Category: VARIASI

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.

AN-REUTERS

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.

AN

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.

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.

AN

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.

AN, Oct 21, 2024

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.

AN – Sep 26, 2024

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.

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.

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.

AN

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.

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.

AN, Sep 22, 2024

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 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 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 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

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

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

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, 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.

THE NATIONAL, Sep 27, 2024

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. 

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. 

“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.”

AN

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.

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AN, Sep 24, 2024

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 23 (Reuters) — A female cat has more freedom in Afghanistan than a woman does, Hollywood actor Meryl Streep said at the United Nations on Monday in a bid to get world leaders to focus on the plight of Afghan women and girls.

“The way that … this society has been upended is a cautionary tale for the rest of the world,” Streep told an event on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly to encourage the inclusion of women in the future of Afghanistan.

The Taliban seized power in August 2021 when U.S.-led forces withdrew after 20 years of war. The U.N. has sought a unified global approach to dealing with the Taliban, who have cracked down on women’s rights.

Most girls have been barred from high school and women from universities by the Taliban. The group has closed beauty salons and curtailed travel for women without a male guardian.

“Today in Kabul a female cat has more freedoms than a woman. A cat may go sit on her front stoop and feel the sun on her face. She may chase a squirrel into the park.

A squirrel has more rights than a girl in Afghanistan today, because the public parks have been closed to women and girls,” Streep said.

“A bird may sing in Kabul, but a girl may not and a woman may not in public. This is extraordinary,” she said.

The Taliban say they respect rights in line with their interpretation of Islamic law.

The group formally codified a long set of rules governing morality last month that were based on a decree by the Taliban’s supreme spiritual leader in 2022 and will be enforced by the morality ministry.

“Without educated women, without women in employment, including in leadership roles, and without recognizing the rights and freedoms of one-half of its population, Afghanistan will never take its rightful place on the global stage,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the event.

Bandar purba Kashgar, yang terletak di barat daya Xinjiang, berfungsi sebagai hab pengangkutan penting menghubungkan China dengan Asia Tengah dan Asia Selatan pada zaman dahulu.

Pertemuan budaya etnik yang pelbagai di rantau ini telah menimbulkan kekayaan khazanah sejarah dan budaya.

Hari ini, Kashgar telah memanfaatkan kelebihan budaya dan geografinya, berubah menjadi destinasi pelancongan unik yang menggabungkan sejarah dan kemodenan.

Dalam lapan bulan pertama 2024, Kashgar menerima lebih 19.5 juta pelancong domestik, peningkatan 29.46 peratus tahun ke tahun, dan menjana pendapatan pelancongan hampir 15.35 bilion yuan (kira-kira 2.18 bilion dolar AS), meningkat 38.83 peratus.

XINHUA

Jauh di barat laut Rusia terletak Vologda, sebuah bandar yang terletak di salah satu wilayah Rusia yang paling asli di negara itu dan terkenal dengan industri maju dan alam semula jadi yang indah.

Jika nasib berbeza, ia mungkin telah dinobatkan sebagai ibu negara Rusia.

Vologda setua Moscow sendiri, dengan kedua-dua bandar bermula pada 1147, menurut manuskrip kuno.
Sepanjang abad yang bergelora, ketika penceroboh asing melanda seluruh tanah, pelukan geografi Vologda melindunginya daripada kemusnahan.

Menjelang abad ke-16, ia telah berkembang menjadi salah satu hab yang paling penting untuk perdagangan Rusia dengan England, Belanda, dan tanah Barat yang lain. Pada tahun 1555, British, tertarik dengan janjinya, membuka pejabat perdagangan mereka di Vologda, dan duta besar Rusia pertama ke England, Osip Nepea, berasal dari kota bertingkat ini.

Tetapi angin sejarah berubah secara dramatik pada tahun 1564. Ivan IV, yang dikenali sebagai Ivan the Terrible, mendapati dirinya terkepung oleh kedua-dua pencerobohan asing dan ancaman pemberontakan. Dengan kegawatan yang berlaku di Moscow, tsar mencari perlindungan di Vologda. Diiringi oleh keluarganya, perbendaharaan diraja, ikon yang tidak ternilai dan simbol kuasa, dia pergi ke bandar utara ini dengan impian untuk menempa ibu kota baharu.

Vologda, yang terletak secara strategik di pintu masuk Laluan Laut Utara, memegang janji yang besar. Lambangnya, dihiasi dengan pintu terbuka, melambangkan jemputan ke Eropah, laluan ke dunia seterusnya. Tsar membayangkan armada berlayar dari pantainya, dan pada saat-saat bahaya, dia membayangkan Vologda sebagai tempat perlindungan yang selamat dari mana dia boleh berundur.

“Tanpa teragak-agak, Ivan IV melancarkan rancangan besarnya. Dia memerintahkan pembinaan sebuah katedral yang megah dan Kremlin yang perkasa, sebuah kubu untuk menyaingi Kremlin Moscow. Keluarga bangsawan, yang ditarik oleh visi tsar, mula membeli tanah dan membina kehidupan mereka dalam pelukan Vologda,” Larisa Gulneva, ketua Jabatan Pelancongan dan Pendidikan Muzium Vologda, berkata dalam temu bual dengan Anadolu.

Dalam reka bentuk besar tsar, kubu baru itu adalah dua kali ganda saiz Kremlin Moscow, yang kini berdiri sebagai kubu aktif terbesar di Eropah. Vologda juga menjadi nadi rohani sebuah keuskupan baharu, mengangkat bandar itu ke tempat yang mempunyai kepentingan keagamaan, katanya.

“Namun, seperti yang ditakdirkan, takdir mempunyai rancangan lain. Pada tahun 1571, ketika Ivan IV secara peribadi menyelia pembinaan Katedral Saint Sophia yang besar, petanda misteri muncul. Batu bata, atau mungkin sekeping plaster, jatuh dari katedral itu dan menimpa tsar. Menurut penulis sejarah Ivan Slobodsky, tsar menafsirkan ini sebagai tanda – penolakan oleh tempat dia berdiri,” katanya.

Dalam cerita rakyat Rusia, tanda-tanda seperti itu sangat kuat, Gulneva menekankan, sambil menambah: “Tempat-tempat suci dipercayai mempunyai tenaga rohani yang hebat, dan seseorang yang ditolak oleh tempat sedemikian adalah petanda yang buruk, penuh dengan akibat yang mengerikan. Sama ada ia adalah khurafat, paranoia atau ketakutan mendalam yang mendorongnya, Ivan IV memutuskan bahawa Vologda tidak dimaksudkan untuk menjadi ibu kotanya. Dengan menunggang kudanya, dia meninggalkan bandar itu, tidak akan kembali.”

Tetapi kisah Vologda tidak berakhir di sana. Bandar itu berkembang maju, disokong oleh pelaburan dan visi tsar, katanya.

“Pada tahun 1918, berikutan Revolusi Besar Rusia, Vologda secara ringkas menjadi “ibu kota diplomatik Rusia,” menjadi tuan rumah kedutaan, konsulat dan misi ketika diplomat mencari perlindungan daripada tentera Jerman yang sedang mara. Walaupun diplomat akhirnya pergi, legasi Vologda kekal,” tambahnya.

Hari ini, wilayah Vologda adalah mercu tanda kemakmuran, dengan industri yang berkembang maju, pertanian yang kaya dan khazanah bersejarah. Pusat pendidikan dan sukannya kukuh, dan rakyatnya, aset terbesar rantau ini, terus membentuk masa depannya.

Menurut Perkhidmatan Perangkaan Negara Persekutuan Rusia, Vologda berdiri sebagai bandar paling mono-nasional di Rusia. Lebih 96% penduduknya adalah warga Rusia, ciri mereka mencerminkan imej global rakyat Rusia—rambut perang, mata biru dan muka berbintik-bintik.

Alam semula jadi di rantau ini juga asli Rusia, dicat dalam warna lembut hijau, putih, biru dan ungu, palet tenang yang menenangkan jiwa.

Vologda mungkin tidak menuntut gelaran ibu negara Rusia, tetapi semangatnya tetap tidak terkalah. Kisahnya adalah salah satu daya tahan dan kekuatan yang tenang, di mana masa lalu dan masa kini bersatu untuk mencipta sebuah bandar yang tiada tandingannya. Sebagai ketua wilayah Georgy Filimonov mengisytiharkan, kejayaan Vologda adalah bukti rakyatnya – khazanah sebenar tanah utara ini.

ANADOLU, 17 Sep 2024

DUBAI — From Georgina Rodriguez to Bruna Biancardi, the partners of Saudi Pro League football players are forging links with fashion and fragrance labels in Saudi Arabia.

Brazilian influencer and model Biancardi unveiled a campaign with Saudi perfume label Ibrahim Al-Qurashi over the Saudi National Day weekend.

The mother-of-one stars in the advert alongside her soccer superstar partner Neymar, who is seen sporting a crisp white thobe in the images and short video clip.

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A post shared by إبراهيم القرشي (@ibrahimalqurashi)

The couple are promoting the brand’s new Musk collection and Biancardi shows off a dark green dress in the new campaign.

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A post shared by BRUNA BIANCARDI (@brunabiancardi)

Meanwhile, Rodriguez, who now calls Riyadh home, is the partner of soccer icon and Al-Nassr player Cristiano Ronaldo. She is often spotted out and about in the Saudi capital and previously starred in a campaign for Saudi perfume label Laverne, in addition to attending launch events hosted by the luxury brand.

Known for her fashion sense, the Argentine model also posed in a sleek dress by Saudi designer Yousef Akbar in shoot for Hia Magazine in May. The look featured asymmetrical sleeves with a triangular neckline and high slit.

Season three of Rodriguez’s reality TV show “I Am Georgina” hit Netflix on Sept. 18, with fans offered a sneak peek inside the power couple’s life in Saudi Arabia. We see Rodriguez and her family – including the couple’s children and her stepson Cristiano Jr. – at the St. Regis Red Sea Resort in Saudi Arabia, as well as at their home in Riyadh.

The model is known for highlighting Saudi Arabia’s touristic appeal with her 63 million Instagram followers and recently took to the social media platform to reshare a video clip by Visit Saudi, captioning it: “This is real, this is Saudi Arabia.”

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A post shared by Georgina Rodríguez (@georginagio)

The video captures the diverse landscapes of Saudi Arabia, showcasing everything from the desert areas to the country’s seascapes. It highlights the Kingdom’s history and modern developments, featuring scenes of golden sand dunes, the Ithra cultural center, the ancient site of AlUla, the mirrored Maraya concert hall, the Red Sea and lush greenery in gardens and forests.

Rodriguez has been living in Saudi Arabia since January 2023 and has made a point of exploring the Kingdom, with trips to the Red Sea coast and her evenings out in Riyadh being showcased on her Instagram account.

AN

FRANKFURT, Germany — Germany’s first hobby horsing championship got underway in Frankfurt on Saturday, with hundreds of young riders competing in time jumping, style jumping and dressage on their wooden stick horses.

Roughly 300 riders — mostly youngsters, but there are about 20 adults enrolled — are expected to canter around a gymnasium Saturday and Sunday, watched by 1,500 spectators. The competition is part of a growing wave of hobby horsing events internationally: the United States and Australia also held their first championships this year.

“Hobby horsing just gives me self-confidence and I just enjoy doing it with other people,” said Max Gohde, a 15-year-old competitor from Gifhorn, Germany, who has been practicing since 2020. “And now there’s also this atmosphere here, where everyone is just happy for you. And I think that’s just really cool.”

The events stemmed from a grassroots movement in Finland, where riders trotted their hobby horses through Nordic forests more than 20 years ago. The pastime has since exploded in popularity through social media during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, and it has been credited with highlighting female empowerment for the enthusiasts.

“Of course, when you see it like that, it looks funny at first. In fact, it really is a strenuous sport. It’s a mixture of athletics and gymnastics, and you need to be in good shape for it,” said Andreas Karasek, managing director of public relations of the German Hobby Horsing Association. He said there are currently about 5,000 active hobby horsers in Germany and 230 clubs.

Felicia Walter, 18, a hobby horsing fan from Wiesbaden, says she wants to take part in the championship next year. “And it used to be that we were laughed at for it,” she said. “But when you’re part of a larger group, I think it always works and especially now, when you see something like that, you get a feeling of togetherness.”

Britta Skott, who has been practicing for three years, thinks that the sport is “incredibly fun” and enables people to “live out their passion for horses without having to sit on real horses.”

Julia Mikkonen, head of the Finnish Hobbyhorse Association, said hobby horsing combines Finnish handcrafting culture — some riders make and decorate their own sticks and stuffed horse heads — with gymnastics and sport.

In Germany, the national hobby horsing association was established a year ago with just 13 members. Now there are more than 5,000 active athletes and more than 200 clubs across the country.

“It was very important to us to set an example and make the sport more popular,” said Kay Schumann, president of the German Hobby Horsing Association. “With the championship, which will be held every year from now on, we offer a goal that motivates hobby horsers to improve their performance and compete against each other.”

While organizers want to promote empowerment and acceptance through a positive and inclusive experience for competitors, critics have pounced on the activity. Many riders have faced bullying and misogynistic comments online. Other detractors say the pursuit is not a sport.

Mikkonen countered that just like in other sports, hobby horse riders need athleticism, strong core muscles and stamina to succeed.

Competitors in Germany this weekend will be judged on factors including precision, timing and elegance, according to the German Hobby Horsing Association’s website. Judges will award marks in the style and dressage contests, and the highest score wins.

For dressage, officials will be looking at the rider’s posture, skills and body positioning. Are they using elegant leg movements, with their toes touching the ground first? Are they using various speeds and gaits in their routine?

Style jumpers will also be judged on their posture, as well as jumping over the center of the obstacles, sticking the landing and keeping a steady pace.

Schumann said children and young riders brought hobby horsing to Germany through social media. They swapped videos and images with each other, and built a community around the shared interest.

“It spread like wildfire,” he added.

AP, Sep 14, 2024

TUMPAT — Suasana Stesen Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) Tumpat di sini gamat apabila ribuan anak muda yang mengenakan sarung tiba-tiba turun dari tren sambil mengibarkan Jalur Gemilang.

Kehadiran kumpulan itu yang kemudian berarak sejauh kira-kira 100 meter menarik perhatian orang ramai, seolah-olah mengembalikan semula nostalgia zaman silam.

Selain berkain sarung, rata-rata mereka dilihat turut mengenakan bersemutar, berbaju kurung Kedah dan berselempang demi memenuhi syarat ditetapkan untuk menyertai program Keretapi Sarong Kelate 2024 anjuran Kotak Seni dan Persatuan Kreatif Kelantan, hari ini.

Menariknya, ada peserta bersengkang mata menaiki kereta api bermula dari Gua Musang dan Kuala Krai, sebelum ke Tanah Merah, Pasir Mas dengan stesen Wakaf Bharu sebagai ‘check point’ terakhir sebelum sampai ke destinasi dituju iaitu Tumpat.

Pengurus Kotak Seni, Nur Asriniey Asaruddin berkata lebih 3,000 menyertai program itu yang melebihi sasaran awal kira-kira 1,500 orang.

“Kami membuat hebahan sejak beberapa minggu lalu melalui media sosial dan ramai menunjukkan minat untuk menyertai.

“Kami menyediakan 100 tiket kereta api percuma iaitu perjalanan dari Stesen Wakaf Bharu ke Tumpat dan untuk stesen lain kami dimaklumkan turut licin dibeli,” katanya ketika dihubungi.

Nur Asriniey berkata, sepanjang perjalanan menuju Stesen Tumpat, peserta dihiburkan dengan deklamasi puisi, persembahan nyanyian dan akustik serta dikir barat.

Sebaik tiba di Stesen Tumpat jam 10.40 pagi tadi, semua peserta berarak sambil mengibarkan Jalur Gemilang menuju taman awam di Padang Kemahkotaan atau dikenali sebagai Pantai Ndo iaitu lokasi berlangsungnya program Pasar Cik Siti yang juga anjuran Kotak Seni.

Menurutnya lagi, penganjuran Keretapi Sarong Kelate 2024 bersempena Hari Malaysia dan mereka memilih tema kain sarung kerana pakaian tradisional itu dipakai di semua negeri dalam Malaysia.

“Ini tahun kedua kami meraikan sambutan Hari Malaysia dengan cara tersendiri yang mana tahun lalu hanyalah perarakan biasa dan disertai lebih 800 peserta sahaja,” katanya.

BH ONLINE

RIYADH — The Diriyah Dates Festival, organized by the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in Diriyah Governorate, is attracting visitors from across the Kingdom.

Stalls at the festival are selling a variety of locally grown dates. Diriyah, a UNESCO site with rich Saudi history, also offers educational, shopping and entertainment activities.

Visitors and exhibitors interviewed by the Saudi Press Agency have praised the festival’s wide selection of high-quality dates.

They have also highlighted attractions at the event, such as educational exhibitions, showcases of Saudi dates, palm tree exhibitions, a children’s theater and local family-run handicrafts displays.

The festival aims to boost economic activity in Diriyah, increase date sales, help farmers access new markets and encourage the community to support local date production.

The event is also part of the area’s policy to promote Saudi heritage, with the well-organized market setting honoring the city’s cultural and historical identity.

AN, Sep 12, 2024

DUBAI — In a Dubai recording studio, hijab-clad Ghaliaa Chaker tunes her guitar and belts out original songs as she builds a career that is turning heads for more than just her music.

The 26-year-old Syrian, raised in the UAE, has become a social media sensation, with 437,000 followers on Instagram and millions of views on her YouTube channel.

She offers not only a unique sound but also an unusual look in a region where artists who wear the hijab, the head covering characteristic of Muslim women, are few and far between.

“I hope that I have paved the way for other” hijabi singers, Chaker said at the studio.

“It is a very beautiful thing to know that you have … given a push to a girl who has many dreams and is unable to achieve them because she has never seen another girl do the same thing.”

Chaker, a keen motorbike rider who is part of an all-hijabi biker squad in Dubai, began composing and writing lyrics at 16.

She drew inspiration from Nedaa Shrara, a veiled Jordanian singer who won “The Voice,” the Arabic version of the popular TV talent show, in 2015.

Shrara had stirred controversy among Arab fans who were not accustomed to seeing a singer wearing the head covering.

But for Chaker, who says she often receives criticism online, Shrara was a symbol of “self-confidence.”

After seeing her, “I said to myself that I can do it too,” Chaker said.

Chaker’s first song, composed in English, was picked up by Dubai radio stations in 2018, marking the start of her musical career.

She now sings mainly in Arabic, at a time when the regional music scene is witnessing the rise of young talents with innovative sounds.

The green-eyed singer said the headscarf has never been an obstacle. “There is nothing I have wanted to do and not done because I wear the veil,” Chaker said.

However, the issue of women singing has always been controversial in conservative Islamic societies.

Although the Qur’an does not explicitly prohibit singing, or ban women from performing music, some religious scholars frown upon the idea, viewing it as immodest.

Chaker said her immediate family has always supported her, but relatives in Syria were “very surprised at first,” mainly because they feared how people would react.

She said she receives a lot of “negative comments” on social media, including from family and friends.

“It bothers me of course, but I try to remember the positive comments and how much people love my music,” she said.

Chaker traces her artistic influences to her early upbringing in Al-Ain, a former desert oasis and now a city in Abu Dhabi, one of the UAE’s seven sheikhdoms.

At home, her father blasted Arab singers such as Fairouz, an iconic Lebanese singer, and Egyptian diva Umm Kalthoum. Chaker’s mother preferred Western music, including Elvis Presley.

“The music mixture in the house was always rich,” she said, influencing her sound, which she describes as a mix of R&B, hip-hop, electro-pop, indie and jazz.

A multi-instrumentalist, Chaker credits her father with her love of the drums, guitar, and piano, all of which she plays.

She said that instead of gifting her toys as a child, he would buy her new instruments.

The Middle Eastern darbuka drum is “the closest to my heart because I often played it with my father, who loves it very much, and it is the basis of oriental rhythm,” she said.

In addition to Arabic and English, Chaker sometimes sings in Turkish, Armenian, and Persian.

The singer, who performed in the Lebanese capital Beirut in August, said she wants to take her music beyond the Middle East.

“It is vital to me that my music is heard in Europe, in America, in Australia, in the whole world, maybe even in Latin America,” she said, adding that she aspires to “collaborate with many artists from different countries.”

“It is time for the Western world to know how beautiful our music is.”

AN-AFP, Sept. 07, 2024