As world mourns, cardinals meeting to decide the date for Pope Francis’s funeral
Vatican City, Holy See - Cardinals will meet Tuesday to decide the date for Pope Francis's funeral, starting a process...
Arts & Culture
Saudi marks Eid al-Fitr today, other Mideast states on Monday
Saudi Arabia and some other Gulf Arab states are to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr holiday from Sunday but other Middle...
Arts & Culture
Arts & Culture
Off a highway, Israel Bedouins rejoice in horse racing
More than 260,000 Bedouins in Israel are part of the country's Arab minority, which is roughly a fifth of its...
- Bedouins consistently rank as Israel's poorest group and, like other Arab people, complain of marginalization.
- A long-standing source of friction is that many Bedouin villages are not recognised as official municipalities by Israel and lack basic utilities.
London Arabic bookshop to shut after 45 years
The announcement on December 5 that the bookshop will close at the end of this month prompted an avalanche of...
- Al Saqi Books is another victim of the pandemic, and the economic upheaval in the UK and Lebanon
- For more than 40 years, many writers have come to the London bookshop to present their works, including Syrian poet Adonis
Arts & Culture
Critics see Macron ‘offside’ in World Cup final
The French President delivered a wide-ranging performance at the World Cup final that was not to everyone's taste.
- He was an unmissable presence at the game at the Lusail stadium in Qatar, even making an appearance in the team's changing room to deliver an emotional post-game pep talk.
- "We must not politicize sport," the incoming leader of the ultra-left France Unbowed party Manuel Bompard, wrote ironically on Twitter.
Geostrategy
After hosting World Cup, Qatar looks to secure 2036 Olympics
During the tournament, Qatar was awarded the 2025 world table tennis championships and the opening race of the world endurance...
- The 2036 Olympics is the next big prize. The emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, is an IOC member and Qatar has already bid for the 2016, 2020 and 2032 Games.
- The IOC has a declared policy of rotating the Games, and the Olympics have never been held in the Middle East. Qatar could face competition from Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
Economy
Conservators strive to preserve ancient manuscripts in Iraq
Some manuscripts date from the early Abbasid era, while some seventh-century calligraphy boards in Kufic script were written on parchment...
- In a country that bears scars of decades of conflict and has seen antiquities and cultural heritage regularly plundered, the House of Manuscripts' collection has managed to survive
- The House of Manuscripts signed a partnership with the BNF, following financial support from the Aliph Foundation, which works to protect cultural heritage in conflict zones
Geostrategy
Iraq’s Mosul healing slowly, five years after IS defeat
Signs of reconstruction dot the city of 1.5 million, with workers constructing a new bridge, and cafes and restaurants buzzing....
- Like in much of oil-rich but war-ravaged Iraq, ramshackle public services and deep economic difficulties continue to hamper people's daily lives
- Iraqi forces with the help of a US-led coalition wrested back Mosul in July 2017 after gruelling street fighting
Arts & Culture
650 artists from 62 nations seek to attend Tuwaiq Sculpture 2030 in Riyadh
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--- Riyadh Art project will organize "Tuwaiq Sculpture 2030" from Jan 8 to Feb 10, 2023 under the theme...
- Riyadh Art, the organizer, is one of Riyadh's mega projects launched by the Saudi government in 2019 under the leadership of the Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
- During the previous editions, more than 60 local and international sculptors participated in the event, which transforms the capital into an open art gallery.
Egypt dusts off pyramids for fashion and art shows
French fashion house Dior debuted its latest collection Saturday at the Giza pyramids, after Italian designer Stefano Ricci held a...
- Dior CEO Pietro Beccari said the fashion house chose the pyramids as far more than "just a useless background", drawing on Egyptian astrology for the collection named "Celestial'.
- Showcasing Egypt's heritage in a new context "will encourage other brands and international cultural figures to come to Egypt," said art historian Bahia Shehab.
Jordan PM launches women empowerment strategy
This strategy aims to eliminate all forms of gender-based discrimination.
- This strategy aims to eliminate all forms of gender-based discrimination
- It also aims to enhance women's participation in the labor market
Arts & Culture
World Cup without booze makes atmosphere less aggressive, more family friendly
Some say the absence of booze in stadiums and its limited availability elsewhere in the Arab nation has detracted from...
- The sale of alcohol at World Cup stadiums in Qatar was banned two days before the tournament in a policy U-turn, although it is available at fan zones and most international hotels
- And matches particularly involving teams from South America and North Africa have still played out in front of electric atmospheres.
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Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
As world mourns, cardinals meeting to decide the date for Pope Francis’s funeral
Vatican City, Holy See - Cardinals will meet Tuesday to decide the date for Pope Francis's funeral, starting a process...
Arts & Culture
Company News
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Educational institutions are shaping UAE’s tomorrow
Arts & Culture
Esports scores big for Saudi economy, culture & jobs
Arts & Culture
Boots, Banksy, piano: Elton John puts items up for auction
New York, United States - Music icon Elton John has put a variety of personal items up for auction at Christie's...
Arts & Culture
Morocco law reform offers hope for women’s rights
Rabat, Morocco - Two decades after a landmark but limited revision of Morocco's family law marked a breakthrough for women, activists...
Geostrategy
Pakistan bans New Year’s Eve celebrations in solidarity with Gaza
New Year's Eve is usually marked in boisterous fashion in Pakistan, with fireworks and aerial gunfire -- as well as...
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Arts & Culture
Desert jewel: Saudi Arabia’s oldest nature reserve Hurra Al-Hurra
Turaif, Saudi Arabia - Hurra Al-Hurra Reserve is one of the first protected areas in Saudi Arabia, located in the...
- Located in the Northern Border and Al-Jawf regions, it lies within the boundaries of the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve in the northwest of Saudi Arabia.
- Hurra Al-Hurra and its surrounding areas feature a diverse landscape, with depressions, watersheds, valleys and an abundance of springs scattered throughout the area.
Geostrategy
Gaza war makes for sombre Christmas in the Holy Land
There was no revelry on Sunday, with few worshippers on the streets of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, as...
- A work of art evoking the tragedy of war has been installed on the ground opposite the Church of the Nativity, taking the place of life-size nativity scene and colossal Christmas
- Last week, a mother and daughter were killed by an Israeli sniper inside the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City, according to the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem
Science
Artists utilize technology against AI copycats
NEW YORK, US - Artists under siege by artificial intelligence (AI) that studies their work, then replicates their styles, have teamed...
- Created in just four months, Glaze spun off technology used to disrupt facial recognition systems.
- Glaze essentially outthinks AI models when it comes to how they train, tweaking pixels in ways indiscernible by human viewers