#Yemen , US #Drones and Usual Arab Silence "Updated"

Today there was a congressional hearing for US military drones victims from Pakistan in D.C
It is the first time to happen and just as Malala caught the attention, 9 years old Nabila who witnessed her grandma killed in the drone attack spoke to the 5 Congressmen in the hearing about her scary experience with their country killing machine. Nabila and her 13 years old brother Zubair shared the details of the attack live in the Congressional hearing.

Nabila and her family along with her translator and lawyer "Rania Khalek"

No one accused the Congressmen of treason for listening to those victims who are actually incriminating the US army and accusing it of a war crime that is killing innocent people. The person who called for this session is Congressman Alan Grayson , a democrat “Just like Obama” and he was not accused of being traitor.
Now I am happy that the drones attacks in Pakistan are discussed widely and at the same time I am angry as well feel sad on how Yemen is being neglected when it suffers from the US strikes and drones just like the Pakistanis.
I am angry that the League of Arab States is completely ignoring the drones attacks in Yemen and how people suffer there. Is not this an attack on an Arab state sovereignty !?  I am angry that Saudi Arabia that is pretending now to be standing against American Imperialism in the region does not raise this matter.
I feel sad that only Yemeni activists from true revolutionaries are speaking about it when all other Arab activists are ignoring what is happening to the Yemeni people from foreign attack targeting their civilians in the endless bottomless war on terrorism.
Here is a short clip from Human rights Watch about the drones and Yemen.

Human rights watch and US strikes in Yemen

You must also read how the United States is gaining more enemies with its drones attacks in Yemen.Terrorism will not stop using drones and killing innocent civilians in that war. This is a fact.
I wish that Egyptian and Arab tweeps and bloggers speak about Yemen. I wish that Mosireen produces some documentary with help of Yemeni activists about it the drones attack. We are good in making noise then let’s our noise to be useful for our people and their rights.  
Updated : 
It turned out earlier that year Yemeni activists spoke in another Senate hearing about the drones in Yemen where activist Farea Al Muslimi."Thanks to Jim Early"

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Links and Notes 10/29/2013

• Controversy over granting defense minister immunity | Mada Masr

  Mada Misr speaks about granting the defense minister in Egypt an immunity in the draft Constitution

  tags: Egypt Op-eds #DWC #LN Egyarmy Constitution

• مَنْ يحكم مصر بعد ٣٠ يونيو؟ - وائل جمال - بوابة الشروق

  Wael Gamel wonders in Al Shorouk about who is really ruling Egypt after 30 June. (Ar)

  tags: Egypt Op-eds Arabic #DWC #LN

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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Links and Notes 10/28/2013

• 22 Epic Places You Didn't Know Existed

  All those places are on my bucket list , I wish to visit them before I die with my camera and my beloved ones too.

  tags: #DWC #LN Photos World Earth

• ''القلل القناوي'' تراث يتمسك بالبقاء | بوابة المندرة من صعيد مصر

  Al Mandara, Upper Egypt's citizen journalism portal has a very nice small feature about thet beautiful tradition pottery industry in Qena

  tags: #DWC #LN Egypt Upper Egypt Folklore Pottery Qena

• Aung San Suu Kyi: falling from grace | World News Blog | World News Blog

  Once a hero of freedoms , Aung San Suu Kyi proves to be another radical nationalist if I dare to say. Ironically and sadly I am not that shocked anymore because we have lots San Su Kyis in Egypt nowadays. Amazingly the Muslim and Arab world have forgotten the Rohingya Muslims suffering. Still the foreign western human rights organizations and media have not.

  tags: world Burma #DWC #LN

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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Dear CBC Why Serious Face ? He did not speak about the Emperor For God Sake !!

I 'm the clown ..
Why did you stand up !?
Why did you get scared !?
I neither have a sword in my hand nor a horse below me !!
How Strange... 
                                                                                                                 Salah Jahin
I remember these words as soon as I heard that CBC TV network issued a statement last night regarding Bassem Youssef's controversial third season premiere that is causing controversy in Egypt. The Statement was read by Lamees El Hadidy. The CBC network apologizes for some of what was said in Bassem Youssef's show last Friday.

"CBC will continue to be supportive of the basics of national sentiment and popular will, and is keen on not using phrases and innuendos that may lead to mocking national sentiment or symbols of the Egyptian state," a CBC statement said.
On Twitter, the official CBC account also said that the board of directors also had reservations about some of the content on Friday's episode of El-Bernameg.
Amazingly how CBC thought that mocking Morsi in the past reason was freedom of expression when he was officially the head of the state and the commander in chief of the Egyptian armed forces. 
It is getting silly for real.

 The debate has not stopped and needless to say the TV hosts that were mocked and criticized in the show went mad  for real. Already not less 5 complaints against Bassem Youssef have been reported to the prosecutor general including a complaint by C List actress Ghada Abdel Razek and another complaint by El Sisi for presidency campaign.
Of course I can not ignore that State commissioners authority's recommendation to the administrative court last Thursday to retry Bassem Youssef for insulting the president as a symbol of Egypt.
In that episode Bassem Youssef's show , the world renowned satirist did not speak about the Naked emperor directly or mocked him. He only spoke about the Naked emperor's hypocrite entourage !!
The Egyptian people , the true people I saw in the streets in the past 24 hours were not offended nor angry as it is being shown in the media.
FYI the CEO of CBC and its owner Mohamed Al Amin attended the shooting of that episode and it seemed that he was okay with it. 
Journalists say that the commanders of the Egyptian army were angry from the episode and that's why Mohamed Al Amin got allegedly some angry calls in the morning forcing him to issue that statement.
Anyhow Col. Ahmed Ali , the official spokesperson of armed forces denied officially that El Sisi or any commander had spoken about Bassem's show in a pinned statement on his official Facebook page. The Colonel's groupies of course are cursing Bassem. The colonel was featured shortly in the show by the way in case you did not notice. Of course I still believe that we can find him as a guest in the show in the future.
 It is worth to mention that the Pro-Sisi supporters claimed that the general was more than welcoming to be mocked if it pleased the public according to some shady untrusted website in Canada !!
So now after gagging voices like Reem Magued "who got no TV show in the new season plan in ONTV for the first time" and even comic shows like Youssef's are not allowed because suddenly we discover that we should not laugh from the symbols of the State !!
The TV , radio and press all had this disgusting tune to shut any voice to speak about the emperor in a disgusting way. Now we are being lectured that we should not mock our national icons or dare to speak about army from near or far or its commanders. Now we are being lectured that we should not dare to speak from near or far in this time about El Sisi. I wonder what will happen if he is elected as a president !!
I thought that 30 June was to assert on the freedom of expression we got back on 25 January !! 
In the end I have nothing to end this post except by this clip from "Good luck and good night"

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Links and Notes 10/27/2013

• Egypt's Prosecution slams football Ultras members with another 15 days detention - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online

  UA07 tragedy won't end. The ministry of interior and regime think that in this wa they will be able to bring down the Ultras, I believe they are wrong. They are provoking those young men and boys more and more.

  tags: egypt football politics UA07 Ultras #DWC #LN

• «الشروق» تنقل.. روايات الناجين من «جحيم أبو زعبل» - بوابة الشروق

  Horrifying testimonies for the survivors of Abi Zabal prison car incident where 35 Pro-Morsi detainees were suffocated till death thanks to the officers. Testimones in Arabic. Officers and prison warden are referred to court as far I know

  tags: egypt Morsi MOI Rights #DWC #LN

• ‘The Square,’ Jehane Noujaim’s Documentary on Egypt’s Unrest - NYTimes.com

  Filmmaker Jehane Noujam's documentary on Egypt and our political journay aka unrest since January 2011 is reviewed in the NY Times. I think Noujam should present another sequel for "The Square" because the story is not finished by all means.

  tags: egypt unrest nytimes #DWC #LN Documentaries Reviews

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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#Women2Drive is back Again : No Woman , No Drive They say in #KSA

The fantastic ladies of Saudi Arabia are doing it again. The Saudi women decided to take the wheel hitting the road trying to make it a reality in the kingdom : For Women to drive their cars.
Yes today the Saudi ladies are doing it organizing a campaign to drive in the streets of the kingdom posting photos and videos to encourage other ladies and to prove that they did it. 
Here are videos taken for videos behind the wheel in different cities in KSA.

A lady driving her car in Jeddah

A girl in Ha’il driving on October 26 , 2013

Nesreen drove her husband to get breakfast earlier today , I do not know where exactly

A lady driving in Al Hasa

Activist May El Sawayan driving her car to a grocery near her home in Riyadh accompanied with a female journalist

Eman Al Nafjan aka @Saudi woman drives her car in Riyadh

Here is Eman’s twitter account. Here is also October 26 to Drive Campaign on YouTube also on Instagram.
Here are some intagram snapshots for the ladies behind the wheel.

According to Saudi tweeps women drove their cars in Riyadh , Ha’il , Al Hasa , Jeddah. Some are saying that not less than 50 women drove today. I know it is a small number still big changes always have small beginning. 
Some tweeps also say that there are some ladies who drove to their work today. According to security forces more than 13 women “Ages between 22- 44 years old” were stopped by police and secret police. Their cars have been confiscated and their male custodians said to the authorities that they would not do that again !!!Five women were arresting in Riyadh and signed a pledge not to drive again. I hope that they forget that pledge soon and hit the road once again.
I respect so much how some Saudi men are supporting this right in this macho society of KSA now and I respect more how some of them are not shy of declaring this support publicly.
Here is a Saudi young man teaching his beautiful mother "as he said" how to drive earlier today.
Above those Saudi men Alaa Wardi and Hisham Fageeh as well the rest of  Telfaz 11 team for making the headlines in social media worldwide with their own “No woman, no drive”
This is a satire song by Telfaz 11 team is the first of its kind about this important social issue. Of course I know that the whole team now is under the surveillance of the security in KSA now.

No woman, no drive

With my all due respect how come the Kingdom is trying to appear the fighter of the Arab world against radicalism when it does not allow the ladies to drive cars !? I am speaking about that huge campaign sponsored by the KSA in Arab media against radicalism. Is not banning ladies from basic right like driving their own cars radicalism !?
I can not find any logic or religious reason on why the women can not drive when from 1400 years ago in the same land women used to ride camels and horses not to mention fight besides the prophet himself in the battlefield !!
Needless to say I am reading strange comments from those opposing this basic right online that makes so angry and sick.
By the way I would like to thank the fantastic lady Manal El Sherif and other ladies who hit the road from two years ago. A journey of Thousand miles starts with hitting the car pedal for a small trip to the grocery sometimes.

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#Egymedia : Bassem Youssef Starts his show and his enemies are ready for war !!

This post should have been written right after the end of Bassem Youssef’s season three premiere but thanks to an awful migraine I had , it was postponed.

First here is the full episode. The first part was about June 30 and whether it is a revolution or coup then the second part was about the crazy El Sisi-Mania in media and the third part was a serious message about the show’s policy in the new era.

El Bernmag : Season 3 episode one–”Arabic”

I think the best part was the third one ,the show’s policy in the new era. Bassem Youssef said it clearly we did not replace the religious fascism with nationalist fascism or in another words military fascism.

The Islamists are angry from Bassem Youssef as usual. Already they used to hate him during Morsi so there is nothing new about it.

The new thing is the reaction of the Pro-military rule/Pro-El Sisi supporters who used to cheer for Bassem . The Pro-Military supporters are extremely angry because the famous satirist dared and spoke about the general !! He did not even mock him directly.

The last two parts made the Pro-Military and Pro-Sisi supporters especially the from the anti-25 Jan revolution haters aka felol go coco online and offline. Suddenly those people remembered how Bassem and his show are not family friendly and that his producer comes from a Muslim brotherhood family .. etc.

As I hinted before Bassem Youssef did not mock even general El Sisi directly and yet the general’s groupies went mad with crazy comments online. “Bassem is jealous from El Sisi , die Bassem we still love him” and so on !! It was just crazy !!

I am afraid those people should know that this is the tax of getting engaged in politics , General El Sisi and the army want to engage in politics then they have to bear the consequences.

Needless to say I am astonished with the comment of the self claimed major general Sameh Seif El Yazal on Facebook.

Seif El Yazal is one hell piece of work without doubt. The former intelligence officer claiming to be a general “he is not”- turned in to national security/Strategic analyst- slammed Bassem Youssef in a  very serious Facebook post shared 1,288 times. The strategic analyst said that insulting General El Sisi and the army was in the best interest of the Muslim brotherhood now.

He also added that he knew that the episode had a negative impact on the morale of the Egyptian armed forces yesterday !!

As far as I know El Yazal , the CEO of G4S branch in Egypt is retired intelligence army officer so I do not know how he could survey the Egyptian armed forces in less than 24 hours to know their reaction.

Not to mention what kind of armed forces is this that would be affected by those segments for God sake !? What El Yazal claimed actually in my point of view is more insulting to the armed forces and its men than the episode of Bassem Youssef altogether !!

Already we woke up to find some guy presenting reporting Bassem Youssef to the prosecution office for defaming and insulting minister of defense Abdel Fatah El Sisi.

This man is none other Judge Ahmed El Fadaly, the head of the Muslim youth association. This man is already among the accused in the battle of the camel massacre in 2011.He is known to be another Pro-Mubarak Pro-Military supporter.

I found also this Facebook page made by the military El Sisi fans in Egypt “Not the Egyptian army and its icons you clown !!” and the same old accusations are back “He is a US agent from ElBaradei gang”. Same thing was echoed in the General’s fan page “Ultras El Sisi” that is promising Bassem Youssef with hell for mocking the great revolution of 3 July ,the army and the general.

Now Youssef is being called a clown by both clown the Islamists and El Sisi fans , the clown that scares everybody.Oh yes we moved forward from the religious icons to military icons !!

I expressed my opinion as well my concerns about Youssef’s show before. I believe that this was a balanced start for Bassem Youssef and his show. The real test will be in the upcoming days and from what I see that won’t be easy test.

Again I fear that Bassem Youssef show would turn in to some sort of buffer zone , the revolutionary vent to absorb the people’s anger and refusal to the regime.

Anyhow I will end this post with what Bassem tweeted last night.

ماكنتش حلقة في برنامج يا جدعان.

— Dr Bassem Youssef (@DrBassemYoussef) October 25, 2013

Guys it is just an episode in some show !!

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And El Sisi Mania goes on and on

As if we are destined to see new levels of hypocrisy  when it comes to El Sisi Mania in Egypt every week. From cupcakes to chocolate to necklaces bearing the "CC" initials to endless columns and op-eds as well TV shows and interviews hailing the new idol of the Nile valley in the Egyptian mainstream media .
Whenever you think this will stop , you will be shocked on how some will go far.
This week in al Akhbar daily newspaper columnist Akram El Saadani demanding no mercy for those spreading chaos in Egypt taking example from England riots and that Egypt needs a leader like General El Sisi. Of course what said about England riots was from another world including the claim that the army aided the police to take control of London. "Cameron said that he may use the army in future riots only"

 He is free to say and claim what he wanted of course this but he concluded op-ed with the following words :

Do whatever You want El Sisi as the poet told Caliph El Hafiz of Egypt  : 

Rule, you are the One ,the Subduer.*

Rule as if you were like Prophet Mohamed "PBUH" and your supporters are Like Ansar !!

*"The One , the Subduer" are from the names of Almighty God known in the Islamic beliefs as Al Asmaa Al Hosna and usually associated with God and not humans.
This is a new level indeed , comparing Abdel Fatah El Sisi to God Almighty and Prophet Mohamed !!! No one will top El Saadani I believe in the hypocrisy wall of shame !!!

 By the way, there are beliefs spreading especially among middle class and low class ladies that General El Sisi is mentioned in the Holy Quran !! It is no surprise actually because I have seen tweets on twitter by El Sisi fans claiming that Prophet Mohamed “PBUH” prophesized the general’s coming as the new leader of the Muslim world !!!!!!!
This is besides the messages sent through the military Facebook pages and the alleged officers twitter Sisi to God and Prophet Mohamed, Comparing to Omar is nothing .

Some El Sisi Pro-Nationalist Anti-American poster

accounts that Egypt needs another Omar !! Of course after comparing El El
So much for a revolution allegedly took place to stop the abuse of religion in politics by the Muslim brotherhood !!!
We used to criticize and mock how the Muslim brotherhood and Islamists turn Morsi in to a holy figure blessed by Prophet Mohamed “PBUH” and the Holy Spirit but now we are not allowed to criticize those turning El Sisi in to a false God !!
It is just scary , the man has not been elected yet as a president not to mention he did not say that he would run yet. “Reuters is claiming that the general now is leaning to towards the idea , especially that the officers of the army are supporting the idea”
You can imagine how things will be if the general becomes a president !!
By the way I meet people everyday now from the general's admirers who believe that he saved Egypt for real , those people actually believe that it is better to have him as minister of defense than there president. "It will be stupidity from him to run for the presidency , we need him as minister of defense more urgently now" I swear I heard this view from people in the street from different backgrounds. 
Nevertheless the counter view , the growing one says that Egypt needs a strongman to restore order and that there is no other contender against the general nor there is other alternative than the army and the general. This view does not see the fact that the general is just a human not a god that will save Egypt from its deadly problems. This view does not see the fact that the problems of Egypt do not a charismatic 1960s style leader from the military institution as much it needs a true political and social as well economic revolution to save the Egyptian state itself from decay.
Back to El Sisi-mania, I hope that what Sandmony aka Mahmodu Salem said in his column this week in Daily News Egypt will be true and it begins to fade.

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Links and Notes 10/25/2013

• Mīt `Uqba - Tadamun

  Learn the history of a famous working class area in Giza. It is a must read post.

  tags: Egypt Giza Mituqba History #DWC #LN

• Egypt’s got 99 problems, but US aid ain’t one | mohamed el dahshan. economist, writer, speaker, compulsive traveller.

  Dear friend and blogger Mohamed El Dahshan writes about Egypt's problems that do not include the US aid. 

  tags: egypt aid #DWC #LN

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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Links and Notes 10/24/2013

• Egypt military officers back army chief for president - News - Aswat Masriya

  So the Egyptian armed officers are pushing El Sisi for Presidency. This is a suicide by all measures.  By the way the true liberals in Egypt are totally against the candidacy of this man and the outrageous engagement of the army in politics like that. 

  tags: Egypt military officers president #Egyelections #DWC #LN

• عودة رجال جمال مبارك الغائبين.. و«حجاج» في الخارجية بعد التنسيق مع الوزير - بوابة الشروق

  In Arabic : The return of Gamal Mubarak and NDP's men to the scene in Egypt

  tags: Egypt #DWC #LN NDP

• Classic Movies in Miniature Style on Behance

  Not politics but fine art , fusion art to be accurate. What will happen when famous films turn in to Turkish miniatures ?

  tags: miniature Turkish Turks Films Culture #DWC #LN

• On popularity and bubbles - Daily News Egypt

  Sandmonkey aka Mahmoud Salem writes about ElSisi's popularity bubble 

  tags: Egypt ElSisi #DWC #LN

• Funeral in Warraq’s Virgin Mary church | Sabry Khaled

  Photographer Sabry Khaled presents photos from the funerals of Al Warraq's Virgin Mary Church massacre on Tuesday.

  tags: funeral church Egypt #DWC #LN Photos

• Egyptians Abandoning Hope and Now, Reluctantly, Homeland - NYTimes.com

  The decision of Mohamed Hashem , the famous Cairo publisher to emigrate the decision about how many Egyptians are now willing to leave the country unlike what happened after February 2011. 

  tags: #DWC #LN nytimes Egypt hope

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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Strike4Sudan : The Sudanese Won't give up

You may think that things have calmed down in Sudan after two weeks of protesting against El Bashir , you may think that Sudanese gave up quickly. Well they did not give up and they know that this is just the start in a path that will end up with freeing Sudan from the iron fist that dictatorship they were cursed with. 

Sudanese activists have started since yesterday a 5 days hunger strike. Yes 5 days hunger strike for those specific demands.

1. Release of all political detainees.
2. Bringing those responsible for the killing of protesters to justice and allowing people to demonstrate without fear of detention or use of force. 
3. Freedom of expression and allowing journalists to resume their role and lift the bans on newspapers.

You can follow the updates of the strike4Sudan in this blog. 
Also this blog "Sudan Martyrs" follow the list of Sudanese martyrs fallen in the past weeks. 

You can follow the updates of the strike on the following hashtags on twitter : #Strike4Sudan and #اضراب_للسودان in Arabic
By the way I am so astonished on how the West has been silent on what was taking place in Sudan , was not Omar El Bashir a criminal wanted by the ICC !? Was not he wanted for his crimes in Darfur !? Is not he a dictator ? I know that there is an iron curtain when it comes to media inside Sudan but this is too much. 

This video below is Mosireen Collective production about Sudan. It is Arabic and has not been yet translated. It is called "Revolution continues ..Sudan".Please share it.
I am shocked to see such footage now especially when it comes to the massacres in Nuba mounts !!

Indeed Revolution does not only continues but it grows day after day

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Mosa’ab El Shamy Presents : The funerals of Al Warraq Wedding

Dear friend and talented renowned photographer Mosa’a El Shamy attended the funerals of the sad and misfortunate wedding of Al Warraq. He was not there alone , he accompanied his camera with him and got us some sad pictures from those sad moments. 

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A Wedding and 4 Funerals : #AlWarraq tragedy

Blood on the Church's floor

Last night a wedding in a Church in the popular area of Al Warraq , Imbaba turned in to 4 funerals. Egyptians were attacked while attending a wedding ceremony at a Church in Al Warraq , Imbaba after two assailants opened their fire on the people standing outside the church late Sunday. The two assailants were on a motorcycle and fled away after opening their fire.

A Wedding that turned in to 4 funerals including the funerals of 8 years old and 12 years old girls carrying flowers , a wedding that turned in to 4 funerals including the funeral of the groom's mother. 

As it is a church in a popular area , the Virgin Church in Al Warraq is not secured and according to its bishop it has not been secured since the ousting of Morsi or after the attacks against the churches following 3 July.

Moments after the attack all the fingers were pointing to the Muslim brotherhood and co. as the attackers , they are the primary suspects that have been convicted by the crime that we have not known yet for real who did it or why.

Inside the Church from short time ago

All what we know that the Muslim brotherhood and their pro- radical Islamist allies radical rhetoric against the Christians and the Church played terrible and major role in the continuous attack against Churches. That rhetoric they refuse to give up , those actions they refuse to stop make them the primary suspect in highly polarized society.

The human rights activists are blaming the ministry of interior for its failure to protect the Christians , I can not blame them to be honest because since July 3 , 2013 and the government , the army and police have been warned over and over by human rights organizations that Christians would pay the price and were paying the price.

On the other hand since the attack all the Pro-military supporters as well the Pro-Mubarak supporters have gone in to a crusade against PM Beblawy demanding him to resign from his position along all his ministers. Ironically everybody knows that Beblawy is not real responsible for security in Egypt and that it is beyond his power. Security in Egypt is officially the responsibility of two men  : Abdel Fatah El Sisi and Mohamed Ibrahim. Be brave and speak about the responsibility of the ministry above the accountability responsible for the security of civilians aka the ministry of interior.

Anyhow unfortunately this is the first attack of its kind and sadly it will not be the last "despite I am praying that it would be" as long as there is no justice , no state of the law , no respect of human rights for all Egyptians regardless of their religion or color or race or class.

The 4 funerals will be held after two hours.
The second photo is by photographer Alaa El Kamhawy.
Update : Below after the break a small photo gallery for the sad day in Al Warraq.

 

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Bassem Youssef To return To Bigger Challenge

After  being absent for several months following the vacation of his successful famous show “Al Bernmag” Satirist TV host Bassem Youssef will be back to TV screen next weekend. Youssef will present the first episode of in his show’s newest season next Friday 25 October 2013 on CBC after being absent for three months.
Everybody is waiting for his return from Islamists to Pro-Military to revolutionaries to normal Egyptians. All people are anticipating how the renowned TV host will return back and who will be his next victims.
The revolutionaries are wondering whether he will criticize and mock the new regime figures above them General Abdel Fatah El Sisi just like he used to do with ousted President Morsi.
The Islamists are waiting to see if Youssef will be bold enough like in the days of Morsi and will criticize explicitly ,freely and rudely from their point of view Abdel Fatah El Sisi. The Islamists and Pro-Morsi supporters believe that Youssef was actually used by the deep step and the army in order to turn the people against Morsi.
The Pro-Military/Pro-Sisi love to remember that Youssef’s producer is from the famous Qazaz’s Muslim brotherhood family.
The famous satirist did not deny that and it is true that his producer Tarek Qazzaz comes from him the famous MB’s Qazzaz family whose member Khaled Qazzaz is currently detained among other Morsi’s top aides and advisors. Khaled was Morsi’s secretary on foreign affairs.Still Tarek is not a member in the brotherhood.
The regular people are just waiting to see the show.
Bassem Youssef has got even bigger challenge now in those days , the true days of polarization and radicalization in Egypt. Radicalization in Egypt now is longer associated with religion only.
By the way Youssef writes a weekly column in Shorouk Daily newspaper every Tuesday. So far he has been speaking about the Islamists and radicalism. I hope he speaks about other types of radicalism in the country.
It is worth to mention that CBC is one of the top Pro-Military Pro-Sisi TV channels now in Egypt.
Youssef once promised to mock Adly Mansour , El Sisi and Beblawi just like the former Muslim brotherhood icons as soon as they got their own blunders on twitter last August.
To be honest there is a huge material from Abdel El-Fatah El Sisi’s speeches if Youssef and his crew are serious and … bold but he won’t dare I believe personally to speak about Egypt’s newest idol for fear not only the wrath of that new idol but for fear of his losing his fans. Youssef is smart and I think before CBC would impose any new censorship , there will be self censorship unfortunately more importantly.
Bassem Youssef gained a lot of audience including those from Pro-Mubarak supporters and Pro-Military supporters as well those who hate the revolution and do not believe in freedoms in the first place just because he used to mock the Muslim brotherhood.
I do not think that he is ready to lose that audience especially it is unfashionable now to have only revolutionary audience if we are going to speak about ratings and viewership in showbiz.
I hope that I will be wrong but I think Bassem Youssef will mock the current regime , he will be allowed to make fun of El Sisi himself in certain limits and of course he will be more than welcomed to make fun of the Islamists.
I hope that I will be wrong but in this time when freedoms of expression in Egypt are under attack , Youssef will be portrayed as an evidence on how much freedom in the country in the new era worldwide considering his international fame. In fact I will not be surprised to find the official spokesperson of armed forces Ahmed Ali invited as a guest in one of the episodes.
Anyhow I am not waiting that much for Bassem Youssef because honestly I care more for the absence of serious talk show hosts like Reem Magued and Yosri Fouda on ONTV.  Fouda is going to return by November 2013 according to his crew.
Reem Magued has been absent since Ramadan , we do not know if she is going back again to ONTV or any TV screen but we know that the famous anti-Islamist/anti-military rule revolutionary TV host pissed a lot of people last Ramadan when she said clearly down with the military rule on TV.
It is enough to know she was going to have an radio interview in Ramadan in some FM station but it was cancelled because of her public political views. Needless to say ONTV can not be watched now without those two.
With all that sick 1960s TV propaganda now , people like Reem Magued are needed to break the circle.

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#UA07 Protest to release their detainees

Members as well supporters of Ultras Ahlaway group “UA07” are organizing a protest today in Cairo as well a rally. The UA07 boys are demanding the release of their colleagues that have been arrested from two weeks in clashes with the security forces. Among the detainees leading figures in the groups. Those who have been released from the UA07 detained boys reported that they were badly tortured by police forces during their custody.
I believe that this is the biggest Non Muslim brotherhood rally organized in Egypt against the security since the ousting of Morsi.
Here is a short live blogging for the main event. Scroll down to read it.

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You Do not go to the streets after this law !!

Today Al Shorouk Newspaper published the draft protest law prepared by the government aka ministry of interior which is also being reviewed now by interim president Adly Mansour. According to the articles published in the newspaper protesting will be officially an impossible thing in Egypt.

Among the interesting articles : You have not only to notify the ministry of interior with not only the time and place but also the number of the protesters expected to come 24 prior to the protest. I do not know how anyone will be able to tell the expected number of protesters !!  The ministry of interior will then grant you the permission. Question : How anyone can predict the number of the protesters in any protest !!!
You also have to tell the ministry of interior the names of the organizers and their contacts as well the goals and demands of the protest.

 The million dollars question is : Will the ministry of interior allow a protest against itself ?
In another article the minister of interior and other ministry's officials can cancel the whole event if it violates the conditions and terms the ministry listed in the law.
Of course the draft law bans sits in. It also bans protests and sits in nearly vital governmental institutions except after 100 meters like Presidency palaces , governmental offices , ministries, embassies , governorates and courts !! Just go to the desert and protest there !!I think Tahrir square is off limits for real according to this law.
For the record the law states that there will be a space in every governorate allocated for protests !! 

From what we know there are voices inside the cabinet against the law , actually it is one and only voice : Dr. Ziad Bahaa El Din.


For the record Bahaa El Din allegedly warned the government of applying this law. Of course the social democrat politician can not stand against the deep state alone.
Anyhow outside the government there are some people who began to become vocal against the law.
Former presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Abu El Fotuh criticized it and attacked the current regime in Egypt because of it.

قانون منع التظاهروالاعتصام المزمع إصداره يحسم اﻷمرأمام كل متردد بأننا نواجه سلطة قمعية ليس لها مشروعية تستهين بحريات وكرامة وحقوق المصريين.
— عبدالمنعم أبو الفتوح (@DrAbolfotoh) October 17, 2013

"The proposed law to ban protests and sits in settles the matter , we are in front of an oppressive regime that got no legitimacy underestimating the freedoms , dignity and the rights of Egyptians."

Ezzedine Choukri , the writer and diplomat also is against the law.

مشروع قانون التظاهر يشكل انتهاكا لتعهد الحكومة الوارد في برنامجها السياسي بحماية حرية التعبير السلمي #قانون_التظاهر
— عزالدين شكري فشير (@EzzedineCF) October 17, 2013

"The draft protest law is considered a violation to the government's promise in its political program to protect the freedom of peaceful expression" 
Did not know that the government had a political program or promises already.
MP Mostafa Al Nagar also condemned the new draft law in his official Facebook page today. 

"The current protest law with its current form looks like a bastard child from Mubarak and Muslim brotherhood regime to join the temporary detention farce in an attack on freedoms. We want a law that organizes protests and not to ban protest, we want a law that criminalizes the murder of the peaceful protester not to legalize it, we want to widen the space of freedoms and not to tighten it up.We will bring down any law that can not be implemented for its unrealistic nature. The authorities should learn from the past mistakes and to respect themselves as well not to increase their enemies with their increasing stupidity."

Even the Pro-Sisi Pro-Military trials Tamaroud group is against the law for God sake !!

On Twitter the Pro-Revolution tweeps launched a hashtag Arabic "I_refuse_the protesting_law"

Ironically a similar protest law was drafted by the minister of interior in time of Morsi and was completely rejected by almost everybody, I do not know where "everybody" is now especially the liberal and leftist forces and icons !! Was the whole issue with those silent now that it would be issued during the time of the Muslim brotherhood's rule and was not about the oppression !? I fear part of the answer is yes , big yes.

The Pro-Military/Pro-Police state supporters think that Egypt needs this law to save it from chaos , of course they do not understand the lesson that popular revolutions and uprisings can not be stopped by laws when their time come. They do not want to understand unfortunately that they are giving up their right and the rights of children , what if their military savior turns in to another Omar El Bashir !? They speak about countries like UK and USA without realizing that these are developed democratic countries already not a country struggle for real to put its first step towards democratic transition.

 I remember the days when all the Pro-Military Facebook pages and twitter accounts begging the people to go to the streets to protest on 30 June 2013. I remember Egypt's new idol Abdel Fatah El Sisi begging the people to go to the streets to mandate him and the army in order to fight the terrorism to the end of that talk. I do not know why protests were not that bad then !!

The stability of Egypt won't restored by banning sits in and protests but rather through true democratic civilian transition. 

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We Have Been the Biggest Losers from Long Time

Yesterday Egypt lost in front of Ghana in the World Cup qualifiers and since then millions of Egypt are mourning the loss of the game in a great grief as if it were the end of the world with no regards to all the losses in all fields of life we shamefully produced in the past 31 years.
It is really ironic and quite sad to see people on TV and social media are extremely demanding enthusiastically the accountability of the Egyptian Football federation’s officials and the team more than the accountability of the Egyptian government officials responsible for setting back Egypt in every bloody field in life.

From Brazil's protests

As facts of life 40% of Egyptians live under the poverty line and 25% of the Egyptians can not read or write according to official numbers in 2012. Our basic education system is considered the worst worldwide according to the world competiveness report in 2013 !! We do not have real scientific research in Egypt , our universities hit rock bottom. We got an energy crisis . We got an unemployment crisis. We got traffic problem and housing problem aside from the shanty towns that can kill millions if we have another 1992 powerful earthquake in Cairo alone.
We live on loans from other countries. We are number no.1 in Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B is spread as well in Upper Egypt. There are hundreds of villages completely forgotten with no clean water access or electricity access in 2013.We got a Nile river crisis everybody forgets. We got a Constitution in making everybody is ignoring. We got laws against the right of protesting made and sent it to the interim president and everybody is ignoring it. Freedoms in Egypt are in real danger in Egypt and yet people care only for a football match score.
I am sorry dear follow Egyptians we have been the biggest losers from long time.
It is not a big secret that the football is one of types of the masses’ opium in Egypt , it is not a big secret and nobody can be denied that from time it is being employed in politics as usual since the days of Mubarak.
If you speak to the people , they will tell that the match and the hope to join the world cup was the only joy that brings hope in those hard times. What I see here that we have mastered the art of escaping from our problems hiding in trivia !! It is no longer passion about sports but a sign of failure.
Ironically and sadly we even ignore other sports that we do not spend on from our public budget lots and lots of money like football , we score good in those sports. Our Egyptian basketball has been qualified for the Basketball world cup in Spain but most Egyptians ignore.
God knows how this match was being employed politically by the Muslim brotherhood supporters  who did not hide how they supported Ghana “they travelled there and held the Raba’a signs” and their opponents from Pro-Military supporters who believe that the defeat was a world conspiracy implemented by the American Zionist spy Bradley who is cooperating with the Muslim brotherhood in order to make us lose the march.
Some of those people believe that Bradley is a spy that should be prosecuted and Mohamed Abu El Tarika brought with him some MB women who put some thing that drugged the players !!  Those some want Adly Mansour to issue presidential decrees arresting Abu El Tarika and all other traitors in the Football federation !!
For the record Abu El Tarika is the one who scored for Egypt in that silly match.
By the way some people including the lawyers syndication in Egypt “its head is a member in the Constitution committee” that is demanding the FIFA and CAF to cancel the match as well its result and have new one !!
There are even people “Ultra-Conspiracy theorists” like infamous Sameh Abu Al Rayas who believe that the Pro-Mubarak forces in Egypt saved the day and made Egypt lose in the match to save Egypt from an evil plan to use football match in order to reinstate El Sisy , the freemason as a president but Mubarak saved the day and scored in Egypt !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Side note: Knowing how much hate and violence as well madness in Egypt now I am truly concerned about footballer Mohamed Abu Terika and his safety. I fear of some Andres Escobar scenario to be honest in Cairo especially Abu Terika reminds of the late Colombian star.
The Muslim brotherhood supporters are saying that the loss of the match was actually a punishment of God for the people who were silent on the murders of thousands in the past few months and the Mubarak supporters are crying on his days and how we were the Masters of Africa in football !!!!!
Ironically part of our loss yesterday is the arrogance and how we think that we are better than the rest of the Africans because you know… we are the master of the universe and world power unlike those Africans !!!!
Seriously speaking we had no chance to be honest in the World cup , just look to the ages of our players and the ages of Ghana’s team , just look how no one paid an effort yesterday to play football for real to deserve to be in the world cup
For God sake one of our footballers returning back from Ghana stated that he believed that there was sort of African black magic used in the game to paralyze the Egyptian players !! Yes this is what a footballer aspiring to get qualified to the World Cup in 2013 believes !!
We lost the football match and we will not be able to go to Brazil , we will not have another chance for the upcoming 4 years. May be there is a hidden bless the MB supporters do not see that people may wake up and say the problems we have got.
Yes we got real problems than a bloody match.
Amazingly the Egyptians especially the politicians do not want to learn from the Brazilian model in democratic transition.
Brazilians are now furious on their government is focusing on the World Cup and preparations for Olympics ignoring education , health sector and I will not say anything more.
By the way Egypt is playing in the streets kids world cup in 2014 insh Allah. Yes the streets kids made it and nobody is paying attention.

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Pilgrimage in #Mecca Decades ago

Very happy and blissful Eid Adha for all the readers of the Egyptian Chronicles. Now today I share with you this video clip I found online showing the pilgrimage in Mecca many decades ago.

Rare footage for pilgrimage

It is very beautiful and rare footage in Arabic.
The creator the video says that the material he got in the video was hundred years ago and that its source was pilgrims from South East Asia. Well I believe that the material was from an old Egyptian newsreel film based on the accent of the narrator and his style of reading. It is the same as the one used in the old Egyptian newsreel.
By the way,Saudi News Channel announced that it was found out that the oldest photograph for the Holy Kaaba in Mecca was taken by an Egyptian army officer and geographer Mohamed Sadek  in 1880. The army officer who was fond by geography and photography wrote books about Saudi Arabia and the trip of Pilgrimage during then. He took about 18 photos then.

Photo for the Kaaba in 1880 by Mohamed Sade

A photo for Al Masid Nabawi in Medina in 1880

Amazingly the photos of Mohamed Sadek Beh were not found in Cairo in the forgotten Geographic Society but rather in the archives of King Abdel Aziz Al Soud. It turned out that a German explorer and geographer bought the photos from Sadek in 1883 during a trip in Tunisia. The photos since then disappeared then resurfaced again in 1989 in some auction where some collector bought the 18 photos for $ 2,900,000. I guess the collector was a Saudi Royal figure. I respect their efforts to collect this history and heritage.

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Happy Eid Adha 2013 From Egyptian Chronicles

Today Egypt and Muslim world are celebrating Eid Adha , may it be full of happiness, joy and peace all over the globe.

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A Kodak Agfa Co-Production : #Oct73War Anniversary in #Tahrir square

This small photo gallery is from Tahrir square last 6 October 2013. It is a co-production between Kodak Agfa and a dear friend of mine.

Of course the day ended in a very sad way despite all the celebrations and so on unfortunately.
Tahrir square is closed in front of protesting until further notice.
Some revolutionary youth are frustrated from its closure. Well Tahrir square was a bless and a curse on the 25 January as it limited the revolution thanks to the media , I still believe that the 25 January revolution and its goals from social justice , freedom and democracy should spread in all over the country from Rashid in the North to Hala’ib , from Rafah to Salloum. One of our bad mistakes is that we limited the revolution to become Tahrir  revolution and Tahrir youth.
Anyhow Symbols are still extremely important and this is why there is a battle over Tahrir between the Muslim brotherhood and the current regime over it. The MB is dying to reach there and the regime is closing in front of protesting.
Call me foolish and dreamy but I believe that the Egyptians will return to Tahrir square again .. just like the first time on 28 January 2011 when they overcome their political differences and ideologies for the real interest of a civilian modern Egypt based on democracy, justice and equality. The revolutionaries will be back when they learn their mistakes.

Tahrir square empty in the morning "Source"

All the respect and all the glory to the martyrs of the 1973 war and their grandchildren , the martyrs of Tahrir square.

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The sad story of Haya , Julia and Sama

Haya , Julia and Sama

Those beautiful girls are called : Haya , Julia and Sama. They are sisters. Palestinian refugees who were born in Syria. Their family fled Syria after the revolution turned in to a war seeking better life in Egypt.
Facing with double bitter reality mixed with racism, their parents decided to emigrate illegally escaping from Egypt seeking safe place in Europe unfortunately.
Haya , Julia and Sama drowned on Friday in the Mediterranean near the shores of Alexandria among the 12 Syrian and Palestinian that were drowned in the illegal immigration boat incident.
I do not know what to say except that I am sorry, I am sorry that the Syrians and Palestinians have to suffer in Egypt. I am sorry that we are not helping them to live in dignity in our country. I am sorry that they had to die like this.
The agony of the refugees from Syria is doubled for the Palestinian refugees as unlike other refugees they do not have UNRWA in Egypt to help them. This is of course besides racism against Palestinians in Egypt nowadays.
These refugees are ready to die in the sea just to get hell out of Egypt , can you just imagine how it feels ? Already we got our own youth who are ready to do the same and they are doing it !!
If Europe does not want these refugees and the Egyptian regime does not want them too then I think the EU , Egypt , UN , UNRWA and UNHCR should work out a solution for those refugees whether Syrian or Palestinian to have a proper way of living in dignity instead of throwing themselves to hell like that.
Now I want to say something about that disgusting racism and ultra-nationalism in Egypt towards Syrians and Palestinians.
With my all due respect Modern Egypt was not built by Egyptians only but it was also built by foreigners including amazing and wonderful Syrians, Palestinians and Lebanese that did not only a safe haven in Egypt but a place where they could not live only  but they also contributed to a great nation we brag about till this moment.
Go back and see who were the founders of the Egyptian major newspapers and printing houses , you would find them from Levant. Go back in history and see who were the artists and actors back then and you would find them from Levant. I do not need to say names because they are so many. 
All what I can say now is that the Egyptian people were more welcoming and more tolerant then despite they were poor and were not educated like now. That stupid Ultra-Nationalism is killing Egypt’s true soul.

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#EgyCartoons : And Mostafa Hussein Strikes again

In less than 48 hours Cartoonist Mostafa Hussein surprises us with another one of his masterpieces about General Abdel Fatah El Sisi.

Oh yes this was published this time in today’s issue of weekly Akhbar Al Youm.
The idea of that cartoon is famous Satirist writer Ahmed Ragab’s. The cartoon simply says that General Abdel Fatah El Sisi does not want to run for the presidency, but allegedly the people are carrying him to the throne of Egypt !!
So it is obvious that Hussein and Ragab want the general to run for the presidential elections.
Before I forget here is a collection of Hussein’s recent masterpieces :

Exhibit "A"

Exhibit "A" : Egypt as a transvestite that mothers whose got triplet “Army , police and people” that looks like that creature !!
Here you will find how he changed from 2011 to 2013 always taking the side of the regime.

Exhibit "B"

Exhbit "B" In 2011 the cartoon described the speech of Mubarak on February 1,2011 as the sun where as the protesters of Tahrir square as bats.
In 2012 the cartoons were speaking on how Morsi was facing lots of problems.
In 2013 the Sisi Man to the rescue.
Of course he got a series of other cartoons he always presents whenever there are clashes between the police and the protesters.

Exhibit "C"

Exhibit "C" : Here is one about the clashes at the ministry of interior. Vulgar ugly Egypt running after a protest carrying her slipper cursing him and saying that he deserved to be shot down !!

Also here is a cartoon mocking Egyptian famous footballer Abu Trika saying that his mind is corrupted because he is an Islamist.

Exhibit "D"

By the way,my last post about Hussein’s Sisi-man drew criticism from El Sisi’s supporters who believe that I should not mock about the man who brought back my freedom aka El Sisi otherwise I would be a Muslim brotherhood member who does not care about her freedom. Needless to say all of them are old in their 40s and 50s preaching me and other bad useless hippie Tahrir protesters who were trained in Serbia to have manners !! 

"I know what is best for you" by Andeel

Updated on 13/10
And Hussein continues his El Sisi for presidency's cartoon and I do not understand why he made Egypt says that she is waiting the "Pallot" box insteadof Ballot Box !!

Egypt is waiting for the "Pallot box" of presidential elections

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