Colombian Lebanese singer Shakira set to release first album in 7 years
Updated 16 February 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Colombian Lebanese superstar Shakira announced this week that she is releasing her first album in seven years, titled “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran,” which translates as “Women Don’t Cry Anymore.”
“My new album, coming out March 22, is one I created together with all of you, my pack of shewolves who were there for me every step of the way,” she wrote to her 90.5 million followers on Instagram.
“Making this body of work has been an alchemical process,” she said. “While writing each song I was rebuilding myself. While singing them, my tears transformed into diamonds, and my vulnerability into strength.”
The new album features 16 tracks, with eight original songs alongside a remix. It also includes seven singles released earlier, such as “Music Sessions Vol. 53” with Bizarrap, “TQG” with Karol G, “Te Felicito” with Rauw Alejandro, “Copa Vacia” with Manuel Turizo, among others.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani top actor Mahira Khan has spoken out against India’s ban on Pakistani celebrities and social media accounts, calling it a “political game” and emphasizing the role of artists in building cross-border connections.
India banned the social media accounts of Pakistani celebrities and influencers in early May, days before the two nuclear-armed countries took part in their worst military confrontation in decades, trading artillery fire, missile strikes and drone attacks for four days before the US brokered a ceasefire on May 10.
New Delhi’s measures to ban Pakistan accounts came in response to India’s allegations that Islamabad was involved in an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in which 26 were killed. Pakistan denies involvement and has repeatedly called for an international probe.
When asked what she thought about India’s ban, Khan said she had “zero reaction” to it and still loved her fans in India.
“Fans are fans. People are people, they are the public. What does it [have to do] with politics?” the actress told Independent Urdu in an interview.
“Anyway, it [politics] eventually connects obviously but this is a political game that ‘Okay, we will close this, we will ban this, we will do that.’ I don’t believe in that.”
Khan said she did not believe in banning art, wondering why artists were the first to bear the brunt of “political problems” between nations.
“It is strange, isn’t it, that a war erupts or there is a political problem, then the first attack, why do we do it on artists? This is something to think about,” the actor asked.
“Because artists are the people, and art is the thing that connects people. So the first thing is you ban this, that this [art] dies, love, that there is no love.”
Pakistan’s telecommunication authority responded with measures of its own on May 7, announcing it had blocked 16 YouTube channels and 32 websites from India for spreading “anti-Pakistan propaganda” and disseminating false information.
Khan is one of the most popular and highest paid actors from Pakistan and the recipient of several accolades, including seven Lux Style Awards and seven Hum Awards. She has also made a mark in international cinema, most notably in the Bollywood flick ‘Raees’ in which she stared alongside Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan in 2017.
In addition to acting, Khan promotes social causes such as women’s rights and the refugee crisis and is vocal about issues such as child abuse and sexual harassment. Khan has been a national and global UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Afghan refugees in Pakistan in 2019.
While the ceasefire between India and Pakistan persists, tensions continue to simmer as New Delhi says it will continue to hold in abeyance a decades-old water-sharing treaty with Pakistan. The treaty guarantees water access for 80 percent of Pakistan’s farms through three rivers originating in India.
Amina Muaddi joins starry front row at Jacquemus show
Updated 30 June 2025
Arab News and AP
DUBAI/ PARIS: Jordanian Romanian footwear designer Amina Muaddi joined the celebrity guest list at Sunday’s Jacquemus show during Paris Fashion Week for menswear.
The show took place on the final day of menswear fashion week at Versailles.
Muaddi, who showed off a casual monochrome look, was joined by the likes of Camila Alves McConaughey and her Hollywood actor husband Matthew McConaughey. South Korean singer Kim Hong Joong was on hand as US actress Emma Roberts also made an appearance.
Camila Alves McConaughey and Matthew McConaughey pose outside the Jacquemus show. (Getty Images)
Jacquemus has long attracted a cult celebrity following, with many glittering names attending its shows.
The spectacle of celebrity is a trend that dominated the global fashion industry this season — eclipsing fabric, form and even the wildest silhouettes.
In a year marked by global anxiety and a hunger for fantasy, star power flooded Paris Fashion Week, turning runways into gladiator arenas where A-list icons, K-pop idols and digital megastars became the main event.
Beyonce and Jay-Z didn’t just attend Louis Vuitton’s blockbuster show — they became the show.
As they swept into the Pompidou Center, cameras flashed and phones shot skyward. Before the first look even hit the runway, images of the couple ricocheted across the globe. K-pop idols like J-Hope and Jackson Wang livestreamed their arrival to millions, while crowds outside flooded social feeds with every glimpse of a star.
As the industry’s spring season wrapped up Sunday, it’s clear: Fashion’s global audience is focused less on what’s worn and more on who’s wearing it.
This interplay between celebrity and fashion is hardly new, but in 2025, the desire for escapism and star-driven spectacle is peaking like never before.
“It’s about celebrity clickbait, and it’s at a tipping point now. Celebrities have replaced the designers and stylists as the tastemakers,” said Anna Barr, a fashion magazine editor who attended shows.
Beyonce's appearance this week encapsulated a truth that every major brand — from Louis Vuitton to Dior, Hermès to Saint Laurent — now understands: The real front row isn’t in Paris, but on Instagram, TikTok and Weibo. And nothing sells quite like a star.
What once was a private preview for buyers and editors is now a worldwide entertainment event. Designers don’t just stage shows — they produce spectacles.
Review: ‘Holes’ is a prime example of quiet, impactful storytelling
Updated 30 June 2025
Jasmine Bager
DHAHRAN: Saudi film “Holes” continues to make its mark with screenings at film festivals around the world. The quietly arresting drama follows Rakan, a man in his mid-40s, as he returns to his hometown to be with his wife, Reem. He struggles to re-enter a society that no longer trusts him — and one that he also does not fit into.
The film starts with a literal clock — which we don’t see — persistently ticking in the otherwise vacant interior of a residence, the loud but constant sound in the midst of silence sets the tone.
With a fiery but contained temper, eyes welling with sadness, we find out that Rakan is prone to fits of rage. He is portrayed as only having a soft spot for his aging mother and his wife, all while dodging men from his past who haunt him.
The film doesn’t linger on the specifics — there are many gaping holes in the story. Instead, it centers on how the weight of reputation, judgment and suffocating silence shapes a person trying to begin again.
It stars Mariam Abdulrahman and Meshal Almutairi and was produced by Ayman Alnaqeeb and Abdulrahman Altikhais.
Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan, the director of “Holes,” is an independent Saudi writer and filmmaker. He co-founded Talashi Films in 2008 and has directed several shorts and a TV series.
Aldhabaan‘s debut feature film, “Last Visit” (2019), gained international recognition, becoming the first Arab film selected for the East of the West Competition at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. It also earned the Jury Award at the Marrakech International Film Festival.
With “Holes,” Aldhabaan continues his signature style of quiet, impactful storytelling marked by restraint and emotional depth.
In “Holes,” Aldhabaan crafts a slow, thoughtful narrative. Rather than relying on heavy dialogue or exposition, the film builds its emotional landscape through atmosphere — solitary walks at night, avoiding tiny puddles in the alleyways, prolonged pauses and distant glances — to explore isolation and inner conflict. The pacing may feel slow to some, but it seems deliberate — offering space for reflection and tension to build.
A persistent image in the film is a literal hole in the wall of Rakan and Reem’s new home. It is never ignored but also never fixed, and that choice is telling. At one point, it gushes water as Reem tries to stuff pretty-colored cloths to stop it — to no avail. It floods their bedroom and the couple tries to contain it together.
The hole becomes a powerful metaphor representing wounds that haven’t healed, things left unresolved, and the parts of a life that remain open to scrutiny or misunderstanding. It defines the space around it — the hole is a character all its own.
Em Sherif Art Foundation reimagines global restaurants as cultural hubs
Updated 29 June 2025
Saffiya Ansari
DUBAI: With 24 outposts around the world, the minds behind Lebanese restaurant Em Sherif are keenly aware of their responsibility when it comes to sharing the country’s culinary culture with international audiences.
Now, they are taking things one step further with the launch of the Em Sherif Art Foundation that aims to provide increased visibility for artists through restaurants — in Doha, Monaco, London, Paris and Dubai, among other cities — which are being reimagined as cultural hubs.
Earlier this year, the Em Sherif Cafe in Paris showcased the work of Lebanese photographer Ziad Antar, and part of the initiative sees diners at all Em Sherif locations presented with three menus — a food menu, a drinks menu and an art menu — inviting guests to engage with the evolving story of contemporary Lebanese art.
'Kiev' (2024) by Ziad Antar at Em Sherif Cafe in Paris. (Supplied)
Em Sherif CEO and co-founder of the art foundation, Dani Chakour, spoke to Arab News about the cultural initiative.
“The art menu is not intended for commercial or financial purposes. Rather, it serves as a curated catalogue that showcases the artworks currently on display,” he said.
The decision to focus exclusively on Lebanese artists was intentional, Chakour added.
'Potato Portraits' (2025) by Ziad Antar at Em Sherif Cafe in Paris. (Supplied)
“In Lebanon, it is often the private sector that drives meaningful cultural and artistic initiatives, as government support for the arts remains limited. Through this foundation, we aim to be an added value for our artists, helping them gain the visibility and recognition they deserve on a global scale.
“We need active public-sector involvement: We need more art fairs, modern infrastructure, supportive tariffs and dedicated museums. Without this foundational support, our artists will continue to be overlooked, despite their remarkable talent,” he said.
Chakour, who has a personal collection of more than 600 artworks, spotlighted celebrated names in the international art industry who he says benefited from working abroad.
“Huguette Caland, Gibran Khalil Gibran, Etel Adnan, Mona Hatoum, Walid Raad, Yvette Ashkar, Amin Maalouf, they are some of Lebanon’s most celebrated names. But what do they all have in common? They each spent the majority of their careers abroad, in environments that offered the right ecosystems … this is not a reflection of a lack of talent in Lebanon. On the contrary, it’s a reflection of what’s missing structurally; the institutional support, the infrastructure, the public funding, the museums, the cultural policies and the global exposure.
“At Em Sherif Art Foundation, we’re driven by a mission to help bridge that gap — to create opportunities within and beyond Lebanon so that our artists don’t need to leave home in order to rise,” Chakour said, noting that showcases by artists Christine Safa, Willy Aractengi, Ayman Baalbaki, Hussein Madi and Bibi Zogbe will be hosted in the coming months.
Palestinian solidarity takes center stage at Glastonbury
Updated 29 June 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: Glastonbury Festival 2025 is making headlines not just for its music, but for the powerful pro-Palestinian messages echoing across its stages and crowds.
Irish rap group Kneecap drew one of the festival’s largest crowds at the West Holts Stage. Dozens of Palestinian flags flew in the crowd as the show opened with an audio montage of news clips referring to the band’s critics and legal woes.
Mo Chara of Irish rap group Kneecap wearing a keffiyeh at Glastonbury festival. (AFP)
Between high-energy numbers that had fans forming a large mosh pit, the band members — sporting keffiyehs — led the audience in chants of “Free Palestine” and “Free Mo Chara.” They also aimed an expletive-laden chant at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has said he didn’t think it was “appropriate” for Kneecap to play Glastonbury.
One member wore a T-shirt emblazoned with “We Are All Palestine Action,” referencing the direct-action network that targets arms factories supplying Israel.
Earlier that day, punk duo Bob Vylan also stirred controversy with a performance that included the chant “Death to the IDF.” The statement has prompted a police investigation and sparked a broader debate over the limits of free speech in live performance.
Across the festival, Palestinian flags were visible in every direction — raised by artists, waved in the crowd, and printed on T-shirts and posters. Activist installations, including a projection mapping Gaza’s destruction, drew foot traffic near the Apocalypse Museum area, while several artists circulated an open letter calling for an immediate ceasefire.
