Algeria has now been confirmed as the host next edition of the Africa Military Games. This is the north African nation received the hosting right of the games third edition, following the end of second hosted by Nigeria in Abuja on Saturday November 30, 2024. At the end of the 2024 version, Nigeria won overwhelming with an overall 234 medals, comprising of 114 gold, 65 silver and 55 bronze. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation was followed by Algeria in distant second with a total of 96 medals – 64 gold, 22 silver and 22 bronze. Occuppying the third position is Kenya with 50 medal, made up of 21 gold, 17 silver and 12 bronze. Up to 20 countries took part in the 12-day competition. Details loading...JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — “My Driver and I” was supposed to be made in 2016, but was scuttled amid Saudi Arabia’s decades-long cinema ban. Eight years later, the landscape for film in the kingdom looks much different — and the star of “My Driver and I” now has an award. Roula Dakheelallah was named the winner of the Chopard Emerging Saudi Talent award at the Red Sea International Film Festival on Thursday. The award — and the glitzy festival itself — is a sign of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to shaping a new film industry. “My heart is attached to cinema and art; I have always dreamed of a moment like this,” Dakheelallah, who still works a 9-5 job, told The Associated Press before the awards ceremony. “I used to work in voluntary films and help my friends in the field, but this is my first big role in a film.” The reopening of cinemas in 2018 marked a cultural turning point for Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy that had instituted the ban 35 years before, under the influence of ultraconservative religious authorities. It has since invested heavily in a native film industry by building theaters and launching programs to support local filmmakers through grants and training. The Red Sea International Film Festival was launched just a year later, part of an attempt to expand Saudi influence into films, gaming, sports and other cultural fields. Activists have decried the investments as whitewashing the kingdom’s human rights record as it tightly controls speech and remains one of the world’s top executioners. With FIFA awarding the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia this week, Lina al-Hathloul, a Saudi activist with the London-based rights group ALQST, said Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman “has really managed to create this bubble where people only see entertainment and they don’t see the reality on the ground.” RELATED COVERAGE Saudi Arabia’s plans to host the men’s World Cup will harm the climate, experts warn 2034 World Cup visitors will live in ‘a bubble’ and not see real life, Saudi rights activist says Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. But when exactly? These efforts are part of Vision 2030, an ambitious reform plan unveiled in 2016 to ease the economy’s dependence on oil. As part of it, Saudi Arabia plans to construct 350 cinemas with over 2,500 movie screens — by this past April, across 22 cities, it already had 66 cinemas showing movies from the local film industry, as well as Hollywood and Bollywood. (The Red Sea International Film Festival attracts a host of talent from the latter industries, with Viola Davis and Priyanka Chopra Jonas also picking up awards Thursday.) The Red Sea International Film Festival (AP Photo/Baraa Anwer) The Red Sea International Film Festival (AP Photo/Baraa Anwer) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The country’s General Entertainment Authority last month opened Al Hisn Studios on the outskirts of Riyadh. As one of the largest such production hubs in the Middle East, it not only includes several film studios but also a production village with workshops for carpentry, blacksmithing and fashion tailoring. “These facilities, when they exist, will stimulate filmmakers,” said Saudi actor Mohammed Elshehri. “Today, no writer or director has an excuse to imagine and say, ‘I cannot implement my imagination.’” The facilities are one part of the equation — the content itself is another. One of the major players in transforming Saudi filmmaking has been Telfaz11, a media company founded in 2011 that began as a YouTube channel and quickly became a trailblazer. Producing high-quality digital content such as short films, comedy sketches and series, Telfaz11 offered fresh perspectives on Saudi and regional issues. In 2020, Telfaz11 signed a partnership with Netflix to produce original content for the streaming giant. The result has been movies that demonstrate an evolution on the storytelling level, tackling topics that were once off-limits and sensitive to the public like secret nightlife in “Mandoob” (“Night Courier”) and changing social norms in “Naga.” One of the Middle East’s fastest-growing film festivals opened last Thursday in Saudi Arabia, attracting filmmakers and stars from around the world, to present over 120 films from 81 countries in Jeddah’s historic Al-Balad district. (Dec. 7) “I think we tell our stories in a very simple way, and that’s what reaches the world,” Elshehri says of the changing shift. “When you tell your story in a natural way without any affectation, it will reach every person.” But the films were not without their critics, drawing mixed reaction. Social media discoursed ranged from pleasure that Saudi film were tackling such topics to anger over how the films reflected conservative society. As Hana Al-Omair, a Saudi writer and director, points out, there are still many stories left untold. “We certainly have a long time ahead of us before we can tell the Saudi narrative as it should be,” she said, acknowledging that there are still barriers and rampant censorship. “The Goat Life,” a Malayalam-language movie about an Indian man forced to work without pay in Saudi Arabia, is not available on Netflix’s platform in the country. Movies that explore political topics or LGBTQ+ stories are essentially out of the question. Roula Dakheelallah and Mustafa Shehata, stars of “My Driver and I,” at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 7, 2024 (AP Photo/Baraa Anwer) Roula Dakheelallah and Mustafa Shehata, stars of “My Driver and I,” at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 7, 2024 (AP Photo/Baraa Anwer) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Even “My Driver and I,” featured at the Red Sea festival alongside 11 other Saudi feature-length films, was initially too controversial. It centers on a Sudanese man in Jeddah, living away from his own daughter, who feels responsible for the girl he drives as her parents are absent. It was initially blocked from being made because of the relationship between the girl and the driver, filmmaker Ahd Kamel has said, even though it’s not a romantic relationship. Now in 2024, the film is a success story — a symbol of the Saudi film industry’s evolution as well as the growing role of women like Kamel behind the camera and Dakheelallah in front of it. “I see the change in Saudi cinema, a very beautiful change and it is moving at a wonderful speed. In my opinion, we do not need to rush,” Dakheelallah said. “We need to guide the truth of the artistic movement that is happening in Saudi Arabia.”Teenage West Ham goalkeeper dies aged 15 after cancer battle
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: faster, brighter, and still the best Kindle
Advisors Asset Management Inc. trimmed its position in shares of Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF ( BATS:FLHY – Free Report ) by 47.9% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 4,727 shares of the company’s stock after selling 4,354 shares during the period. Advisors Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF were worth $116,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. US Bancorp DE boosted its stake in Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF by 126.3% during the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 6,808 shares of the company’s stock valued at $166,000 after purchasing an additional 3,800 shares during the period. Atria Investments Inc bought a new stake in shares of Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF in the third quarter valued at approximately $223,000. Cetera Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF in the first quarter worth $490,000. Williams & Novak LLC increased its position in Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF by 19.0% during the third quarter. Williams & Novak LLC now owns 16,012 shares of the company’s stock worth $391,000 after acquiring an additional 2,560 shares during the period. Finally, Traynor Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF during the second quarter worth $210,000. Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF Stock Up 0.2 % Shares of Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF stock opened at $24.27 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $24.21 and a two-hundred day moving average of $24.01. Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF Company Profile The Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF (FLHY) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in high yield fixed income. The fund is actively managed portfolio of global high-yield corporate debt. The fund seeks high current income, with capital appreciation as a secondary goal. FLHY was launched on May 30, 2018 and is managed by Franklin Templeton. Read More Five stocks we like better than Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF What Investors Must Know About Over-the-Counter (OTC) Stocks The Latest 13F Filings Are In: See Where Big Money Is Flowing Investing in the High PE Growth Stocks 3 Penny Stocks Ready to Break Out in 2025 Do ETFs Pay Dividends? What You Need to Know FMC, Mosaic, Nutrien: Top Agricultural Stocks With Big Potential Receive News & Ratings for Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
( MENAFN - EIN Presswire) Shirley Chisholm the first ever black woman elected to Congress, and the first woman to pursue a Presidential nomination. "Kurt Vonnegut: Reporter on the Afterlife" The podcast is based on the last novel by author, Kurt Vonnegut, "God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian." Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the U.S. He led the United States through the American Civil War, playing a major role in the abolition of slavery. Nov., 30th“Shirley Chisholm Day” NY City Declaration commemorates, first ever black woman elected to congress & 1st woman to pursue Presidential nomination Fredric King Fountainhead Transmedia, Inc. +1 917-539-8372 email us here Visit us on social media: X LinkedIn Instagram YouTube TikTok Vonnegut Reporter“Election Special” Kurt roams the afterlife meeting legendary political figures, sharing timely messages of resilience for US audiences. Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above. MENAFN30112024003118003196ID1108941710 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Libra Daily Horoscope Today, Dec 30, 2024 predicts pleasant momentsUnwrap the latest AI features with Amazon Fire Tablets