Albania offers visa-free entry to attract GCC tourists

Tue, 2018-05-01 01:01 JEDDAH: Its natural beauty, geographical position and enjoyable Mediterranean climate make Albania an attractive European destination the whole year around. These factors increased the number of foreign tourists visiting the country in 2017 to more than 5.2 million.  Recently, Albanian tourism has grown, resulting in the offer of travel packages that allow its most precious traits to shine, such as “sun and sea tourism,”...

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Back pay for queen as “The Crown” closes gender wage gap

Author:  Reuters Mon, 2018-04-30 13:42 ID:  1525096246129551900 LONDON: It cam as a shock to many when it was revealed that “The Crown” star Claire Foy was paid less than her male co-star Matt Smith, and it caused a royal scandal last month as the latest example of sexism in the entertainment industry. It appears now, however, that the award-winning actor will receive back pay for her performance as Britain’s Queen Elizabeth...

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Bizarre breakups: 6 strange divorce cases in the Middle East

Author:  Mon, 2018-04-30 15:05 Got the hump One Saudi couple’s marriage reportedly broke down when the wife said she liked her father's camel more than she liked her husband. According to local media, that off-hand joke ended the marriage as the husband took it way too seriously. Poignantly — and confusingly — the husband took his wife to her father's farm and made the camel witness the divorce. Snapping point Trust is, as a...

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Manal shines as indie music gets night at the Dubai opera

Mon, 2018-04-30 14:35 DUBAI: Moroccan singer-songwriter Manal was one of several regional alternative music stars on the bill of DXBeats at Dubai Opera House on Saturday night, in front of an enthusiastic — although not full — house.  UAE-based Syrian MC and singer Moh Flow kicked off the evening with his Drake-esque take on hip-hop. With his brother, producer Ayham Homsi, better known as AY, providing the often sparse instrumentation...

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Avengers opens with $630 mn, smashing global record

Author:  AFP Sun, 2018-04-29 18:27 ID:  1525026863042895200 LOS ANGELES: “Avengers: Infinity War” took in $630 million in its first weekend, the highest global opening of all time, industry estimates showed on Sunday. “The latest Marvel juggernaut... opened with $630M worldwide, making it the largest global weekend tally in the history of film, and this was done without China,” which has a later opening, industry tracker...

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‘Knowledge is Bulletproof’: A bulletproof book for education

Author:  Sun, 2018-04-29 16:46 ISLAMABAD: “We are hoping to spread awareness of the importance of education, to inspire and motivate girls to go to school regardless of hurdles, to emphasize the strength of Pakistani women who choose education and to acknowledge the resilience of Pakistanis. Profits from book sales will go to charities benefiting girls’ education in Pakistan,” Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy told Arab News. On World Book Day...

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Brazilian beauties take Beirut by storm

Author:  Arab News Sun, 2018-04-29 15:08 ID:  1525003740600550400 DUBAI: Brazilian fashion icons Camila Coelho and Izabel Goulart took Beirut by storm over the weekend, appearing at a fashion and beauty event in Lebanon’s capital. Jamalouki Con, which ran from April 26-28, gathered make-up and fashion aficionados from across the region — and the world — for a series of panel discussions, forums and meet and greets. Boston-based...

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Book Review: Exploring Van Gogh’s obsession with the great outdoors

Author:  Lisa Kaaki Sun, 2018-04-29 15:01 ID:  1525003360790522200 BEIRUT: “Van Gogh and the Seasons” by Sjraar Heugten is based on an exhibition held at the National Gallery of Victoria in Australia and celebrates the artist’s connection with the natural world throughout his career. The sumptuous coffee table book is a work of art in and of itself, but it is not light on text. Rather, the book features excerpts from the...

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Karlie Kloss and Ellie Golding hit the dunes in Jordan

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KP develops its first Cultural Heritage Trail at full swing

Sat, 2018-04-28 21:44 PESHAWAR: Work on the Cultural Heritage Trail project, the first of its kind in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, is in its final stages and authorities say it would increase the value of property and businesses manifold in the area. The Heritage Trail, which starts from Ghanta Ghar, crosses the Bazaar-e-Kalan and finishes at Gor Gatri archaeological complex – presenting a beautiful trail of preserved cultural heritage...

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UK secret documents: Sadat intended to step down prior to assassination

Author:  ARAB NEWS Fri, 2018-04-27 18:23 ID:  1524843112534559600 LONDON: The late Egyptian president Anwar Sadat intended to relinquish power but he was assassinated before he could do so, secret British documents reveal. A report sent by the British ambassador in Cairo Sir Michael Weir in 1981 that the BBC has obtained states that Sadat was very serious about his desire to resign. The late president expressed his intention...

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Saudi Arabia getting region’s first 4DX theaters

Fri, 2018-04-27 15:34 ISLAMABAD: South Korea-based CJ 4DPLEX has signed a new partnership with Cinemacity to open three locations in Riyadh and other major Saudi cities by the end of 2018, according to Variety. Saudi Gazette reported that Al-Qasr Mall will be the first CJ 4DPLEX multiplex in Riyadh, featuring 19 screens. Cinemacity’s parent company, Xclusive Cinemas SAL Holding, says it will operate 116 screens by the end of 2018 in five countries...

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Prince Louis Arthur Charles: British royals William and Kate name their baby

Author:  Reuters Fri, 2018-04-27 10:52 ID:  1524826968103089200 LONDON: Britain’s Prince William and his wife Kate have named their newborn son Louis Arthur Charles, who will be known as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge, Kensington Palace said on Friday. The prince, who is fifth in line to the British throne, was born at 1001 GMT on April 23 weighing 8 lbs 7oz. Louis is William’s fourth name as well as being that...

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In emotional reunion, Spielberg revisits ‘Schindler’s List’

Author:  AP Fri, 2018-04-27 (All day) ID:  1524808113471959600 NEW YORK: Steven Spielberg says no film has affected him the way “Schindler’s List” did. Spielberg, Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley and others reunited for a 25th anniversary screening of “Schindler’s List” at the Tribeca Film Festival on Thursday, in an evening that had obvious meaning to Spielberg and the hushed, awed crowd that packed New York’s Beacon Theater. In...

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Rickshaw pullers fade from India’s streets

Author:  AFP Thu, 2018-04-26 07:13 ID:  1524743748263435900 KOLKATA: Mohammad Maqbool Ansari puffs and sweats as he pulls his rickshaw through Kolkata’s teeming streets, a veteran of a gruelling trade long outlawed in most parts of the world and slowly fading from India too. Kolkata is one of the last places on earth where pulled rickshaws still feature in daily life, but Ansari is among a dying breed still eking a living...

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Riyadh film-lovers get ready for ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ release in the Kingdom

Author:  daniel fountain Thu, 2018-04-26 18:45 ID:  1524758020414751700 RIYADH: Once more a Marvel movie will open to the Saudi public at the new AMC cinema in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District. Only this time, it is a new release. “Avengers: Infinity War” is expected to set box-office records when it opens in movie theaters around the world on Thursday, and Saudi Arabia will be a participant in this worldwide phenomenon. It...

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Sophia Al-Maria wins inaugural Dunya Contemporary Art Prize

Author:  Thu, 2018-04-26 15:17 DUBAI: Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) launched its biennial Dunya Contemporary Art Prize last Monday. The first winner is Qatari-American artist, writer and filmmaker Sophia Al-Maria. The Dunya prize is presented to a mid-career artist from the Middle East or its diaspora. Its goal, according to a press release, is “to foster contemporary artists from the Middle East whose work is rigorous,...

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Syrian ‘Big Brother’ finalist Kaysar Dadour becomes unlikely hero in Brazil

Thu, 2018-04-26 14:47 BELO HORIZONTE: On an otherwise quiet Saturday morning in April, a shaded street in southeastern Brazil hummed to the sound of Middle Eastern music. The city of Belo Horizonte was hosting its first Festival of Syrian and Lebanese Food and Culture and the Brazilians were embracing it wholeheartedly — much like they have embraced a 28 year-old Syrian refugee for the past three months. Aleppo-born Kaysar Dadour sought refuge...

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Gili Lankanfushi: A gourmet getaway in the Maldives

Author:  Thu, 2018-04-26 14:11 DUBAI: The Maldives is one of those destinations that nature has bestowed with an embarrassment of riches. And what nature has given, numerous resorts have taken and perfected with their ultra-luxury offerings. Which is what makes choosing exactly where to go that much more difficult. And while each island has its own special charm, anyone seeking a gastronomic experience should look no further than...

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Autobots Roll Out! — transforming robot unveiled in Japan

Author:  Reuters Thu, 2018-04-26 10:58 ID:  1524740863143207800 TOKYO: A Transformers-style, humanoid robot that can shape shift into a sports car in about 60 seconds was unveiled in Japan on Wednesday. The “J-deite RIDE” robot is the brainchild of Kenji Ishida, CEO of Brave Robotics and a fan of anime movies featuring robots that could transform or combine with each other. “I grew up believing that robots had to be capable...

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Muse: Nour Hage talks self-expression and serial killers

Author:  Thu, 2018-04-26 13:40   My parents are definitely the biggest influence on my personality and philosophy. We were always careful with waste, for environmental and financial reasons. One of the things that I’m thankful for is that they never let us spend money on meaningless things. From very young, I was aware of the value of money and the value of everything I use. That’s why my brand always has a sustainable side...

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Gulf filmmakers react to DIFF’s uncertain future with both sadness and hope

Author:  William Mullally Thu, 2018-04-26 11:46 ID:  1524732444562584100 NEW YORK: When the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) recently announced that it was canceling what would have been its 15th edition in 2018, promising to relaunch the festival as an event once every two years with a greater focus on regional films in 2019, it was met with disappointment by film fans throughout the region. Though the festival was...

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