Acclaimed filmmaker M Night Shyamalan is known for his ability to craft stories – and on the sidelines of this week's pivotal Nato summit, he came to Washington in a bid to convince Congress to pay more attention to Syria.
“It is a fascinating discrepancy, the energy around Ukraine versus the energy around Syria, when they're almost identical situations with identical perpetrators,” Shyamalan said on Capitol Hill.
Speaking alongside his wife Bhavna Shyamalan, a psychologist and cofounder of the M Night Shyamalan Foundation, the couple spoke to The National after a hearing with the congressional Helsinki Commission on Russia's mirrored influences in both Syria and Ukraine.
Shyamalan testified alongside Syrian Emergency Task Force executive director Mouaz Moustafa and the Syrian-American civil society leader Mohammed Alaa Ghanem.
The Shyamalan Foundation supports Mr Moustafa and his work with SETF, and the Shyamalans have also brought their children into north-west Syria for visits alongside the Washington-based organisation.
World leaders have descended on the US capital city this week, rallying Nato support for Ukraine's defence against the Russian invasion.
For the Shyamalans and the Syrian advocates they joined in Congress on Wednesday, the Syrian plight, and Moscow's defining role in it, must also be addressed.
“The prejudice that we feel in the United States about countries that are not white versus countries that are white, and oh my gosh, the white ones are 'us' and the brown ones are 'oh, they're troubled over there,'” Mr Shyamalan said.
“That's deep in our genetics of how we react. But those things hopefully will change, and that's partly why we were here, to say it's the same. It's the same.”
Russia has played a decisive role in the Syrian conflict since 2015, providing air power to Syrian and Iranian-backed ground forces that has propped up President Bashar Al Assad’s territorial control and solidified the regime’s hold on power.
Mr Ghanem told the committee: “Russia got away with it all. A lesson that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin noted and replicated again in Ukraine.”
The hearing unfolded at the same time that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy worked his way through Capitol Hill in a bid to solidify congressional support – after US President Joe Biden announced a “historic donation” of long-range air defence systems to Kyiv.
Mr Moustafa added that “it's incredibly important that this hearing is happening on the sidelines of the Nato summit”.
“Because Ukraine wouldn't be where it is today if we had done something about Russia and Syria, and we can still do something about Russia in Syria and Ukraine,” he told The National.
Ms Shyamalan said that her husband was trying to portray to congressional leaders “the very human side” of the continuing conflict in Syria, and the hearing largely touched on the refugee crisis the conflict has created.
According to a 2023 UN report, the war in Syria has killed 230,224 civilians, including 15,272 who died due to torture, in addition to the arbitrary arrest/enforced disappearance of 154,817 others.
An estimated 14 million citizens have been displaced, and Mr Ghanaam argued that Russia is deeply implicated, with Europe grappling with the effects today.
“Russia dropped tens of thousands of tonnes of munitions on residential areas in Syria … Now, after they left, Putin realises that there is a great potential for using these massive refugee flows, to destabilise domestic European politics, especially with fuelling the rise of the far right,” he said.
Ms Shyamalan emphasised: “There's no bigger human rights issue right now, other than all of the killing that's happening in Syria from Assad.
“It's hard to know if there's going to be movement forward, but it was really hopeful to see both sides come together in this bipartisan way.”
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Scores in brief:
Day 1
New Zealand (1st innings) 153 all out (66.3 overs) - Williamson 63, Nicholls 28, Yasir 3-54, Haris 2-11, Abbas 2-13, Hasan 2-38
Pakistan (1st innings) 59-2 (23 overs)
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The National selections
Al Ain
5pm: Bolereau
5.30pm: Rich And Famous
6pm: Duc De Faust
6.30pm: Al Thoura
7pm: AF Arrab
7.30pm: Al Jazi
8pm: Futoon
Jebel Ali
1.45pm: AF Kal Noor
2.15pm: Galaxy Road
2.45pm: Dark Thunder
3.15pm: Inverleigh
3.45pm: Bawaasil
4.15pm: Initial
4.45pm: Tafaakhor
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Lexus LX700h specs
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Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
New schools in Dubai
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
