Controversy surrounds an honorary degree awarded to Egyptian superstar Mohamed Ramadan. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Controversy surrounds an honorary degree awarded to Egyptian superstar Mohamed Ramadan. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Controversy surrounds an honorary degree awarded to Egyptian superstar Mohamed Ramadan. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Controversy surrounds an honorary degree awarded to Egyptian superstar Mohamed Ramadan. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Egyptian star Mohamed Ramadan denied honorary degree owing to court case


Saeed Saeed
  • English
  • Arabic

Mohamed Ramadan has been stripped of an honorary degree owing to his former legal troubles.

The German International Cultural Centre in Beirut announced it has withdrawn an honorary doctorate granted to the actor and singer last week, citing his highly publicised court case with the late former air force pilot Ashraf Abdul Al-Yusr.

In April, an Egyptian court awarded Al-Yusr 6 million Egyptian pounds ($383,150) in damages, stemming from a 2019 incident in which Ramadan entered the cockpit mid-flight and posted images with the pilot on his social media accounts.

The unauthorised entry resulted in Al-Yusr, who died two weeks before the verdict, receiving a lifetime flying ban by aviation authorities.

"We did not know about the unfortunate incident of the Egyptian pilot, which we condemn and denounce,” read a statement given by the cultural centre to Daily News Egypt.

The German Embassy in Cairo also denied any affiliation with the German International Cultural Centre.

“We are always flattered to see the amount of people that like the word ‘German’, but keep in mind that not all institutions or companies that offer or use the word ‘Germany/German’ are approved and affiliated with the German government,” the embassy posted on its Facebook page on Saturday.

“There is no connection between the German government and the German Cultural Centre in Lebanon.”

Ramadan initially posted news of the degree on his Instagram account on Thursday, with a picture of the certificate and footage from the ceremony.

While the posts have been deleted from his Instagram, they remain online on his Facebook account with a caption thanking Lebanon’s Ministry of Culture and the Syndicate of Professional Artists in Lebanon for "giving me an honorary doctorate in acting and singing performance".

Syndicate head Farid Boussaid denied the organisation granted Ramadan the degree.

"We do not have the right to grant anyone a doctorate, and we did not honour him,” he told Lebanese newspaper Al Watan on Thursday.

While Ramadan has yet to directly address the furore, on Saturday he shared a message on Facebook from Lebanese television personality Nidal Al Ahmadiya congratulating on the degree.

"The real honour is your love and the love of my audience," he said.

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Pakistan Super League

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Mr Al Qassimi is 37 and lives in Dubai
He is a keen drummer and loves gardening
His favourite way to unwind is spending time with his two children and cooking

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7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m, Winner: Mnasek, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.

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10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,400m, Winner: Madkhal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.

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Afcon 2019

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Men
1 Marius Kipserem (KEN) 2:04:04
2 Abraham Kiptum (KEN) 2:04:16
3 Dejene Debela Gonfra (ETH) 2:07:06
4 Thomas Rono (KEN) 2:07:12
5 Stanley Biwott (KEN) 2:09:18

Women
1 Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 2:20:16
2 Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:20:54
3 Gelete Burka (ETH) 2:24:07
4 Chaltu Tafa (ETH) 2:25:09
5 Caroline Kilel (KEN) 2:29:14

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Power: 475hp @ 6,000rpm

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Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km

MATCH INFO

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8.15pm: Handicap (D) $135,000 2,000m
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Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.

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What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

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Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)

Valencia v Atletico Madrid (midnight)

Mallorca v Alaves (4pm)

Barcelona v Getafe (7pm)

Villarreal v Levante (9.30pm)

Sunday

Granada v Real Volladolid (midnight)

Sevilla v Espanyol (3pm)

Leganes v Real Betis (5pm)

Eibar v Real Sociedad (7pm)

Athletic Bilbao v Osasuna (9.30pm)

Monday

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Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Updated: August 29, 2021, 11:06 AM`