Russia’s War in Ukraine Enters New Phase

NATO, West’s Arms Supplies to Ukraine

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Meet KSA’s First Countertenor to Sing in Coro Polifonico Musica

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Russia’s War in Ukraine Enters New Phase www.majalla.com

Editorial Images of dead bodies littering the streets in Bucha, Ukraine, have appalled the world this week.

Multiple witnesses say they were the victims of Russian soldiers who beat, tortured, and executed scores of civilians when they took of control of the town in early March.

But Russia has denied the accusations, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov describing them as “fake”.

In the cover story, Maia Otarashvili writes about how after 40 days of Russia’s war in Ukraine the conflict seems to show no end in sight and has entered a new phase.

She said that at home, President Putin’s propaganda machine continues to sell the war as a “special military operation” to “denazify and demilitarize” Ukraine and help the breakaway de facto republics of Donetsk and Luhansk “defend” themselves from the Nazis in Kyiv. The mounting photo and video evidence of Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine is placated as fake news and even acts of violence committed by the Ukrainian government against its own people for show.

In the politics section, Jassim Mohamed delves into the types of arms provided by Western countries to Ukraine. Since the start of the war on February 2022 ,24, Western countries have sent thousands of anti-tank missiles and hundreds of air defense missiles and ammunition to Ukraine.

The United States was not alone. European Union countries also supplied arms to Ukraine worth 450 million euros (503$ million) and protective equipment worth 50 million euros (55$ million).

The EU also took the decision to support the Ukrainian army with combat aircraft and fuel with 350$ million in arms supplies, including anti-tank weapons. These numbers were disclosed in an English-language report published by Anadolu Agency on February 2022 ,28 entitled: “NATO, Western Countries Begin Arm Supplies to Ukraine.”

In the economy section, Jiwan Soz talks about the fate of Syrian businessman Khodr Ali Taher, who is close to the Syrian first lady Asma Al-Assad and who is making headlines in Syria, after mixed reports about his residence.

Some opposition-affiliated local media reported that the businessman who was not known in Syria until 2016 has fled the country, while other media outlets denied the reports.

In the art section, Sara Gamal interviews Mohammed Khayran AlZahrani who is Saudi Arabia’s first countertenor to sing in coro polifonico Musica.

Today, Al-Zahrani is an icon of Saudi and Gulf opera music and one of the few who can capably perform this art.

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

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A Weekly Political News Magazine

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A Weekly Political News Magazine

32 Syrian Businessman Close to Syrian First Lady Stirs Controversy

Issue 1899- April- 08/04/2022

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From Close Friends, Allies to Bitter Foes

Celebrated in 44 Akhenaten Egypt’s Minya 5

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22 American Debate on Ukraine’s Future

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Art Therapy: Creativity and Recovery

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How the Metaverse Will Reinvent the Art of Photography

56 Supplementing Your Sleep

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Ramadan in Dubai A Muslim arrives to attend the Asr prayer inside the Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 02 April 2022. Muslims around the world celebrate the holy month of Ramadan by praying during the night time and abstaining from eating, drinking, and sexual acts during the period between sunrise and sunset )EPA Photos(

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Celebrate the Syrian Christian Assyrians Syrian Christian Assyrians wearing traditional outfits perform a dance as they celebrate the Assyrian (Babylonian) New Year, also known as Aketo, in the town of Qahtaniyah in Syria›s northeastern Hasakah province, on April 1, 2022. Al Qahtaniyah, , Syria s )AFP Photos(

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SAU

LEBANON

EGYPT Egypt, often the world's top wheat buyer, saw a rise in imports of the grain from Russia in March despite supply and payment disruptions following its invasion of Ukraine that also drove traders to seek shipments from other suppliers.

Egypt received 479,195 tonnes of wheat from Russia in March, 24% up from the same month last year, according to freight data seen by Reuters. Ukrainian wheat imports stood at 124,500 tonnes, down 42% year-on-year.

Lebanon Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh on Monday denied that the institution he has led for 30 years was bankrupt and said it was still going about its legally-mandated role despite losses in the financial sector.

The comments in a statement by the governor were an apparent response to the deputy prime minister, who said on Sunday that both the state and the central bank were bankrupt.

Lebanon is in the third year of a financial implosion caused by decades of corruption and bad policies that has led the currency to crash in value by more than 90% and banks to lock most savers out of hard-currency accounts. A draft government financial rescue plan earlier this year estimated a roughly $70 billion hole in the financial sector.

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ia’s non-oil private sector kept up its of growth in March as output at the fastest rate in over four years, howed on Tuesday. ne seasonally adjusted S&P Global ia Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) ole economy rose to 56.8 in March n February, exactly in line with the age since August 2009.

Arabia PMI continued to signal wth in the non-oil economy in new business and activity rose ine with recovering client demand,” d Owen, economist at survey &P Global.

UAE Israel and the United Arab Emirates have concluded negotiations for a free trade agreement, Israel's Economy Ministry and the UAE foreign trade minister said on Friday after formally establishing ties in 2020, Trend reports with reference to Reuters.

The UAE and Israel have between $600 million and $700 million in bilateral trade, UAE's economy minister Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri said in September.

KUWAIT Kuwait's government submitted its resignation on Tuesday, state news agency KUNA reported, ahead of a no-confidence vote against the prime minister in parliament, amid a lengthy political feud that has hindered fiscal reform in the Gulf oil producer.

Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, who took over most of the ruling emir's duties late last year, received the government's letter of resignation from Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid, KUNA reported.

Sheikh Sabah, a member of the ruling al-Sabah family and premier since late 2019, has faced a combative legislature as the head of successive cabinets, with opposition MPs bent on questioning him over issues including perceived corruption.

IRAN The United States is responsible for the pause in talks between Tehran and world powers in Vienna aimed at reviving their 2015 nuclear deal, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

"America is responsible for the halt of these talks ... a deal is very much within reach," Saeed Khatibzadeh told a weekly news conference.

"Washington should make the political decision for the deal's revival," he said, adding that Tehran would "not wait forever".

The U.S. State Department said on Thursday that a small number of outstanding issues remain in the nuclear talks, adding that the onus was on Tehran to make those decisions.

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A WEEK ACROS CANADA.

U.S. The United States targeted Russian banks and elites with a new round of sanctions on Wednesday, including banning Americans from investing in Russia, in response to what President Joe Biden condemned as Russian "atrocities" in Ukraine.

The new sanctions hit Russia's Sberbank (SBER.MM), which holds one-third of Russia's total banking assets, and Alfabank, the country's fourth largest financial institution, U.S. officials said. But energy transactions were exempted from the latest measures, they said.

Pope Francis on Friday made a historic apology to Indigenous peoples for the “deplorable” abuses they suffered in Canada’s Catholic-run residential schools and said he hoped to visit Canada in late July to deliver the apology in person to survivors of the church’s misguided missionary zeal.

Francis begged forgiveness during an audience with dozens of members of the Metis, Inuit and First Nations communities who came to Rome seeking a papal apology and a commitment from the Catholic Church to repair the damage. The first pope from the Americas said he hoped to visit Canada around the Feast of St. Anna, which falls on July 26.

More than 150,000 native children in Canada were forced to attend state-funded Christian schools from the 19th century until the 1970s in an effort to isolate them from the influence of their homes and culture.

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ETHIOPIA.

Widespread abuses against civilian the western part of Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, Human Rights Watch an Amnesty International have charge in a new report.

The crimes were perpetrated by security officials and civilian authorities from the neighboring Amhara region, sometimes “with th acquiescence and possible participation of Ethiopian federal forces,” the rights groups say in the report released Wednesday.

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UKRAINE. Russian forces have taken control of 60% of the town of Rubizhne in Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region, which has suffered heavy shelling across its territory for the past 24 hours, Luhansk Governor Serhiy Gaidai said on Wednesday.

"Sixty percent of Rubizhne is controlled by the Russians," Gaidai said in an online post, accusing a former official of assisting the Russian forces by handing over information.

Gaidai said Russian forces had carried out 81 mortar, artillery and rocket strikes across the region over the past day.

Reuters could not independently verify the information.

CHINA.

INDIA.

A paramilitary solider was killed and another wounded in a rebel attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir’s main city, while four laborers were injured in two separate attacks elsewhere in the disputed region, police said Monday.

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China has sent the military and thousands of healthcare workers into Shanghai to help carry out COVID-19 tests for all of its 26 million residents as cases continued to rise on Monday, in one of the country's biggest-ever public health responses.

Some residents woke up before dawn for white-suited healthcare workers to swab their throats as part of nucleic acid testing at their housing compounds, many queuing up in their pyjamas and standing the required two metres apart.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Sunday dispatched more than 2,000 medical personnel from across the army, navy and joint logistics support forces to Shanghai, an armed forces newspaper reported.

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Dead bodies of five men are pictured, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, in the town of Bucha, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, April 4, 2022. REUTERS/ Marko Djurica

Russia’s War in Ukraine Enters New Phase

Int’l Community Calls for Holding Russia Accountable for Bucha Crimes

By Maia Otarashvili

After 40 days of Russia’s war in Ukraine the conflict seems to show no end in sight and has entered a new phase. After suffering significant defeats and failing to take Kyiv, Odessa, and Kharkiv within the first 48 hours of invasion as originally planned, Moscow seems to have established a set of secondary goals in Ukraine.

By early April, Moscow realized it had bit off more than it could chew. It had overestimated its own military might and underestimated Ukraine’s willingness and ability to

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy looks on as he is surrounded by Ukrainian servicemen as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, in Bucha, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, April 4, 2022. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

defend itself. The international community, Europe and the United States in particular, have rallied behind Ukraine supporting it militarily and financially while imposing severe sanctions on Russia.

At home, President Putin’s propaganda machine continues to sell the war as a “special military operation” to “denazify and demilitarize” Ukraine and help the breakaway de facto republics of Donetsk and Luhansk “defend” themselves from the Nazis in Kyiv. The mounting photo and video evidence of Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine is placated as fake news and even acts of violence committed by the Ukrainian government against its own people for show. The propaganda machine has worked so well, that according to a recent survey 81% of Russians support the war in Ukraine.

Unable to defeat the Zelenskiy Government and take Kyiv, having faced serious setbacks due to serious logistical issues, Russia has pulled its forces back from northwestern parts of Ukraine, and currently the Kyiv district is free of Russian

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By early April, Moscow realized it had bit off more than it could chew. It had overestimated its own military might and underestimated Ukraine’s willingness and ability to defend itself. forces. The Ukrainian forces have also taken back Chernobyl, as well as Chernihiv and Sumi districts. As of this writing, Russia has reportedly given up 40% of the territories it took on February 24th. But as the Russian pullback began, the world witnessed horrific images of tortured and murdered civilians in the town of Bucha, Borodyanka, Irpin, and elsewhere.

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In his address to the UN Security Council on April 5th, President Zelenskiy recounted what he saw in Bucha and pleaded that the Council take steps to punish Russia: “The Russian military searched for and purposefully killed anyone who served our state. They executed women outside the houses when approaching and simply calling someone alive.

They killed whole families - adults and children.

And they tried to burn their bodies. I am addressing you on behalf of the people who honor the memory of the deceased every day. Every day, in

Unable to defeat the Zelenskiy Government and take Kyiv, having faced serious setbacks due to serious logistical issues, Russia has pulled its forces back from northwestern parts of Ukraine, and currently the Kyiv district is free of Russian forces.

the morning. The memory of the killed civilians who were shot in the back of the head or in the eye after being tortured; who were shot just on the streets; who were thrown into the well, so that they die there in suffering; who were killed in apartments, houses, blown up by grenades; who were crushed by tanks in civilian cars in the middle of the road, for fun; whose limbs were cut off, whose throat was cut; who were raped and killed in front of their own children. Their tongues were torn out only because they did not hear from them what they wanted to hear.

How is this different from what the ISIS terrorists were doing in the occupied territory? Except that it is done by a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.”

In light of the mounting evidence of Russia’s continued war crimes in Ukraine, Russia was hit with a new round of U.S. sanctions.

The latest set of sanctions targets Russia’s Sberbank which holds one-third of Russia’s total banking assets, and Alfabank, the country’s fourth largest financial institution. Families of President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov have also been sanctioned. Meanwhile, the West continues to support Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself. A major challenge in aiding Ukraine militarily has been the lack of training for Ukrainian troops to operate some of the more complex

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Ukrainian soldiers walk next to destroyed Russian tanks and armoured vehicles, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in Bucha, in Kyiv region, Ukraine, April 6, 2022.

REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis

The mother of killed Ukrainian serviceman Georgiy Plisak cries during his funeral ceremony at a cemetery near Lutsk, Ukraine, Thursday, March 31, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

defense systems and military aircraft. Now that it seems this war is dragging on indefinitely, Pentagon says it is supplying the Ukrainian armed forces with 100 Switchblade drones as part of a $800 million military aid package.

This aid package will also include training for a small group of Ukrainian soldiers to operate the drones.

Measured against its initial war objectives, Moscow is losing this war. However, domestically pressure is mounting on the Putin regime to prove itself victorious in this “noble” mission in Ukraine. Moscow’s secondary goals in Ukraine have also become clear. Russia will likely regroup and intensify fighting in Ukraine’s eastern and south-eastern regions including Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhia regions.

Mariupol, one of the biggest port cities in the south-east, has essentially fallen after intense Syria-style aerial bombardments levelled the city. These regions border Russia and Moscow will likely have an easier time holding an intense line of fire after it regroups and resupplies its forces.

On March 29, Istanbul hosted peace negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. The parties said there was reason for cautious optimism. Ukraine was offering major concessions to Russia, including a promise not to join NATO if Ukraine’s in-

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The mother of killed Ukrainian serviceman Georgiy Plisak cries during his funeral ceremony at a cemetery near Lutsk, Ukraine, Thursday, March 2022 ,31. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) ternational allies offered it a collective defense charter resembling NATO’s Article 5.

Ukraine even offered a 15-year timeline for negotiations over Crimea. The de-escalation talks did not lead to a ceasefire, and shortly after the meeting ended Russia’s military pullback revealed the atrocious scenes from Bucha. Now, the de-escalation talks are replaced by discussions about the international community’s need to hold Russia accountable for these war crimes. Will Ukraine continue to offer Moscow the same settlement terms it presented in Istanbul now that the severity of the Russian atrocities has reached new levels? This is to be seen and depends on the West’s continued support of Ukraine.

NATO, West’s Arms Supplies to Ukraine How are They Shaping the Scene of Action?

By Jassem Mohamed – Bonn The NATO and Western countries took the decision to provide aid to Ukraine in its war against the Russian “invasion,” in an attempt to avoid direct confrontation with Moscow. Since the start of the

war on February 24, 2022, Western countries have sent thousands of anti-tank missiles and hundreds of air defense missiles and ammunition to Ukraine.

The United States was not alone. European Union countries also supplied arms to Ukraine worth 450 million euros ($503 million) and protective equip-

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ment worth 50 million euros ($55 million). The EU also took the decision to support the Ukrainian army with combat aircraft and fuel with $350 million in arms supplies, including anti-tank weapons. These numbers were disclosed in an English-language report published by Anadolu Agency on February 28, 2022 entitled: “NATO, Western Countries Begin Arm Supplies to Ukraine.”

The new aid the US has given Ukraine includes a wide range of military equipment, ranging from 25,000 sets of body armor and helmets to rifles and grenade launchers, as well as thousands of other anti-tank weapons and more than 20 million rounds of ammunition. Washington has also sent Javelin missiles and the 800 Stinger antiaircraft system, which was once notorious for shooting down Soviet planes in Afghanistan, 100 “tactical unmanned aerial systems” — small drones — often manually launched and small enough to fit in backpacks.

A German soldier holds the latest version of the Panzerfaust 3, which incorporates a standoff to overcome reactive armor tiles, June 2021. Getty Images

It is worth noting that the US military aid to Ukraine in 2021 exceeded one billion dollars.

As for Britain, it delivered anti-tank missiles to Ukraine in January 2022, and an additional military support package covering both lethal and non-lethal defensive weapons. For its part, the Czech Republic said it donated a shipment of 152mm artillery ammunition.

The new aid the US has given Ukraine includes a wide range of military equipment, ranging from 25,000 sets of body armor and helmets to rifles and grenade launchers, as well as thousands of other anti-tank weapons and more than 20 million rounds of ammunition.

5,000 anti-tank missiles and 500 Stinger missiles, as well as 5,000 helmets.

The Netherlands sent air defense missile launchers, while Estonia sent Javelin anti-tank missiles, Poland and Latvians sent Stinger surface-to-air missiles, and the Czechs sent machine guns, sniper rifles, pistols, and ammunition. Even formerly neutral countries, such as Sweden and Finland, sent weapons to Ukraine. Britain provided an estimated 2,000 short-range anti-tank missiles, sent British specialists to provide training, and also supplied Saxon armored vehicles.

France, meanwhile, provided fuel aid to Ukraine in addition to military equipment. As part of Large shipments of weapons, military NATO, France also sent 500 soldiers and armored equipment to Ukraine vehicles to Romania, neighboring Ukraine, four Mirage 2000 warplanes to Estonia, and deployed According to NATO, Belgium, Canada, the 200 to 250 soldiers there. Turkey has sent severCzech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, al shipments of Bayraktar TP2 drones that it has Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Po- deployed against Russian-backed separatists in land, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the eastern Donbas region, infuriating Moscow.

Britain and the USA have already sent large Types of weapons Ukraine received from Westshipments of military equipment to Ukraine, as ern countries well as millions of dollars, while other member states have provided humanitarian aid and wel- Western countries supplied various types of comed refugees. weapons and equipment, most notably: the M-72 light anti-tank weapon (LAW) by Australia, BelSweden, for its part, decided to supply Ukraine gium (200), Denmark (2700), Finland (1500), with weapons: 5,000 AT4 anti-tank weapons, Greece, and Norway (2000). The M-72 LAW 5,000 steel jackets, 5,000 military helmets and was originally developed in the 1960s as a US food for 135,000 soldiers. Germany demonstrat- weapon to defeat enemy armor on the battleed its military support to Ukraine by providing field. It is a fiberglass launch tube with a sight-

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older anti-tank missiles. Milan is a Cold Warera anti-tank missile with a range of 2,000 meters that can be fitted with a thermal night sight.

Nevertheless, Ukraine has asked NATO to supDenmark sent anti-tank weapons consisting of ply it with MiG-29 fighters, which are still in M-72ECs. Finland sent 1,500 light anti-tank service in Bulgaria and Poland. These requests missiles, including M-72 LAWs, Next Genera- aim primarily to protect the Ukrainian airspace tion Light Anti-Tank Weapons (NLAWs), or the from Russian bombers. The Ukrainian Air older French-made APILAS. One of the most Force can take advantage of the USA’s A-10 successful weapons on the Ukrainian battlefield attack aircraft. is the NLAW’s next-generation anti-tank weapon, the older brother of the M-72 LAW. Has Ukraine become a swap for Russian forces?

Russia is currently waging a war that it probGreece sent Ukraine “portable rocket launch- ably cannot win no matter how events unfold on ers,” and Italy sent anti-tank weapons that could the battlefield. It appears that Ukrainian forces include Milan’s medium-range Panzerfaust 3 or have successfully withstood the Russian incursion. Russia’s losses have been aggravating, with the war taking a more violent turn. As Russian forces attempt to capture Ukrainian cities, they are likely to face enormous resistance, although some military experts have interpreted this as a repositioning of Russian forces more than being a loss. ing mechanism for a 66mm anti-tank missile that is sealed inside the factory. Once launched, the launch tube is discarded.

Milan is a Cold War-era antitank missile with a range of 2,000 meters that can be fitted with a thermal night sight.

Despite these losses, Russia perceives its national security a priority. It believes that it is better

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A U.S. Marine firing an M-72 Light Anti-Tank Weapon (LAW). Credit: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS)

A Ukrainian soldier with a Javelin anti-tank missile during exercises in western Ukraine, May 26, 2021 Volodymyr Tarasov/ Ukrinform/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

to be in a confrontation now in Ukraine is better than to have Ukraine join NATO, and to have the organization at the Russian borders, which is what Moscow rejects.

Western military and intelligence assessments that believed Russia would quickly bring down Kyiv and take control of a large part of Ukraine have been proven incorrect. Ukrainian forces, backed

by NATO weapons, put up surprising resistance.

The Russian army suffered extraordinary losses in troops and equipment and this may be why it retracted back from its positions around the Ukrainian capital.

War of attrition The war of attrition is a military strategy in which one side tries to bring the enemy down to the point of collapse through continuous losses in personnel and equipment. The word “attrition” comes from Latin “attrition,” which means “friction.” In this context, it reflects how the military is trying to eliminate its opposition. War of attrition tends to be less strategic and less targeted at key checkpoints. It often involves more guerrilla warfare: ambushes, sabotage, raids and the like by small

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Russia’s losses have been aggravating, with the war taking a more violent turn. groups of attackers and sometimes deliberately targeting civilians. It is more about reducing the enemy’s resources to unsustainable levels than trying to capture cities or military bases, while keeping the option of controlling losses. Russian forces in Ukraine appear to be heading toward a war of attrition that would have a devastating impact on civilians.

The Ukraine war can be described as a war of attrition for both Russia and Europe, and this could be in the interest of the US administration.

Washington aims to escalate Europe’s military spending and drag Russia into Ukraine, weakening it militarily and economically through a sustained Western arms supply line to Ukraine and the escalation of economic sanctions against Moscow.

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American Debate on Ukraine’s Future What Russia Wants Ukranian Leaders to Do

By Mohammad Ali Salih - Washington Now that Russia said it was withdrawing from Ukraine’s capital, Kiev, and concentrating on the eastern part of the country, it didn’t declare its end-plan, and although it has become clear that it is facing more Ukrainian resistance than it had thought, it

is not clear what it wants Ukrainian leaders to do, even though Russia still maintains the upper-hand.

This situation has flared up a new set of debates in the US about what Ukraine would, or should, do.

The debate has been clouded, not only by Russia’s secrecy and ambiguity, but also

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Bruce Riedel

by Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky’s opposite strategy of being outspoken and emotional. Add to that his changing position about his future relation with Russia: Once he said that negotiations with Moscow and its pledge to reduce attacks on Ukrainian cities were just “words.” At another time he said: “We all equally want to win, but there will be battles ahead. We still have a difficult path to travel to get everything we are striving for.”

Last week, the Washington Post described Zelensky as “The 44-year-old Ukrainian comedian who has evolved from a political neophyte, widely doubted among Western leaders and Ukrainian voters in the run-up to the war, into a crisis commander who has cemented his place in the history of Ukrainian nationhood and inspired a will to resist at home and abroad with personal bravery.”

This is a description of Zelensky that added to the uncertainties and complexities of the American debate about his and his country’s future.

Here are three opinions from this debate: First, Zelensky “is the real dilemma in my mind,” said Keith Darden, a political science professor at the American University in Washington, DC, and author of two books, “Crisis in Ukraine” and “Economic Liberalism and Its Rivals: The Formation of International Institutions among the Post-Soviet States.”

Second, Zelensky “is in a sort of Catch-22 [a contradictory or self-defeating course of action],” said Mikhail Minakov, an expert on Ukraine at the Kennan Institute, a branch of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, in Washington, DC. A Ukrainian who was born in the former Soviet Union, he authored, among many books on Ukraine, “Development and Dystopia. Studies in post-Soviet Ukraine and Eastern Europe” and “New Ukrainian Exceptionalism,” (both books in English).

Third, “The Russians underestimated Afghanistan’s mullahs in the 1980s.They seem to have underestimated Zelensky today,” said Bruce Riedel, a former CIA expert on Afghanistan, and now at Brookings Institu-

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This is a description of Zelensky that added to the uncertainties and complexities of the American debate about his and his country’s future. tion in Washington, DC. Following are excerpts from the respective opinions of the above experts, drawn from their tweets, websites and statements to the media.

Keith Darden: “A Dilemma”: “Ukrainian President Zelensky has relied on intense feelings of nationalism to continue to fight this war, but those are exactly the forces that make it extremely difficult to put this war to an end. That’s the real dilemma in my mind …

The Kremlin’s requirements for stopping the onslaught of attacks on Ukraine give Zelensky a place to start negotiations and he could compromise on several issues.

However, a fatal blow to Zelensky would be accepting Russia’s demand that he (a) halts his pursuit of NATO membership; (b) can’t accept military assistance from NATO countries, and (c) Ukraine should be a demilitarized country …

When you’re suffering an invasion of your neighbor and they’re asking you to demilitarize, it’s not an option. The only thing saving Ukraine is its military, but a military facing a stronger military ...

That kind of territorial change would completely reorder the politics of Ukraine as a whole in a way Moscow would see as favorable.

Putin could go further. Recently, Russian state television aired a map of Ukraine with the territorial “presents” gifted to Kyiv by czars, Bolsheviks and Soviets. Putin’s military campaign may entail slicing away Ukraine’s coast and eastern industrialized regions, in addition to the west, leaving a

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small, unviable rump state, while annexing parts of the country to Russia …

But, we (the Americans) don’t want to go to war over Ukraine and we have made that very explicit. But we also don’t want the war against Ukraine to go unpunished.

But those two things might not be compatible.

It is hard to contain an escalatory cycle like this …”

Mikhail Minakov: “Catch-22”: “Right now, everyone in Ukraine, starting with Zelensky, is eager to resist — eager if not to win, then to batter Russia as much as possible ... Zelensky is in a sort of Catch-22 [a contradictory or self-defeating course of action]. He tries to find the possible way of staying in this position, remaining charismatic, but at the same time to find a solution …

He has to find a solution because Russia, despite its recent setbacks in Ukraine, still has enormous power, and the West, on the other hand, has the only power of punishing Russia outside the military front.

Will that work?

The question is who are the groups that are hit by these sanctions? So far, the most probable scenario is that the blow is to the upper

Ukrainian President Zelensky has relied on intense feelings of nationalism to continue to fight this war, but those are exactly the forces that make it extremely difficult to put this war to an end.

five percent of the population, while the people from smaller towns and from rural areas and from provincial Russia will be less impacted.

And if that’s true, then there will be some support for Putin, or he can at least try to gather this support there.

And, it could provide a regime with some legitimacy …

On the other hand, the invasion of Ukraine could be the beginning of the end of the Putin regime.

During his rule, there have been two social contracts: One with the population, telling them: ‘You rank and file citizens, get your income for your household, and you will be economically well-off—in exchange for your political rights—and, you will be defended socially and from criminality.’ Right now, this contract is most probably broken.

Second, the contracts with the elites. Elites were not involved in this decision-making,

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Keith Darden

The Russians underestimated the Afghan Mujahideen in the 1980s. They seem to have underestimated Zelensky today.

Mikhail Minakov

Yet, by making some of the same mistakes that haunted Soviet leaders until the day their empire fell apart, Putin has put Russian power — not to mention his own future — in doubt.

In setting out to reverse history, he may instead be repeating it...

Yet, if anything, this war is going far worse for Moscow.

I was working in the CIA’s operations center on the night that Soviet paratroopers began landing in Afghanistan. The U.S. policymakers had rapidly seized on the idea that “this could be the Soviet Union’s Vietnam.”

Washington could help by supplying money and arms to the rebels, funneling that assistance through Pakistani partners.

“The U.S. role [in Afghanistan] was basiand the sanctions are killing their wealth. cally the quartermaster of the war. That’s the You literally can see that every week, these role that Biden and company envision for the Forbes List people are losing half of their U.S. again. wealth and it seems to be continued—espe- As was true in Afghanistan, Moscow appears cially in those zones where they were bring- to have been caught off-guard by the backing their capital from Russia … ing that Ukraine is getting from beyond its The attack on Ukraine was not just an ab- borders. solute crime. It was an irreparable mistake Before the invasion, NATO, the European that put into motion the end-game for Putin’s Union and the United States were all racked regime in Russia …” by internal division. President Biden had just overseen his own humiliating retreat from Bruce Riedel: “Like Russian AfAfghanistan and was believed to have little ghanistan”: appetite for confrontation.

But the West has shown unexpected unity in “The Russians underestimated the Afghan sticking up for Ukraine. And this time, the Mujahideen in the 1980s. They seem to have support is coming not in the shadows, but in underestimated Zelensky today. the wide open.

But, there’s irony in that failure: Putin, in The weaponry, too, is more sophisticated invading Ukraine, has appeared bent on re- now. Much of the early assistance to the storing the glory lost when the Soviet Union mujahideen came in the form of small broke up, an event he has described as the arms, such as rifles, with anti-aircraft ‘greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the cen- Stinger missiles arriving only after years tury.’ of combat …”

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olitics

From Close Friends, Allies to Bitter Foes

Declassified Documents on Relations between Iran, Israel Revealed

By Suzan Quitaz For decades files regarding Israel-Iran ties were censored. Now, 10,000 confidential pages have been declassified and are available in Israeli State Archives. The documents tell the story of a large-scale partnership and exceptional relations between the two countries. Comparing how things were and how they have been in the past 40 years, this raises a feeling of curiosity and an urge to examine how this is possible.

In June 2005, the hard-line mayor of Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was to become the sixth president of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

A few months after taking office, he gave a speech at a conference held in Tehran’s Interior Ministry which was entitled “The World without Zionism.” In his hate-ridden speech, he described Israel as a “disgraceful blot” saying “as Imam Khomeini said, Israel must be wiped off the map (…) The Islamic umma will not allow its historic enemy to live in its heartland.

Anyone who signs a treaty which recognises the entity of Israel means he signed the surrender of the Muslim world.” Five years earlier then Iranian president Hashemi Rafsanjani called to “annihilate Israel with a nuclear strike.”

Nonetheless, in March 1950, Iran become the second Muslim-majority country after Turkey to give Israel de facto recognition, which became open and official a decade later. For a good 30 years, the two countries enjoyed very good relations and cooperated on many levels.

“Our relations with Iran are very complicated and they confirm the Arab saying ‘necessity should not be condemned’” said Moshe Sharett, Israel’s Foreign Minister on July 11, 1951.

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, saw a strategic opportunity in having close ties with the newly-established state. Israel’s continued military victories in 1948 and 1967 were game changers in military terms. Israel was to be seen as a prominent regional power. The Shah was full of admiration for Israeli military capabilities and this coincided with his ambitions of making Iran into a regional power. He also felt threatened by the spread of Soviet-sponsored Gamal Abdel Nasser’s pan-Arab Nationalism.

The Shah needed a strong ally who happened to be the new enemy of his enemies - Israel.

From Israel’s point view, Iran fit into Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion’s “Pe-

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Recently, Israel’s Foreign Ministry has lifted the lock on the more than 10,000 pages of documents regarding the relations between Israel and Iran from 1953 until 1979.

Iranian oil exports accounted to more than 60% of Israel’s needs. The alliance over oil required the two countries to work together to secure the safety of shipping routes and to counter Nasser of Egypt’s attempts to export his Arab Nationalist ideology and promote military alliances throughout the Arab world, which was at the time very hostile towards Iran and Israel.

Israeli companies, ranging from textiles, medical appliances, water, fertilizers, construction, aviation, shipping, gas, agricultural and infrastructure projects were operating extensively in Iran. In some years, Iran was one of the main destinations for Israeli exports. One of those companies was Vered, a planning and construction company that won a contract to build a 160-foot-high dam in Shiraz, Iran.

Palace employees replace the portrait of the Shah with Ayatollah Khomeini’s at the Niavaran Palace in Tehran on 16 Feb 1979 Photograph: Alain Dejean/Alain DeJean/ Sygma/Corbis

riphery Doctrine” of forming alliances and friendly ties with non-Arab states in the periphery of the Middle East, including Turkey, Iran and Ethiopia, but as well as with ethnic and religious minorities, like the Maronite in Lebanon and the Kurds in Iraq, with whom Israel has maintained a discreet relationship with since 1960s.

Recently, Israel’s Foreign Ministry has lifted the lock on the more than 10,000 pages of documents regarding the relations between Israel and Iran from 1953 until 1979. The declassified files tell a history of a deep and exceptional ties.

At that time Israel was newly established and faced many challenges, one of which was the threat of its hostile Arab neighbours, who were vocally opposed to its very existence. Iran’s partnership was strategic and central to Israel from a security and economic point of view.

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Israel was also to become one of Iran’s biggest weaponry suppliers. The spectrum of activity was wide, ranging from selling weapons and military products to training the Iranian army and security apparatus. During the 1960s, EL AL operated regular flights between Tel Aviv and Tehran insofar as Israel had so many contractors and military advisers living in Tehran that the government of Israel opened a Hebrewlanguage school for Israeli children. Relations existed at the highest level with Prime Minister Golda Meir meeting with the Shah in 1972. Two years later, when Meir resigned and Yitzhak Rabin took over, he also visited Iran.

The Fall of the Shah But outside Tehran and the big cities the story was different. Iran was suffering from a sharp cultural and socioeconomic divide. Tehran

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and cities like Tabriz were rich, modern and had an educated class. Meanwhile, in the rest of the country, people were living in poverty and there was a wide opposition to the corrupt and oppressive regime of Shah. The gap between the haves and have-nots was to widen, and with it rose louder voices demanding social justice and quality. The streets in Iran were boiling and finally exploded with mass protests uniting people from across the political spectrum.

The Shah dealt badly with these protests, excessive force was used and he ordered the army and police to open fire on unarmed demonstrators.

The Shah’s brutality only galvanized the revolt and helping lead the revolution from afar was

Khomeini declared Israel as an “enemy of Islam” and called Israel “the Little Satan” and the United States was to be called ‘the Great Satan.”

the exiled religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini.

The Shah fled Iran and immediately thereafter, on the 1st of February 1979, Khomeini arrived in Iran. A week after Khomeini’s return, the Israeli government decided to evacuate its remaining representatives in Tehran, especially Ambassador Yossef Harmelin.

The Shah’s authoritarian secular regime was overthrown in a popular uprising only to be replaced with authoritarian theocratic regime. The revolution was hijacked by the radical Islamists, Khomeini was to become the Supreme Leader and established the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The new government started a campaign of terror and a crackdown on dissidents causing many Iranians to flee and seek asylum in Europe and US. At the time of the revolution more than 100,000 Iranian Jews lived in Iran. They enjoyed a relatively good and safe life. However, this was to change as Khomeini’s rhetoric was becoming more and more anti-Israel. Jewish life was under threat and those who managed to flee did so with barely their lives.

Khomeini declared Israel as an “enemy of Islam” and called Israel “the Little Satan” and the

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A visitor looking at portraits of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the exhibition “Faces of Power” in Cologne, 2012.Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Senior Iranian defense officials with Israeli counterparts at the IDF headquarters, 1975 Credit: Public domain / Wikimedia Commons

United States was to be called ‘the Great Satan.”

On February 18, 1979, he severed ties with Israel, evacuated the Israeli Embassy in Tehran and handed over the keys to Yasser Arafat’s Palestine Liberation Organization. The new regime also introduced a ban on Jewish emigration and instituted policies aimed at Israel’s destruction.

In 1980, with arrival of Iran-Iraq war, pragmatic strategy superseded Khomeini’s ideals. Here, Israel and Iran had a common enemy, Saddam Hussein. Iran was to be embroiled in an enduring war with Iraq from 1980 until 1988. Hussein was to be supported by rich Gulf monarchies and managed to get the US and much of the western world behind him.

Iran was desperate for weapons and Israel could not resist the opportunity of arming Iran. Soon after Reagan took office, his administration secretly and abruptly changed US policy and allowed Israel to sell several billions of dollars’ worth of American made arms, spare parts and ammunition to Iran.

Iran and Creation of Regional Proxies With the defeat of Saddam Hussein’s regime in the second Gulf War in 1991, the Iraqi threat against Iran was extinguished. Iran’s new focus

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was to revive the old focus - Israel. Khomeini was happy to resume the call of resisting the “Zionist Little Satan regime.”

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRG) and the elite Quds Force provided arms, training and financial support to militias and political movements in at least six Arab countries: Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, Syria and Yemen. Since 2012 Iran has spent at least 16 billion dollars supporting its regional proxies.

In 2020, the US State Department estimated that Iran gave Hezbollah $700 million annually.

“Hezbollah’s budget, everything it eats and drinks, its weapons and rockets, comes from the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said in 2016 Regional enforcers like Hezbollah would carry out Iranian missions against Israeli targets, for example, the 1994 bombing of Buenos Aires Jewish Centre.

Tehran’s spectrum of aid packages to Hamas and Islamic Jihad, ranged from giving them $100 million annually to having their fighters trained by IRG and the elite well-trained Quds Force. From 2012 until 2017 Iran cut the funding to Hamas after its refusal to support Assad in the Syrian civil war.

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In 2017, Yahya Sinwar a Senior Hamas military leader announced: After the fall of Hussein’s regime in 2003, Iran has created layers of local proxies in Iraq such as Kataib Hezbollah, Asaib Ahl Al Haq, and many more. These cells often would carry out missions targeting U.S.-led coalition forces and American soft targets in Iraq.

With the arrival of the Arab Spring and Syria descending into a bloody civil war, IRG established and trained the Zaynabiyoun Bridgade and reactivated the Fatemiyoun Division, which is an Afghan militia established in the 1980s.

It had almost died out but was to be revived by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 2012.

In Yemen since 2012, Iran has spent hundreds of millions of dollars aiding Ansar Allah, aka Houthis. Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah expanded training and increased arms shipments and arms after a Saudi-led coalition intervened in the Yemen war in 2015.

Will Israel-Iran Shadow War Slip into the Open?

The probability of this shadow war turning to an open war is unlikely as both countries have determined that a direct war is not in their national interests. For years the two foes have regularly attacked each other in different places in tit for tat attacks. Between 2008 and 2010, the Israelis managed to infiltrate Iran’s Natanz Nuclear Facility and destroy its centrifuges using Stuxnet. Over the years a series of assassinations of

With the defeat of Saddam Hussein’s regime in the second Gulf War in 1991, the Iraqi threat against Iran was extinguished.

Iran’s new focus was to revive the old focus - Israel.

Iranian nuclear scientists has taken place. Israeli officials refused to comment but all the fingerprints pointed to Israel.

Recently, Iran took the drastic step of launching missiles from Iranian territory into the Kurdish region in Iraq, striking targets in Erbil. Iran claimed the target was linked to the Israeli government, an allegation the governor of Erbil totally denied. The Erbil strike came days after Iran said that Israel had killed two Revolutionary Guard members in an attack in Syria. Around the same time Israeli government websites came under a widespread cyberattack. No one claimed responsibility, but the fingers are pointed to Iran.

The cold war or the shadow war between Israel and Iran will continue with its sporadic missile attacks, alleged espionage, cyberattacks and use of proxies to do their bidding. For an open war to happen, the determination of going to war has to change for one of them. Israel strongly opposes the Iran nuclear deal. Back in February, Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Israel was “organising and preparing for the day after (the signing of the deal), in all dimensions, so that we can maintain the security of the citizens of Israel on our own.”

Should the nuclear deal be signed, Israeli operational attacks against Iran are to be expected but one should rule out a full-blown war. Israel might target Iran’s nuclear facilities as well as its ballistic missile design and production facilities or it may also attack Iran’s proxies.

Some media outlets reported last month that the IDF located and attacked a hidden Iranian drone storage facility, destroying hundreds of drones.

Hezbollah categorially denied this and said it is “totally and completely untrue.”

It’s hard to predict how Iran would retaliate if Israel launched a direct attack on its soil. There is no doubt that the Israel Defence Force (IDF) has the military capability of defending Israel and certainly has substantial advantages over Iran with every type of conventional weaponry.

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Iranian schoolboys shooting toy guns at an Israeli flag as it burns during an anti-Israeli rally marking “Al-Quds Day” (Jerusalem Day), Tehran, Oct 2005.Credit: AP

However, one should not underestimate Iran.

Iran might choose to not respond directly and let its army of proxies in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and Iraq do its bidding. Iran has already deployed substantial military assets to Syria and Iraq. Hezbollah fighters’ skills have been further sharpened due to their engagement in Syria and they have increased the size of their rocket and missile stocks. Hamas in Gaza has also a large cache of rockets. These proxies can strike targets across Israel, and perhaps hope to overwhelm Israel’s Iron Dome Defense systems.

Israel is aware there is little it can do to influence the outcome of the Iran nuclear negotiations.

The Israeli government instead has taken other measures of counter-balance if the deal goes ahead. It appears to pressurize its US ally for a

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bilateral agreement to address Israeli concerns.

The Knesset also passed a budget featuring a £1.6 billion increase in spending for the defense establishment to prepare for the threat posed by Iran. During the Negav Summit in March, Israel worked towards deepened security ties with its new Abraham Accords partners in the Gulf and recently signed a security pact with Bahrain.

Israel can still inflict devastating losses on Iran and its proxies even if the nuclear deal is signed. What Israel should not do is abandon the shadow war, “we must preserve the rules of the game. If we do something dramatic in Iran, like striking nuclear facilities, it will trigger a severe escalation on many fronts” says Danny Citrinowics, who used to lead IDF intel gathering on Iran.

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conomy

Syrian Businessman Close to Syrian First Lady Stirs Controversy Is the War Profiteer Hiding or Fleeing?

By Jiwan Soz – Qamishli The fate of the Syrian businessman Khodr Ali Taher, who is close to the Syrian first lady Asma Al-Assad is making headlines in Syria, after mixed reports about his residence. Some opposition-affiliated local media reported that the businessman who was not known in Syria until 2016 has fled the country, while other media outlets denied the reports.

Who is Taher? and has he truly fled Syria?

Taher was born in 1967 in Safita in the countryside of the Syrian coastal governorate of Tartous. He wasn’t known on a large scale until 2016 when he emerged as a businessman and a prominent economic figure of the Syrian regime, particularly in the projects of the First Lady. However, he wasn’t wealthy before that time; he only owned a small shop before the eruption of the Syrian war a decade ago.

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Although opposition-affiliated Syrian media reported the escape of the businessman, who’s also nicknamed “Abu Ali Khodr”, carrying a huge sum of money, regime-affiliated media have not denied or confirmed these reports.

PROMOTING AN ANTI-CORRUPTION CAMPAIGN

Syrian businessman Khodr Ali Taher

“Instructions were issued by the presidential palace to censor any news reports about the escape of the businessman who owns dozens of huge Syrian companies and economic institutions,” a source in the Ministry of Mass Communication in Damascus told Majalla.

In fact, Taher owns Ella Tourism Company, and Emma Tel LLC, which is used as evidence on his relationship with Asma Al-Assad, as she owned the company before she married the Syrian President. Taher is also a co-founder of Jasmine Contracting Company and the board chairman and co-founder of the Syrian Hotel Management LLC. In addition, he owns Ella Media LLC, and co-founded and managed Emma Tel Plus.

Moreover, Taher is the director and the owner of Al Ali & Al Hamza LLC. He also co-founded the Syrian Company for Metals and Investments, and co-founded and headed Elegant Company, in addition to the Golden Star Trading LLC and dozens of Syrian companies and economic institutions.

Speaking to Majalla, some local sources called into question the news of Taher’s escape, particularly that opposition media mentioned that he smuggled three billion dollars abroad. That huge sum is desperately needed by the regime now due to its crippling economic crisis caused by the American and European sanctions.

The same sources believe that the regime is pressuring Taher and his men in order to maintain its image as a corruption fighter. That’s why security forces raided into Taher’s house and the houses of his employees in Damascus and its countryside.

DETAINMENT OF TAHER’S EMPLOYEES The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has

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“Instructions were issued by the presidential palace to censor any news reports about the escape of the businessman who owns dozens of huge Syrian companies and economic institutions.” announced that security forces raided into residences of a number of the businessman’s employees and detained some of them.

The UK-based Observatory revealed that the authorities wanted to detain the businessman himself, but he wasn’t at his house.

The Observatory’s field correspondents denied to Majalla that it is possible for Taher to flee the country.

One correspondent told Majalla that “the businessman is hiding now, but has not been able to leave Syria yet,” while indicating that he might be able to flee later if the authorities keep clamping down on his companies and institutions.

“PRINCE OF CROSSINGS” IS PROTECTED BY THE 4TH DIVISION Taher has strong relations with the Fourth Division of the Syrian Army, which is led by Maher Al-Assad, the President’s brother. He also used to manage the finances of the Fourth Division and impose royalties on traders, industrialists and other capitalists in Syria. That was highlighted earlier by Fares al-Shehaby, the head of the Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce and the former member of the Syrian Parliament, who accused Taher of taking royalty from factories in Aleppo in a phone interview with the Syrian News TV Channel.

Al-Shehaby, who is one of the first to uncover Taher’s relationship with the regime, said that the businessman was fighting the “national industries” and selling smuggled goods in the regime-controlled areas. Although al-Shehaby’s criticism was harsh, Taher’s activities did not stop, but he managed to remove the TV inter-

view, which proved the regime media supported him. Taher was even welcomed by the regime’s Interior Minister two years ago despite all the suspicions and accusations raised against him.

Taher is also known as the “prince of crossings” in reference to the internal crossings between the regime and opposition-controlled areas.

He is also accused of monopolizing imports of many food products, clothes, baby formula, cigarettes and others. In addition, he is said to force owners of factories and industrial facilities to buy their raw materials from his companies.

SANCTIONED BY THE UNITED STATES Most of the businessman’s companies were

Taher, known as the “prince of crossings” is accused of fighting the “national industries”, monopolizing imports of many products and smuggling goods in the regime-controlled areas.

included in the US sanction in late September 2020. However, his economic activities kept going as he established companies in new names, although he himself was sanctioned by Washington a year and half ago, non-governmental sources told Majalla.

There is no accurate estimates of the wealth Taher accumulated during the years of war, but some local economic websites said it is about 12 billion US dollar. Some Syrian actors who support Al-Assad expressed their solidarity with Taher: the well-known singer Hossam Junaid described him in a Facebook post as “the father of the poor” and posted a photo of the businessman with a comment “You are as firm as a rock.”

Despite the mixed reports about his escape or hiding, Taher has not appeared on media until now. His disappearance might mean that he is detained by the authorities which didn’t want to announce it, especially that his travel abroad is very difficult due to strict state control over border crossings and Damascus International Airport.

RESTRUCTURING CORRUPTION The Syrian regime wants to restructure corruption, special sources told Majalla. This means that the authorities would detain Taher and other businessmen to force them return huge sums

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Syrian businessman Khodr Ali Taher

Asma al-Assad

of money to the state, just as the President did three years ago with Rami Makhlouf. The wellknown businessman Makhlouf was forced to return huge sums of money to the regime which took over a number of his companies in an anticorruption campaign as described by state media.

Recently, discontent grew among residents of regime-controlled areas due to deteriorating living conditions and the political deadlock under western sanctions. That triggered the regime’s campaign against some businessmen and promoted the idea of recovering stolen public assets via legal channels and international organizations. Taher could be one of these businessmen.

According to the same sources, in the recent years, the Syrian regime is used to replacing businessmen in its close circles occasionally to assure its popular base that it is fighting corruption. This means a new businessman would come to replace the old one.

Taher’s hiding and reported escape coincide with the removal of a Syrian businessman from the EU sanctions list. The European Court of Justice has lifted the sanctions imposed on the Syrian businessman Abdelkader Sabra whose attorneys appealed before the EU court.

Informed sources told Majalla that the removal of Sabra doesn’t mean restoring ties between the regime and the EU, particularly that a French diplomat was behind the lift of sanctions on Sabra.

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Sabra (born in 1955) is the first President of the Chamber of Maritime Navigation in Syria, and a co-founder of Cham Holding which was part of an alliance between businessmen and the regime. He is also a co-founder of Arwad tourism projects and one of the most prominent businessmen in the Syrian coast. His Sabra Group is based in Tartous and he was one of Makhlouf’s partners and close men. But in 2013, the regime decided to confiscate all of his movable and immovable properties.

During the recent years, most of businessmen who supported the regime have amassed enormous wealth in the aftermath of the Syrian war.

Majority of them were not known earlier, and the local economy was exclusively controlled

by Rami Makhlouf and his men. The war has made room for more people to invest and trade.

Less than two months ago, Syrian Minister of Finance Kenan Yaghi pledged to enforce a unified tax system on income and sales which aims at increasing the rate of taxation and amending the present tax law. He said it would achieve “tax justice”, and that meant taking actions against a number of businessmen in the coming months.

Yaghi announced that his ministry is preparing a legislation that includes the exemption of minimum wages and raising this minimum to 94,000 Syrian pounds instead of 50,000 pounds. The announcement came in a meeting with a number of industrialists, investors and businessmen in Hassia Industrial City in Homs, in which they discussed financial and tax issues in late February.

Taher (or Abu Ali Khodr), Hossam Qatarji, Amer Foz, Samir Qattan, Yasser Aziz Abbas, Maher Burhan Eddine al-Imam, Sakr Rostom and others were among the prominent names serving as the regime’s economic front after the war. Most of them were listed in the EU and US sanctions over their support to Al-Assad. * Jiwan Soz is a researcher and journalist who focuses on Syrian and Turkish affairs and minorities in the Middle East. He is also a member of Syndicat National des Journalistes (National Syndicate of Journalists [SNJ]). He tweets at @JiwanSoz1

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echnology

How the Metaverse Will Reinvent the Art of Photography Metaverse Photography Unlocks Liberty to Explore Light, Color, Perspective and Output

By Bryan O’Neil Hughes

dimensional, no matter how high the pixel count or how masterful the composition. Imagine the realityFrom film and digital portfolios to the infinite scroll altering effect, then, of a photo—and the memory it of social media, photography has long fueled our evokes—that you could visit and revisit in its entirety. imagination, evolving in step with our technology Though highly speculative in its specifics, the metaverse has broken open our understanding of while helping us distill a timeless version of reality.

Think about flipping through your camera roll. Colors, interactive media, raising an existential question faces, landscapes whizzing by. Photos have the power about the definition of photography itself. I’ve spent to transport you. And yet the destination remains two- my career finding new ways to capture those singular

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moments and building software tools that help others do the same. Nearly 30 years since my first gig, I’ve never been more excited about how technology is reinventing what we’re capable of. While the internet and rise of photo sharing apps accelerated the creation and consumption of photography, the metaverse has already begun to upend its mechanics.

Free from limitations of past devices or even the laws of physics, photography in the metaverse unlocks previously unimaginable liberty to explore light, color, perspective and output. In a culture of content creators reckoning with the “move fast, break things” fallout of Web 2.0, this new digital frontier offers an opportunity to ask ourselves: How can we reclaim visual storytelling in a way that fosters connection?

What rules of artistic ethics will we need to rewrite?

If we could do it all over again, what would we do better?

METAVERSE PHOTOGRAPHY WILL UNLEASH A NEW CREATIVE CATEGORY Photo credit: (TNS)

Photography can and will become more than the still images we exchange today. With 3D layers embedded with sound (even smell), metaverse photography will enable perception beyond the eyes, forging a new category of art, a new kind of sensory experience.

This pivot to immersive imagery is apparent in revolutionary creators like REO, who have blended skills in photography and digital art to produce nonfungible, genre-bending work.

It’s difficult to fully conceptualize the creative possibilities in such early stages of the metaverse, but think, for a moment, of a flight simulator. You’re sightseeing in an unfamiliar world dotted with stars in highlighter hues. Safely exiting the cockpit, you drift into the twinkling atmosphere, weightlessly capturing multidimensional frames with only your “eyes.” While a robust, connected experience of the metaverse could easily be decades away, it’s already started expanding our vision for image creation, opening the playing field to new kinds of creators.

THE METAVERSE WILL BREAK BARRIERS BETWEEN PHOTOGRAPHER AND SPECTATOR

From shared digital spaces that serve as an extension

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With 3D layers embedded with sound (even smell), metaverse photography will enable perception beyond the eyes, forging a new category of art, a new kind of sensory experience. of our own reality (think floating shopping mall) to the expansion of existing multiplayer universes, photography will play a critical role as a building block of new virtual experiences and a bridge from one world to the next.

But image capture across planes raises unexplored questions about the relationship between photographer, photograph and spectator: Can you take a picture inside a picture? What do you call an image that blends the real and the virtual?

While the way we capture what we see may change, our want to remember, interpret and re-imagine will persist, inspiring even more personalized and immersive viewing experiences. Not only does metaverse photography open up unchartered possibility for creative expression, it offers a new means of communication and connection, whether you’re an artist or art collector, a customer or brand.

Photographers will have the power to transport viewers, and viewers will become participants in the photos they consume.

THE DECENTRALIZED ART ECONOMY WILL BRING RISK AND REWARD One of the most exciting things about photography in the metaverse will be the opportunity for new artists to stake their claim in the space and existing creators to reach new audiences.

I spoke recently with a friend and fellow photographer Tobi Shinobi, who offered helpful perspective.

“Instagram went so far as to democratize the creative industry for people like myself, who probably would have never considered getting into photography,”

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he says. “Web 3.0 has taken that democratization to the next level. It’s democratizing the platforms themselves.”

“Right now, you can now build your own community,” Shinobi adds, reflecting on the explosion of NFT creators in his network. Increased attention on digital art has already accelerated exposure for recent entrants on the scene who now have independent channels to generate royalties, unencumbered by the algorithms or terms and conditions of today’s dominant social platforms.

That said, there are certainly some potentially scary

One of the most exciting things about photography in the metaverse will be the opportunity for new artists to stake their claim in the space and existing creators to reach new audiences.

consequences of a decentralized web.

This wild west of photography, including the transfer of real-world images to virtual dimensions, demands we revisit foundational regulations of the artform. As we begin to grasp the complexity of NFTs copyright laws, it behooves us to ask what the watermark of the metaverse will look like. Creators and platform leaders must refresh rules of consent when our cameras become invisible and even rendered scenic backdrops become a proprietary subject.

We still need broad education about defining token value across blockchain platforms, distinguishing between possession and ownership of art and refining asset verification tools like Photoshop Content Credentials for any creator looking to protect their work.

For 200 years, photos have offered us a window into new experiences and perspectives, and we have a chance to take what we’ve learned and build a better platform for this exchange. In spite of the many unknowns, I remain hopeful as we look to the future— imagining how the metaverse will revolutionize photography and the ways in which photography will help visualize what the metaverse can become.

This article was originally published by Fast Company Magazine.

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Photo credit: (Matt Hardy/ pexels)

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pinion

Neutrality Prevents Arab Polarization in Int’l Crisis

Time to recall Non-Aligned Movement to find conflict resolution

By Abdelkader Zaoui

Regardless of the reasons behind the current Ukrainian crisis, its reasons, the delicacy of the related conditions, its fate and the disparity in the stances taken by various countries – its outbreak does not only reflect the depth of buried grudges between Russia and Ukraine.

The crisis also embodies Russia’s stark and armed rejection of Washington’s insistence to carry on with the unipolarity, which has characterized international politics for the past 30 years.

Russia is not the only country that rejects such politics. Ozther major powers, such as China, prioritized expressing its global ambitions to excel at the economic, commercial and investment levels. This has allowed Beijing to break into fortresses that were once only accessible for Western countries.

There are also other countries with expansionist ambitions, but whose power magnitude does not allow them to act accordingly except in their immediate geographical surroundings. This is the case with Iran. One should also mention the power of confusion and provocation practiced by North Korea in East Asia.

Amidst the current events taking place on the international scene, it is not unlikely for the ferocious rejection of the USA monopoly of international dominance to increase in intensity. This 40

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could be translated into military action is some place, if the US intransigence continues to ignore the new facts on the international scene, and to continue this monopoly of dominance. This also applies if dominance takes the shape of subcontracting, which means granting the settlement or arrangement of some hot international issues to countries for various considerations, to play certain roles. These countries are usually either close to Washington or orbit in its politics.

It is obvious that should the conflicting parties continue with their intransigence in their positions, this would block the road towards any serious good efforts to contain the differences that have begun to rage little by little.

These differences have been evident in the exchange of the imposition of sanctions and the personalization of accusations. This prompted these parties to turn the international scene into a track for a frantic race in order to attract the rest of the world’s small and mediumsized countries to either camps in a way that threatens the return of the Cold War overtone, but with new data now, and possibly multiple poles.

By monitoring and following up on the diplomatic movements of the parties involved directly or indirectly in the Ukrainian crisis and their intense con-

tact whether through visits or telephone calls with most countries of the Arab world, it becomes clear that the latter’s polarization of the position of one of the parties or neutralizing some of them - if it is not possible to attract them - represents a very vital matter, given the weight of Arab countries and their impact on a number of open areas of conflict.

Considering that there is not a unified stance among Arab countries towards the current crisis, most of these countries’ capitals found themselves in critical situations as the conflict is growing in intensity and expanding in geography.

This prompted most of them to take balanced stances to a large extent, contented with calling on the parties involved in the conflict to solve the crisis and its political consequences in accordance with the international law. They also called for focusing on alleviating the horror of human tragedies resulting from the conflict and contributing to it, without holding any party responsible for what happened, for fear of any interpretation not suitable for their stances towards both sides of the conflict.

There is no doubt that other countries around the world have been sensing this embarrassment, which is directly linked to the intensification of the conflict and its expansion. Therefore, and in order to avoid any potential dangers from the accelerating developments, and the subsequent intensification of attempts to polarize or at least neutralize, whether by temptation or pressure and coercion, it seems that the international community needs to restore some of the positive neutrality roles that the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) had previously played during the Cold War that followed WW2.

NAM has lost a large extent of the effectiveness that it once exercised on the international scene and in the lobbies of international organizations after the

fall of Soviet Union and the dismantling of its socialist system. Rather, it grew meaningless as some of its members rushed to align with the Western doctrine and its economic concepts, at least, especially with US policies after their interests deepened and their various ties with Washington were strengthened. However, the credit is due to some members who tried, at the height of the unipolar power, to find new jobs for the movement by seeking to develop its goals, despite its fading luster.

It is clear from the context of the current international developments and the heightened tone of the accusations and mutual threats that even if some solution to the Ukrainian crisis is reached, the competition for global leadership will not subside. It will continue with the sharp polarization in which the major powers focus largely on winning over Arab countries, considering that some of them are important sources of energy, which in turn has become an open field for exercising power and exerting pressure.

The war on Ukraine has greatly affected the food security of a number of countries in the world, including the Arab countries that depend heavily on importing wheat from the two warring countries. In order to avoid the repercussions of the events developing in the direction of either starvation in some countries, as the International Monetary Fund expects, or a massive rise in prices, which may cause serious social and security tensions, the countries of the Arab world, especially the affluent ones, are called upon to lead a broad diplomatic activity.

This initiative is aimed at reviving NAM and bringing back its lofty humanitarian principles, and its positive neutrality that greatly contributed to settling many crises and mitigating tension in a number of global hotspots during the Cold War. 41

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The crisis also embodies Russia’s stark and armed rejection of Washington’s insistence to carry on with the unipolarity, which has characterized international politics for the past 30 years .

A Weekly Political News Magazine

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Will Smith and Jessica Chastain: The Stars of “Slap” Night

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Akhenaten Celebrated in Egypt’s Minya

Museum Highlights Philosophy of Monotheism in Ancient Egypt

By Salwa Samir Minya, a Middle Egyptian governorate located south of Cairo on the western bank of the Nile, has history that dates back to the Predynastic Period (before 3100 BC).

It will celebrate the opening of the long-awaited museum highlighting its history and the philosophy of monotheism in ancient Egypt.

Ahmed Hemeida, director of the Akhenaten Museum, told Majalla that the idea of establishing the museum came after an agreement signed in 1979 between the German city of Hildesheim and Minya.

“The site for establishing it was selected in the 1990s. By 2003, the Supreme Council of Antiquities in cooperation with Arab Contractors - a massive Egyptian regional construction company – began work on the museum with Egyptian funding and German engineering designs,” Hemeida said.

He explained that the museum was about to

be opened in 2012, but because of the January 2011 revolution that toppled Mubarak, the works stopped for the lack of funding.

“Since this January, the work has continued and the museum will be inaugurated by next year,” he added.

The museum was dedicated to Amenhotep IV, also known as Akhenaten (reigned 1353– 1336). He was the 10th king of the 18th Dynasty (spanning the period from 1550/1549 to 1292 BC) who built Akhetaten or Tell El Amarna, an archeological site and popular tourist attraction in Minya.

Tell El Amarna still contains the remains of his capital city.

AKHENATEN AND NEW RELIGION Akhenaten tried to unite the gods of ancient Egypt, including the god Amun-Ra, in the form of the one god Aten, the sun god. Hence although most Pharaoh kings ruled from Thebes

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Akhenaten Museum in Minya governorate, south of Cairo, Egypt.

(now Luxor), he moved the capital from there to his new capital in Minya.

Realistic art appeared in the new capital, especially in sculpture and painting, and a new literature appeared characterized by chants for the new god Aten. King Akhenaten was preoccupied with his religious reforms and disregarded foreign policy and the management of an empire that extended to the upper Euphrates in the north and Nubia in the south.

To spread the new cult in the country, he ordered the destruction of the statues of Amon and the erasure of his name from the inscriptions, and canceled his titles and all the attributes he was given which expressed the belief in his protection of the royal throne.

Since this January, the work has continued and the museum will be inaugurated by next year.

MUSEUM The Akhenaten Museum covers everything related to the history of Tell Amarna, of Akhenaton and the philosophy of monotheism in ancient Egypt.

Hemeida said that the museum covers an area of 25 feddan (acres), adding that it is the third He faced strong opposition by the priests of mega archaeological project in the country after the temples, who were the most affected by the the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization unification of worship. in Old Cairo which was opened last year and the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza which is When Akhenaten died, people abandoned wor- due to be open by the end of this year. shipping Aten and migrated from Tell El-Amarna back to Thebes and announced the return The Akhenaten Museum consists of three of worshipping Amun.

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buildings. The first is unique in design as it resembles the refraction of sunlight, depending on the Aten god whose symbol is the sun’s disk and the rays extending from it. The building consists of 14 exhibition halls, a cinema, a theater, a conference hall accommodating 800 people as well as a library for archaeological studies.

“There is a hall about Minya through ages, then a hall for the ancient history of Tell El Amarna and its arts such as engraving, sculpting and

It is very important also for foreigners because when they visit the museum, they will be encouraged and excited to visit other archaeological sites in Minya

painting. Statues of Akhenaten and his wife Queen Nefertiti, will be on display in addition to artefacts. It also houses excavations from various archaeological sites in Minya including Tuna El-Gebel, Beni Hasan, Deir El Bersha and Al Bahnasa,” Hemeida explained.

The second building houses a center for maintenance, restoration and storage. The third building contains a number of bazaars, while the fourth houses a cafeteria.

The most dazzling feature in the museum is its 650-meter walkway along the Nile.

Hemeida said that the museum is very important for locals and foreigners alike.

“It is very important for Minya residents to know their city’s history, as it plays a major role in raising their cultural awareness.

“It is very important also for foreigners because when they visit the museum, they will be encouraged and excited to visit other archaeologi-

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A stela showing Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti offering to the Aten, followed by their two eldest daughters.

Cairo Museum, Egypt.

A statue of Akhenaten

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Meet KSA’s First Countertenor to Sing in Coro Polifonico Musica

Passion for Opera Music Leads Al-Zahrani to Realize Dreams Despite Odds

By Sarah Gamal Mohammed Khayran Al-Zahrani dreamed of singing opera, an art that does not resemble his environment and culture. He became one of the first pioneers in performing this art and presenting it to a whole new audience. He encountered many social and cultural obstacles. Today, however, he is an icon of Saudi and Gulf opera music and one of the few who can capably perform this art.

Al-Zahrani, 25, was born in the village of AlMandaq in the city of Al-Baha in the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Despite the size of his small village, it did not limit his big dreams. After that, he moved to Jeddah to complete his university studies in the medical specialty of “pharmacy,” according to his mother›s desire. But his dream of studying and doing what he loves in the field of opera music, made him stop after a while from his medical specialization, but it was not an easy step at all.

“There was always a voice inside me telling me that I would be famous in the opera. While I was at home, I was training in isolation from everyone.

I used to sing everywhere, in the shower, at university, everywhere. It gave me the power of freedom and expression,” said Al-Zahrani as he began his interesting interview with Majalla.

“What I have reached now is by the grace of God Almighty, and also with my personal training and diligence. I received a professional education that qualifies me to represent my country in the best way,” he added.

About the beginning of his orientation to the field of opera singing, although it is not familiar in Saudi Arabia: “I used to sing opera before I knew that there was an opera in the first place. I have been singing since I was 16, but I did not take the matter seriously until I sang in front of my schoolmates.

Saudi opera singer Mohammed Khayran Al-Zahrani. (Photo Credit: Mohammed Khayran Al-Zahrani)

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Mohammed Khayran Al-Zahrani in the Abu Dhabi Festival (Photo Credit: Mohammed Khayran Al-Zahrani).

They liked it and from here I began to perform for them their requested favorite songs in an operatic style without knowing that it was operatic. By chance I saw an opera singer on TV and was shocked by the similarities between my voice and his voice, and from there I became acquainted with this art,” Al-Zahrani told Majalla.

The self-taught opera singer pointed out that his entry into this field was not easy, given that it is a new art for the Gulf society, and there were no institutes of academic education, nor voice coaches to provide him with professional training. So, he resorted to self-education, which was a very difficult undertaking: “In addition to the previous difficulties, there were social obstacles, which were the worst. I was attacked by my family for choosing this field, and I was bullied by my friends because it is against custom and tradition.”

At the age of 23, he took up the challenge and went to Italy to break the stereotypes and push boundaries. Al-Zahrani added that the difficulties he faced did not stop even after he moved to Rome to learn opera singing.

The obstacles were many, whether in terms of moral support, financial, or psychological factors as a young man who moved to life in a country that does not speak his language and did not know anyone to guide him to the easy path: «I was going

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“After that, Al-Zahrani became the first Saudi opera singer to join the Coro Polifonico Musica Creator choir in Rome, and take the lead in “Ethereal” which was streamed online on the festival›s digital platforms.” through my problems and obstacles on my own, but I wasn›t actually alone. God was with me in every step, and I achieved what I never dreamed of,» he said.

And because nothing happens without a reason, the story of his joining Coro Polifonico Musica Creator choir shows that it was something destined: while waiting for a train, there was an old man playing the piano, so he went over to him: “He was playing the piano and it was like a reflex, I just joined him. We performed together and a crowd gathered around us and started cheering. I remember this lady came up to me and asked for my details,” he recalled.

Meanwhile, the woman, who turned out to be from Coro Polifonico Musica Creator choir, later spoke to him and asked him to visit her in the church

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to meet the musical director. He pointed out that during this meeting he took a music test, and was able to pass it and convince the band›s organizers of his talent and so became a member of the band.

After that, Al-Zahrani became the first Saudi opera singer to join the Coro Polifonico Musica Creator choir in Rome, and take the lead in “Ethereal” which was streamed online on the festival›s digital platforms. He also performed at a concert at Vatican City which was attended by Pope Francis.

On the extent to which the Saudi and Gulf society in

general accepted his talent in light of the lack of any foundation for this art in the Kingdom, Al-Zahrani said: “The Saudi and Gulf society’s acceptance of art in general and opera in particular was difficult in past years, the reason was their fear of everything new, and I was facing criticism from my friends as well as family pressure, because I was deviating from custom and tradition, but in recent years their views and acceptance of arts changed.”

As an artist, he took up the challenge to change the

“There was always a voice inside me telling me that I would be famous in the opera. While I was at home, I was training in isolation from everyone. I used to sing everywhere, in the shower, at university, everywhere. It gave me the power of freedom and expression.”

Mohammad Al-Zahrani is the first Saudi to sing in the Coro Polifonico Musica in Rome, Italy, and in the presence of a delegation from the Italian army, politicians and singer Francesco Sartori

Saudi Opera Artist Mohammed Khayran AlZahrani Joins Singing Choir in Rome›s Largest Church.

(Photo Credit: Mohammed Khayran Al-Zahrani).

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Saudi Opera Artist Mohammed Khayran Al-Zahrani. (Photo Credit: Mohammed Khayran Al-Zahrani)

cultural narrative: “My goal is to open a school for teaching opera and music in the Kingdom, in order to help those who have talent, the Kingdom will compete with the world in its talent. Opera will be a great addition to the history of Saudi art and will open closed doors.”

The self-taught opera singer eventually came back to perform in the Kingdom with the launch of Vision 2030, a project through which public events and entertainment are now the norm in Saudi Arabia.

Mohammad Al-Zahrani with the famous Italian Soprano Singer, Nino Lezhava, after the duet “The Prayer” they sang in the Coro Polifonico musica in Rome. (Photo Credit: Mohammed Khayran Al-Zahrani).

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“The art of opera exists in all the languages of the world, so spreading our language and spreading the name of our country is a dissemination of our culture through this art and is support for Vision 2030, where the art of opera occupies a prominent place in the history of the human arts, as a complex art that contains within it a group of arts and combines them in a unique and amazing harmony,” Al-Zahrani said.

In April 2021, Al-Zahrani performed Aala Wa Amjadu (Sublime &Glorious), composed by Dr. Hiba Al-Kawas, at the 18th Abu Dhabi Festival and the magnificent performance saw wide and positive engagement from audience.

“A countertenor voice is a rare one that can reach very high pitches just like a canary. However, some countertenors, like Mohammed, have a bass vocal ability (baritone) allowing them to reach low pitches as well,” Dr. Hiba Al Kawas said at the time.

Last December, he performed a rendition of Hallelujah “as a solo” at Chiesa di Sant’Ignazio di Loyola in Rome. “IT WAS AMAZING”, he described excitedly.

Regarding what is in store for Al-Zahrani: “I have a lot more coming up. I am planning to bring Italy to Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia to Italy, I will reveal details soon,” he concluded.

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Art Therapy: Creativity and Recovery ‘A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words’

By Salma Adham - Cairo Arts have a powerful effect on human understanding, expression and communication.

Have you ever felt that you cannot explain

what you think in an accurate way through speech or in words? Have you had difficulty finding the appropriate expression for your feeling? I think most of us face this obstacle. As I experienced this, I can say that words are often not enough for us

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as human beings to unveil our thoughts and feelings. Arts like drawing, for example, allow us to create an image of what is inside us without using words. For this reason, arts are used in therapy, whether it is related to mental or psychological health.

Before going deep into the different ways and benefits of art therapy and how it works, let us know more about its exact definition and origin.

According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is a kind of therapy that integrates mental health and human services by using “active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience.

Its idea is to use creative methods such as drawing and sculpting to improve a patient’s mental and psychological health by helping them express themselves by decoding the indirect messages contained in them, so the therapists can better understand their feelings and behaviors.

Photo credit: (Alesia Kozik/ Pexels)

Throughout history, art has been utilized for communication, self-expression, group engagement, diagnosis, and conflict resolution. Sacred paintings and symbols and carved idols and charms have been used in the healing process by civilizations and faiths all over the world for thousands of years.

Art therapy is said to be especially beneficial for those who are out of touch with their emotions or sentiments since it allows people to communicate feelings on any subject via creative activity rather than talking.

English-speaking and European countries.

Art therapy has numerous therapeutic benefits because it is employed as a way of self-expression, communication, and social engagement. Besides art therapy assisting the patients in releasing bad energies, overcoming emotional and psychological obstacles, and improving their physical and mental health, it has also been linked to increased self-esteem, confidence, and self-awareness.

People can focus on their own perceptions, imagination, and feelings when creating art. So, in art therapy sessions, people are urged to make art that reflects their inner world rather than something that reflects the outside world.

Art therapy is frequently combined with In 1942, British artist Adrian Hill an- other psychotherapy techniques such as nounced the term art therapy. Hill dis- group therapy or cognitive-behavioral covered the therapeutic benefits of draw- therapy. It may treat ageing-related issues, ing and coloring while recovering from anxiety, cancer, depression, eating disortuberculosis in a sanitarium. He wrote ders, emotional difficulties, family or rethat the value of art lies in the therapy “to lationship problems, medical conditions, completely copy the mind to release the psychological symptoms associated with patient’s often pent-up creative energy other medical problems, post-traumatic and which enabled him to “build a strong stress disorder (PTSD), psychological defense against his misfortunes”. The es- symptoms, psychosocial issues and stress. tablishment of art therapy as a unique and publicly accepted therapeutic approach But it has not been found effective for all only took place in the mid-20th century in mental health conditions. For example, one meta-analysis found that art therapy is

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not effective in reducing positive or negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

In addition, art therapy is said to be especially beneficial for those who are out of touch with their emotions or sentiments since it allows people to communicate feelings on any subject via creative activity rather than talking. Individuals who have trouble talking about or remembering terrible situations may benefit from art therapy.

According to a 2016 study published in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, less than an hour of creative activity can reduce stress and positively affect your mental health, regardless of your artistic experience. People do not need to have artistic ability or special talent to participate in art therapy, and people of all ages including children, teens, and adults can benefit from it.

Painting, sketching, making collages, sculpting with clay, and other activities are some examples. It makes no difference which medium you use. The only thing that matters is that you use the one that you are most comfortable with. It’s

Throughout history, art has been utilized for communication, self-expression, group engagement and conflict resolution. Sacred paintings and symbols have been used in the healing process by civilizations and faiths all over the world

Photo credit: (Karolina Grabowska / Pexels)

not about being a great artist; it’s about discovering connections in your life, and the only thing you need is the desire to do so.

The common techniques used in art therapy include: - Painting - Drawing - Journaling - Coloring - Finger painting - Doodling - Scribbling - Sculpting - Making collages Despite the fact that these exercises are guided by the therapist, what should emerge are the individual’s unfiltered responses. The individual and the art therapist will discuss the artwork to analyze

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Photo credit: (Anna Shvets / Pexels)

Photo credit: (RF studio/ Pexels)

and understand the response. Understanding them can help you improve your mental health.

Cathy Malchiodi, a key expert in today’s art therapy movement, writes in her book The Art Therapy Sourcebook that “people may find relief from overwhelming emotions, crises, or trauma” through art therapy. They may discover insights about themselves, increase their sense of wellbeing, enrich their daily lives through creative expression, or experience personal transformation.”

According to a 2016 study published in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, less than an hour of creative activity can reduce stress and positively affect your mental health, regardless of your artistic experience.

It is essential to mention that an art therapy session differs from regular art class.

Whereas an art class focuses on teaching techniques or producing a specific end result, art therapy focuses on allowing people to focus on their inner experiences.

Art therapy is not the only type of creative art used to treat mental illness. Other creative therapies include dance therapy, drama therapy, expressive therapy, music therapy and writing therapy.

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ealth

Supplementing Your Sleep

Over-The-Counter Remedies May Not Be the Best Way to Improve Your Shut-Eye

By Kelly Bilodeau

ments, and evidence against the use of others,” says Dr. Suzanne Bertisch, clinical director of Behavioral You’ve been having trouble sleeping lately. It seems Sleep Medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and like every morning you start your day feeling groggy Women’s Hospital. “Some have been looked at for and drained. A friend of yours swears by an herbal sleep generally and some for insomnia” -- that is, difsleep supplement she found at the drugstore. You ficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep.

Over all, she says, there are better ways to improve wonder if you should try one.

There is a wide selection of over-the-counter sleep sleep quality than by taking a supplement. supplements to choose from. Some of the most common are cannabidiol (CBD), synthetic melatonin, va- ARE SUPPLEMENTS SAFE? lerian, and chamomile. But do they work, and are they While evidence that supplements can help improve good options to solve your sleep struggles?

“There is limited evidence for some of these supple- sleep is limited, cannabidiol, valerian, synthetic me-

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latonin, and chamomile are generally regarded as safe, says Dr. Suzanne Bertisch, clinical director of Behavioral Sleep Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. But there is still room for caution. Supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA, so quality and safety may vary. Look for supplements that display a seal from U.S. Pharmacopeia, ConsumerLab.com, or NSF International. These independent organizations can give you some assurance about quality.

Photo credit: Harvard Health

Some supplements are not advised for people who have certain medical conditions or are pregnant. They also may interact with other medications you are taking.

Some supplements are not advised for people who have certain medical conditions or are pregnant. They also may interact with other medications you are takflower in the daisy family. It’s generally viewed as ing. Talk to your doctor before you try one. safe and mild, but it causes allergic reactions in some individuals. “People have been using chamomile to EXAMINING THE EVIDENCE promote better sleep for ages, but there are few studResearch into sleep supplements is a mixed bag, but ies supporting this use,” says Dr. Bertisch. most studies show only a small benefit or no benefit at all, says Dr. Bertisch. Here’s an overview of the HOW TO SLEEP MORE SOUNDLY evidence related to common supplements.

CBD. CBD is an active compound derived from the If supplements aren’t the best way to improve your marijuana or hemp plant. It does not produce a high, sleep or to help with insomnia, what should you do to but it may make the user feel calm or mellow. “There solve your sleep problems? are some recent preliminary studies that suggest CBD may improve sleep,” says Dr. Bertisch. Several larger The most effective options involve changing your dairandomized clinical trials are now under way and are ly routines and habits, says Dr. Bertisch. “As humans, expected to provide more definitive evidence, she we have evolved to sleep. So, our brains are usually capable of being retrained to go to sleep,” she says. says.

Synthetic melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone pro- “There is no need to ingest something.” duced at night by your brain. It plays an important role in regulating sleep. A synthetic version of this Your doctor or a sleep specialist can help you find the natural hormone is often used as a sleep supplement. best solution for your unique problem. “Sleep prob“Several randomized clinical trials have shown that lems can be very diverse,” says Dr. Bertisch. melatonin is not effective for insomnia,” says Dr. Strategies that might help you get some relief include Bertisch. However, there is evidence that melatonin the following: is helpful for circadian rhythm disorders, such as jet - Treat the underlying physical or mental health condition like arthritis pain or anxiety that may interfere lag, she says. with sleep.

Valerian. This supplement is made from either the - Engage in healthy lifestyle activities, such as exerroots or stems of a flowering plant native to Europe cising regularly. and Asia. It produces a mild sedating effect and has - Practice good sleep habits, such as waking up at the been used as a sleep aid as far back as ancient Greece same time each day and keeping your bedroom dark, and Rome. While valerian is probably the most well- quiet, and cool. studied dietary supplement for sleep, evidence back- - Avoid caffeine late in the day. ing its use for this purpose is weak, says Dr. Bertisch. - Turn off electronic devices in the evening.

“The data show no benefits or very modest benefits, If these steps aren’t enough, your doctor may want to which likely fall short of clinically meaningful im- try other strategies. provement for insomnia,” she says.

Chamomile. This herbal remedy is derived from a This article was originally published by Harvard Health.

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Will Smith and Jessica Chastain: The Stars of “Slap” Night

By Majalla Illustration by Jeannette Khouri A week after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, Hollywood was still abuzz with activity until the “King Richard” star resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which puts on the Oscars.

“The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home,” Smith said in a statement.

Will Smith has received another blow in the chain reaction of his slap at comedian Chris Rock at the opening ceremony of the 94th Academy Awards, in which he won the Best Lead Actor award for his movie King Richard. The company that produced his new movie, “Fast and Loose,” decided to stop working and filming due to the slapping incident, and director David Leitch withdrew from the film because of his objection to Smith’s behavior at an Oscar party.

Smith’s new movie, entitled “Emancipatio,” which deals with the subject of slavery and its laws, had entered post-production and was scheduled to be shown in early 2022, but so far the Apple+ platform has not set a date for its release and has not commented on the slapping incident.

Will Smith went from beloved film favourite to Hollywood villain after the big slap. For the first time in his career, Smith won an Oscar for Best Actor for the movie “King Richard” in which he played the of the father of American tennis players, Serena and Venus Williams.

Smith began his career as a hip-hop singer during the eighties, which gave him the opportunity to appear on American television and to attract the attention of a producer who gave give him a major role in the movie “Made in America” in 1993.

Smith gained real fame when he co-starred with Martin Lawrence in their famous movie “Bad Boys,” which is considered one of the most famous action films of the nineties. Soon Smith officially became a star due to the huge revenues that the film earned around in the world.

“Bad Boys” was not an exception, as Smith followed it with two films that achieved greater success and revenues totaling hundreds of millions. These were two science fiction films both with the same idea about the invasion of aliens to Earth, but with two different treatments. The first was “Independence Day” in 1996, and the second was “Men in Black” in 1997 with Tommy Lee Jones.

After that, Smith continued to appear in successful films, which made him one of the most famous and most successful black actors in the history of cinema.

He was nominated for an Academy Award twice, the first for the movie “Ali” in 2001, and the second for the humanistic movie “The Pursuit of Happyness” in 2006.

On the other hand, Jessica Chastain won the best actress Oscar for her performance as televangelist and queer icon Tammy Faye Bakker in the biopic “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” It is Chastain’s first-ever Oscar, after earning nominations for supporting actress for 2011’s “The Help” and best actress in 2012’s “Zero Dark Thirty.” Chastain was a favorite to win after she took home best actress at the SAG Awards as well as the Critics’ Choice Awards.

Chastain is a 45-year-old actress (born March 24, 1977), producer, and outspoken advocate for women and minorities’ rights who has received numerous awards and nominations.

She needed only an Oscar to launch her name as a big star, and here she is receiving the award amid a fierce competition between four of the most capable actresses in the world: Nicole Kidman, Olivia Col-

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man, Penelope Cruz and Kristen Stewart, the lovable young woman who played Princess Diana in the movie “Spencer.” The latter has won huge prizes and critical acclaim.

Chastain was able to achieve a well-deserved victory for several reasons, perhaps the most important of which is her strong belief in the character, as she bought the rights to transform the life of the real character who is the subject of the film, and then decided to produce it through her company. Of course, she was ready to do anything to make the film come out and her role is wonderful.

Raised by a single mother who struggled to make ends meet, Oscar-winning actress Jessica Chastain dropped out of high school because of too many absences before enrolling at Sacramento City College, where she joined the debate team and became involved with the drama program. It was at Sacramento City College that Chastain continued to pursue her love of acting.

Chastain belongs to the school of “full reincarnation,” and was described by the great director Guillermo del Toro as being “like a chameleon” who changes her skin with the change of the characters she plays.

She began her artistic career and played the role of Juliet in a version of the play “Romeo and Juliet” in 1998. She is a theater actress who participated in a number of important plays written by Oscar Wilde and Anton Chekhov, and appeared on the cinema screen for the first time in 2008 in the movie “Julienne.”

As well as “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” Chastain has recently starred in a number of on-screen roles, including the 2021 TV mini-series “Scenes from a Marriage,” as well as films such as “The Forgiven,” “The 355,” and the series “George and Tammy”.

Outside of acting, Chastain founded the film and TV production company Freckle Films in 2016.

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pinion

The War and the International Monetary System

By Saif Al-Abri

This war hasclearly shown that, as opposed to the views of globalization champions, financial integration is a weapon of coercion .

As seen with Russia, the exclusion from the world monetary system seems to be a favorite choice of western countries to combat hostile powers. In the past months, US, UK and EU announced the removal of seven Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT).

This international fund transfer system is widely used to communicate the financial instructions required to transfer large sums of money and settle payments for exports and imports. Due to its efficiency and backing by major countries, it handles 77 trillion dollars in export-import transactions which amounts to %56 of global trade. This accounts for “11,000 member banks and financial institutions in over 200 countries and territories.” Not only have they been semi-excluded from SWIFT, but 300$ billion worth of Russian assets have been frozen.

This sort of financial hostility is not something novel, as seen by the exclusion of Iranian banks. However, are they actually in any way effective? Such hostility will lead to mass unemployment, a decrease in purchasing power, a shortage of crucial commodities and all things associated with an economic recession that leads to a humanitarian crisis, which can change hostile policies. However, as stated

by Deputy Director of the CIA David Cohen, this logical monetary coercive sanction isn’t practical if the sanction aims at regime change. As noted by Dominik A. Leusder, for instance, in Iran, it didn’t even lead to lasting behavioral changes related to the issues. In addition, the apparent humanitarian consequence of such exclusion is always catastrophic.

This war has clearly shown that, as opposed to the views of globalization champions, financial integration is a weapon of

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coercion. This weaponization of the monetary system highlighted by Russia’s semi-exclusion from SWIFT and freezing of financial assets has been used in the past.

An example is Afghanistan when the USA seized 7$ billion worth of assets after the Taliban took control of the central bank.

They then “cynically distributed half to the families of victims of the September 11 attacks, Afghanistan, the poorest country in Asia, now finds itself in a devastating famine that could result in millions of deaths,” said Leusder. Coercion using monetary means will continue to be used and gain more power as the world becomes more globalized.

The threat of dependence on the dollar and the power which the currency gains, together with western dominated global financialized systems have led to the creation of multiple alternatives. The primary ones are Russia’s “System for Transfer of Financial Messages (SPFS)” and the Chinese “Cross-Border Interbank Payments System (CIPS)” (12.68$ trillion) which are being widely adopted. In addition, due to technological innovations, many local currencies are being adopted for trade. As such, it’s predicted that the war will lead to further monetary fragmentation at a smaller level. This has led to outcries of opinion stating that this is the dollar’s demise. However, as Gita Gopinath, the IMF’s First Deputy Managing Director, stated, “The dollar would remain the major global currency even in that landscape” in the medium term. This is because the dollar is backed by highly credible institutions that are trusted (meaning the dollar won’t collapse) and capable of managing crises. Chinese renminbi (with CIPS) is seen as the most significant rival.

However, Chinese capital controls aren’t very alluring and hinder its acceptance by international markets.