlid Al-Nabawi is the anniversary of Prophet Mohamed's “PBUH” birthday.

It is observed on the 12th day of the third month of the Islamic calendar, Rabi'i Al-Awal. 

Kodak Agfa presents in photos and video: Al-Sayeda Zeinab Ramadan Market 2024 “The Economic Crisis Edition”

“I will shock you, ask me what is the price of this huge red lantern?” The old vendor at Al-Sayeda Zeinab Ramadan Makeshift market told me.

“Shock me” I replied.

That huge big handmade lantern made of cloth is sold for LE 4,000

“It is sold for LE 4,000,” he told me.

This is the price of the largest size of the Egyptian handmade traditional lantern whether made by cloth like the one above or like the traditional glass and tin.

Usually, those sizes are sold to restaurants, companies, embassies and shops as well as exported to other Arab countries.

Ramadan Kareem again

This post is not your usual Ramadan celebratory post celebrating Egypt’s traditional Ramadan lanterns and markets because it comes at a time of economic crisis.

Lanterns sold in front of El-Sayeda Zeinab Mosque in Cairo

Although there has been a ban on imported lanterns since 2015 “I think the ban was older than that” which made the Egyptian traditional lanterns not only survive but also regain their power regionally, the prices of the lanterns went up by 20%-40% compared to the last year.

The Egyptian Pound March 2024 ‘s devaluation in March: A new level of challenges

This is the first true Egypt-centric post after weeks of covering the Gaza war. “I will continue covering this war, this post is exceptional.”

In case you do not know the Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee “MPC”, in an extraordinary meeting, decided on Wednesday to increase the deposit and lending rates for overnight and the main operation rate of the Central Bank by 600 basis points, reaching 27.25 %, 28.25 %, and 27.75%, respectively.

Additionally, credit and discount rates were raised by 600 basis points to reach 27.75 %.

As a result of this decision, the Egyptian pound experienced a significant drop on Wednesday, declining by 6.2 % to approximately LE 50.1 against the US dollar and LE 54.5 against the euro.

Following the announcement by the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), the Egyptian government revealed that it had signed an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to extend the current $3 billion loan deal to $8 billion.

According to the officials, these measures “which are actually a main condition to get the IMF loan” are needed to curb the inflation and the foreign currency black market as we used to have two US dollar prices.

Watch this: Long Live us and Long Live Palestine in video

In the wake of the 2023 Gaza War, a surge of Arab and Palestinian artists took to the internet to express their solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza through their art. This outpouring of creative expression is not a new phenomenon for the Arab world.

Long Live Us and Long Live Palestine "Omar Rammal"

On the contrary, Palestine and the Palestinian resistance have long been a source of inspiration for artworks across various mediums, including painting, literature, poetry, cinema, and music.

This time arts found a bigger and quicker platform online. I wanted to share samples of those artworks. After all, it is important to share with the world what we say because it seems that the world does not see us as humans. 

Please watch this short film by Palestinian director Omar Rammal. It went viral on social media across the Arab world in the past few days.

It is called “Long Live Us, Long Live Palestine.”
And yes, there are whole younger generations of Palestinians that won’t forget nor forgive.

“A quieter Middle East”: The other Middle East in parallel Universe

Two weeks ago, US President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said confidently in a public think tank meeting in Washington that the Middle East is quieter today than it has been in two decades.

Jake Sullivan

I do not know if he was serious, in denial, or demonstrating the US's true intent to leave the Middle East to deal with "its own shit." Whatever the case may be, I know that the Middle East is not quieter today than it has been in two decades. In fact, things are getting from bad to worse.

Let’s see the Middle East’s map and I will exclude the Palestinian territories.

Egypt in the past 10 days (Vol.2)

I could not update or write anything on the blog for ten days or something because whenever I started on something, another huge thing happened that needed attention.

At the same time, I battled some cold or the flu or that variant and it already weakened me as I realized firsthand how due to the economic crisis, the effective material in Egyptian medicines “once a top product of Egypt highly demanded in the Arab world” was reduced due to importation woes.

In fact, I do not know if they are ten days or more, but I know I was starting an attempt to do something about Egypt’s victims in Libya’s Derna Deluge tragedy. If my calculations are right, we have the biggest human loss for Egyptian expats across the borders.

Nevertheless, nobody is ready to speak about it or hear it.

Busy ten days 

I hate to say it, but I am trying to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the October War but the shadow of what is happening whether the elections circus or rather that battle of proxies on one side and the economic developments in the past 48 hours from another side do not give me a chance.

Needless to say, I feel that this is the quietest anniversary Egypt has seen so far despite all knowing that there are huge preparations for big celebrations involving air shows and so on because it is the jubilee. Maybe the airshows will be held on the Egyptians Air Forces Day.

Now here is a terrible summary of what is happening in Egypt and outside and you tell me how I can deal with all that.

The Menendez Halal’s bribe allegations

On 22 September, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams and the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation “FBI” James Smith unsealed the indictment charging US Senator Robert Menendez, his wife Nadine Arslanian Menendez and three other men including Egyptian-American Wael Hana aka Will Hana with federal bribery charges.

How Can We help Morocco Now after the deadly quake ?

Morocco was hit with a deadly 6.8 degrees earthquake on Friday killing in a few moments 2000 according to the latest death toll officially released by Moroccan State TV.

According to scientists, it is the worst earthquake the North African country has seen in 120 years. Yes, it is worse than the deadly 5.8 degrees Agadir earthquake in 1960. One only can pray that the number of victims would be less “inshallah it will be less” than in 1960.

In the High Atlas Mountain range earlier on Saturday
after the earthquake by Mosaab El-Shamy for AP

The quake struck Morocco on Friday, September 8, 2023, at 11:11 p.m. local time (18:11 UTC). The epicentre was located in the Moroccan High Atlas Mountain range, about 72 kilometres (45 miles) southwest of Marrakech.

Mohamed Al-Fayed's Loud Controversial Life Ends in a Quiet Death

When Egyptian media outlets announced that Alexandria-born billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed had passed away and his funeral was held in London on Friday, I was sceptical at first.

Mohamed Al-Fayed (1929-2023)
AP

The Egyptian websites had published the news, but the British media was silent.

Photos of the funeral held at Regent's Park Mosque in London show a computer-printed sheet hung on one of the mosque's pillars announcing that the funeral service for businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed would be held after Friday prayers. The photos went viral, and many people saw them as evidence of his death.

I couldn't believe that Al-Fayed's funeral would be like that. The announcement of his death and funeral on a poorly typed black-and-white piece of paper was a complete contradiction to the loud and controversial life of Mohamed Al-Fayed.

The announcement at the Mosque

For hours, I didn't believe it and thought it was a case of mistaken identity, especially since all the news came from Cairo and not London. Members of the Egyptian community in London said that they learned of the news from the mosque and attended the funeral, but it seems that there is no direct connection between Al-Fayeds’ younger generations and the community, unlike their late father.

T7WSS gold scandal: The mystery of the six in Zambia’s jet

There is no doubt that many people in Cairo are now aware of the importance of open-source intelligence (OSINT), at least in the past 72 hours following the unfolding of the private jet that was busted in Zambia and its interesting connections to Egypt.

The Zambian guards guarding the T7WSS at Kenneth Kenuda International 
On Thursday "DEC"

On Friday, in the latest developments concerning the incident of Zambia’s jet, as it is known in Egypt, or the gold scandal, as it is known in Zambia, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema asserted at a press briefing that no one is above the law and that "there are no sacred cows in this case."

The mysteries of T7-WSS or that private jet in Zambia

It's official: Zambia has secured a prominent place among Egypt's most searched words for August and the year 2023 as a whole. Remarkably, this newfound attention has nothing to do with football, which is a departure from the usual context.

Typically, Zambia garners attention in Egyptian media when Egypt's national football team competes against Zambia's team in various African tournaments, or during official visits between the two countries' presidents—either Zambia's President visiting Cairo or their Egyptian counterpart journeying to Lusaka.

The events of the past 24 hours, however, have propelled Zambia into Egyptian headlines in an unexpected manner.

The sequence of events commenced with the landing of a private jet at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in a distant African country on a Sunday afternoon.

By late Tuesday, Al-Masry Al-Youm and Cairo 24 had reported that Zambian authorities had made a startling discovery aboard the private jet: approximately USD 5 million in cash and 127 kilograms of gold bars. The jet had originated from Cairo, Egypt, and six out of the ten individuals on board, all Egyptians, were detained for further investigation.

The news found its way to Sky News Arabia and other regional Gulf news websites but was subsequently removed from Al-Masry Al-Youm and Cairo 24.

Unfortunately pulling the news off the Egyptian websites made it as if something fishy was going on fueling speculations even without knowing the rest of the details.

Delving into Zambian media accounts, it was revealed that Zambia's Drugs Enforcement Commission (DEC) had issued a press statement and convened a press conference regarding the incident.

Kodak Agfa presents: Egypt’s Spring Flowers Fair 2023 at the Agricultural Museum

Usually, the Ministry of Agriculture holds the annual Spring Flowers Fair from March to April. However, this year, the fair was neither held on time nor in its usual location.

To the surprise, or rather shock, of its regular visitors, the Ministry of Agriculture announced that the Orman Botanical Garden would be closed for renovations right after the Ramadan supplies exhibit in March.

The closure of the Orman Botanical Garden for a major renovation operation has raised concerns among many, including myself.

This renovation also includes the oldest Zoo in Africa and the Middle East, the Giza Zoo. According to reports in the Egyptian media, the renovation process, which is led by the Military Production Ministry and a consortium of foreign companies, is expected to take a year and a half.

This situation is so alarming that it has left me feeling depressed to even speak about it. According to Al-Shorouk Newspaper, both the Orman Botanical Garden and the Giza Zoo will remain open until July 9th before they are closed for renovations to become "One Grand Zoo."

The government cannot close the Giza Zoo during Eid because it is the main attraction for Egyptians during the Eid Adha holiday, and thousands of people from all over the country visit it during this time.

I, along with others who fear losing the zoo as we know it, visited it in the winter. The zoo holds a special place in the hearts of all Egyptians with its classical historical look.

I was hoping to visit Orman Garden during the Spring Flowers Fair, but for the first time in decades, the fair was not held there.

Initially, I believed the fair had been cancelled due to ongoing renovation works and the economic crisis, which had affected imports in Egypt. However, I was mistaken.

It turned out that the fair was indeed held but in a different location.

The 90th Spring Flowers Fair took place at the Agricultural Museum in Giza from May 27th to June 27th, running from 9 AM to 9 PM. The video tour of the fair is at bottom of this post, so yes you must read it to the end. 👼

The Spring Flowers Fair 2023 was held at Egypt's Agricultural Museum in Giza 

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the 90th edition of Egypt's longest-running fair saw the participation of over two hundred exhibitors.

The fair displayed more than 1,000 types of plants, including flowers and fruit trees.

Jasmine tree sold at a partition inside Egypt's Spring Flowers Fair 2023

One would expect the Ministry of Agriculture or the government to have promoted the fair more, especially considering it was the 90th edition.

Eid Al-Adha 2023: How the Economic Crisis is Impacting Meat Consumption in Egypt "Updated"

It is a well-known fact. Eid Al-Fitr is the fish and new clothes for children while Eid Al-Adha is the meat feast. The connection between meat and Eid Al-Adha is clear.

Samia Gamal buying a sheep for Eid Al-Adha
in Cairo in the early 1950s

However, this year's Eid Al-Adha feels different for many Egyptians, as they are directly feeling the effects of the economic crisis, particularly when it comes to the consumption of food, especially meat.

Updated on Tuesday 4th July: 

Haitham Abdel Basset, the vice president of the Butchers Division said in statements from four days ago in Al-Masry Al-Youm that the demand on meat during the Eid Al-Adha season went down by 80%. Abdel Basset added that this was the worst year ever for the butchers

Official agencies in Egypt have released statistics in the past few weeks that shed light on this situation.

The prices of live red meat, including beef, lamb, and goat, have risen by 100%, while the prices of red meat after slaughter have increased by 105%.

In a nationwide survey conducted by the Egyptian Cabinet's Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) in mid-June, it was found that 68% of Egyptian citizens had no intention of buying sheep, cattle, or even sacrificial vouchers for charities this year. 

Only 19.9% of citizens expressed their intention to buy sheep while the remainder are still undecided.

What are sacrificial vouchers? 

According to the sacrifice voucher program that appeared in recent years, the donors give full authority to charities that provide the service to slaughter the sacrifice and distribute meat to needy people on their behalf during the feast.

The Richest Arabs in 2023: Egypt and Lebanon Still Have the Most Billionaires in the Region

It is not too late to share the list of the Forbes World's Richest Arabs and subsequently the Richest Egyptians. Inshallah, I am planning to make it an annual tradition for Egyptian Chronicles.

The Arabic edition of the famous magazine published this list in April, and I'd like to share it with you now.

I must mention that Forbes Middle East has not included Saudi billionaires on its list since 2018. The list is based on published information and assets.

Egypt's richest men from left to right: Nassef Sawiris, Mohamed Mansour,
Naguib Sawiris, Mohamed El-Fayed, Youssef Mansour and Yasseen Mansour

As Arabs, we are aware that there is another unofficial list of the Richest Arabs whose fortunes remain secret and unknown. This secret list includes Arab rulers, except for the Lebanese ruling class because we have figures like Mikatis and Hariris who have their own business empires.

Now, let's turn our attention to this year's list. According to Forbes' World's Billionaires 2023 ranking, there are 2,640 people featured, down from 2,668 in 2022. Collectively, billionaires are now worth US $12.2 trillion—US $500 billion less than in March last year—and believe it or not, nearly half of them are poorer than they were in 2022.

In an interesting twist, for the second year in a row, Egypt and Lebanon have the highest number of billionaires in the region, with six entries each. It's worth noting that we have the same individuals as last year, but their rankings have changed.

According to Forbes, Nassef Sawiris of Egypt retains his position as the richest Arab and Egyptian in the world, with a net worth of US $7.4 billion. He also ranks as the fifth richest African. This year, his global rank is 305th, slightly lower than his position in 2022 when he was ranked 304th.

The drop in Nassef Sawiris' global ranking is due to a decrease of US $300 million in his wealth compared to 2022.

The Pylos Boat: Hundreds of Migrants Dead in another Greek Tragedy

The Pylos boat tragedy made headlines around the world, especially in Europe. There were protests in Greece in solidarity with the migrants including children who crossed the sea to end up dead in the seabed in some Greek tragedy.

In case you do not know, on Tuesday, June 13^th a fishing boat carrying an estimated 750 refugees and migrants capsized off the coast of Pylos, Greece.

The ship was filmed by Greek authorities hours before it was capsized 

At least 78 people died while 104 people were rescued. Hundreds including over 100 children and minors are still missing. It is considered the deadliest migrant sunken boat incident in recent years in the Mediterranean. “It is the most polluted and deadliest sea for real."

The Greek Hellenic coastguard has not been accused only of failing to rescue the passengers promptly but also of deliberately ignoring the pleas of the ship and its SOS many hours before it capsized according to journalists and activists. It won’t be the first.

The boat was reportedly carrying people from Egypt, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Palestine. According to the survivors, there were at least 200 Egyptians on its board.

Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces and Hemedti on social media: A Curious case study

Over the past 72 hours, Twitter has been in chaos due to Elon Musk's "4/20" deadline for verified accounts to renew their blue checkmark.

Millions of accounts, including prominent figures such as Pope Francis, lost their verification badge as they refused to pay the renewal fee. This has led to a Twitter verification fiasco, which can be exploited by anyone to spread lies and disinformation.

One such example is Sudan's warlord and commander of the Rapid Support Force (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, also known as Hemedti, whose blue tick was removed.

Journalists have raised concerns that the loss of verification badges could create a fertile ground for disinformation and manipulation that can worsen the situation in Sudan.

In fact, it did not take long for disinformation to start spreading. A Twitter account claiming to be the official account of the RSF appeared with a blue checkmark, spreading rumours about the situation in Sudan.

However, Sudanese journalists discovered that the handle of the account was different from the official RSF account, with the fake account being "@RSFSudann" while the real one is "@RSDSudan."

Further investigation by Sudanese journalists found that the "@RSFSudann" account was allegedly an Egyptian account, as evidenced by its older timeline.

After being exposed, the account changed its handle to "@Shimaegy," with the only tweets on its timeline being pro-Muslim Brotherhood/Morsi from 2013, and among the few accounts it follows are famous pro-MB figures.

This incident underscores the risks of disinformation and manipulation that can arise from Twitter's verification fiasco.