Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Tuesday invited critics of his government to “scream at us”, in an effort to encourage dialogue and promote national unity.
Speaking at the closing session of the three-day Egyptian Economic Conference 2022 in the New Administrative Capital, Mr El Sisi said: “This is our country. It belongs to and is for all of us.
“It is not mine or the government’s. Let us always sit together and talk. Everyone should say his piece. We want people who attack and scream at us, rather than scream on the streets,” he said.
“The discussion should be a prelude to the success of the Egyptian state. Together, we can.”
He called on Egyptians to close ranks and work harder to push the most populous Arab nation forward, citing the new capital, built in the desert east of Cairo, as an example.
“That’s how you should dream. We don’t eat, sleep or rest” until it becomes a reality, he said.
Mr El Sisi defended his government’s policies since he took office in 2014, seeking to explain in detail the reasoning and motivation behind them.
The former general’s lively and passionate speech lasted close to two hours — by far his longest address since he became president of the nation of 104 million people.
It came amid an acute economic crisis caused in large part by the fallout from the Russia-Ukraine war and the coronavirus pandemic before it.
In the eight months since the war broke out, Egypt’s pound has lost more than 20 per cent of its value, up to $25 billion has left the country’s once-lucrative debt market and negotiations with the IMF have begun over a loan Egypt needs to shore up its finances.
Inflation is in double digits — a reflection of soaring food and fuel prices — and a foreign currency crunch has badly hit local industries dependent on imported components.
The crisis has cost the government billions of Egyptian pounds in support programmes to cushion the impact of higher prices on the most vulnerable and forced it to twice put off lifting subsidies on domestic electricity.
It has also kept the price of subsidised bread unchanged despite the steep rise in the price of wheat. Egypt imports about half of the 20 million tonnes its population consumes each year.
Mr El Sisi's apparent encouragement of criticism comes amid moves towards greater tolerance of dissent.
Egypt has had an effective ban on street protests since 2013, a measure taken after two years of near-daily demonstrations across the nation after a 2011 uprising that toppled long-serving ruler Hosni Mubarak.
Mr El Sisi has often blamed the uprising and the political turmoil that followed it for derailing the economy and enshrining an anti-government culture.
The Egyptian leader, however, has in recent months relaxed his zero-tolerance policy on dissent, freeing hundreds of political prisoners, most of whom had been held in pretrial detention.
He has allowed some dissidents to return home from self-exile abroad and tolerated a carefully-measured margin of freedom of expression that left experts feeling free to criticise — albeit cautiously — the government’s economic policies.
Last April, he called for a national dialogue to chart the country’s political future. It remains in the preparatory phase and is expected to start later this year or early in 2023.
“I want the whole of Egypt to be like this,” President El Sisi said, referring to the new capital.
The city, which has yet to be inhabited and formally named, has been a pet project of the Egyptian leader.
“If we want this country to move forward, we must all work together. What is required is very, very huge. We must unite our efforts so that the country moves forward, not so that Abdel Fattah stays in power.”
Mr El Sisi defended the mega projects his government has undertaken under his personal supervision, saying they provided employment to five to six million people over the past seven years.
Speaking of his dream of a prosperous Egypt, he said: “I want this country’s revenues to double every three to four years.
“If I didn’t know what I was doing, I would not be standing here talking to you like I am now. Every government sector you talk about has been the target of so much effort.”
Sri Lanka squad for tri-nation series
Angelo Mathews (c), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Janith Perera, Thisara Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Shehan Madushanka, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan and Wanidu Hasaranga
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
SPECS
Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR
Engine: 5.7-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 362hp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
Rebel%20Moon%20-%20Part%20One%3A%20A%20Child%20of%20Fire
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EZack%20Snyder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESofia%20Boutella%2C%20Djimon%20Hounsou%2C%20Ed%20Skrein%2C%20Michiel%20Huisman%2C%20Charlie%20Hunnam%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: RB Kings Bay, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: AF Ensito, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: AF Sourouh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Baaher, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
9pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Mootahady, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel
9.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Dubai Canal, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
10pm: Al Ain Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Harrab, Bernardo Pinheiro, Majed Al Jahouri
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
