Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi was sworn in for a third term on Tuesday, marking a decade in office for the former army general whose rule has fundamentally changed the most populous Arab nation.
He was sworn into office in front of parliament, as a 21-gun salute rang out.
“I have vowed from the first day … to make the security of Egypt and the safety of its dear people and the realisation of progress and development to be my only choice,” said the Egyptian President in a speech.
Mr El Sisi was re-elected in December for a six-year term that, barring unforeseen developments, will have given him a total of 16 years in office in 2030.
The swearing-in ceremony took place in the New Administrative Capital, the multi-billion-dollar ultra-modern city in the desert east of Cairo that has become a potent symbol of Mr El Sisi’s rule but also the often-maligned project critics cite as an example of his government’s lavish spending on non-vital enterprises.
The new capital is one of many mega projects that Mr El Sisi has undertaken and personally overseen as part of his ambitious vision for a modern Egypt that included the construction of hundreds of bridges, thousands of kilometres of new roads, more than a dozen new cities and an expansion of the Suez Canal.
Critics have blamed these projects, together with what they view as reckless borrowing and mismanagement of resources, for the economic downturn that rocked Egypt before a major infusion of funds from external sources began to fill its empty coffers over the past month.
Mr El Sisi and his government have stood by their policies, blaming the crisis on the coronavirus pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and, more recently, the Gaza war across Egypt’s eastern border.
“I am doing the maximum that I can. If I am successful, the credit should go to God’s generosity,” he recently said in televised comments. “If I don’t succeed, then the fault is mine and I take responsibility before God.”
Mr El Sisi, born and raised in one of Cairo’s oldest neighbourhoods in the city’s medieval quarter, has defined his rule in part by frequent religious references. But his religious piety and public humility belie a leader whose rule has been characterised by near-zero tolerance for dissent and the authorities' heavy-handedness when dealing with it.
He has, in the meantime, also proved to have a pair of safe hands that protected Egypt from the political upheavals and violence engulfing the region, with neighbouring Sudan torn by civil war, Libya to the west divided and mired in instability, and Gaza to the east devastated by an Israeli war nearing its six-month mark.
He is also credited with shepherding the country of 106 million through some of its most difficult years in the aftermath of a 2011 popular uprising that rocked the very foundations of the nation and gave rise to political turmoil.
As defence minister, he led the military’s 2013 removal of an Islamist president – Mohamed Morsi– whose one-year rule proved divisive.
The removal of Mr Morsi was followed by what many in Egypt see as one of the harshest crackdowns against the opposition in living memory, with authorities detaining thousands of his supporters and hundreds of the secular activists behind the 2011 uprising.
Mr El Sisi also dealt with a wave of deadly terror attacks blamed on militants centred in the north-east corner of the Sinai Peninsula.
Recently, however, the President has approved the release of hundreds of critics held in pretrial detention and launched a national dialogue that brought together politicians, MPs, experts, and academics to try to chart the nation’s new path.
The government adopted some of the recommendations reached by participants, but the process did not significantly influence policies pursued by the government.
However, more encouraging signs have emerged in recent weeks.
“There is improvement on the front of rights and liberties, but it depends on one’s definition of improvement,” said Negad Borai, a veteran rights campaigner and one of the national dialogue’s 19 trustees.
“There are still many loose ends. They have released hundreds but there are still many more still held in pretrial detention. They have unblocked some of the independent online news sites and are tolerating criticism of the government on social media platforms,” he added.
Additionally, small pro-Palestinian demonstrations restricted to the steps leading to the Journalists Union in Cairo have been tolerated as well as a small demonstration marking Women’s Day last month.
“The government privately acknowledges that the security measures and repression in the early years of President El Sisi’s rule were too harsh and maybe even wrong but were needed to stabilise the country. In contrast, it is standing firmly by its economic policies,” said Mr Borai.
President El Sisi has frequently voiced his contempt for politics and seized every chance to air his view that human rights must not be restricted to the right of assembly or freedom of speech. More important, he often argued, is the right to housing, jobs, health care, and education.
He owes his third term in office to constitutional amendments proposed by a parliament packed with his supporters and adopted in a national referendum in 2019.
Before the changes, the constitution stipulated that no president could serve more than two four-year terms in office.
The amendments kept the two-term cap but extended the term to six years and, in a clause especially added for his benefit, deemed the first of his two terms in office to have begun in 2018, not 2014 when he was first elected.
And as was the case in 2018, when he ran against an obscure politician, Mr El Sisi – the latest in a line of military men who ruled Egypt since the monarchy was overthrown some 70 years ago – again ran in December against three little-known politicians, winning 89.6 per cent of the vote.
But while critics question Mr El Sisi’s commitment to western democratic values, the Egyptian leader is credited with changing his country on various levels.
With the government waiting on his every word, his views have been embraced as the ideological underpinning of changes that have touched many fields, from filmmaking, divorce, and modernising the religious discourse to healthy living, morality, and law and order.
“Egypt is a fundamentally different place than it was 10 years ago,” said Michael Hanna, a prominent Middle East expert from the International Crisis Group.
“President El Sisi has created a regime that’s new and different from what was there before him. And it has been sustainable thus far.
“The main threat it faces will always be the economy. The recent infusion of billions of dollars to salvage the economy only buys time. Structural changes to the economy and how it’s run are needed,” said the New York-based Mr Hanna.
“There’s also a lurking danger from the lack of real opposition and legitimate ways for people to channel their views.”
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
WITHIN%20SAND
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS
Engine: 4.0L twin-turbo V8
Gearbox: eight-speed automatic
Power: 571hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,000-4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.4L/100km
Price, base: from Dh571,000
On sale: this week
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Tips for avoiding trouble online
- Do not post incorrect information and beware of fake news
- Do not publish or repost racist or hate speech, yours or anyone else’s
- Do not incite violence and be careful how to phrase what you want to say
- Do not defame anyone. Have a difference of opinion with someone? Don’t attack them on social media
- Do not forget your children and monitor their online activities
More on animal trafficking
RESULTS
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Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
How it works
A $10 hand-powered LED light and battery bank
Device is operated by hand cranking it at any time during the day or night
The charge is stored inside a battery
The ratio is that for every minute you crank, it provides 10 minutes light on the brightest mode
A full hand wound charge is of 16.5minutes
This gives 1.1 hours of light on high mode or 2.5 hours of light on low mode
When more light is needed, it can be recharged by winding again
The larger version costs between $18-20 and generates more than 15 hours of light with a 45-minute charge
No limit on how many times you can charge
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
SPEC%20SHEET
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M2%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206%2C%20Bluetooth%205.0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%2C%20midnight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%20or%2035W%20dual-port%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C999%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Reputation
Taylor Swift
(Big Machine Records)
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Superliminal%20
%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20Pillow%20Castle%20Games%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Pillow%20Castle%20Games%0D%3Cbr%3EConsole%3A%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20One%20%26amp%3B%20X%2FS%2C%20Nintendo%20Switch%2C%20PC%20and%20Mac%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
T20 SQUADS
Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan Shinwari, Hassan Ali, Imad Wasim, Waqas Maqsood, Faheem Ashraf.
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
The biog
Name: Dr Lalia Al Helaly
Education: PhD in Sociology from Cairo
Favourite authors: Elif Shafaq and Nizar Qabbani.
Favourite music: classical Arabic music such as Um Khalthoum and Abdul Wahab,
She loves the beach and advises her clients to go for meditation.
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.