Chinese man defies demolition orders to build madcap rural home
Xingyi, China -- Surrounded by the rubble of demolished homes, Chen Tianming's ramshackle tower of faded plyboards and contorted beams...
Arts & Culture
Qatar table tennis says ‘prepared to escalate’ after chaotic vote
Doha, Qatar -- Qatar's table tennis association has warned of possible legal action as it disputes the result of a...
Arts & Culture
Archaeology talks unravel past’s influence on future
Arts & Culture
The ‘tyranny of thinness’ still dominates fashion
Arts & Culture
Arts & Culture
Cartoon alien aims to ease World Cup culture shock
Kawkabani, star of the series, has to learn Arabic pronunciation, how to drink coffee -- and to discover that Qataris...
- Kawkabani was part-financed by Qatar's World Cup organisers, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, as well as the Doha Film Institute and telecoms giant Vodafone.
- Creators Hossein Heydar and Amal al-Shammari want Qataris to get the message that they will have to make cultural concessions to the beer-drinking and good-time-seeking masses.
Arts & Culture
Dare to be different to make positive change: Joumana
Lebanese writer, journalist, and human rights activist Joumana Haddad tells TRENDS why she is unperturbed despite being one of the...
- Joumana Haddad pays a price for her strong voice advocating for the rights of people, addressing otherwise taboo subjects
- A big believer of self-expression, she uses her publication Jasad to tackle issues related to art, literature, and politics of the body
Arts & Culture
World’s biggest YouTuber PewDiePie moves to Japan
The 32-year-old has a huge online following, with 111 million subscribers on YouTube, but has faced controversy over offensive jokes...
- PewDiePie has landed himself in hot water several times, including for videos containing anti-Semitic remarks and racial slurs
- In 2016, the YouTuber was temporarily blocked from Twitter after he joked that he had joined the Islamic State group
Arts & Culture
Iran archeologists stand against antiquities trade bill
46 out of 290 MPs in Iran proposed the draft law earlier this week, dubbed the "optimal utilization of ancient...
- Iranian lawmakers said they hope to turn Iran into a "regional center" for antiquities trade
- Local media regularly report arrests of individuals accused of smuggling artefacts out of the country
Arts & Culture
Egypt’s ‘zar’ ritual puts exorcism on stage
Zar is one of the ceremonies among the few cultural practices in which women take center stage. Traditionally, the zar...
- The music and dance ritual known as "zar", with centuries-old roots in Ethiopia and Sudan, is traditionally performed to ward off or exorcise jinn or evil spirits.
- At Cairo's Makan Cultural Centre, a group of singers and Sufi practitioners performs to the delight of foreign and local guests.
Arts & Culture
Warhol portrait of Marilyn Monroe fetches $195m
The painting beat the previous record for a 20th-century work, Pablo Picasso's Women of Algiers, which sold for $179.4 million...
- Shot Sage Blue Marilyn was produced in 1964, two years after the death of the glamourous Hollywood star
- It sold for exactly $195.04 million in just four minutes in a crowded room at Christie's headquarters in Manhattan
Arts & Culture
Egypt’s ancient ‘zar’ ritual puts exorcism on stage
"The singing is spiritual and brings out negative energies," said the lead singer of the Mazaher ensemble, adding that they...
- "We're not quacks or witches," Umm Sameh, singer in 'zar' ritual said, she learned it in her childhood from her mother and grandmother
- The zar ritual would last several days and include animal sacrifices as per their tradition and no blood is spilled at Cairo's Makan Cultural Centre
Arts & Culture
Canadian offices going to the dogs
In a survey, 18 percent of those aged 18 to 24 years said they would change jobs if their employer...
- According to a recent Leger survey for PetSafe, 51 percent of Canadians support bringing dogs to the office.
- An estimated 200,000 Canadians have adopted a dog or cat since the start of the pandemic in 2020, bringing the nationwide total to 3.25 million.
Arts & Culture
Jordan king, queen to receive Path to Peace Award in New York
The award will be presented by the Path to Peace Foundation affiliated with the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy...
- The award will be presented by the Path to Peace Foundation affiliated with the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations
- It comes in appreciation of their role in promoting interfaith harmony and dialogue, as well as bolstering prospects for peace
Arts & Culture
Abu Dhabi tourism department readies to launch summer campaign
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) will announce its summer campaign at Arabian Travel...
- Located in Hall 2 at Dubai World Trade Centre, Visit Abu Dhabi will take guests on journey of the top sites and attractions in the capital.
- Visitors will be treated to live performances from the City of Music, the creative craftsmanship of Emirati artisans at the House of Artisans zone.
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Chinese man defies demolition orders to build madcap rural home
Xingyi, China -- Surrounded by the rubble of demolished homes, Chen Tianming's ramshackle tower of faded plyboards and contorted beams...
Arts & Culture
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Archaeology talks unravel past’s influence on future
Arts & Culture
AI and death: Sundance films grapple with our digital afterlife
Park City, United States -- Artificial intelligence promises to make death "optional," as the technology learns to perfectly emulate our personalities,...
Arts & Culture
Afif helps Qatar exorcise World Cup demons at Asian Cup
Doha, Qatar - Asian Cup hosts and holders Qatar have been on a mission to banish the painful memory of their...
Arts & Culture
Japan literary laureate admits using ChatGPT for her novel
TOKYO, JAPAN - The winner of Japan's most prestigious literary award has acknowledged that about "five percent" of her futuristic novel...
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Epstein case: Social media frenzy over released papers
The release of Epstein-related court documents has ignited a social media frenzy, sparking intense scrutiny and various reactions about high-profile...
- The release of Epstein-related court documents has ignited a social media frenzy, sparking intense scrutiny and various reactions about high-profile individuals' involvement.
- The scandal has shown how social media can transform public discourse and activism, allowing for the expression of outrage, demands for justice, and alternative narratives.
Arts & Culture
Ronaldo effect? Saudi spending spree fuels Asian Cup hopes
Saudi Pro League sides have shelled out to lure big-name players while Saudi Arabia is set to host the 2034...
- Mancini left more than a dozen of the World Cup squad out of his Asian Cup roster, although injuries have also played a part.
- Saudi Pro League clubs' spending on players over the summer was topped only by the English Premier League.
Arts & Culture
Cairo arts center razed for Old City makeover
Cairo, Egypt - Nestled in the heart of the historic capital here, a cultural center synonymous with the city's art scene...
- The Darb 1718 center was demolished "without any prior notice", its management said on social media on January 6, to make room for a highway expansion
- Authorities have been aggressively remaking parts of Cairo, a longtime cultural beacon of the Arab world, to expand the capital