AKÇAKALE, Turkey: Turkey Friday reported the first death of one of its soldiers in its operation in northern Syria, during clashes with a Kurdish militia following a day of heavy shelling on both sides.
Three more soldiers were injured in the “operation region,” the defense ministry said in a statement after the clashes on Thursday, without giving further detail.
First Turkish soldier killed during Syria operation: defense ministry
First Turkish soldier killed during Syria operation: defense ministry
- Three more soldiers were injured in the ‘operation region’
From the corporate world to ‘Le Cordon Bleu’: the story of two aspiring Saudi chefs
DUBAI: “Le Cordon Bleu”, renowned French culinary and hospitality institution, is home to two aspiring Saudi chefs. Having moved from Riyadh to Paris to follow their passion for cuisine and patisserie, Ghadeer Ibn Khamis and Khulood Almukrain share their experience with Arab News en franҫais.
“I relocated with my husband to France and decided to take my passion for cooking to the next level,” said Ghadeer, a student at Le Cordon Bleu.
Once in the city of art, culture, and gastronomy, Ghadeer opted for the Cordon Bleu diploma, a one-year program to specialize in cuisine and pastry.
“I wanted to shift away from the fast-paced environment of doing business in Riyadh, to focus on a field I love,” added Ghadeer.
The full-time program is a scholarship through Generation 2030, backed by MISK. Generation 2030’s objective empowering youth in various fields, and enhance Franco-Saudi relations in arts, culture, fashion, as well as knowledge and talent exchange.
Generation 2030 facilitates students’ transition from Riyadh to French schools, namely “Le Cordon Bleu,” while bringing French students to Saudi Arabia.
Known for its vibrant hospitality scene, Saudi Arabia has been attracting fine dining restaurants over the past decade, mirroring a booming touristic activity, in line with Vision 2030’s ambitions for the sector. Culinary schools are part of the conversation, and Le Cordon Blue is expected to open in Riyadh in 2024-2025.
“I used to work at a bank, and I was happy in my role. I applied to Le Cordon Bleu program after watching Julie and Julia. In a couple of days, I made the decision to enrol. It was nerve wrecking, but I feel I made the right decision,” said Khulood.
Founded in Paris in 1895, Le Cordon Bleu is a large network of culinary and hospitality schools with more than 35 institutes in 20 countries and 20,000 students of over 100 nationalities trained per year through its certificates, diplomas, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees.
“In pastry, there are many things I never imagined I would be able to do, I never attempted to make croissants. At Le Cordon Bleu, they put you under pressure, a challenge, where you have to do something, you initially feel you won’t be able to do. Now I feel more confident and capable of doing anything, any dish, any desert,” confirmed Khulood.
French cuisine is about technique, and relies on seasonality, good quality products, and a balance of flavours. Blending Saudi flavours with French technique is an attempt to combine innovation and heritage, bridging cultures and reconciling tastes and preferences.
“French cuisine relies on veal meat, like “Blanquette de veau,” which is also the case in Saudi Arabia. (…) In adapting French cuisine to the Saudi taste, I don’t change the dish itself, I incorporate indirect changes. It is not easy, but it is doable,” said Ghadeer.
For her “make your own tart” exam, Khulood brought Arabic flavours to the making of a tart with an Arabic twist.
“The tart was inspired by the simsimiya. Applying the techniques of cream and dough making, coulis, and crust preparation, my idea was to deliver a tart with pistachio, simsimiya and rose water, surrounded by choux pastry, filled with crème pâtissière, pistachio praline and tahini,” said Khulood.
The centennial institution is a place for learning, for commitment and discipline down to the minute.
“I used to be late, and not finish my plates on time… Then I started delivering my plates among the first in my class. The best part about my experience is seeing progress over time, till I reached a point where the chef does not comment on the plating and the presentation of my dish,” shared Ghadeer.
For Khulood, Le Cordon Bleu’s experience culminates in meeting people from different cultures and witnessing their take on food.
“It is my first time travelling and living on my own, which is an experience by itself. The exposure, the amount of information I received, I am happy to learn and implement. You exceed your own expectations and your self-confidence increases,” said Khulood.
“French cuisine is the most technical cuisine. When you go to any other cuisine, having a French cuisine and techniques background will help you a lot,” she added Khulood.
Students receive the Grand Diplôme upon completion of the culinary program, followed by a second diploma in restaurant management. The objective, is to help students develop their business idea, understand the operational cost, designing menus, as well as marketing, finance.
“There is a lot more to learn, an infinite room for creativity, and a sense of achievement with the positive feedback and support of family and friends,” added Ghadeer.
Wearing the Cordon Bleu chef’s hat is the upcoming milestone before carrying the French experience back to Riyadh, with the aspiring chefs looking at heading towards food consultancy and restaurant management.
Pakistan’s finance minister eyes fresh IMF loan deal by fiscal year-end
- Muhammad Aurangzeb plans to discuss the contours of the new loan program during his meetings in Washington
- Pakistan has successfully completed the second and final review under a short-term IMF agreement for $1.1 billion
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan plans to reach a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a new loan program by the end of the current fiscal year, said finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Friday, adding the issue would come up for discussion in his upcoming meetings in Washington.
Pakistan successfully completed the second and final review under a short-term IMF stand-by arrangement amounting to $3 billion earlier this month, clearing the way for the disbursement of the final tranche of nearly $1.1 billion.
However, the country’s fragile $350-billion economy continues to be in desperate need for external financing to shore up its foreign exchange reserves and escape yet another macroeconomic crisis. This was also indicated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who pointed out it was “inevitable” for his government to seek further IMF assistance after taking over the top political office of his country.
The Pakistani finance minister said he was going to attend the spring meetings in Washington where he would meet the IMF and World Bank officials and discuss the contours of a fresh Extended Fund Facility (EFF).
“Those discussions will go into end April, into May,” he informed. “We can expect, because no final discussion or agreement [with IMF] has taken place yet, but it is our desire that by the time we wrap up this fiscal year, so end June, early July, we at least reach the staff-level agreement [for the EFF].”
Committing to a new IMF program will require Pakistan to implement steps needed to stay on a narrow path to recovery. The country has already tried to implement stringent economic reforms like raising fuel and power rates that have led to spiraling inflation in the country.
Getting into another IMF program would further limit the government’s policy options to provide relief to a deeply frustrated population and cater to industries that are looking for government support to spur growth.
Fasting left me in awe of discipline required to observe Ramadan
- Writer describes being left in a ‘post-hunger state’
LONDON: Ramadan holds multiple points of significance for the Muslim world. Perhaps most famous for its month-long fast, it is also believed to have been when the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to Muhammad.
Neither Muslim, nor someone who had before — at least knowingly — fasted, the request from Arab News to do one and write about it left me with several questions.
Why? What would there be to write about besides feeling hungry and thirsty? And would I buckle and gorge on the Sainsbury’s grocery delivery I had lined up for the proposed day?
It turned out that having successfully gone from dawn to dusk without breaking the fast, I did indeed have some self-control when it came to eating.
Perhaps more importantly, it provided an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of why friends I know do it, and what it offers to the Muslim community, not to mention leaving me in awe of the physical and mental will required to fast for the full month.
Waking up a little after 3:30 a.m., I followed the instructions provided by my colleague Zaynab: “Eggs, banana, porridge.” I gave the dates a miss, mainly through forgetfulness.
At this point I should state that the absence of food or water for one 14.5-hour stretch did not leave me overly nervous. In fact, given it was to be a single day, I would say to write anything on it was, if anything, quite bizarre considering the famines gripping swathes of the world.
Speaking to a friend and Arab News colleague Tarek, I did, however, question how faithful people were when it came to missing out on any drink during daylight hours.
“No, not one drop, sir,” he said before agreeing that given a propensity for human social engagement to inform some form of consumption, this period of abstinence obviously affected social relations.
He added: “But there are other effects, including dizziness, fatigue, lethargy, lack of focus, and cravings — one day is fine but it is doing it consistently that makes it tough.”
Tarek’s reflections came about five hours into my own fast, and having followed Zaynab’s recommendations, I can confirm that I was not feeling any pangs of hunger at this stage, but by about midday I was finding my attention drawn more toward water.
I spoke to other observant Muslim friends, and one thing that came across was that while there was a general uniformity toward the observation of the fast, it was not monolithic.
For instance, one friend said that they did without food for the whole period, but abstaining from water was somewhat dependent on the time of year that Ramadan fell: if in the summer, they would do without all drinks but water.
Another friend, Nabila, said she was stricter than most of her friends and family, additionally doing without music as part of her observation of the holy month.
She added: “The way I see it is that it is one month. For the rest of the year we can do what we want, but through that one month of observation I gain a lot and I become more focused on some of the ills of society; that in turn helps me readjust my engagement with the world.”
Nabila’s focus on those undergoing forced fasts, with this year’s Ramadan coinciding with the largest assault on Gaza in a generation, was shared by others I spoke to or heard.
Speaking to the BBC, Dr. Amjad Eleiwa, the deputy director of the emergency department at Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital, said that Palestinians in Gaza had “already been fasting for months,” with others noting the “dark shadow” Israel’s war had cast over what Nabila said should be a joyous time.
She added: “It’s not easy, though. I have little or no energy and I struggle with work. You won’t see me out. It is not easy and anyone who says it is, well, they’ve probably not committed.”
Equally, however, Nabila noted that the breaking of the fast each day brought its own reward, describing the anticipation immediately before eating as a feeling “of excitement, that ends in a sense of euphoria … I can’t really describe it.”
As my own, solitary day of fasting came to an end, I found myself feeling, as it was suggested I might, almost in a post-hunger state. How did I break my fast? A yogurt.
Howzat! Saudi cricket league expands to build national side
RIYADH: With the popularity of cricket growing in Saudi Arabia, the sport’s league is expanding with the aim of establishing a professional league system and building a formidable national side that can qualify for the World Cup, not just win regional tournaments.
The sport has undoubtedly flourished with the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation lining up a series of programs, gaining sponsorships and strong patronage. The Saudi team won the ACC Men’s Challenger Cup this year and the inaugural one last year in Bangkok.
The Challenger Cup is the first staging post in the Asian Cricket Council’s restructured three-tier pathway toward its top tournament — the Asia Cup.
The Saudi cricket team will now play the ACC Men’s Premier Cup, a tournament that provides a qualification pathway toward the next Asia Cup.
In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Kabir Khan, technical director for the Saudi cricket league system, said: “Our biggest cricket league is the National Cricket Championship (NCC), in which all clubs associated with the SACF participate. We are now going to restructure the tournament to build a formidable side that can qualify for the world cup.”
In the opening NCC in 2021, cricket teams across Saudi Arabia battled it out to be crowned National Cricket Champions. The Saudi Sports for All Federation and the SACF joined forces to launch the Kingdom’s largest-ever cricket tournament with the participation of 369 teams and 15 cricket associations.
In the second NCC last year, more than 400 teams participated, and now a total of about 500 teams will play the new format of the biggest cricket championship in the Kingdom, Khan said.
“Previously, leagues were being played with each region having their own champions, but now top teams from all regions will qualify for the grand finale and the top four teams will play the semi-final, two will qualify to the final, and ultimately one is to be crowned as the winner of the NCC,” he told Arab News.
“First there will be inter-club matches where all 500 teams will participate that have about 15,000 registered players. Then it will be followed by inter-associations matches and finally inter-region matches,” Khan said.
According to the SACF, the cricket associations affiliated with the federation include: Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA) and Jeddah Cricket Association (JCA) in Jeddah, Riyadh Cricket Association (RCA) and Riyadh Cricket League (RCL) in Riyadh, Eastern Province Cricket Association (EPCA) and Eastern Region Cricket Association (ERCA) in Dammam, Jubail Cricket Association (JCA) in Jubail, Al-Qassim Cricket League (AQCL) and Al-Qassim Super League (AQSL) in Al-Qassim, Jazan Premier Cricket League (JPCL) and Jazan Region Cricket Association (JRCA) in Jazan, Madinah Munawwarah Cricket Association (MMCA) in Madinah, Aseer Cricket League (ACL) in Abha and Najran Cricket Association (NCA) in Najran. All of them have dozens of club teams playing under their banner, and each association has 20 players registered with them.
Khan told Arab News that there are six regions — Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Makkah, Madinah and Yanbu — each having 20 players with them.
“Thus a tournament beginning with 15,000 players will reach 120 players at the final stage — inter-region matches, this includes the playing 11 and the extra players for replacement, through step-by-step filtration based on points table,” he said.
“RCA, RCL, WPCA and EPCA are the biggest leagues in terms of club membership. However, we do not have a ranking system for the domestic league.”
Khan said: “At the basic level, cemented or concrete pitches are available where cricket is played. There are more than 100 cricket grounds across the Kingdom. In Riyadh itself there are about 25 grounds. These are all sandy grounds. Only Yanbu has a grass cricket ground. As we aim to restructure the system, we will change the cement pitches to a turf pitch.”
Turf cricket pitches are the traditional choice, and revered for their natural playing characteristics.
Khan, who is also the head coach of the Saudi cricket team, said that the SACF’s target was to make the Kingdom a world-class cricketing destination in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
The SACF was established in 2020 with 12 associations, and had registered more than 6,000 players in its first year.
Rahat Ali Chaudhry, team manager at the federation, told Arab News: “The matches are mostly T20 and 40 overs played round the year. The 40-overs matches are mostly played in Riyadh and Dammam, the rest of the associations mostly play the T20 format.”
Due to the searing heat during the summer, there is a two-month break for players in Riyadh in June and July, he said.
Saudi Arabia is currently placed 31 in the ICC T20 ranking and is seeking an ODI ranking.
London mayoral candidate condemned for ‘dismissing’ Islamophobia
- Susan Hall describes anti-Muslim tweet as ‘hurty words’ in interview
- Comments ‘demonstrate hierarchy of racism at play,’ says Muslim Council of Britain
LONDON: The Conservative mayoral candidate for London has faced condemnation after claiming that Islamophobic tweets are just “hurty words,” The Times reported on Friday.
Susan Hall, 69, has faced mounting criticism over a series of social media blunders on X, including supporting a tweet that referred to London’s Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan, as “our nipple-height mayor of Londonistan.”
Hall responded to the tweet by Katie Hopkins, a controversial media commentator, with the words “thank you Katie.”
The mayoral candidate, a former Conservative leader of the London Assembly, was asked in an interview whether Muslims may find her response to the tweet jarring.
She said: “Jarring is the fact that poor people are having to pay £12.50 a day that they literally cannot afford. That is real. And that isn’t just hurty words.”
Hall was referring to London’s Ulez charge, an environmental tax on vehicle emissions implemented by Khan.
In response to her comments, the Muslim Council of Britain said: “Just as we would not consider antisemitic comments as ‘hurty words,’ nor should we Islamophobia.
“Susan Hall’s comments only demonstrate the hierarchy of racism at play. With a 300 percent rise in Islamophobic hate crimes, our elected representatives have a duty to ensure they are not part of the problem.
“As someone seeking to be the mayor of our capital, and the votes of the many Muslim Londoners who help make this city great, Susan Hall would do well to recognise rather than dismiss Islamophobia.”
Hall’s mayoral campaign suffered a new blow this week after she deleted an online advert that attacked Khan based on footage filmed in New York City instead of London.
Late last year, she also claimed to have been pickpocketed on the London Underground, despite her wallet later being handed in to authorities without any missing items.
In response to the condemnation, a spokesman for Hall said: “Unlike Sadiq Khan, Susan is listening to Londoners and as mayor she will put more police on the beat, ensure women feel safe, scrap the Ulez expansion and build more affordable family homes.”