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Culture

Neymar

After Ronaldo, Neymar scores $54 million penthouse in Dubai

The Brazilian soccer player is the latest athlete to acquire property in the UAE’s largest city.

United Arab Emirates

Head coach Robert Saleh of the New York Jets looks on against the Denver Broncos during the first half at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 29, 2024, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

What’s behind firing of Robert Saleh, NFL’s first Muslim, Lebanese head coach?

The New York Jets were performing poorly under the Lebanese American Saleh amid rumors of tensions with outspoken quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur drops out of 2024 tennis circuit

Tunisia's Ons Jabeur, currently ranked 22nd in the Women's Tennis Association, will step away from tennis until 2025 as she recovers from a shoulder injury.

Bassem Youssef attends the 2020 Sundance Film Festival Cinema Cafe on January 31, 2020, in Park City, Utah.

Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef no longer on X: What we know

The exiled comic has been a vocal critic of Israel, highlighting the plight of the Palestinians during the Gaza war but has recently been accused of antisemitism.

Latest News

CT scans reveal mysteries of ancient Egypt's 'Screaming Woman' mummy

Visitors tour the site in the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo, where archaeologists unearthed two human and animal embalming workshops, as well as two tombs, on May 27, 2023. The head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, told reporters the embalming workshops, where humans and animals were mummified, "date back to the 30th dynasty" which reigned around 2,400 years ago. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP) (Photo by KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Middle East athletes rack up 44 medals at Paris Olympics

Imane Khelif

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From Egypt to Saudi: Meet Middle East's athletes at Paris Olympics

This photograph shows Paris 2024 Olympics Games banner in front of the National Assembly, in Paris, on July 18, 2024.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Analysis

Saudi Arabia's soccer dreams tested as Vision 2030 goal posts move

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - MAY 4: Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr celebrates after scoring the 2nd goal during the Saudi Pro League match between Al-Nassr and Al Wehda at Al Awwal Park on May 4, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.(Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Beatrice Farhat

Associate Editor (Lebanon)

In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict

Nazlan Ertan

In Izmir, reporting on culture

Danny Makki

In London, reporting on Syrian politics and culture

Naima Morelli

In Rome, reporting on Middle East culture

Rebecca Anne Proctor

In Dubai, reporting on culture

Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities restorers and archaeologists restore the statue of King Thutmose II.

Egypt restores massive statue of King Thutmose II

Within the scope of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities’ efforts to restore monuments and paintings at the Karnak Temple complex in Luxor, the Supreme Council of Antiquities completed the restoration work of the statue of King Thutmose II on the southern facade of Karnak.

Employees present three newborn lion cubs at Nama Zoo in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Aug. 12, 2022.

Gaza zoos rally to save newborn cubs

In the past, cubs have been eaten by starving lionesses.

Syria archaeology

Falling waters of Euphrates, Tigris rivers reveal submerged archaeological sites

The drop of the water levels in recent years has uncovered many archaeological and ancient sites that were submerged beneath the two historic rivers in Syria, Iraq and Turkey.

Palestinian ambulance driver Sandra Bali behind the wheel during her shift, Gaza Strip, August 2022.

Meet Palestine’s first female ambulance driver

Sandra Bali, a Palestinian nurse from the West Bank, got her ambulance driver’s license this year despite the male monopoly in the field.

The Alfred Merlin undersea archaeologist team during the sail toward Trapani in Italy, August 2022.

Mediterranean countries take on archaeology project off Tunisian coast

Algeria, Croatia, Egypt, France, Italy, Morocco, Spain and Tunisia are working together on an underwater archaeological expedition, researching the Skerki Bank region off the Sicily and Tunisian coasts.

Uman Hasidim

Despite war, thousands of Israeli Hasidim make pilgrimage to Ukraine

Much like the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine won’t stop thousands of Hasidim from reaching the city of Uman and the tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov just before the Jewish New Year.

British archaeologist Howard Carter (1874-1939) (R).

New evidence emerges of looting of King Tut's tomb in Egypt

While Egypt celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb, new evidence emerged that the discoverer, Howard Carter, stole objects from it.

Hindu worshippers visit the Dubai Hindu Temple on April 29, 2021.

Dubai to open first Hindu temple

The first independent Hindu temple in Dubai will open in October to serve the 1.4 million Hindus residing in the United Arab Emirates.

A photographer takes pictures of a newly wedded couple in a classic car, in front of the Saint Estephan Maronite Church at the fishermen's port in Batroun, Lebanon, Aug. 6, 2022.

Cash-strapped Lebanese turn to online civil marriages

Najwa Sbeity and Omar Abdel Baki's civil wedding ceremony that they held online went viral, enticing more people to opt for this option despite the religious backlash and bureaucratic difficulties.

Cairo International Stadium in Cairo on July 19, 2019.

Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Greece launch bid for 2030 World Cup

Media outlets have reported that Egypt, Greece and Saudi Arabia are seeking to submit a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

Artwork by Lebanese artist Abed Alkadiri is pictured in the same gallery where he had an exhibition that was devastated the day of Beirut's port blast.

Two years on, art immortalizes Beirut port explosion

A range of artists are responding to one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history.

MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images

On lightning vacations, Ultra-Orthodox pour onto segregated Israeli beaches

Israel's ultra-Orthodox have only three weeks of yeshiva break, and they take their brief summer vacation very seriously.