German Bundestag Elections: Will They See Wider Migrant Voting?

Syrian Students Face Difficult Path to University Education

5 American Generals:

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Ahmed Aboutaleb: Promoter of Peace, Freedom and Equal Rights

From Afghanistan to Corporations US

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German Bundestag Elections : Will They See Wider Migrant Voting ? www.majal a.com

Editorial A Weekly Political News Magazine

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On September 2021 ,26, Germany will hold elections for a new parliament in the post-Angela Merkel era. Polling stations will be opened, and voters will cast their ballots to choose a new parliament. In this week’s edition, the cover story delves into whether migrants of German origin will make a higher voter turnout in this month’s elections.

Jassim Mohamad writes about how German intelligence reports during the past two years admitted that the danger of right-wing terrorism has increased a lot, and this has made the German government take new measures.

The new academic year 2022/2021 in Syria would start on September 26 in all colleges, higher and intermediate institutes. Jiwan Soz reviews how students are suffering after thousands of academicians from governmental and private universities left the country, which has led to a deteriorating educational level in Syrian universities.

In the technology section, Latifa Al Hassanyeh interviews the founder of the Kundera app which strives to empower content creators to respond to technical challenges in a healthy manner.

Read these articles and more on our website eng.majalla.com. As always, we welcome and value our readers’ feedback and we invite you to take the opportunity to leave your comments on our website.

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Editor-in-Chief

Ghassan Charbel The Editor Mostafa El-Dessouki HH Saudi Research and Marketing (UK) Ltd 10th Floor Building 7 Chiswick Business Park 566 Chiswick High Road London W4 5YG Tel : +44 207 831 8181 Fax: +44 207 831 2310

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A Weekly Political News Magazine

Saudi Arabia’s Hidden Wealth

38 for Post-Oil Era

Issue 1871- September- 24/09/2021

30 The AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Deal: Unanswered Questions for Australia

Germany- Insider Threat: Far-Right in

20 Military, Security Services

24 Namejs versus Zapad

54 Healthy Gut, Healthier Aging

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52 Headline: Clint Eastwood Confronts His Own Legacy Again In «Cry Macho

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How Afghan Monuments Survived Ages of Turmoil

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Chelsea Flower Show

A costumed model poses at the Bodmin Jail 50 degree East - A garden between continents at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London, Britain 20 September 2021. The horticultural exhibition runs from 21 to 26 September 2021 at the Royal Chelsea Hospital )EPA Photos(

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Bolivian ‘climbing cholitas’ play soccer at 5,000 meters of altitude

Several Aymara women, known as the climbing cholitas, play soccer at 5,000 meters of altitude on September 15, 2021, in the snowy Huayna Potosí, in Milluni, Bolivia, 15 September 2021 (Issued 17 September 2021). At 5,000 meters of altitude, the Bolivian cholitas climbers braved the snow, the intense fog and the cold to play a soccer game near the top of the imposing Huayna Potosi, 6,088 meters high, and show that ‘yes, it can be done. Bolivia )EPA Photos(

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German Bundestag Elections: Will They See Wider Migrant Voting?

Social Activist Launches Initiative to Encourage Migrants to Vote

Majalla Staff In the 2021 Federal Parliament (Bundestag) elections, 7.4 million Germans with migrant

backgrounds are entitled to vote for their new representatives. But what is the expected vote turnout of voters with immigrant backgrounds this year? Are migrants m within the circle of

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interest of the German parties?

On September 2021 ,26, Germany will witness elections for a new parliament for the postAngela Merkel era.

Polling stations will be opened, and voters will cast their ballots to choose their new parliament. But there is a large group entitled to vote in the elections, but they are often not taken into account by German politicians and parties.

They are Germans of immigrant background.

There are about 7.4 million people who are entitled to vote of Turkish, Syrian, Russian and other origins.

This is equivalent to 12 percent of the total people, who are entitled to vote in elections in Germany. Although the number of these voters is significant, communication with them is rarely direct, according to sociologist Sabrina Meyer.

Mayer is currently studying people with immigrant backgrounds in Duisburg, a city in North Rhine-Westphalia known for its multicultural population.

Migrants arrive at the main railway station in Munich, Germany September 13, 2015. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle

During her tour of the city, Meyer recounts with astonishment, «In a city like Duisburg, which has a large population of immigrant backgrounds, we rarely see on the election posters topics that concern them.»

This may be the reason for the low turnout in the elections by Germans of migrant background.

In the latest Bundestag elections in 2017, the participation of this group of voters was 20 percent lower than the average voter turnout rate.

Mayer stresses that the decline is expected, but at the same time it pushes for highlighting the reason, because it threatens to create a vicious circle.

“If voters do not feel interested in the elections, their participation in the vote will be less, which

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Polling stations will be opened, and voters will cast their ballots to choose their new parliament. But there is a large group entitled to vote in the elections, but they are often not taken into account by German politicians and parties. in turn will lead to the parties moving away from addressing the issues of this segment.

This in turn leads to a continuing low voter turnout.”

URGING GERMANS OF MIGRANT ORIGIN TO VOTE It is a problem that social activist Ali Can, who launched the hashtag #MeTwo on Twitter, which is supposed to draw attention to discrimination, is well aware.

Can, who was born in Turkey, is of Kurdish descent, and his family fled to Germany in 1995. Can also seeks to increase the turnout for electoral participation among people of immigrant background.

For the Bundestag elections, the social activist has launched a multilingual application to assist electoral participation.

“In the twenty-first century, there should be no barriers to participation in elections,» he said.

But he nevertheless calls on the same immigrant groups to become active again.

“We have failed to give people with immigrant backgrounds the feeling that they also belong to Germany. But it also has to be about winning people over emotionally.”

“In the end, what we all want is a greater turnout

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from these voters to participate in the vote.»

WHY LOW TURNOUT? Besides, there is a lack of data. There is not a lot of information about the reasons why voters with migrant backgrounds choose a particular party.

Statistical studies have a role in this. In typical election analyses, the numbers of voters with migrant backgrounds in the analysis samples are often very low, making reliable data difficult to obtain.

It is possible to conduct statistics tailored to this

In the latest Bundestag elections in 2017, the participation of this group of voters was 20 percent lower than the average voter turnout rate.

segment of the electorate, but the costs of doing so would be very high, and would include only the largest immigrant groups in Germany.

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, which is close to the CDU, conducted two such studies, in 2015 and 2019. The focus was on the three largest immigrant groups in Germany at the time of Turkish (2.8 million), Russian (1.4 million) and Polish ( 2.2 million) backgrounds.

In one study, voting results were found to be relatively stable for a long time in two groups of voters with immigrant backgrounds.

The results of the first study showed that Germans of Russian descent mostly vote for the Christian Democratic Party and the Christian Social Party while Germans of Turkish origin supported the Social Democratic Party.

However, these percentages are beginning to weaken as the latest study indicates a change towards voting for the right-wing party among Germans of Russian descent, while the proportion of Germans of Turkish descent who support the Christian Democratic Party and the Christian Social Party has increased.

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Ali Can, a Twitter activist shows the symbol of his social media slogan #MeTwo during a TV interview in Cologne, Germany, July 27, 2018. REUTERS/ Wolfgang Rattay

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Who Are Merkel’s Potential Successors?

Armin Laschet- The Stubborn, Open-Minded European Aspiring to the Throne of Merkel Armin Laschet, born 18 February 1961, is a German politician serving as Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia since 27 June 2017. On 16 January 2021, he was elected as Leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

Despite his low poll ratings, he surmounts obstacles and slowly wears down his opponents thanks to his stamina. He supports refugees, advocates for multiculturalism, and describes himself as a “passionate European.” He is said to be the grandson of Charlemagne.

Armin Laschet looks to be on the verge of defeat in the race to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor, as his popularity in public opinion plummets and his inconsistent handling of the COV-

ID-19 crisis gives way to ridicule.

But the gentleman, pro-Merkel politician surprisingly managed to rise and be confirmed as the Conservative candidate for chancellor in this year’s election, defeating Marcus Soder despite the latter’s overwhelming popularity.

The leadership of the Christian Union, which includes both the Christian Democrats and the Christian Social Party, the smaller Bavarian sister party, will face a daunting task in the general elections on September 26 as the two parties face public restlessness amid anger at the faltering management of the Coronavirus crisis in Germany.

In a recent poll conducted by the daily Handelsblatt, Laschet’s popularity did not exceed 12 percent among Germans who think he would be a good candidate for chancellor. But rising up despite the difficulties seems to be Laschet’s specialty, according to Der Spiegel magazine, which indicated that he overcame many obstacles in order to be elected party leader at the beginning of the year.

Annalena Baerbock- The Greens Leader and Climate Protection Brigade

Armin Laschet

Annalena Charlotte Alma Baerbock, born 15 December 1980, is a German politician. She has served as co-leader of Alliance 90/ The Greens since 2018 alongside Robert Habeck. She is the party’s candidate for chancellor in the 2021 federal election, making her the first such candidate for the Greens and, after Angela Merkel, only the second woman to be nominated for chancellor by a major German political party.

She is a member of parliament, a lawyer specializing in international law, a head of household, and a former amateur athlete. It all came together in the chair of the Greens, Annalena Baerbock.

Now she is her party’s candidate to succeed Angela Merkel but can she succeed through a climate protection policy?

From the start, Annalena Baerbock left no doubt about who the Green Party should choose as its leader at the beginning of 2018.

Dressed in a black leather jacket, the German parliamentarian

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Annalena Baerbock

from Brandenburg walked to the podium at the party’s electoral conference. In Hanover, she gave a campaign speech with enthusiasm and equanimity.

One sentence from her speech was quoted repeatedly over the ensuing days and weeks, as she shouted at the top of her voice to thunderous applause from her supporters: “We are not electing the woman who stands with Robert (Habeck) today, we are electing a new chancellor!” In the end, she was elected leader of the Green Party.

She kept her promise. At first, she was less well known than Robert Habeck, her co-chair of the Green Party, but the 40-yearold Baerbock soon developed her own profile. Today, she is the Green Party parliamentary bloc’s expert on climate affairs, a brilliant international politician, as well as a brave anti-populist and anti-xenophobe.

When the Green Party duo’s successful presidency was confirmed at a caucus in Bielefeld nearly two years later, in the winter of 2019, Baerbock received 97 percent of the vote, while the “man by her side,” co-chair Robert Habeck, received 90 percent.

ity, but lacks charisma. Is this enough to win the elections?

It was an unexpected surprise when the SPD chairs Saskia Esken and Norbert Walter Boerance presented Olaf Scholz as the candidate for the position of party chancellor in the summer of 2020.

That was surprising in terms of timing, as the federal election is scheduled for September 2021. Even then, there were thirteen months in which a lot could happen. The candidate was under constant surveillance in his exposed position, everything under evaluation, every sentence had to make sense, and every mistake could be the last.

The two presidents’ proposal also came as a surprise because both Saskia Esken and Norbert Walter Boerance were staunch rivals of Scholz in the fight for the SPD leadership just a few months ago. They have very different political programs from Scholz.

Scholz, who is probably thought of as a conservative to any Social Democrat, lost the members’ vote at the end of 2019 in favor of the party’s distinctly left-influenced binary leadership. Then the SPD decided that its candidate for chancellor (Scholz) should be someone the party did not want as its president.

It remains to be seen whether that will be enough to take the chancellorship in September 2021. Olaf Scholz has not succeeded in sustainably increasing the party’s approval rating since his appointment as the SPD candidate for chancellor. In the last federal election in 2017, the Social Democrats scored their worst result in post-war Germany’s history with 20.5 percent of the vote.

Since then, things have continued to deteriorate for the SPD. Over the past two years, polls have ranged between 14 and 17 percent. This did not discourage Scholz, who declared in a calm tone that “Anyone who wants me to be chancellor of Germany must vote for the SPD.”

Olaf Scholz - Socialist Candidate Whose Popularity Exceeds That of His Party Olaf Scholz, born on 14 June 1958, is a German politician who has been serving as Vice-Chancellor of Germany and Federal Minister of Finance since 14 March 2018. He previously served as First Mayor of Hamburg from 2011 to 2018 and was Deputy Leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) from 2009 to 2019.

More than a year before the elections, the Social Democratic Party announced that Merkel’s deputy, Olaf Scholz, would be its candidate for chancellor. He has a pragmatic and sober personal-

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Olaf Scholz

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Germany- Insider Threat: Far-Right in Military, Security Services

Germany Stuck between Far-wing Extremism, Islamic Jihad

By Jassim Mohamad - Bonn Germany is caught in the cross-hairs of rightwing radicalism and Islamic Jihadist extremism.

German intelligence reports, during the past two years, admitted that the danger of right-wing terrorism has increased a lot, and this has made

the German government take new measures, although they are still not at good level.

In a country where any semblance of militarism calls to mind the Nazi past, the notion of a German soldier raising a gun in a foreign land remains for many, uniquely abhorrent. That’s why,

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when Germany’s elite commando force, the Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK), was established 25 years ago, many Germans were apprehensive.

On 19th September 2021, security services from the German military intelligence said that an officer, as well as another soldier, will be investigated over suspected right-wing extremism, according to a report by the German weekly Bild am Sonntag.

The German parliament approved in May 2021 a law to tighten security review procedures for army soldiers, following the discovery of cases of right-wing extremism within the army’s Special Forces division (KSK).

Germany’s first nationwide report into rightwing extremism in the security services has revealed hundreds of incidents across the police and military that contravened the country’s constitution, according to The Guardian. A series of extreme far-right cases among members of Germany’s military and police highlight the threat of the enemy within: radicalized extremists within security services, with access to weapons, training, and confidential information.

Thomas Haldenwang (left),president of Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, pictured with the interior minister, Horst Seehofer, said they would not view cases of extremism in isolation.

Credit: Reuters

The 98-page report itself stated that while the absolute figures appeared low compared with the number of employees in the security forces, “it can basically be assumed that there is also a dark field” of unknown extremists. From police chat groups where racist, nationalist, and anti-Semitic content is being shared to a Nazi sympathizer within the special forces allegedly storing weapons and explosives to a police employee allegedly looking to help far-right terrorists plunge the country into civil war, it is clear the threat is significant.

On 6th October 2020, Horst Seehofer, the interior minister, sought to downplay the incidence of extremism in the forces, at the same time insisting that each case was a “disgrace” and that a “no tolerance” policy would be exercised against personnel who broke the rules.

There have been too many disturbing reports in

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Germany’s first nationwide report into rightwing extremism in the security services has revealed hundreds of incidents across the police and military that contravened the country’s constitution, according to The Guardian. recent months from Germany’s security apparatus. It has led to growing concerns that the incidents that have been publicized may just be the tip of the iceberg. Stephan Kramer, president of the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Thuringia, said.

“When special forces units in the military and police call the state into question and perhaps even establish right-wing networks, that should make us extremely worried,” he says. An attack on the state perpetrated by those trained to defend it - security personnel trained in the use of weapons – would be a nightmare scenario for Germany.

German Defence Minister Kramp-Karrenbauer plans on restructuring the country’s KSK in the wake of numerous allegations of far-right extremism among its ranks, the German newspaper Die Welt reported on 30th June 2020. According to Die Welt, Kramp-Karrenbauer announced structural reforms of the KSK unit, which included the dissolution of one of its four combat companies. Some 70 soldiers would be affected by the changes, Die Welt reported.

Far Right extremism has increased in Germany, because of the following reasons: - Fear: the German federal government decided in early September 2015 to allow refugees, who were then trapped in Hungary, to journey on to Germany. In the months that followed, some

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890,000 people applied for asylum - Political correctness: The AfD party included criticism of “political correctness” (albeit an exaggerated phenomenon) in their platform. At campaign rallies, AfD officials often mocked the use of gender-sensitive language and criticized academic fields that focus on gender roles.

- Digital edge: No political party in German is as active on the Internet as the AfD. Since its founding in 2013, the party’s strategy has relied heavily on Facebook to spread its message via social media.

- Calculated provocation: The German interior minister said on 15th June 2021 that right-wing extremism and anti-Semitism remained the main security threat to the country.

- Pandemic protests: The COVID-19 pandemic has also contributed to strengthening the country’s right-wing scene as anti-corona protests were exploited by the far-right for their political objectives. [7] An independent body to monitor the work of the police revealed the existence of racism in the German police, stressing that there should be no place for extremists in uniforms. The head of the Social Democratic Party, a partner in Germany’s ruling coalition, Zaskia Esken, said that there is also racism in the German security forces. Mean-

while, Esken suggested creating an independent body to monitor the work of the police, because, “when dealing with cases of police violence, the prestige of the police should not be more important than the rights of citizens.” For this reason, “the matter should be entrusted to an independent body that considers such complaints.”

Results

An independent body to monitor the work of the police revealed the existence of racism in the German police, stressing that there should be no place for extremists in uniforms.

- The Far Right succeeded in infiltrating the security and defence institutions in Germany, and this penetration was intended by the extreme right to obtain training, weapons and ammunition to carry out assassinations and terrorist operations inside Germany.

- There is a problem in the monitoring and follow-up of the extreme right, in society, or in reviewing the records of workers in German state institutions. What was revealed by the German Ministry of Defence and Intelligence came as a

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A series of extreme far-right cases among members of Germany’s military and police highlight the threat of the enemy within. Credit: Reuters

result of reactions, not proactive or follow-up efforts, but rather the result of open practices by extremist right-wing elements within security and defence.

- The German government, since 2018, has been aware of the growing danger of the extreme right, after it was engaged with the threat of extremist Islamist groups and immigration.

It seems that the timing is late and not in the German government’s favour, and it seems that the extreme right and its dangers during this stage are much greater than the ability of German intelligence to reduce this danger, and this means that the dangers of the extreme right will continue to escalate for years to come despite the efforts made by the German government.

- The problem lies not in the lack of human and financial resources for the intelligence services, but in the German “culture” through curricula,

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“When special forces units in the military and police call the state into question and perhaps even establish right-wing networks, that should make us extremely worried.” schools and universities, as a result of Germany’s long history of confronting “Nazism”.

It is essential to have constitutional institutions that supervise the security and defence services and monitor any trend towards extremism, or perhaps reveal any cases of penetration by the extreme right into Germany’s security and defence.

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Namejs versus Zapad Military Exercises on Both Sides of the Frontline By: Lukas Milevski Autumn is for military exercises. In September, two major exercises have occurred in relatively close geographic proximity, one in Latvia and the other in western Russia and Belarus. Latvia’s annual large-scale exercise Namejs 2021 kicked off on August 30 and runs until October 3. Russia’s much larger-scale exercise Zapad2021- began on September 9 with a formal opening ceremony, actual military maneuvers beginning only the following day, and concluded on September 16.

Each exercise reflects its respective country’s key

security concerns and sought to test national and allied capabilities for responding to identified threats.

Namejs 2021 The annual Namejs exercises are consistently the largest in Latvia and its 2021 iteration is no different, indeed possibly even more ambitious than in previous years. Partially this is a result of its geographical scope. The exercises have moved beyond the Ādaži training grounds and surrounding municipalities to also take place in

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and around other cities and towns throughout all four of Latvia›s provinces and in the very streets of the capital Riga (prompting one video of the exercise to go viral and leading to an apology from the Ministry of Defense).

Namejs’ ambition is also reflected in its twophase scenario. In the first half of September, the first phase consisted of responding to a hybrid threat, whereas later in September the exercise transitioned to countering a conventional military threat. The breadth of the exercise has required the involvement of far more than just the military; it includes law enforcement, emergency medical services, local governments, and private businesses. The complexity of the exercise has resulted in a number of subordinate or parallel exercises taking place to focus on specific elements of Namejs 2021.

Service members march during a ceremony opening the military exercise Zapad2021staged by the the armed forces of Russia and Belarus at the ObuzLesnovsky training ground in Brest Region, Belarus September ,9 2021. Credit: Reuters

The annual Namejs exercises are consistently the largest in Latvia and its 2021 iteration is no different, indeed possibly even more ambitious than in previous years. total defense — engage virtually all parties who would be involved in the defense of Latvia if an ambiguous or unambiguous invasion were actually to occur.

Zapad-2021

Russia’s Zapad (West) exercises occur every On September 3-2, the Latvian Ministry of four years, in rotation with Russia’s three other Defense concurrently ran sub-exercise AMEX capstone strategic exercises, Vostok, Tsentr, and 2021 as part of Namejs 2021, during which Latvia Kavkaz (East, Center, Caucasus). In contrast tested its readiness to respond to any ambiguous to Zapad2017-, there is substantially less hype or hybrid incursion. AMEX 2021 involved up to surrounding Zapad2021-, most notably in Western four Zemessardze (National Guard) brigades, as media but also from the Russian Ministry of well as Ministry of Interior and other government Defense itself. The disparity of Western attention and private representatives, focusing on selected between Zapad’s two most recent iterations is cities Riga, Cēsis, Rēzekne, and Jelgava. Parallel perhaps explained by increased Western familiarity NATO operational planning exercises “Steadfast with confrontation with Russia. Zapad2017- was Pyramid 2021” took place September 10-6 and the first Zapad exercise following Russia›s 2014 “Steadfast Pinnacle 2021” September 17-12. invasion of Crimea and intervention in Donbas.

Each of these, having occurred annually in Latvia NATO’s enhanced forward presence forces had since 2011, focuses on challenges at the center of only recently begun arriving in the Baltic states a given single phase of Namejs 2021. The purpose in 2017 prior to Zapad. By contrast, in 2021, of Steadfast Pyramid 2021 is to exercise higher- direct confrontation with Russia is already seven level officers and commanders’ operational years old and results in much less panicked planning in a hybrid context, whereas Steadfast general Western press coverage. Nonetheless, Pinnacle 2021 switches the focus to operational military analysts have covered both “short” and “long” Zapad in excruciating military detail, planning in a conventional warfare context. most notably Konrad Muzyka, who has written Namejs 2021 boasts approximately 9,300 a -14part overview of the lead up to Zapad2021-, participants in total, including Latvian and and Michael Kofman, who has (together with allied military contingents, the Zemessardze and Muzyka) covered the actual exercise day-by-day, reservists, and representatives from the Ministry as well as published elsewhere about it. of Defense, the police, the border guard, fire and rescue services, and prison administration. Zapad2021-’s scenario emphasizes defense of Namejs 2021 and its associated exercises — Belarus (fictionalized as “Polesie”) against a clearly intended to be a full and multi-dimensional Western coalition, with the failure of an indirect test of Latvia’s new state defense concept and color-style revolution in Polesie leading to escalation and attempted regime change by

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military means. Russia’s and Polesie’s identified enemies in the exercise were Pomoris (probably representing Poland), Nyaris (probably Lithuania and part of Latvia), and the Polar Republic (probably Norway), guaranteeing involvement of Russia’s Northern Fleet. In the two-phase exercise, the Russian and Polesian militaries were to deploy and encounter hostile forces in a defensive engagement (September 12-10) before going onto the offensive to destroy the opponent and restore the status quo ante (September 16-13).

Besides the actual scenario, three Zapad2021crucial features are of interest. First, it is believed to be larger than at least the two previous Zapad iterations (with 2013 estimated at 75,000 and 2017 at 60,000-50 participants). The Russian Ministry of Defense claims Zapad2021- involved 200,000 participants — while simultaneously claiming that it fit below the Vienna Document’s threshold of 13,000 participants. (Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe are required for exercises topping that threshold.) Yet estimating the true scale of Zapad2021- is difficult and highly contingent on another crucial feature of the exercise.

Second, Zapad is really just the culmination of a series of smaller preparatory exercises in the two months preceding Zapad itself. These preparatory exercises generally focus on mobilization, logistics, and deployment, putting Russian forces in position at training ranges across the north-west side of the Western Military District and Belarus to undertake the final Zapad exercise itself. Zapad is hardly the whole show. Moreover, it is unclear

Of particular note is how the last two Zapad exercises demonstrate major changes in Russia’s relationship with Belarus.

whether the Russian Ministry of Defense’s inflated (as opposed to its other, deflated) count of participants actively includes the many soldiers involved in the exercises leading up to Zapad.

Third, Zapad is not an entirely straightforward exercise to analyze. In one respect, it reflects Russia’s understanding of NATO’s — and especially the United States’ — way of waging war and aims to trial Russian countermeasures developed since 2017. These may include new formations such as the 18th Motor Rifle Division in Kaliningrad; new, improved, or crucial capabilities including electronic warfare or command and control capabilities; new operation concepts, etc. On the other hand, Zapad has simultaneously become a scripted, set-piece exercise, which runs the risk to both the Russians and any Western observers of potentially mislearning from the exercise.

Of particular note is how the last two Zapad exercises demonstrate major changes in Russia’s relationship with Belarus. In 2017, Alexander Lukashenko was keen to draw a line between Belarus and Russia. By September 2021, as a result of Belarus’ hugely contested presidential elections in August 2020 and the West’s subsequent pressure on Belarus, Lukashenko could no longer portray the same dynamic between Belarus and Russia—the former has become much more firmly embedded in the latter’s orbit in a way that it had not been previously.

Exercises and Threat Perceptions It is worth reflecting on how both Namejs 2021 and Zapad2021- reflect their respective states’ threat perceptions. While both exercises necessarily act as political signals to the other side, their implied threat perceptions remain reasonably honest — the contingencies toward which their respective militaries should be prepared to respond. Both sides would obviously decry the aggressive intentions ascribed to them by the other, possibly truthfully. NATO’s defensive declarations are certainly truthful, although Russia, from its perspective, would find it imprudent to accept

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Russian service members attend a ceremony opening the military exercise Zapad-2021 staged by the the armed forces of Russia and Belarus at the ObuzLesnovsky training ground in Brest Region, Belarus September 9, 2021. Credit: Reuters

NATO’s statements uncritically. Similarly, Russia’s own protestations that it has no interest in aggression against the Baltic states may be truthful, but it would still be imprudent for the Baltic states and NATO as a whole to pin their entire aggregate defense policy on faith.

However, it is remarkable how fundamentally similar the threat perceptions underpinning the exercises actually are. Both anticipate an initial hybrid attack; both then transition to conventional operations to engage and defeat the enemy. In the Latvian case, the hybrid scenario represents the initial aggression toward which the country must respond and whose presumed defeat leads to Russian escalation and overt invasion. For the Russian scenario, the hybrid aggression they expect from the West is essentially a prologue, whose failure leads to Western escalation and

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overt invasion, including a simulation of the much-feared MRAU (massirovany raketnoaviatsionny udar or Massed Missile-Aviation Strike) from the United States, which the Russian and Belarusian militaries must parry defensively and then defeat offensively. From a Western perspective, Namejs 2021 is in clear keeping with Western threat perceptions of Russia since 2014, but Zapad2021- is also quite consistent with Russian threat perceptions and assessments of the West’s international activity since at least the Arab Spring in 2011. Besides tracking the general development of each other’s defense concepts, both exercises should cause few, if any, surprises for observers from the other side.

This article was originally published by FPRI at

www.fpri.org

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5 American Generals: From

Afghanistan to Corporations US

commanders in Afghanistan Amass Influence within Businesses

Washington, Mohammad Ali Salih In the aftermath of the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan, the public debate has turned to include criticism of the US generals who were, at different times, leading commanders in Afghanistan. Not only because of their failures to win the war there, but also, because almost all of them came back, retired, and became advisers to, or members on the board of leading US corporations.

Last week, a “Washington Post” report which mainly focused on one of them, Retired General Stanley A. McChrystal, said: “They have amassed influence within businesses, at universities and in think tanks, in some cases selling their experience in a conflict that killed an estimated 176,000 people, cost the United States more than $2 trillion and concluded with the restoration of Taliban rule.”

Following are brief accounts about five of them - their

“They have amassed influence within businesses, at universities and in think tanks, in some cases selling their experience in a conflict that killed an estimated 176,000 people, cost the United

tenures in Afghanistan, the financial corporations they joined after they retired, and a few of their famous statements.

Stanley A. McChrystal: Tenure: 2009 – 2010 Corporations: A board member or adviser for at least 10 companies while running a boutique consulting firm and teaching at Yale University. For a position on JetBlue’s board between 2010 and 2019, he was paid a total of more than $1.3 million, He made roughly the same amount between 2011 and 2018 from Navistar International.

Famous Quotations: 1. “It’s not a bunch of people getting their snout in the trough and just trying to get rich. If you’ve risen to that level, you develop that skill level, that’s what the opportunities that come, are. And I don’t think that’s wrong.”

2. Afghanistan War “has had a very disappointing outcome. I don’t think that necessarily means that many of the decisions made and the strategies pursued were wrong. I think in many cases they were the best strategy that could have been.”

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David H. Petraeus Tenure: 2010 - 2011 Corporations: A partner at KKR, a private equity firm that had an annual revenue of about $20 billion. Also, director of its Global Institute. Had pleaded guilty for providing classified materials to a mistress and a biographer.

Famous Quotations: 1. ”As for my leadership in Afghanistan, I stand by what we did, and how I reported it during my time.”

2. “We’re all outriders out there, and what we have is all these large numbers of tasks - that’s the herd; that’s all the cattle - a whole bunch of individuals, hundreds if not thousands of projects at any given time ongoing that we’re trying to complete. So we’re trying to keep the cattle herd, keep it all just going in the right direction.”

John Allen: Tenure: 2011 – 2013 Corporations: President of the Brookings Institution, which has received millions of dollars from Northrop Grumman, a defense giant, with annual revenue of about $30 billion.

Famous Quotations: !. ” Protecting Afghan civilians is the cornerstone of our mission”.

2. “Afghanistan is going to be here a long time, and what’s critical is that Afghanistan’s relationship with its neighbors are, to the maximum extent they can be, constructive and operationally useful.”

Joseph Dunford: Tenure: 2013 – 2014 Corporations: Joined the board of directors at Lockheed Martin, the Pentagon’s biggest defense contractor.

Served on the Classified Business and Security Com-

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“It’s not a bunch of people getting their snout in the trough and just trying to get rich. If you’ve risen to that level, you develop that skill level, that’s what the opportunities that come, are. And I don’t think that’s wrong.” mittee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. He is also on the board of a New York private equity firm.

Famous Quotations: 1. “I pushed no policy in Afghanistan. I did exactly what the president directed me to do.”

2. “I’m not using the’ withdraw’ word right now, we’re going to make sure that Afghanistan’s not a sanctuary.

Raymond Odierno: Tenure: 2011 - 2016 (Chief of Staff) Corporations: Joined JP Morgan Chase & Co as a senior adviser on “risks of doing business in various countries, technology and cybersecurity.” Also, Chairman of Eastern Air Lines (new 2015), a charter airline based in Florida.

Famous Quotations: 1.“For me it’s about changing the dynamics, the political dynamics, the economic dynamics, and it has to be done by those in the region.”

2.” We could probably go in there with a certain amount of American force and ... defeat (ISIS). The problem is we would be right back where we are today, six months later.”

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olitics

The AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Deal: Unanswered Questions for Australia SSN Decision Reflects U.S. Attempts at Maintaining Primacy in Indo-Pacific Region

By Michael Clarke

major shift in Australian policy. Most immediately, it presents an ignominious end to Canberra’s troubled The announcement of the Australia-U.K.-U.S. $90 billion submarine deal with French-owned Naval (AUKUS) agreement for cooperation on Australian Group for 12 diesel-electric powered Shortfin Baracquisition of nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) – racuda (based on the French Suffren class) submaas well as closer cooperation between the three allies rines and the beginning of a complex and potentially on artificial intelligence, cyber, quantum, underwa- prolonged process to acquire eight nuclear-powered ter systems, and long-range strike capabilities – has submarines (SSN) either of the U.S. Virginia class or generated an enormous amount of over-heated com- U.K. Astute class.

The operational reasons for this switch are straightmentary.

For some, this agreement is something of a magical forward: SSNs will provide greater range and can unicorn that will deliver all manner of strategic and stay at sea for longer and will therefore “transform security blessings onto Australia. Rory Medalf pro- the ability of the Australian Defence Force to operate claimed that this “new triple near-alliance is based on at range around Australia and beyond.” In a stratecapability, convergent interest and, above all, trust” gic context, SSN acquisition in cooperation with the and will deliver “a merger of our military, industrial United States and United Kingdom will also provide the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) with greater interand scientific capabilities.” These are bold claims.

Yet, for the submarine component of the agreement, operability with both partners and redress what Prime at least, there remain a number of significant un- Minister Scott Morrison termed the “narrowing” of answered questions. What does this mean for Aus- the “technological edge enjoyed by Australia and our tralia’s already strained submarine capability? For partners” in Asia.

Australia’s capacity to establish the necessary infra- The government’s rhetoric of urgency here, however, structure and technical know-how to build and main- is somewhat belied by the realities of how long it will tain a fleet of SSNs? And is this acquisition aligned take to acquire the new submarines. Not only will the AUKUS partners engage in an intensive 18-month with a coherent strategy for the submarines’ use?

There is no doubt that the agreement constitutes a consultation to determine “whether the British or

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Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison meets with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the 76th UN General Assembly on September 21, 2021, in New York.

(Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP)

American submarine is the best option, along with workforce, shipyard and training needs,” but it is likely, as Morrison has himself noted, that construction would begin “within the decade” and the first submarines would be in the water “before the end of next decade” (i.e. the 2030s).

The scrapping of the Shortfin Barracudas, which were forecast to be operational by 2035, and their replacement with SSNs of as yet unknown design, means that Australia will engage in another life-extension of the six remaining Collins-class submarines, which are now due to be withdrawn from service in 2036. This, as Hugh White notes, combined with the likely long period it will take to either acquire an “off the shelf” SSN from Australia’s AUKUS partners or to build them in Australia (as is the Morrison government’s preferred option), means that there is likely to be a “serious drop in capability in the 2030s” as the Collins are withdrawn before the new SSNs become operational.

The government’s somewhat unconvincing response to this question is that Australia may look to lease SSNs from its AUKUS partners as a “stop gap” solution. However if, as Morrison has claimed before, Australia lives “in a time of great uncertainty not seen since the 1930s,” one would

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The agreement constitutes a major shift in Australian policy. It presents an ignominious end to Canberra’s troubled 90$ billion submarine deal with French-owned Shortfin Barracuda submarines and the beginning of a complex prolonged process to acquire 8 nuclearpowered submarines (SSN). have presumed that such contingencies would not have been an afterthought.

The costs too of this acquisition are not known but it will be substantially more than the $90 billion that had been committed to the now scrapped Shortfin Barracuda. The Congressional Research Service assessed it costs approximately AU$4.73 billion (US$3.45 billion) to procure a Virginia class submarine but the Morrison government’s determination to build them in Australia and to

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develop “all the overheads involved in operating nuclear-powered submarines safely and responsibly” will likely blow out that figure substantially.

The prospective AUKUS SSNs therefore come without “any estimated cost (except they’ll be more expensive than the French ones), precise timetable (except they won’t be available for a couple of decades), or firm indication of how much building will be done in Australia (except that it won’t be all of it and possibly only a modest amount).”

We may also add questions about nuclear safety

The SSN decision underlines the fact that the Morrison government has now openly sided with the American desire to maintain “US strategic primacy in the Indo-Pacific region” by posturing the RAN to play a role in “integrated deterrence”.

and nuclear proliferation to this list. What type of nuclear fuel will be used in the SSNs; will Australia obtain the fuel through purchase or domestic enrichment; and does Australia have the necessary scientific and technical capacity to adequately train submariners?

The most sensitive of these questions is that of nuclear fuel, as it impinges upon long-standing public divisions in Australia over the merits or otherwise of developing the civil nuclear industry and Canberra’s good standing as “champion” of nonproliferation. Given that Australia “has no civilian nuclear power infrastructure beyond a 20 megawatt-thermal research reactor” at Lucas Heights it is “likely to receive HEU technology” from its AUKUS partners. That outcome may have “drops of sweat trickling down the neck the IAEA” as it will “have to figure out how to monitor and account” for such HEU “without gaining access to secret naval reactor design information.”

Finally, there remain questions over whether the proposed SSN capability is aligned with a coherent strategy – i.e. what objectives are the submarines designed to achieve – and what does that mean for Australian foreign policy? Both the Shortfin Barracuda and now the promised SSN acquisition suggest that the RAN “assumes that

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French President Emmanuel Macron and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison walk in front of the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, June ,15 2021. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin delivers remarks during a meeting with Australian Prime Minister at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, USA, 22 September 2021. EPA/ SHAWN THEW

anti-submarine operations as part of a US-led sea-control campaign” in the South China Sea, for instance, is Australia’s submarine fleet’s “primary role.” But is this the best use of such an expensive and long-off Australian capability?

The answer to this question lies in the wager that arguably sits at the heart of the Morrison government’s decision.

While China was not mentioned in the AUKUS leaders’ announcement nor by Morrison, it has been obvious for over a decade that Canberra has wanted to find appropriate capabilities to hedge against what has been euphemistically termed by successive governments as the prospects for the “deterioration of the strategic environment” due to Chinese assertiveness and expansion of its military and technological capabilities, including rapid building of a blue-water navy.

Back in 2009 when the government of Kevin Rudd slated the acquisition of 12 new submarines in its 2009 Defense White Paper, thenDefense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon stated that Australia required such capabilities to “adequately defend our maritime region, protect and support other Australian Defence Force assets, and undertake strategic missions” with partners. This rationale remains, albeit leavened with a much greater public emphasis on

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the deterioration of the country’s strategic environment.

The SSN decision underlines the fact that the Morrison government has now openly sided with the American desire to maintain “US strategic primacy in the Indo-Pacific region” by posturing the RAN to play a role in what U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has framed as “integrated deterrence” based on “integrated networks among our capabilities, our operations, and our allies.”

This, as Allan Gyngell notes, will make it “harder to disentangle our strategic commitments and our deep identification with the United States and Britain from our foreign policy interests” and increase “US expectations of Australian support in almost any contingency, whether it involves China or not.” At the very least the Morrison government is betting that the United States can sustain what the Biden administration has framed as “strategic competition” with Beijing in Asia. However, in an era of fractured American domestic consensus on the need for continued American military extension abroad, greater reliance on the United States may not necessarily prove to be prudent.

This article was originally published by the Diplomat.

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ociety

Syrian Students Face Difficult Path to University Education Stuck Between Unaccredited Institutions in Opposition-Controlled Areas and Expensive Costs Elsewhere

By Jiwan Soz – Beirut

mediate institutes. The announcement coincides with various ongoing problems faced by students Syria’s Council of Higher Education has decided who are pursuing their education under dire conthe new academic year 2021/2022 would start on ditions in many governmental and private univerSeptember 26 in all colleges, higher and inter- sities.

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Against the backdrop of the Syrian war that broke out more than a decade ago, thousands of academicians from governmental and private universities left the country, which has led to a deteriorating educational level in Syrian universities, a source in Damascus University told Majalla.

As a result of the absence of well-experienced educational cadres, student levels are underestimated by new teachers, especially on admission tests for specific faculties such as architectural engineering, and other faculties of humanities and sciences, some students told Majalla in phone interviews.

A student holds a notebook as she sits at a makeshift school in a tent in Azaz, Syria January 12, 2020.

REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

A university student who asked to remain anonymous said that the “lack of academicians who have the requisite experience has worsened our problems,” adding that “nepotism is playing a role in admission tests required for students to enroll at certain colleges.”

Universities of Damascus, Aleppo, Tishreen in Latakia, Al-Baath in Homs, Hama, and Tartous, scheduled admission tests for their architectural engineering faculties last week. They also specified a certain grade point average as the main requirement to register for the tests.

Another student said that “my total grade for the secondary certificate qualifies me to apply for Latakia’s Engineering Faculty, but my family’s finances would not allow me reside there. So, I will pursue the study of economics at Aleppo University.”

Colleges and institutes of universities located in smaller cities usually accept students who have achieved lower grades in secondary education.

However, movement between cities is a major hurdle for some students who cannot apply for their desired colleges under the country’s current circumstances. It is difficult to travel to and from some areas due to security sectors set up amidst the ongoing war, in addition to the student’s inability to find rooms in the dormitories.

The Ministry of Higher Education has allocated university dorms for students, but these facilities are usually substandard where about 8 to 10 students share the same room. But it remains a good option for those who cannot afford renting a sin-

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As a result of the absence of wellexperienced educational cadres, student levels are underestimated by new teachers, especially on admission tests for specific faculties such as architectural engineering, and other faculties of humanities and sciences. gle room or a shared house with other colleagues.

Requiring specific grades to qualify for certain faculties has forced some students to study specializations they don’t like. But those who are well-off can overcome this obstacle by applying for “parallel education” services provided by the same universities. This kind of education is offered by governmental colleges but requires payment of annual installments.

There are dozens of private universities in Syria, but their fees are extremely expensive. That’s why fewer number of students can afford them, according to an official in the Syrian Ministry of Higher Education. Examples of private universities in Syria are Universities of Kalamoon, Ittihad, Cordoba, Arab International University and numerous others.

Probably the most difficult challenge faced by students is the dire living conditions that prevent them from paying tuition and accommodation costs. Moreover, long commutes between their residences and the university campus are made harder by frequent road lockdowns due to security conditions and fuel shortages.

The ongoing Syrian war has had a large impact on higher education, where new universities emerged in regions controlled by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, and other regions under armed opposition and jihadists.

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ociety

The problems for students in these areas that are out of the Syrian regime’s control are the most complicated as no one recognizes these educational institutions.

A number of students who are enrolled at these universities said they don’t know what to do with the degrees they would obtain due to the lack of accreditation.

A female student from Kobane, which is under the Autonomous Administration’s control, said that university admission is a dream for her, as she cannot afford studying in governmental universities in Damascus or Aleppo.

She also pointed out that the major problem she and her colleagues face in the autonomous region is that their certificates are not recognized, so many students seek to join governmental universities in Aleppo, Damascus and Latakia to earn an internationally recognized degree at the end of their academic education.

Shukri Baba, the Deputy Minister of Higher Education for private universities, announced a few weeks ago that fees of private universities have risen by about 50% to 75%, adding that some private universities demanded an increase of 200% or 300% due to high costs they incur.

On the other side, higher education institutions in opposition-controlled areas announced higher tuition installments in various colleges that

It is difficult to travel to and from some areas due to security sectors set up amidst the ongoing war, in addition to the student’s inability to find rooms in the dormitories.

are affiliated with Turkish universities and are branches opened by Ankara in areas under Turkey’s control.

Thousands of Syrian students have dropped out of their Syrian universities as a result of war and immigration and a large number of them have abandoned their education due to the fighting of various militant groups.

Ahmed, a Beirut-based Syrian student, said that he had been studying in Damascus University for two years when the popular protests broke out.

“The resulting war forced me to move to Lebanon, and I couldn’t resume my studies,” he recalled.

Ahmed added, “After arriving at Beirut, I worked

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Students sit together at a makeshift school in a tent in Azaz, Syria, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/ .Khalil Ashawi

in jobs very far from my specialization such as in restaurants, hotels and others, because I was not able to complete my university education.” He pointed out that he tried to enroll at Lebanese universities, but failed due to high tuition in Lebanon.

The majority of Syrian university alumni were not able to use their degrees in their new countries of residence, due to these countries’ educational requirements which won’t enable them to work.

Thus, most of those graduates had to return back to university education at high cost to adjust their certificates and be able to work afterwards.

Consequently, counterfeit certificates of Syrian universities are increasingly issued for money as a

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result of administrative corruption inside the government’s educational institutions.

Additionally, the dilemma of Syrian students was exacerbated as the opposition Syrian Interim Government issued certificates of completion for transitional and middle and higher education but the Damascus government refused to recognize them.

Between 2013 and 2017, the Syrian Interim government issued about 4,466 secondary education certificates and 6,315 preparatory (middle) education certificates, but none of their holders can be admitted to universities outside oppositioncontrolled regions, particularly since most of the internationally recognized universities are located in regime-controlled areas.

E

conomy

Saudi Arabia’s Hidden Wealth for Post-Oil Era KSA Seeks to Diversify Resources in Economic Transformation Drive Jeddah - Motasem Al Felou

wind. Despite that, Saudi decision-makers believe that the time is ripe for an economic transformation in For a long period of time, Saudi Arabia’s wealth has which oil’s contribution to the gross domestic product come mainly from oil production in the eastern part of (GDP) shrinks to minimum levels. This means the Kingdom. With proven reserves of oil estimated exploring more ways to find new revenues to cover at 267 billion barrels, Saudi Arabia can produce oil at the expenses of running the country. the current levels for another 80 years. However, the world is turning to renewable energy to fight global The Kingdom has hidden wealth in the Arabian warming. The world will not give up oil overnight; it Shield in the western part of the Arabian Peninsula, might take decades to run the world on sunlight and bordering the Red Sea with extensions in Yemen and

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southern Jordan. Other sources of Saudi hidden nonoil wealth exist everywhere in the country at varying quantities. The underground wealth includes more than 80 types of minerals. Let us have a quick look at the promising mineral wealth of the biggest Arab economy.

LONG TIME BEFORE OIL Saudi Arabia is home to some of the oldest mines in history, namely, the Al Amar Mine, which is 160 km west of Riyadh and was discovered 800 BC. It was exploited by the Umayyad and Abbasid empires as an abundant source of gold. The mine is still operational today.

A miner at work in Al Amar gold mine, southwest of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Credit: Reuters.

Mahd Ad Dhahab mine (meaning cradle of gold) is the biggest in the Middle East. It is 170 km away from Al Madian Al Munawarah. There is evidence that gold and other minerals used to be extracted 3,000 years ago. The mine was operational in the 7th and 8th centuries. The mine was re-opened after the foundation of the Kingdom in the early 1930’s, however, operations were stopped in the 1950’s.

Production has been resumed without interruption since 1988.

Saudi Arabia is home to some of the oldest mines in history, namely, the Al Amar Mine, which is 160 km west of Riyadh and was discovered 800 BC. and the government had to diversify the economy, look for new sources of revenues, and impose some fees/taxes.

In this complicated economic context, the government founded Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden), which was born in 1997 to benefit from unexploited mineral resources. More than two thirds of the company are now owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). The rest of the shares are traded in the Saudi Stock Market.

Ma’aden has a portfolio of six mines in different parts of the Kingdom with gold amounting to %20 of the company’s revenues. Last June, the company awarded a new 880 million development contract to Saudi Arabia’s pre-oil economy used to rely partially boost gold production for its Mansourah and Massarah on mining. After the exportation of oil began in gold mines located west of Saudi Arabia in Makkah 1938, the role of mining declined due to shifting the Region. It is interesting to note that Ma’aden has a focus to oil and the deteriorating prices of minerals goal to produce one million ounces of gold per year accompanied by rising extraction costs. by 2025.

With the oil price fall in the 1980’s, the Kingdom Gold is not the only focal commodity for Ma’aden. started to look for other sources of revenue to reduce The company invests over USD 15 bn to extract the rising budget deficit. This accounts for the phosphate from its mining sites north of Saudi Arabia rehabilitation and resumption of gold extraction in in Hazm Al Jalameed village. The Saudi phosphate Mahd Ad Dhahab mine in the 1980’s. reserves in the northern areas form %7 of the global reserves, which pave the way for an advanced mining Mining works flourish whenever oil prices slump or industry. there is a plan to limit oil-dependence. This explains the story of foundation of the Saudi Arabian Mining NEW SURVEYS, INVESTMENTS Company in the late 1990’s.

And LICENSES

FOUNDATION OF MA’ADEN

According to stats from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the current mining During the 1990’s, the international oil market’s investments are estimated at USD 48-45 bn. They performance was at its worst due to the collapse of are expected to increase by %150 in the next decade most of the Asian economies, especially those in according to recent press interviews with Eng. Khalid Southeast Asia. The Saudi budget deficit increased, Al- Mudaifer, Vice Minister of Mining Affairs. Up to

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a quarter-million jobs will be provided by the mining sector. The main mineral resources include phosphate, gold, copper, aluminum, zinc, and nickel. Rare earth minerals such as uranium, plutonium and lithium are highly likely to exist in commercial quantities according to various studies.

are not final as the government has initiated a six-year plan to conduct an aerial geophysical survey of the Arab Shield in western Saudi Arabia. Other parts of the country are expected to contain greater amounts of minerals. Only %8-%7 of minerals have been extracted so far.

More than 1,500 licensing requests from local and international investors have been received by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources after approving the new mining law. Around 250 licenses have been issued by the end of last August.

MINERALS and RENEWABLE ENERGY

The Saudi government estimates the value of its untapped mineral wealth at USD 1.3 tr. The estimates

The Saudi government estimates the value of its untapped mineral wealth at USD 1.3 tr. The estimates are not final as the government has initiated a six-year plan to conduct an aerial geophysical survey of the Arab Shield in western Saudi Arabia.

“With the demise of the oil era, the minerals will be of increasing importance for the energy transformation to renewable sources. Windmills, solar domes, electric vehicles and their batteries need billions of tons of minerals. Even peaceful nuclear reactors that are used to generate electricity will need more uranium to power them,” said Fahad Al Sheikh, a Saudi economic expert.

Under the Kingdom Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia will focus on growing the industry sector with more credit facilities and tax/fee exemptions for investors.

The local demand is set to increase dramatically and mineral production needs to grow accordingly.

“The mineral wealth will be one of the pillars of the national post-oil economy. The rising demand for minerals will be the name of the game in the future.

Countries with huge mineral wealth will have more say in the international economic scene,” Al Sheikh concluded.

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A file photo of a Saudi man walking past the logo of Vision 2030 after a news conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia June 7, 2016 REUTERS

A Weekly Political News Magazine

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Issue 1871- September- 24/09/2021

Ahmed Aboutaleb: Promoter of Peace, Freedom and Equal Rights

www.majalla.com

T

echnology

Kundera App Developer Promises Content Creators: “Our Next Project Guarantees Profits”

Technological Revolution in Digital Media Preserving Privacy of Senders and Messages Latifa Al Hassanyeh – Beirut If you are a researcher, journalist, or a media user, you must have heard at least one of the following phrases: digital media, modern media and digital search techniques according to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), most searched words and others. These complex phrases have come to define today’s content standards.

Digital media technologies led the surge of artificial intelligence through the media and search engines and the great shift from paper to digitization. The measure of the success of the article or topic has become drawing the number of “likes” and readers “through advertising and media”.

In this context, many researchers in modern media theories and the fiercest defenders of media quality believe that many publications and articles do not receive enough attention or interaction, as the entire media has become hostage to search engines or to what the reader requests - even if it is sometimes of improper quality.

You get to see “dull” or “ridiculous” content that receives a strong interaction, while in the corner of one of the sites there is a scientific article about a huge invention whose readers do not exceed hundreds or dozens. We all know that it is unfortunate.

There are many studies in this regard: whether the public is responsible for defining the content or the media is the one who molds it in order to promote a certain ideology! But all of these theories are united on the one constant fact – qual-

ity content will not lose its value over time if the number of its readers decreases.

While diving into research on the existing technological development, we notice a clear contradiction in most of them, especially those that look into its benefits and harms.

However, most theories agree that artificial intelligence, if combined with high standards of quality and good use, will inevitably be for the benefit of humanity. It will not cancel the human role or cancel the true, authentic value of any product, whether research, medical, or otherwise.

In the most important studies of artificial intelligence, scientists emphasized the strong and effective role of humans in directing robots, machines and digitization to serve humanity, not to disrupt its development. From their point of view, the process of directing technology is in the hands of man alone. In the end, he is the one who created it and he is the one who progresses it.

In view of all of the above, you may feel lost now as a reader, content creator, or applications and social media user. We can read your mind – What is best suited for the content industry? How do I minimize those consequences?

Don’t worry, between the following lines, a glimmer of hope appears in IT. Kundera App: A Combination of Digital Transformation and Human Creativity In recent years, media organizations have witnessed a quantum leap in their management structures at home.

Newspapers and magazines turned digital, which required extensive preparation and brought up questions and fears

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Kundera strives to empower content creators to respond to technical challenges in a healthy manner.

Kareem Fared: Developer of the Kundera app

that were crystallized by many questions: Is the content at risk? Is the press losing its value? How can the “paper” journalist compete with this amount of development and technology in record time while maintaining the quality of the topics? Are we keeping up with speed at the expense of quality content?

These pertinent questions may have some answers today with the definitive answer coming through the Kundera application, which was created to support the creativity of content makers and shorten their turnaround time by providing a valuable and quality product. This has changed traditional research concepts, and preserved the privacy of the sender, the message, and the recipient. In short, we are in front of an application that replaced the old media model with a modern framework that kept pace with development.

We have in our hands today a digital product that blends technical research and human creativity while eliminating insubstantial content through methods which relieve pressure on the researcher in light of the overwhelming amount of information overload.

Kundera strives to empower content creators to respond to technical challenges in a healthy manner. Perhaps the most important thing about this application, as stated by its developer, Kareem Fareed, is “raising the quality of Arabic content around the world.”

Majalla conducted an interesting interview with the developer of Kundera, with a view towards the complexities sur-

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rounding the digital challenges and the added value that the application has brought to the content, as well as future projects that reassure its makers.

The journalist, the researcher or the user spends a lot of time on “traditional” research for information. He/She needs to search for keywords through search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing...), then compile dozens of articles and peruse the results at a time when his/her work requires quick access to information.

The approach through Kundera saves time from the beginning of the research until the writing of the first copy, as the work is focused on the creative side. What is the process?

Kareem Fared explains, “The user selects an aspect of the topic, and Kundera sets out to search, reviewing thousands of results to create a summary of what it read in an article containing nearly a thousand words, saving the user time and introducing him to the essence of the topic. After this comes the role of the journalist in creating and developing the text that Kundera provided.”

We can imagine here the amount of time that we save owing to the research that the application does through machine learning development, which creates a fusion between itself and the user.

Because professional research requires citing the source of the information, Kareem points out that the identity of the sources are documented and preserved, but the role of the researcher is to link the information and the source, as the sources come in a marginal frame at the end of the article or topic. Kareem indicated recent updates in this context that will appear soon, in terms of linking the information directly to the source. But as followers of theories of about the intrusiveness of artificial intelligence and media, we see it as a good way to emphasize the role of the journalist and establish his presence in light of the development taking place. It may be a means of reassurance to be advised that Kundera will not eliminate the role of the researcher, but rather support him to develop his creativity.

But for the moment, development is not without errors, and technology is not without some lapses. We believe here, that the translator in particular is aware of what we mean.

The Google Translate experiment wasn’t really innovative and it still contains many errors and grammatical lapses that change the meaning and content. This calls for some vigilance. This application did not replace the translator, certainly not. (No one underestimates your role as a translator, don’t allow it. Google didn’t do your job.)

Here, Fared asserts that “no current technology can provide accurate and integrated writing, not even Kundera, despite its proficiency in writing articles in the original Arabic and this is what he describes as “the first algorithm in the world that does this.”

The app developer continues, “Kundera still needs a proofreader. The Arabic language is difficult and complicated, but it can be considered a startup from the Arab region to support the Arabic language, as there is no focus on it abroad.”

He believes that “Arabic content on the Internet is minimal. Therefore, we are developing an algorithm to properly develop this Arabic content.” He also states that “modifications to the article can be made with the application itself.

The more modifications, the better the results, so as to store the information for future times.”

Regarding the journalists’ fear of an abundance of applica-

Fared believes that Kundera supports and empowers the journalist and researcher as well as the pre-university student, “Those people need to develop critical and creative thinking, and they need research almost daily. Kundera helps them develop this skill.”

tions, the digital transformation and whether the journalist’s profession is threatened with demise, the expert in technology and digital media stresses that it is impossible to dispense with the “journalistic workforce.” He points out that technical work falls within the framework of implementation and facilitates the effort, but it cannot be classified in any way in the field of creativity.

“Kundera only summarizes, but the article needs a human mind to add to the creative side,” he stressed. He also added that the application contributes to empowering the journalist, but it does not compete with him.

UAE and Saudi Arabia are Pioneers in Preparing the Infrastructure for the Development of Artificial Intelligence Developed countries realize the importance of artificial intelligence and its advanced technologies in penetrating into our daily activities, so they are making great efforts to lay the infrastructure for developing technical projects that keep pace with rapid digital transformation.

In this regard, Fareed stresses that what matters in entrepreneurship is the infrastructure, the legislative and legal environment which supports small projects, and the ease of establishing businesses and companies.

Respecting the extent to which Arab countries keep pace with the development of artificial intelligence, he believes that “UAE has provided everything that innovators need to launch applications in this framework. It has thus provided the legislative, legal and financial infrastructure in which we can work as application developers.

The UAE constantly provides support in a knowledgebased economy based on technology, and is trying to be a hub for entrepreneurship in the region, especially in its economic capital Dubai.” He adds, “As for Saudi Arabia, it is also on a similar path to building integrated strategies in artificial intelligence, with the vision of His Highness the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the changes that he brought,” stressing that the Kingdom will have a major role in this regard, and wishing his country Egypt to have a similar role.

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Kundera promises to deliver your search within minutes.

The Application gives time management an important place.

The Experience of Kundera Founder in Artificial Intelligence The young Egyptian, who studied computer science in Cairo before discovering that modern media is his true love, tells us about his experience in digital media and content development, through his KF Solutions company which he established during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fared explains that he has worked on the project since mid2018, when he developed the surrounding matrix to deal with articles in terms of preparation and promotion. He considers that his real breakthrough was through a research article he wrote about the robot, “I was thinking about artificial intelligence, and the extent of its impact in the future.”

He pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic was a catalyst for the development of technology. “The biggest challenge lies in accepting change and digital transformation,” declaring that the pandemic forced people to adapt technology and to accelerate the adoption of technologies. “The launch of applications like Kundera would have been delayed by years without a strong catalyst,” he said.

The Kundera application has spread in the English version, while work is currently underway to develop an Arabic version which is expected to be launched in March 2022.

Fared believes that Kundera supports and empowers the journalist and researcher as well as the pre-university student, “Those people need to develop critical and creative thinking, and they need research almost daily. Kundera helps them develop this skill.”

On the role of search engines in impoverishing or enriching the content, he explains that during past years the content has been marginally relevant due to the nature of the work of search engines with the focus on what the audience wants.

Here, the app’s inventor believes that “Kundera solves the problem, because it produces rich and high-quality articles and publishes them in a short time. It thus promotes valuable Arabic content on the Internet, rather than content that attracts clicking on the link.”

What’s next for Kundera?

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Fared describes Kundera as being made with the goal of “empowering creators to produce the best possible content.” So, what’s next for Kundera? What is the future project? Fared reveals to us that he is working on a pioneering idea that all media organizations need. In his opinion, it is the second solution to the crisis of Arabic content. “After improving its quality, the role of promotion comes next by publishing a platform to facilitate interaction.”

Thus, he considers that, in addition to the relevance of the content, the first part of the problem lies in the pressure exerted on journalists and media professionals, as represented by the mass production of topics in record time.

He also points out that content creators face a severe challenge by publishing strong content without getting profits.

“Search engines, social media platforms, Google, and tech companies get the lion’s share of media revenue on publishing platforms. On the other hand, some crumbs reach the content creators and the media.” This is what he calls the unfair equation. On the other hand, press institutions, with their huge experience, deserve an adequate return for their performance. Therefore, in order to distribute profits equitably, Kareem Fared saw the necessity of a new method of distributing the percentage of profits to content creators.

We must start work on constructing a new but different type of social media, where content creators have a big share of continuous income, pointing out that the platform will take privacy into account, as it does not need user data to fetch ads as do other platforms.

Between “the audience wants that,” digitization, and the quality of content in the midst of the expansion of the publishing media, a strong and fair balance is required that preserves the basic rules of the media. This balance will inevitably maintain quality, and transmit information to the recipient in a correct manner, taking into account the correct language and the true message of transforming users into an “audience who wants healthy digital content.”

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How Afghan Monuments Survived Ages of Turmoil

Treasures of National Museum of Afghanistan Now Safeguarded by Taliban

By Amany M. Salem In 2003, the Afghan President Hamid Karazai appeared on TV to show the Afghan people a cache discovered in a secret vault that was closed since 1989 to hide national treasures worth of $90 m.

The valuable heritage items that were kept safe

by Kabul museum curators and bank staff was salvaged from decades of war and turmoil since the Soviet war and through the Taliban’s rule until the fall of the movement in 2001.

As with other treasures hidden in secret government storage rooms and monuments buried under Afghanistan’s soil, collective efforts have been ongoing to restore and repair Afghan cultural assets and artefacts to display them to the world throughout the last two decades.

Taliban’s hands in 2001. Last August, National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul has pleaded for help to safeguard the objects that are at risk of being looted and smuggled. In response, a Taliban spokesman denied that the movement would destroy Buddhist monuments in Afghanistan.

Also, Taliban officials promised to safeguard the National Museum and protect its valuable collection of cultural artifacts, Mohammad Fahim Rahimi, the museum director, told Washington Post late August. After meeting with Taliban officials, Rahimi said, they agreed to send a number of their men to guard the museum.

THE STORY OF THE MUSEUM

The museum that is located southwest of Kabul bear witnesses to a rich and diverse history that extend over 50 thousands years, where the country was a meeting point for old world populaHowever, Taliban’s takeover of the country fol- tions since pre-historic ages until the Islamic era. lowing the US withdrawal raised concerns over It withstood decades of conflicts, chaos and the safety of the archeological artefacts as people violence which was inflicted upon Afghanistan recalled the destruction of the Buddahs of Bami- since the Soviet occupation, and through the yan statues (dating back to the 6th century) at civil war until Taliban’s governance in 1990s

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National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul.

(Photo: Ninara via Wikimedia Commons)

and US invasion in 2001.

According to the official website of the museum, the original collection of artefacts displayed in the museum was discovered by the first excavation of a French archaeological delegation.

More archaeological findings ensued throughout the years that the museum’s collection stands as testimonies to prehistoric, classical, Buddhist.

Hindu and Islamic ages.

The exceptional value of its collection and its location nearby the royal Darul Aman palace has made the museum subject to successive threats of looting and destruction by different forces fighting for power over Kabul throughout the years.

Artefacts such as golden jewels, ancient coins and weapons of the first century AD were hidden during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Following Soviet defeat, during the jihadist guerilla war, a rocket hit the museum building and many pottery and bronze artefacts were buried under the rubble. By the end of the 1990s, only a third of the collection were left while the rest was

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The valuable heritage items that were kept safe by Kabul museum curators and bank staff was salvaged from decades of war since the Soviet war and through the Taliban’s rule until the fall of the movement in 2001. looted or destroyed.

However, the museum curators were able to hide some artefacts and transport them in secrecy to a safe place. In 1989, museum curators and workers could transfer caches of priceless historical objects to secret treasury vaults of the Ministry of Information and the Central Bank at the presidential palace.

In 2004, the museum re-opened with artefacts

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that were previously hidden, along with smashed fragments that curators were able to put away from Taliban’s sight. A small team of experts from Afghanistan and other countries embarked restoration process piecing together the broken parts of damaged artefacts in order to put them on display.

The restoration of some museum artefacts was held by conservator Fabio Colombo backed by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. Funded by the US Department of State, they aimed to piece together some 2,500 Buddha statues and ceramics.

“We have a very glorious Islamic history that we are proud of, but we also have a rich preIslamic history that we must preserve,” Rahimi told BBC last year adding that “It is important our youth learn about this history, this diversity

and their heritage.”

LIVING ARCHEOLOGICAL MONUMENTS As a witness to the region’s rich history, other prominent archeological sites in Afghanistan include Kabul’s Pul-e Khishti Mosque (built in the 18th century and which is the city’s largest mosque) and Garden of Babur (which dates back to the first Mughal emperor Babur around 1528 AD), in addition to Jam minaret (which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the western Ghor province), Ghazni Minarets (two decorated towers dating back to the 12th century, in the central city of Ghazni), the Blue Mosque or Hazrat Ali Mazar (in Mazar-i-Sharif), the ancient Greek city of Ai-Khanoum (which is located in Takhar province and which is believed to be founded by Alexander the Great (around 327 BC).

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Great Mosque of Herat (Jami Mosque of Herat) (Photo: Sven Dirks, Wien via Wikimedia Commons)

Gargoyles from 3rd and 2nd century BC in Ai Khanoum, displayed at National Museum of Afghanistan, Kabul.

(Photo: Ninara via Flickr)

In July 2021, UNESCO accepted to include the western Afghanistan city of Herat on its list of World Cultural Heritage Sites. Herat is home to many significant historical monuments and is thought to have been established around 500 BC. One of the most prominent sites of the famous city is Qala Iktyaruddin or the Citadel of Herat (which dates back to Alexander the Great

In July 2021, UNESCO accepted to include the western Afghanistan city of Herat on its list of World Cultural Heritage Sites. Herat is home to many significant historical monuments and is thought to have been established around 500 BC. who arrived in the region in 330 BC). The Musalla Complex is another significant architecture asset which encompasses 15th-century buildings in need of restoration: a mosque, the mausoleum of Gawharshad, five minarets and the remains of the madrasa of Hussein Baiqara.

Some other surviving architectural heritage sites mentioned by the UNESCO website are the Great Mosque of Herat (Jami Mosque of Herat) and mausoleum complex of Khwaja Abdulla Ansari in Gozargah, which dates from the Timurid period.

Will the monuments that testify to the millenniaold history of the central Asian nation survive the ongoing phase of disruption? Will the renovation efforts that began two decades ago resume to revive the ruins of Afghanistan’s old civilizations and place them back as a precious living world cultural heritage?

A sitting Buddha inside the National Museum of Afghanistan (Photo: Ninara via Wikimedia Commons)

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Clint Eastwood Confronts His Own Legacy Again In «Cry Macho»

A Texas Rodeo Rider on a Solo Mission to Retrieve The Son of His Former Boss

By Justin Chang Macho is the name of a rooster, an expert cockfighter and a plucky companion to a wayward teenager named Rafo (Eduardo Minett).

Rafo, in turn, finds himself playing sidekick to Mike Milo, a faded rodeo star played with a familiar dyspeptic wince by Clint Eastwood.

Making their way from Mexico to Texas in a rusty old truck sometime in 1980, the three travelers get off to a rough start, with lots of literally and figuratively ruffled feathers, before settling into a sturdy groove. Mike and Rafo, in particular, generate an affectionate rapport that implicitly rebukes the kind of aggressive male posturing summed up by the rooster’s name.

“Cry Macho,” a creaky, semi-sweet, unavoidably sentimental adaptation of a 1975 novel by N. Richard Nash, can thus be seen as Eastwood’s latest reckoning with certain wrongheaded assumptions about masculinity, and with a particular tough-guy ethos that he has both defined and subverted over his six-decade career.

At this point, it would be a surprise to report that the movie was anything else. The self-critical strain in Eastwood’s work has become so pronounced of late as to run the risk of seeming repetitive.

In recent years his usual motifs — the inevitability and futility of violence, the complicated and often-misunderstood nature of heroism — have tended to register with greater force and clarity than the movies themselves.

If “Cry Macho” seems too slight to bear the weight of all this thematic baggage, it nonetheless feels like a picture Eastwood had to make, and not just because the opportunity once already slipped through his fingers. (Eastwood turned down the lead in a “Cry Macho” adaptation in 1988, joining the ranks of several actors — including Robert Mitchum, Roy Scheider and Arnold Schwarzenegger — who have

been eyed for the part.) He slips effortlessly into this world of cowboys and horses, dusty roads and lonely missions, though the grim fatalism that has often accompanied his forays into western territory is kept mostly at bay. The most startling violence is meted out not with guns or fists, but by Macho the rooster himself, whose various clucking, crowing performers — all 11 of them — might be collectively credited with the movie’s standout turn.

Maybe that’s unfair. Eastwood’s human co-stars — including Minett, a Mexican television actor making his Hollywood film debut — sometimes struggle to make something emotionally credible out of the clumsy formulations of the script (credited to Nash, who died in 2000, and Nick Schenk). But Eastwood, now 91, betrays no more strain than usual. You can roll your eyes at his signature mannerisms, but taking those eyes off him is another matter. His weathered scowl and stiff, purposeful gait suit Mike Milo seamlessly, as does a tragic personal history — a rodeo career cut short by injury, a wife and child he lost years earlier — that recalls any number of Eastwood’s many soulful sufferers.

Some of those earlier roles were also written by Schenk, and “Cry Macho” echoes them in ways too deliberate to chalk up to coincidence. Like Walt Kowalski in “Gran Torino” (but with less racism), Mike must bond with a youngster whose culture proves utterly alien to him. And like Earl Stone in “The Mule” (but with less drug-cartel mayhem), Mike finds himself on a Mexican road trip that turns out to be more than he bargained for. He’s sent on this mission by his demanding former boss, Howard Polk (Dwight Yoakam, right at home), a Texas ranch owner who wants to reunite with his longabsent son, Rafo, who’s presently trapped in his mother’s allegedly abusive clutches.

Howard isn’t being entirely forthright about the situation, but those

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Clint Eastwood (left) and Eduardo Minett in “Cry )Macho.” (HBO Max/TNS

essentials are more or less accurate. You might wish they weren’t. Rafo’s mother, Leta (Chilean actor Fernanda Urrejola), turns out to be an unpersuasive collection of vampy crime-boss clichés who, despite her feigned indifference to her son’s fate, has no desire for Mike to take him across the border. Leta serves a couple of fairly obvious narrative purposes, one of which is to throw herself unsuccessfully at Mike and impress upon us the undimmed vitality of Eastwood’s sex appeal. She also commands a crew of gun-toting henchmen who take off after Mike and Rafo when they fly the coop, and who conveniently turn up whenever the proceedings need a jolt of suspense.

There isn’t all that much more to it. There are two bumbling cops who elicit some choice insults from Mike. There are the requisite bonding moments that transpire between him and Rafo, a likable kid who’s had few role models and even fewer options between his two uniquely irresponsible parents. Rafo aside, the Mexican characters in “Cry Macho” tend to be either irredeemable crooks or candidates for sainthood. Falling squarely into the latter group is a moony-eyed cantina owner named Marta (Natalia Traven) and her adorable grandchildren, who open their home to Mike and Rafo for a pleasant enough spell.

The simplicity of the story Eastwood is telling would seem to suit his unvarnished, unfussy style, though frankly, a bit more fuss — a few more takes to smooth out a wobbly performance, an extra light bulb or two in the interior shots — wouldn’t have gone awry. But “Cry Macho,” with its attractive but not indulgent landscapes (shot in New Mexico) backed by a spare, twangy Mark Mancina score, takes pains to reject anything that might smack of falsity or pretense. That’s a bit rich when you consider

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The most startling violence is meted out not with guns or fists, but by Macho the rooster himself, whose various clucking, crowing performers — all 11 of them — might be collectively credited with the movie’s standout turn. that the filmmaker’s much-vaunted modesty also comes with a hefty dose of self-flattery, even (or especially) when Mike calls out the preening male braggadocio that Rafo seems to idolize.

“This macho thing is overrated,” he says, “just people trying to be macho and show that they’ve got grit.” For true grit, he scarcely has to add, you need look no further than Clint Eastwood himself.

‘CRY MACHO’ Rating: PG-13, for language and thematic elements Running time: 1 hour, 42 minutes Playing: Starts Sept. 17 in general release and on HBO Max This review was originally published on (TNS).

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Healthy Gut, Healthier Aging Support Beneficial Microbes In The Gastrointestinal Tract With These Healthy Habits

By Heidi Godman Trillions of microbes -- bacteria, viruses, fungi -call your gut home. They do more than just help you digest food. They fight harmful pathogens; make vitamin K and other important chemicals; affect the way medications work; and may influence your immune system, heart health, and cancer risk. It also appears gut microbes may play a role in healthy aging and longevity. The genes of all your gut microbes are collectively called the gut microbiome.

ENCOURAGING FINDINGS In a study published online Feb. 18, 2021, by Nature Metabolism, scientists observed that older adults whose mix of gut microbes changed the most over time lived longer than those people with less change in their gut microbiome.

The study didn’t prove that an eclectic microbiome directly caused people to live longer. However, such a microbiome was also associated with lower cho-

lesterol levels, faster walking speeds, and higher levels of beneficial blood chemicals -- all factors that lengthen the life span.

How do you make your gut microbiome more diverse and achieve health benefits? It mainly comes down to lifestyle factors. Indeed, one of the reasons that a healthy lifestyle may protect your health is through the impact of your lifestyle on your microbiome.

EAT A HEALTHY DIET Eating the right foods is one of the best ways. Your gut microbes like to eat, too, and their favorite foods are the ones that are healthiest for us: fruits, vegetables (especially dark, leafy greens), legumes (beans, peas), and whole grains (quinoa, whole wheat, brown rice). “Those foods contain fiber. Our bodies don’t break down fiber for food; fiber passes through to the gut and microbes feed on it. It gives them a good environment to grow,” explains April Pawluk, strategic program manager at the Harvard Chan Microbiome in Public Health Center.

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)TNS(

But when you eat an unhealthy diet with lots of processed, fatty, sugary foods, it makes it harder for helpful microbes to survive. “In the absence of diversity-promoting nutrients like fiber in our diets, the genes of our gut microbiome can produce chemicals that could increase our risk for developing different diseases,” Pawluk says.

EXERCISE Exercising appears to promote gut microbiome diversity, but the way it works is a matter of speculation, ­Pawluk says. Several ways are plausible. “It could be that exercise changes the rate at which material moves through the intestines.

Or perhaps exercise reduces inflammation in the gut. Or exercise might alter our appetite, and alter the way that our bodies process the food we eat. All of these could affect the microbiome environment,” Pawluk says.

GET A DOG Dogs are always tracking things in from outside -- like dirt, grass, and insects -- exposing their

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“In the absence of diversitypromoting nutrients like fiber in our diets, the genes of our gut microbiome can produce chemicals that could increase our risk for developing different diseases.” human families to more microbes. That might help counteract the effect of a modern world on the microbiome.

“Over the past century, there’s been a decrease in the diversity of the human microbiome, possibly because of sanitation and modern medicine,” Pawluk says. “Studies looking at young children growing up in a house with a pet show their microbiome becomes more diverse and they have less risk of allergies. We don’t know if this helps

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older adults, but it wouldn’t hurt.”

ance in the gut microbiome,” Pawluk says.

DON’T SMOKE

CONSIDER PROBIOTICS

Cigarettes contain lots of chemicals and toxins that are harmful to the whole body, including your gut and its residents. “Smoking can kill some microbes and decrease microbe diversity.

Smoking also puts physical stress on the body, including microbes. And when microbes are under stress, they change their function; they sense that they’re in a bad situation and in some cases attack each other -- or us. That can cause imbal-

One last suggestion that may affect the gut microbiome is to ingest colonies of “good” bacteria known as probiotics, which come in pills or powders or occur naturally in fermented foods (such as yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut). “The intention is to boost the amount of beneficial bacteria in the gut,” Pawluk says. “If you’ve recently taken antibiotics, which kill both harmful and beneficial bacteria, probiotics may help re-establish a diverse microbiome. The thing is, if you already have a diverse gut microbiome, adding more of one species probably isn’t going to promote any significant change.”

But Pawluk says there’s no evidence probiotics are harmful, especially when they come from food. And there are many reasons why you might want to eat healthy probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, which has lots of calcium, or try any of the lifestyle habits we’ve laid out here. They all benefit health in numerous ways.

Eating the right foods is one of the best ways. Your gut microbes like to eat, too, and their favorite foods are the ones that are healthiest for us: fruits, vegetables , legumes, and whole grains

This article was originally published on Harvard Health.

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Credit: Unsplash

Credit: Unsplash

Credit: Unsplash

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Ahmed Aboutaleb: Promoter of Peace, Freedom and Equal Rights

By Majalla Ahmed Aboutaleb, a Moroccan-Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA), journalist, and mayor of the Dutch city of Rotterdam, won the award for the best mayor in the world for the year 2021.

Aboutaleb won this award, which is granted by the London-based City Mayors Foundation, as a culmination of his professional style of managing the city, and his treatment of all citizens as “residents of Rotterdam,” regardless of their origins and backgrounds.

The jury described Aboutaleb as a promoter of peace, freedom, equal rights and dignity, which are very important points for social cohesion. In addition, it emphasized that Aboutaleb realizes that cities need to be more resilient, social and environmentally conscious to withstand natural disasters.

Moreover, the award jury praised his courage, patience, humility and exceptional leadership, especially during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that he showed great awareness of the vulnerablity of some minorities in society.

“City Mayors” explained that Aboutaleb remains “one of the oldest and most respected mayors in Europe,” noting that “he has led the city of Rotterdam since 2009 with courage, patience and humility.” Other mayors presiding over major cities across the world competed for the award, such as Washington

(USA), Delhi (India), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Ankara (Turkey) and Milan (Italy).

Reacting to the coronation event, Aboutaleb said “I am speechless. It is a great honor to be nominated by the people of Rotterdam for this purpose. So I feel very much appreciated by the people of this beautiful city. A city with so many different people. We live together, I have the best job you can imagine.”

Ahmed Aboutaleb was born on August 29, 1961, in Beni Sidel in Morocco. He grew up as a son of a Riffian Berber Sunni imam in a small village in the Nador Province, Rif region. Together with his mother and brothers, he moved to the Netherlands in 1976, when he was 15 years old.

Aboutaleb had already noticed how he differed from other kids. As he said in an interview, “I was so different, such a school dork.

I wanted to learn, I wanted to know everything.”

Aboutaleb then studied electrical engineering with a specialization in telecommunication at different schools but concluding at the Hogere Technische School, where he obtained a Bachelor of Engineering degree.

After graduating, he found work as reporter for Veronica TV, NOS-radio and RTL Nieuws. He also worked at the public relations department of the Dutch Health Ministry.

In 1998, Aboutaleb became director of the Forum organization, an institute dealing with multiculturalism in the Netherlands. He also

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obtained a post as a civil servant with the municipality of Amsterdam. In 2002, he applied for a government position with the Pim Fortuyn List party but chose not to take it up after disagreeing with the LPF’s policies. He joined the PvdA a year later.

In January 2004, Aboutaleb succeeded the scandal-plagued Rob Oudkerk as an alderman in Amsterdam. In his book Wat Wouter Wil (What Wouter Wants), Labour Party leader Wouter Bos said that if the Labour Party were involved in forming the next cabinet after the 2006 election, Aboutaleb would be offered a ministerial post. Aboutaleb himself claimed at the time he wanted to focus on his work as an alderman and that it was “important first that the PvdA wins the election.”

When the Labour Party really did become part of a new coalition, Aboutaleb was offered only the position of State Secretary for Social Affairs, but said that he did not mind the lesser function and believed he could learn a lot from Piet Hein Donner, the Minister of Social Affairs.

Along with another deputy minister, Nebahat Albayrak of Turkish descent, Aboutaleb was criticised by Geert Wilders at the time of their announced appointments for holding two passports. According to Wilders and his party, government ministers should not have dual citizenship, which they say implies dual allegiance.

On October 31, 2008, Aboutaleb was ap-

pointed as Mayor of Rotterdam (in the Netherlands, mayors are not elected). Aboutaleb, who came to the Netherlands from Morocco, is the first mayor of a large city in the Netherlands who is of both immigrant origin and the Muslim faith. He is of Riffian Berber ancestry, and a dual citizen of the Netherlands and Morocco.

He is known for his outspoken stances on the issue of immigration and radicalization among Muslim youth in the Netherlands, as well as for his social and administrative policies at the local government level. He has also previously won the title of Person of the Year in the Netherlands, awarded by the Dutch magazine “Elsevier,” and has several times topped the list of the most respected and popular politicians in the Netherlands.

As for his administrative work, Aboutaleb says that he “devotes part of his time to getting to know the details about the course of events in the city and to learn about all aspects of the lives of its residents.”

Aboutaleb is also a great fan of poetry, especially Arabic poetry. He translated poetry of Adunis, the most famous living poet of the Arabic language, very little of whose work had been previously translated into Dutch.

In June 2010, he presented a few of his translated poems in Arabic during the Rotterdam festival “Poetry International.”

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