Pemandangan umum menunjukkan pintu masuk ke Kilang Penyulingan Norrtalje, di luar Norrtalje, Sweden 22 Mei 2025. REUTERS
STOCKHOLM, 31 Mei – Jika Anna Anerfalt mendapat lesen untuk menjual gin, wiski dan schnapps kepada pengunjung di kilang penyulingan keluarganya dekat Norrtalje di Sweden, perkara pertama yang perlu dia lakukan ialah memberi amaran kepada mereka tentang bahaya alkohol.
Mulai 1 Jun, kilang bir, ladang anggur dan kilang penyulingan berskala kecil akan dapat menjual terus kepada pelanggan – pelonggaran pertama monopoli jualan alkohol Sweden yang berusia lebih 100 tahun.
Matlamatnya adalah untuk meningkatkan pelancongan dan membantu pengeluar kraf berkembang, sambil mengekalkan peranan Systembolaget – kedai minuman keras negeri – dalam mengehadkan akses kepada alkohol dan merosakkan kesihatan awam.
“Keseluruhan acara perlu dimulakan dengan amaran tentang risiko meminum alkohol,” kata Anna Anerfalt, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Norrtalje Branneri, menggambarkan salah satu syarat yang ditetapkan sebagai balasan untuk hak menjual.
Dia menyokong kawalan alkohol yang ketat dan berkata dia positif tentang perubahan kepada undang-undang.
“Saya tidak pasti ia akan menjejaskan jualan produk kami sebegitu rupa, kerana setiap pengunjung hanya dibenarkan membeli satu botol,” katanya.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Norrtalje Distillery Anna Anerfalt menuangkan segelas Appel Glogg bukan alkohol di Kilang Penyulingan Norrtalje, di Norrtalje, Sweden 22 Mei 2025. REUTERS
Di bawah peraturan baharu itu, kilang penyulingan seperti Norrtalje akan dapat menjual botol 0.7 liter terus kepada pengunjung selepas lawatan berbayar antara 10:00 pagi dan 8:00 malam. Jualan di ladang anggur dan kilang bir mikro akan dihadkan pada 3 liter.
Laporan jawatankuasa kerajaan 2021 menganggarkan peningkatan dalam jualan alkohol sekitar 200,000 liter setahun di seluruh Sweden, atau kurang daripada 1% jualan di Systembolaget.
RISIKO ALKOHOL
Orang Sweden telah lama bimbang tentang kesan kesihatan pengambilan alkohol, hanya mengundi secara sempit menentang larangan pada tahun 1922.
Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia berkata polisi alkohol yang ketat di rantau Nordic, termasuk beberapa cukai minuman keras tertinggi di Eropah, menyumbang kepada penggunaan yang agak rendah dan mengurangkan kesan kesihatan negatif.
Malah perubahan kecil kepada undang-undang alkohol adalah kontroversi.
“Peningkatan penggunaan alkohol membawa kepada lebih banyak masalah sosial,” kata Alexander Ojanne, ketua Hal Ehwal Sosial dan Keselamatan Awam di majlis perbandaran Stockholm. “Kami mahu mengurangkan masalah sosial itu sebanyak mungkin.”
Banyak kilang bir mikro di Stockholm hanya akan dapat menjual apabila Systembolaget dibuka – bermakna tiada lewat petang, petang Sabtu atau Ahad.
Orang lain melihat kebimbangan yang lebih besar.
Sweden mendapat pengecualian kepada peraturan pasaran bebas untuk Systembolaget apabila ia menyertai Kesatuan Eropah pada tahun 1995 dan beberapa kebimbangan bahawa Brussels kini boleh menuntut perubahan yang lebih besar.
“Masalahnya bukan jualan ladang itu sendiri, sebaliknya kami fikir ia mengancam monopoli Systembolaget,” Lucas Nilsson, pengerusi organisasi antialkohol terbesar Sweden IOGT-NTO berkata.
“Akhirnya, ini mungkin bermakna kita perlu membongkar Systembolaget,” kata Nilsson. Kerajaan akan mengkaji semula undang-undang itu selepas enam tahun.
A general view shows the entrance to the Norrtalje Distillery, outside Norrtalje, Sweden May 22, 2025. REUTERS
STOCKHOLM, May 31 – If Anna Anerfalt gets a license to sell gin, whiskey and schnapps to visitors at her family’s distillery near Norrtalje in Sweden, the first thing she will have to do is warn them of the dangers of alcohol.
From June 1, small-scale breweries, vineyards and distilleries will be able to sell direct to customers – the first easing of Sweden’s more than 100 year-old alcohol sales monopoly.
The aim is to boost tourism and help craft producers to grow, while preserving the role of Systembolaget – state booze shops – in limiting access to alcohol and damage to public health.
“The whole event has to start off with a warning about the risks of drinking alcohol,” Anna Anerfalt, CEO of the Norrtalje Branneri said, describing one of the conditions set in return for the right to sell.
She supports strict alcohol controls and said she was positive about the change to the law.
“I’m not sure it will affect the sales of our product that much, though, because each visitor is only allowed to buy one bottle,” she said.
Norrtalje Distillery CEO Anna Anerfalt pours a glass of non-alcoholic Appel Glogg at the Norrtalje Distillery, in Norrtalje, Sweden May 22, 2025. REUTERS
Under the new rules, distilleries like Norrtalje will be able to sell a 0.7 litre bottle directly to visitors after a paid tour between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Sales at vineyards and micro-breweries will be capped at 3 litres.
A 2021 government committee report estimated an increase in alcohol sales of around 200,000 litres a year across Sweden, or less than 1% of sales at Systembolaget.
ALCOHOL RISKS
Swedes have long fretted about the health effects of alcohol consumption, only narrowly voting against prohibition in 1922.
The World Health Organisation says the Nordic region’s strict alcohol policies, which include some of the highest booze taxes in Europe, contribute to relatively low consumption and reduce negative health effects.
Even a small change to alcohol laws is controversial.
“Increased alcohol consumption leads to more social problems,” Alexander Ojanne, head of Social Affairs and Public Safety at Stockholm’s municipal council, said. “We want to reduce those social problems as much as possible.”
Stockholm’s numerous micro-breweries will only be able to sell when Systembolaget is open – meaning no late evenings, Saturday afternoons or Sundays.
Others see bigger worries.
Sweden got an exception to free market rules for Systembolaget when it joined the European Union in 1995 and some fret that Brussels could now demand a bigger change.
“The problem isn’t farm sales in itself, rather we think that it threatens Systembolaget’s monopoly,” Lucas Nilsson, the chairman of Sweden’s biggest temperance organisation IOGT-NTO said.
“Ultimately, it could mean we have to dismantle Systembolaget,” Nilsson said. The government will review the law after six years.
Kembar siam Klea Ann dan Maurice Ann kini menjalani penilaian perubatan untuk kemungkinan pembedahan pemisahan di Hospital Pakar Kanak-kanak King Abdullah. AN-SPA
RIYADH – Kembar siam Filipina Klea Ann dan Maurice Ann Misa tiba di Riyadh pada Sabtu dan sedang dinilai untuk kemungkinan pembedahan pemisahan di bawah Program Kembar Siam Saudi.
Pasangan kembar itu dibawa ke Hospital Pakar Kanak-kanak King Abdullah di Kementerian Pengawal Kebangsaan sebaik tiba di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa King Khalid Riyadh, lapor Agensi Akhbar Saudi.
Klea Ann dan Maurice Ann, ditemani oleh ibu bapa mereka, dibawa ke Arab Saudi dari Manila atas arahan diraja.
Mereka adalah kembar siam ketiga dari Filipina yang ditempatkan dalam program tersebut.
Pasukan perubatan dan pembedahan program ini diketuai oleh Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, yang juga penasihat di Mahkamah Diraja dan ketua pengarah agensi bantuan Saudi KSrelief.
Ibu bapa kembar itu melahirkan rasa terima kasih mereka kepada Raja Salman dan Putera Mahkota Mohammed bin Salman atas penjagaan murah hati dan sambutan mesra mereka, serta rawatan perubatan komprehensif yang mereka terima, lapor SPA.
Dalam temu bual diterbitkan pada Sabtu di Arab News (AN), ibu kembar itu, Maricel Misa, berkata sejak anak-anaknya dilahirkan tujuh tahun lalu, dia berdoa agar suatu hari nanti seseorang akan membantu mereka menjalani kehidupan normal.
Misa, yang memiliki kedai kecil bersama suaminya di Pulau Lubang di wilayah Mindoro Oriental, tengah Filipina, tidak mampu menanggung operasi mahal yang diperlukan oleh kembar itu. Doanya dimakbulkan apabila dia mendapat panggilan daripada Kedutaan Saudi di Manila dan diberitahu bahawa Arab Saudi bersedia membantu.
“Kami melihat siaran dari Arab Saudi mengenai kembar siam dari Filipina yang telah menjalani pembedahan di sana, dan saya memberikan komen, mengatakan saya harap kami juga boleh dibantu. Seseorang menyedari komen saya dan menghubungi saya,” kata Misa.
Sejak ditubuhkan pada 1990, Program Kembar Siam Saudi telah memisahkan lebih 140 kanak-kanak yang dilahirkan berkongsi organ dalaman dengan adik-beradik mereka. Antaranya ialah kembar siam Filipina, Ann dan Mae Manz — bercantum di perut, pelvis dan perineum — yang dipisahkan oleh Dr. Al-Rabeeah dan pasukannya pada Mac 2004.
Pasangan Filipina kedua, Akhizah dan Ayeesha Yusoph — bercantum di bahagian bawah dada dan perut serta berkongsi satu hati — berjaya dipisahkan pada September 2024.
Al-Rabeeah berkata program itu “mencerminkan prinsip belas kasihan kerajaan dan perpaduan manusia tanpa diskriminasi.”
Conjoined twins Klea Ann and Maurice Ann, along with their parents, are escorted by a medical staff inside the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh on Saturday. AN-SPA
RIYADH – Filipino conjoined twin sisters Klea Ann and Maurice Ann Misa arrived in Riyadh on Saturday and are being assessed for possible separation surgery under the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program.
The twins were taken to the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital at the Ministry of National Guard upon arrival at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Klea Ann and Maurice Ann, accompanied by their parents, were brought to the Kingdom from Manila upon royal directives.
They are the third conjoined twins from the Philippines to be placed on the program.
The program’s medical and surgical team is led by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, who is also an adviser at the Royal Court and director general of the Saudi aid agency KSrelief.
The twin’s parents expressed their gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their generous care and warm reception, as well as the comprehensive medical attention they received, SPA reported.
In an interview published on Saturday in Arab News, the twin’s mother, Maricel Misa, said that since her children were born seven years ago, she had been praying that one day someone would help them to live a normal life.
Misa, who owns a small shop with her husband in Lubang Island in Mindoro Oriental province, central Philippines, were unable to afford the expensive operation the twins needed. Her prayers were answered when she got a call from the Saudi Embassy in Manila and was told that the Kingdom was willing to help.
“We saw a post from Saudi Arabia about conjoined twins from the Philippines who had undergone surgery there, and I commented, saying I hope we can be helped too. Someone noticed my comment and reached out to me,” Misa said.
Since its founding in 1990, the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program has separated more than 140 children born sharing internal organs with their siblings. Among them were Filipino conjoined twins Ann and Mae Manz — joined at the abdomen, pelvis, and perineum — who were separated by Dr. Al-Rabeeah and his team in March 2004.
A second Filipino pair, Akhizah and Ayeesha Yusoph — joined at the lower chest and abdomen and shared one liver — were successfully separated in September 2024.
Al-Rabeeah said that the program “reflects the Kingdom’s principles of mercy and human solidarity without discrimination.”
SIRNAK, Türkiye – Ketika keamanan kembali ke tenggara Türkiye, orang Chaldea – Katolik Assyria yang meninggalkan kampung Aksu pada tahun 1990-an – telah kembali dalam bilangan yang semakin meningkat ke rumah nenek moyang mereka di kaki Gunung Cudi di daerah Silopi wilayah Sirnak.
Kampung ini, yang pernah menjadi rumah kepada komuniti Chaldea yang berkembang maju, telah dipindahkan kira-kira 35 tahun lalu atas sebab keselamatan. Penduduk berhijrah ke wilayah lain di Türkiye dan luar negara, khususnya ke negara Eropah.
Petrus Karatay, 70, bekas penduduk, berpindah ke Istanbul sebelum menetap di Perancis. Walaupun dia membina kehidupan baru sebagai bapa kepada enam anak, Karatay tidak pernah kehilangan kerinduannya terhadap tanah tempat dia dilahirkan dan dibesarkan.
Setelah adanya keamanan di rantau ini, Karatay memohon pada 2009 untuk pulang ke kampungnya di bawah “Projek Kembali ke Kampung dan Pemulihan,” yang dilancarkan oleh Kementerian Dalam Negeri Türkiye, dan kembali pada 2011.
Dia membina rumah tiga tingkat, menanam 7,000 anak pokok, dan bekerja untuk memulihkan infrastruktur kampung, membuka jalan kepada orang Chaldea lain dari Eropah untuk mengikutinya. Sejak itu, tujuh keluarga telah memulakan pembinaan di Aksu, dan lima lagi merancang untuk kembali.
‘Kami mahu membina sebuah kampung dengan taraf hidup yang tinggi’
Selepas pulang ke kampung yang masih membangun di kaki Gunung Cudi, Karatay memberitahu Anadolu bahawa dia telah bekerja sejak 2009 untuk menambah baik infrastruktur dan loji di kawasan itu, sambil berkata: “Kami mahu membina sebuah kampung dengan taraf hidup yang tinggi. Saya telah bekerja keras untuk ini sejak 2009. Saya membina rumah saya, membawa jalan raya dan air, dan membuat landskap di kawasan ini. Saya menjadikan kampung ini sebagai misi saya.”
Karatay berkata dia menanam 7,000 anak pokok—termasuk pokok pistachio, walnut, zaitun, anggur, badam, aprikot dan pokok plum— dan memelihara lebah. Katanya, dia menanam buah-buahan dan sayur-sayuran secukupnya untuk berdikari sambil memuji udara dan air kampung yang bersih.
‘Saya memilih kehidupan kampung’
Karatay berkata dia menghabiskan sembilan bulan dalam setahun di kampung itu, hanya berlepas dari Januari hingga Mac. “Saya tidak boleh bekerja lagi kerana usia saya, tetapi saya menggaji pekerja. Kami mendapat ramai pengunjung pada musim panas. Mereka sangat menyukai kampung kami,” katanya.
“Saya tinggal di Istanbul dan Paris, tetapi saya memilih kehidupan kampung,” kata Karatay, sambil menambah bahawa dia akan melakukan segala yang dia boleh bagi memastikan kampung itu terus hidup.
Dia berkata terdapat rancangan untuk membina gereja dan menubuhkan bengkel bagi menghidupkan semula pengeluaran sal sepik, kain tradisional tempatan yang pernah dibuat di Aksu.
Sambil menonjolkan potensi kampung itu untuk penternakan lebah, ternakan dan pertanian, Karatay berkata Gunung Cudi kini boleh didiami dan sesuai untuk menanam semua buah kecuali sitrus.
Dia menekankan bahawa terdapat peluang di kampung untuk penternakan lebah, ternakan dan pertanian, sambil berkata: “Saya mahu membangunkan kampung ini sepenuhnya; barulah saya akan berasa puas, kemudian saya boleh mati dengan aman. Saya telah membuat keputusan bahawa saya akan menjalani sisa hidup saya di sini dan melakukan segala yang saya mampu untuk mewujudkan persekitaran yang menggalakkan orang ramai datang ke sini.”
ANADOLU 21.4.2025
Chaldeans rebuild roots in southeastern Türkiye as peace restored in region
SIRNAK, Türkiye – As peace returns to southeastern Türkiye, Chaldeans—Catholic Assyrians who left Aksu village in the 1990s—are returning in growing numbers to their ancestral home at the foot of Mount Cudi in the Silopi district of Sirnak province.
The village, once home to a thriving Chaldean community, was evacuated about 35 years ago for security reasons. Residents migrated to other provinces in Türkiye and abroad, particularly to European countries.
Petrus Karatay, 70, a former resident, moved to Istanbul before settling in France. Though he built a new life as a father of six, Karatay never lost his longing for the land where he was born and raised.
Following the establishment of peace in the region, Karatay applied in 2009 to return to his village under the “Return to Village and Rehabilitation Project,” launched by Türkiye’s Interior Ministry, and returned in 2011.
He built a three-story home, planted 7,000 saplings, and worked to restore the village’s infrastructure, paving the way for other Chaldeans from Europe to follow. Since then, seven families have begun construction in Aksu, and five more are planning to return.
‘We want to build a village with a high standard of living’
After returning to the still-developing village at the foot of Mount Cudi, Karatay told Anadolu that he has been working since 2009 to improve infrastructure and plant in the area, saying: “We want to build a village with a high standard of living. I have worked very hard for this since 2009. I built my house, brought roads and water, and landscaped the area. I made it my mission to rebuild this village.”
Karatay said he planted 7,000 saplings—including pistachio, walnut, olive, grapevine, almond, apricot, and plum trees— and keeps bees. He said he grows enough fruits and vegetables to be self-sufficient while praising the village’s clean air and water.
‘I chose the village life’
Karatay said he spends nine months of the year in the village, only leaving from January to March. “I can’t work anymore because of my age, but I employ workers. We get many visitors in the summer. They really like our village,” he said.
“I lived in both Istanbul and Paris, but I chose village life,” said Karatay, adding that he will do everything he can to keep the village alive.
He said there are plans to build a church and establish a workshop to revive the production of sal sepik, a traditional local fabric once made in Aksu.
Highlighting the village’s potential for beekeeping, livestock, and agriculture, Karatay said Mount Cudi is now livable and suitable for growing all fruits except citrus.
He emphasized that there are opportunities in the village for beekeeping, livestock, and agriculture, saying: “I want to develop this village completely; only then will I feel fulfilled, then I can die peacefully. I’ve made up my mind that I will live the rest of my life here and do everything I can to create an environment that encourages people to come here.”
Salah satu tarikan menonjol di souq (pasar) ialah rumah seram bertemakan cerita rakyat Saudi. (Foto oleh Loai El-Kelawy)
Dari kawasan utara hingga timur Arab Saudi, Souq Al-Awaleen Riyadh menyatukan pelbagai budaya negara.
Pengunjung disambut dengan sambutan hangat daripada pelakon yang mewakili setiap wilayah, membolehkan mereka menghargai kepelbagaian tradisi Saudi dan pakaian tradisional yang berbeza di setiap kawasan.
Tetamu boleh meneroka budaya bandar pesisir pantai, seperti Jeddah, dan kawasan pergunungan seperti Asir, merasai pengalaman sebenar budaya Saudi.
Mereka boleh memakai ikat kepala bunga dan pakaian tradisional orang selatan, dan mengambil bahagian dalam tarian Ardah dari wilayah Najd tengah, mengayunkan pedang Arab.
Pengalaman mengasyikkan berterusan apabila pelakon melakonkan semula kehidupan seharian, seperti mengajar di dalam bilik darjah. Pelawat boleh duduk di meja sekolah, menggunakan kapur untuk menulis di papan hitam, dan mengikuti kelas bahasa Arab yang membangkitkan kenangan nostalgia bagi ramai orang.
Selain itu, tetamu boleh melangkah ke penjara lama untuk membayangkan kehidupan di sebalik jeriji besi, dan menyemak imbas pilihan mainan nostalgia yang menawarkan perjalanan menyeronokkan di lorong ingatan.
Setiap sudut souq menceritakan kisah yang unik, menawarkan kraf tangan asli, pakaian tradisional dan pelbagai rempah-ratus yang menangkap intipati pelbagai wilayah.
Salah satu tarikan yang menonjol di souq ialah rumah seram yang bertemakan cerita rakyat Saudi, dikenali sebagai Al-Sa’alawa. Pengalaman menyejukkan ini diilhamkan daripada kisah makhluk misteri yang memikat imaginasi ramai.
Khemah Al-Sa’alwa menawarkan pengalaman rumah seram yang mendebarkan yang menyelami pelawat dalam legenda cerita rakyat Saudi. Osama Al-Balawai, seorang pelakon dalam khemah, menggambarkan makhluk Al-Sa’alwa, yang telah menjadi subjek pelbagai tafsiran.
Ada yang melihatnya sebagai hantu, yang lain sebagai figura lelaki, manakala ada yang percaya ia mengambil bentuk wanita cantik. Tidak kira bentuknya, berhati-hati dinasihatkan apabila menghadapi makhluk yang penuh teka-teki ini.
“Sertai kami di khemah Al-Sa’alwa untuk pengalaman yang tidak dapat dilupakan,” kata Al-Balawai kepada Arab News.
“Adakah anda akan muncul dengan selamat, atau adakah anda akan terpikat dengan legenda?
“Kami menggalakkan anda melawat Souq Al-Awaleen untuk mengambil bahagian dalam pengembaraan yang mendebarkan ini. Kami tidak sabar untuk melihat anda di sana!”
Salah satu tarikan menonjol di souq (pasar) ialah rumah seram bertemakan cerita rakyat Saudi. (Foto oleh Loai El-Kelawy)
Selain pengalaman seram, Arab News menemui Bin Ghaith Textiles, sebuah kedai kain di pasar. Pemilik Hassan dengan penuh semangat berkongsi kecintaannya terhadap tekstil, menonjolkan kepentingan sejarahnya.
“Keghairahan saya adalah tekstil dan sejarah di belakangnya,” katanya.
“Saya mengumpul gentian organik dan meneroka apa yang orang pakai sebelum kemunculan bahan sintetik. Ini memberi saya peluang untuk berhubung dengan sejarah.”
Hassan berkata minatnya terletak pada bahan organik yang digunakan pada masa lalu, seperti linen, kapas, sutera dan bulu, berbeza dengan budaya fesyen pakai buang masa kini.
“Pasar adalah nadi mana-mana bandar,” katanya. “Ia mencerminkan identiti tempat itu, menawarkan pandangan tentang budaya dan sejarahnya.”
Tahun ini menandakan kali kedua Hassan di Souq Al-Awaleen, di mana dia menghargai orang ramai yang pelbagai yang tiba untuk menerokai permaidani kaya dengan warisan Saudi.
“Generasi muda sangat ingin tahu tentang apa yang dipakai nenek moyang mereka dan bagaimana tekstil telah berkembang,” katanya.
“Adalah penting untuk mengekalkan pengetahuan dan tradisi ini.”
Pasar, yang menawarkan kemasukan percuma, juga menganjurkan kraf tangan, seni rakyat dan persembahan secara langsung.
Artis tempatan mempunyai platform untuk mempamerkan hasil kerja mereka, dan pelawat boleh mengambil bahagian dalam bengkel yang memfokuskan pada tenunan tradisional Sadu dan tembikar.
Selain persembahan artisanalnya, Souq Al-Awaleen menyajikan rasa masakan asli Saudi di Sufrat Al-Deira. Suasana membangkitkan zaman dahulu, dipertingkatkan dengan demonstrasi masakan dan persembahan kebudayaan lain.
Musim Riyadh tahun ini berlangsung sehingga Mac 2025 dan telah menarik lebih 13 juta peserta, menurut Agensi Akhbar Saudi (SPA).
* Teks (diterjemah) & foto AN/4 Jan, 23:57/tajuk oleh BF
People wait to board a train on the plateform at a metro station in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday. (AFP)
Thousands of selfie-taking Ho Chi Minh City residents crammed into train carriages Sunday as the traffic-clogged business hub celebrated the opening of its first-ever metro line after years of delays.
Huge queues spilled out of every station along the $1.7 billion line that runs almost 20 kilometers from the city center — with women in traditional “ao dai” dress, soldiers in uniform and couples clutching young children waiting excitedly to board.
“I know it (the project) is late, but I still feel so very honored and proud to be among the first on this metro,” said office worker Nguyen Nhu Huyen after snatching a selfie in her jam-packed train car.
“Our city is now on par with the other big cities of the world,” she said.
It took 17 years for Vietnam’s commercial capital to reach this point. The project, funded largely by Japanese government loans, was first approved in 2007 and slated to cost just $668 million.
When construction began in 2012, authorities promised the line would be up and running in just five years.
But as delays mounted, cars and motorbikes multiplied in the city of nine million people, making the metropolis hugely congested, increasingly polluted and time-consuming to navigate.
The metro “meets the growing travel needs of residents and contributes to reducing traffic congestion and environmental pollution,” the city’s deputy mayor Bui Xuan Cuong said.
Cuong admitted authorities had to overcome “countless hurdles” to get the project over the line.
AN-AFP, Dec 22, 2024
Bandar Raya Ho Chi Minh rai metro pertama
Orang ramai menunggu untuk menaiki kereta api di atas plat di stesen metro di Ho Chi Minh City pada Ahad. (AFP)
Beribu-ribu penduduk Ho Chi Minh City mengambil swafoto bersesak-sesak ke dalam gerabak kereta api pada Ahad ketika hab perniagaan yang tersumbat itu meraikan pembukaan laluan metro pertamanya selepas penangguhan bertahun-tahun.
Barisan beratur besar keluar dari setiap stesen di sepanjang laluan bernilai $1.7 bilion yang berjalan hampir 20 kilometer dari pusat bandar — dengan wanita berpakaian tradisional “ao dai”, askar berpakaian seragam dan pasangan berpegangan tangan dengan kanak-kanak kecil menunggu dengan teruja untuk menaikinya.
“Saya tahu ia (projek) sudah lewat, tetapi saya masih berasa sangat berbesar hati dan bangga menjadi antara yang pertama di metro ini,” kata pekerja pejabat Nguyen Nhu Huyen selepas merakam swafoto di dalam kereta api yang penuh sesak.
“Bandar kami kini setanding dengan bandar-bandar besar lain di dunia,” katanya.
Ia mengambil masa 17 tahun untuk modal komersial Vietnam mencapai tahap ini. Projek itu, yang sebahagian besarnya dibiayai oleh pinjaman kerajaan Jepun, pertama kali diluluskan pada 2007 dan dijangka menelan belanja hanya $668 juta.
Apabila pembinaan bermula pada 2012, pihak berkuasa berjanji laluan itu akan beroperasi dalam tempoh lima tahun.
Tetapi apabila kelewatan semakin meningkat, kereta dan motosikal bertambah berganda di bandar dengan sembilan juta penduduk itu, menjadikan kota metropolis itu sangat sesak, semakin tercemar dan memakan masa untuk mengemudi.
Metro itu “memenuhi keperluan perjalanan penduduk yang semakin meningkat dan menyumbang kepada mengurangkan kesesakan lalu lintas dan pencemaran alam sekitar,” kata timbalan datuk bandar bandar itu, Bui Xuan Cuong.
Cuong mengakui pihak berkuasa terpaksa mengatasi “halangan yang tidak terkira banyaknya” untuk menyelesaikan projek itu.
RIYADH – Kementerian Alam Sekitar, Air dan Pertanian dan NEOM jumpa lapan spesies tumbuhan asli yang sebelum ini tidak direkodkan di negara itu, lapor Agensi Akhbar Saudi (SPA) pada Rabu.
Penemuan ini adalah sebahagian daripada program flora NEOM, yang bertujuan melindungi 95 peratus tanah semula jadi dan memulihkan serta mendokumenkan kepelbagaian biologi unik di rantau ini.
Program dua fasa itu termasuk kajian komprehensif geologi, tanah, hidrologi tadahan air, ekologi dan topografi NEOM.
“Spesies tumbuhan baharu itu telah didokumenkan di Herbarium Kebangsaan dalam Pusat Benih dan Bank Sumber Genetik Tumbuhan di Riyadh, mewakili penambahan ketara kepada flora direkodkan di Arab Saudi,” kata Ahmad Alayadh, timbalan menteri pertanian.
Lapan spesies tersebut ialah: Bituminaria flaccida (Nabelek) Greuter, Cicer judaicum Boiss, Crambe hispanica L, Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC, Hyoscyamus boveanus (Dunal) Asch & Schweinf, Muscari longipes subsp Longipes, Phagnalon nitidum Fresen, dan Plantago sinaica (Barneoud) Decne.
Dhiya Zaidan, pengurus kanan seni bina landskap di NEOM, berkata: “Sejak dua setengah tahun yang lalu, inisiatif ini telah membuahkan hasil yang luar biasa, termasuk mendokumentasikan 345 spesies tumbuhan tempatan, 28 spesies nadir, dan lapan spesies tumbuhan berdaftar baharu yang tidak direkodkan sebelum ini. dalam negara.
“Ini tidak mungkin berlaku tanpa dedikasi dan komitmen penyelidik dan saintis kami di lapangan.”
Dilancarkan pada 2021, program flora NEOM merupakan inisiatif utama untuk mendokumenkan dan memulihara warisan semula jadi rantau ini, meningkatkan pengetahuan tentang tumbuh-tumbuhan dan spesies tumbuhan tempatan.
AN, 11 Dis 2024
Eight new native plant species discovered in Saudi Arabia
RIYADH — The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and NEOM have discovered eight native plant species that were not previously recorded in the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
This discovery is part of the NEOM flora program, which aims to protect 95 percent of natural lands and restore and document the region’s unique biodiversity.
The two-phase program included a comprehensive study of the geology, soil, watershed hydrology, ecology and topography of NEOM.
“The new plant species have been documented at the National Herbarium within the Seed Center and Plant Genetic Resources Bank in Riyadh, representing a significant addition to Saudi Arabia’s recorded flora,” said Ahmad Alayadh, deputy minister for agriculture.
The eight species are: Bituminaria flaccida (Nabelek) Greuter, Cicer judaicum Boiss, Crambe hispanica L, Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC, Hyoscyamus boveanus (Dunal) Asch & Schweinf, Muscari longipes subsp Longipes, Phagnalon nitidum Fresen, and Plantago sinaica (Barneoud) Decne.
Dhiya Zaidan, senior manager of landscape architecture at NEOM, said: “Over the past two and a half years, this initiative has yielded remarkable results, including documenting 345 local plant species, 28 rare species, and eight new registered plant species not previously recorded in the Kingdom.
“This would not have been possible without the dedication and commitment of our researchers and scientists on the ground.”
Launched in 2021, the NEOM flora program is a key initiative to document and conserve the region’s natural heritage, enhancing knowledge of local vegetation and plant species.
Mike Tyson (L) fights Jake Paul at AT&T Stadium on November 15, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Reuters)
Netflix said on Saturday that 60 million households worldwide had tuned in for the highly anticipated boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, and the event peaked at 65 million streams, according to a statement.
The bout between the 27-year-old social media influencer-turned-prize fighter Paul and the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Tyson, which Paul won, was streamed live on Netflix.
Nearly 50 million households tuned in for the co-main event between Ireland’s lightweight champion Katie Taylor and Puerto Rico’s featherweight champion Amanda Serrano, according to Netflix.
“The bout is likely to be the most watched professional women’s sporting event in US history,” Netflix said in its statement.
There were some hiccups during the live-stream of the match, with over 90,000 users reporting problems on Netflix at its peak, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.
However, the streaming platform was back up on Saturday after the outage that lasted roughly 6 hours in the United States.
Dancers perform in the parade in Riyadh’s Suwaidi Park as part of the Global Harmony initiative celebrating Sudanese culture on Nov. 7, 2024. (AN photo/ Loai Ali)
RIYADH — A cultural festival at Suwaidi Park is inviting visitors to explore the rich heritage and traditions of Sudan.
Part of Riyadh Season, the event takes place until Nov. 17 and features Sudanese music, dancing, food and crafts.
Content creator Hamoud Waleed said cultural festivals played a key role in building connections and understanding.
“Events like this are very important because sometimes you can’t go to see their tradition and culture. But when these cultures come to us here … it lets us know more and more about other people, how they live, what their interests are, and how we can engage with them,” he said.
“When we talk about Sudanese culture, it’s beautiful and comes from a very old history and nice heritage, and when it comes to us, it lets us know more about it, and this is exactly what we are seeing here in Suwaidi Park.”
Sudanese nationals make up 6.1 percent of the Kingdom’s population, according to the Saudi Census, so such exhibitions are important in promoting mutual respect and harmony between communities.
Sudanese singer Youssef Khairy highlighted the diversity of his culture, explaining how sharing traditions strengthened bonds between different people.
“Music unites us all, regardless of colors, shapes, languages, religions, or ways of thinking,” he said. “I am here to represent Nubian music, Nubian heritage and the Nubian civilization.”
Live music and dance performances during the festival are bringing Sudanese heritage to life and offering audiences an authentic cultural experience.
Visitor Olaa Abdulnaaem said these, along with the lively atmosphere, and engaging children’s activities, were standout features for her.
Hiam Othman, a Sudanese attire designer, said the festival had significantly promoted her business. “Our products have been well-received, and they reflect our Sudanese culture,” she said.
Riyadh Season 2024 has already drawn 4 million visitors from around the world, according to Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. He believes the surge in attendance reflects a growing appetite for cultural exploration and new experiences.
The festival is part of the Global Harmony initiative by the Ministry of Media and the General Entertainment Authority, which is aligned with the goals of the Quality of Life Program. The scheme celebrates the Kingdom’s multicultural landscape by highlighting the lives, contributions and cultural integration of its residents.
In the coming weeks, Global Harmony will celebrate a variety of cultures. After the Sudanese festival there will be a Jordanian, Lebanese and Syrian event from Nov. 17-19, Bangladeshi from Nov. 20-23, and Egyptian from Nov. 24-30.
Launched on Oct. 17, the initiative began with music and dance honoring the culture of Indian expatriates.
Di atas, siri telefon pintar Pixel 9 baharu semasa acara pelancaran di Mountain View, California pada 13 Ogos 2024. (Reuters)
JAKARTA — Indonesia berkata ia mengharamkan penjualan telefon pintar dibuat Alphabet Google kerana peraturan yang memerlukan penggunaan komponen buatan tempatan, beberapa hari selepas menyekat penjualan iPhone 16 Apple atas sebab sama.
Indonesia menyekat jualan telefon Google Pixel kerana syarikat itu tidak memenuhi peraturan yang memerlukan telefon pintar tertentu dijual di dalam negara mengandungi sekurang-kurangnya 40 peratus bahagian dikeluarkan secara tempatan.
“Kami mendesak peraturan ini supaya ada keadilan untuk semua pelabur di Indonesia,” kata Febri Hendri Antoni Arief, jurucakap kementerian industri, pada Khamis.
“Produk Google tidak mematuhi skim yang kami tetapkan, jadi ia tidak boleh dijual di sini.”
Febri berkata pengguna boleh membeli telefon Google Pixel di luar negara, selagi mereka membayar cukai diperlukan, sambil menambah negara akan mempertimbangkan untuk menyahaktifkan telefon yang dijual secara haram.
Google tidak segera membalas mesej dan e-mel yang meminta komen.
Sekatan itu datang seminggu selepas Indonesia berkata ia telah menyekat jualan iPhone 16 di dalam negara, juga kerana tidak memenuhi peraturan kandungan tempatan.
Syarikat biasanya meningkatkan penggunaan komponen domestik untuk memenuhi peraturan tersebut melalui perkongsian dengan pembekal tempatan atau dengan mendapatkan bahagian dalam negeri.
Google dan Apple bukanlah antara pembuat telefon pintar terkemuka di Indonesia.
Dua pembuat telefon pintar teratas pada suku pertama 2024 ialah firma China OPPO dan firma Korea Selatan Samsung, kata firma penyelidikan IDC pada Mei.
Indonesia mempunyai populasi yang besar dan mahir teknologi, menjadikan negara Asia Tenggara itu sebagai pasaran sasaran utama untuk pelaburan berkaitan teknologi.
Bhima Yudhistira, pengarah Pusat Kajian Ekonomi dan Undang-undang badan pemikir, berkata langkah itu adalah perlindungan “pseudo” yang menyakitkan pengguna dan memberi kesan kepada keyakinan pelabur.
“Ini mewujudkan sentimen negatif bagi pelabur yang ingin memasuki Indonesia,” katanya.
Al-Ibrahim relied on AI to generate the imagery for this art exhibition. She described the process as a challenge as AI databases are not fully versed with data from the Arab world.
Saudi producer Farah Al-Ibrahim’s new digital art show “Pearls of emotions” is set to premiere at the Theater of Digital Art in Dubai on Dec. 2.
Presented by her production company Artellosa, Al-Ibrahim told Arab News she hopes this show, which explores the rich history of pearl diving in the Gulf, resonates with viewers and offers them a new perspective on the region and its culture.
“I feel it’s in my DNA to talk about pearls and our relationship to the sea. But knowing this culture and keeping it in our hearts is not enough. We need to preserve it and reflect it to international audiences,” she said.
The desire to engage a diverse audience is a key driving force behind the experience, as “Pearls of Emotion” features a unique musical score that fuses traditional Gulf melodies with contemporary sounds in order to appeal to visitors from around the globe, as well as younger generations seeking a fresh take on the exploration of Gulf heritage.
“A lot of people think our civilization started when oil money entered the region. This is not correct, we have the need and duty to change that perspective and reflect the beauty and richness of our culture,” Al-Ibrahim explained.
“Pearls of emotions” tells the story of a bride who says goodbye to her husband days after their marriage as he embarks on a pearl diving journey, explained Al-Ibrahim.
“The show has seven parts, each one talks about a certain emotion such as love, resilience, strength, pride and so on,” she added.
“Pearls of emotions” tells the story of a bride who says goodbye to her husband days after their marriage as he embarks on a pearl diving journey, explained Al-Ibrahim.
The show offers a 360° immersive journey back in time at TODA, a 1,800-square-metre immersive art space located in Souk Madinat Jumeirah.
Al-Ibrahim relied on AI to generate the imagery for this art exhibition. She described the process as a challenge as AI databases are not fully versed with data from the Arab world.
By talking to her family, who have a long history in the trade, Al-Ibrahim was able to collect information on what ships, sailors and diving experiences looked and felt like so she could feed it to AI programs and generate a depiction of these stories.
“It’s very important to have these stories documented, even if it’s AI,” she said.
AlUla Dates Season began on Sept. 13 and will continue until Nov. 9
RIYADH — The Royal Commission for AlUla has launched a farmers’ market to showcase the region’s vibrant heritage as part of the AlUla Dates Season, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
A highlight of the season, the market at Al-Manshiyah Plaza displays innovative uses of dates in various products, with interactive sessions featuring renowned chefs that celebrate AlUla’s culinary legacy and inspire creative date-infused dishes.
AlUla Dates Season, which began on Sept. 13 and will continue until Nov. 9, is organized in collaboration with various government and private entities.
The dates auction is an integral part of the season and sees a surge in commercial activity, with traders and consumers flocking to purchase large quantities of dates.
The auction plays an important role in fostering business opportunities for farmers and buyers, driving annual date sales.
The auction, held on Fridays and Saturdays, attracts date traders and processing companies.
As part of the festival, an award ceremony will honor participating farmers, with prizes of SR75,000 ($20,000) for the top spot, SR50,000 for second place, and SR30,000 for third.
Winners will be selected based on set criteria, including sales volume and value.
The royal commission emphasizes its commitment to supporting farmers through programs, workshops, and training courses aimed at promoting sustainable practices and increasing productivity.
This initiative aligns with the goal of enhancing the competitiveness of AlUla dates both domestically and regionally, thereby fostering economic development through the agricultural sector.
AlUla yields various types of dates, including medjoul and ambara. Last year‘a dates season saw 600 farmers participate, generating sales of SR13 million.
At the same time, 113,000 tonnes of dates were produced from more than 3 million date palm trees spread over 10,000 hectares in the region.
The 25-year-old filmmaker gained social media fame following Israel’s military actions in Gaza, after she began documenting life under the siege, which has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians since Oct. 7. (IG/File)
LONDON — Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda has won an Emmy Award despite a lobbying campaign that sought to have her nomination rescinded.
Owda was awarded the Emmy for Outstanding Hard News Feature: Short Form for her ongoing project, “It’s Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive.”
“This award is testimony to the power of one woman, armed only with an iPhone, who survived almost a year of bombardment,” said senior executive producer Jon Laurence, who accepted the award on Owda’s behalf as she remains trapped in Gaza.
Produced with AJ+, the feature chronicles Owda’s experience as her family fled the bombardment of their home in Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip.
The announcement came shortly after the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) determined that there were no grounds for rescinding her nomination.
This decision followed accusations from Jewish nonprofit Creative Community for Peace, which claimed Owda had ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a US-designated terrorist organization.
NATAS stated that documented links between Owda and the PFLP occurred “between six and nine years ago” when Owda was still a teenager. It added that it was “unable to corroborate” claims of more recent connections and had found no “evidence of contemporary or active involvement” with the PFLP.
“The content submitted for award consideration was consistent with competition rules and NATAS policies. Accordingly, NATAS has found no grounds, to date, upon which to overturn the editorial judgment of the independent journalists who reviewed the material,” the group also said.
The 25-year-old filmmaker gained social media fame following Israel’s military actions in Gaza, after she began documenting life under the siege, which has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians since Oct. 7.
With 4.7 million Instagram followers and nearly 200,000 TikTok followers, Owda has spent the last year chronicling the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Her reports highlight the blockade on essential supplies, the spread of diseases, and the forced displacement of Palestinians, including her own experience.
“It’s Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive” also won the Peabody Award in the news category earlier this year.
DUBAI — Lebanese TV host Diala Makki took to social media with a heartfelt message as she was spotted at Paris Fashion Week along with US Egyptian model Sandra Shehab.
The pair attended Lebanese designer Elie Saab’s Spring/Summer 2025 show separately, with Makki taking to Instagram afterwards to share a message about the current Israeli bombardment of Lebanon, which has killed more that 1,000 people over the past two weeks.
“I am a journalist yet I stare at a blank page and I am unable to write one coherent sentence. I have mixed emotions, I am sad, broken, angry but mostly broken hearted. I was in Paris filming with a Lebanese team who showed up every day with teary eyes and a heavy soul. Their strength was inspiring,” she wrote.
“I interviewed creative designers who refused to give up on the dream that there is a light at the end of the endless tunnel of darkness and uncertainty … all I want to say to my people is be strong, the world is watching us, God is protecting us … I pray for my south, my Beirut, every corner of my Lebanon,” she added.
Lebanese TV host Diala Makki at the Elie Saab show. (Getty Images)
Shehab also attended Saab’s show, for her part she showed off an all-black look, complete with a trench coat.
The New Jersey native came into the limelight in 2018 after appearing in Season 24 of “America’s Next Top Model.” Although she was eliminated in episode eight, coming in 8th place, she scored fans on social media for her portrayal of Muslim women on screen.
Sandra Shehab attended Saab’s show, for her part she showed off an all-black look, complete with a trench coat.(Getty Images)
Saab unveiled his spring collection on Saturday at the Palais de Tokyo, showcasing a mesmerizing journey through the African savannah that felt fresh, vibrant, and completely devoid of tired clichés, according to the Associated Press’s Thomas Adamson.
Right from the start, Saab showed he wasn’t afraid to play with the safari staples—but with a twist. Safari suits, reimagined as roomy linen separates and sleek crepe jumpsuits, traded their usual khaki for the blazing red of fireball lilies, moody elephant gray, and the ochre dust of West Africa. It was a palette that brought the raw, natural beauty of the continent to life without falling into the predictable tropes. These looks weren’t the romanticized garb of the intrepid explorer; they were effortlessly chic, perfectly fitted for today’s cosmopolitan adventurer.
This photo taken in September 2024 shows Opsariichthys rubriventris, a new cyprinid fish species, in Huidong County of Huizhou City, south China’s Guangdong Province. XINHUA
GUANGZHOU — Chinese researchers have discovered a new cyprinid fish species, Opsariichthys rubriventris, in Huizhou City in south China’s Guangdong Province.
In a paper published in the international journal Diversity, Opsariichthys rubriventris is described as a unique species endemic to Guangdong, residing in the upper reaches of rivers in the Pearl River basin.
The species can be distinguished from its relatives by several characteristics, including 13 to 14 predorsal scales, a lower jaw that projects slightly beyond the upper jaw, and cheeks featuring two mainly longitudinal rows of tubercles. Additionally, adult males exhibit reddish-orange coloration on their lower jaw, belly, pectoral fin and the anterior margin of their anal fin.
Zhou Jiajun, a co-author of the paper, noted that the discovery is significant for understanding the evolution of the Opsariichthys genus and for the protection of fish diversity in the Pearl River streams.
According to Zhou, the species has a narrow distribution range and small population size. With its vibrant colors and high ornamental value, it has become sought after in the ornamental fish trade. However, some habitats have become difficult to locate due to overfishing, highlighting the need for increased attention and protection.
This photo taken in September 2024 shows Opsariichthys rubriventris, a new cyprinid fish species, in Huidong County of Huizhou City, south China’s Guangdong Province. XINHUA
Dari padang bola hingga ke perayaan kebudayaan, berikut adalah enam bintang bola sepak antarabangsa yang telah memakai pakaian tradisional Saudi.
NEYMAR DAN MALCOM
Ikon Brazil Neymar dan rakan senegaranya Malcom muncul dalam sambutan Hari Kebangsaan Saudi 2024 Al-Hilal dengan memakai thobe (jubah) dan sepanduk diletakkan di bahu mereka.
RUBEN NEVES
Bintang Al-Hilal asal Portugal, Ruben Neves, menikmati perayaan Hari Kebangsaan kelab tahun ini dalam pakaian thobe putih dan sarung tradisional merah-putih.
KARIM BENZEMA
Penyerang Perancis ini berkongsi gambar dirinya memakai thobe hitam pada Hari Penubuhan Saudi awal tahun ini. Di atas thobe, dia memakai aksesori unik seperti abah-abah.
CRISTIANO RONALDO
Tahun lalu, pemain bola sepak Portugis ini membintangi kempen video untuk Hari Kebangsaan Saudi, yang menampilkan tarian tradisional, pedang dan pakaian.
SADIO MANE
Pemain bola sepak Senegal ini tampil bersama Ronaldo dalam kempen video itu. Dia memakai pakaian yang serupa dengan Ronaldo, memilih bisht kuning air dengan sulaman emas dan bukannya hitam.
LIONEL MESSI
Legenda bola sepak Argentina ini dinamakan sebagai duta bagi jenama pakaian mewah Arab Saudi Sayyar tahun ini. Dalam kempen itu, Messi dirakam dengan memakai pakaian tradisional yang lengkap — thobe putih segar dan sarung merah-putih.
Karen Wazen, yang terkenal dengan jenama cermin mata eponimnya, bermula sebagai blogger pada 2016.
Seorang puteri Saudi, penulis blog yang bertukar menjadi ahli perniagaan dan ketua eksekutif beberapa pusat beli-belah terkenal di UAE adalah beberapa nama serantau yang ditambahkan pada senarai tahunan peneraju industri Business of Fashion.
PUTERI NOURA BINTI FAISAL AL SAUD
Puteri Noura binti Faisal Al Saud diiktiraf atas kerjanya dengan Culture House dan Minggu Fesyen Saudi.
Puteri Noura binti Faisal Al Saud ialah tokoh penting dalam industri fesyen Arab Saudi, setelah mengasaskan Minggu Fesyen Riyadh pada 2018 dan menubuhkan Suruhanjaya Fesyen di Kementerian Kebudayaan, yang disertainya pada 2019.
Beliau adalah sebahagian daripada pasukan di sebalik projek utama suruhanjaya itu, termasuk persidangan tahunan Fesyen Hadapan, platform digital dan program bimbingan 100 Saudi.
AHAMED GALAL ISMAIL
Ahmed Galal Ismail ialah ketua eksekutif Majid Al Futtaim.
Ahmed Galal Ismail ialah ketua eksekutif Majid Al Futtaim Holding, yang memiliki pusat beli-belah seperti Mall of the Emirates dan City Center, serta rangkaian pasar raya Carrefour di seluruh Timur Tengah. 29 pusat beli-belah syarikat itu mempunyai keluasan yang boleh disewakan lebih daripada satu juta meter persegi.
Sebelum mengambil alih pengendalian Januari lalu, beliau mengendalikan komuniti dan operasi pengurusan projek di seluruh hotel dan pusat beli-belah Majid Al Futtaim; menjawat ketua eksekutif Majid Al Futtaim Ventures; dan naib presiden strategi untuk Majid Al Futtaim Holding.
HALEH NIA
Haleh Nia dari Iran ialah ketua pengarang dan pengasas Savoir Flair.
Haleh Nia melancarkan majalah digital pertama Timur Tengah, Savoir Flair, pada 2009 berumur 24 tahun, menjadikannya penerbit dan ketua pengarang termuda di rantau ini. Perintis awal format baharu – bersama rakan pakai awal dan mogul kecantikan Huda Kattan – Nia membantu memetakan landskap digital rantau ini apabila dia melancarkan majalah dalam talian bahasa Inggerisnya dan diikuti dengan versi Arab pada 2016, Savoir Flair Al Arabiya.
Pada tahun 2020 Nia melancarkan buku meja kopi yang didedikasikan untuk semua yang telah dicapai oleh majalah itu, yang dipanggil Savoir Flair – SFX: Majalah kecil yang boleh (dan lakukan).
KAREN WAZEN
Karen Wazen warga Lubnan-Amerika, tengah, ialah seorang blogger fesyen dan usahawan.
Setelah bermula dengan blog peribadi, fesyen dan gaya hidup pada 2016, Wazen dapat membina pengikutnya dan melancarkan jenama cermin mata eponimnya pada 2018. Hari ini, dengan lebih lapan juta pengikut di media sosial, Wazen ialah salah satu fesyen yang paling berpengaruh angka di rantau ini.
JUAN COSTA PAZ dan NORDINE BENOTMANE
Juan Costa Paz dan Nordine Benotmane ialah pengasas bersama agensi kreatif Convoy.
Duo Perancis-Algeria ini berada di belakang Convoy. Dilancarkan di Paris pada 2012, agensi kreatif itu telah mengumpulkan senarai pelanggan termasuk Vogue, Louis Vuitton, Nike, Balmain, Dior Homme dan Miu Miu, yang telah melihat kepada kedua-dua mereka untuk mencipta detik fesyen yang dinamik. Contohnya, acara Vogue World menjelang Sukan Olimpik Paris mempamerkan era sejarah fesyen yang berbeza dengan penari secara langsung serta Gigi Hadid dan Kendall Jenner di atas kuda.
LYAS
Lyas ialah pencipta kandungan yang popular.
Sebagai koresponden fesyen untuk majalah Interview dan pencipta kandungan bebas, Lyas – yang berasal dari Perancis dengan warisan Algeria – telah menghasilkan suara yang unik di media sosial dengan gaya perbualan yang santai diselangi dengan ulasan yang tajam. Mampu meletakkan dirinya di tengah-tengah banyak acara fesyen, Lyas persona berpengaruh seperti Lyas penulis.
TAMARA ABU KHADRA
Tamara Abu Khadra (kiri) ialah pengasas dan ketua eksekutif Homegrown Market.
Tamara Abu Khadra, pengasas dan ketua eksekutif Homegrown Market, melancarkan kedai konsep pertama Jeddah pada 2014 untuk membantu membuka pasaran Saudi kepada pereka serantau. Dengan menyimpan label kecil dari seluruh Timur Tengah dan Afrika Utara, Tamara sering bertindak sebagai mentor dan pengedar untuk jenama baru muncul. Setelah bermula dengan satu kedai, Homegrown Market kini mempunyai lima lokasi di seluruh kingdom, termasuk satu di AlUla.
A model (left) shows off apparel designed by Gaza-based Palestinian artist Reem Harazin (right).
DUBAI — Amid the ruins and chaos of Gaza, artist and designer Reem Harazin continues to weave the vibrant threads of Palestinian history into her work.
Her latest project, “Native” — a collaboration with the lifestyle brand Palestinian Hustle, is more than a collection of garments, it is an intricate portrayal of her people’s past and present, drawing on motifs that reflect and highlight the essence of Palestinian culture.
“Every element represents a unique facet of Palestinian history and civilization, woven together to form a vibrant narrative,” she tells Arab News. “These elements are inseparable, like the threads of a tapestry, intertwining to tell a continuous story that stretches from the past to the present.”
Her latest designs depict Palestine as it was before the 1948 occupation, showing cities unmarred by checkpoints or settlements, where people moved freely from the river to the sea.
Her latest designs depict Palestine as it was before the 1948 occupation.
The outer border of the “Native” T-shirt and hoodie line mirrors the walls of Jerusalem, while olive leaves like those in the pattern of the Keffiyeh — used to symbolize strength and resilience — form the inner frame.
Within the word “Native,” a fishnet pattern represents Palestinian heritage. The map of Palestine is laced with barbed wire to signify the barriers of separation across the country, alongside the keys of return held by Palestinian families and the Palestinian Liberation peace hand below.
To Harazin, the cultural elements reflected in her work are just a small part of the Palestinian people’s deep-rooted history, which she describes as being “as complex and interconnected as the branches of a tree.”
She continues: “These roots are deeply embedded in the land, passed down from one generation to the next, carrying the Palestinian story forward.”
Behind the beauty of Harazin’s designs lies the harsh reality of survival in Gaza. The ongoing conflict has left her and countless others with an ever-present sense of danger.
“There’s no safe place here, not even in our own homes. Death is always lurking, a shadow that could swallow us whole in an instant,” she says.
Just days ago, she was injured while trying to escape a fresh round of violence. “It was a small injury, but it felt like a symbol of the chaos and fear we live with every day.”
Despite the constant turmoil, Harazin has found solace in her art.
“Art has been a lifeline for me,” she says. “Whenever war breaks out, I turn to drawing. It helps me process the fear, the pain, the constant barrage of negative thoughts. It’s a way to express what words can’t. It helps me remember who I was before the war; before everything changed.”
Harazin recalls picking up a pencil for the first time as a child, playing on the streets of Gaza. From those early, messy scribbles to the drawings that now capture her life story, art has always been an integral part of her life.
“I can still picture my first drawing — a strong Palestinian woman wearing traditional clothes and standing tall like a symbol of resistance. And next to her, always, was the map of our homeland, the place we dreamed of being free,” she says. That image — the strong Palestinian woman — remains a recurring theme in Harazin’s work today.
Her designs also use the rich, ancient patterns of traditional Palestinian clothing, known for bold reds, intricate embroidery, and symbols of resilience.
For Harazin, the connection between art and resistance is undeniable.
Within the word “Native,” a fishnet pattern represents Palestinian heritage.
“Art is our voice, our way of saying, ‘We’re here. We matter,’” she says. “When words fail us, art speaks for us. It shows our pain, our struggles, and our unwavering spirit. Even in the darkest of times, art reminds us that there’s still beauty in the world.”
As the conflict intensifies, leaving Gaza has become nearly impossible for Harazin. She had planned to flee to Egypt, but the closure of the Rafah crossing and ongoing military operations in the area have eliminated that possibility.
“Our fate remains uncertain, and we don’t know what the future holds. All we can do is hope and pray,” she says. “In the darkest of times, we cling to our faith. It’s the only thing that keeps us going.”
DUBAI — Egyptian actress Huda Al-Mufti announced on Tuesday that she was named Dolce&Gabbana’s first regional ambassador in the Middle East.
“I aim to showcase the brand’s essence through fashion and beauty that reflects my passion and the region’s culture,” she wrote to her 3.4 million followers on Instagram.
Last year, Al-Mufti was also named a brand ambassador for Italian luxury label Bulgari.
She joins a cohort of regional faces who have been signed by major labels. Egyptian rap artist Marwan Pablo was recently named a regional brand ambassador for Italian fashion label Diesel earlier this year, while Lebanese British actress Razane Jammal has been named the brand ambassador for French luxury label Dior’s beauty line in January.
Lebanese influencer Karen Wazen is the face of Roberto Cavalli fragrances worldwide — and she is one of a number of Arab faces who have been recognized for their reach.
