Construction work on a new overpass in the Old Cairo district of Al Khalifa has caused damage to the renowned Egyptian writer Taha Hussein's tomb, one of many in the area that houses the remains of a high-profile figure.
The back wall of the tomb's courtyard almost collapsed during construction, Hussein’s granddaughter, Maha Aon, told The National. However, support was put in place by the government to hold it up.
The roof of the mausoleum was also damaged, as well as a seating area inside the courtyard.
Ms Aon said: “As you can see from photos, the front is also a mess because of the red ‘x’ with spray paint and then painting over it with yellow. The entire wall surrounding the place will have to be redone and there are now holes in the brick from the support they installed to keep the walls from collapsing.
Municipal officials have agreed to renovate the tomb and to repair any damage, Ms Aon said, revealing that she has been promised that restorations would begin after the Eid Al Fitr holiday.
The government has agreed to cover the costs.
The tomb had been scheduled for demolition to make way for the flyover, but the government reversed its decision after strong opposition on social media.
Last May, a red cross was painted on the outside of the tomb, a sign left by municipal officials on buildings to inform demolition crews which structures they should bring down. Days later, it was painted over in yellow.
In September, the word demolition was daubed on the outside of the tomb leading to outrage from Hussein’s admirers.
Thousands of tombs in the City of the Dead — a medieval necropolis in Islamic Cairo that is also a Unesco heritage site — have been removed to make way for a corridor connecting a complex network of new road bridges in the densely populated area.
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
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Pathaan
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The biog
Age: 46
Number of Children: Four
Hobby: Reading history books
Loves: Sports
