This is Beirut - Culture

Fire Swiftly Contained at Cordoba’s Historic Mosque-Cathedral

This is Beirut, 09/08 12:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

UNESCO Architecture Culture Art History Heritage

A fire broke out in the historic mosque-turned-cathedral in Cordoba on Friday, but the monument was saved as firefighters quickly contained and then extinguished it, the Spanish city's mayor said. Widely shared videos had shown flames and smoke billowing from inside the major tourist attraction, visited by two million people per year. "The ...

Saint-Gilles of Tripoli

Amine Jules Iskandar, 09/08 11:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Lebanon Tripoli History Heritage Culture

Christian rule over Tripoli came to an end with the death of Byzantine emperor Nicephorus II Phocas in 969. Some 130 years later, the Crusaders reached the city gates and found a fortified settlement where the Arabs had firmly consolidated their presence. Despite reinforcements from the Christian mountain regions, it took them a full decade to ...

Tradition, Temperature, and the Parisian Home: The A/C Dilemma

This is Beirut, 09/08 10:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Climate A/C Health Climate Change France Culture

As summer temperatures rise, many Parisians are warming to the idea of installing air conditioning in their apartments, ending a longstanding resistance to what is considered a basic comfort in many capitals elsewhere. Although commonplace in the French capital's modern office buildings and large stores, air conditioning has never been the norm ...

Disney and Actress Gina Carano End High-Profile Legal Dispute

This is Beirut, 08/08 13:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Cinema Actress Disney Star Wars Culture Art

A Star Wars actor who sued Disney for firing her over inflammatory social media posts about the Holocaust, the pandemic and trans rights has reached a settlement with the Hollywood studio, the entertainment giant announced Thursday. Gina Carano, a prominent Donald Trump supporter who had a major role in the hit Disney+ series The Mandalorian ...

Scandal-Plagued Director Kechiche Returns with Festival Premiere

This is Beirut, 08/08 10:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Film Cinema Culture Art Abdellatif Kechiche

A new film by award-winning but scandal-prone French director Abdellatif Kechiche has been selected by a Swiss film festival, marking a comeback six years after his last widely panned feature, organizers said Tuesday. The third film of his Mektoub My Love trilogy — titled Mektoub My Love: Canto Due — is to show in competition at the Locarno ...

Darth Vader’s Star Wars Lightsaber Goes to Auction

This is Beirut, 07/08 12:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Movies Star Wars Auction Britain United States Culture

Darth Vader's lightsaber, used to chop off Luke Skywalker's hand in Star Wars classic The Empire Strikes Back, went on display in London on Wednesday, ahead of its US sale next month. The prop has been described as the "Holy Grail" for Star Wars fans, with millions prepared to end up like Skywalker and give their right arm to own the iconic ...

Farewell to a Giant: Latin Music Legend Eddie Palmieri Dies at 88

This is Beirut, 07/08 11:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Obituary Eddie Palmieri Music Legend United States Culture

Eddie Palmieri, who revolutionized Latin music and played a major role in the salsa explosion in New York City, passed away Wednesday at the age of 88, according to the artist's official social media account. The "legendary pianist, composer, bandleader, and one of the most influential figures in Latin music history, passed away in his New Jersey ...

Luc Besson’s Dracula: A Timeless Tale of Love

Marie-Christine Tayah, 07/08 10:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Dracula Movie Cinema Art Culture Luc Besson

Luc Besson’s latest film, Dracula, is generating buzz among audiences and critics alike. Inspired by Bram Stoker’s classic novel, the French director elevates the literary and historical roots of the story into a sweeping, gothic cinematic ode to love. With Caleb Landry Jones, Christoph Waltz, and Zoë Bleu in the leading roles, this ...

Disney Lifts Forecast as It Readies ESPN Streaming Launch

This is Beirut, 06/08 21:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Disney Earning United States Streaming Culture

Disney on Wednesday lifted its full-year earnings forecast after reporting higher quarterly profits, as the company readies the launch of a new ESPN sports service. Profits for Disney's fiscal third quarter were $5.3 billion, about double the year-ago level as the entertainment giant added 1.8 million subscribers to its Disney+ streaming ...

Egypt to Open Grand Museum Near Pyramids of Giza on November 1

This is Beirut, 06/08 19:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Museum Opening Heritage Egypt Culture

Egypt said on Wednesday that its much-anticipated new $1-billion archaeological museum near the Pyramids of Giza will officially open on November 1 after several delays. Authorities hope that the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which boasts the treasures of Tutankhamun among its collection of more than 100,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts, will ...

Forgotten First Edition of ‘The Hobbit’ Sparks Bidding Frenzy

This is Beirut, 06/08 14:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

The Hobbit Movie Book Trilogy Culture Art

A rare first edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit was expected to sell for thousands of pounds on Wednesday after it was found during a house clearance in southwest England. The book is one of 1,500 original copies of the British author's seminal fantasy novel that were published in 1937. Of those, only "a few hundred are believed to still ...

Gabon Forest Cave Unlocks Secrets of Human Origins

This is Beirut, 06/08 14:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Heritage Archeology Culture Gabon Africa

In Gabon's sprawling forest, archaeologists dig for ancient clues that could unlock the secrets of how prehistoric humans lived and interacted within the changing landscape of Central Africa. Two billion years ago, the eastern Gabonese region of Lastourville was covered by a vast ocean. But that has long given way to dense forest and dolomite ...

Culture