Egypt to prosecute travel agents over hajj ‘fraud’: government
Cairo, Egypt - Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly ordered 16 tourism companies stripped of their licences and referred their managers to...
Restoration project for Jeddah district’s old buildings completed
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA – The Ministry of Culture, represented by the Jeddah Historic District Program, has announced the completion of...
Arts & Culture
Arts & Culture
Turkish film festival canceled over censorship controversy
The festival's jury members threatened to pull out if the film was not readmitted and said they "reject the approach...
- The dispute centres on "The Decree", a documentary about the plight of a doctor and a teacher affected by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's sweeping crackdown
- The film was initially selected for Antalya's "Golden Orange" film festival, but excluded from the competition last week, prompting an outcry from filmmakers
Arts & Culture
Archaeology talks unravel past’s influence on future
Insights from the recently held archaeology summit highlight AlUla's prominence as an archaeological epicenter, helping to bridge historical gaps and...
- Insights from the recent archaeology summit highlight AlUla's prominence as an archaeological epicenter, helping to bridge historical gaps and deepen understanding
- Organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla, the event attended by over 300 delegates from 39 countries, tries to look beyond traditional archaeological boundaries
Arts & Culture
Broadway musical ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ to Debut in Riyadh
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The iconic Broadway musical 'The Phantom of the Opera' will be performed in Riyadh from Oct...
- The musical will be performed 59 time at The Arena Riyadh. It consists of 100 cast, crew and orchestra members, and more than 230 intricately designed costumes.
- The show is part of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City's Riyadh Life sector to provide entertainment options, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030 Quality of Life program.
Arts & Culture
Saudi Arabia’s natural reserve makes it to UNESCO heritage list
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Uruq Bani Ma'arid Reserve in Saudi Arabia has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage...
- Uruq Bani Ma'arid Reserve occupies an area of over 12,750 km2 and is the only major sand desert in tropical Asia.
- It provides vital natural habitats for the survival of more than 120 indigenous plant species.
Geostrategy
EU nominates Mahsa Amini and Elon Musk for top rights award
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM- Mahsa Amini, the Iranian Kurdish woman who died in custody a year ago, and billionaire Elon Musk were among...
- The European Parliament's three biggest political groups each backed Mahsa Amini as the recipient for this year's Sakharov Prize.
- The legislature's small far-right bloc was the only one to nominate Elon Musk, the tech titan behind X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Business
92% of respondents in Saudi Arabia willing to pay more for sustainable broadband
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - About 92% of respondents in Saudi Arabia consider ‘critical national infrastructure’ and are willing to pay...
- A survey, encompassing 2,000 respondents in the Kingdom, reveals that 91% of participants consider broadband as crucial as basic necessities like water and electricity
- Over half of Internet users in Saudi Arabia primarily use the Internet for social media (58%), streaming videos and gaming (57%), and browsing, reading, or shopping (53%)
Business
Abu Dhabi council review budget, sports development
Abu Dhabi, UAE - Abu Dhabi Sports Council discussed business developments and plans for developing the sports sector here, local...
- The board reviewed the general financial budget for 2024, which reflects the strong performance of the council and its impact on the sports sector
- They also reviewed the strategic and operational performance report for the first half of 2023 and the performance indicators report
Geostrategy
UNESCO adds Djerba in Tunisia to world heritage sites list
Tunis, Tunisia -- UNESCO announced Monday it was adding the Tunisian resort island of Djerba to its list of World Heritage...
- The United Nations cultural organization took the decision in Saudi Arabia, during its 45th world heritage committee meeting.
- Djerba is considered to be the mythological island in Homer's "Odyssey" where Ulysses and his companions encounter the lotus eaters.
Business
Turkish clubs financially hit attracting big names in transfer market
Eyes have been on Saudi clubs' transfer outlays which have rivaled those of the top European sides, but Turkish teams...
- Reigning Turkish champions Galatasaray spent US$32 million this summer, down on the US$45 million of the same window last year.
- Economist Kerem Akbas believes trying to appease football fans in the country pushes clubs into spending money they cannot afford.
Arts & Culture
Nine works nominated for 9th Katara Prize for Arabic Novel
Doha, Qatar - The Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) revealed the lists of nine works that would be included in the...
- This includes published novels, unpublished novels, young adult unpublished novels and unpublished critical studies, with a total reaching 36 novels and critical studies.
- The 9th edition of the Katara Prize for Arabic Novel saw 1,491 entries and the number of unpublished novels participating was about 833.
Egypt to prosecute travel agents over hajj ‘fraud’: government
Cairo, Egypt - Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly ordered 16 tourism companies stripped of their licences and referred their managers to...
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Butter chicken battle hits Indian court
Arts & Culture
Djokovic and Nadal to play 6 Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia
Arts & Culture
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AI game gains popularity during Chinese New Year festivities
SHANGHAI, CHINA - Young Chinese flocking home for Lunar New Year this weekend have turned to an AI chatbot game to...
Arts & Culture
Butter chicken battle hits Indian court
Moti Mahal, one of the city's oldest restaurant chains, accuses rival of falsely taking credit for inventing the marinated chicken...
Arts & Culture
Iran’s long-lasting love for gemstones believed to have divine power
Common beliefs associated with gemstones are largely what motivates people to buy them, said Hassan Samimi, a lapidary at the...
Arts & Culture
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Arts & Culture
25,000 fragments of early Islamic era artifacts discovered in Saudi
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia -- As many as 25,000 fragments of artifacts dating from the early Islamic era, the first two...
- The discovery was announced by the Jeddah Historic District Program, in collaboration with the Heritage Commission.
- The project aims to preserve national antiquities and archaeological sites, uncover the rich history of the Kingdom, and promote historic Jeddah as a cultural destination.
Geostrategy
Arab Israelis let out of Gaza recount ‘terrifying’ journey
JERUSALEM - When Fatima, an Arab Israeli married to a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip, fled Israel's bombardment of the...
- The majority of the Palestinian population, around 760,000 people, either fled or were forced from their homes during the first Arab-Israeli war.
- According to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, there are more than two million Arab Israelis today, accounting for 21 percent of the population.
Arts & Culture
Iran ‘following dreams’ in trying to win first Asian Cup since 1976
Doha, Qatar - Iran are "following our dreams" in trying to win the Asian Cup for the first time in 48...
- Three-time champions Iran face Syria in Qatar with a quarter-final against Bahrain or pre-tournament favorites Japan up for grabs
- Along with holders Qatar, Iran are the only team left in the competition who went through the group stage with a 100 percent record