Latest news with #Yusuf
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Yusuf Arakkal retrospective showcases the artist's journey over four decades
As one steps into the white-walled, high-ceilinged hall on the first floor of the Durbar Hall Art Centre, the Last Supper I at the far end screams 'look at me' and 'keep looking at me.' It is very hard to take one's eyes off the six-feet-by-eight-feet oil on canvas painting. Paintings from the late Yusuf Arakkal's Christ series are on display on all the walls. If The Pieta, Gethsemane Prayer, The Prayer, The Baptism induce a sense of peace, The Crucifixion, The Resurrection and Crucifixion and Resurrection are moving. While some of the works in the series mark a departure from the conventional imagery (Caucasian) with a Christ with marked Afro-Asian features, some of the works veer toward the conventional. Celebration of Solitude and Humanity, as a retrospective ought to, is a comprehensive look at not just Arakkal, the artist, but also his preoccupations as a human being — it is an intersectionality of aspects that shaped his sensibility. We get to travel with him, as he evolves in his practice and finds his individualistic, artistic idioms. Through 40 years of Yusuf's works The works span 40-odd years from the 1980s to his demise in 2016, marking his creative trajectory. By no means diminutive in size, imagination, creativity or execution, the show is, 'wow-inspiring'. An introductory note informs us of Arakkal's evolution as an artist. It tells us how despite an early bent towards abstraction, he went on to use figures as his primary mode of expression. Abstract as some of the works are, look carefully and one sees more. The retrospective was first mounted at Bengaluru in 2022, after what Sara Arakkal, Arakkal's wife, art curator and dealer says, 'This is a major show for me. A lot of preparation and studying on how to put together a retrospective. A year's worth of planning went into it. We were, after all, revisiting almost 50 years of Yusuf's works.' This was also a way of showing works that were 'stuck at home'. Like the current show, the Bengaluru showcase put on display his entire oeuvre (excluding those in private collections) be it paintings or sculptures wrought in a variety of media such as copper, steel, aluminium, and terracotta. An introduction and a revisit It is an entire textbook for practitioners of abstract works, a lesson in being intentional with their practice. The absence of conventional visual elements does not have to be chaotic, that the 'abstract art' can communicate. This 'homecoming' show may well be an introduction of the artist to a generation, and a revisiting for those who have known him and are familiar with his works. Although she would like a showcase at the Kochi Muziris Biennale (KMB), Sara says, 'The commercial aspect is secondary, my main aim is that I want people to see Yusuf's works.' The canvases are by no means easy, they seem to be the result of deep reflection and introspection. As one walks through the gallery one gets a sense of the artist — how the very personal is also political. The works on show are from the series Insolitude, The Street, Urban Uncertainties, Ganga, Linear Expressions, Wall, Inner Fire, Kite, The Child, Tribute to Masters, Basheer, besides some of his earlier works and later works. Social commentary While some of the paintings derive from the human condition or rather the isolation of being human, the others are social commentary like the triptych, serigraph War, Guernica reoccurs, a hat doff to Picasso's Guernica but placed within the Indian context of the Godhra, the starting point of the 2002 riots. Done in 2003, it communicates the discomfort the artist would have felt. The paintings of the Tribute to Masters series are testimony to his cosmopolitanism besides showing how aware he was of the art and artists of the world. Others from the series like (Francis) Bacon's Man, Boy and Priest, Francis Bacon's Study of Lucien Freud, Toulouse Lautrec, and Modgiliani for example show how he was an artist of the world. Then there are the Faces of Creativity, the pen and ink drawings of 135 contemporary Indian artists, which shows his engagement and interest in the works of peers. The sculptures, from the Wheel, Chair and Flight series, show an artist who is unafraid to explore various media and means of expression. That gives the viewer an insight into their breadth of vision and being able to articulate their creativity. For instance the Arto Mobile, a copper hued 1956 Fiat Millicento placed at the entrance of the gallery, the dull orange a contrast to the grey of the rainy day. The car with an armour plate-like metal covering of art, according to the accompanying note, brings together elements of the Harappan and Egyptian civilizations. The relief work has images of the wheel, hieroglyphics and the surface of the car reminiscent of the planned lines of the Harappan cities, for instance. The automobile thus becomes a vehicle connecting the two, in a manner of speaking. If you have not yet caught the show, this is your cue. It will be well worth your time. The show, part of the KLKA Retrospective of Eminent Artist Series - VIII, presented by the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi and Sara Arakkal Galerie concludes on June 24
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Science
- The Citizen
Watch: From creepy-crawly to culinary cool – insects hit the menu
Cricket à la king? How about a yellow mealworm burger? Foods that may previously have evoked a 'yuck' response are now firmly on the menu. This is according to research into edible insects by the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the University of Pretoria (UP), which is exploring how to rear and harvest this food of the future. According to Prof Abdullahi Ahmed Yusuf, the Humboldt Ambassador Scientist in South Africa, the research focuses on developing cost-effective rearing techniques, harvesting and handling methods, value addition and legislation to ensure the sustainable use of insects. 'We use two commonly used edible insects: The household cricket and the yellow mealworm. The latter is used mostly in animal feed until its recent acceptance for human use by the European Union.' These insects are also easy to rear and have a high reproductive rate. The study set out to develop alternative and cheaper rearing substrates for the yellow mealworm, which is usually reared on wheat bran. 'Wheat bran is expensive and not readily available, especially for low-income, would-be insect farmers,' he explains. 'As such, we evaluated the following six potential substrates: Wheat flour, maize flour, lucerne pellets, dog food, soya flour and oats. Of these, maize and wheat flour were found to be the most cost-effective in comparison to wheat bran.' The study group went further to see if the same flour could be reused to rear two generations of the yellow mealworm. They were successful, with both wheat and maize flour being the best substrates. Further analysis of the nutritional contents of the insects revealed that they are rich in protein, essential minerals (sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and zinc) and saturated fatty acids, which are essential for energy, hormone production and signalling processes. 'These nutritional profiles were similar for both generations of insects raised,' Yusuf says. 'The finding demonstrates the suitability of local, inexpensive substrates for commercial production of the yellow mealworm, and its use for food and feed.' Future food Eating or using insects as animal feed is recommended because of their unique nutritional profile, which compares with or supersedes that of conventional foods. Insects are termed 'super food' due to their excellent protein, fatty acid, vitamin and mineral content. Besides the traditional practice of eating insects, the demand for alternative sources of nutrients for humans and animals has increased, thus having an impact on the need to farm edible insects. Commercial edible insect farms are increasing on the African continent, with the industry projected to be worth US$8b (about R148b) by 2030. It is said to replace 60 million tons of traditional feed production and will lead to 200 million tons of recycled crop waste, 60 million tons of organic fertiliser and 15 million jobs. 'In Africa, edible insects are mainly collected from the wild for household consumption and informal trade,' Yusuf says. 'Our research at UP has shown that there is a more cost-effective way to rear the most commonly used edible insects on a large scale, which will benefit rural farmers.' Edible insects could be an inexpensive, environmentally sustainable solution to both malnutrition and land use in Africa. Watch: Professor Yusuf talks about his research: Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
South Wales Argus
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Aimee's Street Food gives hotdog a Turkish makeover
Social media claims had filtered back to me that Aimee's Street Food, from Caldicot, were serving up 'banging burgers and delicious hotdogs.' In my mind I thought no one serves delicious dogs – it's all rubber pork and polystyrene bread! Nervously, I trotted off to Aimee's Street Food shack on Langland Park West, Newport, near the Greggs store, to find this mythical little shack that apparently serves the impossible. I approached tentatively, fearing for my taste buds and nervous system. Sensing my reservations, owners Rhian and Yusuf greeted me and put me at my ease. Rather than be tempted by the Turkish marinaded delights on offer, I bravely stuck to my mission brief and sank my teeth into what turned out to be a mighty good hotdog - surely a first for all humanity, let alone little old me. The bread was just fine; the onion was done perfectly – a sweet flavour that gave me what foodies call a good 'mouthfeel'. In between the bread were two wieners that miraculously had a good consistency and a fine hint of smoke flavour, not at all overwhelming or chemical-like, as is usual. There was no hint of synthetic taste and it was all topped off by a mustard that did not resemble the yellow paint you find in a primary school classroom. The wieners are beef, as is traditional in Turkish cuisine. Rhian told me all about husband Yusuf: 'I have to sing his praises, because he won't do it himself. He's a mountain man from eastern Turkey and he's from the tradition of the world's best marinades and charcoal cooking. 'He uses these skills to make his own great marinades. Meats are marinated at home, where they're treated to secret sauces. We have homemade Garlic sauces, chilli sauces – all delicious and homemade.' The shack, named after the couple's daughter, used to follow events and festivals and is now camped at the Lliswerry site, where it has been since March. Rhian explains: 'I miss festivals but seeing so many regular customers is lovely.'
Irish Times
14-06-2025
- Irish Times
Children play among bones as Syria faces ‘enormous challenge' of what to do about mass graves
Yusuf is small because he is malnourished, the 12-year-old says. His hands are black from engine oil: he has been working as a mechanic since he left school, when third grade finished. He comes from a poor background, where people do what they can to get by. Now he has a new side hustle: being a 'tour guide' of the mass grave he lives next to. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime six months ago, visitors regularly turn up to Tadamon, the Damascus neighbourhood that was the site of one publicised massacre, and many more that went undocumented, according to locals. The killing of 41 people there, in April 2013, became widely known when a video of the incident was leaked in 2022. It showed blindfolded and handcuffed civilians being shot dead after their executioner taunted them or told them to run, their bodies falling into a pre-prepared pit. Their killers – who were affiliated with the Syrian regime – then set the bodies on fire using burning tyres. Yet, six months after the fall of the regime, the easily accessible site has still not been cordoned off or protected. Human bones are visible on the ground: though specialists came and took remains away, others keep being unearthed, locals say. Children even offer to dig new ones up for a price. Standing beside Yusuf, 11-year-old Sham says she is 'famous' because she also showed bones to journalists (I declined). A British reporter paid Yusuf $200 to dig up a whole body, he claims ('liar,' other children around him interject). 'If you dig now here and remove this debris you would find five or six bodies,' Yusuf says, though he finds it upsetting and 'haram' [forbidden] that some people walk and drive over them. 'I was crying recently because I dug a lot of bodies and because of the smell,' he says, adding that he would like to see the remains removed and an 'amusement park' built instead: 'a place to play'. READ MORE Yusuf points out one long bone lying on the side of a road through this urban area, still filled with decimated buildings. I later send a photo to an Irish doctor who tells me it is a femur. The children lead us to another part of the neighbourhood, where dozens more bones lie in a shallow pit. Yusuf (12) holds up what he says is a human bone in Tadamon A boy in a tank top approaches to say his uncle, Hani, was killed here. During the regime's rule, residents were not able to approach the area where massacres happened, knowing 'if someone went to the checkpoint it was the end', the boy says. Another boy says killing was 'entertainment' for the regime. Tadamon used to be a 'fancy' area before the nearly 14-year war, his friend chimes in. The dead included Muslims the regime militants found praying, and a man whose car they wanted to steal, he adds. Children at a shallow pit containing dozens of bones. Tadamon was the site of a publicised massacre in April 2013 and many more killings, locals say, that went undocumented Three men, including an estate agent, have come to look at what was left of one building. Usama Scuri wants to see if he can sell what remains of his flat – he is in need of money. Mohammed Hazime thinks he could get as much as $20,000 for it. He says people will be encouraged to move back on to the street again if someone else does it before them, despite this being the site of a mass grave. There are other pressing concerns for local residents, though. They explain that there are no services – sewage, water supplies and schools are all needed. Men sit and chat in Tadamon, Damascus Murders, enforced disappearances and detention in horrific conditions were tools used to instil fear and control Syrians over the more than half a century that Assad and his father, Hafez, ruled the country. Across Syria, as mass graves are searched for and found, concerns have repeatedly been raised that evidence is being lost amid a failure to preserve them. What will happen to the sites in the future is still not fully clear. The necessary skills and resources will need to be built up before grave sites are opened … The ICRC has offered its support to ensure that these sites are managed appropriately. We know that the scale of the challenge they are facing is enormous — ICRC spokeswoman More than 177,000 people remain 'forcibly disappeared', according to the well-respected Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR). It revised its number upwards in March this year to include more than 160,100 people disappeared by the Assad regime, saying thousands of new reports and disclosures had been made, while new official records were uncovered after the regime fell. The SNHR says more than 202,000 people were killed by Assad regime forces between March 2011 and March 2025, along with upwards of 32,100 civilians by other parties to the conflict. A bone lies on the ground in Tadamon More than 45,000 people died from torture under the Assad regime, and they 'remain classified as forcibly disappeared as long as their bodies are not returned to their families. They are identified as victims who died due to torture based on testimonies from survivors, leaked security documents, and statements from families,' SNHR said. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has more than 30,000 open cases of people missing in Syria, a spokeswoman says, adding that they believe the real number to be much higher. In an August 2024 report, the SNHR said 2,684 people were also under arbitrary arrest, detention or disappearance by Hay'at Tahri al-Sham, the Islamist group that led the rebel coalition that ousted the Assad regime last year. The new Syrian government recently established national commissions focused on missing persons and transitional justice, though there is concern that the latter will only deal with crimes committed by the Assad regime. On a recent evening at a public square in central Damascus, family members of the disappeared held a vigil, holding up pictures of their missing loved ones and calling for all perpetrators to face justice. Mohammed Hassan worries about the impact on his children of what they witnessed. He says at least 35 people from his family were killed in Tadamon. Photograph: Sally Hayden An ICRC spokeswoman says international humanitarian law requires the remains of those who die in conflict to be handled respectfully and with dignity. 'This includes recovering, analysing, and identifying remains, when possible, to provide families with answers.' But the responsibility for managing grave sites lies with the new Syrian authorities, she says. 'Here in Syria, the necessary skills and resources will need to be built up before grave sites are opened … The ICRC has offered them its support to ensure that these sites are managed appropriately. We know that the scale of the challenge they are facing is enormous.' Syria does not currently have a functioning DNA laboratory, the spokeswoman added. Alternative methods they could use instead include forensic anthropological and odontological methods. [ Exhibitions open in Damascus remembering suffering and sacrifice under Syrian regime Opens in new window ] Efforts are also complicated by the fact that bones from many different people are often mixed up together. The ICRC is supporting a forensic identification centre in Damascus, which is operating under the Syrian ministry of health. Speaking through WhatsApp messages, Dr Anas al-Hourani, the head of the centre, says they have four specialised doctors and have received more than 250 cases so far. He says the financial cost of the work is 'very large' and support will be needed for many years to come. 'We need material support and some equipment and to increase the number of doctors and workers,' he says. 'We need to prepare DNA laboratories in all governorates … and need to equip these centres with specialised staff and equipment and necessary materials due to the large size of work.' Tracing the families of anyone found will also be a challenge. Al-Hourani says relatives would be reached through 'various media' after work on each mass grave is finished. 'Of course, it is difficult to open all the graves in one time and work on them. It is work that needs huge capabilities and a long time that extends for years. These sites must be protected so that they are not tampered with and gradual recovery must be done according to the existing capabilities.' Twelve-year-old Yusuf says he finds it upsetting that some people walk and drive over Tadamon's mass graves Veteran Argentinian forensic anthropologist Luis Fondebrider travelled to Syria as an external consultant following the regime's fall last December. Speaking on a WhatsApp call in May, he called the situation 'chaotic,' but said it had been in many of the other roughly 60 countries he had worked in too. When it comes to investigating missing people and mass graves, Fondebrider said the reality is vastly more complicated than just pulling out a body and using a machine to test it – there are a 'lot of things to do before opening any grave'. For example, he said, there needs to be political willingness to create permanent institutions which have the co-operation of other institutions, and a centralised organisation of information. 'After a period of extreme violence … missing people are a critical issue and every society responds in different ways. The most important thing is to think of it as something that is not going to be solved in one, two or three years. This could take decades,' he said. Syrians have to lead the process themselves. 'We cannot impose from outside our priorities.' But 'in my experience … the process to open the graves, to investigate, to identify the bodies, to reach some justice, is beneficial not only for the families, but also for the society.' [ Climate change adds to Syria's problems as Damask rose harvests fade Opens in new window ] The biggest consequence of not progressing these efforts is 'impunity' – perpetrators will remain free to keep killing – plus a wider risk, that 'a society who doesn't remember the past is going to repeat that past'. In Syria, a lack of faith in official processes initially spilt over into a desire for what many saw as community-directed justice, and revenge killings continue to be reported. In the first week after the regime fell, I stood in a huge, excited crowd in nearby Damascus neighbourhood Midan after word went around that the public execution of one of the men responsible for the Tadamon massacres would take place. The rumoured execution never went ahead, and it was not completely clear if the new authorities stopped it at the last minute or whether it had ever been scheduled at all. Syrian authorities say they have arrested multiple people involved in the massacres. But public anger was provoked in February, when Fadi Saqr, a former leader of the regime-affiliated National Defense Forces, which was accused of carrying out the Tadamon massacre, visited the mass grave site accompanied by security forces from the new administration. That anger increased when it became apparent that he has continued to work with the new government since. Over tea in his home in Tadamon, one grandfather worries that the 'criminals' responsible are still walking freely. Down the road, men chat in the street beside a hardware store. Seeing foreign journalists approaching, they also proffer memories. One says he personally discovered the dead body of a woman beside that of a young child. 'The militants' methods of killing included throwing people off high floors of a building beside us.' Photograph: Sally Hayden Mohammed Hassan (53) says at least 35 people from his own family were killed in Tadamon, including his brother, who had simply gone out to buy bread. Hassan believes hundreds of people of a Turkmen Syrian background were among the dead, murdered because the regime accused them of being backed by Turkey and wanted them to leave the area completely. The militants' methods of killing included throwing people off high floors of a building beside us, Hassan says – the stairs were later destroyed, he points out, saying no one has since been up there. This whole area was inaccessible for local residents but 'after the regime fell we came and we found so many bodies here. Immediately the kids came here and played with the skulls ... No one came to protect it.' He first gives a nickname, then says it is fine to publish his real name, saying he does not want to be afraid any more. Syrians need an 'international court of justice' to help them in their quest for accountability, he adds. Hassan has five children – two boys, three girls. He worries about the impact of everything they witnessed during the years of war and dictatorship. 'They're playing, growing here. They've seen a lot. The Syrian people have seen a lot and it affects their psychological wellbeing. But for these kids it's better now compared to what they saw in the war. Generation by generation will get better.' Now, he says, everyone wants peace above almost everything, though many Syrians caveat that by saying true peace requires justice. – Hani Alagbar assisted with this reporting.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
BBC Question Time Audience Member Brands Reform 'The Comedy Club' As Zia Yusuf Awkwardly Looks On
Former Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf was left squirming after an audience member on Question Time branded his party 'the comedy club'. The man's remark was greeted with applause on the BBC1 programme on Thursday night. Yusuf, who is now in charge of Reform's so-called 'DOGE unit' aimed at cutting out public sector waste, was left looking on awkwardly as the man made his remarks. 'It's not whether Reform will end up in the comedy club – they are the comedy club,' the man said. Addressing Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the Treasury, he went on: 'You said that Labour got in because people wanted change. They didn't. Labour got in because they wanted Labour in charge. 'And why did they want Labour in charge? Because of what you stand for. I think you need to change the narrative. You took over from the Tories, who destroyed this country in 14 years, and you've given [Reform UK] a window to spout the stuff they do. ″[Yusuf] is now the DOGE lead, like Elon Musk and Trump. It's a matter of time before him and Nigel Farage are going to fall out. What you need to do is change the narrative.' Man in blue calls out ReformThen tells Labour to do better# — Farrukh (@implausibleblog) June 12, 2025 Zia Yusuf Says Reform Would Deport All Illegal Immigrants – But Nigel Farage Has Said That's 'Impossible' 'You've Been Muscled Out': Nick Robinson Goads Zia Yusuf For Quitting As Reform Chairman Reform UK Mocked After Zia Yusuf Returns Just 48 Hours After Quitting
