Features

WASHINGTON — John Oliver may have been ruled out of the running to replace Jon Stewart but the British comedian’s role in helping sway the debate over “net neutrality” has cemented his status as The Daily Show host’s spiritual heir.

Oliver was the first name on most people’s lips last month when Stewart sent his legions of fans into mourning after announcing he was stepping down from the satirical Comedy Central show after nearly two decades as host.

The prospect of the 37-year-old Birmingham native sliding into Stewart’s chair receded, however, when HBO swiftly announced it was renewing his own show, “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”, for two more years.

Yet Oliver’s role in galvanising American opinion over the once-arcane concept of access to the Internet was in the best traditions of Stewart, a master of using biting humour to unravel complex questions of the day.

Oliver’s 13-minute segment on “net neutrality” last year, in which he exhorted viewers to deluge the US Federal Communications Commission forum with objections, is widely credited with crashing the FCC’s comments page.

Within 24 hours of Oliver’s rallying cry, more than 45,000 comments on net neutrality had been posted on the FCC forum, according to The Washington Post.

Fast forward to last Thursday, and the FCC acquiesced, approving landmark rules to prevent broadband providers from separating online traffic into two unequal lanes, which would allow them to charge fees for better access.

Many people gave credit to Oliver.

“The democratic support for this decision relied heavily on citing the millions of citizen comments submitted via the FCC’s website, and those comments were overwhelmingly inspired, directly and indirectly, by Oliver’s advocacy,” Aram Sinnreich, a professor of journalism at Rutgers University, told AFP.

Oliver, whose show just kicked off its second season, gained massive popularity in 2013 when he stood in for Stewart to guest host “The Daily Show” while the Comedy Central comedian took a leave of absence to make a movie.

“I’ll do anything for him, whether it’s hosting this show or disposing of a body,” Oliver said.

The ‘John Oliver effect’

HBO came to Oliver with the 30-minute show, which has only grown in success since.

Stationed at a desk, wearing a standard suit and tie plus dark-rimmed glasses, Oliver has pilloried, in a series of clear, well-documented and wonderfully funny arguments, vitamins, the militarisation of American police, FIFA football corruption and the bikini-clad women of Sports Illustrated magazine.

Time magazine recently ran an article titled: “How the ‘John Oliver Effect’ Is Having a Real-Life Impact.”

It credits Oliver, in part or whole, with a list of accomplishments including increased donations to an association of women engineers, a proposed bill in the US state of Washington to allow online video comments on new legislation, and Attorney General Eric Holder’s announcement that he will enact major limitations on a controversial confiscation law.

“Stewart created the opening, and Oliver has made a significant contribution by expanding it even further,” said Lance Strate, a communication and media studies professor at Fordham University in New York.

“Both Stewart and Oliver are doing the job that the press ought to be doing, acting as a fourth estate and holding politicians, corporations and the new media themselves accountable for their actions and statements,” he said.

Furthermore, said Paul Booth, a professor of media and cinema studies at DePaul University in Chicago, “many Americans do love the English sense of humour”.

“Oliver definitely embodies some of the best traits of British humour — he’s sly, witty, charming, able to poke fun at himself, a bit awkward,” he said.

Cambridge-educated, Oliver began his career in Britain before hopping the pond to audition in 2006 for “The Daily Show”, becoming its “British correspondent”.

Married to an American, Oliver claims to love reality TV and hate massages.

“The idea is horrifying to me that a stranger would physically force you to relax,” he recently told Vanity Fair magazine.

In summarising his take on humour, he said: “If you want to do something evil, put it inside something boring. Apple could put the entire text of ‘Mein Kampf’ inside the iTunes user agreement, and you’d just go agree, agree, agree — what? — agree, agree.”

LOS ANGELES — Sexy con-artist flick “Focus” stole the top spot at North American box offices this weekend, vaulting over bondage film “Fifty Shades of Grey”.

The fast-paced and glittering dark comedy full of deception stars Will Smith as crook Nicky who takes on protegee Jess, played by Margot Robbie.

“Focus” got $18.7 million in sales, handily winning first place, according to industry tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Staying steady in the second spot was British spy film “Kingsman: The Secret Service”, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Colin Firth.

The comedy took in $11.9 million, enough to hold off children’s animated film “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water”, that kept its third place with a projected $10.8 million haul.

Erotic bondage tale “Fifty Shades of Grey” slipped out of its spot on top of the box office, ending a run that saw a record February opening.

The film, starring Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey and Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele, brought in $10.6 million in its third week for the fourth spot.

Horror film “The Lazarus Effect”, about medical students who discover a way to bring people back to life, earned $10.2 million in its debut weekend to come in fifth.

Kevin Costner sport drama “McFarland, USA”, about a student cross-country team from immigrant families took in $7.8 million in its second week for the sixth spot.

Controversial war-drama “American Sniper” had $7.4 million in box office sales for the seventh spot. 

The Iraq war film directed by Clint Eastwood set box office records and has pulled in $330.8 million so far.

The film’s portrayal of late Navy Seal Chris Kyle stirred up debate over its depictions of Arabs and Muslims.

“The Duff,” a teen comedy about high school cliques featuring Mae Whitman, slipped three spots to land in eighth with $6.9 million.

Critically acclaimed drama “Still Alice”, starring Julianne Moore as a linguistics professor diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, took in $2.7 million to land in ninth.

“Hot Tub Time Machine 2,” about a magical hot tub that sends its users into the future, sold the 10th most tickets, bringing in $2.4 million.

“This was a rather slow weekend at the box office,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at box office tracking firm Rentrak, noting that Oscar winners such as “Still Alice” and “Birdman” had received a good boost from Sunday’s awards.

“The severely inclement weather in the South and Midwest threw off our number,” said Jeff Goldstein, executive vice president of domestic distribution for Warner Bros, the Time Warner unit that released “Focus”.

“When you look at the markets not hit by weather, we did really well,” Goldstein said, adding that the film had played especially well with younger audiences, where “word of mouth will really help”.

International box office would further boost the film’s fortunes, Goldstein said.

BARCELONA — Phone and Internet firms are rolling out cheaper handsets and may turn to hot-air balloons to boost network coverage in developing countries, where sales of smartphones are booming.

Even though mobile network coverage is generally weaker in the developing world, firms are mining a gold rush of new clients in China, India and beyond, as smartphone demand slows in the rich world.

Several top phone and Internet companies attending this week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the biggest wireless telecom fair on the planet, have unveiled new products aimed at developing markets.

Smartphone sales grew by 23 per cent worldwide in 2014 to 1.3 billion units, according to a study by German research institute GfK.

As demand has slowed in smartphone-saturated markets such as Western Europe, Japan and north America, it has exploded in Latin America, southeast Asia and Africa.

In response, US online giant Google has launched a low-cost smartphone in India for $105 (94 euros). 

Its US rival Microsoft says it plans one that will cost $29 while the Mozilla foundation, owner of the Firefox search engine, plans one for $25.

The world’s biggest seller of smartphones, South Korean firm Samsung, has also launched products tailored for the Indian market, as its major US competitor Apple focuses on its higher-end iPhone line.

The rise of budget smartphones has also been driven by manufacturers such as Xiaomi of China, which overtook Samsung for sales in the Chinese market last year.

By 2020 about three quarters of the world’s smartphones are expected to cost less than $100, consulting group Gartner estimated in a study.

“You get good lower-end smartphones for $20 and the higher end for the mass market is now around $60,” said Sigve Brekke, Asia director for Norwegian telecom group Telenor, which operates in six countries in the region.

“We think that we will see these prices continue to fall this year.”

He forecast there would be smartphones connected to the 4G mobile network — currently the most advanced — for $45 by the end of this year.

Balloons, drones

It’s not just about the price, though.

In areas where home computers are scarce, “a smartphone is often the only way to get on the Internet”, said Annette Zimmermann, a telecom specialist at Gartner.

Smartphone users in such markets typically demand common messaging and social applications such as Facebook and Whatsapp, online radio, a torch light, text messaging and a reliable battery, she said.

Consumers in developing markets also often want a phone with two or three SIM network cards so they can switch between different telecom operators to get the cheapest rates, or share the phone with other users.

Network coverage infrastructure still puts limits on what smartphones can do, however.

Many districts, particularly rural ones, only have the 2G coverage standard, which offers relatively low capacity to transfer data. It can handle emails and basic versions of apps, but not much more.

Some 60 per cent of users in African are restricted to 2G, according to the GSMA world phone sector consortium.

It expects the number of smartphone users in the world to swell to more than three billion by 2020, compared with 2.2 billion in 2013.

To improve coverage in remote parts of the world, Google has also proposed deploying hot-air balloons or drones equipped with network cells to areas where telephone lines and towers do not reach.

The giant US-based social media network Facebook has also partnered with several telecom companies to expand Internet coverage for customers in developing rural areas.

“We’re trying to help people connect with other people and share with each other,” Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg told an audience at the congress on Monday.

NEW YORK — Samsung’s new Galaxy smartphones improve in two major areas: design and picture quality.

Samsung ramped up its camera technology in last fall’s Galaxy Note 4, and the camera is even better in the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge announced Sunday. More importantly, the new phones have a more stylish design.

I had less than 90 minutes to try out the new phones in controlled settings, so it’s too early for a definitive assessment. But I’m impressed with what I’ve seen so far. The phones will start selling in April, at prices not yet determined.

Design

For years, Samsung phones have had removable backs made of plastic. That allowed for battery replacement, but made the phones look cheap. I’m glad to see the metal frame and glass back in the new phones. The phones are lighter than before, even with metal.

The main S6 model feels boxy in my hands. More recent iPhones have smoother, curved edges. The S6 Edge curves on the left and right sides to create side displays, so it feels better. But boxy or not, I prefer Samsung’s new design over its old models.

Camera

The Note 4 camera was excellent for producing images rich in colour. However, the colours sometimes felt unnatural, especially with indoor shots. The S6 phones seek to fix that by using their infrared sensors (normally used for heart rate tracking) to better detect and adjust for specific lighting conditions. This sounds promising.

The S6 phones also sport better focus, borrowing technology from Samsung’s stand-alone NX1 camera. You already can focus on a person by touching that part of the screen. But if the person walks away, the focus is off. 

With the new technology, the focal point moves with the person. It worked in my limited tests, though the subjects were still blurry because of poor lighting conditions. I may get better results outdoors.

One handy feature: Double tap the home button anytime to open the camera app quickly, so you don’t miss shots.

Battery

You can no longer replace the battery with a spare, but there’s fast-charging technology to get you from zero to 50 per cent in a half-hour. Although I didn’t get to test this with the S6 phones, a similar feature worked well on the Note 4.

With wireless charging, you can place the phone on a special mat to charge it. No cords needed. This will be handy when coffee shops and restaurants start making these mats available. Until then, I don’t mind the cord, especially as wireless charging is slower.

Side displays

The S6 Edge model has curved sides, similar to last fall’s Note Edge phone. The S6 Edge improves on the Note by having the display curve over both the left and right sides. The Note Edge’s side display was on the right only, making some features awkward for lefties.

With the S6 Edge, you can assign colours to important contacts — such as red for your spouse. With the phone face down, the side will flash red when a call from your spouse comes in. You can decide without rudely lifting the phone whether you really need to take that call.

Mobile pay

When it launches this summer in the US and South Korea, Samsung Pay will let people pay with a tap at retail stores. The service promises to work at more places than Apple Pay because it has backup technology that replicates the magnetic-strip signals on plastic cards. 

However, based on Samsung’s descriptions, Samsung Pay will require a few more steps than Apple Pay at checkout.

Other ‘touches’

The S6 phones have improved fingerprint sensors. Before, you had to swipe down on the home button; the phone wouldn’t unlock if you didn’t swipe correctly. Now, you simply touch the home button, just as you do on iPhones. 

The fingerprint ID will authorise mobile payments too.

Samsung also streamlined the software interface. Currently, the menu of additional options is accessed by tapping on the three vertical dots on the top right. Why three vertical dots? Who knows? That’s been replaced with the word “more.”

Little touches like these will help make the phones more accessible to customers.

PARIS — The mass-market convertible car emits its last gasp this week at a Geneva Motor Show bristling with sport utility vehicles and low-cost models — more evidence of the pragmatism of European consumers marked by years of austerity.

Mainstream brands from Peugeot to Volkswagen are quietly axing cabriolets, as customers with cash to spend increasingly plump for a crossover, or choose to buy a low-cost car and keep the change.

That’s just fine with most carmakers, who would rather sell an offroad-styled city car or budget model, either of which typically brings lower production costs and fatter profits.

“We’re seeing the end of noughties bling-bling,” said Francois Roudier, spokesman for France’s CCFA auto industry body. Outside the luxury market, “today’s buyers want either a safe family car or something a bit more rugged”, he said.

Global production of convertibles and roadsters has fallen by 59 per cent since 2007, the eve of the financial crisis, according to industry data from IHS Automotive.

SUVs have, meanwhile, surged to account for one in five European vehicle sales, according to the forecaster, creating a pocket of growth in an otherwise lacklustre market.

Conspicuous by its near-absence from Geneva is the coupé-cabriolet (CC), whose hard roof folds and stashes electronically into what might otherwise be useful luggage space.

Peugeot is dropping the once hot 207 and 308 CC, descendants of the pioneering 206 CC it unveiled as a 1998 Geneva show car.

Renault scrapped its Wind convertible roadster in 2013, with the larger Megane CC expected to follow soon. VW last month killed off the equivalent Eos, while keeping soft-top Golf and Beetle cabrio versions for now.

Belly flops

Unlike the Peugeots, once a big hit for the manufacturer, rivals including drop-top variants of the Ford Focus and Nissan Micra have never really caught on.

“We’ve seen a few belly flops,” said IHS analyst Ian Fletcher, adding that convertible versions of cars such as the Focus require major design changes going way beyond the roof.

“It’s an expensive exercise — and a painful one when they don’t sell,” he said.

A CC version also piles on weight from the mechanical roof and chassis reinforcements required to pass crash tests, posing a fuel-efficiency challenge amid ever-tightening CO₂ rules.

Mid-market brands are glad to be rid of coupé-cabriolets and selling SUVs instead, said Laurent Petizon, a managing director for consulting firm AlixPartners, which advises major carmakers.

“This is doing them a huge favour,” he said.

Whereas convertibles often need expensive niche production or outsourced manufacturing, crossovers typically use the same assembly lines and modular architectures as their car siblings — while still commanding a hefty price markup.

“They allow the carmakers to differentiate their offering while using their own production capacity and generating much better profit margins than coupé-cabriolets,” Petizon said.

The shift away from mid-market convertibles fits a broader push to cut development and production costs by building more vehicles from a smaller number of common platforms, while sharing those architectures with other brands.

In Geneva, Renault will wheel out the Kadjar SUV derived from alliance partner Nissan’s best-selling Qashqai. Nissan’s premium Infiniti marque is presenting the QX30 crossover built on Mercedes-Benz architecture.

A new vehicle announced by PSA Peugeot Citroen last week for its upscale DS brand is also expected to be a mini-SUV, sharing underpinnings with the Peugeot 2008 crossover.

With the French carmaker now trimming its model lineup under new boss Carlos Tavares’ turnaround plan, ditching the CCs was a no-brainer, Peugeot product chief Laurent Blanchet said.

“We’re producing vehicles that are more global,” Blanchet said in an interview. “That’s why we’ve decided to invest more in crossovers — which also generate very nice margins.”

Introduced in 2008 as Hyundai’s first export executive saloon, the Genesis gambit paid off and took the largely German-dominated premium automotive segment by surprise. Garnering acclaim from the motoring press, the original Genesis was particularly well-received in the crucial North American market.

The right car at the right time, the first generation Genesis was a galvanising halo model, as an across-the-board product improvement coincided with global recession to make Hyundai an almost irresistible value proposition. On ascendancy since then Hyundai has in the last few years benefited from dramatic sales and market share increases. Consolidating its enhanced brand perception and luxury credentials, the latest second generation Genesis is the first of a new maturing phase for Hyundai.

Ambitiously luxurious

Larger and more luxuriously and high tech, the new Genesis is noticeably more up-market than its predecessor, whose refinement goes deeper than its handsome design and fancy new Genesis-specific emblem. Discernibly more Euro-flavoured in aesthetic and improved driving dynamics the new Genesis also boasts more nuanced and fluent chassis fine-tuning — US-spec models even get chassis development input from British sports car maker Lotus.

At the forefront of Hyundai’s ambitious intentions for enhanced brand positioning, the Genesis is not intended as a standalone prestige brand or independent sub-division, with a standard Hyundai boot-lid badge retained to underline the fact. However, the new be-winged Aston Martin-like bonnet and steering wheel emblem seemingly leaves open the possibility for a future premium sub-brand.

The first all-new model since current Kia President Peter Schreyer was concurrently appointed as Hyundai design chief, the 2015 Genesis debuts a maturing Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language. Set to influence a model-range wide aesthetic evolution, the re-interpreted design direction is intended to carve out a more familial and refined brand identity.

With a distinctly European-influenced air of imposing presence the new Genesis is a handsomely sculpted machine with an elegant arrogance worthy of a premium German player. In its first outing, Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 is somewhat of a blank slate ready to be carved into an instantly discernable and rooted sense of lineage.

Projecting power

Wider, lower and longer and with a long wheelbase, short front overhang, snouty bonnet and strong shoulders, the new Genesis’ sits on the road with luxurious, formal and assertive presence. With chiselled, clean and classy design, the Genesis’ styling centrepiece is its’ wide and upright matt metallic-edged trapezoidal grille, while widely-spaced horizontal slats emphasise its width.

Prominent bonnet ridges taper to a rakish roofline and high-set short bonnet. Meanwhile, a sharp crease begins at the edge of its wraparound headlights and arcs along though door handles before descending towards its rear bumper. Complementing its generous size and discretely athletic proportions, the Genesis wears large 245/40R19 front and 275/35R19 rear tyres.

Smooth, quiet and refined, the top-of-the-range Genesis’ 5-litre direct injection V8 ‘Tau’ engine is characterised by its seamlessly progressive delivery. An under-square naturally aspirated engine eager to be extended to its high-end sweet spot, the Genesis’ V8, however, also pulls cleanly and meaningfully from tick-over, through peak 383lb/ft torque at 5,000rpm and to its 420BHP maximum at 6,000rpm.

Driving the rear wheels through a version of the ZF 8-speed gearbox used by Dodge, Rolls Royce and many manufacturers in between, the 2,059kg Genesis completes the 0-100kph dash in 5.4 seconds, and onto an electronically restricted 240kph. With responsive shifts and close ratios, the Genesis’ gearbox aids mid-range flexibility and fuel efficiency, rated at 13l/100km combined.

Smooth and sophisticated

Having accomplished significant improvements in terms of technology, refinement, packaging, sales and brand perception in recent years, the new Genesis is a very clear and notable indication that Hyundai is now turning its attention to achieving similar improvements in chassis development and driving dynamics.

With perceptibly more European feel, the new Genesis has more buttoned down and composed ride and handling qualities on straights, corners and rebound from crests and dips. Firm but smooth, it was balanced and composed on a mostly straight diving route in Dubai. Quicker and more direct, the Genesis’ electric-assisted 2.55-turn rack and pinion steering has meatier quality than its predecessor’s lighter-feeling steering.

Built on a stiffer frame and riding on sophisticated multi-link suspension with active dampers the new Genesis both handles and rides better than before, with reassuring planted stability, smooth comfort and refined confidence on highways. Composed and tidy into corners, the Genesis well controls body roll, while its’ naturally aspirated and progressive engine characteristics provide precise throttle control for smooth on-throttle exits from corners.

In addition to powerful 360mm front ventilated disc and 315mm rear disc brakes, the Genesis features an extensive sensor- and radar-based semi-autonomous driver assistance and safety systems suite, including lane departure warning and blind spot detection. Adaptive cruise control actively keeps safe distance from the car ahead, while Autonomous Emergency Braking automatically brakes if it suddenly brakes.

Classy and compelling

With dark matte wood grains, soft textures, ergonomically designed leather stitched steering wheel and upholstery, the Genesis’ luxuriously refined cabin is comfortable, well-kitted and elegant. Set slightly high, seats are, however, well-padded and highly adjustable. Cabin space — including headspace headroom — is spaciously accommodating for larger passengers. Designed with neatly symmetric layouts, the Genesis’ instruments and functions are user-friendly.

Extensive equipment levels even include automatic motion-sensing boot opening, HUD windscreen info display, bird’s eye around view camera, smart multi-zone climate control with CO₂ sensor and puddle lamp and High Beam Assist which senses and adapts to oncoming cars. Optional equipment includes adjustable rear seats, 17-speaker sound system and 9.2-inch front infotainment and rear multimedia screens.

A demonstration of Hyundai’s quick learning curve, the new Genesis’ improvements seem to have leap-frogged over an evolutionary generation from its predecessor. While the original Genesis proved that a Hyundai executive car can be competitive and isn’t to be scoffed at, its successor demonstrates a keen evolutionary responsiveness.

With new design, classy cabin, high-tech equipment and much improved chassis tuning and driving experience, the new Genesis rightfully earns a spot on the premium executive saloon table.

Though priced significantly under-cutting rivals, both the top-of-the-range 420BHP 5-litre V8 Genesis is not just competitive in terms of value, but is a compelling alternative to its main Japanese rival, and is quickly closing in its closest and most similar German rival.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 5-litre, all-aluminium, V8 cylinders

Bore x stroke: 96 x 87mm

Compression ratio: 11.8:1

Valve-train: 32-valve, DOHC, variable valve timing, direct injection

Gearbox: 8-speed automatic, rear-wheel-drive

Ratios: 1st 3.795; 2nd 2.473; 3rd 1.613; 4th 1.177; 5th 1.0; 6th 0.831; 7th 0.652; 8th 0.571

Final drive/reverse: 3.538:1/2.467

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 420 (425) [312.5] @ 6000rpm

Specific power: 83.3BHP/litre

Power -to-weight ratio: 204BHP/tonne

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 383 (519) @ 5,000rpm

Specific torque: 103Nm/litre

Torque-to-weight ratio: 252Nm/tonne

0-100km/h: 5.4 seconds

Top speed: 240km/h

Fuel economy, city/highway/combined: 

15.6/10.2/13 litres/100km

Fuel capacity: 73 litres

Length: 4,990mm

Width: 1,890mm

Height: 1,480mm

Wheelbase: 3,010mm

Track, F/R: 1,620/1,633mm

Overhang, F/R: 845/1,135mm

Aerodynamic drag co-efficient: 0.26

Legroom, F/R: 1,160/890mm

Headroom, F/R: 1,000/970mm

Shoulder room, F/R: 1,480/1,450mm

Boot capacity: 493 litres

Kerb weight: 2,059kg

Suspension: Multi-link, coil springs, active dampers, stabiliser bar

Steering: Electric assistance, rack & pinion

Lock-to-lock: 2.55-turns

Turning radius: 5.52-metres

Brakes, F/R: 4-pistons, ventilated discs, 360mm/single piston, discs, 315mm

Tyres: 245/40R19/275/35R19

Price, on-the-road: JD58,000

Days of Ignorance

Laila Aljohani

Translated by Nancy Roberts

Doha: Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing, 2014

Pp. 165

This is a novel that celebrates love, caring, sincerity and intellect, but the opposing forces — intolerance, violence, hypocrisy and ignorance — loom large in the story. Obviously, Saudi author Laila Aljohani is not living in a bubble, but is keenly aware that one is not always rewarded for giving love or sticking to one’s principles. What happens to her beautifully crafted main characters when they fall in love, illustrates the point. 

Both born in Saudi Arabia, Leen and Malek are a bit outside the mainstream. Leen is much more independent-minded than stereotyped images of Saudi women; due to her enlightened father, she is able to move about freely. Approaching 30, she is still single, challenging the norm that a woman is only validated by having a husband and son. Malek’s difference is more ominous.

He is not a Saudi citizen since his father was a Hijazi — an African who made the pilgrimage to Mecca, and stayed on in what he deemed to be “the land of God”. In the course of the novel, one learns that Hijazi and Black are only some of many racial, ethnic and tribal categories, each with a derogatory nametag attached, that are considered out-of-bounds, especially where marriage is concerned.

Leen and Malek are drawn to each other precisely because they are different; they take life more seriously than many around them, and their way of thinking veers off the beaten track. Neither has rushed into romance or marriage as they were searching for their ideal counterpart. Malek wants “a woman who would enthral [him] with her mind”. (p. 91)

Their love for each other is gentle and respectful, punctuated with humour, but from the first page one learns that things have gone wrong. 

Hashem, Leen’s younger brother, attacks Malek for no other reason than his colour. As Malek lies in a coma at the hospital, hovering between life and death, Leen tries to make sense of what happened; she realises she should have known that her “relationship with Malek would expose the imperfection of life beneath her country’s sky”. (p. 54)

Repulsed by the injustice done to Malek, she prays to God to protect her from the evil of losing her faith in His justice.

The story is told in retrospect from four different points-of-view — that of Leen, Hashem, their father and Malek. As Aljohani skillfully develops her characters, a direct link is established between ignorance, racial and gender discrimination, and violence. As the only son, Hashem is excessively spoiled by their mother, and succeeds neither in school or a job. His only skill is driving around, picking up and dropping women who promptly fall “through the cracks of his memory”. (p. 20).

In contrast, Leen completes university, has a good job, and enjoys intellectual pursuits. Jealous of Leen and incensed that their father lets her do as she pleases, Hashem takes matters into his own hands. 

Aljohani doesn’t position this “honour” crime as an isolated incident caused by the dynamics in this particular family. Leen’s work at the Social Welfare Home has acquainted her with many cases of domestic violence. But the story goes even farther to link ignorance to the violence of war. Each chapter is prefaced by a short report of events leading up to the 2003 war on Iraq.

The page where Hashem realises that he has attacked Malek without any proof of him having improper relations with Leen, is followed by a page, noting that there is no evidence that Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction. By making a direct link between violence and ignorance, Aljohani is addressing injustice in her own society as well as on an international scale. 

It is significant that the Arabic title of this book, first published in 2007, was “Jahiliyya”, referring to pre-Islamic times which Muslims consider a period of ignorance. Yet this is a modern novel set in a country that claims Islamic law as state law. Aljohani is also targeting hypocrisy when people claim religious devotion, yet act out of ignorance rather than the values religion teaches.

In a sense, this novel is about young people’s disappointment with what they encounter in the real world. While Aljohani paints a picture of life in Saudi Arabia, the essence of her story — how ignorance spawns racism and violence — could apply to many societies. We have only to look at the violence inflicted on people who are different in the United States until today, from the three Muslim students who were mercilessly gunned down, to routine police brutality against the Black community in particular.

LONDON — A team of scientists said on Friday they had found “robust evidence” that a condition called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a biological as opposed to a psychological disorder, but some experts questioned the findings.

The team from Columbia University in the United States identified in their research distinct immune changes in patients with CFS — markers they said pointed to distinct disease stages and would lead to better diagnosis and treatment.

CFS, sometimes called myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME, is a controversial and debilitating condition characterised by disabling physical and mental fatigue, poor concentration and memory, disturbed sleep and muscle and joint pain.

There is no cure and scientists don’t know what causes it, but it affects around 17 million people worldwide.

Many sufferers say they think their illness started after a viral infection. But suggested links to a virus known as XMRV were shown in a scientific paper in 2010 to have been based on contaminated samples in a lab.

Recent research showing psychological treatments such as cognitive behaviour therapy can help CFS sufferers become more active have also caused argument, with some patients complaining such results suggest they are just lazy or suffering from a condition that is all in the mind.

In the latest study, published in the Science Advances journal, researchers found that specific immune patterns in patients who had CFS for three years or less were not present in controls or in patients who had the disease for more than three years.

Short duration patients had higher amounts of many different types of immune molecules called cytokines, researchers found. The link was unusually strong with a cytokine called interferon gamma that has been linked to fatigue after viral infections.

“We now have evidence confirming what millions of people with this disease already know — that ME/CFS isn’t psychological,” said Mady Hornig, who co-led the study.

The results should help speed diagnosis and the discovery of new treatments, she said.

However, other CFS specialists urged caution.

Michael Sharpe, a professor of psychological medicine at Britain’s Oxford University, said the finding was, “potentially interesting” but added: “This type of study [case-control study] is notorious for producing findings that other researchers subsequently fail to replicate.”

In a similar tone, Stephen Lawrie, an Edinburgh University psychiatry expert, said Hornig’s team may well have found different immune profiles at different stages of the disease, but added this could be “down to chance and hence a false positive signal”.

WASHINGTON — Google unveiled plans Friday for a new campus headquarters integrating wildlife and sweeping waterways, aiming to make a big statement in Silicon Valley — which is already seeing ambitious projects from Apple and Facebook.

The design also includes lush public gardens, looping covered bikeways and futuristic-looking buildings that can be moved about like toy blocks.

The redesign on the Google property in Mountain View, California, by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels and London-based Thomas Heatherwick, was submitted to local officials Friday, with details released on the company’s official blog.

The latest huge design project in Silicon Valley comes as Apple is in the midst of building its “spaceship” campus and Facebook is using renowned architect Frank Gehry for its campus expansion.

Google — which has faced opposition from locals — said its new design is aimed at “rethinking office space”.

“As we’ve inhabited a variety of workplaces — including a garage in Menlo Park [California], a farmhouse in Denmark and an entire New York City block — we’ve learned something about what makes an office space great,” Google vice president for real estate, David Radcliffe, said in a blog post.

Radcliffe said the new campus will “lead to a better way of working”.

He added that “instead of constructing immoveable concrete buildings, we’ll create lightweight block-like structures which can be moved around easily as we invest in new product areas.”

The plan includes large canopies over the campus which “regulate climate, pollution and sound, while freeing spaces from traditional architectural limitations like walls, windows and roofs”.

It aims “to blur the distinction between our buildings and nature”, added Radcliffe.

One rendering shows a loop for bicycles and pedestrians going through the centre of one building, connecting with cafes and local shops.

Tensions in the Valley

The New York Times, which first reported on the Google campus plan this week, said the project has raised concerns in the once-sleepy community of Mountain View about being overrun by the technology behemoth.

The expansion of the wealthy tech giants in the region has led to increased congestion as well as an explosion in the area’s real estate prices.

Radcliffe said the new Google campus will see it do “more with the local community”.

“We’re adding lots of bike paths and retail opportunities, like restaurants, for local businesses,” he noted.

“We also hope to bring new life to the unique local environment, from enhancing burrowing owl habitats to widening creek beds.”

In nearby Cupertino, Apple won approval in 2013 for a shimmering flying-saucer-shaped headquarters after a tax break granted the technology titan was trimmed.

“Apple Campus 2” is described as a 21st Century creation designed for research, collaboration and innovation.

Apple enlisted world-famous architect Norman Foster to transform a 71-hectare site dominated by asphalt and old buildings into “sustainable, state-of-the-art office, research and development facilities”.

Facebook, meanwhile, is upgrading its Menlo Park campus at the former headquarters of Sun Microsystems.

Gehry, known for his deconstructive style and buildings that sometimes appear unfinished, also designed the Stata Centre at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Cinematheque Francaise in Paris.

Facebook’s new hub has been described as “a large, one-room building that somewhat resembles a warehouse”.

AMMAN — A feel-good sensation embraces the viewer of the works exhibited by Wijdan at the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts even before the senses grasp their meaning.

It is the playfulness and artistry of the aesthetically pleasing silhouettes detaching themselves against the white walls and the vivid, attractive colours which seem to emanate light that draw the eye first.

Then, one reads the words these sculptural representations spell out in delightful calligraphy, repeatedly, like a mantra: variations of the word love in Arabic — hob, walah, ishq, wajd, wasl (connection that brings lovers together).

Moving around to take in the details is like repeating a chant, a spiritual incantation that charms souls. It is a spiritual journey of sorts, and one cannot but fall in love with what one sees. 

“The sculptures executed in Italian Murano glass denote the word ‘love’ and its synonyms, a concept I have been including in my art for over a decade and a half. Love, in all its forms and connotations, remains the major and foremost concept of my art works,” says the artist.

The glass, sheets of different colours stuck together in ovens, is cut by the use of water to create unexpected art forms with a message. 

Whether made of one letter, like the powerful “lamalef” — one letter made of two that starts the “shahada” in Islam, negating but immediately asserting (la illaha illallah) — one word, invariably a variation of “love”, or several words connected, the lettering, in a stunning range of colours, forms spatial representations that soar like flames or crouch like an animal ready to pounce.

They are figurative yet abstract, symmetrical — at times truly mirror images that gracefully combine to form attractive figures — or artistically asymmetrical, and at all times a source of wonder and delight.

Their surfaces both absorb and reflect light, they are both transparent and opaque; although glass, they have a glowing warmth and are sensual, inviting a surreptitious stroke. And why shouldn’t they when they spell out the meaning they do?

The white Carrara marble base enhances their pristine nature. It is the vibrancy of the colours in which they are executed that suggests love and exuberance, while also making one marvel at human ingenuity.

Interspersed among the sculptures, and skilfully grouped by colour and theme, are several paintings on a wide array of paper from different countries of the world. 

The title of the exhibition, “Transparencies: Paper and glass”, could not have been more aptly chosen.

For, although paper does not normally strike one as a transparent medium, in Wijdan’s case, it often is.

Layer upon layer of colourful sheets, stripes, bands, ribbons, frayed fibre and parchment-like panes are often brought together, in collages, to create geometric patterns, movement and depth.

Different textures are superimposed, leaving one guessing at all times. 

One constant are the spiritual words that appear here and there — hua, meaning God, anta, ana, the self — in beautiful calligraphy.

“Certain Arabic words and letters that have bonds to Sufi idioms also occupy a part of my layered paper compositions,” says the artist.

The lotus flower, implying meditation, the ribbons that “villagers and mendicants, after making a wish, tie on a tree near Sufi shrines of holy men and women, in the hope their wish would come true”, the peepal leaf, “mentioned in Buddhist manuscripts as the first tree to be created on Earth”, delicate and a work of art in itself, and tiny glittering trinkets used to adorn Indian brides make their way in Wijdan’s paintings, enhancing the symbolism and strengthening the mysticism.

The layering does not seem to end. Layers of papers, ribbons, leaves and paint create almost three-dimensional works that are supported by a white background and surrounded by white wooden frames that delineate them on the white walls, frame within frame, within a wider frame: a very ingenious placement.

The juxtaposition of paintings and sculptural works is carefully chosen; the groupings create clusters of peace and oases of love of stunning visual impact.

Love, spirituality and contentment are the overriding feelings elicited by these works that Wijdan wishes to see the young generation access and appreciate.

And what a difference that would make in these times!

The works are on display until March 21.