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Naseer Shamma to Hold First Oud Orchestra Concert in Saudi Arabia

Naseer Shamma. (AFP)
Naseer Shamma. (AFP)
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Naseer Shamma to Hold First Oud Orchestra Concert in Saudi Arabia

Naseer Shamma. (AFP)
Naseer Shamma. (AFP)

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture in Dhahran is set to host Iraqi oud player Naseer Shamma on December 20 to 22.

For the first time in Saudi Arabia, Shamma will lead the 35-member "Oud Orchestra" in three concerts composed by him at the "Ithra" theater.

Shamma said: "Oud is not only a musical instrument. It represents a great cultural heritage, and the concerts that I will lead in Saudi Arabia are more than just musical performance. They are a cultural journey extending from the past to the present."

He described playing in Saudi Arabia for the first time is a great achievement.

"I look forward to share my music passion with the audience at the Ithra theater. This musical program is a life… a revived soul… and a world that interacts with music to please the audience and me."

Shamma established the first Arab Oud House in both Cairo and Abu Dhabi.

He studied the instrument and developed it, creating an oud with eight strings, inspired by Al-Farabi's manuscripts on music and the Arabic instrument.

He also created methods to help children and people with special needs play oud and enjoy it with one hand.

He holds many titles like the Ambassador of the East from the German Ministry of Cultural, and received the Artistic Excellence Award from the Arab Thought Foundation.

He established many projects, such as the "Eastern Orchestra," which gathered more than 75 musicians from the Far and the Near East, and "Our Motherland", aimed at supporting peace.

Shamma performed in various world-renowned venues such as the Olympia Theater in Paris, the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, ​​and in large cities like Sharjah and Abu Dhabi in in the Middle East.

He was also appointed as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.

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Varieties

British Baker’s Criticism of Mexican ‘Ugly’ Bread Triggers Social Media Outrage

Bolillos, a traditional Mexican bread, sit for sale at a street stand in Mexico City, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
Bolillos, a traditional Mexican bread, sit for sale at a street stand in Mexico City, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
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British Baker’s Criticism of Mexican ‘Ugly’ Bread Triggers Social Media Outrage

Bolillos, a traditional Mexican bread, sit for sale at a street stand in Mexico City, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
Bolillos, a traditional Mexican bread, sit for sale at a street stand in Mexico City, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

A blunt critique of Mexican bread by a British baker sparked a cascade of social media outrage, ultimately leading to a public apology.

In an interview for a food-themed podcast that resurfaced online, Richard Hart, the co-founder of Green Rhino bakery in Mexico City and a well-known figure in international baking circles, said Mexicans “don’t really have much of a bread culture,” adding that “they make sandwiches on these white, ugly rolls that are pretty cheap and industrially made.”

His comments quickly rippled across Instagram, TikTok and X, with many Mexicans accusing him of being dismissive and insulting of Mexico’s traditional breads.

What began as a dispute over bread soon ignited a national debate over food identity — not only over who defines Mexican culinary traditions, but also over the growing influence of foreigners in a capital already tense from a surge of US expatriates and tourists, according to AP.

Social media was soon flooded with memes, reaction videos, and passionate defenses of Mexican bread.

Users took to social media to praise everyday staples — from the crusty bolillos used for tortas to the iconic conchas found in neighborhood bakeries.

In many cases, these simple street foods act as a uniting factor across social groups and classes, and often cut to the core of the country’s cultural identity.

While wheat bread was introduced to Mexico during the colonial period, the classic food staple evolved into a distinct national tradition, blending European techniques with local tastes and ingredients. Today, small neighborhood bakeries remain central to daily life in cities and towns, serving as social hubs as well as food sources.

The incident prompted many to question why a foreign entrepreneur would publicly disparage a staple so deeply embedded in Mexican life. For many, Hart’s remarks echoed long-standing frustrations over foreign chefs and restaurateurs receiving disproportionate prestige, as well as concerns over gentrification in the capital.

“Don’t mess with the bolillo,” warned one viral post on X.

As criticism mounted, Hart issued a public apology on Instagram, saying his comments were poorly phrased and did not show respect for Mexico and its people. He acknowledged the emotional response and said he didn’t behave as a “guest.”

“I made a mistake,” Hart said in his statement. “I regret it deeply.”

Varieties

High-speed Passenger Train Kills 7 Elephants in India

Elephants are used to clear logs and debris in a village affected by flooding in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahyar Tarmizi)
Elephants are used to clear logs and debris in a village affected by flooding in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahyar Tarmizi)
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High-speed Passenger Train Kills 7 Elephants in India

Elephants are used to clear logs and debris in a village affected by flooding in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahyar Tarmizi)
Elephants are used to clear logs and debris in a village affected by flooding in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahyar Tarmizi)

Seven wild Asiatic elephants were killed and a calf was injured when a high-speed passenger train collided with a herd crossing the tracks in India's northeastern state of Assam early Saturday, local authorities said.

The train driver spotted the herd of about 100 elephants and used the emergency brakes, but the train still hit some of the animals, Indian Railways spokesman Kapinjal Kishore Sharma told The Associated Press.

Five train coaches and the engine derailed following the impact, but there were no human casualties, Sharma said.

Veterinarians carried out autopsies on the dead elephants, which were to be buried later in the day.

The accident site is a forested area around 125 kilometers southeast of Assam’s capital city of Guwahati. Railway tracks in the state are frequented by elephants, but Indian Railways said in a statement the accident location wasn't a designated elephant corridor.

The Rajdhani Express train, traveling from Sairang in Mizoram state bordering Myanmar, was bound for the national capital of New Delhi with 650 passengers onboard when it hit with elephants.

“We delinked the coaches which were not derailed, and the train resumed its journey for New Delhi. Around 200 passengers who were in the five derailed coaches have been moved to Guwahati in a different train,” Sharma said.

Speeding trains hitting wild elephants is not rare in Assam, which is home to an estimated 7,000 wild Asiatic elephants, one of the highest concentrations of the pachyderm in India. Since 2020, at least a dozen elephants have been killed by speeding trains across the state.

Wild elephants often stray into human habitations this time of year, when rice fields are ready for harvesting.

Varieties

Winter at Tantora Festival Kicks Off in AlUla

The 2025–2026 season features a diverse array of immersive experiences - SPA
The 2025–2026 season features a diverse array of immersive experiences - SPA
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Winter at Tantora Festival Kicks Off in AlUla

The 2025–2026 season features a diverse array of immersive experiences - SPA
The 2025–2026 season features a diverse array of immersive experiences - SPA

The Winter at Tantora Festival launched yesterday in AlUla Governorate and will run until January 10, 2026, marking the beginning of the winter season with a rich program that celebrates the region’s deep-rooted agricultural and historical heritage.

The festival derives its name from the Tantora, a traditional mudbrick sundial located in the heart of AlUla’s Old Town. For centuries, local farmers and residents relied on this stone marker to tell time, manage water distribution rights, and signal the start of the winter planting season, SPA reported.

The 2025–2026 season features a diverse array of immersive experiences. "Old Town Nights" offers an atmospheric evening of heritage storytelling and fine dining at the historic AlUla Fort, while the "AlManshiyah Carnival" creates a festive space for families with traditional games and parades.

Music remains a central pillar of the festival, with performances set against AlUla’s most iconic backdrops. The "Shorfat Tantora" (Tantora Balconies) series brings live music to the rooftops of the AlJadidah Arts District, while major concerts are scheduled at the Maraya mirrored hall and the Thanaya open-air amphitheater.

These events are part of the broader AlUla Moments calendar, supporting the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to highlight the Kingdom's heritage and establish AlUla as a premier global destination.