Egypt criticised a report claiming that one of its intelligence officers directed a campaign to prepare the public to accept America's decision to move its Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The New York Times purports to have the intelligence officer, identified as Captain Ashraf Al Kholi, on audio tape telling "several influential talk show hosts" that Palestinians should forget about having Jerusalem as the capital of their eventual state and "content themselves with the dreary West Bank town that currently houses the Palestinian Authority, Ramallah".
But a rebuttal from the State Information Service in Cairo pointed out that only one of the personalities mentioned in the report actually hosts a TV show and asserted that Egypt's position is conveyed through senior leaders and public actions, not media figures.
"Egypt's positions on international issues are not derived from alleged leaks from anonymous sources," said the chairman of the State Information Service, Diaa Rashwan, in a statement issued shortly after The New York Times published transcripts of the recordings.
“Egypt’s positions are conveyed by the president, the minister of foreign affairs and all of the entities in charge and have expressed, in word and deed, our inalienable position on Jerusalem despite the threats of the US permanent representative in the UN to cut aid to countries, including Egypt, over the UN Jerusalem vote."
Two of the figures mentioned in the report publicly denied the allegations made in the story.
"The report is completely false," Azmi Megahed, the only one of the four people cited in The New York Times report who hosts a TV show in Egypt, told the independent news portal Masrawy. "I say what's on my mind on my programme and do not know the name of an officer named Ashraf Al Kholi."
The New York Times report alleged that Capt Al Kholi's fourth media briefing call was with 66-year-old singer and actress Civene Nessim, who goes by the stage name Yousra. In an interview with Masrawy, Nessim denied the authenticity of The New York Times report.
“This is impossible, I got no such phone call and I’ve never heard of an officer named Al Kholi,” she said.
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Read more
Arab League to seek international recognition of Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as capital
How countries voted on Jerusalem's status at the General Assembly
More than 120 countries condemn US Jerusalem decision
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Nonetheless, the claims resonate with readers familiar with a series of leaked telephone recordings of Egyptian officials that have aired since president Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood was removed from office and replaced by Abdel Fattah El Sisi, a former head of military intelligence, in 2013.
A recording released in February 2015 allegedly captured the voices of Mr El Sisi and two top aides devising ways to convince Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait to commit to billions of dollars in cash assistance to Egypt.
After the release of that tape, Saudi Arabia informed Egypt that shipments of oil products promised in a $23 billion aid deal had been halted. They did not resume until March 2017.
A leak that is more revealing of tensions between Cairo and Ramallah was broadcast by Mekameleen TV, a pro-Muslim Brotherhood channel based in Turkey, in September 2016.
In that tape, Maj Gen Wael El Safty of Egypt’s general intelligence directorate, which is responsible for providing national security intelligence, derided Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.
Egyptian officialdom is livid at the attempts to portray Cairo as more receptive to the Israeli stance on Jerusalem than that of the Palestinians.
In his rebuttal to The New York Times article, Mr Rashwan stressed that it was Egypt that drafted the UN Security Council resolution condemning US president Donald Trump's decision on Jerusalem, a measure defeated only by the United States using its veto.
On Saturday, Egypt’s foreign minister Sameh Shukri attended a meeting with counterparts from five other Arab states to co-ordinate the ongoing response to the American endorsement of Israeli sovereignty over the disputed city and, in 10 days, the Grand Imam Ahmed El Tayeb of Al Azhar will convene a conference on protecting the Arab and Islamic character of occupied East Jerusalem.
“It is a city under occupation, which means no actions are allowed that will change the status quo there,” said foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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Keane on …
Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”
Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”
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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
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
How they line up for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix
1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2 Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
3 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
4 Max Verstappen, Red Bull
5 Kevin Magnussen, Haas
6 Romain Grosjean, Haas
7 Nico Hulkenberg, Renault
*8 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
9 Carlos Sainz, Renault
10 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
11 Fernando Alonso, McLaren
12 Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren
13 Sergio Perez, Force India
14 Lance Stroll, Williams
15 Esteban Ocon, Force India
16 Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso
17 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber
18 Charles Leclerc, Sauber
19 Sergey Sirotkin, Williams
20 Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso
* Daniel Ricciardo qualified fifth but had a three-place grid penalty for speeding in red flag conditions during practice
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
TV (UAE time);
OSN Sports: from 10am
Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.
In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
Sour%20Grapes
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 760Nm
Price: Dh898,000
On sale: now
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FLIP5
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Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
Aquaman%20and%20the%20Lost%20Kingdom
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Results
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m; Winner: Faiza, Sandro Paiva (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,400m; Winner: Greeley, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi.
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Marzaga, Jim Crowley, Ana Mendez.
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri.
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m; Winner: AF Ashras, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi.
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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