Money weighs on would-be Chinese parents as population falls
Long alarmed by falling fertility, the government has relaxed its decades-long one-child policy in recent years to allow three children...
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
Economy
Tunisia’s president announces constitutional referendum
Kais Saied presented a roadmap for restoring democratic institutions, and announced a nationwide public consultation from January 1 until March...
- Tunisian president has extended parliament suspension for one more year until December 2022
- Direct meetings would be held to receive suggestions for constitutional reforms of Tunisia
Arts & Culture
UNESCO adds Arabic calligraphy into heritage list
A total of 16 Muslim-majority countries, led by Saudi Arabia, presented the nomination to UNESCO, which announced the listing on...
- The UNESCO listing "will certainly have a positive impact" on preserving the tradition, said Abdelmajid Mahboub from the Saudi Heritage Preservation Society.
- The number of specialized Arab calligraphic artists had dropped sharply, according to the Saudi Heritage Preservation Society.
Economy
UAE ranks first in Arab world, 11th globally in Global Knowledge Index
Qatar was at the 38th place, Saudi Arabia at 40, Kuwait (48), Oman (52), and Bahrain (55) in the Global...
- Other GCC countries -- including Qatar , Saudi Arabia, Kuwait , Oman and Bahrain -- also figured prominently in the index
- Switzerland ranks first globally, followed by Sweden, the US, Finland and the Netherlands
Arts & Culture
Curtain falls on Saudi’s first major film festival
The event, where 138 films were screened from 67 countries, was organized four years after the kingdom lifted a decades-old...
- The festival opened a day after Jeddah hosted its first Formula One Grand Prix, also an attempt to portray Saudi Arabia in a different light
- The rise of Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in 2017 has ushered in a number of reforms
Arts & Culture
Abu Hamdan sets sights on Jordanian underworld
'Boomah (Owl)' is based on research that has been carried out by Abu Hamdan into three female ‘thugs’ who shook...
- Abu Hamdan has been awarded a $100,000 production grant by the Red Sea Lodge.
- In total, 12 projects were selected to take part in the Red Sea Lodge, including six from Saudi Arabia and six from Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait and Lebanon.
Sheikha Fatima gets most influential figure in women’s rights award
The conference was organized by the ACSR, under the patronage of the Arab League.
- Sheikha Fatima was named as the most influential figure in women’s rights in 2021 during last month’s Humanitarian and Volunteer Work Conference
- The award was received on behalf of Sheikha Fatima by Noura Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the General Women's Union at the Egyptian pavilion in Dubai Expo
Videos
Reasons behind shortening UAE’s workweek
This week's TRENDS Explainer video tries to find the rationale behind curtailing the number of days in the UAE's workweek...
- The Gulf country is transitioning to a 4.5-day workweek. Now, weekends will consist of Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday
- The move makes the UAE the first nation to formalize a workweek shorter than five days. It also brings the country more in line with Western schedules
Arts & Culture
Proposed bill in Iran looks to ban pets including cats, dogs
The animals that may be banned under the proposed law include 'crocodiles, turtles, snakes, lizards, cats, mice, rabbits, dogs and...
- A total of 75 MPs of the Irani parliament have signed a proposed legislation that prohibits pet animals
- Offenders of this new law would be fined by $98, which is equal to 10 to 30 times of minimum monthly working wage
Research
Qatar, UNESCO launch Arabic version of freedom of expression report
While launching the report, Acting Director of the Information Office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ibrahim bin Sultan Al...
- The launch of the Arabic version of the report is the first fully translated into a language other than English
- Qatar hopes that the report will be an entry point for discussion for academics, journalists, and the public about misleading information
Arts & Culture
Morocco state schools fail students, deepen inequality
The High Council for Education has said that government schools "are not giving the majority of pupils basic skills or...
- The situation has pushed many, including middle-class families, to tighten their belts so they can scrape together fees for private schools.
- Just nine percent of students in state secondary schools pass exams in French, Arabic and mathematics
Money weighs on would-be Chinese parents as population falls
Long alarmed by falling fertility, the government has relaxed its decades-long one-child policy in recent years to allow three children...
Arts & Culture
Company News
Schoolgirl poisonings continue in Iran
Geostrategy
Latest News
Millions rely on humanitarian assistance for survival
Arts & Culture
Arrangements hailed as pilgrims leave Saudi Arabia after Hajj
On Friday, two days after the last major ritual, tens of thousands of people packed roads and boarded buses out...
Hajj pilgrims continue rituals on third day of Eid Al-Adha in Mina
Mina, Saudi Arabia – Pilgrims were continuing with their religious rites on Friday, the third day of Eid Al-Adha, participating...
Arts & Culture
Sports key pillar as UAE emerges as soft power center
Everyone in the sports delegations taking part in the future forums now has a greater obligation to spare no effort...
Arts & Culture
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Arts & Culture
UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture honors winners in Paris
Paris, France-- The19th UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture was awarded to Kassem Istanbouli, Lebanese actor-director, and Hajer Ben Boubaker, French...
- Organized by the Sharjah Department of Culture in collaboration with UNESCO, the event celebrated the achievements of Kassem Istanbouli and Hajer Ben Boubaker
- The award recognized contributions of both recipients for promoting the arts and Arab culture and supporting their local communities
Geostrategy
Iranian pilgrims at ease during hajj post Riyadh-Tehran detente
MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA- If a landmark reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran has eased tensions in the Gulf, clouds have also...
- An Iranian tour operator who has joined the hajj on several occasions said he was feeling "comfort and safety" in Saudi Arabia.
- More than 86,000 Iranians, including 300 aged over 80, are on this year's hajj, according to Iranian media reports.
Arts & Culture
Saudi Arabia to host 2023 FIFA Club World Cup
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA- The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) announced on Monday...
- This follows an official visit made by a FIFA delegation to Jeddah last week to inspect the ongoing preparations to host the World Cup.
- FIFA experts inspected the infrastructure and stadiums nominated to host the WC, including King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium.