US-Iraqi TV star Alia Shawkat pushes for new narratives

DUBAI: If you never realized that Alia Shawkat has Arab heritage, there's a reason for that: The Iraqi-American actress -- who has been stealing pretty much every scene she has appeared in since 1999,...

Emirati artists set to take part in Washington’s Smithsonian Folklife Festival

DUBAI: A number of Emirati artists are set to participate in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC, taking place from June 22 to 27 and June 30 to July 4. The artistic and...

Turkish Twitter users slam Zara for using food in latest shoe campaign

DUBAI: Spanish fashion label Zara came under fire in Turkey this week for using food in its latest shoe campaign. The advertisement featured images of sandals placed on loafs of bread and colorful heels...

THE ROUNDUP — Pop-culture highlights from across the region

Zef ft. Stephanie Atala 'El Bekle' The latest release from Lebanese singer-songwriter is a pop-tinged duet with Lebanese actress Stephanie Atala, with whom he co-starred in MBC's "Confessions of a Fashionista." "El Bekle" tells the story of...

Abu Dhabi hosts contemporary Japanese print show to celebrate diplomatic ties

DUBAI: As the UAE and Japan celebrate 50 years of diplomatic ties, the Abu Dhabi Festival is marking the occasion with an exhibition titled "Variation and Autonomy: The Prints of Contemporary Japanese Painters." Set to...

Actresses Tara Emad, Yara Shahidi jet to Spain for Cartier’s new launch

DUBAI: US actress Yara Shahidi and Egyptian Montenegrin model Tara Emad were spotted at a Cartier event in Spain to celebrate the launch of the French luxury label's latest collection, Beaut?s du Monde High...

Arab fans react as K-Pop’s BTS announces break to ‘figure things out’

DUBAI: K-pop megastars BTS told fans they were taking a break from the supergroup to focus on their solo careers, citing exhaustion and the pressures of stratospheric success in an emotional video appearance -...

Japanese rock band delights anime, manga fans at Jeddah Season concert

JEDDAH: Members of the Japanese rock group Koyomi Band had fans of anime and manga dancing to their tune when they recently took to the stage as part of Jeddah Season. Anime Village, one of...