In a comment piece for the pan-Arab newspaper Al Sharq Al Awsat, Iyad Abu Shakra commented on the recent dismissal of CNN's senior Middle Eastern affairs editor, Octavia Nasr.
The Lebanese-born journalist had worked for CNN for 20 years before posting a message on Twitter lamenting the death of Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah calling him "one of Hizbollah's giants I respect a lot". CNN was swift to release an internal memo stating that Ms Nasr's "credibility had been compromised ? and she will be leaving the company".
"Octavia Nasr was merely saluting a dead personality. If Shiite extremism is to be condemned in the US, why would Washington open the gates of Iraq to extremism following a war that was designed and executed by a lobby with a non-American agenda", says the writer.
There is an influence inside the US that insists on holding American public opinion hostage while it plots against Arabs. This is the same faction that referred Rima Fakih becoming Miss USA as a Hizbollah breakthrough.
At the same time, there isn't a voice in Washington that would dare to contradict the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's settlement plans. That in itself is the main drive for the for all fanatic movements that are rallying against the US in the Islamic world.
Commenting on the $300 million grant offered by the Egyptian government to the South Sudan government, the pan-Arab newspaper Al Quds Al Arabi in its editorial said that this is a step that reflects a surprising Egyptian interest in the Nile source countries. However, as sure as this grant would win Egypt the allegience of South Sudan, it would surely cost it the northern part of the country.
The people of South Sudan are indeed in need of technical and financial aid from all their neighbours to build their infrastructure. However, such a considerable amount would be better spent in Egypt itself.
The announcement of this non-refundable grant coincides with increased tensions between Cairo and Khartum following the Egyptian foreign minister's statement that his country would support the partition of Sudan.
It is evident that Egypt believes that the separation is only a matter of time now, which prompted the government to woo the new state and prevent its adherence to the signatory African states in the Nile water distribution agreements.
To win the south and lose the north might prove to be risky for Egypt on the long run. The north is more important for Egypt because all the Nile water passes through its territories.
In a comment piece for the Bahraini newspaper Al Wasat, Hamza Eliyan indicated that the Algerian Berber activist and pop singer Farhat Mehnni, who called for independence for the Berber tribes in 2001, has now delcared the creation of a "provisional Berber government in exile".
The pro-autonomy leader defended his cause before the French National Assembly in 2004, when he sympatised also with the Kurds, and supported the Americans in Iraq. In the same year, he published a book titled La Question Kabyle (The Kbaylie Issue), in which he explained his ideas about Kabyle nationalism.
Even though Berbers are represented in key positions in the government, the army and industry, the cultural and economic issues have emerged as the main motives for the present movement. Berbers demand development incentives, such as tax exemption, adoption of their language as an official language on a par with Arabic, and the acknowledgement of their indigenous cultural identity.
The movement has found strong support in Europe, especially in France where Berbers constitute a majority of immigrant Algerians and form a substantial voting bloc.
Are there any implications for Lebanon now that the US president Barack Obama appears to have surrendered to the Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu? Saad Mehio poses this question in a comment article for the Emirati newspaper Al Khaleej.
"Yes. The US friendship with Israel reminds us of the 'green light' given by the former president George W Bush to his friends in Tel Aviv on the basis of which they invaded Lebanon in 2006 and the Gaza Strip in 2008."
Today, in light of news reports in the Israeli press, there are indications that Israel is preparing to attack Lebanon again.
"Another question arises out of this: did Netanyahu get the go-ahead from Obama during the last visit to Washington?"
There is no way to know at this point, but the joy on Mr Netanyahu's face as he was leaving the White House should cause the Lebanese to stay cautious. Any war in Lebanon could also serve the Americans, because it will weaken Hizbullah's popular support and, in turn, counteract Iran's influence in the region.
* Digest compiled by Mostapha el Mouloudi
melmouloudi@thenational.ae
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Abu Dhabi GP weekend schedule
Friday
First practice, 1pm
Second practice, 5pm
Saturday
Final practice, 2pm
Qualifying, 5pm
Sunday
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps), 5.10pm
Grand Slam Los Angeles results
Men:
56kg – Jorge Nakamura
62kg – Joao Gabriel de Sousa
69kg – Gianni Grippo
77kg – Caio Soares
85kg – Manuel Ribamar
94kg – Gustavo Batista
110kg – Erberth Santos
Women:
49kg – Mayssa Bastos
55kg – Nathalie Ribeiro
62kg – Gabrielle McComb
70kg – Thamara Silva
90kg – Gabrieli Pessanha
Profile Periscope Media
Founder: Smeetha Ghosh, one co-founder (anonymous)
Launch year: 2020
Employees: four – plans to add another 10 by July 2021
Financing stage: $250,000 bootstrap funding, approaching VC firms this year
Investors: Co-founders
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3ECompany%20name%3A%20Znap%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarted%3A%202017%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EFounder%3A%20Uday%20Rathod%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIndustry%3A%20FinTech%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%241m%2B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EInvestors%3A%20Family%2C%20friends%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog
Age: 32
Qualifications: Diploma in engineering from TSI Technical Institute, bachelor’s degree in accounting from Dubai’s Al Ghurair University, master’s degree in human resources from Abu Dhabi University, currently third years PHD in strategy of human resources.
Favourite mountain range: The Himalayas
Favourite experience: Two months trekking in Alaska
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Dubai World Cup draw
1. Gunnevera
2. Capezzano
3. North America
4. Audible
5. Seeking The Soul
6. Pavel
7. Gronkowski
8. Axelrod
9. New Trails
10. Yoshida
11. K T Brave
12. Thunder Snow
13. Dolkong
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Company%20Profile
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Long Shot
Director: Jonathan Levine
Starring: Charlize Theron, Seth Rogan
Four stars
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4-litre%20V8%20twin-turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E630hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E850Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20Tiptronic%20automatic%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh599%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
MATCH INFO
Tottenham 4 (Alli 51', Kane 50', 77'. Aurier 73')
Olympiakos 2 (El-Arabi 06', Semedo')
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Asia Cup Qualifier
Venue: Kuala Lumpur
Result: Winners play at Asia Cup in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29: Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30: UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6: Final
Asia Cup
Venue: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Schedule: Sep 15-28
Teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, plus the winner of the Qualifier