US census to include Middle Eastern or North African category
The next US census and federal government forms will include new options for race and ethnicity including a category for...
Geostrategy
The unexplained: Giant Swedish archive logs paranormal phenomena
The Archives for the Unexplained (AFU) claims to be the world's biggest library of paranormal phenomena, with 4.2 kilometers of...
Arts & Culture
Eygpt releases nine Coptic Christians detained for three months
Egyptian state security released nine Coptic Christians who had been detained for nearly three months following a protest demanding the...
- The nine villagers faced charges of "participating in an assembly that endangers public peace, and committing a terrorist act with the aim of disturbing public security"
- The Church of Saint Joseph and Abu Sefein was destroyed in a fire in 2016, which some have described as a "deliberate act"
Arts & Culture
Iraqi Christians celebrate arrival of ‘Holy Fire’
With joyous ululations, thousands of Iraqis have celebrated for the first time the arrival of the "Holy Fire" brought from...
- With chanting and prayers, excited crowds gathered Saturday night to greet the flame's arrival at the Syriac Christian Orthodox Mar Matta monastery of Saint Matthew
- According to believers, the fire descends from heaven on the eve of Easter, and is a symbol of Christ's Resurrection
Arts & Culture
Shaikh Zayed Mosque receives visitors to major events in UAE
More than 1.26 million people have visited Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which has been a leading destination for visitors of...
- The events include Expo 2020 Dubai, the FIFA Club World Cup, the fifth UMEX and SIMTEX, the International Defence Industry Technology and Security Conference.
- The mosque also hosted 51 visits from local and international academic institutions, in addition to 293 visitors representing various international media outlets.
Six dead, 29 missing after migrant boat capsizes off Libya
Six people were found dead and 29 are missing and presumed dead after their boat capsized off the coast of...
- Libya, wracked by a decade of conflict and lawlessness, has become a key departure point for African and Asian migrants making desperate attempts to reach Europe
- The United Nations' refugee agency UNHCR has said that around 1,300 migrants drowned or went missing in the central Mediterranean in 2021
Geostrategy
Lebanon to demolish blast-hit Beirut silos
Once boasting a capacity of more than 100,000 tons, the imposing 48-meter (157-foot) high structure has become emblematic of the...
- Last year, Swiss company Amann Engineering also called for their demolition, saying the most damaged of the silos were tilting at a rate of two millimeters per day.
- Authorities say the blast was caused by a shipment of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, that caught fire after being impounded for years on end in haphazard conditions.
Interview
Inspiring people is ‘a good legacy’: Sheikha Lubna
Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, the first woman to be an Emirati cabinet minister, opens up to TRENDS about...
- In the UAE, every generation witnesses significant changes, but one constant is the government’s support towards and confidence in youth, said the Sheikha
- Empowering women and giving them the right opportunities is not new; it had already started since the foundation of the UAE, she added
Arts & Culture
More than half of Abu Dhabi population reads regularly: Poll
The number of people in Abu Dhabi who have developed a habit of reading regularly has increased from 38 percent...
- The poll said 79 percent of population prefers reading online, while 92 percent think that Abu Dhabi government entities have done their part in fostering the reading culture.
- According to the poll results, 61 percent of the respondents who do not read regularly said they do not have enough time to develop a reading habit.
Arts & Culture
Where Paris hides some of its best art
The Paris contemporary art scene has partly got its mojo back thanks to a slew of new museums, including the...
- France sells more art than any country apart from the United States -- 91,692 works last year, according to Artprice, an analysis firm.
- It still turns over less cash than China and Britain, though it is closing the gap with its northern neighbor and surpassed $1 billion in auction sales for the first time in 2021.
Geostrategy
‘Pain’ of Algerians banished to the Pacific
Between 1864 and 1897, as French colonial troops advanced through Algeria, 2,100 people were tried by special or military courts...
- They were sent in chains around 18,500 kilometers (11,500 miles) to the other side of the world, to a penal colony on the Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia.
- Those who survived the tough journey became known as the "straw hats" -- a nod to the convicts' headgear as they worked in the blazing sun.
Arts & Culture
What determines duration of a Ramadan fast?
The fasting hours are actually determined by geography and vary from one country to another. People in the relatively cooler...
- Hundreds of millions of Muslims across the world abstain from eating and drinking from early dawn to dusk. They also shun sex with their spouses during the fasting hours.
- Some places, like areas near the Arctic where sun appears never to set during certain months, pose a dilemma for the faithful.
US census to include Middle Eastern or North African category
The next US census and federal government forms will include new options for race and ethnicity including a category for...
Geostrategy
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Library battles on to restore Palestinian history
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...
Arts & Culture
Renewed Saudi interest in Salah ‘doesn’t worry’ Liverpool boss Klopp
London, United Kingdom - Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp insists he is not worried about the potential for renewed Saudi Arabian interest...
Arts & Culture
Five-member Israeli delegation makes first open visit to Saudi Arabia
An Israeli delegation attended a UNESCO meeting in Riyadh, marking the country's first publicly announced visit to Saudi Arabia as...
Geostrategy
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Arts & Culture
UN urges age restrictions on Artificial Intelligence in schools
Paris, France - The United Nations called on Thursday for strict rules on the use of AI tools such as viral...
- "Generative AI can be a tremendous opportunity for human development, but it can also cause harm and prejudice," said Audrey Azoulay of UNESCO.
- "It cannot be integrated into education without public engagement, and the necessary safeguards and regulations from governments," he added
Arts & Culture
Demarai Gray quits Everton to join Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ettifaq
London, United Kingdom - Demarai Gray has left Everton for Al-Ettifaq ahead of Thursday's transfer deadline in the Saudi Pro League.The...
- The 27-year-old forward is the latest Premier League player to head to the Gulf nation, joining former Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson at Al-Ettifaq.
- The Jamaica international said that he would be "forever proud" to have played for Everton, who are in the relegation zone after a poor start to the season.
Arts & Culture
‘Sharjah solidifies its global cultural hub status’
"The Sharjah International Book Fair has established itself as an exemplary Arab accomplishment, and we are elevating its role to...
- Sharjah is solidifying its status as a global cultural hub and serves as a reliable destination for all those seeking to discover Arab culture
- Sharjah International Book Fair has established itself as an exemplary Arab accomplishment, and the emirate is elevating its role to enrich global culture