NEWS IN REAL TIME
RIYADH | SAUDI ARABIA - A royal decree starts that government office and agencies in Saudi Arabia must nod display art by Saudi Artists. The announcement that Saudi art should be displayed within government buildings comes after a proposal by the Minister of Culture to Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, which included a list of … Continue reading CULTURE | Government Buildings Across Saudi Arabia Must Display Saudi Art
MADRID | SPAIN – Spain’s foreign minister Arancha Gonzales Laya said on Monday it was important that Turkey’s Hagia Sophia remains part of humanity’s shared global heritage, after it was reconverted into a mosque from a museum last week. ‘For us it is important that the spirit of this great monument of Hagia Sophia is … Continue reading CULTURE | Hagia Sophia Must Remain Part Of Humanity’s Shared Heritage, Spanish Minister Says
ISTANBUL – With thousands of Instagram followers and even a former U.S. President as fan, Gli the cat is almost as famous as her home, Istanbul’s ancient Hagia Sophia. But with the decision to turn the museum into a mosque, Turks have been wondering whether Gli will to move out – with the question cropping … Continue reading CULTURE | Gli The Cat Can Stay Even As Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia Changes
RIYADH | SAUDI ARABIA – The Saudi Ministry of Culture has announced the formation of the board of directors of the Music Commission, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday. The board includes Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, Minster of Culture as Chairman; Deputy Minister of Culture Hamid Bin Mohammed Fayez as Deputy Chairman; … Continue reading CULTURE | Saudi Music Commission Gets Board Of Directors
RIYADH | SAUDI ARABIA – If you’ve ever wondered what messages the Ancient Egyptians were trying to convey with their hieroglyphics, Google’s new tool might just be able to help. In celebration of the anniversary of the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, Google Arts and Culture has released a new AI-powered symbols and characters into … Continue reading CULTURE | Google’s New Tool Lets You Translate Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics
VATICAN – Pope Francis said on Sunday he was hurt by Turkey’s decision to make Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia museum a mosque, the latest religious leader to condemn the move. ‘My thoughts go to Istanbul. I think of Santa Sophia and I am very pained’, he said during his weekly blessing in St.Peter’s Square. Turkish President … Continue reading WORLD NEWS | Pope ‘Very Pained’ By Decision To Turn Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia Museum Into Mosque
ISTANBUL – President Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree on Friday opening Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia as a mosque after a Turkish court annulled a 1934 government decree that had turned it into a museum, a copy of the decision showed. Erdogan shared on his Twitter feed a copy of the decree he had signed which said … Continue reading NEWS | Turkey’s Erdogan Signs Decree Converting Hagia Sophia Into Mosque
BUCHAREST | ROMANIA – The Russian Orthodox Church on Friday said it regretted that a Turkish court did not take its concern into account when ruling that Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia being a museum was unlawful, the TASS news agency reported. It said the decision could lead to even greater division. A Turkish court said on … Continue reading NEWS | Russian Orthodox Church Says Regrets Decision Over Hagias Sophia – TASS
NEW DELHI – India has withdrawn a planned reopening of the Taj Mahal, citing the risk of new coronavirus infections spreading in the northern city of Agra from visitors flocking to see the 17th century monument to love. Local authorities issued a new advisory late on Sunday ordering an extension of lockdown curbs on monuments … Continue reading ARTS & CULTURE | India Puts Back Taj Mahal Reopening Citing COVID-19 Risks
PARIS | FRANCE – The United Nations’ cultural agency has warned that its name and logo are being illegally emblazoned on false documents to facilitate illicit trafficking in African cultural property. UNESCO urged ‘vigilance’ Wednesday after it received numerous reports of such fraud and instance where its name was being used to certify the monetary … Continue reading NEWS | UNESCO Says Logo Being Used Illegally For Arts Trafficking
