Ukraine, Russia at a Critical Point

US Diplomat Says Killing of ISIS Leader Reduces Group’s Effectiveness

A Weekly Political News Magazine

Gabaski: The Egyptians Stalwart Goalie

A Weekly Political News Magazine

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Issue 1891- February- 11/02/2022

Olaf Scholz: From «Scholzomat» to «Robin Hood»

Issue 1891- February- 11/02/2022

Ukraine-Russia at a Critical Point

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Editorial Russian and Ukrainian negotiators said they failed to reach an agreement after nine hours of talks in Berlin on Thursday over ways to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region and resolve the monthslong crisis triggered by Russia’s troop buildup along Ukrainian borders.

Dmitry Kozak, the Russian representative at the talks involving France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine, said the gap between the parties was such that they couldn’t even agree on a joint statement.

He said the talks would likely continue among more junior officials until sufficient progress could be made to work toward a summit of the countries’ leaders, a goal he said was unrealistic at present.

In the cover story, Majalla writer Maia Otarashvili delves into how the Russian-Ukrainian standoff stands at a critical point.

She also writes about how frantic diplomatic negotiations continue as NATO leaders search for non-military solutions to the continued tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

In the politics section, Jiwan Soz writes about the death of the ISIS leader Abdullah Qardash who was killed this week in a complex airdrop in a town located in an area overlapping the Syrian provinces of Aleppo and Idlib.

Soz said that ISIS has not yet announced a new successor to its leader.

However, speculation about the impact of his absence on the extremist organization, which formed the alleged caliphate in Syria and Iraq years ago and included large geographic areas from both neighboring countries, seems to be the current subject of controversy among specialists in the affairs of extremist groups.

In the culture section, Salwa Samir interviews an Egyptian theatrical troupe which was established in 2018 to tour the country, and to correct wrong perceptions and dispel harmful thinking.

The “Confrontation and Roaming Theater” is affiliated with the Culture Ministry’s Artistic House of Theater, which produces the shows.

“We want to achieve cultural justice among Egyptians and combat all ideas of extremism and terrorism,” Mohamed El-Sharkawy, Director of Confrontation and Roaming Theater, told Majalla.

In the sports section, Sara Gamal interviews Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed Qotb Abou Gabal Ali aka «Gabaski» who heroically led his country to reach the final of the 2021 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon comes to mind.

Gabaski, the goalkeeper of the Egyptian national team and Zamalek FC, became one of the best goalkeepers who caught everyone’s attention in the African Nations Championship that was held in Cameroon.

The goalie was instrumental in the Pharaohs’ success at the competition having made two saves each in the penalty shootout against Ivory Coast and Cameroon.

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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A Weekly Political News Magazine

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A Weekly Political News Magazine

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A Weekly Political News Magazine

28 Three American Opinions on Ukraine

Issue 1891- February- 11/02/2022

24 France Seeks To Restore African Grip

How Big Business Is Taking the

32 Lead on Climate Change

42 Fighting Extremism with Arts

56 Can Brain Training Smartphone Apps and Computer Games Help You Stay Sharp?

Amid Delays and Scandals, a Middling

48 ‹Death on the Nile› Slumps Into Theaters 5

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American Book: Arab and Mexican Integration in California

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Dubai’s Museum of the Future This picture taken on February 7, 2022 shows a view of Dubai’s Museum of the Future which will open to the public on February 22. - The Gulf emirate’s new building was named one of the 14 most beautiful museums on the planet in a list compiled by National Geographic magazine last summer. Dubai, , United Arab Emirates )AFP Photos(

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Beijing Olympics Women wearing face masks to help protect from the coronavirus take a selfie with the mascot for the Olympics and Paralympics decorated with skiing equipments near a commercial office complex in Beijing, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022 Beijing )AP Photos(

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SAU

LEBANON Lebanon's upcoming parliamentary polls must be held on time, U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea told Reuters, amid widespread concern that powerful parties may seek to postpone the May vote that could see them lose some power in the legislature.

"The international community is unanimous that the elections must be held on time in a fair and transparent manner," Shea told Reuters. "There's no wiggle room."

The UN Security Council last week "underlined the importance of holding free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections as scheduled on 15 May 2022".

EGYPT China and Egypt “share similar visions and strategies in defending their own interests,” Chinese leader Xi Jinping said Saturday in a meeting with Egypt’s authoritarian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.

The Egyptian leader was one of a half-dozen heads of state who met with Xi after attending the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics, seeking closer ties with China while shunning Western criticism of their heavy-handed rule.

Xi “hailed enhanced political trust” between the countries, citing cooperation in fighting the pandemic. Their comprehensive strategic partnership is a model of “China-Arab, China-Africa and China-developing world solidarity,” Xi said.

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Saudi Arab Aramco an as $50 billio on Friday, c giant’s strat The state-o outside adv the Riyadh secondary Singapore o adding tha

UDI ARABIA

bia is planning to list more shares in nd is targeting a stake sale of as much on, the Wall Street Journal reported citing people familiar with the oil tegy. owned company has held talks with visers about selling more shares on stock exchange as well as a listing, possibly in London, or other exchanges, the report said, at it was still in the planning stage.

UAE Dubai plans to cut carbon emissions by 30% by the end of 2030, the emirate's government media office said on Sunday on its website.

The plan is part of a broader strategy, announced by the United Arab Emirates in October, to achieve carbon emission neutrality by 2050, the office said.

Dubai, a major regional business, financial and logistics hub, is the second-largest and wealthiest emirate making up the seven-member UAE federation, following oil-rich Abu Dhabi.

BAHRAIN Bahrain on Monday introduced a new permanent residency visa to attract talent and investment, part of a trend in the Gulf States to offer more flexible and longer-duration visas amid regional economic competition and as Bahrain works to fix its finances.

Foreigners in the Gulf States have traditionally had renewable visas valid for just a few years tied to employment, limiting their stay.

The Golden Residency Visa, announced by the Interior Ministry, will be renewed indefinitely, including the right to work in Bahrain, unlimited entry and exit, and residency for close family members.

IRAN Diplomats from Iran and world powers reconvened in Vienna on Tuesday to seek a deal reviving Tehran’s 2015 nuclear accord, with pressure mounting for results soon.

Negotiators from Iran and the remaining parties to the agreement — Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China — got back to work after a break of a little over a week to return to their capitals for consultations.

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A WEEK ACROS CANADA.

U.S. The first U.S. troops reinforcing NATO allies in Eastern Europe amid a Russian military build-up on Ukraine's border arrived on Saturday at Rzeszow military base in southeastern Poland.

A small plane carrying what a Polish military source said were U.S. chain of command personnel landed in the morning at Rzeszow-Jasionka airport as preparations continued at the base, which is near Poland's border with Ukraine.

Canadian cities, including the financial hub Toronto, are bracing for disruptions this weekend as protests against vaccine mandates spread from the capital of Ottawa.

The so-called "Freedom Convoy" began as a movement against a vaccine requirement for cross-border truckers, but has turned into a rallying point against public health measures.

Protestors have shut down downtown Ottawa for the past eight days, with some participants waving Confederate or Nazi flags and some saying they wanted to dissolve Canada's government.

Toronto Police said they would have a ramped up presence in the city over the weekend due to anticipated protests.

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,

LIBYA.

Assailants struck Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah's with bullets early on Thursday but escaped unharmed, a source close him said, amid intense factional wrangling over control of the government.

The source said the incident happened as Dbeibah was returnin home, describing it as a clear assassination attempt, but the attackers fled and the incident has been referred for investigation.

SS THE WORLD

s car t he e to

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FRANCE. French President Emmanuel Macron brought his diplomatic effort to defuse the crisis over Ukraine to its capital of Kyiv on Tuesday, a day after hours of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin yielded no apparent breakthrough.

Macron met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as fears of a possible Russian invasion mount. Moscow has massed over 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders but insists it has no plans to attack.

The Kremlin wants guarantees from the West that NATO will not accept Ukraine and other former Soviet nations as members.

CHINA.

INDIA.

Under grey skies, construction cranes towered over laborers building a mega three-story temple demanded by millions of Hindus for over 100 years. The shrine is dedicated to their most revered god, Ram, and is being built on a plot of land where a 16th-century mosque stood, before a Hindu mob tore it down in 1992.

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The country where the coronavirus outbreak emerged two years ago launched a locked-down Winter Olympics on Friday, proudly projecting its might on the most global of stages even as some Western governments mounted a diplomatic boycott over the way China treats millions of its own people.

The opening ceremony began just after the arrival of Chinese President Xi Jinping and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach at the same lattice-encased National Stadium that hosted the inaugural event at the 2008 Olympics.

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Ukraine-Russia at a Critical Point

Putin’s Alliances and Language Keep Challenging Diplomatic Solution 14

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beauty.’ They must be fulfilled. It won’t work otherwise.”

By Maia Otarashvili

Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures during a joint press conference with French President after their meeting in Moscow, on February 7, 2022.

(Photo by Thibault Camus / POOL / AFP)

Frantic diplomatic negotiations continue as NATO leaders search for non-military solutions to the continued tensions between Russia and Ukraine. On February 8th the French President Emmanuel Macron visited Moscow and held a 5-hour long meeting with President Putin. Macron walked away from the meeting believing that he had stuck a deal with President Putin – an agreement not to keep escalating tensions with Ukraine. While Moscow has since refuted Macron’s optimistic view of the situation, one major achievement has been made – the Minsk accords are back on the table. The “Normandy Format” of the ceasefire talks over the conflict in Donbas brings France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine to the negotiating table. The Minsk 1 and 2 agreements, although unpopular in Ukraine, are seen as the optimal peaceful way out of the current separatist conflict in Ukraine’s breakaway region of Donbas.

The separatist region has been backed by Russia militarily for nearly eight years now. The Minsk Accords have been on hold for over two years now and have so far proven ineffective in ending the war.

After his meeting with President Macron, Mr. Putin said: “As for the Minsk agreements, are they alive and do they have any prospect or not? … I believe that there is simply no other alternative. I repeat once again, in Kyiv, they either say that they will comply, or they say that this will destroy their country. The incumbent president recently stated that he does not like a single point of these Minsk agreements.

‘Like it or don’t like it, it’s your duty, my

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Mr. Putin’s use of such crude language may seem discouraging, but just in the summer of 2021 he was refusing to negotiate with Mr. Zelensky, urging him to deal directly with the leaders of the breakaway Donbas region. Mere months ago the Minsk Accords seemed impossible to revive. Now there is a chance for renewed talks. However, the Minsk agreement is problematic when it comes to an interpretation of what the agreement actually entails. Moscow believes that the Minsk agreements should oblige the government in Kiev to grant autonomy to the de facto government in Donbas. The latter should be allowed to participate in the decision-making process of the Ukrainian government, and most importantly – maintain a veto power over major policy decisions, including those regarding Ukraine’s foreign policy posturing. Moscow assumes that it can maintain control over the political leaders in Donbas, and thus indirectly veto any decisions Ukraine may want to make about joining NATO or forming any major military alliances with Western powers.

The Ukrainian government sees the Minsk Accords as a way to grant some kind of a special status to the Donbas region, and perhaps a semi-autonomy, but certainly no veto power over Ukraine’s foreign policy decisions. Even in that limited scope, the Minsk Accords are highly unpopular in Ukraine. There is also a major disagreement about who the actual signatories are and who will serve as the guarantors of the ceasefire agreement.

Moscow sees itself as a “peacemaker,” a mediator, just like France or Germany.

Kiev demands that Moscow act as the signatory to the ceasefire agreement and take responsibility for ending the conflict in Donbas. Therefore, although the return of discussions about reviving the Minsk Accords holds some promise, the actual

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aggression towards Ukraine and its aspirations to establish a permanent military presence in Belarus, has now become an avid supporter of President Putin’s aggressive rhetoric about Ukraine. LuDEEPENING RUSSIAN ALLIANCES kashenko was recently quoted as saying Meanwhile, Moscow has been deepening that Ukraine was building up its military its alliances. President Lukashenko, pre- presence on its border with Belarus: “If viously reluctant to endorse Moscow’s our country faces an aggression, there will be hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers here, who will defend this sacred land together with hundreds of thousands of Belarusians.” negotiations are unlikely to yield optimal results as the parties cannot even agree on the basic premise of the conflict.

The deployment of 200 Belarusian troops alongside the Russian forces in Syria is mostly symbolic, but it is a decision on Lukashenko’s part that puts the current regime in Belarus at odds with Western interests.

Since Lukashenko’s near-overthrow in 2020, amid pro-democracy protests, the authoritarian leader has blamed the West for orchestrating the uprisings in Belarus and has cozied up to Russia entertaining deeper military cooperation than he was previously comfortable with. The military cooperation between the two sides has deepened so much, that Lukashenko has even proposed to host Russian military weapons. Last week Russian Prime Minister Mishustin announced that Belarussian troops will serve alongside the

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron attend a joint press conference, in Moscow, Russia, February 7, 2022. Thibault Camus/ Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

In this photo taken from video and released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, A pair of Tu-22M3 bombers of the Russian air force taxi before takeoff at an air base in Russia. Two Tu-22M3 long-range bombers of the Russian air force performed a patrol mission over Belarus on Saturday amid the tensions over Ukraine.

(Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Russian armed forces in Syria in a “humanitarian capacity.” Russia has been involved in Syria since 2015, backing the Assad regime on the opposite side of the United States – the latter has withdrawn from Syria almost entirely, while Russia maintains its military presence there. Belarus will now deploy up to 200 troops to Syria. The move is mostly symbolic, but it is a decision on President Lukashenko’s part that once again puts the current regime in Belarus at odds with Western interests.

China’s President Xi, another important Moscow ally, has finally revealed where he stands on the potential Russia-West confrontation over Ukraine. On February 4th Russia and China issued a joint statement which included a long-winded meditation about the meaning of democracy, and ultimately called for an end to the West’s global democracy promotion agenda.

“The sides believe that the advocacy of democracy and human rights must not be

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U.S. intelligence officials have regularly warned about various Russian plots to provoke Ukraine into an armed conflict. Yet the overall environment in Ukraine itself remains eerily calm. used to put pressure on other countries.

They oppose the abuse of democratic values and interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states under the pretext of protecting democracy and human rights, and any attempts to incite divisions and confrontation in the world. The sides call on the international community to respect cultural and civilizational diversity and the rights of peoples of different countries to self-determination. They stand ready to work together with all the interested

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partners to promote genuine democracy.”

In the statement Russia sided with China’s Taiwan policy: “The Russian side reaffirms its support for the One-China principle, confirms that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and opposes any forms of independence of Taiwan.” In return, China joined Russia in opposing further NATO enlargement:

Russia and China issued a joint statement which included a long-winded meditation about the meaning of democracy, and ultimately called for an end to the West’s global democracy promotion agenda.

“The sides believe that certain States, military and political alliances and coalitions seek to obtain, directly or indirectly, unilateral military advantages to the detriment of the security of others, including by employing unfair competition practices, intensify geopolitical rivalry, fuel antagonism and confrontation, and seriously undermine the international security order and global strategic stability. The sides oppose further enlargement of NATO and call on the North Atlantic Alliance to abandon its ideologized cold war approaches, to respect the sovereignty, security and interests of other countries, the diversity of their civilizational, cultural and historical backgrounds, and to exercise a fair and objective attitude towards the peaceful development of other States.”

The United States has been firming up plans to get Americans out of Ukraine.

President Biden has called on all non-

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Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin talk to each other during their meeting in Beijing, China, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022. Putin on Friday arrived in Beijing for the opening of the Winter Olympic Games and talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, as the two leaders look to project themselves as a counterweight to the U.S. and its allies. (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured) after their meeting. (Photo: Ukrainian Presidency/dpa)

government employee US citizens to leave in order to avoid getting caught in a crossfire. But parallel to this the United States has been increasing its military presence in Europe, sending 2,000 additional troops from the US to Poland.

Moreover, about 1,000 US soldiers are being repositioned from Germany to Romania, according to the latest reports.

Most US experts believe Russia will invade Ukraine very soon. U.S. intelligence officials have regularly warned about various Russian plots to provoke Ukraine into an armed conflict. Yet the overall environment in Ukraine itself remains eerily calm. President Zelensky has asked Ukraine’s Western partners to help Ukraine defend itself, but he regularly repeats that he believes a diplomatic solution is possible. Lately Zelensky has been using the tactic of talking down the threat from Russia – in order to avoid the spread of panic and fear in Ukraine. The next big headline coming out of Ukraine

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While Moscow has refuted Macron’s optimistic view of the situation, one major achievement has been made – the Minsk accords are back on the table. could be one of two things: renewed Normandy Format talks about the Minsk Accords, or a major Russian invasion.

Maia Otarashvili is a Research Fellow and Deputy Director of the Eurasia Program. Maia also serves as the Deputy Director of Research at FPRI. Her research interests include geopolitics and security of the Black Sea-Caucasus region, Russian foreign policy, and the post-Soviet “frozen” conflicts.

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US Diplomat Says Killing of ISIS Leader Reduces Group’s Effectiveness «Washington Will Not Withdraw from Syria Soon» Former US Official to Majalla

By Jiwan Soz - Qamishli ISIS has not yet announced a new successor to its leader Abdullah Qardash, who was killed this week in a complex airdrop in a town lo-

cated in an area overlapping the Syrian provinces of Aleppo and Idlib.

However, speculation about the impact of his absence on the extremist organization, which

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Targeting the leaders of these groups makes the leaders devote more effort to operational security, and can hinder senior leaders of the organization from communicating, which can diminish the effectiveness of the organization. through its sleeper cells in Syria and Iraq.

The real name of Qardash, who died during an air strike when he blew himself up in a refusal to be captured alive, is Muhammad Saeed Abdul Rahman Al-Mawla, but he was known as Abdullah Qardash and he was also nicknamed Abu Omar Al-Turkmani.

A fully veiled woman collects items near the house in which the leader of Islamic State leader Abdullah Qardash died during a raid by US special forces in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, on Feb, 2022 ,4. AAREF WATAD/AFP via Getty Images

formed the alleged caliphate in Syria and Iraq years ago and included large geographic areas from both neighboring countries, seems to be the current subject of controversy among specialists in the affairs of extremist groups.

Attitudes about the possible effects of Qardash’s killing on ISIS varied as there are those who believe that this matter will lead to the organization’s weakness as happened with the killing of its former leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was killed in late October 2019 in an area close to that of the terrorist organization.

Qardash was killed a few days ago, but other locals ruled out that the impact of the killing of the leader of the extremist organization classified as a “terrorist” group by a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia, would be significant, given that ISIS is now acting

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The nickname “Qardash,” with which he had widespread fame, is a Turkish name and means Al-Siddiq, who is of Turkmen origin.

He was born in 1976 in the Tal Afar district of the Iraqi Nineveh Governorate.

After the killing of Qardash, a US diplomat said that targeting him is a “routine action for the United States, which pursues the most prominent leaders of terrorist organizations,” especially in Syria, which has been witnessing an armed conflict for more than a decade and allowed extremist groups to enter the history of the ongoing crisis that followed popular protests erupting in March 2011.

David Schenker, the former US Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs, described the killing of the ISIS leader as a “preemptive strike,” considering that his assassination would affect the effectiveness of the organization he was leading, especially since targeting him in an air raid would prevent senior ISIS leaders from communicating

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ISIS is a bureaucratic organization, and changes in leadership can be disruptive. Targeting He also indicated that Washington will con- the leaders of these groups makes the leaders tinue to pursue senior leaders of terrorist or- devote more effort to operational security, and ganizations, but he ruled out launching air can hinder senior leaders of the organization raids or targeting leaders of other extremist from communicating, which can diminish the organizations such as the Houthi militias in effectiveness of the organization.

Yemen.

The organization continued after Baghdadi.

He stressed that these militias are betting on Will it continue after Qardash? the continuation of the armed conflict, not peaceful negotiation, and that U.S. President Charles de Gaulle is believed to have once Joe Biden made a mistake when removing said, “The graveyards of the world are full of indispensable men.” In the war on terrorism, them from the terrorism list. there is no knockout blow. It’s important to Here is the full text of the interview that Ma- be persistent, even relentless, to prevent the jalla conducted by phone with Schenker, who resurgence of the organization. Baghdadi is currently the director of the Arab Politics was an important leader at a time when ISIS Program at the Washington Institute for Near controlled large swaths of territory. He was replaced, and I anticipate Qardash will also East Policy: soon be replaced. All leaders are not equally What is the goal in killing the leader of ISIS? capable. with their supporters.

The US routinely targets senior leaders of terrorist organizations. The Islamic State has in the past used Syria as a base for operational planning for external operations, including terrorist attacks in Europe. It’s important to be proactive.

Will there be infighting over the next leader?

How will it affect activities?

Do you think that Washington will continue its support for the Syrian Democratic Forces?

And how long can this support continue?

I believe the Biden administration was wrong to delist the Houthis as a terrorist organization, something we did when I served in the last administration.

I believe the Biden administration will continue to partner with the SDF. The Force is imperfect—it has problematic ties to the PYD and the PKK—but it is effective on the ground. The US deployment in Syria has also been high impact and American casualties have been limited. While the Biden administration may have wanted to withdraw from Syria, in the aftermath of the poorly executed withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the increased challenges with Russia, I don’t see this happening anytime soon.

I would imagine that ISIS has contingency plans for the death of their leaders. This is something that is becoming increasingly commonplace.

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A ‘wanted’ notice for the Islamic State jihadist group leader Abdullah Qardash, who had led ISIS since the death in 2019 of its founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is seen in this image obtained by Reuters from social media on February 3, 2022. US Government Handout/via REUTERS

Do you think that the Houthis should be included in the terrorist list, as is the case with ISIS? I believe the Biden administration was wrong to delist the Houthis as a terrorist organization, something we did when I served in the last administration. The group meets the US criteria for being designated as an FTO. There are concerns in the Biden administration that a designation would compel humanitarian organizations to stop work there, and that banks would stop providing credit and services to food importers there, causing a famine. I believe these risks can be mitigated.

Is it possible to form an international coalition against the Houthis in Yemen, or to target its leaders in air operations, as Washington did with Qardash?

There is an international coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen led by Saudi

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In the war on terrorism, there is no knockout blow. It’s important to be persistent, even relentless, to prevent the resurgence of the organization.

Arabia. The Biden administration doesn’t have the authority to do so under US law.

In any event, even if Houthi leaders were targeted, it wouldn’t end the war. It would be helpful if UN member states started to enforce the arms embargo on Yemen, curtailing the delivery of Iranian missiles and rockets to their Houthi allies. Even if this happened, however, the Houthis have demonstrated their commitment to a military rather than a negotiated end to this war, regrettably.

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France Seeks To Restore African Grip Causes & Repurcussions of Declining Hold Leads to New Influence Efforts

By Ahmed Taher The end of French colonization of fourteen African countries was not a point of disengagement between France and its independent colonies.

Rather, France was keen to maintain good relations with them in what was known as “the Francophone,” a French idea that aims to strengthen ties with all French-speaking countries. There are 25

African countries which have a large number of French speakers, representing nearly half of the countries on the continent.

This French connection is not limited to its linguistic, educational and cultural dimensions only, but the economic dimension was present in the French endeavor to strengthen its presence in the post-independence phase in Africa in order to preserve its interests.

In February 1965, it established an economic organization based in the Mauritanian capital of Nouakchott, with 13 members including

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French President Emmanuel Macron greets children as he arrives to visit a school in Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, November 2017 ,28.

REUTERS

Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Dahomey, Togo, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Niger, Senegal, Rwanda.

This paved the way for the consolidation of the French economic presence to reach today a total of 1100 major companies, 2100 small companies and the third largest investment portfolio after Britain and the United States.

In addition to the economic aspects, France also paid attention to the military dimension, which was embodied in the establishment of several military bases on some continents, as is the case in Senegal, Cote d›Ivoire, Gabon, Chad, Djibouti, and Central Africa.

The French presence in the African continent was not limited to the above, but France also took many steps to maintain this presence and work to strengthen it, including supporting national development programs in many countries of the continent, supporting economic blocs such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as well as starting operations to return antiquities looted during the colonial period to their countries of origin. France also made a direct contribution to efforts to combat terrorism through its military presence.

The military is part of the operations to combat armed terrorist organizations in addition to French keenness for continuous communication with the ruling elites in the countries of the continent by holding summit meetings on an ongoing basis, all with the aim of correcting their image among the African peoples and trying to win their support.

But despite all these initiatives that carry a positive message from France towards the countries of the continent and its issues, the current reality confirms that France is no longer welcomed at all levels, governmental and popular, which raises questions about its continued viability.

Is this due to mistakes committed by France for which it is paying the price today? Where do such errors lie if they exist? Or is there a lack of welcome due to the presence of other competitors who were able to offer alternatives to the French role without bringing with them a colonial heritage that the peoples of the continent do not forget? Or is it due to the self-awakening of the peoples of the continent that rejects any interventions by international parties trying to exploit their capabilities and wealth without having any return for their peoples?

In the midst of answering these questions, this report reviews two fundamental matters as follows: First, the French failure and its internal and external factors: The French failure in the African continent was not born today, but rather dates back to the beginning of the nineties of the last century with the end of the Cold War, and the rearrangement of the French situation in many African countries in the light of developments which can be referred to a number of factors and reasons which may be summarized in three groups as follows: The first is factors related to French internal affairs and its preoccupation with its own economic crises, political

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The Russian military and security presence in West Africa through Moscow’s agreements to strengthen cooperation in the field of military and security affairs complements the Chinese economic presence on the one hand and the Iranian religious presence on the other hand. conflicts and security problems, which prompted France to reposition its presence within the countries of the continent by focusing on the qualitative aspect rather than the quantitative aspect (especially in the military field).

The French policy towards the continent was characterized by reliance on a new vision related to the rejection of complete withdrawal, whether gradual or immediate.

But this vision relied on the importance of revitalizing its presence and influence not only within its traditional areas of influence, but also in searching for new areas of influence that would not represent a burden so much as it would contribute to strengthening its role, expanding the areas of its interests and deepening its relations.

However, despite the relevance of this vision, which is commensurate with the nature of the challenges that France suffers from, France wanted to manage its military presence in the continent through the idea of dividing it into two courses of action.

The first is operating from within African lands. The second is operating from within the French borders, specifically in the southwest of the country.

However, France failed to implement this policy in a way that guaranteed it a continuous and strong presence like the failure of its role in the 1992 Algerian crisis against terrorist organizations as well as its failure in the Democratic Republic of Congo crisis where French support failed to maintain former president Mobutu Sese Seko.

In the Rwanda and Burundi crises, this failure prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to present an apology to Rwanda in 2021, and to publicly acknowledge France›s failure to fulfill its responsibilities over the 1994 genocide.

Second is factors related to the transformations that the countries of the African continent have undergone, whether these factors are related to their internal conditions or related to their interaction with the French side.

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African countries concurrently experienced economic and social crises as well as internal political and military conflicts. This was due to the failure of African countries to improve the conditions of their societies. Thus, the internal discourse in the countries linked to France increasingly criticized the French role in support of failed governments that are unable to manage the country’s affairs and achieve the desired development.

In a clearer sense, France got the lion›s share of the criticism suggesting that it held a large part of the responsibility for the failure of development projects in these countries, which made the governments that came after conflicts or coups keen to put some space between them and their relationship with France for fear that the arrows of criticism would extend to them if they also failed to improve the living conditions of citizens.

This created an area of separation between the leaders and peoples of these countries on the one hand and the French state on the other. In addition, some attribute this to the supercilious French discourse in its dealings with the peoples of the African continent, similar to what happened after the killing of 13 French soldiers in a helicopter crash in Mali in November 2019.

This attitude was shown when French President Emmanuel Macron called on the leaders of West African countries to come immediately to France to hold an emergency summit, in a move that some saw as a hint of what could be described as neo-colonial arrogance, especially since both Mali and Niger had just incurred heavy military losses.

President Macron at the time had to make a quick move to correct that image. So, he went to the capital of Niger to offer condolences for the dead soldiers and postponed the summit he had called for until January 2020.

In fact, the African memory still retains the statements made by some French presidents, for example, former President Nicolas Sarkozy during his presidential term in 2007 said that the African man has not yet entered history as he should have, a statement that lacked a lot of tact.

Third is factors related to the international and regional players competing with the French role. France faces many challenges

This French connection is not limited to its linguistic, educational and cultural dimensions only, but the economic dimension was present in the French endeavor to strengthen its presence in the post-independence phase in Africa in order to preserve its interests.

from international and regional actors seeking to extend their hegemony and assert their presence on the African continent, especially in the areas of former French colonialism where there is an increasing sense of anti-French emotion.

This is despite France›s keenness to manage the issue of its relations with these countries in terms of fighting terrorism in coordination with the United States. However, the reality confirms the French desire to work alone, away from the American presence, as evidenced by what happened in July 2017 when the French presented a plan to the United Nations to establish a regional African security force in the Sahel.

It consisted of five thousand fighters to form the forces of the group of Sahel states and was known as G5 Sahel Force. The French request at the time was surprising to the United States, which expected that Paris would consult it on the plan, which did not happen despite the French dependence primarily on American logistical and intelligence support.

The matter was not limited to American competition for the French presence, but Turkey had a growing endeavor in this regard, a policy that enjoyed the tacit approval of the United States as an important tool not only against France, but also against both Russia and China.

Ankara has succeeded in exporting a negative image of the French role in assisting African peoples, especially countries with an Islamic background in West Africa (the place of French influence).

In addition to Turkish aid, which was estimated at about five million dollars for counter-terrorism efforts made by the bloc of five coastal countries, Turkey signed military agreements with some African countries such as Niger, thus complementing its presence in western Libya.

Along with this presence, which may carry the possibility of making understandings between its three parties (France, the United States and Turkey), on the other side of the shore comes a rival presence for this trio that includes Russia, China and Iran.

The Russian military and security presence in West Africa through Moscow’s agreements to strengthen cooperation in the field of military and security affairs complements the Chinese economic presence on the one hand and the Iranian religious presence on the other hand.

This makes the West African region a pivotal future conflict station between two alignments, each side trying to become the strongest player in the future of the upper half of the African continent, which experts consider the next and most important place for the game of global political influence.

Secondly is the French failure - is it the end of its role or the beginning of correction?

What is happening today in the African continent is an escalation of a trend rejecting the continuation of French interference in the affairs of the continent.

This reached the level of the transitional government in Mali expelling the French ambassador last month for the first time in the history of the country since its independence from the French

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Photo shows a group of Senegalese fans supporting TunisianFrench businessman Mohamed Ayachi Ajroudi.

occupation.

This followed the French position towards what happened in Mali in May 2021, which France considered to be a rejected military coup.

This escalation was not the result of the moment or a quick reaction on the part of the Malian government in rejection of the current French position.

The countries of the continent and their issues on the one hand, and the increase in the volume of international and regional competition to gain a foothold for Africa’s many and varied capabilities and wealth on the other hand, made some consider that these events are the beginning of the end of the French role in the African continent.

It also shows that there is an opportunity for international and regional parties to rearrange their relations with countries that are breaking their relations with France, similar to what is happening today in Mali, where its rapprochement with Russia and China is increasing in the face of French rejection.

But the matter is not as simple as some put it, because the disengagement between France and its old colonies faces a depth of cultural, educational and linguistic understandings between these countries and France.

Over the decades, even before independence, France succeeded in deepening its involvement and expanding the areas of its intertwining with African societies in general along with their political and cultural elite.

The artistic and media fields in particular ensure their continuity of existence and this is also reinforced by the fact that the competing parties to the French presence do not agree on one goal, but rather their individual interests reflect a priority in their policies towards the countries of the continent.

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It is true that they all agree on the importance of curtailing the French role and providing an alternative to it, but it is also true that this curtailment requires two things.

First is the ability of the opposing parties to compete with the French in light of their dominance over the African popular mind, and this will require more than a few years.

The second is the consensus of the opposing parties and their interests, which cannot be achieved in light of their divergent positions, conflicting interests and overlapping relations. This makes it difficult for these parties to have a great opportunity to dislodge France from its position in the African continent.

In conclusion, the French presence faces many challenges and many difficulties in individually seizing the capabilities and wealth of the countries of the African continent, similar to what was happening previously.

This is what France understands today and is now trying to rearrange its policies and its approach towards the countries of the African continent in order to preserve what it has achieved from a solid presence and in an effort to protect this presence in the coming days.

Africa has become one of the most important arenas of competition between many international and regional powers due to its geopolitical, economic and human capabilities.

This requires the countries on the continent to wake up to the present moment with its growing challenges through the presence of an African elite that puts the interests of their countries in the foreground.

This comes with the aim of not repeating history and preventing the fall of these countries again into the clutches of colonialism with its new tools.

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Three American Opinions on Ukraine No Usual Sharp Opposing Opinions between Democrats, Republicans

By Majalla - Washington Not since Joe Biden became President a year ago, have the Democrats and the Republicans declined to confront each other about a major issue – namely, the current issue of Ukraine. There have been no accusations and counter-accusations, no “endangering national security” slogans, and no calling for a special hearing, a committee, or a prosecutor.

On the Democrat side, its progressive group has been not only gaining support from Biden for its agenda, but even pushing him -- a moderate liberal -- further to the left to be accused by some of his opponents of being a “socialist.” Now, the group is warning Biden not to go to war because of Ukraine.

On the Republicans’ side, even Conservative Senator Mitch McConnell said that Biden is “moving in the right direction” in his response to Russia›s threats against Ukraine. Clearly, McConnell’s nightmare will be watching Biden campaigning later in the year against Republican election nominees, accusing the Republicans of being “soft on the Commies.”

Therefore, with no usual sharp opposing opinions, a variety of opinions has emerged.

These are opinions from three ideologically diverse people, from their tweets, websites and statements to the media.

These are opinions from three ideologically diverse people, from their tweets, websites and statements to the media: First, “Please no war,” said Representative Pramila Jayapal, chairwoman of Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Second, “Confront both Russia and China,” said James Carafano of the conservative Heritage Foundation.

Third, “Liberals, be realistic,” said Stephen Walt, Professor of International Relations at Harvard University, a liberal himself.

Pramila Jayapal: “Please no war:” “We continue to watch Russia’s threatening behavior towards Ukraine with alarm. There is no military solution out of this crisis — diplomacy needs to be the focus. We support the Biden Administration’s efforts to extend and deepen the dialogue, allowing for robust negotiations and compromise …

We have significant concerns that new troop deployments, sweeping and indiscriminate sanctions, and a flood of hundreds of millions of dollars in lethal weapons will only raise tensions and increase the chance of miscalculation...

Russia’s strategy is to inflame tensions; the United States and NATO must not play into this strategy. In past crises, where events are moving quickly and intelligence is unclear, vigorous, delicate diplomacy is

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essential to de-escalation…

We call upon our colleagues to allow the administration to find a diplomatic way out of this crisis …

Because things are moving so quickly, we felt it was important to make sure that members of Congress remained focused on diplomacy. We -- along with leaders of groups such as Peace Action, Code Pink, Friends Committee on National Legislation, and Win Without War --are worried that posturing by members of Congress could narrow nonmilitary options and accelerate tensions …

Sometimes, when these sorts of challenges are developing, members of Congress feel they have to do something very quickly, that they have to sign onto something that sends a message. We wanted to help people to think this through, and to understand that we don’t want to do anything that undermines the efforts of the diplomats …”

James Carafano: “Confront both Russia and China:” “One dangerous response

to the Ukraine crisis is that the U.S. should make nice with the Russians so they can either help, or at least not distract from, dealing with the threat from China. Or, at the very least, find a way to keep Moscow and Beijing from ganging up on the U.S …

This is an approach that is doomed to fail, and will do nothing to enhance the safety and security of the American people…

First, Russia and China’s goals in Europe are identical. They want a weakened and divided Europe that both can exploit. They both want to eclipse the U.S. partnership with Europe so that the free world is divided and more vulnerable.

Second, nothing since coming to power in 1999 shows that Russian President Vladimir Putin can be a trusted partner for the West. Putin has spent more than two decades trying to undermine the U.S. and its allies at every turn.

Third, policymakers must operate in the world they are in, and not in the world they want to be in. Simply put, Russia under the leadership of Putin can never be a reliable partner for the West and there is no reason to assume why cooperating with us against China would be any different …

Russia will always prioritize its resources and energy on Europe—not Asia. Even though it spans two continents, policymakers and political elites see Russia as a European power first and foremost. This is why the Kremlin meddles in places like Belarus or Ukraine. It knows that without influence or outright control of Minsk or Kyiv, Russia is merely an Asian power and not a European one …”

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One dangerous response to the Ukraine crisis is that the U.S. should make nice with the Russians so they can either help, or at least not distract from, dealing with the threat from China.

Stephen Walt: “Liberal Illusions:” “At the most basic level, realism begins with the recognition that wars occur because there is no agency or central authority that can protect states from one…

On the other side, liberalism divides the world into “good states” (those that embody liberal values) and “bad states” (pretty much everyone else). For liberals, the solution is to topple tyrants and spread democracy…

Although Moscow had little choice but to acquiesce to the admission of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic into NATO, Russian concerns grew as enlargement continued…

It didn’t help that enlargement was at odds with U.S. Secretary of State James Baker’s verbal assurance to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in February 1990 that if Germany were allowed to reunify within NATO then the alliance would not move “one inch eastward”—a pledge Gorbachev foolishly failed to codify in writing. (Baker and others dispute this characterization, and Baker has denied that he made any formal pledges) Russia’s doubts increased when the United States invaded Iraq in 2003—a decision that showed a certain willful disregard for international law. Even more after the Obama administration exceeded the authority of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 and helped oust Libyan leader Muammar alQaddafi in 2011…

Russia had abstained on the resolution—which authorized protecting civilians but not regimes.

The most tragic element in this whole unhappy saga is that it was avoidable. But until U.S. policymakers temper their liberal hubris and regain a fuller appreciation of realism’s uncomfortable but vital lessons, they are likely to stumble into disaster …”

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pinion

Arabs and Africa: Lonely Efforts, Little Benefits

By Abdelkader Zaoui

The Arabs should not look at their relations with African countries in the same way they look at relations with any other continent or international group because the African continent represents a natural geographical extension of the Arab world and a strategic depth for its national security. Moreover, twothirds of Arab citizens are Africans distributed among ten countries extending from the northern west of the continent to its far east.

movements to gain the independence of their countries.

The relationships have also witnessed some tensions and conflicts, but most of the time they were characterized by a spirit of tolerance and peaceful coexistence. It resulted from various aspects of cooperation in the commercial, cultural and spiritual fields, especially after the spread of the Islamic religion into vast African regions at the hands of the Arabs of the north of the continent.

In a remarkable show of solidarity, most of the countries of the African continent cut their diplomatic relations with Israel after the June 1967 aggression.

A Moroccan initiative with Egyptian support took place in Casablanca in January 1961, which was the first practical step in establishing the Organization of African Unity in 1963.

The political solidarity that laid the first building blocks for cooperative relations between For this reason, it is natural that relations be- Arab and African countries after independtween the two groups with old and continuous ence was further embodied by the support cultures have undergone all forms of commu- provided by most African countries to the Arnication and interaction throughout history. abs in their struggle with Israel.

If Western colonialism caused a kind of rupture in the relations of the two parties, rebellion and liberation played a major role in reweaving their relations again at the bilateral level between countries from each side.

The African position in support of the Arab stance during the October 1973 war had an effective impact on the two parties’ tendency to seek to expand their cooperation to other economic, commercial, investment, cultural, educational and other fields and to provide a collective framework for that through the creation of a joint mechanism for consultation and coordination between the Arab League and the Organisation of African Unity (the African Union after 1999).

Arab countries such as Egypt contributed after the July Revolution of 1952 while, after In this context and in response to the calls for its own liberation, Morocco played a major the creation of the hoped-for framework for role in helping most of the African liberation cooperation, the first Arab-African Summit 30

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was held in Cairo in March 1977.

That Summit went beyond merely issuing ambitious statements to establishing a set of mechanisms to follow up and implement the political decisions and development projects that had been agreed upon.

was observed in the international rush for economic and commercial expansion in Africa by major countries such as China as well as countries neighboring the Arab world such as Iran and Turkey that used their religious commonalities with African countries, in addition to the commercial and investment dimensions.

The most prominent of these mechanisms, after the joint summit of leaders, was the Ministerial Council among foreign ministers, and then the Permanent Committee consisting of 24 members sitting as equals.

Despite the enormous efforts made unilaterally by most Arab countries with the countries of the African continent, the results of cooperation between the two parties remain below the level of expectations.

However, the enthusiasm that followed the Cairo summit soon subsided as a result of political maneuvering by Arab parties that tried either to exercise a kind of guardianship over the African side and monopolize speaking in its name, as was the case of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s regime, or to exploit joint institutions as an arena for plotting by some Arab countries against others, such as the attempt to include and impose the Polisario Front among the representatives of the African side as a defiance against Morocco and against the decisions of the League of Arab States which had refused to recognize this separatist movement.

The trade exchange between the two parties does not exceed 5 percent of the volume of foreign trade in Africa and the value of Arab investments in non-Arab African countries did not exceed 4 billion dollars in 2015.

The African side does not hesitate to criticize what some countries receive in terms of Arab aid and donations, considering them to be meager.

There is no doubt that part of the lack of trade exchange between the two sides is due to the competitive nature of the economies of a number of African countries with the economies of This apathy was reflected in the regularity of their Arab counterparts, especially countries the meetings of Arab and African cooperative that depend on the export of raw materials. mechanisms, as the joint summit meetings were not held from 1977 in Cairo until 2010 But most of the reasons lie in the ineffectivein Tripoli. They have been held since then. In ness of the mechanisms established for collecturn, the Follow-up Committee stopped meet- tive cooperation, which requires abandoning ing from 1986 to 2001 after abandoning the a narrow perspective and acting with a sinillusion of forcibly involving the Polisario in cere will in order to seriously search for new Arab-African meetings. formulas for integrated cooperation in many fields.

This lethargy that plagued the joint collective mechanisms between the two parties and also For example, the African continent can be a affected the proposed cooperative programs source of food security for a number of Arab was compensated by the development of countries as it contains about 60 percent of the many bilateral relationships between the two world’s fertile lands, of which only about 10 groups. percent are exploited due to the absence of investment to develop the rest of the lands and This trend gained great momentum after what make them productive.

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If Western colonialism caused a kind of rupture in the relations of the two parties, rebellion and liberation played a major role in re-weaving their relations again at the bilateral level between countries from each side .

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How Big Business Is Taking the Lead on Climate Change

Three Factors Affect Companies’ commitment to their COP26 Pledges

By Kassia Yanosek, David G. Victor

ings and conversations among global business leaders that took place along the sidelines.

In retrospect, the most significant outcome of From the outset, the sheer size of the private-sector COP26—the UN Conference on Climate Change that turnout at COP26 suggested that industry was no convened in Glasgow on October 31, after a year-long longer prepared to stand by and wait for government postponement—may not have been the formal agree- action. By the time the summit concluded on Novemment hammered out by diplomats in the main plenary ber 13, many of the world’s largest companies and hall but the momentum that emerged from the meet- financial institutions had voluntarily announced bold

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Britain›s Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak speaks during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain, November ,3 2021. REUTERS/Yves Herman

new plans aimed at mitigating global warming. Over 5,200 businesses pledged to meet net-zero carbon targets by 2050, and some 450 banks, insurers, and investors—collectively representing $130 trillion in assets and 40 percent of the world’s private capital— committed to making their portfolios climate neutral during the same period. A group of major automakers pledged to stop selling fossil-fuel-powered vehicles by 2035. And the Mission Possible Partnership, an expansive industry-backed group focused on developing decarbonization road maps sector by sector, unveiled plans for three industries that have been among the hardest to transition: steel, shipping, and aviation. More sectors will follow.

The challenge will be making these plans a reality, not just for a few first movers but for whole industries. A new McKinsey analysis found that capital spending to reach net-zero emissions would need to increase from $5.7 trillion annually today to $9.2 trillion annually over the next three decades. That is an estimated increase of $105 trillion over 30 years.

Such a massive reallocation of capital would likely trigger a period of rapid innovation and growth, likely reshaping entire industries and revolutionizing the way businesses create value across industries.

Although this transition will generate new opportunities for many, with great opportunity comes great risk. And because no single firm can bear these risks on its own, managing them will require cooperation across industries and between industry and government. For business leaders, the biggest uncertainties concern whether technology, capital, and policy will come together in ways that allow firms to break away from old production methods and invest in new lines of business and new supply chains.

Boldly pledging to reduce emissions and actually implementing the changes that will make these reductions possible are two very different things. And as industries embark on decarbonization, their ability to make good on their COP26 pledges will largely depend on three factors: technological innovation, the pace at which carbon-intensive “brown” businesses can be converted into greener ones, and the deployment of massive waves of new capital.

By the time the summit concluded on November 13, many of the world’s largest companies and financial institutions had voluntarily announced bold new plans aimed at mitigating global warming.

that today are in the R & D or demonstration stage and not yet ready for commercial deployment. The innovations needed include “game-changer” technologies that will be highly disruptive, especially in industries that have so far proved difficult to decarbonize.

There is no shortage of interesting technical ideas, but the process of turning these innovations into scalable businesses is capital intensive and fraught with risk.

Significant investment may be necessary before it can be determined that a seemingly promising technology is even effective, let alone cost competitive. Risksharing mechanisms will be critical to developing, proving, and scaling up these first-of-a-kind technologies.

A decade ago, during the first wave of the energy transition, businesses developing commercial-scale solar components, biofuels, and battery-storage systems faced similar challenges. A key lesson from this first wave was that market forces on their own weren’t enough to help first movers develop and commercialize these technologies. The initial funding required was often too high for venture capital investors, yet the commercialization risk of new technologies was too high for mainstream debt and equity investors.

For most successful technologies, such as solar, the solution turned out to be a combination of policy supports, including tax credits, direct subsidies, and loan products, that backstopped the technology commercialization risks of scale-up projects. The industry learned that when government and businesses worked GAME-CHANGING TECHNOLOGIES together they could help unleash private capital—debt At the center of the coming industrial transformation financing, mainly—that allowed rapid scaling and is technology. The International Energy Agency (IEA) helped drive down costs and improve technical perestimates that to reach net-zero emissions, half the formance. carbon reductions in 2050 will require technologies Looking to the future, deep cuts in emissions from

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across the industrial system will depend on a cluster of critical technologies. Those likely include electric power plants that have zero emissions but could ramp up and down as needed—keeping the lights on even as wind and solar generators shift their output with the vagaries of the breeze and the sun. Hydrogen fueled power plants are a leading candidate. Hydrogen could be a “game changer” in other sectors as well because, once produced, it is easy to store.

Hydrogen fuel cells could thus be useful for applications, such as heavy trucks or ships, where batteries aren’t a practical way to store the huge volumes of needed energy on board.

The industry learned that when government and businesses worked together they could help unleash private capital— debt financing, mainly—that allowed rapid scaling and helped drive down costs and improve technical performance.

Despite their promise, these types of technologies are nascent today—and so are viable business models.

Here, lessons from the first wave should be applied.

Government support will likely be necessary so that good ideas don’t perish before they can be tested by business. Particularly important will be mechanisms such as government-backed loans for early, risky projects. The technologies that will be most crucial to achieving deep cuts in emissions will be capital intensive to scale and will thus benefit from low-cost debt financing.

BROWN TO GREEN Decarbonizing the high-emitting industries that today account for nearly 80 percent of global emissions presents another major challenge. The U.S. energy transition that began during the nineteenth century—a shift from biomass to coal, which was jump-started by technological improvements to the steam engine— took nearly 100 years. If the world is to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, it must transition to net-zero emissions at a much swifter pace over the next few decades.

Many analyses of the coming energy transition focus on the industries of the future. In reality, success will depend for the most part on how quickly the industries of today can transition from “brown to green” by phasing out carbon-intensive operations. The IEA and McKinsey have separately estimated that decarboni-

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The steaming coal-fired power plant Datteln 4 is reflected in the water of the DortmundEms-Canal in Datteln, Germany, 02 November 2021. EPA/FRIEDEMANN VOGEL

Protesters attend a demonstration during the COP26 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow, Britain 12 November 2021. The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) runs from 31 October to 12 November 2021 in Glasgow. EPA/ROBERT PERRY

zation of the industrial and energy systems comprises over 50 percent of the volume of carbon that must be cut over the next decade. McKinsey’s estimates have suggested that decarbonizing industrial and power systems, as well as scaling low-emissions power capacity, would require $60 trillion cumulatively over the next 30 years. The brown-to-green transition was an important emerging theme at Glasgow, as firms in some of the world’s highest-emitting industries, such as steel, cement, oil production, and electric power, made pledges to cut pollution.

Implementing brown-to-green strategies will require firms to deploy technologies to help decarbonize industrial processes. Oil companies, for example, are using a suite of technologies—including crop genetics, chemical engineering, and refining—to develop biofuels that will help make fuel sales carbon neutral.

A rapid uptick in government and industry pledges for clean fuel production has resulted in a market for biofuels that can replace jet fuel, for example. Investors are already rewarding some firms that have successfully executed brown-to-green transformations in this sector. Over the past decade, for example, the Finland-based company Neste has transformed itself from a regional oil refiner to the world’s largest producer of renewable fuels. Its valuation has more than doubled.

Many opportunities in the shift from brown to green involve electricity. Thus, the greatest risks and opportunities today may lie in the industries that remain dif-

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Two-thirds of emissions are produced in developing countries, and around half come from industries in which the technological and business solutions to reducing emissions remain unclear. ficult to electrify, such as air transport, heavy mining, oil refining, and the production of steel and cement.

Some of the most interesting opportunities in these sectors involve technologies for capturing carbon and storing it safely underground and technologies for shifting away from fossil fuels and using hydrogen as a fuel. Many firms in high-emitting industries are well poised to develop and deploy these technologies at scale given their existing skills in areas such as geology, chemical engineering, and complex project development. When it comes to testing whether the overall effort will be enough to mitigate warming globally, what will be key to watch is how many companies execute brown-to-green transformations on timelines like that of Neste.

A rapid shift toward green will mean accelerating the retirement of high-emitting assets to create

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space for cleaner alternatives. The transition away from conventional coal is already well underway across the Western world and has begun accelerating globally. About two dozen nations announced commitments to phase out coal power at COP26, and member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) made a five-year, $8.5 billion commitment to help South Africa move away from coal, which today fuels 90 percent of the country’s electric power demands. In the United States, some state regulators are speeding the retirement of coal by softening the financial blow—for example, by incorporating the

The brown-to-green transition was an important emerging theme at Glasgow, as firms in some of the world’s highest-emitting industries, such as steel, cement, oil production, and electric power, made pledges to cut pollution.

cost of shutting coal plants into the rate base of the companies they regulate. Although these are important developments, the global transition away from coal is just getting started, and action on one of the key challenges—helping the workers and communities that will bear the economic brunt of this shift— remains uneven.

INVESTING IN DECARBONIZATION A huge shift in the expectations of the world’s bankers and asset allocators is now underway, helping create more urgency around decarbonization. The newly formed Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) has brought a group of financial institutions together to identify ways to collectively invest in high-emitting sectors that might speed their efforts to develop zero-carbon technologies and to responsibly retire assets such as coal-fired plants. Many other alliances are emerging—which will prove most important is hard to pin down, but what is clear is that financiers are beginning to shift their capital deployment to make it more consistent with the goal of net zero by midcentury.

Lenders have begun considering the risk that highemission industries won’t fare well in the future and linking debt issuances to company sustainability objectives, although the mechanisms for

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U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during the «Accelerating Clean Technology Innovation and Deployment» event at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain November 2021 ,2.

Evan Vucci/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

Climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks at a Fridays for Future march during the UN Climate Change ,)Conference (COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain, November REUTERS/ .2021 ,5 Russell Cheyne/File Photo

doing so are still maturing. Determining the risk profiles of the various opportunities for sustainable investment that currently present themselves, such as green retrofits for oil and gas production or industrial plants, remains a major challenge for lenders. Without better metrics, efforts to invest in decarbonization could bring about many unintended consequences, including locking out the financing that will be critical to decarbonizing high-emitting assets. Industry players and investors are working to address this problem by developing quantitative parameters for assessing risks and returns in order to facilitate the flow of appropriately risked capital into decarbonization investments, but there is still much work to be done.

There is no shortage of interesting technical ideas, but the process of turning these innovations into scalable businesses is capital intensive and fraught with risk.

the policy guidance is clear and future financial rewards seem assured.

The larger picture remains sobering. Climate change is a global problem, and the challenges in NEW MOMENTUM the developing world are very different from those that are most familiar to industry leaders in deCOP26 helped focus the global business community veloped economies. Two-thirds of emissions are on decarbonization, providing momentum for new produced in developing countries, and around half investment and spurring the formation of new part- come from industries in which the technological nerships in the process. The challenge today lies in and business solutions to reducing emissions rehelping investors channel capital to brown-to-green main unclear. The next major global climate contransformations in which novel third-party financing ference, COP27, which will take place in Egypt, and public-private partnerships help unlock financial will be an overdue opportunity to spotlight that returns. Although private capital providers are already next frontier. seeking opportunities to invest in brown-to-green asset transitions, this is most evident in countries where This article was originally published by Foreign Affairs.

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B

ook Reviews

American Book: Arab and Mexican Integration in California

By Mohamad Ali Salih - Washington

During the second half of the 19th century, waves of Arab immigrants, mostly from today’s Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, went to both North and South America.

And while in each region the Arabs gradually integrated with the natives and the native culture, this book illustrates a different integration: among Arabs and Mexicans in California.

“Arab Routes” is authored by Sarah M.A. Gualtieri, Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity, History and Middle East Studies at the University of Southern California. She has a Ph.D. in Middle East History from the University of Chicago. And her first book was “Between Arab and White: Race and Ethnicity.”

One of the stories in the book about the peculiar integration of Arabs and Mexicans in California was about Mansur Nahra, a Syrian-Lebanese immigrant to the US at the beginning of the 20th century, who settled with his family in Los Angeles. The father had hired a young Mexican woman, Sipriana, to serve as a “motherhelper” for the family. The woman spoke Spanish to the children, who started learning the language, but the father was already fluent in Spanish.

In the book, his daughter, Vera Nahra Tamoush, remembers how her father integrated into Mexican culture, to the extent of being identified as one. The daughter said, “Oh yes, he was a Mexican!” in reference to how her father had transformed himself since he left his birth-place, Kobe, near Homs, in Syria.

His “Mexicanization” had started before he settled in

California when he spent a few years in Mexico. When he crossed the US-Mexican border, he wrote in the border entry application that his first name was “Mansur or Manuel.”

In Los Angeles, Nahra joined an already well-established community of Arab immigrants. There was Saur Hallal, brother of his wife Shafiqa Hallal, and Antonio and Naoum, Mansur’s brothers. But the Arabs lived among non-Arabs, like Mexicans, Greek, Russian and Italians, although the Mexicans had influenced Nahra’s family more than the other races and ethnicities.

According to the book, Nahra was a “Spanish-speaking and Arab-speaking merchant whose ‘Mexicanness’ may help to explain why he ended up in East Los Angeles, the owner of a furniture store that catered to a Spanish-, English-, and Arabic-speaking clientele.”

The book’s story of Nahra is part of an analysis of this peculiar phenomenon of Arab and Mexican integration in California, trying to “understand what it meant for Mansur Nahra to move through the world as a man from Mount Lebanon who, as his daughter Vera unequivocally affirmed, ‘was at heart a Mexican.’”

Book: “Arab Routes” Author: Sarah Gualtieri Publisher: Stanford University Press Paper pages: 224 Paper: $12.15 Kindle: $14.16

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One of the stories in the book about the peculiar integration of Arabs and Mexicans in California was about Mansur Nahra, a Syrian-Lebanese immigrant to the US at the beginning of the 20th century, who settled with his family in Los Angeles.

Book Cover

If the mere contradictions and problems of changing two countries, cultures and identities have not been easy for almost everyone who immigrated from the East to the West, Nahra’s story added another set of contradictions and problems because of his Mexican identity. In his US naturalization papers he wrote that he was a Syrian, but, in the same papers, he renounced the Mexican citizenship that he had obtained when he was in Mexico. Meantime, once an American citizen, he continued to be Mexican.

The book asks three questions about Nahra: “How did his time in Mexico shape him? What were the implications of losing Mexican citizenship? As a speaker of Spanish, what kinds of relationships did he forge in Los Angeles?”

The answers were: almost pure Mexican; moving away from his Arab origin was illustrated even inside his furniture store where he leaned more towards his Mexican employees than the Arab ones such as Adela Mazon, a Mexican who immigrated to the US. When Mazon married, Nahra was his best man – with that Mexican maid, Sipriana.

Then there was the story of Rafiq Hallal, brother of Shafiqa, Nahra’s wife, who had his own identity

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problem. Like Nahra, he crossed the border from Mexico to the US with his wife, Juana Kuri, from a MexicanLebanese family. But in the US, while still a Mexican citizen, her name was changed to Jennie Khoury. Now, living among a mostly Arab community, she found that “Khoury” was more Arab than “Kuri.”

In the US naturalization papers, she not only changed the spelling of her first and family names, but, also, listed her race as Syrian, her nationality as Mexican, and her language as Spanish. Again, after changing Kuri to Khoury, her last name became Hallal.

Then, there is the story of Katrina Sa’ade, a Palestinian who was born in Bethlehem. She was young when the family spent a few years in Russia. When the family returned to Palestine, and Katrina reached the marriage age, Emilio Kabande, returned from Mexico to Palestine with the intention of marrying an Arab woman. He was a third-generation immigrant, and thought of connecting back to the land of his ancestors.

Kabande met and married Katrina Sa’ade and took her back to Mexico. When the husband died in a train accident, the widow emigrated to California. This time, an Arab immigrant’s identity went beyond the two Mexican and American components— Katrina spoke Arabic, her mother’s tongue, Russian from her years in Russia, Spanish from her years in Mexico, and English as the language of her new country.

Her granddaughter Kathy described her as “living in five worlds,” a life which had its benefits and complications.

According to the book, Katrina’s “movements, multiple homes and expansive family networks are recurring life motifs in the history of the Arab diaspora in California.

Ethnically diverse, economically vibrant, and connected to the Middle East and to Latin America …”

A Weekly Political News Magazine

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Olaf Scholz: From «Scholzomat» to «Robin Hood» www.majalla.com

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Audience attending a show by the Confrontation and Roaming Theater troupe held in Halayb town, Red Sea Governorate.

Fighting Extremism with Arts

Troupe ‘confronts’ extremism, ‘roams’ Egypt

By Salwa Samir An Egyptian theatrical troupe was established in 2018 to tour the country, and to correct wrong perceptions and dispel harmful thinking.

The “Confrontation and Roaming Theater” is affiliated with the Culture Ministry’s Artistic House of Theater, which produces the shows.

“We want to achieve cultural justice among Egyptians and combat all ideas of extremism and terrorism,” Mohamed El-Sharkawy, Director of Confrontation and Roaming Theater, told the Majalla.

“Terrorism does not mean those who carry weapons and frighten people, it means also bullying and violent behaviors,” he added.

El-Sharkawy said that the troupe has performed over 350 shows to date outside of the Egyptian capital, including the villages covered by the Haya Karima “Decent Life” presidential initiative.

Haya Karima is an initiative endorsed by President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in 2019, with the aim of upgrading the quality of life in the impoverished rural communities within the framework of the Sustainable Development Strategy: Egypt Vision 2030, through decreasing multidimensional poverty and unemployment rates.

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People attending a show by the Confrontation and Roaming Theater troupe in Beheira Governorate, in the northern part of the country in the Nile Delta.

El-Sharkawy is also a Member of the Youth and Decent Life Committees at the Ministry of Culture.

He added that these efforts came in cooperation with a number of ministries such as Youth and Sports, Social Solidarity and the Interior.

He added that in coordination with the non-governmental organizations, they reach the rural areas and hold performances for its people.

SELECTING TOPICS

“We want to achieve cultural justice among Egyptians and combat all ideas of extremism and terrorism.”

Children have the right to be entertained as well, he said.

“In towns that have big numbers of children we Before the troupe prepares to go to an area, the mem- please them by performing the famous Egyptian bers select the topics of their shows according to the puppet operetta “El-Leila El-Kebeira” (The Big nature of the place and its problems.

Night), which dazzles the children and their families alike,” he added. The play was written by poet Salah “When we go to Upper Egyptian rural and underprivi- Jahin and composed by musician Sayed Mekawy in leged areas, for example, we hold shows about the the 1960s. The 40-minute show combines Egyptian overpopulation problem in addition to women’s rights folklore in a funny depiction of the moulid by showof inheritance, because Upper Egypt still has cultural casing the activities done in an Egyptian village. norms and traditions that are ingrained with sexism,” he explained.

El-Sharkawy added that in areas that overlook the Mediterranean Sea, the troupe performs shows related “We also shed light on the sectarian strife in some to the danger of illegal immigration.

Upper Egyptian towns like El-Minya,” he said.

“For the areas that are located on borders, we present

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A crowd gathers to watch a show by the Confrontation and Roaming Theater troupe in a village in Fayoum governorate, 130 km south west of Cairo.

shows focusing on army sacrifices and heroism,” he added.

VENUES El-Sharkawy said that most of Egypt’s big theaters are located in downtown Cairo compared to those located in other governorates.

“So we want to reach all Egyptians, even those living in rural and underprivileged areas,” he said, adding that the crew numbers about 1000 persons, of them 400 artists and 200 workers.

“We perform the shows either in theaters, youth cent-

“After we finished the show and removed the decor and lighting equipment, she said ‘No don’t leave. Leave the light here.”

ers, schoolyards or any open-air area we can turn into a cultural venue,” he said, adding that the shows are free.

El-Sharkawy said that the shows provide a golden opportunity to people in addition to entertaining them and raising their awareness about certain issues.

“At the shows, the residents of any town have the opportunity to meet their governor, who attends the shows, and ask him freely about their needs,” he said.

El-Sharkawy and his team are delighted by the reactions of people after they attend the shows.

“One of the comments that touched me the most was that of an old woman in an area in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Qena. After we finished the show and removed the decor and lighting equipment, she said ‘No don’t leave. Leave the light here.’”

By her humble words, she summarizes our mission “Culture lightens Life.”

All the photos provided by Mohamed El-Sharkawy, the Director

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A crowd attending a show by the Confrontation and Roaming Theater troupe held in a village of Qena Governorate in Upper Egypt.

Children are interacting happily at a show by the Confrontation and Roaming Theater troupe held in a village in Beheira Governorate, in the northern part of the country in the Nile Delta.

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Olaf Scholz: From ‘Scholzomat’ to ‘Robin Hood’

By Majalla Illustration by Jeannette Khouri Olaf Scholz- nicknamed “Scholzomat” for his robotic public appearances- has put his old robot-like, technocratic image behind him and secured an agreement to govern with the Greens and the business-friendly Free Democrats.

December 8, 2021 is one of the most important days in the life of socialist Olaf Scholz (63 years), as it was the day on which he was officially elected chancellor of Germany and officially received from German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier the document of his appointment to the position that former Chancellor Angela Merkel held for 16 years.

The 63-year-old former mayor of Hamburg promised voters continuity after 16 years under the conservative Mrs. Merkel, even though he was the candidate for the rival Social Democratic Party (SPD).

The quiet politician heads a government coalition of the Socialist, Greens and Free Democratic Party. The coalition came together after about two months of difficult negotiations to agree on a “traffic light,” as the coalition is called because of the red, yellow and green colors of the participating parties.

Scholz, who has been Finance Minister and Vice-Chancellor under Merkel since 2018, was the only horse the SPD could bet on. The party was lagging significantly in the opinion polls.

The former mayor of Hamburg was mocked

when he claimed to be the next chancellor, but the sober way he campaigned was one of the secrets of his success.

Dust off defeat and get up, then move on with determination, and be confident—these are some aspects of Scholz’s personality who was born in Osnabrück in 1958.

Scholz sustained many tremors in his political career, but that did not shake his self-confidence and deviate him from his path. Not even the parliamentary commissions of inquiry into financial scandals that shook Germany, such as “Wirecard,” were able to prove anything against him.

Moreover, his pragmatic handling of the Covid crisis won him much praise and high approval ratings. As finance minister, Olaf Scholz oversaw the emergency €750bn (£675bn, $884bn) funding package put together by the federal government to help German businesses and workers survive the pandemic.

“This is the bazooka that’s needed to get the job done,” said Mr. Scholz. “We are putting all our weapons on the table to show that we are strong enough to overcome any economic challenge that this problem might pose.”

On domestic policy, the Scholz government program calls for the abandonment of coal use by 2030, and the construction of new thermal power plants running on natural gas. In addition, the Scholz government intends to simplify the procedures for obtaining citizenship by reducing the required length of residence to five years, allow dual citizenship, license the sale of marijuana and raise the minimum hourly wage from 9.6 to 12.5 euros.

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The agreement, signed by the three parties to Germany’s ruling coalition, states that Germany remains committed to cooperation within the framework of the European Union and NATO, and calls for the development of a “new eastern policy” at the EU level and the strengthening of the role of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Observers describe Scholz as a supporter of a “moderate policy” toward Russia.

Scholz is known for his criticism of Moscow’s policies towards the Crimean Peninsula as well as events in eastern Ukraine. However, in May 2021 he supported the Nord Stream 2 project and criticized US sanctions against the companies involved in it, calling it “interference in the internal affairs of Germany and Europe”.

In 2017, Schulz published a book called “Hoffnungsland,” which focused on issues such as the migration crisis, Europe’s future, and regional conflicts.

Olaf Scholz is married to fellow SPD politician Britta Ernst. The couple lived in Hamburg’s Altona district before moving to Potsdam in 2018.

Scholz was raised in the mainstream Protestant Evangelical Church in Germany, but later left it. At his inauguration as Chancellor in 2021, Scholz took the oath of office without a reference to God (the second Chancellor to do so after Gerhard Schröder) and is the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany to not belong to a church.

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Amid Delays and Scandals, a Middling ‹Death on the Nile› Slumps Into Theaters

Hercule Poirot’s Vacation Turns Into a Terrifying Search for a Murderer

By Justin Chang There›s at least one moment in «Death on the Nile,» Kenneth Branagh›s latest Agatha Christie adaptation, when what›s on-screen brushes up uncomfortably against what›s off-screen. Linnet Doyle, an enviably rich socialite taking a honeymoon cruise down the Nile River, has just been found shot to death in her stateroom; her husband, Simon, is an inconsolable wreck, sobbing noisily over her body.

Watching this oddly strained, curiously revealing scene, I had to wonder why Simon›s grief rings so hollow. Could it be because the character is presented, in both the movie and Christie›s 1937 novel, as a dumb, opportunistic cad?

Or could it have something to do with the fact that he›s played here by Armie Hammer, the former Hollywood golden boy who stands accused by multiple women of sexual assault and abuse?

film›s own distributor clearly regards it as more than a minor inconvenience.

When the allegations against Hammer emerged last year, Disney reportedly considered reshooting his

Some would doubtless prefer I glossed over that scandal, as if it were incidental or irrelevant to the movie›s quality. Separate the art from the artist, or the product from the pretty face, or whatever. This is often easier said than done, depending on your ability to dissociate fiction from reality, even if that reality is disputed. (Hammer has denied the allegations.) I›m not too bad at it myself; compartmentalizing, much like suspending disbelief, is part of a critic›s job and a moviegoer›s prerogative. Still, it seems odd to sidestep the issue of Hammer›s alleged misconduct when the

Annette Bening, Sophie Okonedo, Armie Hammer, Gal Gadot, Ali Fazal, Rose Leslie, Letitia Wright, and Emma Mackey in Death on the Nile. (IMDB)

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Gal Gadot, Emma Mackey and Armie Hammer in «Death on the Nile.» (Rob Youngson/ Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation/TNS)

scenes with another actor, in much the same way that Christopher Plummer replaced the disgraced Kevin Spacey in «All the Money in the World.» (That call was made by director Ridley Scott, a producer on «Death on the Nile.») In the end, the role of Simon Doyle was too prominent, and Hammer›s interactions with the rest of the ensemble too extensive, to make such damage control feasible. And so, after multiple release-date delays — mostly chalked up to the pandemic, though you needn›t be Hercule Poirot to suspect other motives — the film finally steams into theaters this week, reeking of damaged goods and seeking an audience that won›t mind. It may well find that audience, especially among those who ate up its predecessor, «Murder on the Orient Express.»

Like that 2017 hit, «Death on the Nile» is a decidedly mixed bag. It›s nowhere near as good as John Guillermin›s stilldelightful 1978 film adaptation, with its authentic Egyptian locations and memorable turns by Peter Ustinov, Mia Farrow, Bette Davis, Maggie Smith and Angela Lansbury.

But neither is it as bad as some may have expected or even hoped. Christie›s story, one of her finest, is hard to screw up, even when Branagh and his returning screenwriter, Michael Green, seem bent on proving otherwise. Their movie is an often fussy, hectic confusion of old-timey pleasures and 21st century sensibilities, a mash-up that makes for some especially incongruous visual choices.

(Shot by Haris Zambarloukos in England and Morocco, the movie leans heavily on digitally conjured Egyptian locations, a choice that meshes none too seamlessly with

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After multiple release-date delays — mostly chalked up to the pandemic, though you needn›t be Hercule Poirot to suspect other motives — the film finally steams into theaters this week. its use of -65millimeter film stock.)

Once again, Branagh›s all-over-the-place direction — poor lighting, clumsy blocking, ill-motivated camera placement — proves rather less involving than his witty, touching performance as Poirot, the mustachioed Belgian detective known for his extraordinary deductive powers, obsessivecompulsive tidiness and sweet tooth. Joining him this time in the swirling ensemble cast are an underwhelming Gal Gadot, an outstanding Emma Mackey, an acerbic Annette Bening, a boisterous Tom Bateman (reprising his «Orient Express» role as Poirot›s friend Bouc), a sultry Sophie Okonedo, a fierce Letitia Wright and a nearly unrecognizable Russell Brand. And, yes, a prominent Armie Hammer, whose louche swagger is surprisingly effective here, even if it reverberates in ways that few at the time of filming could have anticipated.

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Some viewers may find those reverberations appalling, assuming they watch the movie in the first place. I›m loath to get too specific, especially for those unfamiliar with Christie›s story, but let›s just say the plot hinges in no small part on Simon›s sexual magnetism, the degree to which he pursues and manipulates — and is pursued and manipulated by — two equally ruthless women. And the movie translates that dynamic to the screen with an unapologetically, sometimes awkwardly bawdy energy: We first meet Simon in a sweaty London nightclub,

Linnet and Simon are having a destination wedding in Egypt, where Poirot is a last-minute guest and a furious, vengeful Jacqueline stalks the happy couple at every turn. As you might expect, the jilted lover isn›t the only passenger aboard their Nile riverboat who has reason to wish Linnet dead.

leading his fiancée, Jacqueline de Bellefort (Mackey), through a routine that looks awfully twerky for the ‹30s. «We have sex a lot,» Jacqueline confides to her childhood friend Linnet (Gadot), who will soon swoop in and steal Simon for herself with a multimillionaire›s casual entitlement.

Within weeks, Linnet and Simon are having a destination wedding in Egypt, where Poirot is a last-minute guest and a furious, vengeful Jacqueline stalks the happy couple at every turn. As you might expect, the jilted lover isn›t the only passenger aboard their Nile riverboat who has reason to wish Linnet dead. The others include a disgruntled assistant (Rose Leslie) and an unscrupulous moneyman (Ali Fazal) whom no one, regrettably, accuses of running a «pyramid scheme.» Those with less discernible motives include Salome Otterbourne (Okonedo), written by Christie as a bestselling trash novelist but here reconceived as a popular blues singer; her niece and business manager, Rosalie (Wright); and Linnet›s outspoken communist godmother (Jennifer Saunders), who arrives with a nurse companion (Dawn French) in tow.

Branagh and Green have largely retained the well-oiled mechanics of Christie›s dazzling murder plot, with its smoking guns, stolen jewels and strategic use of nail polish. But they have made any number of tweaks elsewhere, mostly with an eye toward lending the 1930s

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Armie Hammer and Gal Gadot in Death on the Nile. (IMDB)

Armie Hammer and Gal Gadot in Death on the Nile. (IMDB)

setting a sharper political edge. The cast has been streamlined but diversified. Racism and homophobia are among the story›s secondary villains. Some of these refurbishments prove more effective than others: In the end, we›re still watching a party of privileged tourists while the Egyptian locals remain largely in the background. (That›s arguably an improvement over how they›re treated in the novel, hardly the only Christie book to be marred by exoticizing impulses and Orientalist attitudes.)

Where the script remains most productively faithful to the book is in its atmosphere of lush, doomy romanticism; Jacqueline is far from the only character here grappling with the exquisite cruelties of l›amour fou. Although perhaps overripe with locally appropriate references to Antony and Cleopatra, the dialogue has its earnest charms: As one character notes on the eve of disaster, love is «not a game played fair. There are no rules.»

Indeed, if you were to take a drink every time someone in this movie described love as the most powerful, allconsuming and dangerous force in the world, you›d be passed out faster than Poirot on the fateful night someone slips him a sedative.

Ah, Poirot. Branagh clearly loves this character, leaning into the famously persnickety mannerisms even as he insistently locates an emotional core beneath the immaculate white suit and whiskers. Maybe too emotional; I remain skeptical of these movies›

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“I was attached to this kind of art.

It is very important to keep our ancient traditions alive.” insistence on fleshing out details of Poirot›s romantic past, elaborated here in a black-and-white prologue set during the detective›s World War I military service.

These are sweet, humanizing but also franchise-padding touches, and I object to them on more or less the same grounds that I object to the recent sentimentalizing of James Bond, brilliantly played as he was by Daniel Craig. We return to these sleuths again and again because of how good they are at what they do, not how bad they are at love.

This review was originally published on Los Angeles Times.

‘DEATH ON THE NILE’ MPAA rating: PG13- (for violence, some bloody images and sexual material) Running time: 2:07 Where to watch: In theaters Friday

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Gabaski: The Egyptians Stalwart Goalie The Zamalek goalie was Outstanding at AFCON2021

By Sarah Gamal A goalkeeper’s is the hardest situation in soccer. Not only does a goalkeeper need to exclusively perform under more tension than some other player. Yet, they should likewise have a special range of abilities, as well as confronting a more elevated level of rivalry than other players.

Speaking of which, the example of how the Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed Qotb Abou Gabal Ali aka «Gabaski» heroically led his country to reach the final of the 2021 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon comes to mind.

Gabaski, the goalkeeper of the Egyptian national team and Zamalek FC, became one of the best goalkeepers who caught everyone’s attention in the African Nations Championship that was held in Cameroon.

The goalie was instrumental in the Pharaohs’ success at the competition having made two saves each in the penalty shootout against Ivory Coast and Cameroon. He also saved Sadio Mane’s spot-kick during the final,

but CAF disagree, as they named Senegal’s Edouard Mendy the Goalkeeper of the Tournament.

The -33year old Zamalek goalkeeper was voted the man of the match at the end of the game against Senegal after making eight saves in 120 minutes of action; he saved eight of the penalties he faced in the competition for Egypt resulting in many choosing him ahead of his opposition in Sunday’s final as their goalkeeper of the tournament.

In this regard, despite being given the award, Mendy believes the Egyptian was the best goalkeeper of the tournament; “Gabaski is the best goalkeeper of the tournament, honestly.

I spoke to him and I told him he deserves it [to win goalkeeper of the tournament]. And I was really impressed by his tournament performance,” Mendy told Egyptian TV station MBC after the final.

The Zamalek of Egypt shot stopper’s heroics began after he replaced first choice goalkeeper, Mohammed El Shenawy who got ruled out of

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Mohamed Gabaski Abou Gabal stopped two of Cameroon three penalties in their semifinal clash- Photo Credit: Confederation of African Football (CAF).

the tournament after he injured himself in the Round of 16 clash against the Ivory Coast.

Gabaski was flawless throughout the tournament since coming on as a substitute.

Before the start of the African Nations Championship, Abou Gabal ranked fourth among the goalkeepers, he did not object, and he continued to work hard to advance in the rankings for second place, and a difficult opportunity came to him in a deadly timing, and an atmosphere impossible for any goalkeeper to deal with, and it was the gift of fate to be one of the reasons for qualification.

In the quarterfinal against Morocco, Gabaski started the match before being substituted in extra time due to injury. He returned to the starting line-up in the semi-final against hosts Cameroon. The match ended in a 0-0 draw after extra-time; in the ensuing shootout, Gabaski saved 2 penalties, helping Egypt reach the final.

Abou Gabal made his first debut with ENPPI in 2010, having spent his early career there before that. He won the domestic cup competition in

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«Gabaski», the goalkeeper of the Egyptian national team and Zamalek FC, became one of the best goalkeepers who caught everyone’s attention in the African Nations Championship that was held in Cameroon. his debut season, slowly making a name for himself as an able shot stopper.

The biggest club in the land came calling with a transfer to Zamalek materializing in January 2014. He would play only a handful of times over the coming two years across all competitions, but ended up winning the Premier League in 15-2014, along with two more Egypt Cups.

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Gabaski made his first international debut for Egypt back in 2011, and had to wait 10 long years for his next cap. He would feature twice in 2021 and was selected as one of the four goalkeepers in the squad named by Carlos Queiroz for the AFCON. Few if any supporters expected Gabaski to appear in the tournament, with regular firstchoice Mohamed El-Shenawy of Al-Ahly an unshakeable force between the sticks. Even then, in his first appearance he became a key

The Zamalek of Egypt shot stopper’s heroics began after he replaced first choice goalkeeper, Mohammed El Shenawy who got ruled out of the tournament after he injured himself in the Round of 16 clash against the Ivory Coast.

cog in Egypt›s run to the final thanks to a string of brilliant goalkeeping performances.

With Zamalek this season, Gabaski played with Zamalek in the Egyptian league this season only 4 matches, he came out of 3 matches without receiving any goal, «Clean Sheet», and received 5 goals in one match, which was in front of the traditional rival AlAhly.

During the 4 matches with Zamalek, Gabaski saved 14 real opportunities, so that the Portuguese coach, Carlos Queiroz, decided to include him in the ranks of the Pharaohs in the 2021 African Nations Cup. Regarding his nickname, it does not come from Eastern countries, contrary to popular belief. It was simply imagined in 2015 by Jesualdo Ferreira. As the Zamalek coach at the time, the Portuguese struggled to pronounce the name of his goalkeeper, and so he allegedly adorned him with this “diminutive”, invented from scratch but which has since stuck to his skin and appears on the flocking his jersey.

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Mohamed Gabaski Abou Gabal - Photo Credit: Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Mohamed Gabaski Abou Gabal - Photo Credit: Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Gabaski celebrating during AFCON 2021.

(Supplied).

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Can Brain Training Smartphone Apps and Computer Games Help You Stay Sharp?

The Evidence That They Improve or Maintain Brain Health is Limited

By Kelly Bilodeau “Improve your memory.” “Get a personalized brain training plan.” “Keep your mind sharp.”

These are the promises of an ever-growing number of smartphone apps and computer games being sold as a means to help protect and even improve your mind and memory. But

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is it true? Can electronic products really help your brain health?

“The companies who make these games would like you to think so,” says Dr. Andrew Budson, chief of cognitive and behavioral neurology at the VA Boston Healthcare System.

And it is theoretically possible that some do -- after all, there are hundreds on the market.

But the problem is there’s not a whole lot of concrete proof that this is the case.

It appears that while computerized brain training programs may help people get better at specific tasks that they practice using each program, the programs don’t seem to help them do better on other.

UNDERSTANDING THE RESEARCH Research into these apps often hasn’t followed best research practices, such as controlling for other factors that may influence the results.

And unfortunately, when researchers do use careful research methods, the benefits of using these apps and games often evaporate, says Dr. Budson. That said, there are some studies that have shown positive results, he says.

Photo Credit: Harvard Health

has already moved to penalize some app and computer game makers for making claims that it deemed unsubstantiated. In 2016, the regulatory agency fined a number of companies and ordered them to purge their marketing of misleading statements.

In addition to a dearth of research confirming the value of electronic brain-boosting programs, there is some additional evidence Researchers from the University of Iowa pub- linking certain types of screen-based activities lished one such study in 2019 in The Jour- to worse brain outcomes. For example, some nals of Gerontology. The researchers asked a studies have linked frequent use of social megroup of adults to follow a 10-week comput- dia to a higher risk of memory problems later erized brain training program and compared in life. A 2021 study published in The Jourthem against a control group of people who nal of General Psychologysaid this may have played traditional computer games. The re- to do with how scrolling on these sites affects searchers found that at the end of the study your mood. period, the people in the brain training group were faster at processing information and “Interestingly, some of the effects of social had better working memory (a measure of media seem to be linked to their tendency to how well they could recall information and increase negative emotions, working against apply it to tasks), compared with those who your attempts to maintain a positive outlook,” played the traditional computer games, says says Dr. Budson.

Dr. Budson.

But more commonly, tests of electronic programs seem to fall flat, says Dr. Budson. For example, a 2020 International Psychogeriatricsstudy of people ages 80 and older, which was structured much like the University of Iowa study, found no improvements in thinking or memory in either the computerized cognitive training group or the control group.

In addition, the Federal Trade Commission

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STRATEGIES TO PROTECT THE BRAIN

Ultimately, Dr. Budson says that based on the information out there, it appears that while computerized brain training programs may help people get better at specific tasks that they practice using each program, the programs don’t seem to help them do better on other, unrelated tasks or improve their cognitive performance over all.

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That said, if you’re using an app or brain training computer program and you like it, keep doing it, in moderation. Enjoyable activities, says Dr. Budson, can be good for you.

“Consider it a hobby, something you do to have fun, rather than something critically important for your brain,” says Dr. Budson.

But don’t overlook strategies that have already been shown to help maintain brain health, with physical activity and dedicated time for exercise topping the list. Budson says there are at

“Consider it a hobby, something you do to have fun, rather than something critically important for your brain,”

least six more that should be a priority.

1. Eat a healthy diet. Adopting a Mediterranean-style diet -- heavy on fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean meats, and low in processed and sugary foods -- can benefit your brain health.

2. Ditch bad habits. Illegal drug use, drinking too much alcohol, and not getting enough sleep at night take a toll on cognition.

3. Take time to socialize. People whose brains age well often have one thing in common: they have strong social ties. A 2011 study published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society found that among more than 1,000 older adults followed for five years, those who were the most socially active had 70% less cognitive decline compared with their less-social peers. But keep in mind that not all social experiences are beneficial. Negative or stressful relationships have been found to harm cognition.

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Photo Credit: Pixabay

Photo Credit: Beata Dudová /Pexels

4. Turn up the tunes. Listening to music or playing an instrument can benefit your brain, says Dr. Budson. When you listen to music, it engages multiple regions of your brain, activating the parts associated not only with language but also rhythm and memory. In addition, music has mood-altering abilities, which can help get you out of a funk or calm and relax you after a stressful day. “The AARP surveyed over 3,000 adults ages 18 and older and found that music was associated with self-reported reduced levels of anxiety and depression, very good or excellent brain health, good quality of life, happiness and mental well-being, and the ability to learn new things,” says Dr. Budson. Combining music, dancing, and social interactions can bring particularly potent brain benefits, he says.

you’re doing -- which can help you in numerous ways, among them remembering names, where you parked your car, or and where you left your keys. Taking a few minutes each day to do mindfulness training can make a difference. Learn how by signing up for an in-person or online class, or use a smartphone app or computer program.

6. Look on the bright side. Taking the time to put a more positive spin on your life might help your brain health, says Dr. Budson. A 2012 study published in The Journals of Gerontology found that positive thinkers appeared to have healthier brains than their pessimistic peers. Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging demonstrated that those who reported positive attitudes about aging had 30% less memory decline than people who held more negative views.

5. Be mindful. Taking time out of your day to focus on the present and to reset can bring cognitive benefits, primarily because it reduces brain-harming stress. It can also get This article was originally published on Harvard you into the habit of paying attention to what Women’s Health Watch.

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pinion

The Dream of Rationalizing Islam and Making a Modern State

By Saif Al-Abri

Dreams of a modern state in the Islamic world has been a subject of intellectual efforts. This effort of trying to ‘rationalise Islam and ‘naturalise Islam’ by intellectuals like Mohammed Arkoun and Abed Al Jabri to push Islamic culture out of its ‘dogma’ and play a role in modern political and economic scientific inquiry and be a ‘modern state’. But why has it failed and hundreds of books and efforts to no avail? Well, firstly, this doctrine by such intellectuals carries a post-colonial tone. This is that the Western cultural and political system is at the top of development, the end of history in which every country must follow European steps to progress. If investigated, this theory of progress whereby Europe is the pinnacle is very flawed.

The theory of progress always reminded me of a road to nowhere. Yet, this theory is everywhere and plays a significant role in people imagination.

Events like the enlightenment, industrialisation and the modern way of life are always seen as development. To make matters worse, nowadays, it is considered that this development has plateaued, where human progress has reached its pinnacle with only room for slight adjustments.

The source of such inflated optimism comes about from the separation between fact and value.

Ever since the rise of mechanical philosophy, the concept of objective knowledge became culturally dominant, as now, we can study the object in itself devoid of values and bias.

This concept then presented itself in the moral realm, whereby influential philosophers such as Hobbes stated that ethics could be determined by human reason rather than divine law. This replaced moral law by what philosophers such Justin Holmes, J.C Gray and Austin called the sovereign will, which represented ‘what is’ without regard of ‘what ought to be’.

Human reason now became the sole objectifier

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of the world, obeying it to its own will. Here is the major materialistic downside of such transformation of culture: the pursuit of happiness and actual utility became second to the preservation of life and protection of private property. These two now became the natural laws, the universal truths around which modern states revolve.

This theory is coloured with ideas of individualisation and freedom; however, how can that be when most people are subservient to material needs that restrain actual freedom. Destruction of theism has constrained the development of the ‹Technologies of the self (Foucault). The concept of community is being constantly attacked under modernisation. The epistemic of science views nature without any moralistic constrain as it is devoid of any value, creating a wave of violent environmental destruction. Liberal freedom is limited in two certain ways.

Firstly, freedom is limited to the first world as it becomes evident from worldly affairs. If thoroughly investigated, concepts of universal freedom become just slogans. Secondly, the concept of freedom created unaccountable entities with ‹limited liability› producing enormous human and environmental abuses.

To conclude, modernity is a European creation that, as Nietchze stated, is emergent from historical circumstances of intellectual development that gave new meaning to the concept of dignity, freedom, and what is reasonable. As such, it’s impossible to follow the historical steps of Europe as suggested by such Arabic intellectuals and join the pinnacle as we will always be behind them, and as seen above, it isn’t something someone wants to be behind. Morality, our sense of right and wrong, should be ingrained into our law system and way of life. The modern project has only existed for two centuries, yet its sustainability is brought into question.