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Riyadh to Host 4th Gulf Film Festival in April

The logo of the Saudi Film Commission
The logo of the Saudi Film Commission
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Riyadh to Host 4th Gulf Film Festival in April

The logo of the Saudi Film Commission
The logo of the Saudi Film Commission

The city of Riyadh will host the fourth annual Gulf Film Festival (GFF) under the patronage of Saudi Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Film Commission Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al-Saud.

The festival, which is organized by the Film Commission in cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) General Secretariat, will be held over five days, from April 14 to 18.

The festival serves a dual purpose: supporting the regional film industry and fostering artistic exchange on a global scale. The ultimate aim is to cultivate a thriving Gulf film industry that empowers local talent, celebrates Gulf values, and strengthens cultural identity.

The GFF will not only showcase a competitive selection of 29 films from all GCC countries, but also honor veteran actors for their contributions to Gulf cinema. Additionally, the festival offers a platform for learning and development through three training workshops and six educational seminars focused on fostering artistic dialogue and raising awareness of cinema's social impact.

Filmmakers will vie for prestigious awards across various filmmaking categories, including short films, feature films, screenplays, soundtracks, and acting. These awards serve as a testament to the Film Commission's dedication to nurturing Gulf cinematic talent and propelling the region's film industry forward.

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Australia Bans Uranium Mining at Indigenous Site

A view shows a sign at the Energy Resources Australia (ERA) Ranger Project Area in Kakadu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Northern Territory, Australia, July 11, 2024. (Reuters)
A view shows a sign at the Energy Resources Australia (ERA) Ranger Project Area in Kakadu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Northern Territory, Australia, July 11, 2024. (Reuters)
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Australia Bans Uranium Mining at Indigenous Site

A view shows a sign at the Energy Resources Australia (ERA) Ranger Project Area in Kakadu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Northern Territory, Australia, July 11, 2024. (Reuters)
A view shows a sign at the Energy Resources Australia (ERA) Ranger Project Area in Kakadu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Northern Territory, Australia, July 11, 2024. (Reuters)

Australia moved Saturday to ban mining at one of the world's largest high-grade uranium deposits, highlighting the site's "enduring connection" to Indigenous Australians.

The Jabiluka deposit in northern Australia is surrounded by the heritage-listed Kakadu national park, a tropical expanse of gorges and waterfalls featured in the first "Crocodile Dundee" film.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the national park would be extended to include the Jabiluka site -- which has never been mined -- honoring the decades-long desires of the Mirrar people.

"They were seeking a guarantee that there would never be uranium mining on their land," Albanese told a crowd of Labor Party supporters in Sydney.

"This means there will never be mining at Jabiluka," he added.

Archaeologists discovered a buried trove of stone axes and tools near the Jabiluka site in 2017, which they dated at tens of thousands of years old.

The find was "proof of the extraordinary and enduring connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander have had with our land", Albanese said.

"The Mirrar people have loved and cared for their land for more than 60,000 years.

"That beautiful part of Australia is home to some of the oldest rock art in the world," he added.

Discovered in the early 1970s, efforts to exploit the Jabiluka deposit have for decades been tied-up in legal wrangling between Indigenous custodians and mining companies.

It is one of the world's largest unexploited high-grade uranium deposits, according to the World Nuclear Association.

Rio Tinto-controlled company Energy Resources of Australia previously held mining leases at Jabiluka.

The conservation of Indigenous sites has come under intense scrutiny in Australia after mining company Rio Tinto blew up the 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge rock shelters in 2020.

Australia's conservative opposition has vowed to build nuclear power plants across the country if it wins the next election, overturning a 26-year nuclear ban.