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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi quickly welcomed Donald Trump's US election victory on Wednesday with a social media post that did little to hide the leader's relief at the former president's return to the White House.
Egypt has been among Washington's closest Arab allies for close to 50 years, a relationship founded when Cairo exited the Soviet camp during the height of the Cold War in the 1970s and embraced the US as its main foreign benefactor and backer.
A generous US economic and military aid package of more than $1 billion a year that continues to this day has tightened Cairo's relations with Washington since Egypt became the first Arab nation to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979 in a US-brokered deal still viewed widely as a cornerstone of regional stability.
However, the relationship between Egyptian and US Presidents varied from one administration to the next.
In 2018, Mr Trump praised Egyptian leader El Sisi for doing “a fantastic job” and said the US was “very much behind” him. Egypt's pro-government media speaks of Mr Trump as a strong leader who treats the nation with respect and values Mr El Sisi's leadership.
This contrasted sharply with Mr El Sisi's relations with former President Barack Obama, who never invited the Egyptian President to the White House and whose administration repeatedly admonished Cairo over human rights issues and was accused by Egypt's state-controlled media of supporting Islamists.
Mr El Sisi, a former army general who took office in 2014, visited the White House twice during Mr Trump's time in office, between 2017 and 2020.
An Egyptian source close to the government said US Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris “would have been a carbon copy of Barack Obama and his agenda”.
“We can deal with Trump and do business with him,” added the source.
The Egyptian President first met Mr Trump in September 2016 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Mr Trump had secured the Republican nomination, under which he won the election two months later and entered the White House the following January.
The pair have since met six times publicly, cementing the bond they forged initially.
Distinguished co-operation
“I offer my sincerest congratulations to US president-elect Donald Trump and wish him every success in realising the interests of the American people,” Mr El Sisi wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. “I look forward to reaching peace together and safeguarding regional peace and stability.”
He added that Egypt and the US “have long offered a model of co-operation and succeeded together in realising the joint interests of the two friendly nations; and that's what we look forward to continuing amid the delicate circumstances the world is going through”.
Mr El Sisi underscored the close relations he had with Mr Trump during his first term in office when he spoke to him on the phone on Wednesday night.
“Egypt looks forward to completing the joint endeavours with President Trump during his next term in view of the strategic nature of bilateral relations … and the distinguished co-operation between the two sides during his first term in office,” a statement from Mr El Sisi's office quoted the Egyptian leader as saying to Mr Trump.
Authorities in Egypt, said the source, had urged voters from the estimated 250,000 Egyptians living in the US to support the Republican candidate, while coverage of US election campaigning by state-controlled media in Egypt has shown a clear slant in favour of Mr Trump.
Top of Egypt's wish list is for Washington to put enough pressure on Ethiopia to agree to a legally binding deal on the filling and operation of the dam it is close to finishing building on the Nile, a multibillion-dollar project Cairo insists will adversely affect its vital share of the river's water.
The Trump administration successfully brokered an agreement between Ethiopia on one side, and Egypt and neighbouring downstream nation Sudan, in 2020, only for Addis Ababa to back out at the last minute and not sign the deal.
Ethiopia has since rejected various suggestions made by Egypt and Sudan to resolve the dispute, which Cairo views as existential because it depends on the Nile for 97 per cent of its freshwater needs.
Attempting to underline the gravity of the threat posed by the dam to Egypt's interests, Mr Trump in 2020 said Cairo could end up “blowing up the dam”. Later that year, his administration suspended part of its financial aid to Ethiopia in protest over the perceived lack of progress on talks on the project with Sudan and Egypt.
Mr El Sisi asked the US two years later to help persuade Ethiopia to agree to a deal on the dam but nothing came of the request made to Secretary of State Antony Blinken when the pair met on the sidelines of a US-Africa summit in Washington.
Ending the war
Mr Trump's election win on Wednesday comes at a time when US-Egyptian relations are at their closest in decades, with Egypt and fellow US ally Qatar working closely alongside Washington to broker an end to the war in Gaza and secure the release of Israeli and other hostages held by Hamas in the besieged enclave.
That, according to Michael Hanna, New York-based director of the US programme at the International Crisis Group, means that any shift in US-Egyptian relations under Mr Trump will not be as dramatic as it was when the republican candidate succeeded Mr Obama in 2017.
“Things are very different now. The Joe Biden administration this year decided to give Egypt its full annual $1.3 billion in military aid without any human rights-linked conditions,” Mr Hanna told The National.
Nonetheless, Egypt-US relations are expected to grow even closer with Mr Trump in the White House but there are low expectations over what he can quickly do to end the wars in Gaza and Lebanon, which have claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian and Lebanese lives and caused widespread damage.
Mr Trump, who will be sworn in January, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had forged close ties during the previous Republican administration of 2017-2021, with the then-US leader opting to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, after recognising the latter as Israel's unified capital in a move that angered Arab nations, including Egypt.
However, Cairo will look to the incoming Trump administration to actively try to resolve its dispute with Israel over the capture by the Israeli military of the Salah Al Din route (also known as the Philadelphi Corridor), a strip that runs the entire length of the Palestinian side of the Egypt-Gaza border, where the Rafah crossing is located.
Egypt insists this move breaches the 1979 treaty and relevant accords, and poses a threat to its national security.
“Nothing will happen for Gaza and Lebanon until after Trump moves to the White House,” said another source also close to the government in Cairo. “And that will perhaps fit in with Netanyahu's plans to create buffer zones in northern Gaza and southern Lebanon.”
By January, said Mr Hanna, the Israeli prime minister might be ready to gift Mr Trump an end to the war in Gaza and Lebanon that the republican can claim as an early victory for his administration.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World by Michael Ignatieff
Harvard University Press
SPECS
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Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
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Rating: 4/5
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEquestrian%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAbdullah%20Humaid%20Al%20Muhairi%2C%20Abdullah%20Al%20Marri%2C%20Omar%20Al%20Marzooqi%2C%20Salem%20Al%20Suwaidi%2C%20and%20Ali%20Al%20Karbi%20(four%20to%20be%20selected).%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EJudo%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMen%3A%20Narmandakh%20Bayanmunkh%20(66kg)%2C%20Nugzari%20Tatalashvili%20(81kg)%2C%20Aram%20Grigorian%20(90kg)%2C%20Dzhafar%20Kostoev%20(100kg)%2C%20Magomedomar%20Magomedomarov%20(%2B100kg)%3B%20women's%20Khorloodoi%20Bishrelt%20(52kg).%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECycling%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESafia%20Al%20Sayegh%20(women's%20road%20race).%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESwimming%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMen%3A%20Yousef%20Rashid%20Al%20Matroushi%20(100m%20freestyle)%3B%20women%3A%20Maha%20Abdullah%20Al%20Shehi%20(200m%20freestyle).%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAthletics%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMaryam%20Mohammed%20Al%20Farsi%20(women's%20100%20metres).%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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SPECS
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
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How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Abdul Jabar Qahraman was meeting supporters in his campaign office in the southern Afghan province of Helmand when a bomb hidden under a sofa exploded on Wednesday.
The blast in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah killed the Afghan election candidate and at least another three people, Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak told reporters. Another three were wounded, while three suspects were detained, he said.
The Taliban – which controls much of Helmand and has vowed to disrupt the October 20 parliamentary elections – claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mr Qahraman was at least the 10th candidate killed so far during the campaign season, and the second from Lashkar Gah this month. Another candidate, Saleh Mohammad Asikzai, was among eight people killed in a suicide attack last week. Most of the slain candidates were murdered in targeted assassinations, including Avtar Singh Khalsa, the first Afghan Sikh to run for the lower house of the parliament.
The same week the Taliban warned candidates to withdraw from the elections. On Wednesday the group issued fresh warnings, calling on educational workers to stop schools from being used as polling centres.
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ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Pickford (Everton), Pope (Burnley), Henderson (Manchester United)
Defenders Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Chilwell (Chelsea), Coady (Wolves), Dier (Tottenham), Gomez (Liverpool), James (Chelsea), Keane (Everton), Maguire (Manchester United), Maitland-Niles (Arsenal), Mings (Aston Villa), Saka (Arsenal), Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Foden (Manchester City), Henderson (Liverpool), Grealish (Aston Villa), Mount (Chelsea), Rice (West Ham), Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Winks (Tottenham)
Forwards: Abraham (Chelsea), Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Kane (Tottenham), Rashford (Manchester United), Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Sterling (Manchester City)
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Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
PROVISIONAL FIXTURE LIST
Premier League
Wednesday, June 17 (Kick-offs uae times) Aston Villa v Sheffield United 9pm; Manchester City v Arsenal 11pm
Friday, June 19 Norwich v Southampton 9pm; Tottenham v Manchester United 11pm
Saturday, June 20 Watford v Leicester 3.30pm; Brighton v Arsenal 6pm; West Ham v Wolves 8.30pm; Bournemouth v Crystal Palace 10.45pm
Sunday, June 21 Newcastle v Sheffield United 2pm; Aston Villa v Chelsea 7.30pm; Everton v Liverpool 10pm
Monday, June 22 Manchester City v Burnley 11pm (Sky)
Tuesday, June 23 Southampton v Arsenal 9pm; Tottenham v West Ham 11.15pm
Wednesday, June 24 Manchester United v Sheffield United 9pm; Newcastle v Aston Villa 9pm; Norwich v Everton 9pm; Liverpool v Crystal Palace 11.15pm
Thursday, June 25 Burnley v Watford 9pm; Leicester v Brighton 9pm; Chelsea v Manchester City 11.15pm; Wolves v Bournemouth 11.15pm
Sunday June 28 Aston Villa vs Wolves 3pm; Watford vs Southampton 7.30pm
Monday June 29 Crystal Palace vs Burnley 11pm
Tuesday June 30 Brighton vs Manchester United 9pm; Sheffield United vs Tottenham 11.15pm
Wednesday July 1 Bournemouth vs Newcastle 9pm; Everton vs Leicester 9pm; West Ham vs Chelsea 11.15pm
Thursday July 2 Arsenal vs Norwich 9pm; Manchester City vs Liverpool 11.15pm
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What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
MANDOOB
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