CAIRO // Egypt’s army chief Abdel Fattah El Sisi said yesterday that he would run for president if the people demand it and the military supports him.
Gen El Sisi is easily the most popular leader in Egypt after the removal of Mohammed Morsi in July after massive protests against the Islamist president’s turbulent one-year rule. Military officers have said he had support within the army to stand in the election scheduled to take place this year.
“If I nominate myself, there must be a popular demand, and a mandate from my army,” the state newspaper Al Ahram quoted him as saying at a meeting with Egyptian officials.
The comments ahead of this week’s referendum on a new constitution, the first in a series of polls the interim government says will restore elected rule following Mr Morsi’s ousting. The referendum will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday.
An official close to Gen El Sisi said the army chief has not made up his mind but feels he “would not have the luxury or choice” to stand aside in the election if there is a palpable demand for him to run in the poll.
Asked what evidence of public support Gen El Sisi would require, the official said turn out in the referendum to approve the new constitution would be an “indicator”.
Al Ahram reported the audience broke into applause at Gen El Sisi’s comments and chanted “we are all with you”.
The official close to Gen El Sisi said that he would be “obliged” to stand in the election if he felt the people demanded him as president.
“He will never let the people down,” he said.
In his address to officials, Gen El Sisi urged the public to “assume their national responsibility of participating in force in the referendum to build a democratic and modern state that satisfies all Egyptians”.
Gen El Sisi is wildly popular among a majority of Egyptians who had rallied in the millions demanding Mr Morsi’s resignation before the military removed him and detained the Islamist leader.
Most of the leading former candidates who lost to Mr Morsi in the 2012 election have said they would stand aside if Gen El Sisi chose to run.
Beleaguered by three years of instability following the toppling of president Hosni Mubarak in the 2011 uprising, many Egyptians yearn for a strong leader who would fix the economy and restore security.
But Mr Morsi’s followers accuse Gen El Sisi of leading a “coup” against the country’s first freely elected and civilian president.
More than 1,000 people have been killed in street clashes, and thousands have been jailed, in a crackdown on Mr Morsi’s supporters following his removal.
* Agence France-Presse
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
RIDE%20ON
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company%20Profile
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Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
THE%C2%A0SPECS
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The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
FULL%20RESULTS
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CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
