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Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Art Futures Launches 'Moving Image' Public Program 

The program will kick off at the center’s headquarters in Diriyah on November 18. (SPA)
The program will kick off at the center’s headquarters in Diriyah on November 18. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Art Futures Launches 'Moving Image' Public Program 

The program will kick off at the center’s headquarters in Diriyah on November 18. (SPA)
The program will kick off at the center’s headquarters in Diriyah on November 18. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Art Futures (DAF), the first center dedicated to new media arts in the Middle East and North Africa, announced on Tuesday the launch of its new public program titled "Moving Image," a monthly series that explores the boundaries of storytelling and creative expression across advanced media and technologies. The program will kick off at the center’s headquarters in Diriyah on November 18.

The Moving Image series offers visitors a platform for experience, dialogue, and interaction with the evolving landscape of screen-based and immersive arts, bringing together artists, technologists, and researchers from the Kingdom, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and around the world.

Through this program, DAF strengthens its position as a destination for critical dialogue and creative innovation in new media arts.

The program seeks to deepen understanding of how new technologies are reshaping narrative, audience engagement, and creative practice through screenings, talks, and interactive experiences, inspiring practitioners, experts, and new audiences to explore the creative possibilities of new media.

As part of Moving Image, a special series titled "VR Community Meetup – Riyadh" will be hosted at the Diriyah Art Futures XR (Extended Reality) Lab, providing an ongoing platform for immersive-media practitioners, enthusiasts, and newcomers to connect, share knowledge, and explore the creative and technical possibilities of virtual reality.

The launch of Moving Image reflects DAF’s commitment to building a vibrant cultural ecosystem where art, science, and technology intersect through a regular program that engages with key areas of contemporary moving-image practice, creating a space for creative conversation and discovery rooted in Saudi culture yet connected to global innovation.

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Culture

Louvre Museum Says Shutting for the Day Due to Strike

People walk next to the Louvre Museum covered in snow in Paris, France, 07 January 2026. (EPA)
People walk next to the Louvre Museum covered in snow in Paris, France, 07 January 2026. (EPA)
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Louvre Museum Says Shutting for the Day Due to Strike

People walk next to the Louvre Museum covered in snow in Paris, France, 07 January 2026. (EPA)
People walk next to the Louvre Museum covered in snow in Paris, France, 07 January 2026. (EPA)

The Louvre Museum was forced to close on Monday due to strike action from staff in the latest disruption at the world's most-visited museum, management said.

"Due to public strikes, the Musee du Louvre is closed today," the museum said in a message posted on its website, informing disappointed tourists and art lovers that their entry tickets would be automatically reimbursed.

The museum closed for a full day last month and has been only partially open on several other days since.

Nearly three months after an embarrassing daylight heist, which has heaped pressure on Louvre bosses, staff are calling for more recruitment and better maintenance of the vast former royal palace.

Questions continue to swirl since the October 19 break-in over whether it was avoidable and why thieves were able to steal crown jewels worth more than $100 million.

Two intruders used a truck-mounted extendable platform to access a gallery containing the jewels, slicing through a glass door with disk-cutters in front of startled visitors before stealing eight priceless items.

As well as the robbery, two other recent incidents have highlighted maintenance problems inside the building, which chief architect Francois Chatillon has described as "not in a good state".

A water leak in November damaged hundreds of books and manuscripts in the Egyptian department, while management had to shut a gallery housing ancient Greek ceramics in October because ceiling beams above it risked giving way.

Culture

20-Year-Olds Gathering in Kimonos for Coming of Age Day Ceremony in Japan

Kimono-clad Japanese young women take pictures after attending a Coming-of-Age Day ceremony in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Japan, 12 January 2026. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON
Kimono-clad Japanese young women take pictures after attending a Coming-of-Age Day ceremony in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Japan, 12 January 2026. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON
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20-Year-Olds Gathering in Kimonos for Coming of Age Day Ceremony in Japan

Kimono-clad Japanese young women take pictures after attending a Coming-of-Age Day ceremony in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Japan, 12 January 2026. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON
Kimono-clad Japanese young women take pictures after attending a Coming-of-Age Day ceremony in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Japan, 12 January 2026. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON

Young women in brightly colored long-sleeved kimonos and young men in formal suits or traditional hakama and haori gathered Monday at Yokohama Arena to mark Coming-of-Age Day, an annual celebration for those who have turned 20.

The ceremonies, which are a widely observed public rite of passage in Japan, lasted less than an hour. Before and after the events, young adults gathered near the arena entrance, sidewalks and nearby train stations, greeting friends they had not seen for a long time. Smartphones were raised repeatedly as participants took pictures of each other and themselves.

Among the many participants wearing black and navy suits, a large number of young men chose traditional hakama trousers and haori jackets.

Legally, adulthood in Japan now begins at 18, following a revision of the Civil Code in April 2022. Even so, most local governments continue to hold Coming-of-Age ceremonies for 20-year-olds.

Inside Yokohama Arena, participants stood for the national anthem, then sang Yokohama’s city song together. Many then switched on the lights of their mobile phones, illuminating the hall.

Culture

Saudi Pavilion at Makkah's Global Village Showcases the Kingdom’s Culture

Saudi Pavilion at Makkah's Global Village Showcases the Kingdom’s Culture
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Saudi Pavilion at Makkah's Global Village Showcases the Kingdom’s Culture

Saudi Pavilion at Makkah's Global Village Showcases the Kingdom’s Culture

The Saudi pavilion at Global Village in Makkah, part of the Makkah winter season, reflects the richness and uniqueness of the Kingdom's culture and heritage.

It features interactive and engaging sections that introduce visitors to the Kingdom’s cultural heritage, including live demonstrations of traditional handicrafts and artwork inspired by the local environment, SPA reported.

The pavilion’s presence at Global Village reflects ongoing efforts to highlight the nation’s cultural heritage, promote its civilizational legacy, and strengthen its cultural presence at major events.