"We are sorry to let you know that due to circumstances outside of our control, Bruno Mars will not be performing at Lusail International Circuit tonight," the venue posted on X, formerly Twitter.
The news comes on the heels of his second show in Tel Aviv on Saturday also being cancelled.
Last month, Mars performed in Saudi Arabia, and was joined on stage at the Azimuth Canyon in AlUla by Saudi DJ Shaolin and DJ Loush on Sep. 29.
The US singer-songwriter hit the stage with some of his greatest hits, including “Just The Way You Are” and “Uptown Funk” as the crowd sang along.
Gal Gadot’s Walk of Fame ceremony disrupted by protestors
Updated 19 March 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: Israeli actress Gal Gadot, known for her roles in Hollywood films like “Wonder Woman” and the upcoming live action “Snow White,” was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in a ceremony that was disrupted by both pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian protesters.
The event took place on Tuesday near the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, on the same day Israel launched its most intense strikes on the Gaza Strip since a Jan. 19 ceasefire. Gadot was accompanied by family, friends, and colleagues, including "Fast & Furious" co-star Vin Diesel and "Wonder Woman" director Patty Jenkins.
The ceremony was disrupted by both pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian protesters. (AFP)
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators held signs with messages such as "Heroes Fight Like Palestinians" and "Viva Viva Palestina," while chanting slogans like "Up up with liberation, down down with occupation." In contrast, pro-Israeli supporters displayed Israeli flags and expressed solidarity with Gadot.
The protests led to a delay of approximately 15 minutes before the ceremony commenced. Tensions escalated when a pro-Palestinian protester seized an Israeli flag from a supporter, prompting a brief police chase. And while some protesters were detained, no arrests were reported, according to Variety.
Gadot, who served in the Israel Defense Forces, has been an outspoken supporter of Israel, particularly following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas. She has used her platform to advocate for the release of hostages. In her speech at the ceremony, Gadot chose to focus on her personal journey and achievements, stating, “I'm just a girl from a town in Israel. This star will remind me that with hard work, passion, and some faith, anything is possible.”
The timing of the ceremony coincides with the upcoming release of Disney’s live-action “Snow White,” in which Gadot portrays the Evil Queen opposite Rachel Zegler’s Snow White. The film has been embroiled in controversy due to its modern reinterpretation of the classic tale, including the portrayal of the seven dwarfs and the casting choices. Additionally, the contrasting political views of its lead actresses have further fueled debates. Gadot's support for Israel stands in opposition to Zegler’s pro-Palestinian stance, leading to calls for boycotts from both sides.
Filmmakers sign open letter slamming Miami Beach mayor’s legal action over Palestinian-Israeli documentary
Updated 19 March 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: International filmmakers — including Oscar winners Michael Moore, Laura Poitras, Ezra Edelman and Alex Gibney — have signed an open letter to the city of Miami Beach after Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner sought to shut down the city’s nonprofit art house cinema, O Cinema, following screenings of the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land.”
“No Other Land” is a collaboration between Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers that follows activist Adra as he documents the destruction of his hometown, which Israeli soldiers are tearing down to use as a military training zone, at the southern edge of the West Bank.
On March 13, Miami Beach Mayor Meiner called the film “a false one-sided propaganda attack on the Jewish people that is not consistent with the values of our city and residents.” He introduced legislation to terminate the lease for the O Cinema, a city-owned property. Meiner is also asking the city to “immediately discontinue” approximately $40,000 in city grant funding.
On Monday, 752 members of the international filmmaking community signed an open letter slamming what they said was “an attack on freedom of expression, the right of artists to tell their stories, and a violation of the First Amendment.”
Alfred Spellman, who co-founded Miami-based media studio Rakontur, signed the letter and spoke to Variety about his motivations for doing so.
“This is a case that is definitional of what the First Amendment is supposed to protect against, which is government encroachment on speech,” Spellman told Variety. “The Mayor is trying to claim that the content of the documentary is anti-semitic, but that doesn’t matter. So long as it is not legally obscene, the mayor has no business interfering with what the O Cinema chooses to program.
“The problem here is that there is an attempt to shift the discussion to the merits or the demerits of the film and the filmmaking and the issues surrounding it,” said Spellman. “If you are a committed free speech advocate, none of that matters.”
“This has come as a complete shock and surprise to us,” O Cinema co-founder and chair of the board of directors Kareem Tabsch told Variety. “In the organization’s nearly 15 years, we have never heard from an elected official who has questioned or challenged a film we have shown, and we’ve operated in multiple municipalities.”
Miami Beach commissioners will vote on Meiner’s O Cinema proposal on Wednesday.
REVIEW: ‘Donkey Kong Country Returns’ offers classic retro platform fun
Updated 19 March 2025
James Denselow
LONDON: Way back in 1999, “Donkey Kong 64” was a genre-defining release for the Nintendo 64. It was the first 3D Donkey Kong game, a generation apart from the first time the gorilla appeared in computer games in 1981.
The return of “Donkey Kong” in this newly released high-definition title for the Switch, offers nothing as groundbreaking as some of his previous titles but is rather core fun for a new generation of younger players.
Indeed, it offers a rehashed, polished and enjoyable platformer for a console that is about to welcome its first major upgrade in the coming months.
At its essence, “Donkey Kong” is platformer ballet, requiring a combination of timing of directional jumps and a small variety of attacks to proceed. Set against the lush backdrop of a tropical island that takes you across nine worlds: from jungles to ruins, underground mines to factories.
With jaunty music and a storyline no more complicated than trying to rescue stolen bananas, Donkey Kong is very much a pick and play rather than a brain teaser.
The game’s simple premise has a degree of depth within it when it comes to the search for perfection. Completing one setting straight through is one thing, doing it whilst collecting all jigsaw puzzle pieces, Donkey Kong letters and bananas is another entirely.
Charming music and enemies and allies alike make up part of your journey. Diddy Kong is your key ally, in single-player mode he rides on DK’s back providing that extra jump boost, in two-player mode he can take down enemies with his banana throws.
Puzzles are straightforward enough for the younger gamer (the game is advertised as age 3 and over) and the biggest frustration is how far you have to go back if you are felled by a bad guy or in a bottomless pit.
Racing minecarts or buccaneering rhinos offer more variety away from the core jumping and the end-of-level bosses are imaginative.
A nice new touch is the use of perspective, accessed through blasting barrels, to conquer more distant parts of each world. Something that is slightly harder on the handheld versus the console as your character vanishes into a miniature.
“What makes your heart beat? This question resonates deeply with me — passion is what drives everything I do,” she said. “Si Passione Intense is more than just a fragrance; it’s a reminder to embrace what sets your heart on fire and live boldly.”
The new scent builds upon the original Si fragrance with a composition that opens with blackcurrant and pear, transitions into a floral heart of rose and jasmine, and concludes with base notes of vanilla and cedarwood. The fragrance is presented in a red ombre bottle.
In the campaign videos and shots, directed by French filmmaker Woodkid, the actress wore a black suit while holding the perfume bottle. (Supplied)
Awad gained widespread recognition for her breakout role in the 2015 television series “Taht El Saytara” (“Under Control”), in which she portrayed the character of Hania, a troubled teenager struggling with addiction.
Following her debut success, she starred in several acclaimed projects, including the drama series “La Totfe’ Al Shams” in 2017 and the popular film “Hepta: The Last Lecture” in 2016, which further solidified her status as one of Egypt’s rising stars.
Awad is not the only Arab star to collaborate with Italian label Armani Beauty. Lebanese Jordanian actress Andria Tayeh was named the brand’s new Middle East beauty ambassador in February.
Tayeh, known for her roles in Austrian filmmaker Kurdwin Ayub’s “Mond” and Netflix’s hit series “Al Rawabi School for Girls,” expressed her excitement on Instagram at the time and wrote: “I am thrilled and honored to embark on this new journey with Armani beauty.
“This marks a real milestone for me, as the brand embodies values I have always cherished: timeless elegance, dramatic simplicity, and women empowerment,” she added. “Armani beauty reveals one’s charismatic personality in the most subtle and natural way. It’s this pure simplicity that creates an impact, and this is exactly what I hope to bring to the Arab cinema world.”
DUBAI: First images for Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah Saudi-shot action thriller “Seven Dogs” have dropped as the production shoots outside the capital of Riyadh.
The $40 million project from the “Bad Boys for Life” directorial duo is being shot at the newly inaugurated Alhisn Big Time Studios in Riyadh, one of the Middle East and North Africa region’s biggest film and television production facilities, with additional filming at Riyadh Boulevard. Riyadh will also serve as a stand-in for multiple international cities, including Mumbai and Shanghai.
Karim Abdel Aziz and Ahmed Ezz on set. (Supplied)
The thriller is based on an original story by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.
Egyptian stars Karim Abdel Aziz (“The Blue Elephant,” “Kira & El Gin,” “Abu Ali”) and Ahmed Ezz (“Kira & El Gin,” “The Cell,” “Welad Rizk”) headline the action film.
Ezz plays Interpol officer Khalid Al-Azzazi who apprehends Ghali Abu Dawood (Aziz), a high-ranking member of the clandestine global crime syndicate known as Seven Dogs. A year later, the organization resurfaces, trafficking a dangerous new drug — Pink Lady — across the Middle East.
With time running out, Khalid reluctantly joins forces with Ghali, the only person with intimate knowledge of the syndicate’s operations. Their uneasy alliance propels them on a high-stakes mission across multiple global cities as they strive to dismantle the organization and prevent the drug from flooding Arab streets.
