Oman’s mega football enters Guinness Book of World Records
Tuesday, 04 December 2012
The Guinness Book of World Records announced on Dec. 2 that Oman has made the largest football in the world, Times of Oman reported on Monday. The soccer ball is around ten meters in diameter with a weight of 750 kg. The Guinness Book of World Records certificate stated: “World’s Largest Soccer Ball made of artificial ... Read More
Bin Laden thriller wins New York critics award
Tuesday, 04 December 2012
The prestigious New York Film Critics Circle gave “Zero Dark Thirty,” Kathryn Bigelow’s thriller about the hunt for Osama bin Laden, a new shove in the direction of Oscar glory Monday. The director of the Oscar-winning “The Hurt Locker” is quickly gathering buzz for her latest war drama, which recounts the ... Read More
Bollywood ‘demigod’ Khan casts spell on Moroccans
Tuesday, 04 December 2012
Bollywood “demigod and prince charming” Shah Rukh Khan whipped thousands of Moroccans into a frenzy at the Marrakesh film festival when he danced to the tunes of movie songs at the Jamaa El Fna square. Khan, 47, popularly known as “King Khan”, was cheered at the square -- a mecca of tourism in Morocco -- where ... Read More
Unable to give him babies, Saudi woman offers husband new bride, luxury car
Tuesday, 04 December 2012
A Saudi woman who could not produce babies for her husband decided to offer him a bride and a luxury car instead, local media reported on Monday. The 40-year-old woman took the "unusual step and proceeded to choose a bride for her husband after she felt unable to reproduce," the daily al-Bilad newspaper reported, ... Read More
Yellow fever outbreak kills 164 in Sudan’s Darfur: WHO
Monday, 03 December 2012
Yellow fever has killed 164 people over the last three months in Sudan’s Darfur, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday, an arid region the size of Spain where fighting and banditry makes access particularly difficult. Healthcare is provided almost entirely by aid agencies in parts of Darfur, where rebels took up ... Read More
Tight Squeeze: Saudi student gets stuck in school escape attempt
Monday, 03 December 2012
A Saudi student got stuck in a rut this week when he made an attempt to escape class, but was caught in an excruciatingly awkward position. Teachers found the student in a tricky situation; stuck underneath a door he had been trying to slide out from to make his getaway. His quest for freedom turned sour when the ... Read More
Fireworks and flags: Dubai celebrates 41st UAE National Day
Sunday, 02 December 2012
As part of the 41st UAE National Day celebrations, across the emirate of Dubai, a variety of events have been organized. The day marks the UAE’s formal independence from the United Kingdom and the eventual unification of the seven emirates on Dec. 2, 1971. “The spirit of the country was celebrated in vivid colors and ... Read More
Escaping Damascus unrest, Syrian TV drama may be filmed in Dubai
Saturday, 01 December 2012
The producers of a widely popular Syrian television drama have been forced to look at different filming location options following recent unrest in the crisis-torn country. “Bab al-Hara” (The Neighborhood’s Door), a series which depicted life in Damascus in the 1930s under French colonial rule, may now be filmed in mobile ... Read More
Egyptian woman travels across the Middle East in pursuit of peace
Thursday, 29 November 2012
An Egyptian woman took on a one-woman mission in the hope to promote peace in the Arab world, the UAE-based 7days newspaper reported. The woman, Raghda Yusuf, a Dubai resident, plans to visit 22 countries in the Arab world to convey her message. “Arab people should be standing together, particularly at this uncertain ... Read More
A slice of statehood as Palestinian baker makes U.N. pizza
Thursday, 29 November 2012
A Palestinian baker made a special pizza in the shape and colors of the Palestinian flag on Thursday to support President Mahmoud Abbas in his bid at the UN. “We in the restaurant we made some Arabic pastry, decorated as a Palestinian flag and written on it 194, support the President Abu Mazen at United Nations. We support ... Read More
Nicki Minaj to perform debut gig in Dubai
Thursday, 29 November 2012
The award-winning artist Nicki Minaj will be performing in Dubai for the first time on December 28, local media reported. The Dubai-based “Alchemy Project,” the same promoters behind Chris Brown and Snoop Dogg’s upcoming gigs in the emirate, are also bringing the Super Bass singer to perform in the Gulf country, Explorer ... Read More
World Parachute Championships kicks off in Dubai
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
The World Parachute Championships kicks off from Nov. 28 to Dec. 9, where spectators can go to the drop zone to catch the glimpse of the action-packed event at Skydive Dubai, a local newspaper reported on Wednesday. The champions of the parachuting world, consisting of 1,600 people from 57 countries, have been under ... Read More
Malaysian Islamic Party urges Elton John show ban
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
An Islamic political party on Tuesday urged the government of predominantly Muslim Malaysia to ban a concert by Elton John, saying the openly gay British pop icon promotes “immoral” values. John, who is popular in Malaysia, is scheduled to perform on Thursday at a resort outside the capital Kuala Lumpur. ... Read More
Bahraini MPs fail to stop Kim Kardashian from visiting their country
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Bahraini MPs failed to push through a resolution to stop U.S. reality TV star Kim Kardashian from visiting the Gulf country, a newspaper reported on Wednesday. Al Wasat News said a group of MPs, describing Kardashian as a woman with a “bad reputation,” were planning to submit a resolution for Monday’s parliamentary session ... Read More
Cairo Film Festival turns sour as Egypt, Syria withdraw films
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
The producers and directors of the Egyptian film “In Search of Sand and Oil” have withdrawn from this year’s Cairo International Film Festival, in order to show solidarity with protests against President Mohammed Mursi in the iconic Tahrir Square and across the country. One of the directors of the Egyptian film told the ... Read More
‘The Movies are the Stars’: Dubai’s film festival returns December
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Academy award-winning actors Colin Firth, Cate Blanchett and Kevin Spacey will all be in attendance at this year’s ninth annual Dubai Film Festival this December. Stars such as Cuba Gooding Jr., Frieda Pinto, Rooney Mara, Kristen Davis, singer Bryan Ferry, English actor Steve Oram and Kiwi actress Kerry Fox will also make ... Read More
Obesity threatening 10 million Moroccans
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Morocco’s High Commissioner for Planning, Ahmed Lahlimi, sounded alarm bells on the rising numbers of obesity in the country, announcing that 10 million Moroccans are under the threat of being dangerously overweight. According to Lahlimi, 10 million Moroccans are actually overweight while 300,000 have actually entered the ... Read More
‘Hackers’ on trial in Turkey for the first time
Monday, 26 November 2012
A group of Internet hackers appeared before an Ankara court on Monday on charges of terrorism, the first time alleged cyber criminals have been put on trial in Turkey, local media reported. The 10 members of the “Redhack” group are accused of belonging to an armed terrorist organization, illegally obtaining ... Read More
Children’s winter line gets catwalk treatment at Amman fashion show
Sunday, 25 November 2012
The Orthodox Club in the Jordanian capital hosted a Children’s Winter Fashion show on Saturday where more than 60 children showcased an array for winter clothing. The event’s organiser Lana Bisharat told Reuters TV the fashion show was held in the lead up to the holiday season and New Year's festivities. “The clothes ... Read More
Indonesia holds jazz festival in a small village, attracting thousands
Sunday, 25 November 2012
Jazz music festivals may be common in many parts of the world, but definitely not in this small village in Indonesia’s Yogyakarta. Thirty groups of jazz musicians gathered to perform during the 5th Ngayogjazz in Brayut village. The organizers set up six stages, including one near the market, one near a banana garden and ... Read More