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Sharjah’s ‘Focal Point’ Supports Independent Publishing

Sharjah’s ‘Focal Point’ Supports Independent Publishing
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Sharjah’s ‘Focal Point’ Supports Independent Publishing

Sharjah’s ‘Focal Point’ Supports Independent Publishing

The sixth edition of Focal Point, Sharjah Art Foundation’s annual art book fair, takes place between November 24 and 26, at Bait Obaid Al Shamsi, a heritage house in Sharjah’s historical district.

Focal Point seeks to support independent publishing in the region and the world, and presents new experiences including artistic publications, productions of independent publishers and non-profit cultural projects, as well as the works of many artists and organizations that will be displayed in three sections: International, Edit and Local.

In the International Section, art and independent publishers from around the world showcase and distribute their books within the global publishing community. In the Edit Section, Focal Point presents a curated selection of art journals, magazines, comics, and special interest books not distributed by local retailers and bookstores. The Local Section spotlights books made by cultural institutions, galleries, publishers, and non-profit government cultural entities, as well as printed matter, illustrations, zines, comics, photography, stationery and screenprints produced by independent artists.

The sixth edition’s program includes a variety of interactive workshops curated for all age groups, introducing experimental approaches of book making art, bookbinding styles, covers and personal calendars designs, in addition to reading sessions. It also embraces activities exploring resources on Palestine and the significance of global liberation struggles, as well as Risograph live print station in partnership with Fikra Design Studio and a selection of graphic novels and manga curated by the UAE book retailer Kinokuniya.

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Study Points to Likely Route for Hannibal’s Legendary Alpine Crossing

The successful crossing of the Alps allowed Hannibal to bypass Roman defenses and pull off a string of stunning victories on the Italian peninsula during the Second Punic War. (AFP)
The successful crossing of the Alps allowed Hannibal to bypass Roman defenses and pull off a string of stunning victories on the Italian peninsula during the Second Punic War. (AFP)
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Study Points to Likely Route for Hannibal’s Legendary Alpine Crossing

The successful crossing of the Alps allowed Hannibal to bypass Roman defenses and pull off a string of stunning victories on the Italian peninsula during the Second Punic War. (AFP)
The successful crossing of the Alps allowed Hannibal to bypass Roman defenses and pull off a string of stunning victories on the Italian peninsula during the Second Punic War. (AFP)

Just how Hannibal managed to lead war elephants and a full army over the Alps to attack the Romans remains a mystery, but a new modern biology study points to a potential route.

The bold and legendary crossing in 218 BC, which allowed the ancient Carthaginian leader to strike Rome from the north, has long remained one of the most astounding and celebrated achievements in warfare.

Calculations about the energy requirements of Hannibal's force -- especially the elephants -- points to the Col de la Traversette as the most likely route, according to a study released on Monday by a group of German and British researchers.

The Col de la Traversette is a high-altitude mountain pass in the Cottian Alps at 2,947 meters (9,669 feet) on the border between modern-day France and Italy.

Researchers from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), the University of Jena and the University of Oxford used route models and elevation data to weigh the physical demands on Hannibal's army of roughly 40,000 men, thousands of horses and a reported 37 war elephants, using body mass data from modern African elephants.

"The new analysis does not eliminate all ambiguity, but it does strengthen the case for the Traversette route by demonstrating that it would better accommodate the demands of moving a large army that included elephants through extremely difficult alpine terrain," said co-author Emilio Berti of iDiv and the University of Jena.

Other routes considered -- such as the Col de Montgenevre, the Col du Clapier, and the Col du Mont Cenis -- would have required 11 percent, 16 percent, and 19 percent more energy, respectively, for the army to traverse.

The study also highlighted the immense physical strain the march through the Alps almost certainly imposed on Hannibal's army.

According to the models, the soldiers on the Traversette route would have lost around 19 percent of their body fat reserves, which could explain the high death toll.

In contrast, calculations for the war elephants indicated a loss of only about four percent of their energy reserves.

Many of the animals reportedly survived the mountain crossing.

The successful crossing of the Alps allowed Hannibal to bypass Roman defenses and pull off a string of stunning victories on the Italian peninsula during the Second Punic War.

Rome, however, managed to weather the setbacks and defeat Carthage in the conflict as well as the subsequent Third Punic War.

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King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Records First Sighting of Red Phalarope

The red phalarope is a migratory seabird that spends most of its life cycle on the open ocean and breeds in Arctic regions. - SPA
The red phalarope is a migratory seabird that spends most of its life cycle on the open ocean and breeds in Arctic regions. - SPA
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King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Records First Sighting of Red Phalarope

The red phalarope is a migratory seabird that spends most of its life cycle on the open ocean and breeds in Arctic regions. - SPA
The red phalarope is a migratory seabird that spends most of its life cycle on the open ocean and breeds in Arctic regions. - SPA

The King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority announced that a specialized research team has documented the first confirmed sighting of a red phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius) within the reserve, marking one of the rarest bird records ever documented in Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula, SPA reported.

Authority spokesperson Abdulaziz Al-Furaih said the bird was documented in February 2026 at the Sudair Artificial Wetland within the reserve.

The red phalarope is a migratory seabird that spends most of its life cycle on the open ocean and breeds in Arctic regions. Its appearance in an inland wetland in the Kingdom is considered an exceptional event, reflecting the reserve's growing environmental significance and its ability to attract rare species that migrate over long distances.

The discovery builds on a series of scientific achievements recorded in the reserve in recent years, including the documentation of rare species and the first confirmed breeding records of other species.

These accomplishments reinforce the reserve's position as a national platform for environmental research and monitoring and underscore its pivotal role in supporting the Kingdom's wildlife conservation and ecosystem sustainability objectives.

Varieties

‘Pokemon Airport’ Opens to Help Japanese Quake-Hit Region

A "Pikachu" balloon is displayed at the Noto Airport in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture on July 7, 2026. (JIJI / AFP)
A "Pikachu" balloon is displayed at the Noto Airport in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture on July 7, 2026. (JIJI / AFP)
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‘Pokemon Airport’ Opens to Help Japanese Quake-Hit Region

A "Pikachu" balloon is displayed at the Noto Airport in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture on July 7, 2026. (JIJI / AFP)
A "Pikachu" balloon is displayed at the Noto Airport in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture on July 7, 2026. (JIJI / AFP)

An airport in a remote Japanese region hit by a deadly earthquake in 2024 was given a new look on Tuesday, temporarily nicknamed after the Pokemon universe, and its lobby adorned with a floating Pikachu on a plane-shaped balloon.

The Noto Peninsula has faced a decline in tourists since the powerful 7.5-magnitude quake on New Year's Day two years ago that claimed over 700 lives.

On Tuesday, a life-size Pikachu mascot dressed as a pilot joined officials for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially nickname the local facility "Noto Satoyama Pokemon With You Airport" and welcome visitors.

More than 100 Pokemon characters are displayed across the airport, including the lobby wall.

The name will be used for three years, according to the Pokemon With You Foundation.

Public broadcaster NHK reported in February that the number of visitors who stay overnight in the region remains at just over 30 percent of pre-quake levels.