LOS ANGELES: A top US university has canceled its plans for a graduation speech by a Muslim student over what it says are safety concerns, after pro-Israel groups criticized her selection. The decision by the University of Southern California is the latest controversy to roil American higher education since the conflict between Israel and Hamas … Read more
RIYADH: A Saudi artist whose fascination with Japanese animation began in childhood is breaking new ground in the Kingdom’s burgeoning art scene. Maryam Al-Suwaidan paints Japanese-style whimsical characters that evoke feelings of nostalgia. Her love for Japanese art began in childhood when she copied drawings from the covers of videos and comic books featuring her … Read more
DHAHRAN: Aramco President and CEO Amin H. Nasser today emphasized the need for a new, realistic pathway for the energy transition that includes oil and gas. In a keynote speech at CERAWeek 2024 in Houston, Texas, Mr. Nasser said the current transition strategy “is visibly failing on most fronts as it collides with five hard … Read more
DHAKA: Mohammad Hanif Pappu has spent his life painting film stars — first on posters and then on rickshaws, a moving medium that over the past few decades has earned him legendary fame in Dhaka. But it was only recently that he and his fellow craftsmen received global recognition, when the UN cultural agency, UNESCO, … Read more
KYIV: A deadly Russian missile strike Wednesday on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa appeared to land near the motorcade of President Volodymyr Zelensky and the visiting Greek prime minister, who described the “intense” moment of the surprise attack. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Zelensky was giving him a tour of the Odesa port — … Read more
RIYADH: TikTok MENA (Middle East and North Africa) hosted the second edition of the TikTok Creator Hub Awards ceremony in Riyadh on Wednesday to celebrate the growth of women-led businesses. Taking place in Lakum Artspace, the event was attended by many aspiring businesswomen and influencers from the region. Heba Qadeer, who won a second-place prize, … Read more
DUBAI: Tech-focused new media company Step held its 12th annual conference and exhibition in Dubai last week, which attracted about 350 startups, 150 venture capital firms and more than 8,000 delegates. Ray Dargham, the co-founder and CEO of Step, said during the opening ceremony that the business, which has already expanded to include a conference … Read more
LONDON: Police in the UK are “assessing” hate speech allegations made against MP Lee Anderson, after he suggested that “Islamists” had taken control of London and the city’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, Sky News reported on Wednesday. Anderson was suspended by the ruling Conservative Party on Saturday after he refused to apologize for the remarks, which … Read more
LONDON: World champion squash player Ali Farag used his victory speech at the 2024 JP Morgan Tournament of Champions in New York on Friday to criticize Israel’s ‘atrocities’ in Gaza as well as US media bias in its coverage of the war.
LONDON: Artificial intelligence had the potential to play a pivotal role in strengthening the connection between media outlets and their readers, an industry leader told the World Economic Forum in Davos. In a speech at the annual gathering in the Swiss town, Almar Latour, CEO of Dow Jones and publisher of The Wall Street Journal, told … Read more