SOUNDSTORM Concludes after 260 Hours of Music

A general view during MDLBeast Soundstorm 2021 on December 19, 2021 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Neville Hopwood/Getty Images
A general view during MDLBeast Soundstorm 2021 on December 19, 2021 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Neville Hopwood/Getty Images
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SOUNDSTORM Concludes after 260 Hours of Music

A general view during MDLBeast Soundstorm 2021 on December 19, 2021 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Neville Hopwood/Getty Images
A general view during MDLBeast Soundstorm 2021 on December 19, 2021 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Neville Hopwood/Getty Images

Music lovers said goodbye to the region’s largest music festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, SOUNDSTORM, after over 260 hours of music played on seven stages over three days.

Tickets to watch the greatest, global artists partaking in this gigantic musical manifestation were sold out as hundreds of thousands of people attended to enjoy all kinds of music on massive stages.

The last day of the festival was packed with the world’s greatest DJs and singers on all stages. The audience at the Big Beast stage were thrilled with DJ Afrojack and his collaboration with Egypt’s Mohamed Ramadan, as well as Marshmello, and David Guetta who played until 3:00 am.

Despite the cold weather encircling the Saudi capital these days, the festival added a special warmth, offering an exquisite, thrilling place that attracts any life lover. The music and the accompanying activities that entertained the visitors while moving from stage to another turned the festival into an endless pleasure.

In the Tent Beast, a giant tent equipped with several giant screens and lasers, visitors found the excitement zone where they can never feel bored. On its last day, the tent hosted long hours of music played by some of the world’s most known DJs including R3HAB, Steve Aoki, and Lost Frequencies who spent the whole night entertaining thousands of fans.

The Down Beast stage was dedicated to those who wanted to stay away from loud music and dancing, and sat to listen to quiet music with their loved ones. Down Beast concluded its days with Palestinian singer Elyanna with her peaceful, tender voice, Jorja Smith, followed by the band Autostrad, and finally with Shkoon.

The four Underground stages entertained their audiences with renowned artists including Amber Broos, Kayan, Rash, Carl Cox, and many others DJs who played techno music and high-pitch rhythms that turned the spectators into storms of singing and dancing.

Most of the visitors agreed that these three days were among the most entertaining days they have ever witnessed; the ambiance they experienced during SOUNDSTORM were full of joy, music, and entertainment accompanied with the best services, foods, and beverages.

The SOUNDSTORM festival brought together over 100 artists from around the world to perform for hundreds of thousands of spectators. This year’s edition hosted the best DJs and singers including DJ Khaled, Post Malone, Bruno Mars, Busta Rhymes, in addition to Arabic singers such as Nancy Ajram, Myriam Fares, Majid al-Muhandis, Amr Diab, and Mohamed Hamaki.



Singer Julio Iglesias Accused of ‘Human Trafficking’ by Former Staff

Spanish singer Julio Iglesias sings during the Telethon television program in Paris on December 6, 2003. (AFP)
Spanish singer Julio Iglesias sings during the Telethon television program in Paris on December 6, 2003. (AFP)
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Singer Julio Iglesias Accused of ‘Human Trafficking’ by Former Staff

Spanish singer Julio Iglesias sings during the Telethon television program in Paris on December 6, 2003. (AFP)
Spanish singer Julio Iglesias sings during the Telethon television program in Paris on December 6, 2003. (AFP)

A criminal complaint filed by two former employees of veteran Spanish singer Julio Iglesias accuses him of "human trafficking" and "forced labor", according to advocacy groups supporting the women.

The women allege they suffered sexual and other forms of abuse while working at Iglesias's properties in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas in 2021, Women's Link Worldwide and Amnesty International said late Tuesday.

The organizations said a complaint filed with Spanish prosecutors on January 5 outlined alleged acts that could be considered "a crime of human trafficking for the purpose of forced labor" and "crimes against sexual freedom".

Iglesias subjected them to "sexual harassment, regularly checked their mobile phones, restricted their ability to leave the home where they worked, and required them to work up to 16 hours a day without days off," according to testimony collected by the two groups.

One of the women, a Dominican identified as Rebeca, who was 22 at the time of the alleged incidents, said she spoke out to seek justice and set an example for other employees of the singer.

"I want to tell them to be strong, to raise their voices, to remember he is not invincible," she said, according to a statement by Women's Link.

The allegations were first detailed in an investigation published Tuesday by US television network Univision and Spanish newspaper elDiario.es.

Spain's Equality Minister, Ana Redondo, has called for "a full investigation" into the allegations.

Iglesias, 82, is one of the most successful Latin artists of all time. Best known for his romantic ballads, he enjoyed huge success during the 1970s and 1980s and has recorded with US artists including Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder and Willie Nelson.

Iglesias has not publicly responded to the allegations.


K-Pop Heartthrobs BTS to Kick Off World Tour in April

Pedestrians walk along the stairs displayed with the BTS logo and release date of BTS' 2026 album at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on January 14, 2026. (AFP)
Pedestrians walk along the stairs displayed with the BTS logo and release date of BTS' 2026 album at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on January 14, 2026. (AFP)
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K-Pop Heartthrobs BTS to Kick Off World Tour in April

Pedestrians walk along the stairs displayed with the BTS logo and release date of BTS' 2026 album at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on January 14, 2026. (AFP)
Pedestrians walk along the stairs displayed with the BTS logo and release date of BTS' 2026 album at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on January 14, 2026. (AFP)

K-pop megastars BTS will kick off their first world tour in four years in April, their label said on Wednesday, part of a hotly-anticipated comeback following a hiatus for the South Koreans whose music has become a global phenomenon.

BTS -- known for funky and fun hits like "Dynamite" and "Butter" -- hold the record as the most-streamed group on Spotify and are the first K-pop act to have topped both the Billboard 200 and the Billboard Artist 100 charts in the United States.

But the Bulletproof Boy Scouts -- as their name means in Korean -- haven't toured or released music since 2022 as they underwent the national military service required of all South Korean men under the age of 30.

Now that all seven members have completed their military service the band's label announced on New Year's Day they would release a new album in March before heading on tour the following month.

Spanning 34 cities with 79 performances, it will be the largest-ever single tour by a K-pop group in terms of total shows and the "widest regional reach for a South Korean artist," according to the band's agency, HYBE.

The world tour will kick off in South Korea's Goyang on April 9, with two additional concerts in the city before moving on to neighboring Japan.

They will then head to the United States and Europe, with the tour ending in March 2027 in Manila.

The band's label said that more cities will be announced, including additional stops in Japan and the Middle East.

Their new album -- as yet unnamed -- will be their first since the anthology "Proof", which became South Korea's bestselling record of 2022.

- 'Right kidney is waving' -

BTS's famously loyal fanbase -- known as ARMY -- reacted with elation at news of the world tour.

One fan wrote in response to the news on Facebook that to buy a ticket their "Right kidney is waving".

"Army hunger games are about to start," another wrote, drawing a comparison between fans trying to get tickets and a series of popular young adult novels in which contestants fight to the death.

BTS is big business in South Korea -- before their military service, they generated more than 5.5 trillion won ($3.7 billion) for the country per year, according to Seoul's Korea Culture and Tourism Institute.

The figure is equivalent to roughly 0.2 percent of South Korea's total GDP.

HYBE's shares traded higher at Wednesday's market open on news of their world tour, rising around three percent.

And investment bank IBK Securities on Wednesday projected the firm's operating profits this year would soar tenfold compared to 2025.


Nicolas Cage Film Stopped Amid Nazi Flag Concerns

Nicolas Cage is set to star in WWII espionage thriller Operation Fortitude (Getty Images) 
Nicolas Cage is set to star in WWII espionage thriller Operation Fortitude (Getty Images) 
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Nicolas Cage Film Stopped Amid Nazi Flag Concerns

Nicolas Cage is set to star in WWII espionage thriller Operation Fortitude (Getty Images) 
Nicolas Cage is set to star in WWII espionage thriller Operation Fortitude (Getty Images) 

The East London council shut down the production of an upcoming war film starring Nicolas Cage due to concerns over Nazi iconography, according to British METRO website.

The American Oscar-winning actor, 62, is due to star in Fortitude, a historical spy action-adventure film directed by Simon West.

Set during the Second World War, the film tells the true story of Operation Fortitude, which was undertaken by the Allied Forces in 1944 to deceive Nazi Germany leaders and mislead Nazi Intelligence.

British Intelligence operatives utilized unprecedented strategic operations such as double agents, fake armies, and military equipment to mislead the Nazis about the nature and timing of D-Day, the storming of Normandy.

Filming began in London on September 8, 2025, with other cast members including Matthew Goode, Ed Skrein, Alice Eve, Michael Sheen, and Ben Kingsley.

However, the crew encountered a hurdle when plans to shoot at Waltham Forest Town Hall fell through.

Set dressing would have included draping flags emblazoned with the swastika over the building.

While a filming permit was not formally granted and the council did not collect a fee for such, Waltham Forest Council initially signed off on the project under the conditions that residents would be consulted and “Nazi-era flags and symbols were not publicly visible.”

But production was “abruptly” brought forward to September, having originally been planned for October, meaning there was not enough time for consultation with locals.