CAIRO // Egypt's military rulers were facing pressure on two fronts yesterday, with a fourth day of street protests spearheading calls to speed up the transfer of power to a civilian administration and the United States threatening to cut more than a billion dollars in aid.
The protests, which were sparked by anger at the authorities' inability to prevent a riot after a football match last week left 74 people dead, have morphed from a demonstration of anger at the police into renewed calls for the military to step down.
The fresh wave of violence has also thrown into question the general's legitimacy to rule and their handling of Egypt's transition to democratic rule.
In downtown Cairo, security forces fired salvos of tear gas at thousands of protesters who were marching on the interior ministry.
Thick white smoke clogged the streets around the ministry, and medics had set up field hospitals to treat the injured on nearby Tahrir Square.
Since Thursday, 12 people have been killed in Cairo and in Suez, a hotbed of anti-government protests east of the capital.
Protesters who had lobbed stones and petrol bombs at the police cheered when their comrades brought back a captured man they said was a plainclothes officer. Others tried to shield him from the protesters' kicks and punches.
The protesters denied they had intended to storm the ministry, several hundred metres from Tahrir Square.
"My heart burned at what happened in Port Said, and we all know that the police are responsible," said one of the protesters, a high school student who said his name was Ahmed Farag.
"We don't want to storm the ministry. We are protesting here because this is the police headquarters."
While the protesters have been the most vocal in their demands the military step down, they increasingly have been joined by politicians.
On Saturday, a consultative council appointed by the military proposed speeding up the transfer of power by holding presidential elections earlier than the current deadline at the end of June.
It suggested opening the door for nominations on February 23, which would allow the vote to take place as early as April. The council is composed of political leaders, experts and representatives appointed by the military months ago in what activists believed to be an attempt to add civilian cover to army rule.
The Egyptian presidential hopeful and ex-Arab League chief Amr Moussa on Saturday also threw his weight behind a speedier transition.
However, the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood group that holds nearly 50 per cent of the seats in parliament has been hesitant to back the move, and has on several occasions supported the military's timetable.
The protests have been coupled with warnings from the US - a key ally - of cutting aid following raids on 17 pro-democracy and rights groups as well as a ban on some American aid workers from leaving the country.
US officials blasted the raids, which Egyptian officials have defended as part of a legitimate investigation into the groups' work and finances.
On Saturday, Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, warned Egypt's foreign minister that failure to resolve the dispute may lead to the loss of American aid. Washington is due to give Egypt US$1.3 billion (Dh4.77bn) in military assistance and $250 million in economic aid in 2012.
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
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Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
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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Three-and-a-half stars
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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5.30pm: Al Quadra Lake – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Mrouwah Al Gharbia, Sando Paiva, Abubakar Daud
6pm: Hatta Lake – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: AF Yatroq, George Buckell, Ernst Oertel
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Adries de Vries, Ibrahim Aseel
7pm: Abu Dhabi Championship – Listed (PA) Dh180,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
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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.”
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World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
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Things Heard & Seen
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton
2/5
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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