Cyber Punk

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1913401/middle-east Sunday’s explosion scorched crowds clamoring for petrol that army was distributing The blast killed at least 28 people in northern Lebanon AL-DAOUSEH, Lebanon: Families on Wednesday laid to rest victims of a fuel tank blast that killed at least 28 people in northern Lebanon amid anger and sorrow over the crisis-hit country’s latest tragedy. The explosion on Sunday in Al-Tleil in the Akkar region scorched crowds clamoring for petrol that the army was distributing in light of severe fuel shortages that have paralyzed a country also beset by medicine, gas and bread shortages. The victims included soldiers and Akkar residents who darted to Al-Tleil after midnight to fill gasoline in plastic containers straight from a fuel tank that exploded in circumstances that remain unclear. The tank was among supplies confiscated by the military, which has lately wrested supplies from alleged fuel hoarders across the country. The disaster came on top of an economic crisis branded by the World Bank as one of the world’s worst in modern times and follows an explosion of poorly stored fertilizer at Beirut port last summer that killed more than 200 people. Akkar, one of Lebanon’s poorest regions, buried several blast victims on Wednesday, according to an AFP correspondent. The village of Al-Daouseh held funerals for four of its dead, all of whom are from the Shraytih family. “They died for petrol — if we had fuel this would have never happened,” said Mouin Shraytih who was burying two sons — one 16 and the other 20. “Political leaders and officials should consider what it is like to have two young boys and find them burned and charred in front of your own eyes,” the man in his fifties told AFP at the funeral. Corpses from the tanker blast had been identified in and transported from hospitals hit by power and telecom outages, with even landlines disrupted. Dozens had gathered at the family’s home when a convoy of vehicles carrying the corpses arrived from a nearby hospital, an AFP correspondent said. Shots were fired into the air as residents threw rice and flowers over the coffins. Fawaz Shraytih, a relative of Mouin, was burying two brothers, both army soldiers. “What happened is because of deprivation, Akkar is a deprived region,” he said. But “all we do is pay with our blood,” he added, explaining that soldiers make up the bulk of Al-Daouseh’s male po[CENSORED]tion. There are eight soldiers among his own immediate family, he said. Nearly 80 people were injured in the blast, medics said, many with burns that further overwhelmed hospitals struggling to function without electricity. Foreign countries and UN agencies have scrambled emergency aid to help exhausted health workers cope with the new influx of serious injuries and run DNA tests to identify charred remains. A plane was due to arrive in Lebanon to evacuate severe burns victims to Turkey. Lebanon, a country of more than 6 million, is grappling with soaring poverty rates, with 78 percent of the po[CENSORED]tion living below the poverty line, according to the United Nations. The Lebanese pound has lost 90 percent of its black market value against the dollar while food prices have shot up by up to 400 percent. The country braced for higher inflation rates after central bank governor Riad Salameh said last week that the lender can no longer afford fuel subsidies. Despite the spiraling crisis, bitterly divided leaders have yet to agree on a new Cabinet a year after the previous one resigned in the wake of the Beirut blast.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1912991/lifestyle DUBAI: Saudi womenswear designer Noura Sulaiman is about to see one of her creations on the big screen. Sulaiman, who is one of the very few Saudi designers to have their creations featured in a large-scale Hollywood production, was responsible for creating the white, off-the-shoulder dress worn by award-winning singer Halsey in the movie poster for her first feature film, “If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power.” The film is set to be shown at select IMAX theaters on Aug. 25 and explores the themes of pregnancy and childbirth. The film is set to be shown at select IMAX theaters on Aug. 25. Supplied The dress was selected from Sulaiman’s debut collection and handpicked by Los Angeles-based celebrity stylist Law Roach, who is responsible for the head-turning looks worn by stars such as Zendaya, Rachel Brosnahan and Priyanka Chopra, among others. The dress is crafted from ivory moiré fabric and features an off-the-shoulder neckline and cascading tulle sleeves. The 26-year-old’s decision to wear Sulaiman’s dress while she was pregnant is a “full circle” moment for the emerging Saudi designer as Sulaiman initially designed the look to wear for her own baby’s reception. However, due to po[CENSORED]r demand from clients, she decided to include the piece within her debut ready-to-wear collection, which she launched in December 2020. The dress will feature in the film alongside the designs of international fashion heavyweights such as Vivienne Westwood. Produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, “If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power” is described as a “disruptive film and album experience from the mind of Halsey,” according to the poster promoting the movie. The film will be accompanied by Halsey’s fourth studio album of the same name. In an Instagram post, the singer-songwriter shared more details about the album, writing: “This album is a concept album about the joys and horrors of pregnancy and childbirth. It was very important to me that the cover art conveyed the sentiment of my journey over the past few months.” “My body has belonged to the world in many different ways the past few years, and this image is my means of reclaiming my autonomy and establishing my pride and strength as a life force for my human being.” Halsey, born Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, gave birth to her first child, Ender Ridley Aydin, last month.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1913426/saudi-arabia The archeological village of Disa, home to Nabataean tombs carved into rock formations, is thought to date back to the end of the 2nd millennium B.C. It is also believed to be the ancient city of Madyan, mentioned in the Qu’ran as the place where the Prophet Moses fled to after leaving Egypt JEDDAH: Rich with antiquities and archeological sites, Tabuk is one of Saudi Arabia’s undiscovered gems. The area is home to valleys, oases, streams, picturesque sandstone columns, and tall palm trees. It is also the site of the archeological village of Disa, where one can find Nabataean tombs, the facades of which are carved into the rock formations. These tombs can also be found at the oasis of Mugha’ir Shu’ayb, also known as Al-Bada’. This site is thought to date back to the end of the second millennium B.C. and many believe it to be the ancient city of Madyan, mentioned in the Qu’ran and held to be the place where the Prophet Moses fled to after leaving Egypt. Houses and temples are also carved into the mountains here, often with intricate design work around their entrances. The area has become very po[CENSORED]r with photography enthusiasts. These are the rare historical landmarks of Tabuk, a tourist destination po[CENSORED]r because of its historical significance, but also because of its diverse nature and its mild climate, which makes it an excellent option for a summer getaway. Indeed, Tabuk has witnessed a dramatic increase in domestic tourism over the past few years. Speaking to Arab News, brothers Khaled and Ahmed, who operate private tours to several areas of Saudi Arabia, said that Tabuk is still a mystery to many. “It’s a calm place and is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the cities,” said Khaled. “From exploring the nooks and corners of the valleys to barbecues and star gazing at night, the place is wonderful. And, just think, (ancient) civilizations passed through here.”

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1911986/media Germany’s leading newspapers urged Chancellor Angela Merkel to evacuate Afghan journalists from the country as the Taliban entered the country’s capital Kabul. The open letter comes after similar appeals from UK and US media organizations were issued to their respective governments LONDON: Germany’s leading newspapers and media organizations on Sunday urged Chancellor Angela Merkel to evacuate Afghan journalists from the country as the Taliban entered the country’s capital Kabul. Various top outlets, including Der Spiegel, dpa International, Deutsche Welle and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, drafted an open letter addressing Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. The letter urged the German government to create an emergency visa program to provide safety for Afghan journalists who had been serving German readers and viewers for over 20 years. “This letter is a cry for help,” it said. “Our reporting, which provided the German public and politics with analysis, insights and impressions from the country, was inconceivable without the commitment and courage of the Afghan colleagues who supported us on site: The local journalists, stringers and translators.” Afghan journalists, translators, interpreters and fixers have been providing invaluable information from the ground to foreign media organizations since the 2001 US-led invasion. “The lives of these freelancers are now acutely at risk,” the letter continued. “According to international human rights organizations, there is hardly a country in the world in which journalists are now as vulnerable as in Afghanistan. We hereby call on you to set up an emergency visa program for Afghan workers of German media companies.” The open letter comes after similar appeals from UK and US media organizations were issued to their respective governments. Last week, the Committee to Protect Journalists drafted joint letters with numerous US media outlets to pressure Washington to provide humanitarian assistance and emergency visas to Afghans they have worked with. After numerous appeals, the US State Department issued a decision to include Afghan journalists in its Refugee Admissions Program. Similarly, Britain’s leading newspapers appealed to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to provide protection to media workers in Afghanistan under threat from the Taliban. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab said that Afghan journalists who worked for the British media would be considered for relocation to the UK if they come under “imminent threat.” The Taliban announced it entered Kabul on Sunday, which, experts say, will pose a threat to many Afghan journalists, particularly those known to have worked with Western outlets.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1912281/books During the late 19th century, opium was integral to European colonial rule in Southeast Asia. The taxation of opium was a major source of revenue for British and French colonizers, who also derived moral authority from imposing a tax on a peculiar vice of their non-European subjects. Yet between the 1890s and the 1940s, colonial states began to ban opium, upsetting the very foundations of overseas rule—how did this happen? Empires of Vice traces the history of this dramatic reversal, revealing the colonial legacies that set the stage for the region’s drug problems today. Diana Kim challenges the conventional wisdom about opium prohibition—that it came about because doctors awoke to the dangers of drug addiction or that it was a response to moral crusaders—uncovering a more complex story deep within the colonial bureaucracy. Drawing on a wealth of archival evidence across Southeast Asia and Europe, she shows how prohibition was made possible by the pivotal contributions of seemingly weak bureaucratic officials. Comparing British and French experiences across today’s Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam, Kim examines how the everyday work of local administrators delegitimized the taxing of opium, which in turn made major anti-opium reforms possible.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1912266/saudi-arabia Saudi Arabia has key role in carbon-friendly future, energy research shows RIYADH: Hydrogen is morphing from a niche power source into a potential front-runner in the green energy revolution — and research shows that Saudi Arabia can become one of the world’s largest suppliers of the gas. Many experts agree that “green” hydrogen, a carbon-friendly nontoxic gas produced using renewable energy, can play a significant role in achieving a green gas-neutral economy by 2050, helping to combat global warming. New research by the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) shows that Saudi Arabia has the resources to become a leader in the nascent “clean hydrogen” market. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, the current cost of producing a kilogram of the gas is a little under $5. With an abundance of sunlight, the Kingdom has a competitive advantage in a global commodity market for clean hydrogen that is expected to reach $11 trillion over the next 30 years, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). KSA has the skills, infrastructure and resources to produce blue and green hydrogen on a large scale. Frederik Braun, Researcher at KAPSARC KAPSARC is working with the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) to explore opportunities for Saudi Arabia in clean hydrogen development. Research efforts include large-scale technology deployment, demand markets, infrastructure usage and resource requirements. Frederik Braun, Researcher at KAPSARC The center is conducting a research project on the challenges and opportunities for Saudi Arabia in the future global hydrogen market. As part of this work, Dr. Jan Frederik Braun, a researcher in the climate and environment program, and Rami Shabaneh, a senior research associate in the markets and industrial development program, recently published a commentary that explores the future of clean hydrogen within and beyond the Kingdom. Braun told Arab News that hydrogen can help to “decarbonize” segments of the energy value chain, such as industrial process heating, heavy-duty and long-haul road transport, aviation and shipping. “Transport is the third-largest CO2-emitting sector in the Kingdom. Hydrogen produced from renewables-based electricity or natural gas is well-suited to decarbonize parts of the transport sector where fuel cell electric vehicles outperform battery electric vehicles, for example, in terms of shorter charging requirements. This applies to heavy-duty and long-distance transport vehicles like trucks and buses as well as high utilization light-duty vehicles like taxis,” he said. “In this context, NEOM recently announced a joint venture with Hyzon Motors and Modern Group Plan to supply 10,000 locally built, zero-emission commercial trucks for the GCC markets, of which Saudi Arabia is by far the largest,” he added. Shabaneh said that estimates of the future role of hydrogen depended on decarbonization policies. BNEF estimates hydrogen could contribute up to 24 percent of total energy demand if global warming is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. By comparison, the Hydrogen Council estimates the gas will make up 18 percent of energy demand if global warming reaches 2 C by 2050. Meanwhile, BP estimates hydrogen to account for 7 percent and 16 percent of total final energy consumption in their rapid and net zero scenarios, respectively. “It would require comprehensive decarbonization measures, production cost reductions, and scaling up infrastructure and demand for hydrogen to play a significant role as a fuel,” Shabaneh added. Research efforts are being stepped up to explore how countries such as Saudi Arabia can increase production of clean hydrogen and create comparatively “low-cost, low-risk” markets for CO2-intensive sectors, such as transport. KAPSARC and KAUST, in cooperation with leading researchers around the world, are looking beyond the Kingdom to analyze how potential importing countries and regions, such as Japan and the EU, are achieving their hydrogen ambitions and what opportunities these hold for Saudi Arabia. Braun underlined the importance of strategic partnerships with significant importers, such as Germany, in producing, processing, applying and transporting clean hydrogen, including implementing mega-projects such as NEOM. Saudi Arabia is developing policies and regulatory instruments to drive technologies in hydrogen development to commercial readiness. “The Kingdom’s hydrogen ambitions could benefit immensely from scaling up production, cooperation, demand and infrastructure through clean hydrogen ‘hubs’ across the GCC. Saudi Arabia has the skills, infrastructure and resources to produce blue and green hydrogen on a large scale,” Braun said. “Hydrogen is one of many solutions to decarbonize and not the only solution. The scale for local use cases and exports will depend on the economics and the pace of development of the hydrogen economy in regions beyond the Middle East, especially in Europe, North America and Asia.” “In this way, Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries can build economies of scale and pool human, capital and technical resources cost-efficiently,” he added.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1911321/media The man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he is in serious condition, LAPD Officer Mike Lopez said LOS ANGELES: A man was stabbed and a reporter was attacked Saturday at a protest against vaccine mandates on the south lawn of Los Angeles’ City Hall after a fight broke out between the protesters and counterprotesters, the Los Angeles Police Department and local media said. About 2 p.m., a group of people holding American flags and signs calling for “medical freedom” arrived at City Hall around 2 p.m. for the rally, the Los Angeles Times reported. Counterprotesters gathered nearby. About half an hour later, a fight broke out between the protesters and counterprotesters, the Times reported. The LAPD said on its Twitter account that it is “aware of 1 male that was stabbed & is being treated by LAFD,” referring to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he is in serious condition, LAPD Officer Mike Lopez said. “No arrests have been made but investigation is on going,” the department tweeted. Counterprotesters could be seen spraying mace while members of the anti-vaccine rally screamed death threats, the Times reported. KPCC radio reporter Frank Stolze was seen walking out of the park near City Hall being screamed at by anti-mask protesters, the Times reported. One man was seen kicking him. Stolze told a police officer he had been assaulted while trying to conduct an interview, the Times reported.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1911101/middle-east Egypt recently received a new shipment of 1.7 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine Egypt is aiming to vaccinate 40 percent of its citizens by the end of 2021 CAIRO: Egypt has an “open budget” to fight coronavirus, the country’s finance minister said Friday, adding that the health sector’s allocation exceeded the established constitutional entitlement, totaling EGP275.6 billion ($17.5 billion). The move followed presidential directives granting priority to preserving citizens’ health, especially in the face of coronavirus, explained Finance Minister Mohamed Maait. “We are ready to meet any additional appropriations for the health sector ... in order to contribute to strengthening its capabilities to combat the coronavirus and to provide the necessary funding to complete the purchase of vaccines. There is an open budget for the health sector to combat the coronavirus, and to provide vaccines, so there is no complacency in the health of Egyptians.” He said that EGP3 billion had so far been provided to purchase vaccines to ensure the largest number of citizens were immunized against COVID-19, especially in light of a fourth wave in some countries, and that scientific studies had confirmed the effectiveness of vaccines against any mutations of the virus. A return to pre-coronavirus economic performance indicators and the expansion of the vaccination program were closely linked, he added. The minister stressed that the economy would emerge from the pandemic stronger in light of the gains made by the economic reform program, which enabled the government to flexibly handle the health crisis. Egypt recently received a new shipment of 1.7 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine through the global COVAX initiative. “We are pleased to take a quick step to enhance efforts to vaccinate the Egyptian people in cooperation with the global COVAX initiative,” Health and Po[CENSORED]tion Minister Hala Zayed said. “With the arrival of this new shipment we are able to ensure that the vaccines reach the growing numbers of Egyptians ... and we move forward with our efforts to recover from the effects of the pandemic.” Egypt is aiming to vaccinate 40 percent of its citizens by the end of 2021. Ministry workers have visited markets, public transport, places of worship, salons, cafes, shops, gathering spaces, and villages to educate people about the vaccine and encourage them to sign up for it.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1910966/lifestyle DUBAI: To be a muse of the late German designer Karl Lagerfeld was to be placed on one of fashion’s highest pedestals, a position occupied by the world’s most stylish women. Ines de la Fressange, Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne are just three of the beauties who inspired the Chanel designer’s creative vision. Egyptian-Italian-French model and philanthropist Elisa Sednaoui also occasionally played muse to Lagerfeld, helping him bring whatever was on his mood board to life. In a recent Zoom interview with French journalist Laure Guilbault, Sednaoui recounts her first meeting with Lagerfeld and how it changed her life. “That was another incredible experience and moment in my life,” the model said, speaking from her Italian home in a clip shared with her 145,000 Instagram followers. “I’m very grateful to Karl Lagerfeld and all of the House of Chanel because they really are like a family to me.” She said that she met the Chanel team in 2010 during the French release of her film “Bus Palladium.” “They received me in Gabrielle Chanel’s house and then they said we want you to meet Karl Lagerfeld,” the 33-year-old explained. “I was living in New York at the time. There was a ballet in Monaco and that was the occasion I was supposed to meet him.” “I’ll never forget, there was a storm that day in Paris. I landed in Paris and all the flights were being canceled. I remember being at the airport speaking with my mother, saying, ‘I just arrived, I’m about to do the meeting that will change my career forever– because that’s a meeting that changes your life forever, what should I do? Should I cancel? Should I go?’” Fortunately, Sednaoui made it in time after the Chanel team sent a helicopter to transport her to Nice and she was able to meet him that night. “The amazing thing about Karl, he was very, the word that comes to me for some reason is ‘entire’ but it’s not what I mean. He was very 100 percent,” she said of her first impression of him. “He looked at me and said, ‘I would love to photograph you.’ Two weeks later, I was shooting with him the first Numero cover. It started a long and extensive relationship. We did the eyewear campaign, we did the Pirelli calendar,” recalls Sednaoui. Indeed, she went on to become one of Lagerfeld’s favorite muses. In addition to serving as the face for Chanel’s advertising campaigns, the model was a front-row fixture at the Parisian maison’s fashion shows and starred opposite French actor Pascal Greggory in Lagerfeld’s short film “Remember Now.” “He was elegant and cultured,” she recalled of her friend, who died in Paris in February 2019 from complications with pancreatic cancer. “My god, he was so funny and so unapologetically himself.”

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/1910231/middle-east There have been 2,503 deaths from coronavirus in the West Bank out of a recorded 200,838 cases On Thursday the PA transferred 100,000 doses to Gaza RAMALLAH: The Palestinian Authority (PA) said on Thursday it had taken delivery of 150,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine, amid an upsurge of COVID-19 cases in the occupied West Bank. A Health Ministry statement from the Ramallah-based PA said that of 4 million doses ordered from the pharmaceutical giant, 1 million have been received so far. The rest should be delivered in batches by the end of the year, it added. At the end of last month, Health Minister Mai Al-Kaila had warned that the Palestinian territory was facing a fourth wave of the coronavirus, and urged people to be vaccinated because of the spread of the more contagious delta variant. The government also indicated that unvaccinated officials would have to take unpaid leave until they had been jabbed. On Thursday, authorities identified 199 new infections in the West Bank, which is home to 2.8 million Palestinians. In July, only a few dozen cases a day were recorded. There have been 2,503 deaths from coronavirus in the West Bank out of a recorded 200,838 cases. In the Gaza Strip, 1,111 people have died out of 117,985 recorded cases. On Thursday the PA transferred 100,000 doses to Gaza, an enclave of 2 million people ruled by Hamas. About half of these were the Russian Sputnik vaccine, and the other half were from Pfizer. Of the 626,300 people so far vaccinated in the West Bank and Gaza, 427,000 have received both doses.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1910301/saudi-arabia RIYADH: The Arab coalition said Friday that Saudi air defenses have intercepted an explosive-laden drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi militia towards Khamis Mushait, AlEkhbariya reported. The militia, backed by Iran’s regime, regularly employs drones to target the Kingdom. The coalition said the group’s “aggressive attempts to target civilians have been thwarted and destroyed”, adding that operational measures were being taken to “deal with the sources of threats”. The Arab coalition is supporting the internationally recognized Yemeni government whose control of the country is partial after the Houthis took over the capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and now control large swaths of territory. The Houthis have been condemned for targeting civilian sites in the Kingdom, an act which Saudi Arabia and the coalition say is tantamount to war crimes. On Monday, the coalition knocked down two other drones heading toward the city, located in the southern province of Asir. The attacks come days after the UN named veteran Swedish diplomat Hans Grundberg as new special envoy for Yemen, seeking to find new ground for peace talks between the government and the Houthis. Grundberg’s appointment was widely welcomed by the international community amid renewed hopes of an end to the seven-year war. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the Kingdom would stand by the new envoy. “We wish him success in his new role and look forward to working with him. The Kingdom will continue to support all efforts to reach a political solution that helps bring peace and prosperity to Yemen,” Prince Faisal said on Twitter. Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi welcomed Grundberg’s appointment, and called on his government to cooperate with him and facilitate his tasks to enhance peace opportunities. But chief Houthi negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam said on Sunday that the group had no plans to meet the new envoy, and such a meeting would be pointless because Grundberg had “nothing in his hands.” “There is no use in having any dialogue before airports and ports are opened as a humanitarian necessity and priority,” said Abdulsalam, who is based in Oman. Efforts to reach a peaceful settlement in Yemen, sponsored by Grundberg’s predecessor Martin Griffiths, failed as the Houthis refused to put into place a nationwide truce and stop their deadly offensive on the central city of Marib. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was great international support for addressing the humanitarian crisis and ending the Yemen conflict. “There is unprecedented consensus on resolving the conflict and a real opportunity for peace. Only a durable agreement among Yemenis can reverse the dire humanitarian crisis,” Blinken said in a statement.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1910391/lifestyle ‘The Secrets of Alidades’ showcases 33 works from local and international artists ‘The First Space Shuttle’ The Saudi Art Council bills “The Secrets of Alidades” — which runs until September 7 — as an exhibition that “intertwines cartography and astronomy in an allegorical perspective.” The show’s name “alludes to the pointers found on astrolabes (among other astronomical instruments) that assist us in observing distant objects and determining directions.” So the work on display focuses on travel and exploration — whether physical or mental. Al-Salem’s Styrofoam, fabric and PVC sculpture presents arguably the clearest link to the title of any work on display. Al-Salem, an artist and calligrapher who was born into a family of tent salesmen in Makkah, “establishes a direct link between the ancient world of the Bedouins and … the conquest of space” with this work, according to the exhibition’s catalogue. “Tents are associated with travel, mobility, and migration,” the artist explains. “As I see it, this idea of mobility creates a clear link between nomadic Bedouins and astronauts in their use of space, their engagement with nature, and their movement from one place to another.” Yasmeen Sudairy and Rajaa Al-Hajj ‘Vertical Composition of Stratified Narratives’ Sudairy and Al-Hajj’s collaborative sculptures are made from found vehicle parts taken from impoundment lots. They are, the catalogue explains, “pop assemblages and part of a tradition that summons both the French sculptor César and his American counterpart John Chamberlain — but in a tradition remixed with Japanese manga.” “Through this sculpture, we intend to articulate a unified vertical pillar by assembling dispersed, chaotic elements,” the artists say in their statement. “The theme of the piece reflects our psychological attraction to the continuous perceptual shift between the appearance of mechanic and organic forms, consisting of organized turbulences characterized by contrasts and rhythmic successions of colored curves and lines.” Sara Ouhaddou ‘Al-Kalima’ The French-born Moroccan artist is heavily influenced by traditional craftsmanship and culture. This installation, made from recycled stained ‘Iraqi glass,’ brass and revolving motors, consists of five circular stained-glass windows covering a range of vibrancy — the colors gradually fading from one to the next. “It is a transformation that evokes the disappearance of (Iraqi glass) while what was likely Moorish glass replaced it — that is, before industrial glass was made in either China or Saudi Arabia,” the catalogue states. “In essence, these changes are an expression of standardization due to globalized production. “At the same time, this fading material also marks the passage from complexity to nothingness. ‘Al-Kalima,’ which means ‘word’ in Arabic, is related to speech and its power … (The windows) emphasize the link between human language and the cosmos, following the calligraphic tradition,” it continues. Ouhaddou says that the piece is inspired by “the ideas and thoughts of the Arabic poets of enlightenment at the beginning of the 20th century.” Mohammed Alsanie ‘The Past That Didn’t Occur’ Much of Alsanie’s work is a paean to the Eighties — soaked in neon and nostalgia, pitched, the catalogue suggests, “somewhere between the 1982 sci-fi classic ‘Tron’ and the crime series ‘Miami Vice.’” It continues: “Alsanie’s work is related to retrofuturism, where the future is perceived through filters of the past. Thus, technology already appears obsolete, becoming a vehicle for a certain nostalgia or melancholy.” This video installation is essentially a walk through Jeddah (the local audience will likely recognize several of the city’s urban sculptures), but with several surrealist touches giving the whole thing an air of fantasy. “The abstract lines, the horizon, the setting sun, and the meteorites all transport the spectator into a mental universe where they can observe stellar elements on a street corner,” the catalogue says. Moath Alofi ‘Cyprium 2135’ Much of Alothi’s work is inspired by the deserts of Saudi Arabia. This 10-meter-by-seven-meter print is no exception. It is, according to the catalogue, a reproduction of “a petroglyph of Jabal Uhain, depicting the arms and hands drawn on Jubbah mountain in the Ha’il Region. These last ‘mustatils,’ ancient stone structures visible in northwest Arabia, were sites of rituals that are unknown to us today.” Alothi then subtly alters those symbols “into a form reminiscent of the logos of the exhibition’s sponsors” and thus “creates a bridge between ancient times and our contemporary world.” The artist describes this work as an invitation to search for the “stars that exist on Earth as well as in the sky.” Basheer Hawsawi ‘Untitled’ Hawsawi’s diorama is inspired by childhood memories of everyday objects from her family’s home, her father’s store, and in particular of the sight and scent of her mother drying lemons. The motorized lemon presses in the piece turn “without any function, calling to mind daily life and its repetitions,” the catalogue states. It continues: “The memory is linked to trauma — but trauma placed at a distance from reality.” “I engage with time as a human being and artist in various ways,” Hawsawi says. “The past, to me, is like a quick journey where I don’t spend a lot of time, as it drains my present moment and my temporal existence.” Nasser Almulhim ‘Gazing Into the Magical Universe’ Almulhim is best known for his abstract paintings, and this sculpture relies on many of the same influences. “Circles, rectangles, triangles, and other forms are visually embedded to create what Almulhim describes as a ‘spiritual icon,’” the catalogue says. The artist himself says the piece “may be regarded as a tool for communicating with our extraordinary universe and its magical beauty.” “The work is rooted to the earth, yet it flows together with the energies above and below it, as though seeking other dimensions,” he writes. “It is a gateway to the search for beauty within and around us, a pathway allowing us to gaze … into the spirit.”

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1908956/middle-east No new meeting has been set between President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati Indications are that the two parties are growing farther apart and that Aoun’s demands now include the Ministry of the Interior as well as the Ministry of Justice BEIRUT: A year has passed since Prime Minister Hassan Diab’s government resigned. On Aug. 10, 2020. Diab addressed the Lebanese five days after the Beirut port explosion, saying that he had decided to quit because “the corruption system is greater than the state.” Since then, Diab has been the caretaker prime minister of a government that cannot make decisions in a country that is sliding further every day into the abyss. It is the longest caretaker period for a government in Lebanon’s political history. Three PMs have in vain been assigned to form a government. No new meeting has been set between President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati. The information leaked from their previous six meetings indicates that the two parties are growing farther apart and that Aoun’s demands now include the Ministry of the Interior as well as the Ministry of Justice. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and his allies in Hezbollah had nominated a Shiite figure, who is the director of financial operations at the Central Bank, to take over the Ministry of Finance, but Aoun rejected this proposal because he is calling for a criminal investigation into the Central Bank’s accounts. Diab, who is in self-quarantine because he came in contact with a coronavirus positive person, addressed the Lebanese on Tuesday saying: “The new government, whose formation is yet to succeed, is supposed to resume negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is our only way out of this imminent collapse.” Diab warned that “any existing government will not be able to address the structural crisis without external assistance and a practical plan.” Future Bloc MP Mohammed Hajjar told Arab News: “The failure to form a government so far is caused by a team composed of President Aoun and his son-in-law, MP Gebran Bassil. They want a tailor-made country on their own terms and that serves their personal interests. Aoun wants to control the government, so if there are no parliamentary elections, he wants to stay in power and extend his term with a constitutional fatwa (edict). Aoun does not mind repeating what he did in 1989 when he took over a separatist government.” Hajjar claimed that during the consultations between Mikati and Aoun, the latter requested 12 of the 24 ministers. “I can assure you that this is true. He will keep coming up with excuses until he gets the government he wants. His criterion is the interest of his son-in-law and himself only; to hell with the country’s interests.” He said that Hezbollah is Aoun’s ally in what is happening now. “If Hezbollah wanted the government, it would have put pressure on Aoun and his political team, but what we see is the opposite, and no one can convince us that Hezbollah is looking out for Lebanon’s interests. It works for Iran’s interests and keeps the collapsing Lebanon as a card in Iran’s hands.” Regarding the militant group’s recent rocket attacks on Israel, he said: “The tension Hezbollah stirred on the southern front in response to the tension in the Arabian Sea is nothing but a service to Iran.” In September 2020, Aoun warned: “We are heading to hell if a government is not formed.” At that time, he insisted on getting the Ministry of Finance and refused to give it to the Shiite community. The Lebanese have been quoting Aoun’s “hell” comments as the noose around their necks tightens. On Tuesday, the head of the General Labor Union, Bechara Al-Asmar, said he was informed many mills have stopped operating due to lack of diesel, while the rest will eventually follow suit once they run out of fuel. Hospitals announced that they only have enough diesel to run their private generators for a few days. The International Organization for Migration warned on Tuesday that 120,000 migrant workers “are in dire need of humanitarian assistance in Lebanon due to the accelerating economic collapse that is plaguing the country.” Meanwhile, the gasoline stock in Lebanon is only sufficient for five days. Two ships obtained prior approval from the Central Bank to come to Lebanon, but the date of their arrival has not yet been fixed.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1909036/saudi-arabia The five programs were chosen from the 26 teams in the initial refining and presentation phase DHAHRAN: The King Abdul Aziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) announced the five finalists for its new Creative Solutions program. The projects will develop their ideas, which share the theme “Digital Immersive Content Creation,” with a view to turning them into marketable products. The program was launched on Feb. 23, 2021 and is designed to build an network of innovators supporting the growth of the creative economy in the Kingdom. Creative Solutions focuses on the use of immersive technologies including artificial intelligence, haptics, virtual, augmented and mixed reality and immersive audio. The five programs were chosen from the 26 teams in the initial refining and presentation phase. These participants, many of them young Saudis who work in the creative and high-tech industries, spent several weeks at a series of master classes, technical workshops and networking events designed to help them in their creative careers, whether selected for the final five projects or not. The third phase involves an intensive international bootcamp, which will be held online and involve tailored one-to-one mentoring to develop each project and each creative. There will then be more than three months of intensive support to turn each project into a marketable product. This phase also entails financial support of up to SR75,000 ($20,000) per project, with the overall Creative Solutions winner to be announced on December 16. The first of the five selected projects is Alqatt XR, which features the traditional Al-Qatt art from southern Saudi Arabia. The project is being delivered by a team of four: Areej Alwabil, Haifa Al-Hababi, Layla Al-Babtain and Abdullah Moshantat. The project is dedicated to documenting, and preserving the Saudi cultural and natural heritage. It uses digital visualization, 3D virtualization, geospatial informatics and open access solutions to provide digital data and 3D models to regional institutions, museums, local scholars and the public. The second is Anticipation of Rain, which is a mixed reality experience based on the sensations which comes from heavy rainstorms. The solo project by the artist Naima Karim, who comes from Bangladesh and lives in Saudi Arabia, delivers a theater-based installation with thunder, lightning, orchestral immersive sound and sensors with the aim of provoking thought about the need to care for the world.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1909081/saudi-arabia University will host conference exploring experiences of women in light of recent reforms, and the ways in which they are contributing to Vision 2030 RIYADH: The growing role of women in Saudi Arabia, their successes and how they are helping to achieve the aims of Vision 2030 will be discussed during a special academic event next month. The Conference on the Empowerment of Women and their Developmental Role in the Reign of King Salman will take place at Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University at the start of the new academic year, under the patronage of Princess Fahda bint Falah Al-Hithlain. The university’s president, professor Ahmed bin Salem Al-Amiri, said the event will examine the abilities of women and their scientific and practical experiences in all fields. “The conference aims to highlight the legislative reforms in the era of (King Salman) and how those reforms have helped empower women and enhance their role in achieving the goals of Vision 2030,” he added. “It also sheds light on government projects and initiatives to support the empowerment of Saudi women in various fields, and on their successes and gains in this era.” The conference will also examine the ways in which recent reforms have helped to enhance the national identity of Saudi women, Al-Amiri said. Other themes that will be explored include how the concept of citizenship has been strengthened for Saudi women and families, and the enhanced participation of women in education and training and how this is preparing them to play a more prominent and effective role in society. The conference will also consider the role of modern media in promoting the empowerment of women and raising their profile in the development of society, especially in Saudi universities. It will highlight the efforts Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University and other Saudi universities are making to help achieve this as part of the goals of Vision 2030. Al-Amiri said the event will also look at the role women play in economic development, their enhanced participation in the labor market, and review their successful experiences so far. It will consider what the future holds for the empowerment of women in Saudi Arabia, along with the challenges they might face and ways to overcome them. Professor Nouf bint Abd Al-Aly Al-Ajmi, the university’s vice president and chairwoman of the conference’s organizing committee, thanked King Salman for his support and commended the organizers of the conference for their efforts to meet the expectations of the country’s leadership and contribute to achieving the goals of Vision 2030.