Culture

Sacred Bukhara is one of the tourist gems of Uzbekistan. The historic city centre is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The age of the city exceeds 2500 years. Let us say one thing. You will lose out so, so much, if you do not visit Bukhara. Popular landmarks …

Forget the predictable box of chocolates and flowers this Valentine’s Day — renowned fashion photographer duo Inez and Vinoodh have unveiled a virtual kissing booth just in time for Feb. 14, and it’s for a good cause. The legendary image-makers launched the campaign as part of their Double Dutch initiative, …

The year is 1910. A 17 year-old young man, Farris, with high ambitious dreams and a persistent attitude to pursue a better life for himself, away from the misery, hunger, and poverty that prevailed in most villages of Lebanon during the early 1900s, takes the decision to emigrate. To a …

Zakhriddin Mukhammad Bobur is a significant person in Uzbekistan’s history. In Central Asian history, he remains as a great ruler and commander who managed to found a huge empire which existed more than 300 years after his death. He placed himself on record not only in the history of the …

The U.S. Navy’s top admiral on Tuesday condemned two new racist incidents involving hate symbols on warships, which sources said included a noose that was left on a Black sailor’s bed. The incidents, which occurred in recent weeks, underscore deep concerns about racism in the ranks. The cases come as …

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced on Monday plans to approve a set of new draft laws designed to enhance the efficiency and integrity of the kingdom’s judicial system, a step that would eventually lead to an entirely codified law. The prince, often referred to by his initials …

Florida lawmakers, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, intensified their battle with Facebook, Twitter and Silicon Valley when they announced new proposals Tuesday aimed at reigning in platforms they accuse of squelching the free speech of conservatives. “Over the years, these platforms have changed from neutral platforms that provide Americans with the …

Pope Francis said on Monday he is intent on making a trip to Iraq next month even if it means many Iraqi Christians won’t be able to see him in person because of COVID-19 restrictions. “I am the pastor of people who are suffering,” he told Catholic New Service (CNS), …

In a “milestone” move, the Philippines House of Representatives has approved a bill declaring the first day of February as National Hijab Day every year to promote a “deeper understanding” of the Muslim practice, as well as tolerance for other faiths across the country. Congress unanimously approved the bill, which …

A new chapter in Arabic literature is opening up as more writers give a modern twist to old science. Time-honored styles and subject matters are steadily being replaced and expanded upon as Arab wordsmiths and readers explore creative new dimensions to storytelling. Authors are boldly publishing books in genres once …

Israeli authorities on Monday extradited a woman wanted on 74 charges of child sex abuse in Australia, following a six-year legal battle that had strained relations between the two governments. Malka Leifer, a former teacher accused of sexually abusing several former students at a Jewish school in Melbourne, had been …

Sudanese filmmakers who celebrated the end of stifling restrictions following the ouster of autocrat Omar Bashir have won multiple international awards but are yet to enjoy the same recognition at home. Cinema languished in the North African country through three decades of authoritarian rule by Bashir. But Sudanese took to …

The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) has launched a campaign aimed at inspecting websites to verify their compliance with intellectual property systems and ensure they do not violate intellectual rights. The SAIP’s inspection campaigns have been on two fronts, visiting websites that broadcast movies, sports matches and TV series …

As a kid, Sami, the little boy growing up in the village of Aytat, Mount Lebanon, used to love going to that mysterious place, always known as the “Talhouk Castle” to play in its courtyard with the owner’s son. For Sami, the place had always been enigmatic and full of …

On Tuesday night, on the eve of President Joe Biden’s inauguration, Mania Darbani’s mother called her from Iran. She was ecstatic that Biden would soon repeal the Trump administration’s so-called “Muslim ban” that barred people from a number of mostly Muslim-majority nations, including Iran, from coming to the United States. …

The 6th International Conference on Disability and Rehabilitation and the King Salman Disability Research Award will be staged in January 2022, a press conference has been told. The conference, organized by the King Salman Center for Disability Research (KSCDR) in Riyadh on Monday, saw the participation of 26 countries and …

(ADVERTISMENT) A Magnificent view is all what you need for a perfect stay. Baron Hotel HeliopolisCairo instantly went through room renovations to give the property an exclusive look. The renovation started in the new building extension to make the elegantly furnished rooms appropriate and outstanding for our guests. The whole …

Five people who committed crimes in Saudi Arabia as minors have yet to have their death sentences revoked, according to two rights groups, nine months after the kingdom’s Human Rights Commission (HRC) announced an end to capital punishment for juvenile offenders. The state-backed HRC in April cited a March royal …

Saudi Arabia will “soon” be appointing women as court judges, an official said, in continued social reforms over the past years. Hind al-Zahid, undersecretary for women’s empowerment at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, said a “Saudi woman assuming a position of judge is very soon. There are …

A group of over 100 Saudi women have overcome gender barriers and contributed to the technological transformation of the Kingdom through their management of the Advanced Electronic Company’s (AEC) military factory. The team has gained expertise in manufacturing roles that support areas of national importance such as digital transformation, energy …

Qatar has released a bodybuilding champion and two other Bahrainis who had been detained during fishing trips, Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said on Thursday. Manama on Sunday demanded Qatari authorities release bodybuilder Sami Al Haddad, who was arrested along with a compatriot on Friday in the third such incident in recent …

Bahrain-born actress May Calamawy has reportedly joined the cast of Disney+’s series “Moon Knight,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. It is not known what role the “Ramy” star will have in the upcoming Marvel series. She will join American-Guatemalan actor Oscar Isaac who is expected to play one of the …

A leading figure in the UK’s Muslim community has been appointed to chair one of the country’s largest independent food banks, vowing to confront the poverty that has spiked in his community since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. British-Pakistani Londoner Muddassar Ahmed rose to prominence by heading one of …

Nearly a third of Somalia’s parliamentary seats will be reserved for female lawmakers in an election next month, the prime minister said, a measure long demanded by women’s rights campaigners in the Horn of Africa nation. While welcoming Saturday’s announcement by Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, some women’s groups cautioned …

Pope Francis said he is not sure if his trip to Iraq in March can take place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He cast doubt on the trip, which would be the first by a pope to the country, in an interview with Italy’s Canale 5 broadcast on Sunday night. …

Breaking new ground isn’t easy. Just ask Rami Yasin, the writer and director of “Bloodline,” billed as “the first Arab vampire film.” It’s been two months since “Bloodline” premiered on MBC’s Shahid VIP platform, where it initially appeared to be a success, with hugely impressive viewing figures. However, that was …

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Thursday that the chaos unleashed on the US Capitol by US counterpart Donald Trump’s supporters exposed the fragility of Western democracy. “What we saw in the United States yesterday (Wednesday) evening and today shows above all how fragile and vulnerable Western democracy is,” Rouhani said …

By Emad El-Din Aysha, PhD     “We are what we are because we have been what we have been, and what is needed for solving the problems of human life and motives is not moral estimates but more knowledge.” — Freud   “A woman is a mystery to guide …

By Emad El-Din Aysha, PhD     Lieutenant Commander Data: “I wonder. What would Dr. Freud say about the symbolism of devouring oneself?” Counselor Deanna Troi:  “Data – sometimes a cake is just a cake.” — Star Trek: TNG, “Phantasms”, S07E06   “I wouldn’t have seen it if I hadn’t …

Pakistan’s famous truck art will move from its highways to the skies, as a flying academy is painting a two-seater Cessna aircraft with the colourful technique. With elaborate and flamboyant motifs, Pakistani truck art has inspired gallery exhibitions abroad and prompted stores in Western cities to sell miniatures. “We want …

Israeli media have lashed out at BBC for airing a program on Jesus in which it claimed he was a Palestinian. The BBC World Service radio program Heart and Soul aired a program on December 18 in which presenter Robert Beckford noted that artistic depictions of Jesus as blonde and …

French President Emmanuel Macron was criticized on Monday due to comments on Marshal Philippe Pétain, France’s Nazi collaborationist wartime leader during the German Occupation, suggesting that one must separate his heroism during World War I from his acts during the Second World War, as reported by Algemeiner. In reaction to …

A Saudi court on Monday sentenced prominent women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul to five years and eight months in prison, local media reported, in a trial that has drawn international condemnation and as Riyadh faces new U.S. scrutiny. Hathloul, 31, has been held since 2018 following her arrest along with …

Nearly two years after the overthrow of autocrat Omar Bashir, Sudan is taking steps to rejoin the international community from which it was long shunned. That includes its film industry. For the first time in its history, Sudan has a submission for the Academy Awards. Produced by a consortium of …

‘Tensegrity’ For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @arabnews.lifestyle At first glance, the young Palestinian artist Ruba Salameh’s first solo exhibition looks simply like an accomplished collection of abstract works. But look closer and you will see that Salameh has incorporated a peculiar ingredient: hordes of ants crawling around …

Saudi Arabia’s Islamic affairs minister confirmed that many imams were fired in recent weeks after failing to follow the directive of warning citizens against the group called Muslim Brotherhood and its ideology. Authorities did not wish to suspend or fire any of their employees but stressed the importance of carrying …

The UAE Prosecution has released a video explaining the penalty for possession and distribution of documents, publications and recordings for provoking hate speech. In a tweet by barq, the video explains that provoking hate speech is a crime punishable by law. According to Article 12 of the Federal Decree Law …

The first woman detained under India’s controversial new ‘Love Jihad’ laws has miscarried in custody, her family have told The Sunday Telegraph. Yesterday a distraught Muskan Jahan, 22, called her mother-in-law, from a government shelter where she is being held in the city of Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, saying she …

BY ALICE ROTHCHILD  DECEMBER 9, 2020   This past year, the isolated loneliness of being a writer has been magnified by the cruelties of the pandemic. Spending five intense virtual days at the Palestine Writes Literature Festival with over 3,000 people from 75 different countries was an exhilarating and welcome relief, even though it …

Political prisoner Khalida Jarrar shares the essential role literature plays for Palestinian prisoners struggling the retain their humanity and remain connected to the outside world. BY KHALIDA JARRAR  DECEMBER 9, 2020 Editor’s Note: The following letter was shared during the keynote panel of the Palestine Writes Literature Festival. You can watch a video recording of …

The creator of an animated film on blasphemy in Pakistan is hoping it will prompt discussion on tolerance at a time that rights advocates say hate speech on social media is increasingly triggering violence. The short film “Swipe” is about a boy obsessed with a hypothetical smartphone app that allows …

New Zealand security agencies were “almost exclusively” focused on the perceived threat of Islamist terrorism before a white supremacist gunman killed 51 Muslim worshippers last year, a report into the country’s worst massacre found. The Royal Commission of Inquiry also criticised police for failing to enforce proper checks when granting …

Pope Francis will make the first visit by a pope to Iraq next March, the Vatican said on Monday, a risky four-day trip that has eluded his predecessors. Spokesman Matteo Bruni said Francis, who turns 84 next week, will visit the capital Baghdad, as well as Ur, a city linked …

Mastercard Inc. said on Sunday it was investigating allegations against Pornhub.com following a newspaper column which said many videos posted on the adult website depicted child abuse. The New York Times column, written by Nicholas Kristof, described videos on Pornhub that the author said were recordings of assaults on unconscious …