British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah is “beginning a new stage of his hunger strike” in the wake of COP27 climate conference. He has told close family that he will drink water exclusively until Sunday 6 November, after which he will stop all intake. This brings him down to zero calories for the foreseeable future, which some have speculated may lead to his death during the conference. For over 200 days, Abdel Fattah has significantly reduced his calorie intake to just 100 calories a day in order to pressure authorities into allowing British consular access, and has now escalated his strike. “Alaa is using the only tool available to him: his body,” Sanaa Seif, Abdel Fattah’s sister, tells the BBC. She remains camped out in front of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in Westminster. “Right now he’s not living like a human being. He’s very frail already. I worry about him dying.” “Even when he served a full term,” Mona Seif, his other sister, claims in an impassioned Instagram clip, “they imprisoned him again […] the al-Sisi cabinet is proving to us time and time again that it…
Umm Kalthoum’s Iconic Cat-Eye Black Glasses Look Revived with New Eyewear Collection
Standing in front of the Great Sphinx of Giza, Umm Kalthoum — wearing her iconic diamond studded, cat-eye black glasses — looks like a monument herself; an otherworldly alien far above the mundanity of daily life. Her unchallenged dominance and distinctive style gave off a sophistication that transcended all fashion looks, and styles. For years, the definition of ‘cool’ was Kate Moss, Tupac, Victoria Beckham — a socialized cool found at high school parties and fashion shows. Then, there was Umm Kalthoum’s definition. She did not need a cigarette pressed between her fingers or a squinted expression — her presence was powerful in and of itself. Her fashion did not define her, but was rather only an extension of her powerful presence. She came first: there was Umm Kalthoum, and then there was Umm Kalthoum’s look. Bringing back the iconic look of Umm Kalthoum, Dutch-Moroccan-Egyptian model Imaan Hammam,one of fashion’s most popular models, is paying tribute to the iconic singer by launching her own capsule eyewear collection with Moroccan label Port Tanger. Basing her designs on ‘two of the strongest women she knows’, Umm Kalthoum and her own mother, the…
Rishi Sunak Confirms COP27 Attendance, Reverses Earlier Decision
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed his attendance to the 27th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) climate conference in Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh in a tweet posted 2 November, reversing an earlier decision to not attend the climate conference. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson also confirmed his attendance to the climate conference, set to take place from 6 to 18 November. On Tuesday, Sunak tweeted that “there is no long-term prosperity without action on climate change.” There is no long-term prosperity without action on climate change. There is no energy security without investing in renewables. That is why I will attend @COP27P next week: to deliver on Glasgow’s legacy of building a secure and sustainable future. — Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) November 2, 2022 Sunak was heavily criticized by the public and climate campaigners earlier for announcing his decision to not attend the climate conference to “focus on other pressing domestic commitments including preparations for the autumn Budget”. So far, 90 heads of state have confirmed their attendance, including US President Joe Biden, France’s Emmanuel Macron, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, Brazil’s President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and…
Why Did Egyptian Banks Regulate Spending Abroad?
I am standing in front of the cashier at an electronics chain store in Dubai, with my Egyptian credit card in one hand and a new iPhone in the other. I place my credit card in the point-of-sale (POS) machine, and as I wait for the transaction to be approved so I can leave the store with my new iPhone, the words “exceeds limit” appear on the machine’s screen. I recalculate the cost of the mobile phone in Egyptian pounds, and it does not exceed my credit card limit. I am confused. As soon as I call the bank to understand the situation, I am told that new rules have been implemented by Egyptian banks for spending — in-person and online — and cash withdrawals abroad. On October 5 2022, Egyptian banks announced new regulations on foreign currency withdrawals from local currency accounts. Several banks sent messages to their clients, instructing them on new monthly limits and how much foreign currency they can withdraw abroad, as well as when using their debit and credit cards out of the country. The announcement detailed that the maximum limit set for using the…