Culture and Lifestyle

Saudi Arabia to host first regular Olympic e-sports event in 2025

Sat, 13 Jul 2024 09:35:13 +0000

Saudi Arabia to host first regular Olympic e-sports event in 2025

The International Olympic Committee will hold its first-ever Olympic E-Sports Games in Saudi Arabia in 2025. The e-sports event will be a regular one, unlike previous trials.

According to the International Olympic Committee, the e-sports event will be held in Saudi Arabia because the country has "a lot of expertise in e-sports". The organisation promises that "Olympic values" will continue to be respected, "particularly in relation to the games on the programme, promoting gender equality and engaging with young audiences".

Maximiliaan va… Sat, 07/13/2024 - 11:35

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Climate change makes it harder to protect the faithful during pilgrimages

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 08:14:24 +0000

Climate change makes it harder to protect the faithful during pilgrimages

Hundreds of pilgrims who died of extreme heat during this year's Hajj were not officially registered with the Saudi authorities (the Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims). As a result, many pilgrims were unable to access basic services such as air-conditioned buses and cooling tents. This situation highlights a growing challenge for Hajj organisers in the face of climate change: the requirement for official permits to access these services raises concerns that unregistered pilgrims may increasingly face life-threatening heat exposure. In addition, the high cost of official Hajj packages is leading some Muslims to seek cheaper, unofficial alternatives that do not include the necessary permits, taking advantage of relaxed restrictions on other types of Saudi visas. The lack of permits for unregistered pilgrims is hampering the provision of services and care, according to Colonel Talal bin Shalhoub, the security spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Interior, in an interview on Saudi al-Arabiya television. Critics argue that all pilgrims should be protected from extreme heat, regardless of their registration status, and claim that authorities have cracked down on unauthorised participants this year.

Maximiliaan va… Thu, 06/27/2024 - 10:14

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New report reveals climate impact of Russia's war in Ukraine: $32 billion damage over two years

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 11:25:11 +0000

New report reveals climate impact of Russia's war in Ukraine: $32 billion damage over two years

Russia's ongoing full-scale war in Ukraine, initiated on 24 February 2022, has caused significant environmental and climate damage, severely impacting global efforts to combat climate change. This is highlighted in the latest report from the Initiative on Greenhouse Gas Accounting of War (IGGAW), which analyses the environmental costs over the past two years. The report was published Thursday (13 June) by the Ministry for Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine in collaboration with climate advocacy groups. The IGGAW report estimates climate-related damages at $32 billion, attributed to activities such as the extensive use of military fuels and the destruction of landscapes and infrastructure. Over 24 months, the conflict resulted in the emission of 175 million tonnes of carbon dioxide - more than the annual emissions of a developed country like the Netherlands.

Maximiliaan va… Thu, 06/13/2024 - 13:25

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Opinion: New narratives necessary for an Armenia-Azerbaijan peace

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 06:46:53 +0000

Opinion: New narratives necessary for an Armenia-Azerbaijan peace

Framing of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan in public discourse needs to be transformed sooner rather than later, argues Onnik James Krikorian in this op-ed for commonspace.eu. "It won’t be quick, and it won’t be easy", he warns.

dennis2020 Mon, 12/18/2023 - 07:46

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Kyrgyz film, Kyz Ala Kachuu, wins Busan International Film Festival award, shedding light on the still deeply entrenched practice of bride kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 08:33:27 +0000

Kyrgyz film, Kyz Ala Kachuu, wins Busan International Film Festival award, shedding light on the still deeply entrenched practice of bride kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan

Kyz Ala Kachuu is an obvious and unapologetic form of protest by Mirlan Abdykaylkov against the archaic and violating nature of the bride kidnapping traditions in Kyrgyzstan, writes Silvan Lochteken in this commentary for commonspace.eu. Its success at the Busan International Film Festival not only brings the international spotlight on the controversial practice, but reignites the contested debate on bride kidnapping that has polarized the Kyrgyz public for decades.

dennis2020 Wed, 11/01/2023 - 09:33

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Opinion: Any destruction of Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno Karabakh will be a recipe for more hatred and violence in upcoming decades

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 08:26:12 +0000

Opinion: Any destruction of Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno Karabakh will be a recipe for more hatred and violence in upcoming decades

The lightning offensive of Azerbaijan against the self-declared Nagorno Karabakh Republic launched on September 19 has significantly changed the regional security architecture, which emerged after the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war. Within 24 hours, Azerbaijan forced the unrecognized Republic to surrender, followed by the forced displacement of the entire Armenian population.

dennis2020 Mon, 10/09/2023 - 10:26

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Iranian political point scoring mars process of reconciliation with Saudi Arabia

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 07:13:45 +0000

Iranian political point scoring mars process of reconciliation with Saudi Arabia

Football, it is often said, can unite nations in love with the game. But in Iran, it appears they see things differently. Saudi Arabia and Iran were at loggerheads for years, but in March, with much fanfare, the Chinese announced they had brokered a deal between the two countries. Diplomatic relations were restored. And from last month, football matches could start being played on their home grounds, instead of in third party venues. But for Iran, political scoring is all important. A furious row erupted on Monday after an Iranian football club tried to use a match against Saudi opponents for political propaganda. The AFC Champions League match at the Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium in Isfahan between Sepahan and Jeddah team Al-Ittihad was called off when the Iranian club refused to remove political banners and busts of the late Revolutionary Guard warlord Qassem Soleimani from the edge of the pitch. Soleimani ran the overseas arm of Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and was a blunt critic of the Saudi government and the kingdom’s ruling Al Saud family. He was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad in 2020. The Iranians refused to remove the bust. After requesting a delay of half an hour to assess the situation, the Saudi team and staff left the stadium to head to the airport and back to Saudi Arabia.

dennis2020 Tue, 10/03/2023 - 09:13

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Women artists make impact on Saudi Arabia's art scene

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 06:15:35 +0000

Women artists make impact on Saudi Arabia's art scene

The role of women in various aspects of Saudi society has been changing dramatically in recent years. One area where great strides has been made is the arts and culture scene, including in various Saudi regions. The women’s art movement in Baha is elevating the Saudi art scene by showcasing regional and national heritage. Visual artist Samia Al-Othman told the Saudi Press Agency that the women’s art movement in Baha has witnessed significant development in recent years. Al-Othman has taken part in local and international exhibitions and forums, and undergone training courses in different art schools, utilizing a range of techniques since 2012. Nada Al-Jabiri said that she discovered her talent at an early age, adding that aspirations for the future can be seen in her drawings, which aligns with empowering women and using their artistic ideas. Women artists in Baha have been influenced by local and global experiences, which is reflected in many of their works. (SPA) She added that visual art is sending a great message by highlighting national identity and introducing Saudi cultural, historic, social and artistic heritage to the world.

dennis2020 Sun, 08/27/2023 - 08:15

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Opinion: breaking bread in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 08:12:31 +0000

Opinion: breaking bread in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict

"It is also too early to talk about 'culinary diplomacy' in the Karabakh conflict, sometimes also referred to as 'gastrodiplomacy,' though countless state banquets demonstrate that is by no means a new concept," writes Onnik James Krikorian in this op-ed for commonspace.eu. "Instead, 'gastronationalism' has often defined the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict - especially over national dishes common to both such as dolma - in much the same way that Lebanese and Israelis have engaged in a perpetual 'hummus war'." He adds that "amid the petty squa

patrickn97 Tue, 06/27/2023 - 10:12

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Georgia celebrates Independence Day, events around the world to mark occasion

Fri, 26 May 2023 07:52:23 +0000

Georgia celebrates Independence Day, events around the world to mark occasion

On Friday (26 May), Georgia is celebrating the 105th anniversary of the establishment of the first Democratic Republic of Georgia.

The Democratic Republic of Georgia declared independence from the short-lived Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic (TDFR), which consisted of much of the present-day territory of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, on 26 May 1918. Two days later, both Armenia and Azerbaijan also declared independence from the TDFR, which was formed in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution of 1917.

patrickn97 Fri, 05/26/2023 - 09:52

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