Business of Sport Messi takes on Ronaldo in ‘cryptoverse’ World Cup 2022 The market for fan tokens, a volatile cocktail of crypto and sport, is heating up in the desert of Qatar. Interest in this niche breed of cryptocurrencies, typically linked to sports teams like Barcelona or Brazil, has been charged up by the soccer World Cup which began on November 20. Average daily trading volumes for […] November 29, 2022
Media & Advertising Twitter CEO Elon Musk says user signups at all-time high Twitter Inc chief executive Elon Musk says new user signups to the social media platform are at an “all-time high”, as he struggles with a mass exodus of advertisers and users fleeing to other platforms over concerns about verification and hate speech. Signups were averaging over two million per day in the last seven days […] November 27, 2022
Business of Sport The legacy of falconry lives on in the Arab world Falcons and the sport of falconry remain not only a thriving niche business but also a proud legacy representing the Gulf’s culture. The third Saudi Falcons Club auction, which concludes on November 15, has already sold six falcons for SR 645,000 ($172,000). The auction in Malham, north of Riyadh, is run in conjunction with the […] October 31, 2022
Media & Advertising Musk’s Twitter ownership starts with firing of top executives Elon Musk became Twitter Inc’s owner on Thursday, firing top executives and providing little clarity over how he will achieve the lofty ambitions he has outlined for the influential social media platform. “The bird is freed,” he tweeted, referencing Twitter’s bird logo in an apparent nod to his desire to see the company have fewer […] October 28, 2022
Weekend read Saudi Arabia invests in art to create ‘the Arab Damien Hirst’ Saudi Arabia is using some of its huge oil profits to invest in local artists, in a bid to create an internationally renowned Arab art superstar on a par with the likes of Damien Hirst, according to a senior executive at leading art auction houses Christie’s. “What is happening in Saudi Arabia right now is […] October 7, 2022
Queen Elizabeth’s death: Reaction from politicians and officials State heads and officials from around the world have offered their condolences for Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, after she died on Thursday 8 September. Middle East royals and leaders pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II The world mourns Queen Elizabeth II: 1926 – 2022 UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the queen was widely […] September 8, 2022
Media & Advertising Gulf states demand Netflix pull content deemed offensive Gulf Arab states have demanded that US streaming giant Netflix remove content deemed offensive to “Islamic and societal values” in the region, Saudi Arabia’s media regulator said on Tuesday. It did not specify the content, but mentioned that it included content aimed at children. Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya TV, in a programme discussing the issue, […] September 7, 2022
Business of Sport Qatar to allow beer at World Cup three hours before kick-off Qatar will permit ticketed fans to buy alcoholic beer at World Cup soccer matches starting three hours before kickoff and for one hour after the final whistle, but not during the match, a source with knowledge of plans for the tournament said. Budweiser, a major World Cup sponsor with exclusive rights to sell beer at […] September 4, 2022
Parts of Expo City Dubai to open to visitors from September 1 Fans of Expo 2020 Dubai will be able to visit some of the event’s key features and pavilions from September 1, a month ahead of the official reopening of the site as a business and entertainment hub. The Government of Dubai Media Office announced on Monday that two of the site’s most popular pavilions, Alif […] August 29, 2022
Lifestyle ‘House of the Dragon’ renewed for second season “House of the Dragon”, the highly anticipated “Game of Thrones” prequel, has been renewed for a second season after its first episode proved a hit. Based on George RR Martin’s “Fire & Blood”, the drama is set 200 years before the events that played out in “Game of Thrones” and focuses on how the House […] August 28, 2022
Anghami bets on Arabic music to deliver streaming growth Abu Dhabi-based streaming provider Anghami is betting on Arabic content to deliver future growth as it announced a 41 percent increase in subscribers in the first half of 2022. With just one percent of Anghami’s content being Arabic, it is one area that the company is looking to grow significantly, Elie Habib, chief technology officer […] August 17, 2022
Dubai record label launches as Arab music appeal grows Galaxy Racer (GXR), the media giant focused on e-sports, music and sports, has announced the launch of GXR Records, an independent music label based in Dubai. GXR and Empire, the global independent label, distributor and publisher, said the new venture will be led by Elia Mssawir and will focus on developing talents in West Asian […] August 1, 2022
Lifestyle Arabic club music takes off in New York A music venue and nightclub in Brooklyn, New York, is putting the spotlight on music from the Middle East and North Africa. Laylit, or “the night of” in Arabic, is a party night at Elsewhere with Syrian resident DJ Saphe Shamoun. Launched last October, the event had become popular, attracting over 800 people. On the […] July 19, 2022
Media & Advertising Twitter says it removes over 1 million spam accounts each day Twitter removes more than 1 million spam accounts each day, executives told reporters in a briefing on Thursday, providing new insight into efforts to reduce harmful automated bots as billionaire Elon Musk has demanded more details from the social media company. The briefing comes after Musk threatened to halt a $44 billion deal to purchase […] July 8, 2022
World Cup 2022 Qatar’s World Cup stadium stands will be alcohol free Qatar’s World Cup stadium stands are set to be alcohol-free, with beer sales outside arenas only allowed before and after some matches, a source with knowledge of plans for the soccer tournament said. This year’s World Cup is the first to be held in a Muslim country with strict controls on alcohol, presenting unique challenges […] July 8, 2022
Media & Advertising Snapchat paid version launches in Saudi Arabia, UAE Snap Inc on Wednesday launched a paid version of the Snapchat app in the US, priced at $3.99 a month, and a few other markets, in a major step away from a revenue model dependent mostly on advertising. Snap, which had teased the subscription version, Snapchat+, earlier this month, said it would be available in […] June 30, 2022
Manufacturing 25 years of Harry Potter: From rejection to 500m global sales When Bloomsbury Publishing founder Nigel Newton brought home a manuscript for “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by a then unknown J.K. Rowling, his daughter Alice described it as “possibly one of the best books an 8/9 year old could read”. Twenty-five years later, it is one of the biggest selling novels of all time […] June 24, 2022
Tourism Universal Beijing Resort to reopen on June 25 as Covid cases drop The Universal Beijing Resort said on Wednesday it will reopen on June 25 after being closed for nearly two months, as the number of new COVID-19 cases in the Chinese capital falls. The resort said on its official WeChat account that after it reopens, all visitors must show a negative PCR test taken within the […] June 22, 2022
Media & Advertising Naomi Osaka and LeBron James launch new media company Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka is launching a new media company in partnership with four-times NBA champion LeBron James aimed at telling stories that cross cultural barriers, the former world number one announced on Tuesday. Hana Kuma, which translates to “flower bear,” will produce stories that are “culturally specific but universal to all audiences” and […] June 22, 2022
Tourism Return of the superjumbo: A380 set for a dramatic comeback? Two years ago, dozens of Airbus A380s set course for storage sites in rural France from the Gulf as the outbreak of COVID-19 accelerated the demise of the world’s largest jets. Now, the iconic European double-decker is gaining a new lease on life as airlines scramble to cope with rising demand and shortages of newer […] June 21, 2022
Tourism Thailand has high hopes for tourism with legal marijuana Thailand legalised the growing of marijuana and its consumption in food and drinks last week, with the aim of boosting tourism and agriculture. The government plans to give away 1 million plants to encourage farmers to take up its cultivation as a cash crop It is the first Asian country to take this step, although […] June 14, 2022
Media & Advertising Disney announces major leadership shakeup Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Chapek announced a major leadership shift on Thursday, promoting Dana Walden to chairman of general entertainment content as the company works to build its streaming television efforts. Walden replaces veteran Hollywood executive Peter Rice, who is leaving Disney. Both executives joined Disney in 2019 when the company acquired entertainment […] June 10, 2022
