NEW YORK (AP) — The American Film Institute says it is postponing its 48th annual AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute honoring Julie Andrews in an apparent response to the new coronavirus outbreak. The organization originally planned to give Andrews its Life Achievement Award on April 25 in Los Angeles. It will be rescheduled for early summer. “AFI s decision to postpone the event is simply in response to the rapidly evolving nature of current events and our promise to ensure the well-being of the artists and audience that gather each year to celebrate America s art form,” AFI CEO and President Bob Gazzale said in a statement Saturday. “This move will allow our full attention to focus on the many gifts that Julie Andrews has given the world.” AFI did not directly cite the virus outbreak that officials in numerous countries, including the United States, are trying to contain. The postponement is one of several changes that have been made in recent days to entertainment industry events, including Friday s decision to cancel the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, and a move earlier this week to delay the release of the new James Bond Film “No Time to Die” to later this year. Andrews acting career has spanned several decades, winning an Academy Award in 1965 for her starring role in “Mary Poppins.” She also starred in “The Sound of Music” and “The Princess Diaries.” The 84-year-old won two Grammy Awards and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. Andrews will be the 48th recipient of the prestigious honor from the AFI, joining Mel Brooks, Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, George Clooney and Denzel Washington.

Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram is set to appear in the comedy series “Nesaa men Dahab” (Women from Gold), which stars Nabila Ebeid and Nadia el-Gendy and will hit TV screens this Ramadan. Ajram will perform the series theme song, which was written by Tamer Hussein, composed by Walid Saad and arranged by Ahmed Ibrahim. Actors and actresses including Samiha Ayoub, Hala Fakher, Ahmed Fahmy, Rogena, Bayoumi Fouad, Mustafa Abu Sarea, Mayan al-Sayed, Badria Tolba, Hanady Mehany, Khalid Anwar, Soliman Eid, and Haifa Wahby will also have roles in the new series, with the full cast to be announced at a later date. The comedy series revolves around two women, played by Nabila Ebeid (75) and Nadia el-Gendy (73) who buy a villa, only to discover that they were swindled by the owner of the property. The two women face numerous set-backs together that test their friendship and eventually emerge stronger from the entire ordeal. Ebeid, Gendy, Ayoub and Fakher have already begun filming on set at a villa in Lebanon s capital Beirut. Ebeid and Gendy have appeared in numerous films and TV shows and agreed to star side-by-side in the series in 2019, having previously competed with each other for various starring roles in Egyptian cinema in the 1980 s. Ebeid has taken leading roles in the television dramas El-Ammah Nour (Aunt Nour; 2003) and El-Bawaba El-Taniya (The Second Gate; 2009). Gendy, meanwhile, is sometimes nicknamed “Nigmat al-gmaheer” due to the commercial success of her movies in the 1990s. She is also well known for her “femme fatale” roles and spy movies produced in the context of the Egyptian-Israeli conflict, such as “El Gasousa Hekmat Fahmy” (The Spy Hekmat Fahmy; 1994) and “Mohemma Fi Tel Aviv” (Mission in Tel Aviv; 1992).

Egypt s Health Ministry has dispatched a medical team of 60 doctors and nurses to the workplace of the country s second confirmed coronavirus case to conduct a comprehensive medical survey of anyone who might contacted the patient, medical sources announced Tuesday. The sources stated that samples taken from the second case, a foreigner of Canadian citizenship, tested positive. PCR tests were also conducted for the 1,500 workers at the site, with the sources confirming that the samples will be taken in for analysis. The workplace has been quarantined with no workers allowed to leave or enter. During the two week quarantine period the medical team will take samples every two days, measure temperatures three times a day, monitor the general health condition of everyone there and provide full medical care. All those in direct contact with the case will be tested as well, the sources said. The Canadian patient is currently hospitalized in al-Negaila Hospital s quarantine center, receiving medical care from the center s preventive medicine team and is in reportedly stable condition. As precaution the Health Ministry has also quarantined the driver of the car who transferred the Canadian national to the Quarantine Center and the company s nurse following the case on the workplace in Matrouh. Both driver and nurse are Egyptians and yet to test positive for the coronavirus, though they are receiving preventive health follow-ups.

The 8th edition of the international cultural festival “India by the Nile” (IBN), presented by the Embassy of India in Egypt along with Teamwork Arts Company, kicked off on Monday, March 2 and is scheduled to run until March 10. This year s edition will take place in several governorates including Cairo, Alexandria and Port Said and includes a number of activities and cultural events, from musical folklore shows to classic and Bollywood dance performances and dozens of different foods and sweets. “The festival aims to create a vibrant platform where people can come together to celebrate and enjoy. People here really appreciate the Indian culture,” Team Work s Executive Producer and the festival s producer Syed Shams Jawaid told Egypt Independent. He added that cultural festivals are usually impactful because they don t require language, enabling people to communicate through diverse forms of art. IBN festival has been running for eight consecutive years, and was launched in 2013 in an effort to boost the tourism sector after the January 2011 uprising and the political instability that followed, and to convey the message that Egypt is safe for foreign visitors and ready to host these kinds of events, Jawaid explained. Jawaid also discussed how the festival has succeeded in giving a boost to Egypt s tourism industry, pointing out that around 500 Indian artists have had the chance to visit Egypt since the launch of the festival s first edition. Egypt and India have long dedicated efforts to bring the world s largest civilizations together. Besides the IBN festival, both countries teamed up in 2019 in a conference dubbed “Know India,” which aimed to enhance bilateral cooperation through the launch of new tourism programs. In 2018, the number of Indian tourists to Egypt reached 126,000, in comparison with just 66,000 in 2017. Jawaid also said the festival this year welcomed back a Bollywood dance troupe, which was notably absent last year from the festival s 7th edition. This year s festival includes a variety of shows. The Kutle Khan Project — a collective of Rajasthani folk musicians and named after Indian/Sufi Folk artist Kutle Khan — are set to tour three governorates: Cairo, Alexandria and Port Said. Moreover, Kathak, a classical dance form from India which recounts stories through exquisite choreography and facial expressions, will be showcased by the charismatic Astha Dixit and her ensemble, who will bring to life the timeless words of Sufi poets, according to the festival s statement. En route to Bollywood — another traditional Indian dance show — will highlight the electrifying music and dance of Bollywood films through a series of dance performances across multiple cities. Additionally, Gilles Chuyen, a well-known Bollywood choreographer, will provide multiple dance workshops in Cairo and Port Said, the statement said. The Semiramis InterContinental Hotel in Cairo will also host an Indian Food Fiesta from March 4 through March 8. Acclaimed Indian celebrity Chef Vikram Udaygiri will prepare the menu for the event, where attendees will be able to take a journey in Indian fine dining as they sample some of the country s vast array of cuisines and flavors. “As India by the Nile enters its eighth year, we look back with gratitude at the warmth and affection with which friends have received this festival in the past,” Rahul Kulshreshth said in an official statement. “It is indeed due to their love for Indian culture that IBN is seen as one of the biggest foreign cultural festivals in Egypt.”

Egyptian comedian and actor Adel Imam has finished filming the TV series “Valentino,” which is expected to premier during this year s Ramadan drama season. Imam is playing the lead role in the series, which revolves around a businessman who owns an international school and is married to a so-called “stubborn” woman. The couple suffers numerous conflicts during the course of the series, prompting the main character to wonder if he should marry again. Love then brings Imam s character together with another woman, who he meets by chance. The drama is written by Ayman Bahgat Qamar and directed by Rami Imam. Other actors in the series include Dala Abdel Aziz, Dalia al-Behairy, Wafaa Sadek, Amr Wahba, Huda al-Mufti, Mohamed al-Kilany, and Rania Mahmoud Yassin. Imam missed the Ramadan television season last year for the first time in seven years. He had previously been set to star in “Valentino” in 2019, but the show s release was delayed. Meanwhile, during a phone-in with TV host Amr Adib on his show al-Hekaya (The Story) on the MBC Misr Channel, the 79-year-old actor and comedian ridiculed rumors that spread on social media over the weekend that he had passed away, stressing that he was in good health. “Why do you want me dead?” Imam joked. While responding to similar online rumors last July, Imam again reassured his fans that he was not ill, commenting: “Have you killed me off again?!”

Egyptian Culture Minister Enas Abdel-Dayem launched the first edition of the Dendera Festival for Music and Singing in Qena governorate on Friday. The opening ceremony was held at the Dendera Temple yard, attended by Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled al-Anany, Governor of Qena Ashraf al-Daoudi, President of the Cairo Opera House Magdy Saber, President of the General Authority of Cultural Palaces Ahmed Awad, Chairman of the General Egyptian Book Organization (GEBO) Haitham al-Hajj, and about 8,000 spectators. Luxor and Qena folklore troupes presented a group of folkloric tableaux, which was followed by a performance from the Black Theama band after which Medhat Saleh sang a bouquet of his works. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declaring 2020 as the Year of Culture and Awareness shows faith in the ability of soft powers to develop society, Abdel-Dayem said. She added that the Dendera Festival is Qena s first festival of this kind and reflects the government s focus on Upper Egypt to bring purposeful art there and confront intolerance and extremism. Egyptians across thousands of years have built an immortal civilization that continues to fascinate the world in its grandness and diversity, the minister said, with unique art reflecting the Egyptian identity. Abdel-Dayem thanked the Tourism and Antiquities Minister and the Governor of Qena for supporting the festival, and paid tribute to everyone who participated and contributed in organizing events. Anany expressed his joy at the huge turnout from the people of Qena in an archaeological site hailed as one of Upper Egypt s most beautiful temples, saying that they can get in touch with their homeland s antiquities and fine art. This festival comes as part of a series of cultural and artistic activities held with the Culture Ministry across various archaeological sites, he added. Celebrations at the festival also included a book fair as well as an exhibition of plastic arts and handicrafts.

Egypt s legendary musical icon Umm Kulthum will be back on stage 45 years after her death, with a hologram of the iconic singer set to perform at the Cairo Opera House on March 6. The concert has been organized by the National Culture Center. Hologram concerts use virtual technology to construct three-dimensional images from the diffraction of light, making for a lifelike picture. Two prominent Egyptian singers – Mai Farouk and Riham Abdel Hakim – are set to impersonate Umm Kulthum as Maestro Mostafa Helmy conducts the concert, which is directed by Gihan Morsy. Egypt s Minister of Culture Ines Abdel-Dayem has highlighted the role of these highly advanced techniques in preserving Egyptian heritage. She further justified the choice Umm Kulthum for the concert, saying that the iconic singer still lives in the hearts of people across the Arab world. For his part, Head of Cairo Opera House Magdy Saber commented that the eagerly-awaited hologram concert represents a “remarkable” addition to the house s schedule. The upcoming concert is not the first of its kind in Egypt. In April 2019, a hologram of legendary Egyptian singer Abdel Halim Hafez performed in Manara Hall in New Cairo alongside famed Lebanese singer Carol Samaha in the first hologram concert in Egypt. Titled “Helm” (Dream), the concert was directed by George Kalta, accompanied by a live orchestra of almost 45 musicians, according to Masrawy. Hologram concerts of the iconic Umm Kulthum were previously held in the UAE as well as Saudi Arabia, with Dubai Opera House putting on a concert featuring a hologram of the Egyptian legend just nine months after her first ever hologram concert in Saudi Arabia s Tatora Festival. Attended by a group of ambassadors and officials coming from different countries across the world, the concert in Saudi Arabia featured a hologram of Umm Kalthum in her iconic diamond jewelry and sporting a classy evening gown. The performance was accompanied by an orchestra of 20 musicians. “It was exactly like the good old days,” software engineer Peter Wilson told the Arab Weekly after the festival. He added that the hologram technology dazzled attendees and allowed them to enter something of a time machine, sending them back to the classical Arabic music of the mid-twentieth century. Umm Kulthum s greatest hits include Alf Leila Wa Leila (1969) and Enta Omri (1964). The two songs were performed in the UAE and Saudi concerts. The beloved singer, one of the highest selling Middle Eastern musicians of all time, represents one of the most revered cultural icons of the 20th century and is known around the world for her extraordinary vocals, having been dubbed “kawkab al-sharq,” or star of the east.

Egyptian company Al Bawaba for Development and Tourism has announced its plan to construct a floating hotel on Fayoum s Qaroun Lake, with construction costs totaling LE 100 million. The CEO said that construction work is set launch in 2021, with the hotel set to be finished by 2023. There are a number of floating hotels on the Nile in cities across the country, with many tourists making the journey between Upper Egypt s Aswan and Luxor — known for their ancient temples and tombs — on floating hotels that double as cruise ships. The company s CEO Emad El Tarabishy told Zawya Projects that the floating hotel represents one phase of a larger plan including residential projects, but provided no further details. Tarabishy revealed the company s plans to administrate several hotels located across Egypt in Damietta, Mansoura, and other areas in the upcoming period, with Al Bawaba set to run two hotels in Marsa Alama as well, one of which has a capacity of 40 rooms while the other accommodates 450 rooms, alborsa news reported. Having acquired 30 percent of Aljaidaa Travel Company s shares, Al Bawaba is set to operate and investing in the travel company for three years, according to Tarabishy. Al Bawaba is further preparing to take part in international exhibitions, including the ITB Berlin, the largest tourism trade fair in the world, as part of a promotional plan that will be implemented in collaboration with Aljaidaa Travel Company, according to alborsa. After having been granted the management contract of freshly refurbished South Sinai s Club Nweiba Hotel, which is located on the Red Sea Cost, Tarabishy told Zawya Projects that Al Bawaba boosted the potential of the hotel by increasing its capacity to 1,000 rooms within five years. He further added that Club Nweiba is set to house a new beach club that will kick off this year. “The 5 million pounds ($US 321,070) beach club will include a dive center and the first medical spa in the region,” Tarabishy told Zawya Projects.

The deadly outbreak of a novel coronavirus has the world on edge, but it has not yet developed into a pandemic, according to the World Health Organization. Although WHO has declared the outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern," the outbreak has not met the criteria needed to be described as a pandemic when it comes to its geographical spread and impact, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a press briefing with reporters on Monday. "Our decision about whether to use the word pandemic to describe an epidemic is based on an ongoing assessment of the geographical spread of the virus, the severity of disease it causes and the impact it has on the whole society," Ghebreyesus said during the briefing. "For the moment, we are not witnessing the uncontained global spread of this virus and we are not witnessing large-scale severe disease or deaths," he said. "Does this virus have pandemic potential? Absolutely it has. Are we there yet from our assessment? Not yet. "So how should we describe the current situation? What we see are epidemics in different parts of the world, affecting countries in different ways and requiring a tailored response." As of Monday, more than 79,000 people have been infected and more than 2,600 people have died around the world from the novel coronavirus outbreak, according to WHO. In January, WHO declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, which WHO defines as "an extraordinary event" that constitutes a "public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease" and "to potentially require a coordinated international response." Previous emergencies have included Ebola, Zika and H1N1. Yet for a pandemic to be declared, a "worldwide spread" of the disease, officially called Covid-19, would need to be determined among some other factors. What is a pandemic? A disease outbreak is the occurrence of disease cases in excess of what s normally expected, according to WHO. An epidemic is more than a normal number cases of an illness, specific health-related behavior or other health-related events in a community or region. A pandemic is defined as the "worldwide spread" of a new disease. The last pandemic reported was the H1N1 flu pandemic in 2009, which killed hundreds of thousand worldwide. The word "pandemic comes from the Greek pandemos, which means everybody. Demos means the population. Pan meaning everyone. So pandemos is a concept where there s a belief that the whole world s population will likely be exposed to this infection and potentially a proportion of them fall sick," Dr. Mike Ryan, WHO executive director of health emergencies programme, said during Monday s briefing with reporters. "What we don t understand yet in Covid-19 are the absolute transmission dynamics," Ryan said. "So we re in a phase of preparedness for a potential pandemic," he said. "Let s focus on what we can do and what we need to do, which is prepare. When we mean prepare, we mean prepare to detect cases, prepare to treat cases, prepare to follow contacts, prepare to put in place adequate containment measures." The United States has taken measures to prepare for a possible pandemic, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said during a press briefing with reporters on Friday. "We don t yet have a vaccine for this novel virus, nor do we have a medicine to treat it specifically. We are now taking and will continue to take unprecedented aggressive action to reduce the impact of this virus, that it will have on the communities in the US. We are working with state, local and territorial health departments to ready our public health work force to respond to local cases and the possibility this outbreak could become a pandemic," Messonnier said. That means working on availability of medical supplies, reinforcing infection control principles within health care systems and planning for "surges of people seeking and requiring care," she said. "We re working with businesses, hospitals, pharmacies, clinicians, manufacturers and distributors to communicate about these measures and what they can do to get ready," she said. She added that the CDC has been reviewing its guidelines and other materials on preventing "pandemic influenza" and it plans to adapt those for a possible coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said earlier this month that there is no actual scientific, definitive definition of what constitutes a pandemic. "It really is borderline semantics, to be honest with you," Fauci said, adding that there could be arguments on either side as to whether the coronavirus outbreak could be described as a pandemic. "I think you could have people arguing each end of it," he said. "Pandemics mean different things to different people." CNN s Michael Nedelman and Elizabeth Cohen contributed to this report.

Russian composer Tchaikovsky s Swan Lake ballet will be performed in seven concerts at the Cairo Opera House s Main Hall on February 25-29, including a matinee concert at February 27 and March 3, the Cairo Opera Ballet Company said. The concerts will be supervised by the ballet s art director Armenia Kamel, featuring the participation of the Cairo Opera Orchestra led by Maestro Nair Nagy. One of the world s most famous ballet, the Swan Lake narrates the story of a prince in search of true love and a princess cursed to live as a swan. Following an argument with his mother who wishes to choose a bride for him, Prince Siegfried storms out of his palace to the garden. There he finds himself entranced by swans at the lake, who suddenly transform into beautiful women. Odette, the swan princess, informs Siegfried she was put under a spell which turns her into a swan during the day and can only be broken by true love s kiss. Falling for Odette, Siegfried chooses her as his bride and took her home to his mother. Alas, the moment would be broken by the appearance of evil magician Von Rothbart – the very same sorcerer who cursed Odette. As Siegfried readies for battle Odette immediately stops him, warning him that if Rothbart dies she will forever remain a swan. The magician then takes Odette away. Now captive in his lair, Odette is helpless as Rothbart casts a spell on his daughter Odille to resemble Odette, thereby fooling the prince. However, Siegfried uncovers the deception and sets out to search for the real Odette, leading to a final confrontation against the evil magician and a battle for true love. The ballet made its Egyptian debut in the hands of Abdel-Moneim Kamel. However, his wife Erminia made her own vision of it, adding a bridge between acts three and four, while simultaneously making the story more concise, bringing it down from four hours to two and half hours in length. The late Abdel-Moneim Kamal is considered a magician of Egyptian depiction of classic ballet. In addition to Swan Lake, he made the Egyptian version of iconic ballets including The Nutcracker, Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet.

Egyptian Grammy-winning music producer Fathy Salama and members of his band Sharkiat will feature Islamic Sufi chanter Mahmoud El-Tohamy and a number of his musicians in another Sufism vs Modernism concert on 27 February at the Cairo Opera House. This is the sixth concert of its kind since Salama first introduced El-Tohamy at the Cairo Opera House on 25 September 2018, with the last concert held on 26 September 2019 at the New York University (NYU) Art Centre in Abu Dhabi. "This project is evolving with time and I am always keen to introduce new things in each concert," Salama told Ahram Online on Sunday, revealing that the Sufism vs Modernism project has also been invited by acclaimed Norwich band the Source to perform in a collaborative concert this Summer in Oslo. The godfather of many first-row indie bands and musicians, Salama, who played a vital role in shaping mainstream pop in the 1970s and 1980s, has paid special attention to traditional Islamic music since he formed Sharkiat in the 1980s, winning the Grammy and BBC awards for another Sufi project with Senegal s music icon Youssou N Dour. "The Sufism vs Modernism project proves that our authentic heritage and folklore contains all that is needed to reach an international audience with enough hard work," Salama added. Salama s set of keyboards mix jazzy chordal progressions with electronic sounds in a revolutionary fusion that blends pop, hip hop and rock grooves with traditionally Arabic lead solos. Message of tolerance to humanity Sufism is a very old mystical trend that exists in both Sunni and Shia Islam, but is rejected by conservatives. Sufism has its own forms of traditional music that are normally used as part of the ritual practices of zikr, remembering God, and praising the Prophet Mohammed and his family. "The international success of the Sufism vs Modernism project proves that Islam s message of peace is for the whole of humanity," El-Tohamy told Ahram Online. The son of the famous Sufi chanter Sheikh Yassin El-Tohamy, Mahmoud mastered the deep-rooted Islamic musical art from early childhood, following in his father s footsteps. El-Tohamy made headlines recently for his campaign against the Mahragan music genre. "I hope the authorities pay more attention to supporting arts that could give an honourable presentation of our nation s culture away from the immodesty forced upon us lately," he demanded. Besides founding and heading the Egyptian Association of Religious Hymns and Litanies, the 41-year-old chanter also runs an Islamic chanting school and is keen to develop the classic form of chanting via exposure to other international forms, sometimes eliciting criticism from his hardcore crowd. "The international language of music speaks directly to the heart," El-Tohamy said, adding that he aims to “spread the Islamic Sufi culture of tolerance.” Egyptian Grammy-winning music producer Fathy Salama and members of his band Sharkiat will feature Islamic Sufi chanter Mahmoud El-Tohamy and a number of his musicians in another Sufism vs Modernism concert on 27 February at the Cairo Opera House. This is the sixth concert of its kind since Salama first introduced El-Tohamy at the Cairo Opera House on 25 September 2018, with the last concert held on 26 September 2019 at the New York University (NYU) Art Centre in Abu Dhabi. "This project is evolving with time and I am always keen to introduce new things in each concert," Salama told Ahram Online on Sunday, revealing that the Sufism vs Modernism project has also been invited by acclaimed Norwich band the Source to perform in a collaborative concert this Summer in Oslo. - Sufism vs Modernism The godfather of many first-row indie bands and musicians, Salama, who played a vital role in shaping mainstream pop in the 1970s and 1980s, has paid special attention to traditional Islamic music since he formed Sharkiat in the 1980s, winning the Grammy and BBC awards for another Sufi project with Senegal s music icon Youssou N Dour. "The Sufism vs Modernism project proves that our authentic heritage and folklore contains all that is needed to reach an international audience with enough hard work," Salama added. Salama s set of keyboards mix jazzy chordal progressions with electronic sounds in a revolutionary fusion that blends pop, hip hop and rock grooves with traditionally Arabic lead solos. Message of tolerance to humanity Sufism is a very old mystical trend that exists in both Sunni and Shia Islam, but is rejected by conservatives. Sufism has its own forms of traditional music that are normally used as part of the ritual practices of zikr, remembering God, and praising the Prophet Mohammed and his family. "The international success of the Sufism vs Modernism project proves that Islam s message of peace is for the whole of humanity," El-Tohamy told Ahram Online. Alborda - Sufism vs. Modernism - Sheikh Mahmood Al-Tuhami and Fathy salama The son of the famous Sufi chanter Sheikh Yassin El-Tohamy, Mahmoud mastered the deep-rooted Islamic musical art from early childhood, following in his father s footsteps. El-Tohamy made headlines recently for his campaign against the Mahragan music genre. "I hope the authorities pay more attention to supporting arts that could give an honourable presentation of our nation s culture away from the immodesty forced upon us lately," he demanded. Besides founding and heading the Egyptian Association of Religious Hymns and Litanies, the 41-year-old chanter also runs an Islamic chanting school and is keen to develop the classic form of chanting via exposure to other international forms, sometimes eliciting criticism from his hardcore crowd. "The international language of music speaks directly to the heart," El-Tohamy said, adding that he aims to “spread the Islamic Sufi culture of tolerance.” Sufism Vs. Modernism - live in NYU Abu Dahbi In Thursday s concert, the musicians will include Salama s friend and percussionist Ayman Sedky, tabla master Ramadan Mansour, guitarist Ziad Hisham, Ziad Essam, who will be switching between guitar and oud, bassist Peter Laurence from Sharkiat, and violinist Emad, along with vocals from the El-Tohamy troupe. Programme Thursday 27 February at 8pm Small Hall, Cairo Opera House, Zamalek

Egypt s Musicians Syndicate, headed by Hany Shaker, contacted streaming giants YouTube and SoundCloud to take down all the “mahraganat shaabi” songs from their websites, amid a controversial decision from the syndicate to ban the genre from all concerts or live shows in Egypt over so-called inappropriate lyrics in Hassan Shakosh s new hit song “Bent El Giran.” Tarek Mortada, the syndicate s spokesperson, said that Shaker is set to send an official letter to the administrations of each streaming platform. The decision to ban the genre came after a concert by shaabi singer Hassan Shakosh at the Cairo Stadium on Valentine s Day, where he performed “Bent El Giran”. More specifically, the lyrics “I drink alcohol and smoke hashish” prompted a wave of criticism from conservative voices, who slammed the song for its “immoral” content. The syndicate then released an official statement condemning all mahraganat songs, warning that entertainment hubs where songs are usually played such as nightclubs, tourist facilities, Nile boats, and cafes would face legal action if they played the music. The statement further claimed that “there is near consensus across Egyptian society” that mahraganat music “threatens public taste” and “encourages moral decline,” which the syndicate said prompted the body to review musicians permits. Shakosh said during an interview with TV presenter Ahmed Moussa on Sada El Balad Channel that his career had taken a big hit as a result of the syndicate s decision to ban the genre across the country. He added, however, that he respected the decision, and went on to say that wedding and concert organizers where he had already agreed to perform had filed complaints against him following the ban, which forced the singer to back out of several contracts. “This is firstly my fault – a father usually teaches his son when he does something wrong,” he commented. He added that Shaker and Egyptian singer and former Syndicate head Mostafa Kamel are role models for him and called on the body to embrace the shaabi genre. Shakosh additionally claimed that the “inappropriate” lyrics included in the song at the Valentine s concert were the result of a “miscommunication” that day. He also pointed out other controversial song titles from the past, including the iconic late Egyptian singer Sayed Darwish s song “Cocaine” and singer Hakim s song “Bartender please give (me) a glass of wine”. Shakosh s international hit “Bent al-Giran” is now no. 1 on the “Top 50: ALL Music Genres” global chart on Soundcloud. Earlier this month, Shakosh s song hit number two on SoundCloud s global chart, racking up some 4.4 million listens in just one week. The song, which has gotten 70 million views on YouTube since December and 44.6 million listens on SoundCloud, is part of a genre popular during festive occasions like weddings and engagement parties in Egypt. Shakosh received an award from YouTube after his channel got over a million subscribers, according to an announcement from the singer on his Instagram account. A well-known “shaabi” singer in Egypt, Shakosh began his music career four years ago with his debut song “Esmak Eh” (What is your name). Shaabi is a genre of popular working-class music in Egypt, born and developed away from record companies and mainstream satellite TV channels. The genre brings back a ritual that disappeared with the spread of cassette culture — the neighborhood singer who knows the people and their frustrations and tells their stories through his songs. Mahrganat music, which is related to the Shaabi genre, refers to an upbeat style of electronic dance music in Egypt.

A foreigner in Egypt who was announced to be carrying the novel coronavirus has tested negative for it, Egypt s Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) have said. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for the foreigner presented negative results for the new Cobid-19 (coronavirus), 48 hours after he was put into isolation in hospital, a joint statement said on Wednesday. Egypt s health ministry announced on Friday the person as the country s first confirmed coronavirus case, without specifying his nationality. But Minister Hala Zayed later said in TV comments he is Chinese. The case underwent six tests over three consecutive days that were overseen by the ministry and WHO, and "the test result was negative every time," the statement quoted health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed as saying. The case is "in good health and has shown no symptoms" of the illness, he added. Also on Wednesday, the Egyptian Cabinet confirmed no suspected cases of coronavirus was found at schools. It added that a series of precautionary preventive measures have been taken to prevent the spread of the epidemic, which has infected more than 75,000 people globally. On Monday, Egypt ended a 14-day quarantine for 302 Egyptian citizens who had returned home from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus. The health ministry said all tests conducted for them during the 14 days, the incubation period for the disease, showed they do not carry the virus. Since the disease emerged last December, it has killed more than 2,000 people in mainland China and six people outside the country.

Culture Minister Enas Abdel Dayem has approved the agenda for the first edition of the Dandara Festival for Music and Singing in Qena Governorate, which runs from February 27 to March 3. The move comes in response to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declaring 2020 the Year of Culture and Awareness. The festival s agenda includes ten different events mainly concerts held over six days. Events include concerts for Black Thema, Medhat Saleh, Wust al-Balad, Ali al-Haggar, Mai Farouk, Luxor Folklore Band, Marimba star Nessma Abdel Aziz, Dina al-Wedidi, Hisham Abbas, and Massar Egbari. The festival will be hosted at the Dandara Temple, the Qena Culture Palace and the University of South Valley. It will be organized in coordination between the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Qena Governorate, the General Authority for Cultural Palaces and the Tourism Authority. Abdel Dayem said that the festival aims to refine public taste and contribute to carry out the state s sustainable development plans through promoting art. This festival s first edition also aims to confront intolerance and provide an avenue for meaningful art that reflects positively on society.

The eighth edition of the Aswan International Festival for Culture and Arts kicked off on Sunday, launched by Culture Minister Enas Abdel-Dayem. Folklore troupes went out in an artistic parade and carnival to perform art shows on boats in the Nile River, waving flags representing their countries amid the cheers of Aswan residents. Twenty-two folklore troupes from Africa, Asia and Europe are participating in this year s cultural festival, bringing together over 400 artists – 240 of whom are Egyptians. The troupes are scheduled to participate in a popular carnival at the tourist market on Sunday evening, before the opening ceremony. This year s festival activities will be held across different cultural sites in Aswan city, and include the celebration of a sun alignment at state of Ramses II on February 22. This festival places Egypt in the center of the world, Abdel-Dayem said, and stresses the importance of arts in communication between people, with different cultures all interacting in the land of Aswan. Abdel-Dayem opined that this year s edition of the festival confirms the experience of the oldest human civilizations, exchanging their heritage that reflects the values and principles of freedom and tolerance, and raises creativity s voice to express humanity s conscience.

Take electronic instruments as a base (Nord keyboard, Novation keyboard, Roland keytar), one Sufi chanter, Jalal Al-Din Al-Rumi s poems, rich modern visuals. Top them with a lot of details, creativity, ambition, and a few surprises. The result you will get is just the first step in a new project by Ayman Massoud, an Egyptian musician whose presence in the musical scene does not need much introduction. Best-known for playing keyboards in Massar Egbari since 2005, Massoud s musical cravings are much deeper than being among the founding members of one of Egypt s most popular independent bands. While his music explorations and experience touch on many bands (starting with Hob w Salam, 1998-2003) and creactive collaborations, his musical journey took off when as a young boy he started playing the guitar. He then moved on to the piano and keyboards, while also exploring bass guitar and rhythmic instruments such as tabla (darbouka). Today, while remaining faithful to Massar Egbari, his new parallel musical endeavour where the main protagonist will be electronic music, is about to see the light in just a couple of weeks. “In recent years, I began looking deeper into electronic music, attending festivals featuring this music and trying out my own steps in the genre,” Massoud explains to Ahram Online. Naturally, his cultural belonging, musical knowledge and experience triggered thoughts about weaving together electronic music with oriental creative explorations. The new project will feature Massoud on keyboards with numerous musicians and possibly ensembles. The first stop on the list is his collaboration with Sufi chanter Abdel-Rahman Roshdi. “The electronic music and advanced computer technology will create base and dialogue with Sufi line, possibly embellished with some guitar and oud," Massoud reveals a few details about the project. "I already worked with Roshdi on a theatre project, and this is what pushed me to thinking about exploring more the unique result we can draw from the combination of electronic with Sufi.” As much as it may sound unusual to the regular listeners, Massoud himself underlines that he was surprised that their musical duo began giving birth to something unique and "intriguing," as he puts it. While Massoud works on composition and the two artists are finalising the repertoire components, we already know that a big part of the lyrics will be based on poems by the 13th century Persian Sufi poet Jalal Al-Din Al-Rumi. Filled with high technology and visuals, the project in its final form will last for around 15 minutes and will be recorded live as a video clip. Yet, this is just the first step in much more ambitious plans. “The base of the project is electronic music. The Sufi line is just the first one," Massoud clarifies. "On the longer run, I am thinking of featuring different singers, representing different music genres. This will allow me to achieve a variety of colours which when combined with electronic base will hopefully give birth to many interesting outcomes.” Passionate about the new project and in the last stages of its first showcase, Massoud is happy and anxious about his role as a composer, and music and video producer. What makes the project even more interesting is its sheer portability. Supported by Massoud s strong presence in the Egyptian and regional scene, the whole recipe has good chances to find its way to the Arab region and international scene. While gearing for the first stop of the project, Massoud already lays plans for reaching out to musicians from other Arab countries, whose music will be interweaved with him on keyboards. While Arabic pop is already known outside the oriental world s borders and the one that is most appealing to the foreign ear usually interweaves Western harmonies with oriental rhythms, Massoud believes there is much more to offer and many more musical dialogues can be still created, “all of which shed light on the richness of the region, its talents and the many skills of musicians.”

Egyptian soprano Rita Ashkar will perform the role of Miss Wordsworth in the opera Albert Herring composed by Benjamin Britten. The chamber opera in three acts is a production of Germany s University of Music Detmold (Hochschule für Musik Detmold), which Ashkar has been attending since 2018. Revealing the news on her Facebook account, the young soprano said, "And so it ends. It s been a hell of a rollercoaster ride but it was definitely worth all the hard work. These past few months I was challenged like never before. This role has taught me a lot and helped me develop in every possible way. I m so thankful I got the chance to be part of such an amazing production and to have had the chance to share the stage with very talented people from whom I ve learnt quite a lot." Currently based in Germany, and a graduate of the American University in Cairo s economics department, Ashkar started singing at the age of 12. She participated in various singing competition in Germany, Italy and Turkey. In Egypt, she was a member of Fabrica, a musical theatre company headed by the Egyptian soprano Neveen Allouba. Apart from her frequent performances with Fabrica, Ashkar has also performed opera, jazz and pop on numerous occasions at many Egyptian venues including the Cairo Opera House. She was then accepted at the University of Music Detmold, one of the most prestigious music schools in Germany, where she pursues her singing education.

As Valentine s Day on February 14 approaches, gift shops in the Mansheya area of Alexandria prepared themselves for the occasion with roses, hearts, red lips and flowers amid soaring prices compared to previous years. Teddy bears now range between LE90 and over LE400, depending on color and size, while doll prices reached LE150. Gift shop owner Mohamed Nour explained: “Prices are high this year, compared to last year, due to the high price of raw materials used in the industry, in addition to creating new gifts such as letters made of orchid wood.” Employee Mamdouh Zayed said “I am eager to buy Valentine s Day gifts for my wife, but prices during the current year are very high.” Pointing out how even teddy bears can cost over LE400, Zayed said that the price of a whole gift after packaging and adding flowers could surpass LE1,000, which he cannot afford. Another employee, Sayed Abdel Ghaffar, feared that the soaring prices of Valentine s Day gifts would harm the market due to weak purchasing power and citizens preferring to buy necessary goods instead. He lamented as to how gifts once priced at LE100 are now at LE400. Student Mohamed Muhareb suggested that these useless and expensive gifts should just be replaced with red roses, which symbolize love – the entire purpose of the occasion. Egypt also celebrates its own variation of Valentine s Day on November 4. On November 4, 1988, journalist Mostafa Amin published a suggestion sent to him by some of his readers to specify what Egypt s Valentine s Day should be, so that same day was set to celebrate the occasion. The historical origin of Valentine s Day dates back to an event that occurred in the third century AD, when Christianity was yet blooming. The Roman Empire under Emperor Clydes II banned soldiers from marriage so they would not be distracted. Saint Valentine confronted this ruling and held the marriages of young couples secretly until he was discovered and sentenced to death on February 14, 269 AD. Other tales have the saint being adored by a large number of women, which led to his execution.

The Barack and Michelle Obama-produced film “American Factory” snagged an Oscar on Sunday for best documentary — a win for Netflix, which backed the story of a manufacturing plant in the US Midwest reopened by a Chinese billionaire. The film charts a Rust Belt community s journey from optimism at the giant plant s reopening, which brought back vital jobs, towards creeping anger and disillusionment, as the Chinese management imposed strict, exhausting demands on workers — and sacked those who did not comply. “Our film is from Ohio and China,” director Julia Reichert said. “But it really could be from anywhere that people put on a uniform, punch a clock, trying to make their families have a better life.” “Working people have it harder and harder these days, and we believe that things will get better when workers of the world unite,” she said in accepting her statuette. Co-directed by Reichert and Steven Bognar, the film is an all-access look at how both American and Chinese workers, from blue-collar to management, had their lives transformed by powerful global economic forces. The story was moving enough to catch notice from none other than the Obamas. The former first couple acquired “American Factory” early last year at the Sundance Film Festival, where it had won the directing award. It was released on Netflix in August 2019 as the first offering from the former first couple s Higher Ground Productions company. The film s co-producer and the factory s chairman were unable to leave China for the ceremony, due to White House restrictions on travel over the coronavirus panic. “That inconvenience pales when compared to people losing their lives, suffering because of this virus,” co-director Bognar said backstage. The Obamas congratulated Reichert and Bognar for their win Sunday, with the former president calling the film “a complex, moving story about the very human consequences of wrenching economic change.” “Glad to see two talented and downright good people take home the Oscar for Higher Ground s first release,” he tweeted. The former first lady said she was “glad to see their heart and honesty recognized — because the best stories are rarely tidy or perfect.” “But that s where the truth so often lies,” she tweeted. “American Factory” bested “The Edge of Democracy,” “The Cave,” “For Sama” and “Honeyland” to take the Oscar.

Legendary Egyptian actress Yousra was one of the few Arab stars who made it to the Oscars red carpet this year, rocking a dazzling Pharaoh-inspired gown from renowned designer Zuhair Murad s spring collection of highly-detailed, glittering gold dresses inspired by Egypt s ancient queens. The iconic actress was invited in July 2019 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the prestigious organization behind the Oscars, alongside fellow Egyptian artists Mohamed Hefzy, an acclaimed producer and screenwriter, and Amr Salama, director of Sheikh Jackson (2017). The three Egyptian celebrities were selected among 842 new members from 59 countries, according to a statement released by the academy on Monday, July 2. Yousra s name is now featured on a member list alongside Game of Thrones star Stephen Dillane, Black Panther s Winston Duke, and Jennifer Ehle, who is best known for her starring role in Pride and Prejudice (1995), among other international celebrities. The Egyptian mega star is also a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador and was featured in Arabian Business s “World s 100 Most Powerful Arab Women,” as well as their “50 Most Influential Arabs” list, according to her profile on The American University in Cairo s website. Yousra has racked up more than 60 global and local awards, including the Cinema award at the Arab Women of the Year ceremony in London. She has also taken part in numerous film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival and Venice Film Festival. America Abroad Media (AAM) also honored Yousra in November 2019 at its seventh edition during its annual dinner in Washington, DC, celebrating the star s contributions to the film industry. A number of top Hollywood stars congratulated Yousra on her award, including Harvey Keitel, who has acted in several critically acclaimed films, like Martin Scorsese s The Irishman (2019) and Quentin Tarantino s Reservoir Dogs (1992) and Pulp Fiction (1994). Keitel commented: “In your award is my reward, because I have this opportunity to tell you, ever since that night I first met you in Cairo, how lovely and strong an impression you made on us.” Having starred in more than 80 films, Yousra is best known for “Al-Ens wa al-Jen” (The Human and the Djinn, 1985) , “Karakon fe al-Sharea” (A Police Station in the Street, 1986), “Al-Mansy” (The Forgotten, 1996), “Al-Irhab Wal Kabab” (Terrorism and Kebab, 1992), and “Toyour al-Zalam” (Birds of Darkness, 1995). She further solidified her career through collaborations with the famed late Egyptian director Youssef Chahine in “Hadduta Masreya” (Egyptian Story, 1982), “Iskendereya Kaman we Kaman” (Alexandria Again and Forever, 1989) and “Al-Mohager” (The Emigrant, 1994).

The silver screen s biggest night is here — Oscars campaigns have been wrapped up, predictions placed and champagne iced. While many pundits expect relentless marches to victory for “1917” and the four leading acting nominees, surprises will no doubt be in store. Here are five things to look out for at Sunday s Academy Awards: – Will Oscars go global? – Many records could tumble Sunday, but there is no doubt which would be the most historic of all victories. South Korean black comedy “Parasite” has defied conventional wisdom to keep the pace with the best picture Oscar frontrunners, defying what its director called the “one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles.” A non-English-language movie has never won the movie industry s top prize, despite Mexican drama “Roma” making a serious run last year. With a wave of support for its charismatic director Bong Joon-ho, and an increasingly international voting bloc within the Academy, could this be the year? – Diversity on show – This year s Oscars feature just one non-white acting nominee — Cynthia Erivo for “Harriet” — earning the Academy plenty of criticism. No women were shortlisted for best director, leaving the grand total of females nominated in this category over 92 years at a paltry five. The glitzy Sunday show — produced by two women — appears intended to redress some of that imbalance. Once again there is no host, but guest presenters include actresses of a wide range of nationalities including Penelope Cruz (Spain), Salma Hayek (Mexico) and Gal Gadot (Israel). – Song and dance – Coming just two weeks after the spectacular Grammys, the Oscars have a lot to do to compete in terms of musical performance. Organizers appear determined to try, with Grammy record-setter and soon-to-be James Bond songstress Billie Eilish set to perform, along with funk futurist Janelle Monae. British pop legend Elton John also will grace the stage, performing his nominated song “(I m Gonna) Love Me Again” from the film about his life, “Rocketman.” And Eimear Noone will make history as the first female conductor of the in-house orchestra for the ceremony. Producer Lynette Howell (“A Star Is Born”) has promised some “some additional musical surprise moments” — telling journalists they will “have to tune in” to find out what they are. – Kirk and Kobe – Each year, the Oscars presents a montage honoring those Hollywood has lost over the past 12 months. This year will be particularly poignant, given the still-raw grief in Los Angeles over the deaths of Golden Age legend Kirk Douglas and Oscar-winning basketball star Kobe Bryant. Organizers have confirmed that both will be featured in the traditional “in memoriam” section, and watch out for frequent mentions in the winners speeches too. – Brad Pitt s speech – Sure, he hasn t won the Oscar yet. But Brad Pitt has been on a relentless awards sweep for his supporting role in “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.” Thankfully, he has broken up the monotony by delivering consistently the most witty and entertaining speeches this season. From quipping “Hey Britain. Heard you just became single — welcome to the club” at the BAFTAs in remarks delivered by co-star Margot Robbie, to promising to post his Screen Actors Guild award on Tinder, Hollywood s enduring heartthrob has unexpectedly become its awards circuit jester. Hopefully he — or his joke-writer — has saved the best for last.