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The British newspapers published on Monday covered many issues, including the arrest of an academic and social media influencer in Saudi Arabia, the widespread use of ultra-processed foods, and the need for tougher sanctions on Russia as leverage to support Ukraine.
We start from the Guardian newspaper and a report by Stephanie Kirchgesner entitled “The arrest of a Saudi academic and influencer is further evidence of the suppression of social media in the Kingdom.”
The writer says that the Saudi authorities arrested a prominent and influential Saudi researcher on Snapchat, in what experts described as evidence of the kingdom’s strict crackdown on social media users.
The writer says that the arrest of Muhammad Al-Hajji, a public health expert who completed his studies in the United States, came in the wake of the disappearance and arrest of other prominent influencers for “crimes” that include perceived criticism of the Crown Prince, Muhammad bin Salman, and support for women and their rights.
She adds that there was no indication of the reason for the arrest of the influencer, who was seen as apolitical and supportive of the Saudi government.
The author says that his arrest came in the wake of the recent news of the arrest of Manahel Al-Otaibi, a 29-year-old fitness trainer, who frequently promoted women’s empowerment on her social media accounts.
It says that among the charges brought against Al-Otaibi was the use of a hashtag to call for an end to male guardianship rules. It adds that another Snapchat influencer, Mansour al-Raqiba, who had more than two million followers, was sentenced to 27 years in prison for his personal criticism of the crown prince.
The author says that the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in one of his last columns in the Washington Post, before his brutal killing in 2018, criticized the waves of arrests by the Crown Prince’s government.
Yahya Ibrahim Asiri, a Saudi dissident residing in Britain, said that Saudi Arabia is no longer witnessing “mass arrests” as Khashoggi described it five years ago.
“The prisons are full and the society is completely threatened. No one criticizes abuse or corruption. Despite this, the authorities are still looking for more victims and are still targeting anyone they feel can express their views at any time,” Asiri told the newspaper. Al-Hajj does not criticize the authorities – He’s trying to be on the safe side – but he’s been unfairly arrested, like so many people.”
The writer says that Al-Hajji has an approved Snapchat account and 385,000 followers on Twitter. She adds that he focuses in his account on his academic success in the United States, and seeks to use his platform to explain public health issues to the Saudi public.
Saudi Arabia in particular is now arresting prominent voices that “have nothing to do with politics” because any independent voice is seen as a threat in Mohammed bin Salman’s mind, said Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Dawn, a human rights group founded by Khashoggi. The disappearance of people like Hajji, for no known reason, was one of the methods of “terrorism” used by the crown prince.
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Muhammad Al-Hajji
Ultra-processed foods
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Processed foods
And we stay with the Guardian, whose editorial was titled “Ultra-processed foods: blame companies, not consumers.”
More than half of the food consumed in Britain and the United States now consists of ultra-processed foods, the paper says.
And the newspaper adds that sometimes, ultra-processed foods are obvious, such as fast food rich in starches, fats and sugar, but sometimes they are disguised in images that seem more healthy, such as soup or yogurt.
The newspaper says that many studies indicate that ultra-processed foods harm the human body and increase rates of cancer and metabolic diseases.
And the risks aren’t just in obesity, she adds: Higher risks, such as heart disease, stroke, and premature death, increase with the consumption of processed foods, regardless of weight gain.
The newspaper indicates that ultra-processed foods are produced by multinational companies, and their production depends on being cheap in production and transportation, as industrially derived materials replace more expensive ingredients and ensure a long shelf life. They are also designed to make us buy more, which is essential in a system in which companies must continue to grow to satisfy their shareholders. She adds that global consumption is rising rapidly, particularly in middle-income countries.
Tackling poverty is key to tackling ultra-processed foods, the paper says. When people can eat healthier, they generally do.
The newspaper concludes by saying that free healthy school meals must be provided, and the use of processed foods in schools, prisons and hospitals should be reduced. It says marketing to children should also be reined in and warning labels introduced, a measure that has proven highly effective in reducing demand for items high in salt and sugar.
economic war
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Zelensky and his wife
An editorial in The Independent headlined, “Britain and the West must win the economic war for Ukraine and freedom.”
It is gratifying that the British government has responded enthusiastically to calls by Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s first lady, to tighten the sanctions regime against Russia. And as Zelenska powerfully points out in her exclusive interview with The Independent, several countries friendly to Russia are helping the Kremlin circumvent international sanctions against key individuals and the broader Russian economy.
The newspaper adds that the sanctions had an impact on the Russian war machine, and the exit of many Western industrial groups weakened Russia’s ability to manufacture weapons. But Zelenska reminds us that it is tempting for countries like Turkey, Kazakhstan, and Armenia to try to cash in on some short-term tactical gains from Russia’s covert assistance.
Most pressing for Ukraine is the studied and misguided neutrality of the likes of South Africa, Brazil and India, while sanctions-busting experts Iran and North Korea have provided plenty of advice and hardware to Vladimir Putin.
The newspaper says that although China was more careful about supplying materials used in arms and combat, it did not stray far from the “partnership without borders” with Moscow. She adds that even Saudi Arabia, which recently hosted an international conference on the war in the presence of President Volodymyr Zelensky, proved unhelpful in managing the post-invasion energy crisis.
The newspaper adds that, as is the case on the battlefield, the West needs to intensify its efforts in the financial and economic war to ensure the victory of Ukraine in its struggle for freedom and the rule of international law.
The newspaper believes that the United States, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada and Britain, all of these countries form a formidable alliance and have weight to increase pressure on Putin. James Cleverly, the British foreign secretary, also announced 25 new sanctions targeting the Russian president’s access to foreign military equipment. These include individuals and companies in Turkey, Dubai, Slovakia and Switzerland who support the invasion.
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2023-08-14 03:06:38
