For decades, Egypt has been a beacon of intellect and culture. Egypt’s newspapers, music, movies, television shows and literature mirrored Egypt’s cultural, economic and political stronghold in the Middle East and North Africa. So important were the political narratives and developments coming out of Egypt that the country created its very own Foreign Press association in the 1970s which was meant to facilitate the professional requirements of foreign media correspondents. Fast-forward 40 years later, and the country, which was once a home to hundreds of foreign journalists reporting to international audiences, is quite possibly witnessing the lowest number of foreign media correspondents on its grounds. Since 2011, Egypt has gone through a roller-coaster of events that have touched every single aspect of Egyptian life. One such aspect that is currently on its deathbed is Egypt’s fourth estate: the media. The last standing state-owned and privately-controlled news media organisations have largely resorted to self-censorship, banning all material which “may incite” or otherwise undermine state institutions directly or indirectly – it is a “nationalistic duty” to tow the line. While the years following the 2011 revolution saw significant media activity surrounding social,…
University Student Commits Suicide After Suffering From Mental Illness
Public Prosecution revealed on Sunday that Suez Canal university student Shahd Ahmed committed suicide by throwing herself in the Nile river after suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder. Investigations revealed that Shahd was suffering from the disorder since her teenage years, and a month before her death symptoms of the disorder began to reappear, which prevented her from sleeping for more than two hours a day. Initially, Shahd’s family and a number of pages on social networking sites thought that she had been kidnapped after the young student disappeared on 6 November. However, on November 7, the police department in Giza found her body fully clothed drowned in the Nile river and with no apparent injuries. Shahd’s family and friend, as well as the psychiatrist she used to visit, all confirmed that her psychological condition became known since secondary school, yet they overlooked it as they thought that it was merely due to the effects of study and exam pressures. The Public Prosecution appealed to all segments of society to put the matter in perspective and look at mental illness as they look at all other diseases, noting that parents should…
Egypt to Plant One Million Trees
Egypt launched a new initiative to plant one million trees in public gardens across the country over to cover 2,700 feddans, reported Egypt Today citing a statement from the Cabin. Egypt’s Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad said that the aim of the project is to decrease air pollution in he country. At least 100 feddans will be covered by trees in every governorate. On Wendesday, the ministry announced on their Facebook page the plantation of 3,500 trees in Qalibiya governorate to absorb pollutants. This aligns with ministry’s activities to improve air quality, combat desertification and mitigate climate change and to complement efforts to reduce air pollution. At least 12,000 feddans have been planted so far with 34 forests in 17 governorates. The ministry also created a botanical garden -a garden that preserves and display a variety of plans (often rare species) alongside their botanical name- in Sharm Sheikh City, South Sinai. The Ministry of Environment is also developing an annual program through which one of the most polluted industrial cities is planted to reduce air pollution levels in the light of the competencies of the Ministry of Environment, which aims…
Saqqara Archeological Discovery Yields Possible Lion Cub Mummies
According to a press statement released by Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities, an unearthed Egyptian necropolis, near the Saqqara Step Pyramid, yielded various mummified animals. The discovery, which the Ministry says isn’t the last for this year, revealed an assortment of mummified birds, snakes,beetles, crocodiles and cats at the hands of an Egyptian archeological mission led by Dr. Mostafa Waziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. Among the retrieved items, which all date to dynasty 26 which roughly refers to 664-525 BC, was a collection of wooden and bronze cat statues. There were also over 70 deity statues of the gods Ptah Sokar, Osiris, and Sekhmet. Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khaled El Enany described the discovery as “a museum by itself as hundred objects have been unearthed here at the Bubastian necropolis in saqqara” according to the statement. The large cat mummies, which are strongly indicative of lion cubs as per observations of bone structure and size, are currently undergoing CT scanning and analysis. It isn’t the first time that archeologists uncover remains of a lion or large felines from ancient Egypt. Led by French archaeologist Alain Zivie in…
Mada Masr Staff All Released Following Security Raid
Article updated on 24 November, 11:30PM local time Hours after security forces raided the Cairo offices of Mada Masr, journalists and editors Lina Attalah, Mohamed Hammama, Randa Mamdouh and Shady Zalat were released from custody. Shady Zalat, an editor at independent Egypt-based media organization Mada Masr, was detained in the early hours of Saturday 23 November, a day before security forces raided Mada Masr’s offices. On Sunday 24 November, security forces raided Mada Masr’s offices, confiscating personal devices (mobile phones and laptops), preventing 16 Mada Masr staff and freelancers in the office. According to a statement published on Mada Masr’s website, two members of a France 24 crew who had arrived to film an interview with Attalah about Zalat’s detention were also questioned before they left with French embassy representatives. Mada Masr reports that a while later, Attalah, Hamama and Mamdouh were taken to Dokki Police station. The three were then placed in a police truck for further transportation, before the truck turned around and returned to Dokki Police station, where the three were released. Around the same time, Zalat informed colleagues he had also been released from detention. Shady’s…
Coldplay Debuts New Album in Jordan, Cancels All Tours Due to ‘Environmental Concerns’
In a spectacular live YouTube broadcast staged at sunrise and sunset in Jordan, British rock band Coldplay debuted their latest album ‘Everyday Life’. The two broadcasts – one staged at sunrise and one at sunset – were watched by more than two million people online and came after the award-winning band announced it would not tour its new album due to environmental concerns. “We’re taking time over the next year or two, to work out how our tour can not only be sustainable [but] how can it be actively beneficial,” said frontman Chris Martin to BBC News about Coldplay’s decision. Coldplay had performed 122 shows around the world as part of their tour for their album “A Head Full of Dreams”. Coldplay’s stance was praised by environmentalists, including the World Wildlife Fund which said that “inaction is not an option if we are to preserve our planet for future generations”. The Show in Jordan The band arrived in Jordan on 19 November and held several rehearsals ahead of their two live shows in Amman. The album, on CD, vinyl and digital, was released following the live streams. The live show…
Reviving Egyptian Bazaars: Support Local Brands By Women and Youth At This Winter Bazaar
In support of local Egyptian brands, youth and women-owned businesses, a winter bazaar organized by event planner Lydia Akram will be held on the 29th of November in New Cairo at the Park Mall. The event will host more than 80 local brands by Egyptian designers, including products for veiled and non-veiled women, shoes, bags, modest clothing brands, beauty products, scarfs, turbans, abayas, accessories, home accessories and kids wear. The bazaar’s main aim is to support local and young Egyptian entrepreneurs and designers, and encourage the community to buy more local products. “We are trying to help the young beginning designers with their own startup to go and meet the local customers and understand the process of selling on ground,” Akram tells Egyptian Streets, “instead of buying expensive international brands, you can buy a local brand that is much cheaper and is also of high quality.” “Small and local brands need and demand a lot of local support, because that’s how other foreign brands were able to reach global heights later on,” Akram adds. Lydia Akram developed a passion for events planning as a student through organizing events and raising…
Egypt’s Young Pharaohs Crowned African Cup of Nations Champions
Egypt’s U-23 national football squad have been crowned champions of Africa, after defeating Cote D’Ivoire 2-1 at the African Cup of Nations final in Cairo. The Young Pharaohs dominated the match, with the first goal being scored by Karim El-Eraky in the 37th minute. The match remained goalless until the Young Elephants’ Aboubacar Junior Doumbia leveled the scoring board in the 89th minute. Doumbia’s goal forced the match into extra time, but despite a valiant effort, the Egyptians remained strong and held off a number of attacks. In the 114th minute, six minutes before the final whistle, Egypt’s Ramadan Sobhi scored the Pharaohs’ second goal and prevented the match from proceeding to penalties. The victory sealed off a remarkable and impressive performance by the Egyptian team at the U-23 African Cup of Nations. Earlier in the competition, after defeating South Africa 3-0 at the semi-finals, Egypt’s football team earned a spot in the upcoming 2020 Olympics that will be held in Tokyo. The men’s football competition at the Olympics is restricted to players under the age of 23. However, each team can name three players above the age of 23…
In Tunisia, ‘#EnaZeda’ Is Encouraging Women to Speak Up About Sexual Harassment
The culture of silence that exists in many parts of the world when it comes to disclosing sexual harassment has, distressingly, created a safe haven for perpetrators who were able to avoid punishment. Victims are often left to experience feelings of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorders alone, with little awareness on the seriousness of the crimes they had to endure. Recently, the #MeToo movement, which began following the exposure of the widespread sexual-abuse allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein in 2017, gained huge momentum across America and the world, leading to many women and men globally to come forward with their own stories of harassment. According to researchers who presented their findings at the American Public Health Association, women who reported their experiences were found to be feeling confident, healthy, and more lively since the start of the #MeToo movement. One of the authors also commented on the significance of the movement, noting that it presents an opportunity for the public health community to “consider sexual harassment a health issue with implications for disease prevention and health promotion”. Encouraging people to speak up and report the crime of sexual harassment…