culture

Renowned Egyptian Novelist Sonallah Ibrahim Dies at the Age of 88

This is Beirut, 14/08 18:07 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Writer Obituary Sonallah Ibrahim   Egypt Culture

Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim, famed for his critiques of political repression, neoliberalism and Western hegemony, has died at the age of 88, the culture ministry announced on Wednesday. Ibrahim "passed away today, leaving behind an immortal literary and humanitarian legacy," Culture Minister Ahmed Fouad Hanno said in a tribute, calling the ...

Expo 2025 Visitors Endure Sweltering Night After Osaka Train Shutdown

This is Beirut, 14/08 13:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Expo 2025 Osaka Art Visitors Japan Culture

A sudden suspension of the sole train to Japan's Expo 2025 stranded more than 30,000 visitors, with some forced to spend a sweltering night near the station and more than 30 people sent to hospitals by Thursday morning. A power outage abruptly shut the metro line in Osaka on Wednesday night while a crowd was packed into the Expo site's ...

'I Love Peru': Raphaël Quenard’s Biting yet Poetic Mockumentary

Marie-Christine Tayah, 14/08 12:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Raphaël Quenard Film Cinema Cannes Culture Art

Balancing fiction and reality, I Love Peru, the feature debut co-directed by Raphaël Quenard and Hugo David, dives with humor and excess into the rise of an improbable leading man. From improvised shoots in hotel rooms to surreal sequences in Peru, the film reveals a character both grotesque and fragile. Premiering at the most recent Cannes Film ...

Trump Names Stallone, Strait, Gaynor Among 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees

This is Beirut, 14/08 10:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Arts Donald Trump Kennedy Center Nominees USA Culture

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday named Rocky star Sylvester Stallone and country music great George Strait among the recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors, as he pursues a controversial overhaul of the storied arts venue. Since returning to office in January, the Republican leader has declared war on what he calls "woke" viewpoints ...

In Tripoli, One Man Keeps the Tarbouche Tradition Alive

This is Beirut, 13/08 20:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Clothing Tradition Tarboosh Tripoli Lebanon Culture

Nestled among shops in a bustling market in north Lebanon's Tripoli, Mohammed al-Shaar is at his workshop making traditional tarboosh hats, keeping up a family craft despite dwindling demand. With a thimble on one finger, Shaar, 38, cuts, sews and carefully assembles the pieces of the conical, flat-topped felt hat also known as a fez, attaching a ...

In Heatwave, Romans Turn to Vintage Snow Cones to Stay Cool

This is Beirut, 13/08 18:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Heat Summer Ice Italy Tradition Culture

Forget ice cream, sorbet or even the beloved Italian gelato, when Roman’s swelter in a heatwave, they turn to the traditional "Grattachecca". It may be difficult for non-Italians to pronounce think -"gratta-kekka" - but the Roman-style shaved ice is colorful, cheap and refreshing like no other. In a turn-of-the-century kiosk near the Tiber ...

‘In Women’s Words:’ The Unheard Voices of Iranian Art

Marie-Christine Tayah, 13/08 14:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Women Iran Exhibition Culture Art Freedom

In the hushed galleries of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMoCA), colors, forms and textures speak with a force that eclipses any speech or manifesto. The exhibition In Women’s Words is more than an artistic retrospective – it is a collective voice that defies decades of silence, bringing to light stories that could not always be ...

Danielle Spencer, the 'What’s Happening!!' Star, Dies After Battle with Breast Cancer

This is Beirut, 13/08 13:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Actress Heritage Culture Art Death Danielle Spencer

Danielle Spencer, best known for her role as the sassy pre-teen Dee Thomas on the groundbreaking sitcom What’s Happening!!, has died at the age of 60. Spencer passed away on August 11, 2025, at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia, her former co-star Haywood Nelson confirmed. Nelson shared the news on Instagram, remembering her as “brilliant” ...

Heritage and Cool Comfort: Paris’ Underground Catacombs Treasure

This is Beirut, 13/08 10:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Paris Catacombs Heritage History Heat Wave Culture

The moment visitors step inside the Paris Catacombs, the hundred or so people who had been waiting outside in the shade of the trees put away their caps, sunglasses, and hand fans, swapping them for sweaters and jackets in hopes of escaping the oppressive summer heat. Those dressed too lightly wrap their arms around themselves for warmth. Beatriz ...

Taylor Swift Announces 12th Album for 'pre pre-order'

This is Beirut, 12/08 17:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Taylor Swift Tour Music Culture Art Singer

US popstar Taylor Swift announced her 12th album, titled The Life of a Showgirl, for "pre pre-order" just after midnight Tuesday in posts on her website. Her online shop displayed blurred images of a record, CD and cassette tape overlaid with a glittery orange lock, explaining the album artwork would be "revealed at a later date." A disclaimer ...

Magic in the Vosges: Theater Takes the Forest Stage

This is Beirut, 12/08 10:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Theater Vosges France Spain Culture Art

An enchanting summer break surrounded by greenery and mountain views: each day, crowds flock to the Théâtre du Peuple in Bussang, a symbol of cultural decentralization, which this season is staging The Naked King by Evgeny Schwartz. By early afternoon this August Saturday, the streets of the small 1,000-person village are buzzing—cars ...

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