Today we had a strong sandstorm in Cairo and Giza
since early morning and some Egyptians amazingly expressed their shock
and surprise on social media that we have a sandstorm in .. Egypt !!
Vision
was terrible and the weather was extremely hot today. Unfortunately
this will continue for another 2 days , at least till Wednesday. I wish
it rains in Cairo to make weather better.
I do know if those
people are serious or they are just the victim of bad education system
or what. All what I know that this sandstorm is normal thing in spring
time in Egypt and that it is called El Khamsin too in case you forget.
All what I know that this sandstorm is normal thing in spring time in Egypt and that it is called El Khamsin too in case you forget.
Shalateen (Egyptian Arabic: شلاتينŠalatīn pronounced [ʃælæˈtiːn]; also spelled: Alshalateen or Shalatin) 520 kilometres (320 mi) south of Hurghada, is the biggest city just north of the Halayeb Triangle, an area of disputed sovereignty between Egypt and Sudan. It serves as the administrative center (markaze) of all Egyptian territory up to the border between Egypt and Sudan, including the villages of:
Abu Ramad, 125 kilometres (78 mi) to the southeast;
Halayeb, 165 kilometres (103 mi) to the southeast;
Ras Hadarba 200 kilometres (120 mi) to the southeast. Ras Hadarba or
Cape Hadarba lies on the shores of the Red Sea to the southeast of the
city of Halayeb and to the east of mount Hadarba from which it takes its
name. The village of Ras Hadarba lies just north of the borders between
Egypt and Sudan which run along the 22 degree north parallel of
latitude;
Marsa Hameera, 40 kilometres (25 mi) to the north; and
Abrak, 90 kilometres (56 mi) to the west.
The first three of the above towns (Abu Ramad, Halayeb and Ras Hadarba) are located within the disputed Halayeb Triangle.
History
Egyptian ministries and authorities are in the process of
establishing their presence in the area and operate in conjunction with
the City Council to provide services to the local communities according
to the policies and programs of their respective organizations. The
military is responsible for security and law enforcement in the Halayeb
Triangle. Red Sea Governorate's Popular Council, including many members
from the Bisharia and Ababda, are responsible for determining what the
local people need and supporting local participation in management and
development of this area.
The Egyptian government also provides additional social services to
the local communities, such as food, water, monetary assistance,
subsidies, health care, veterinary care, housing and education. A new
international Airport in Marsa Alam was built, about 270 kilometres
(170 mi) from Shalateen city, which Egyptian policy makers intend to be
the center of more development for the southern region included the
Shalateen area.
Ethnography
Local tribes in Halayeb and Shalateen area have had little exposure
to modernization under Sudanese administration and under Egyptian
administration up to 1992. But after 1992, the Egyptian government
started to implement a development plan when it started to build some
settlements, including 500 new houses built in Shalateen and 250 in
Aboramad and Halayeb, depending on Shalateen local council sources.
Roads were also established, including a 250-kilometer road between
Shalateen and Marsa Alam city in north, and three new electricity
generators have begun operation since 1993. In 1993–94, the Egyptian
government launched a plan for the social economic development of the
area. Services and economic support were delivered in the main towns and
villages and necessary infrastructures was built. Financial and in-kind
donations were sponsored for a total amount of 1.5 billion L.E.
currently; the Government is supporting local families with 70 L.E. per
month, and 3 L.E. per day to each child going to school. Nowadays many
high educated people, and many local people, work as employees of the
government, NGOs and private sector companies, which will help in more
development.
Depending on that and on the government development policy, many
people from the mountains moved to towns in order to benefit from these
services. They were given houses with a permanent water source, food
supplies, electricity and education. So far, approximately 8,000 people
have settled along the coast. As a result of the plan, communities in
the urban areas have improved their livelihood.
Local community in Halayeb area has been involved in the management
of Gabel Elba Protected Area as guides and also as environmental
researchers in the management and conservation of the natural resources
of this area; local people are also involved in the decision making
process. The World Food Program
project in this area "Support Bedouin Life Project" represents a good
model for the Egyptian government's policy of local participation and
community-based management of projects.
References
Notes
Sources
Metrash,A.& Pozzan, E (2002). Preliminary Study of the Local
Communities in Elba Protected Area,Report submitted for EIECP,EGYPTIAN
ITALIAN ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION PROGRAM - PHASE II EEAA,Egypt
domestic violence in Saudi Arabia made headlines worldwide
Saudi Arabia, a country not exactly known for progressive attitudes
toward women, has launched its first major campaign against domestic
violence — its latest effort to embrace, at least superficially, some women’s rights reforms.
The ads in the “No More Abuse” campaign show a woman in a dark veil
with one black eye. The English version reads “some things can’t be
covered.” The Arabic version, according to Foreign Policy‘s David Kenner, translates roughly as “the tip of the iceberg.” A Web site for the campaign includes a report on reducing domestic violence and emergency resources for victims.
Exact figures on domestic violence are hard to come by. The State Department’s most recent human rights report
cites estimates that 16 to 50 percent of Saudi wives suffer some kind
of spousal abuse. Saudi law does not criminalize domestic violence or
spousal rape, and social repercussions can make reporting violence of
any kind difficult. Both rape and domestic violence “may be seriously
underreported,” according to the State Department report.
The Saudi government has begun to address the problem, at least in
name. In 2008, a prime ministerial decree ordered the expansion of
“social protection units,” its version of women’s shelters, in several
large cities, and ordered the government to draft a national strategy to
deal with domestic violence, according to the United Nations.
Several royal foundations, including the King Abdulaziz Center for
National Dialogue and the King Khalid Foundation, have also led
education and awareness efforts.
None of this changes the fact, of course, that Saudi Arabia remains an often difficult place to be a woman. The World Economic Forum ranks the country 131st out of 135 for its record on women’s rights, citing a total lack of political and economic empowerment.
The country has a strong record on women’s health and education, however: On metrics such as enrollment in higher education, Saudi Arabia actually scores well above the global average.
Some of those well-educated women are leading the fight against domestic violence now. Maha Almuneef,
a pediatrician, directs the National Family Safety Program, an
anti-violence effort that has also benefited from the patronage of Saudi
Arabia’s Princess Adela.
“Reporting violence and abuse should be compulsory, and there should be a witness protection program,” Adela said at a 2009 conference on ending the country’s domestic abus
