Famous Egyptian singer Mohamed El-Helw is gearing up for a concert at the Cairo Opera House s Fountain Theatre on Friday 21 August. El-Helw will sing some of his songs including Ahim Shawqan , Ya Habibi , Amar Ya Eskenria and others, in addition to known covers like El-Touba , Aiwa-Allah Gharib El-Dar and others. Conducted by the famous Selim Sehab, who is returning to action after a long absence, the concert will be opened with a performance by singer Ayat Farouk and Sarah Sehab. At the same venue, the Cairo Opera House is hosting a series of events during the second half of August. On Sunday, the Cairo Opera Company is introducing a selection of musicals and international songs, while on Wednesday the chanting company will celebrate the Islamic New Year, before Nesma Mahgoub will have a concert on Friday 28. Egypt resumed public cultural activities last month as part of the country s cautious reopening following the COVID-19 lockdown, with all events held under strict measures that include social distancing, obligatory facemasks, and sanitising.

In its 5th edition, London s Safar Film Festival, an event dedicated to Arab cinema, will take place online due to the coronavirus, screening films digitally between 13 and 20 September. This year s edition carries the motto Safar From Home . According to the organisers, the festival will offer five free screenings made available to the UK viewers in addition to the special events featuring leading figures from the Arab world s cinema industry screened for free worldwide. The festival s line-up includes films from Egypt, Tunisia, Lebanon, Palestine and Morocco, yet the titles are yet to be revealed. The details and screenings will be unveiled on the festival s website. Safar Film Festival was launched in 2012 and is London s only biennial film festival celebrating Arab cinema. Over the past four editions, the screenings took place at the Arab British Centre in London.

Egyptian superstar Amr Diab is set to release a new song with fellow singer Dina el-Sherbiny titled “Amaken al-Sahar” (Nightlife Places), their first collaboration together. Portraying a summery atmosphere, filming for the song’s music video concluded at a north coast resort. On Tuesday Diab uploaded a photo on his Facebook showing him with Sherbiny, crew members and friends, writing “Nightlife places.. soon.” Diab’s fans shared clips of the star carrying Sherbiny as part of the upcoming song’s music video. This track also serves as a prelude to Diab’s upcoming album, with most of the songs having wrapped recording with a date still to be announced. “Amaken al-Sahar” is written by Tamer Hussein, composed by Aziz al-Shafie, and directed by Ahmad al-Najar. Diab has built a multi-decade career that began with his musical debut in 1983. He is now known as one of the most famous pop stars of Egypt and the Middle East and has been nicknamed “al-Hadaba” (the Plateau) as a reference to his greatness. Over the past three and a half decades, Diab has successfully remained one of Egypt’s and the Middle East’s most acclaimed international stars, winning numerous awards. The Egyptian pop star is the first in the Arab world to produce high tech music videos, and in 1996, Diab released the album “Nour El Ain,” which was celebrated worldwide and helped to gain the pop star recognition beyond the Middle East. In 2009, Diab won four African Music Awards for Song of the Year, Artist of the Year, Video of the Year, and Best Male Act. He won two additional African Music Awards in 2010. He is also the only Middle Eastern artist to have received seven World Music Awards, and set the Guinness Record for winning Best Selling Middle East Artist the most times.

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina s Art Centre will open its 18th International Summer Festival on Saturday with a concert by Dina El Wedidi and her band. The well-known singer and songwriter will perform pieces from her repertoire, which is rooted in her Egyptian heritage but also features wider African and global influences. In addition to her song Tedawar W-Tergaa, re-launched in an acoustic version this week and dedicated to its late writer Mido Zoheir, El Wedidi will perform other popular tracks like Al-Seirah, Kotr El-Wagaa and Fi Belad El-Agayeb. The two-week festival, which is operating under strict safety measures in light of the coronavirus pandemic, is dedicated to late Egyptian folk dance icon Mahmoud Reda, who passed away on 10 July at the age of 89.The festival will feature a variety of performances and lectures on different art forms. On Sunday, it will host Fouad and Mounib and Michelle Rounds band while, film director Adel Adeeb will give a master class entitled “The Role of the Film Director.” The five-day “Low Budget Filmmaking” workshop, conducted by the film director Ahmed Rashwan, will also kick off on Sunday. The programme also includes a stand-up comedy performance by Mohamed Helmy on Monday and a performance of El-Leila El-Kebira by Fabrica on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina orchestra, with conductor Nayer Nagui, will perform a selection from famous musicals. Cultural events and activities in Egypt were resumed last month as part of phase one of the country s reopening after the COVID-19 shutdowns. All events are being held under strict measures that include social distancing, obligatory masks, and sanitisation.

Egyptian singer Medhat Saleh will perform a concert at the Cairo Opera House’s open-air Nafoura Theater on August 13. Featuring the participation of pianist Amr Selim, Saleh will sing songs such as Aked, Hekayt Warda, Walla Teswa Demoua, Hatklm, Kawkab Tany, El Millionerat, Had Yaoul Lhabibi, Bahlam Ala Kaddy, Ya Gared al-Nakhl el-Aaly alongside performances of some of the most beloved classical Arab songs. Saleh expressed joy to perform at the Cairo Opera House, and hailed the Nafoura Theater as a grand new achievement enriching Egypt’s culture. The Ministry of Culture set up two open-air theaters, located in the Cairo Opera House complex and al-Hanager Theater Square, to allow events to resume while maintaining social distancing precautions. The two theaters host daily performances and ceremonies at a capacity of 25 percent. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced back in June that restaurants and cafes would resume operating at 25 percent customer capacity, a first step toward a gradual reopening. Shisha smoking, however, remained banned. Hotels are reopened at 50 percent occupancy rates, while shops and commercial malls are closed at nine pm while restaurants and cafes closed at 10 pm. Clubs, youth centers, cultural facilities and cinemas are also allowed to reopen at 25 percent capacity.

The fourth annual Gouna Film Festival (GFF), which is scheduled to take place from October 23 to 31, will screen a total of 16 international films, according to festival s Director Entishal al-Tamimi. Tamimi added that the GFF will continue to select important movies to be included in the festival. The festival s Technical Director Amir Ramsis said that the “GFF insists on screening unique cinematic works in its fourth year, despite the coronavirus outbreak that represents a challenge to daily living.” One of the features GFF will screen is the Italian-Swiss drama film “Bad Tales” (2020), written and directed by co-directors Damiano and Fabio D Innocenzo. The selection of “Bad Tales” came after it won the Silver Bear Award for best screenplay in the seventieth annual Berlin Film Festival. In an earlier interview, GFF s chief operating officer Bushra Roza said that since the coronavirus outbreak has caused several film festivals to be postponed, this year s GFF will serve as a positive beacon to people worldwide. This year s festival will be held at the Gouna Convention and Culture Center, which is built on 8,000 square meters of open space, she added. The festival provides an extraordinary cinematic and cultural experience via open and enclosed spaces, as well as its virtual CineGouna Platform. The festival s first priority is to ensure the safety of its guests, Roza said. It is therefore implementing coronavirus measures set by the Ministry of Health.

Egypt s Minister of Heath Hala Zayed on Sunday implored all citizens to continue abiding by preventive measures such as social distancing to help curb the coronavirus outbreak. She recommended people avoid family gatherings, keep a distance of no less than one meter in public, wear masks properly and safely dispose of them. Other recommendations she listed are to avoid handshakes especially in closed spaces, and carefully wash hands for over 20 seconds and/or use rubbing alcohol. The ministry s spokesperson Khaled Megahed recommended that people avoid public areas such as markets and shops. He also stressed that personal utensils must not be shared and to avoid touching any unclean surfaces. Megahed particularly urged that pregnant women, elderly people over sixty years of age or anyone suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or lung issues to avoid public gatherings, as they are the most vulnerable to the virus. Anyone suffering from symptoms must rush to the nearest hospital immediately, he stressed.

Egypt Cultural Development Fund (CDF), under the Ministry of Culture, has issued a call for talents with special needs to participate in the third edition of the "Golden Talent” competition. Entries can include solo or group singing, playing an instrument, or a performance. Applicants are requested to submit a sample of their work that does not exceed three minutes through the CDF s website. The competition accepts entries from Egyptians who have hearing, mental or motor disabilities. This year the competition expanded its scope to young people aged 15-30 who have visual impairment. Works can be submitted by an applicant or a private or governmental institution taking care of the applicant s development. Submission can be made from 9 August with a deadline of 10 September. The competition is an initiative of Fathy Abdel-Wahab, head of the Cultural Development Fund, in cooperation with El-Balad Today s Development Society.

Obesity should be defined by a person s health - not just their weight, says a new Canadian clinical guideline. It also advises doctors to go beyond simply recommending diet and exercise. Instead, they should focus on the root causes of weight gain and take a holistic approach to health. The guideline, which was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Tuesday, specifically admonished weight-related stigma against patients in the health system. "The dominant cultural narrative regarding obesity fuels assumptions about personal irresponsibility and lack of willpower and casts blame and shame upon people living with obesity," the guideline, which is intended to be used by primary care physicians in diagnosing and treating obesity in their daily practice, states. Ximena Ramos-Salas, the director of research and policy at Obesity Canada and one of the guideline s authors, said research shows many doctors discriminate against obese patients, and that can lead to worse health outcomes irrespective of their weight. "Weight bias is not just about believing the wrong thing about obesity," she told the BBC. "Weight bias actually has an effect on the behaviour of healthcare practitioners." Obesity not caused by lack of willpower - psychologists Obesity: Have 20 years of policies had any effect? The rate of obesity has tripled over the past three decades in Canada, and now about one in four Canadians is obese according to Statistics Canada. The guideline had not been updated since 2006. The new version was funded by Obesity Canada, the Canadian Association of Bariatric Physicians and Surgeons and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research through a Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research grant. Although the latest advice still recommends using diagnostic criteria like the body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, it acknowledges their clinical limitations and says doctors should focus more on how weight impacts a person s health. Small reductions in weight, of about 3-5%, can lead to health improvements and an obese person s "best weight" might not be their "ideal weight" according to BMI, the guideline says. It emphasises that obesity is a complex, chronic condition that needs lifelong management. "For a long time we ve associated obesity as a lifestyle behaviour... It s been a lot of shame and blame before," Ms Ramos-Salas says. "People living with obesity need support like people living with any other chronic disease." But instead of simply advising patients to "eat less, move more", the guideline encourages doctors to provide supports along the lines of psychological therapy, medication and bariatric surgery like gastric-bypass surgery. The guideline doesn t completely do away with standard weight-loss advice. "All individuals, regardless of body size or composition, would benefit from adopting a healthy, well-balanced eating pattern and engaging in regular physical activity," it says. However, it notes that keeping the weight off is often difficult because the brain will compensate by feeling more hungry, thus encouraging people to eat more. Many studies have shown that most people who lose weight on a diet gain it back. "Diets don t work," Ms Ramos-Salas says. Physicians should also ask permission before discussing a patient s weight, and work with them to focus on health goals that matter to them, instead of just telling them to cut calories.

Egyptian singer and Islamic Sufi chanter Ali El-Helbawy will perform at the Sayed Darwish Theatre of the Alexandria Opera House on Sunday 7 August as part of the culture ministry’s summer programme. During the anticipated concert, which comes after months of the suspension of cultural activities, El-Helbawy will select from his large repertoire of love, Islamic, and patriotic originals, in addition to some traditional covers. The active performer has given a series of successful concerts over the past years and collaborated with many other performers, including frequent features with German-Egyptian oriental jazz ensemble Cairo Steps. His band includes Eslam Elabaty (oud), Haythm (qanoun), Hamudi (keyboard), Ashraf Eskander (guitar), Teto and Bakar (percussion) in addition to back-vocalists Ahmed, Zakaria, and Abdullah. The Alexandria Opera House is hosting a series of events during the month of August at the same venue, including Boghdady Big Band on 9 August and Nesma Mahgoub on 26 August, in addition to many other events. Egypt resumed public cultural activities last month as part of phase one of the country s cautious reopening following the COVID-19 lockdown, with all events held under strict measures that include social distancing, obligatory facemasks, and sanitising. Programme: Sunday 7 August, pm Sayed Darwish Theater, Alexandria Opera House

Popular Egyptian band Black Theama is preparing some surprises for its fans amid the celebration of its 16th anniversary at the Cairo Opera House s Fountain Theatre on Wednesday 5 August. "This is a very special concert for us, especially because it comes after a long suspension of artistic activities," the vocal trio band, consisting of the multi-talented Ahmed Bahr, Mohamed Abdo and Amir Salah El-Deen, told Ahram Online days before the anticipated concert. "We will sing some of our old songs like Bahar ("Sailor"), Weinek ("Where Are You"), Hendi ("Indian") and Ousso , in addition to some new songs," the band revealed. In Wednesday s concert, Black Theama will feature the three singers Sayed Rekaby, Shando and Maram.Always combining some of the top musicians in the country, Black Theama s arsenal of instruments now merges keyboardists Faisal Fouad, bassist Mounir Maher, guitarist Mostafa Fathi, drummer Mahmoud Abdel-Aziz, percussionists Adel Mekha and Mohamed Zatouna, saxophonist Reda El-Sayed, and Eslam Elabty on oud. Each musician is involved in many music projects with the most well-known names in the country and the Arab world.As their name suggests, Black Theama, who are deeply influenced by southern roots of Nubian, Sudanese and African music, introduced a big collection of a commercially-appealing sound that adopts various concepts from genres like Reggae, Rap, Blues and Jazz alongside slang Egyptian lyrics. "When we founded the band, we started with a workshop where the three of us collaborated to write and compose our originals, as well as develop other songs each of us had previously written on their own," said the band, which has collaborated with many well-known artists, including the late Mido Zoher, who wrote many of its lyrics.In addition to dozens of singles, the band, who initially gained fame for revolutionary lyrics before turning more towards romantic and social topics, released two albums; Bahar in 2020 and Gawi Baniadmeen in 2015. "On Wednesday, we will also sing some Sudanese tunes like Ya Msafer . We will sing Abdel-Hadi with Shandoo, Ne na El-Genina with Rekaby and Habibi Ta a; with Maram," the band revealed. The Cairo Opera House is hosting a series of events during the month of August, including concerts by Ali El-Haggar (Thursday 6), Medhat Saleh (Thursday 12), Mohamed El-Helw (Friday 21), and many other events. Egypt resumed public cultural activities last month as part of phase one of the country s cautious reopening following the Covid-19 lockdown, with all events held under strict measures that include social distancing, obligatory facemasks, and sanitising.

Late Egyptian diva Umm Kulthum is the star of three hologram concerts at the Dubai Opera on 6, 7 and 8 August, which are part of the celebration of the Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Adha. "After a hugely successful debut in 2019, the same team who brought Umm Kulthum to life at Dubai Opera is recreating the magic for fans who missed the show or would like a second chance to relive her unforgettable hits," reads a statement on the Opera s website. The concerts will include classics like Enta Omri and Alf Leila wa-Leila, as well as Al-Atlal for the first time. Produced by New Dimension, the Umm Kulthum hologram concerts were created by Saudi TV network MBC and debuted in early 2019. The concerts are part of the reopening programme of the Dubai Opera after it had been shut down for four months due to the coronavirus pandemic. The reopening launched with a concert by Hussain Al-Jassmi on Saturday. Affectionately known in Egypt as "El-Sett" ("The Lady"), Umm Kulthum s deep, resonant voice enthralled the Arab world for decades, inspired western singers like Bob Dylan and Robert Plant, and can still be heard in Arab streets, cafes, taxis and sailboats. Umm Kulthum was born at the end of the 19th century and her career flourished from the 1920s until her death in 1975, amassing an impressive repertoire of religious, patriotic and sentimental songs and poetry.

People who test positive for coronavirus or show symptoms in the UK must now self-isolate for at least 10 days, rather than seven. The change, announced by the UK s chief medical officers, comes as ministers try to avoid a resurgence of the virus. Until now, those showing key symptoms - a new continuous cough, a temperature or loss of taste or smell - have had to self-isolate for at least a week. The new advice is in line with World Health Organization guidance. The chief medical officers said the change is "particularly important to protect those who have been shielding and in advance of the autumn and winter when we may see increased community transmission". Evidence shows that people with Covid-19 have "a low but real possibility of infectiousness" between seven and nine days after falling ill, they said. People are most contagious just before they first display symptoms and for the first few days afterwards. But scientists say evidence that they could pass it on up to nine days later has "strengthened". Advice on the length of isolation varies between countries. For example, the Irish Republic says those who have symptoms should isolate for 14 days, while in the US those with symptoms are told to isolate for 10 days and can only leave isolation if they have had at least 24 hours without a fever. It comes after the prime minister warned of signs of a "second wave" of the pandemic in parts of Europe. Speaking on BBC Breakfast before the announcement, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the government wanted to "take a precautionary approach" and "protect people from that wave reaching our shores". Frank Atherton, chief medical officer for Wales, said the change was "vital" and "nobody should be under the illusion that coronavirus has gone away". England death rate among worst in Europe What s the evidence Europe is having a second wave ? UK signs deal for 60 million virus vaccine doses The government has also confirmed that registered health and care professionals travelling to the UK from high-risk countries will be required to self-isolate for 14 days. An quarantine exemption for health professionals had been in place since June. There have also been concerns about several local outbreaks across the UK, including in Oldham, Wrexham and Staffordshire. Meanwhile, the government is expected on Friday to announce a decision on whether to ease restrictions in Leicester, a month after the city was put into extended lockdown following a spike in cases. The mayor of Leicester, Sir Peter Soulsby, expressed frustration at the delayed decision, originally expected on Thursday. "We haven t got a clue what s going on, we really haven t," he said. The brakes are beginning to come on Two or three weeks ago the message from the prime minister was that, hopefully, we would be back to near-normality by Christmas. The direction of travel was one of lockdown easing, with pubs and restaurants reopening, as well as a feeling that we seemed to be getting through it. Now, there s a real sense of the brakes beginning to go on. We saw it with the quick quarantine measures imposed on people returning from Spain. Luxembourg may well have similar restrictions soon and they re keeping an eye on Belgium too. We had restrictions imposed in Oldham to curb the virus there and now there s been an extension of the self-isolation period. The real apprehension is that what is happening in the rest of Europe may, in time, happen here. To some extent, that has been the story of coronavirus: we have tended to follow what has emerged in mainland Europe. Official figures published on Thursday showed that 43,119 people who tested positive for Covid-19 in England had their cases transferred to NHS Test and Trace since its launch in May. The tracing system successfully contacted just over 77% of these - but just over 23% were not reached. The figures, from the Department of Health and Social Care, also showed that of 222,589 people identified as close contacts of those who tested positive, 83% had been reached and asked to self-isolate. Prime Minister Boris Johnson s pledge - that by the end of June everyone tested in person would receive results within 24 hours - is still not being met, with about three-quarters (76.4%) of people getting results on time in the week up to July 22. For those using home testing kits, 76.9% received results within 48 hours. But the government is concerned that some people are not coming forward for testing, hampering its ability to track outbreaks, because they wrongly think they have to pay for it or that they are not eligible. A decision that could have been taken months ago The UK requirement for people who test positive or show symptoms to isolate for seven days was always on the low side - plenty of other countries require 10 days or even longer. As coronavirus is new, there is still a lack of certainty over how long someone remains infectious, which is why there are a variety of approaches. UK health officials say there is enough evidence now to point to a "low, but tangible" risk of transmission from seven to 10 days, even for those with mild to moderate illness. This is a decision that could have been taken weeks, even months, ago in truth. But officials are describing it as a "value judgement" based on a variety of reasons. For one thing the easing of restrictions means we have more social contacts than we did previously - so even with the low risk of transmission post seven days, the chances of passing it on increases. The availability of widespread testing also means only those with a positively confirmed infection need to continue isolating - earlier in the pandemic the lack of testing meant a blanket approach had to be taken so anyone with symptoms was asked to isolate. But it is about sending an important signal too. Levels of infection are low, but the message is clear: we can t be complacent. The government is launching a TV and online advertising campaign on Thursday night stressing that anyone with symptoms should get tested, which is free and available to all. Only about a third of people infected are thought to come forward for tests, although some of the untested cases may be people who do not have any symptoms. Those in a household with anyone who tests positive or shows symptoms are told to self-isolate for 14 days. And people returning to the UK from certain countries are also being asked to quarantine for 14 days - a move that has sparked complaints from travel firms. SYMPTOMS: What are they and how to guard against them? FACE MASKS: When should you wear one? TESTING: Who can get a test and how? BUBBLES: How do they work and who can be in yours? Ministers are also looking for a way to reduce the current 14-day quarantine period for arrivals to the UK, meaning that quarantine and self-isolation time periods could be standardised at 10 days. Mr Hancock told Today that the government is looking at using testing to reduce the length of the quarantine period - but there would be no imminent changes. On Thursday evening, Luxembourg was removed from the quarantine-free list, meaning people arriving in the UK from the small land-locked country from midnight will need to self-isolate for two weeks. A senior government source told the BBC that Belgium would stay off the list - for the moment - but case numbers would continue to be monitored. Leading travel and airline industry figures called on Wednesday for coronavirus testing at airports in the UK but the source said that "any new system had to be workable and at the moment it isn t". Mr Hancock told Breakfast that the "big scientific challenge" with testing arrivals at the border is that people "can incubate this disease for many days without displaying any symptoms, and that wouldn t show up in a test". What are the rules on self-isolating? Self-isolating means staying at home and not leaving it. Anyone who has either tested positive for coronavirus or shown symptoms should isolate themselves for at least 10 days, and those who show symptoms should arrange to get tested. Symptoms include: a new continuous cough a high temperature a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell They should continue to self-isolate if they still feel unwell after that initial period. Other members of their household should isolate for 14 days and not leave their homes. If you test positive you will be contacted by contact tracers, who will establish who else you might have passed on the infection to. Anybody they deem to be at risk will have to isolate themselves for 14 days from the point of contact.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Wednesday that the African Champions League semifinals will be played in the original two-leg format instead of the one-leg format that had previously been approved by the CAF, while the Confederation Cup will be held in the one-leg format. The CAF Champions League semifinals include two teams from Egypt and two teams from Morocco, as Ahly faces Wydad Casablanca while Zamalek will play against Rajaa Casablanca. The CAF decided that the first leg matches will be played in Morocco on 25 and 26 September, and the second leg matches will be hosted by Cairo on 2 and 3 October. The final match of the continental club tournament will take place on 16 or 17 October, but under certain conditions determined by the CAF. If Ahly and Zamalek win their semifinal games, the final will be held in Cairo, and if Wydad and Rajaa defeat the Cairo giants, then the final will be held in Morocco. If the final includes a team from each country, the game will be hosted by a neutral venue. LONDON (AP) — Johnny Depp’s libel case against a British tabloid that accused him of abusing ex-wife Amber Heard was wrapping up Tuesday after three weeks of court hearings that dissected a toxic celebrity love affair. The “Pirates of the Caribbean” star is suing News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and the newspaper’s executive editor, Dan Wootton, at the High Court in London over an April 2018 article that called him a “wife-beater.” In closing arguments, Depp’s lawyer, David Sherborne, said the actor strongly denied “this reputation-destroying, career-ending allegation.” Once Sherborne is finished, judge Andrew Nicol will retire to sift claim and counterclaim as he considers his verdict. He is expected to hand down his ruling in several weeks. WHAT IS THE JUDGE DECIDING? Neither Depp nor Heard is on trial, though it has been easy to forget that during a case that raked over messy details of the couple’s volatile relationship. Depp is the claimant in the civil case, NGN and Wootton are the defendants and Heard is their main witness. To defeat Depp’s libel claim, the newspaper must persuade the judge that, on the balance of probabilities, its story was accurate. NGN’s lawyer, Sasha Wass, said in her summing-up that there was no doubt Depp “regularly and systematically abused his wife” and so the “wife-beater” label was justified. But Sherborne said The Sun’s article — which urged J.K. Rowling to have Depp fired from the movie version of her book “Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them” — gave the false impression Depp had been “tried, convicted and sentenced” for domestic violence. “Acting as both judge and jury, the defendants plainly and squarely state that Mr. Depp is guilty (of a) series of serious and violent criminal offenses,” he said. WHAT IS IN DISPUTE? The two sides agree that the relationship between Depp and Heard, which began after they met on the set of 2011 comedy “The Rum Diary,” soured long before they divorced in 2017. Texts, emails and recordings attest to the increasingly bitter relations between Depp, now 57, and the 34-year-old model and actress. But they disagree completely over who started and escalated their fights. Depp denies Heard’s claim of 14 separate incidents in which he allegedly hit, slapped and shoved her, pulled her hair and threw bottles at her “like grenades.” The judge was shown photos of Heard with black eyes, red marks on her face and an injured scalp — alleged evidence of Depp’s violence. Depp said the photos were part of a “dossier” of fake evidence and claimed that Heard hit him, even severing the tip of his finger with a thrown vodka bottle. Under cross-examination Depp admitted headbutting Heard during a tussle, but said it was by accident as he tried to stop her punching him. Heard acknowledged having a short temper and said she punched Depp once in March 2015. But she said it was to prevent him hitting her sister. WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? The trial has provided an up-close and often unflattering look at Hollywood stardom, revealing details of Depp’s life of wealth, luxury, emotional turmoil and substance abuse. Mark Stephens, a media lawyer at law firm Howard Kennedy, said the sensational case “has all of the hallmarks of the Roman arena.” “People will remember this case not for the results, but for the evidence — the rather nasty, gory evidence — that was involved,” he said. The settings for the disintegrating relationship were as glamorous as the allegations were sordid. The alleged assaults took place on Depp’s private island in the Bahamas, a Los Angeles penthouse, a luxury train and a private jet. Depp said in the witness box that he had made $650 million since he joined the lucrative “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise — and ended up $100 million in debt after his financial advisers neglected to pay his taxes for 17 years. Friends described Depp as a generous big spender, and he said he’d spent $5 million sending the ashes of his literary hero, drug-fueled journalist Hunter S. Thompson, into space. Whichever spouse was to blame, the relationship left a trail of destruction. Damage to a rented house in Australia where the couple had an altercation was estimated at more than $100,000. The couple’s downtown L.A. penthouse was trashed during another argument. The low point of the relationship, according to Depp, came when excrement was found in a bed at the penthouse. Heard blamed one of the couple’s two Yorkshire terriers, but Depp suspected Heard or one of her friends was to blame. WHO ARE THE WINNERS AND LOSERS? British libel law is widely considered to favor claimants over defendants, but Depp could end up a loser even if he wins. Depp said he sued The Sun because his career had been harmed by Heard’s allegations. But the case has amplified the claims for millions of people around the world, whatever the judge ends up deciding. “It almost beggars belief that anyone rational has taken this case to court,” Stephens said. “Now, I know that many people say it’s all about vindication. It’s all about proving he’s not a wife beater. But the stakes are very, very high for everybody. And at some level, mud sticks.” Heard also has had her character questioned and has been accused of fabricating evidence. She was accused by a #MeToo activist, Katherine Kendall, of appropriating a violent rape that happened to Kendall for her own ends. The most likely winners are Wass and Sherborne, tough lawyers who both made strong cases for their clients. Sherborne also has a starring role in another big celebrity trial — he’s representing the Duchess of Sussex in her lawsuit against the Mail on Sunday newspaper over publication of a private letter she sent to her father Thomas Markle. WILL THE VERDICT BE THE END OF THE STORY? Not likely. Depp is suing Heard for $50 million in Virginia over a Washington Post story about domestic violence. The trial is due to be held next year. Stephens said that if Depp “loses in London, he’s almost certain to lose that American case. So this is in some ways a dress rehearsal for the second case.” By JILL LAWLESS and DANICA KIRKA Image: US Actor Johnny Depp arrives at the High Court in London in London, Tuesday, July 28, 2020. Hollywood actor Johnny Depp is suing News Group Newspapers over a story about his former wife Amber Heard, published in The Sun in 2018 which branded him a ‘wife beater’, a claim he denies.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Egyptian singer Nouran AbuTaleb and bassist Samer George will live-stream a concert on Wednesday 5 August that will also feature Austrian singer Eva Klampfer, aka Lylit. "International media from all around the globe describe the two independent female artists as brave, unique and far from any superficialities," stated the Austrian Cultural Forum that organises the event, in cooperation with ROOM Art Space & Cafe. "United in their musical virtuosity, the female duo will not only perform a memorable live show but also present a jointly composed song that will have its live premiere on the occasion of the concert," the organisers added. The young talent, Nouran AbuTaleb, who featured in the last performance of Mohamed Mounir in Ramadan, performs a mixture of Arabic jazz and pop songs from different eras, along with original songs composed by herself and George. Lylit, one of the most successful soul singers in Austria, is famed locally for outstanding talents. Programme: Wednesday 5 August at 8pm Online on the Facebook pages of the Austrian Cultural Forum and Room Art Space

This Eid al-Adha cinema season, one of the most important seasons for film screenings throughout the year, emerges in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic which shuttered theaters across the country that are only now returning to life a capacity limit of 25 percent. Producers did not find this new occupancy limit attractive enough for new releases, with only one film announced to be screening in theaters this Eid: “al-Ghassala” (The Washing Machine), according to the director of a distribution company Safwat al-Helbawy. Starring Ahmed Hatem, Hana al-Zahid, Mahmoud Hamida, Mohamed Salam, Bayoumi Fouad, Ahmed Fathy, and Taher Abolila, the movie is written by Adel Salib, directed by Essam Abdel Hamid, and produced by Synergy Films, New Century and Misr International Films. Speaking to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Helbawy explained that in light of the 25 percent capacity limit, producers expect this Eid film season to only return profits if one or two films are screened. This means that several newly finished movies will not be screening in cinemas. These include “Awdet al-Aref” (The Return of the Knower) starring Ahmed Ezz, “al-Ankabout” (The Spider) starring Ahmed al-Sakka, which was postponed to 2021, as well as “al-Baad La Yazhab lel Maazoun Maretain” (Some Do Not Go to the Marriage Registrar Twice) starring Karim Abdel Aziz. And screening dates remain unannounced for “Zenzana Seven” (Cell Seven) starring Ahmed Zahir and Nidal al-Shafei, “Shereet Six” starring Khaled al-Sawy, “Mousa” starring Karim Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, and “Al-Harith” starring Ahmed al-Fishawy and Yasmin Raees. Another distribution company director, Hassan Abdel Fattah, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the film “Saheb al-Maqam” starring Yousra and Asser Yassin will only debut through electronic platforms this season. He added that the movie “Tawaam Roahy” (My Spiritual Twin) will not be shown in cinemas due to a lack of agreement on when it would be screened across the Arab world. Films already being screened before cinemas were shuttered, such as “al-Flous” (The Money), “Les Baghdad” (Baghdad Thief), “Ras al-Sana” (New Year’s), and “Banat Thanawy” (Secondary School Girls), will be screened if no new films are released this Eid, Abdel Fattah explained.

"The Isis String Orchestra will soon launch its activities, inviting new amateur string players to join the creative body," Khaled Saleh, Egyptian violin player and founder of the orchestra told Ahram Online. The new orchestra is a continuation of Saleh s previous project of the same character, Osiris String Orchestra, a body that was also established by the musician. Saleh is a graduate of the Cairo Conservatory, where he recieved his PhD and teaches until present. He recieved his master’s degree from the Indiana University (2011). Also an alumni of Fulbright, Saleh is a former violin player at the Cairo Symphony Orchestra (2004-2009). Since 2017, he has been a member of the Committee of Music, Opera and Ballet at the Supreme Council of Culture (Ministry of Culture), and a coordinator and jury member of the Nicolas Latif string competition. He is also a violin instructor at the Al Nour Wal Amal Orchestra, consisting of blind women musicians. While performing with numerous ensembles, Saleh founded the Awtar Quartet consisting of professional musicians in 2012. In 2016, he founded the Osiris String Orchestra, an ensemble which until 2018 aimed to develop and provide performance opportunities to amateur musicians. Supported by the Awtar Quartet, the trainings and rehearsals were taking place at the Osiris for Art Production and Training. "In 2018, I left the project and later on the Osiris closed," Saleh clarified, adding that the Isis String Orchestra will be composed entirely of amateur musicians with a new pattern of trainings and rehearsals, and in a new location. "Just as we worked with Osiris, the Isis String Orchestra will have a few seasons per year with each lasting for three months during which I provide trainings as we prepare for the final performances. This time we will have one group rehearsal per week, with additional work being done online. This time, the Awtar Quartet will support the ensemble in the final performance only," Saleh said. "I hope to hold a concert after the completion of our first season which begins on 4 September. In case the situation of the pandemic worsens, we will definitely do some virtual projects, videos to be posted online, etc." The orchestra relies on violins and celli, inviting all amateur musicians to join the team which is fully trained by Saleh in addition to him directing and conducting the orchestra. "We already have numerous members coming from the Osiris orchestra. The new ones are welcome to join, bearing in mind that they should have some experience in playing the violin, viola or cello. The ability of reading music -- even if not professionally -- is also one of the basic requirements." Following its previous practice, the Isis String Orchestra focuses on Western classical music, some light compositions, as well as a few works from the Arabic repertoire, all of which are being chosen and arranged for the ability of the performers. Saleh s amateur orchestra is definitely a rarity on Egypt s cultural scene. "There are many similar practices internationally," Saleh clarified. "In Egypt, we have many people playing string instruments on hobbystic basis and mostly their efforts are limited to taking courses here and there. With the Isis String Orchestra, we can provide a platform for those talents to nurture their passion and perform in front of the audience." Throughout the years of operations, the body became a community which shares similar mindsets and interests. As Saleh underscores, the musicians became friends and are eager to welcome new members to their practice. "Since 2018, when we stopped our activities, all the members of Osiris were eager to return to music and the orchestra." Saleh also explains the choice of the orchestra s name, saying that "it takes us back to the Egyptian mythology where the god Osiris, a primeval king of Egypt was killed by his brother Set and his body was cut up into pieces. As the myth says, Osiris wife Isis restored her husband s body, something that we are now doing with the new orchestra." The call for new amateur string players remains open until 15 August. The musicians can follow the Isis String Orchestra facebook page for more details. The activities will kick-off on 4 September.

LONDON (AP) — Amber Heard alleged in a British court on Wednesday that her ex-husband Johnny Depp threw “30 or so bottles” at her as if they were “grenades or bombs” while they were in Australia in March 2015 and that he accidentally severed part of his finger during the assault. Taking to the witness box for a third day at the High Court in London during Depp’s libel case against a British tabloid, the actress refuted his allegation that it was she who lost her temper and that she had injured him. Heard has described her stay in Australia with Depp as akin to a “three-day hostage situation,” during which Depp was “completely out of his mind and out of control.” She has said that she feared for her life while at the rented property on Australia’s Gold Coast. The incident is central to The Sun’s labeling of Depp in an April 2018 article as a “wife beater.” The Sun’s defense relies on 14 allegations made by Heard of violence by Depp between 2013 and 2016, in settings including the rented house in Australia, his private island in the Bahamas, and a private jet. He denies the charges and claims Heard was the aggressor during their relationship. He was present once again to hear Heard’s testimony. Depp, 57, is suing The Sun’s publisher, News Group Newspapers, and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, over the article. Depp’s lawyer, Eleanor Laws, said Heard had worked herself “into a rage” during her stay in Australia, where Depp was filming the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Heard, 34, said she got “angry at times but not into a rage that would cause me to throw anything at him.” She did concede that she did break one bottle in their second evening together in Australia as they argued about the scale of his drinking. “I regret I did that,” said Heard, who also claimed that Depp would often credit her for saving him by trying to get him clean and sober. After she smashed the bottle, Heard alleges that Depp, fueled by drink and drugs, started throwing bottles, full enough that they broke a window behind her. “He threw all the bottles that were in reach, all except for one which was a celebratory magnum-sized bottle of wine,” she said. Heard also denied severing the tip of Depp’s finger during the bottle-throwing frenzy and that she put out a cigarette on his cheek during the incident. She said it was something that Depp used to do to himself. “Johnny did it right in front of me, he often did things like that,” she said. In the first nine days of testimony at the High Court, judge Andrew Nicol heard from Depp and from several current or former employees who backed his version of events. In his testimony, Depp said he was the one being abused by Heard and that she had a history of being violent against him. In written testimony released to the court, Heard said that at various times during their relationship she endured “punching, slapping, kicking, head-butting and choking.” She said some incidents were “so severe” she was “afraid he was going to kill me, either intentionally or just by losing control and going too far.” She said he blamed his actions on “a self-created third party” that he referred to as “the monster.” Depp and Heard met on the set of the comedy “The Rum Diary,” released in 2011. They married in Los Angeles in February 2015. Heard filed for divorce the following year, and it was finalized in 2017. Heard’s testimony is expected to last for four days, through Thursday. By PAN PYLAS Image: US actress Amber Heard arrives at the High Court in London in London, Wednesday, July 22, 2020. Actor Heard’s ex-husband Johnny Depp is suing News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and the paper’s executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article that called him a “wife-beater.” Depp strongly denies all allegations. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

British actress Tilda Swinton and Hong Kong director and producer Ann Hui will receive lifetime achievement awards at the Venice Film Festival in September, organisers said Monday. "Tilda Swinton is unanimously recognised as one of the most original and powerful performers to establish herself at the end of the last century," said festival director, Alberto Barbera. Swinton, 59, made her debut in 1986 in Derek Jarman s Caravaggio and worked with him in seven other films, including The Last of England (1987), The Garden (1990), Edward II (1991) and Wittgenstein (1993). Swinton won a BAFTA and an Oscar for best supporting actress for her performance as a hard-nosed corporate attorney in Tony Gilroy s 2007 film Michael Clayton. Barbera similarly praised Hui, describing her as "one of Asia s most respected, prolific, and versatile directors of our times." After studying at Hong Kong University and then at the London Film School in the early 1970s, Hui, made her debut feature film, The Secret, in 1979, which established her as a leading light in Hong Kong s New Wave movement alongside Tsui Hark, John Woo, and Patrick Tam. Now, at 73, she has made 26 films, two documentaries and a number of shorts. This year s Venice festival, its 77th edition, will run from September 2 to 12, and will be greatly reduced in size as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, with strict social distancing rules in force. It is seen as doubly important this year because other top festivals, including Cannes, have been cancelled. The line-up will be announced on July 28.

Egyptian singer and actor Mohamed Ramadan announced the postponement of his upcoming television series “Al-Embrator” (The Emperor), based on the life of the late Egyptian actor Ahmed Zaki, due to Zaki’s heirs’ objections. Ramadan added that he will instead begin work on another project, titled “Moussa” (Moses). Ramadan published a picture on his official Facebook page with the name Moussa in red. He commented: “The [Ahmed Zaki] series was postponed pending negotiations with his heirs… Our next series (Moussa) is written by Nasser Abdel Rahman, directed by Mohamed Salama, and produced by Tamer Morsy.” Ramadan announced in June that Synergy Productions contracted with screenwriter Bashir al-Deek to write a series about Ahmed Zaki. Ramadan said that he would play the lead role in the series, which was expected to air during the 2021 Ramadan drama season.

Popular Egyptian band Massar Egbari will give a live concert on 22 July at the Cairo Opera House s newly-established open-air stage Fountain Theatre. The band will introduce original songs addressing social topics, such as Fakrah (Do You Remember), Mafish Haga (Nothing), Hawy (Magician), Tareeq Tany (Another Road) and many others. Massar Egbari s last appearance was an online streaming concert in early June during the first season of the WE Online Music Festival. Founded in 2005 and coming to prominence a few years later, Massar Egbari is at present one of the leading independent bands in Egypt, with the line-up of well-known musicians Hani El-Dakkak (guitar and lead vocal), Ahmed Hafez (bass guitar), Tamer Attallah (drums), Ayman Massoud (keyboards), and Mahmoud Siam (guitar). The band has remained active during the general shutdown of cultural activities. It was the first independent Egyptian band to livestream a concert on 24 March. After a four-month suspension amid the coronavirus shutdown, the Cairo Opera House re-launched activities on 9 July amid strict precautionary measures.