140 years ago Al-Ahram celebrated its 140th anniversary on Sunday. “The value of Al-Ahram is that it has been with the readers without fail for 140 years. The continuity of the newspaper has not been linked to persons but to an institution,” said veteran writer and former editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram Mohamed Hassanein Heikal during a visit to the establishment on anniversary day. Aylan Kurdi: Humanity washed ashore in 2015 The shocking image of the drowned Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi was among the most highly circulated in the media and on social networks in 2015. It not only showed the tragic plight of refugees, especially children, but also reflected the world's inability to decisively deal with the Syrian crisis. Kurdi, the three-year-old boy with dark hair wearing a bright-red T-shirt and shorts, was washed up on the shore not far from Turkey's fashionable resort town of Bodrum in September. Both Kurdi and his five-year-old brother, who had also met a similar death, reportedly hailed from the northern Syrian town of Kobani, the site of fierce fighting between Islamic State insurgents and Kurdish forces earlier in the year. This summer, over 2,500 people died attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. Although this child's plight should have concentrated minds and forced the EU to come together and agree on a plan to tackle the refugee crisis effectively, the new year finds the refugees no better off. Student Union “It was a positive sign that the new academic year started without violence and that the student union elections were held peacefully, paving the way to democratic practices at the universities. But it was a surprise to everyone when the organising committee declared that the election of the president and vice president of the union would be repeated! It seems that there are parties that are not happy with stability and democratic precedents at the universities.” Galal Aref, Al-Akhbar “I call on members of parliament to sit down and lay the foundation of parliamentary work by choosing the most suitable, capable speaker and heads of committees. They should feel responsible as MPs and bear in mind that they were selected to play a role in building a strong state rather than seeking personal interests.” Mahmoud Ghallab, Al-Wafd Governors reshuffle “The newly appointed governors have clear and pressing tasks ahead of them, namely, raising the living standard of the citizens, caring for low-income people, improving the efficiency of government and combating corruption wherever they find it.” Al-Ahram
“I am annoyed by the latest reshuffle of governors. When the floods hit Alexandria, the governor was sacked. But that was not the case in Al-Beheira — which is obviously low on the government's list of priorities. When the floods hit that governorate, and destroyed the hospitals there and brought the sanitary drainage project to a halt, nothing happened to the governor. He was not even changed in the recent reshuffle. Why?” Amani Dorgham, Al-Akhbar Wishful thinking “The strongest and greatest weapon that can destroy a country is the spread of the virus of ‘wishful thinking' or illusory thought that takes us away from the possibility of a real solution to a problem. That was clearly seen when the news spread that the Ethiopians are protesting against building the Renaissance Dam whereas, in reality, these protests have nothing to do with the dam.” Khaled Montasser, Al-Watan Egyptian Essence: 25 hotels closed before New Year's Eve “25 hotels in Sharm El-Sheikh, Taba and Luxor were closed before New Year's Eve, according to the head of the Union of Tourism Chambers.” Al-Shorouk Facebook “Ethiopia, in my view, will not be deterred as long as we show it a smiling face. It is our duty to take a firmer stand. It is also our duty to force it to respect our country. Why is the six-party meeting not changed to a nine-party meeting to include the ministers of defence in the meetings?” Nour Farahat “I understand where the term ‘homophobia' might come from, since it seems to imply that a main source of anti-gay sentiment among men is in fact an irrational fear of being themselves that way inclined. I totally fail to understand what ‘Islamophobia' is supposed to mean, however. Anti-Muslim sentiment in Europe and the US is not a product of fear, rational or irrational, but of pure and simple racism, and racism is first and foremost about contempt, not fear. This, it would seem to me, is distinct from a rather healthy fear of being blown up or shot while eating at a restaurant or attending a concert.” Hani Shukrallah Twitter Egypt Built @HosamDakhakhni The youngest member of parliament of #Egypt is Noha AlHemily, a 25-year-old woman. There are 60 members under 35, and 85 over 35 & under 45. The Independent @Independent British tourists should return to Egypt — staying away is what terrorists want. Middle East Eye @MiddleEastEye Video appears to show Egypt border force shooting dead an unarmed, naked man from Gaza.
