President Abdel Fattah El Sisi rebuked Egyptian social media users and local media for an argument with citizens and journalists from the country's Gulf allies on Thursday, accusing online sites he did not identify of trying to drive a wedge between Cairo and its Arab allies and backers.
Mr El Sisi's comments were his first since a row erupted between Egyptian and Saudi social media users this month, after an article by the editor of a state-owned Cairo daily newspaper.
The piece in Al Gomhorya by Abdel Raziq Tawfeeq suggested Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states had not done enough to help Egypt overcome its economic crisis and was shared by people on social media claiming the same.
It was later withdrawn but sparked an angry reaction from Saudi social media users and commentators.
Mr El Sisi said the criticism was baseless and accused sites of creating division between Egypt and its Gulf Arab allies.
"Egypt's policy is always defined by moderation and strict discipline towards everyone, both at home and abroad," he said. "Even at times of crisis or differences, we never make negative comments.
"If we have nothing good to say, the least we can do is to remain quiet," said the Egyptian leader.
''What is being said on (Egyptian) social media sites and even in some newspaper articles about relations with our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or any other country is inappropriate," he said.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar have together given Egypt billions of dollars over the past decade to help the most populous Arab nation cope with a series of economic crises dating back to 2013.
Their latest round of assistance followed the outbreak a year ago of the Russia-Ukraine war, which has had a devastating impact on Egypt's economy. They gave Egypt about $20 billion worth of central bank deposits and investments.
"If there is a crisis, and there is no crisis, do I become abusive and make undisciplined talk?" said Mr El Sisi.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia are bound by historical ties dating back centuries. The two regional powerhouses are close trading partners and their armed forces routinely conduct joint war games.
At least three million Egyptians are employed in Saudi Arabia.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Dunki
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final, second leg (first-leg score):
Manchester City (0) v Tottenham Hotspur (1), Wednesday, 11pm UAE
Match is on BeIN Sports
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The biog
Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.
Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella
Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
MATCH INFO
AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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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
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
