عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Varieties

Emirate of Sharjah Provides Grant to Renovate Gibran Khalil Gibran Museum

Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed al-Qasimi, ruler of Sharjah. (Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty Images)
Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed al-Qasimi, ruler of Sharjah. (Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty Images)
    Beirut - Sawsan el-Abtah
TT
TT

Emirate of Sharjah Provides Grant to Renovate Gibran Khalil Gibran Museum

Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed al-Qasimi, ruler of Sharjah. (Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty Images)
Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed al-Qasimi, ruler of Sharjah. (Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty Images)

The Gibran Khalil Gibran Museum, located in the Lebanese town of Bsharri, is celebrating a grant provided by Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, ruler of Sharjah, to restore and renovate the museum.

The grant will be used to preserve the museum’s possessions, and restore artifacts including photos, manuscripts, tools, books, and paintings, as well as equipping it with the latest museum display technologies.

The grant was announced after talks and negotiations that ran over the past year between Lebanon and Sharjah to determine the works that will be implemented, and the projects in which this grant will be invested amid the hard circumstances that the country and the museum are living following the pandemic’s lockdowns and the economic collapse that heavily affected the cultural life in Lebanon.

The agreement was signed last week, on the sidelines of the opening of the Sharjah International Book Fair, by Joseph Fenianos, head of the museum’s committee, and Marwa Obaid Al Aqroubi, director of the House of Wisdom affiliated with the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, to implement renovation, restoration, and development projects at the Gibran Khalil Gibran Museum within five years.

The agreement consists of developing the museum, and printing Gibran Khalil Gibran’s books.
Attending the Sharjah book fair, Joseph Fenianos met with Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, ruler of Sharjah, and gifted him a figurine of the late Lebanese writer sculpted by Artist Rudy Rahme.

Joseph Geagea, manager of the Gibran Museum in Bsharri, told Asharq Al-Awsat: “The contact between the two parties is not new. An esteemed exhibition about Gibran was held in Sharjah in 2015. Another one took place on the occasion of the House of Wisdom opening from September 2021 till January 2022, for which we shipped many paintings, the atelier of Gibran and his brushes, and an important collection of manuscripts that we displayed there.

“The opening was supposed to be attended by Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, but later, we knew that the Ruler of Sharjah would attend too. First, we thought the ruler would pass by for a few minutes, but surprisingly, our meeting with him lasted for 55 minutes, during which he seemed so interested in Gibran and his literature. As a tribute, the Ruler of Sharjah directed to provide a grant for the Gibran Museum.”

Few days ago, the head of the museum’s committee traveled to Sharjah to sign the agreement.

“We knew a grant has been provided to the museum, so we set a list of the works we need, including printing Gibran’s books, in addition to improving, developing, and mechanizing the information center dedicated for the visitors. The most important project is probably changing some of the old presentations that visitors have seen for many years. We have 440 paintings drawn by Gibran with water colors, charcoal, and pastels, but only 150 works are currently displayed, which means there are around 300 paintings hidden because we are not able to display them. What we want is to improve the work at the museum, so visitors keep coming and see new works every time. At our museum, we have the world’s largest collection of Gibran’s paintings,” Geagea told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The Gibran Museum team presented five projects to develop the museum in Bsharri, and they were all approved.

“Hopefully, we will manage to preserve the heritage of Gibran, and present it to the Arab people and the world in the best way. We will protect this unique history for humanity. Gibran is not an Arabic writer, he’s international,” added Geagea.

Gibran Khalil Gibran is still the third most read novelist in the world, following Shakespeare, and the Chinese philosopher Laozi. His book, “The Prophet” was translated into 130 languages with several translations in each language; it has 17 different translations into German, 20 into French, and around six into Chinese.

Foreign embassies have always shown special interest in the Gibran Museum. The Japanese embassy in Beirut has recently provided a grant, and the Bulgarian embassy restored the personal library of the late novelist. However, the Arabic interest in the museum of a Lebanese, Arabic novelist remains the most special, and has a unique significance.

Most Viewed

 
 
Varieties

Somalia Welcomes Its First Bowling Alley as the Middle Class and Diaspora Returnees Grow

People bowl at the Feynuus Bowling Center in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Jan. 15, 2026. (AP)
People bowl at the Feynuus Bowling Center in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Jan. 15, 2026. (AP)
TT
TT

Somalia Welcomes Its First Bowling Alley as the Middle Class and Diaspora Returnees Grow

People bowl at the Feynuus Bowling Center in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Jan. 15, 2026. (AP)
People bowl at the Feynuus Bowling Center in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Jan. 15, 2026. (AP)

In a city long defined by conflict, Somalia ’s capital of Mogadishu now echoes with the crash of pins at the country's first modern bowling alley.

It's the latest sign of revival in the once-thriving Indian Ocean port shaped by 35 years of civil war and militant bombings. Millions of people were forced to flee what became one of the world’s most dangerous cities. Those who remained avoided public spaces as the al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabab waged an insurgency against the Somali state.

In recent years, improved security measures against al-Shabab, an expanded government presence and growing private investment have allowed daily life to re-emerge. Cafes line newly reopened streets, beaches draw evening crowds and traffic congestion, once unimaginable, now clogs key intersections.

The Feynuus Bowling Center opened last year and draws many locals and Somalis returning from the diaspora, who bring investment and business ideas after years of sending billions of dollars in remittances from abroad.

On a recent evening, young Somalis gathered in groups, laughing and filming each other on their phones while music played. Many from the diaspora are visiting Mogadishu for the first time in years, or the first time ever.

“I couldn’t believe Mogadishu has this place,” said Hudoon Abdi, a Somali-Canadian on holiday, as she prepared to take her turn to bowl.

“I’m enjoying it. Mogadishu is actually safe,” she said, urging others to visit.

Mogadishu remains vulnerable to militant attacks, however, with security measures like checkpoints and heavily guarded zones part of daily life. Non-Somalis remain largely confined to a compound at the international airport.

But residents say the ability to gather for recreation signals an important psychological shift. Such venues provide a welcoming environment for a younger generation eager for safe spaces to socialize.

Abukar Hajji returned from the United Kingdom on holiday after many years away and found the difference between what he imagined and what he experienced eye-opening.

“When I was flying from the UK, I believed it was a scary place, like a war-torn country,” he said. “Everyone told me, ‘Good luck,’ but when I came and saw it with my own eyes, I didn’t want to leave.”

Sadaq Abdurahman, the manager of the bowling center, said the idea for the business emerged from a growing demand among young people for recreational facilities.

“It has created employment opportunities for at least 40 youths,” he said.

According to the Somali National Bureau of Statistics, Somalia’s unemployment rate stands at 21.4%.

The bowling alley has private security guards, bag checks and surveillance cameras, reflecting the precautions common at public venues in Mogadishu.

Urban planners and economists say businesses like the bowling alley signal a broader shift in Mogadishu’s recovery, as private sector growth increasingly complements international aid and government-led rebuilding efforts.

Ahmed Khadar Abdi Jama, a lecturer in economics at the University of Somalia, said innovative businesses are responding to the needs of diaspora returnees and the growing middle class, “which in turn adds to the expected increase in Somalia’s GDP.”

Outside the bowling alley, traffic hummed and neon signs flickered, other reminders of Mogadishu’s fragile transformation.

Varieties

Benefit of Taking Magnesium Does Not Get Enough Attention

Nutrition experts recommended trying to get more of magnesium in our diet from food first (Harvard University)
Nutrition experts recommended trying to get more of magnesium in our diet from food first (Harvard University)
TT
TT

Benefit of Taking Magnesium Does Not Get Enough Attention

Nutrition experts recommended trying to get more of magnesium in our diet from food first (Harvard University)
Nutrition experts recommended trying to get more of magnesium in our diet from food first (Harvard University)

Nutrition experts revealed that magnesium is often not given the same attention as other vitamins and minerals, although it plays a pivotal role in supporting the overall health of our body, especially improving blood sugar management and supporting neuro-psychological balance.

According to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), magnesium is an abundant mineral in our body and it’s naturally present in many foods.

The mineral is required in more than 300 different reactions in our body, including those that regulate muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure.

“Magnesium plays a role in how our body handles sugar,” Scott Keatley, RD, co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy told Prevention magazine.

“It helps with the action of insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels.” When you have enough magnesium in your body, insulin can work better and your body can manage blood sugar more effectively, Keatley said.

Also, stress can cause our body to use more magnesium than usual, which can limit our body’s ability to do other tasks with the nutrient, Keatley said.

“In addition, magnesium can help reduce the release of stress hormones like cortisol,” he said. “It’s like a natural chill pill that can help keep our body’s stress response in check.”

Magnesium helps regulate brain function and mood. It plays a role in releasing and using neurotransmitters, which are chemicals in our brain that affect our mood and emotions.

The mineral may help improve bone density and decrease fracture risk.
“Magnesium is stored in bones and is an important part of bone health,” said Deborah Cohen, DCN, an associate professor in the department of clinical and preventive nutrition sciences at Rutgers University School of Health Professions.

At baseline, magnesium can help to relax and widen your blood vessels, Keatley said. “This makes it easier for blood to flow and can help lower blood pressure,” he added. “It’s like making the highways wider so that traffic can move more smoothly.”

A 2025 review in hypertension found that magnesium seems to be beneficial for lowering blood pressure in people with high blood pressure and magnesium deficiency, but larger studies are needed.

There are a lot of foods that are high in magnesium. Nutrition experts recommended trying to get more of the nutrient in our diet from food first.

These are the most magnesium-rich foods, according to the NIH are: Pumpkin seeds, Chia seeds, almonds, spinach, cashews, peanuts, shredded wheat, soymilk, black beans, edamame, peanut butter, potato with skin, brown rice and plain yogurt.

Varieties

SpaceX Prioritizes Lunar 'Self-growing City' over Mars Project

FILE - A SpaceX logo is displayed on a building, May 26, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
FILE - A SpaceX logo is displayed on a building, May 26, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
TT
TT

SpaceX Prioritizes Lunar 'Self-growing City' over Mars Project

FILE - A SpaceX logo is displayed on a building, May 26, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
FILE - A SpaceX logo is displayed on a building, May 26, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

Elon Musk said on Sunday that SpaceX has shifted its focus to building a "self-growing city" on the moon, which could be achieved in less than 10 years.

SpaceX still intends to start on Musk's long-held ambition of a city on Mars within five to seven years, he wrote on his X social media platform, "but the overriding priority is securing the future of civilization and the Moon is faster."

Musk's comments echo a Wall Street Journal report on Friday, stating that SpaceX has told investors it would prioritize going to the moon and attempt a trip to Mars ⁠at a later time, targeting March 2027 for an uncrewed lunar landing.

As recently as last year, Musk said that he aimed to send an uncrewed mission to Mars by the end of 2026.

The US faces intense competition from China in the race to return humans to the moon this decade. Humans have not visited the lunar surface since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Less than a week ago, Musk announced that SpaceX ⁠acquired the artificial intelligence company he also leads, xAI, in a deal that values the rocket and satellite company at $1 trillion and the artificial intelligence outfit at $250 billion.

Proponents of the move view it as a way for SpaceX to bolster its plans for space-based data centers, which Musk sees as more energy efficient than terrestrial facilities as the demand for compute power soars with AI development.

SpaceX is hoping a public offering later this year could raise as much as $50 billion, which could make it the largest public offering in history.

On Monday, Musk said in response to a user on X that NASA will constitute less than 5% of SpaceX's revenue this year. SpaceX is ⁠a core contractor in NASA's Artemis moon program with a $4 billion contract to land astronauts on the lunar surface using Starship.

"Vast majority of SpaceX revenue is the commercial Starlink system," Musk added.

Earlier on Sunday, Musk shared the company's first Super Bowl ad, promoting its Starlink Wi-Fi service.

Even as Musk reorients SpaceX, he is also pushing his publicly traded company, Tesla, in a new direction.

After virtually building the global electric vehicles market, Tesla is now planning to spend $20 billion this year as part of an effort to pivot to autonomous driving and robots.

To speed up the shift, Musk said last month Tesla is ending production of two car models at its California factory to make room for manufacturing its Optimus humanoid robots.