‘Ahlam Alasr' Film Achieves Remarkable Success at Red Sea Festival Premiere

The film is produced by Tape Productions in collaboration with the Red Sea Fund, and is directed by Fares Godus, starring Sohayb Godus, Najm, Fatma AlBanawi, and Hakim Juma. SPA
The film is produced by Tape Productions in collaboration with the Red Sea Fund, and is directed by Fares Godus, starring Sohayb Godus, Najm, Fatma AlBanawi, and Hakim Juma. SPA
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‘Ahlam Alasr' Film Achieves Remarkable Success at Red Sea Festival Premiere

The film is produced by Tape Productions in collaboration with the Red Sea Fund, and is directed by Fares Godus, starring Sohayb Godus, Najm, Fatma AlBanawi, and Hakim Juma. SPA
The film is produced by Tape Productions in collaboration with the Red Sea Fund, and is directed by Fares Godus, starring Sohayb Godus, Najm, Fatma AlBanawi, and Hakim Juma. SPA

Funded by the Saudi Cultural Development Fund, the film `Ahlam Alasr' attracted audiences at its premiere at the third annual Red Sea International Film Festival. The film’s premiere tickets were sold out within five days of the festival, and the movie garnered wide acclaim from both critics and the audience.
The film tells a unique story, exploring the depths of emotions and challenges faced by individuals in their daily lives. The story revolves around a retired football player who was famous before the internet came into existence. Along with his influencer daughter, he decides to seize an opportunity for revenge against those who wronged them. Together they embark on a toxic journey.
After the success of their first film “Shams Al-Ma'arif,” the Godus brothers impressed us again with their new film “Ahlam Alasr” and excelled in the film's direction, production, and acting. Director Fares Godus showcased precision in presenting the film, skillfully transporting the audience into a world of captivating details and events. The audience was also impressed and captivated by producer and lead character Sohayb Godus’ brilliant acting performance as well as Najm’s ability to inhabit the character she is playing.

“We are delighted with the support received from the Cultural Fund to bring our story to life and create something that lives up to the standards of the Saudi film sector. We are proud of the warm reception at the Red Sea International Film Festival, and we look forward to sharing this story with more audiences worldwide,” said Director Fares.

The film “Ahlam Alasr” is funded by the Cultural Development Fund through its Cultural Projects Incentive Program. Launched two years ago in partnership with the Quality of Life Program, the fund allocated a budget of SAR181 million to provide non-recoupable financing for projects in the cultural sectors, including film, to meet the needs of the cultural sector and contribute to its development.

The film, produced by Tape Productions in collaboration with the Red Sea Fund, directed by Fares Godus and starring Sohayb Godus, Najm, Fatma AlBanawi, and Hakim Juma, is expected to continue its screenings in other international film festivals. Its local cinema release will take place sometime next year, and the Godus brothers hope to sell international distribution rights soon to further solidify the position of Saudi film on the global stage.



Saudi Arabia Sets Guinness World Record with 95 Tons of Seasonal Seeds in Vegetation Cover Efforts

The achievement crowns a year of intensive efforts by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification. (SPA)
The achievement crowns a year of intensive efforts by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Sets Guinness World Record with 95 Tons of Seasonal Seeds in Vegetation Cover Efforts

The achievement crowns a year of intensive efforts by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification. (SPA)
The achievement crowns a year of intensive efforts by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia has reached a new global environmental milestone by earning a Guinness World Records title for the largest seasonal seed storage collection in the world, reflecting its ongoing commitment to environmental protection and sustainability, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday.

The achievement crowns a year of intensive efforts by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification.

Over the course of the year, trained and specialized field teams traveled across the Kingdom to collect large quantities of native plant seeds in support of land rehabilitation projects and environmental sustainability initiatives.

The field teams successfully collected 31 species of local wild plants. The seeds underwent precise processing, including cleaning and purification to remove impurities and plant residues, before being stored according to the highest internationally recognized standards.

Seed warehouses housed more than 95 tons of rangeland and wild plant seeds, reinforcing the Kingdom’s leading role in environmental action and supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 related to natural resource protection and combating desertification.

The Kingdom has recorded numerous environmental milestones at the national, regional, and global levels as part of its broader efforts to promote sustainability in line with Saudi Vision 2030 and international goals to combat desertification and mitigate climate change.


'Call of Duty' Co-creator Vince Zampella Killed in Car Crash

Vince Zampella died while driving his Ferrari north of Los Angeles. Frederick M. Brown / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Vince Zampella died while driving his Ferrari north of Los Angeles. Frederick M. Brown / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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'Call of Duty' Co-creator Vince Zampella Killed in Car Crash

Vince Zampella died while driving his Ferrari north of Los Angeles. Frederick M. Brown / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Vince Zampella died while driving his Ferrari north of Los Angeles. Frederick M. Brown / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Vince Zampella, the acclaimed co-creator of video gaming juggernaut "Call of Duty," has died in a car crash, gaming giant Electronic Arts confirmed on Monday. He was 55.

The developer and executive died on Sunday while driving his Ferrari on a scenic road north of Los Angeles, according to local broadcaster NBC4.

"For unknown reasons, the vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and became fully engulfed," the California Highway Patrol said in a statement, without identifying the two victims in the crash.

The CHP added that both the driver and a passenger who was ejected from the vehicle succumbed to their injuries, reported AFP.

Witnesses posted video of the mangled cherry-red Ferarri, engulfed in flames, on the mountain road. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

His studios created some of the world's best-selling video games, and Zampella was considered an innovator in first-person military shooter style games.

This year, when his "Battlefield 6" video game set a new sales record for the franchise, Zampella expressed gratitude, saying "we never take moments like this for granted" -- despite a long career of success in gaming.

The mass-combat game has won over 100 million players in the past two decades, in its various iterations.

And yet, that number isn't a first. To this day, "Call of Duty" boasts more than 100 milion active players, monthly.

"You have that dream of the game being popular, but I don't think you're ever ready for that level of success," Zampella told gaming site IGN in a 2016 interview.

Profound, far-reaching

Zampella was best known for co-creating the "Call of Duty" franchise and founding Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind "Titanfall,Apex Legends," and the "Star Wars Jedi" games.

After starting out in the 1990s as a designer on shooter games, he co-founded Infinity Ward in 2002 and helped launch "Call of Duty" in 2003. Activision later acquired his studio.

He left Activision under contentious circumstances and established Respawn in 2010, which Electronic Arts acquired in 2017.

At EA, he eventually took charge of revitalizing the "Battlefield" franchise, cementing his reputation as one of the most influential figures in modern first-person shooter games.

"This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince's family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work," Electronic Arts said in a statement.

"Vince's influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching," the company said, adding that "his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment."

A statement by Respawn, posted on the "Battlefield" X account, praised Zampella "for how he showed up every day, trusting his teams, encouraging bold ideas, and believing in Battlefield and the people building it."

Zampella "championed what he believed was right for the people behind those studios and our players because it mattered."

"It was a bold, transgressive method of storytelling, of a moment in time that was political, that was violent and that was impactful," Washington Post video game reporter Gene Park told NBC4.

"He really knew how to create stories and create experiences, that really hit at the heart of human experience -- whether it was terror, dread, heroism. I think he was really able to kindof encapsulate that through the designs of the video games that he made," Park said.


GEA Chairman Named 2025 ‘Promoter of the Year’ by Boxing News

Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and Saudi Boxing Federation President, was named “Promoter of the Year” for 2025 by the Britain-based Boxing News magazine. (SPA)
Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and Saudi Boxing Federation President, was named “Promoter of the Year” for 2025 by the Britain-based Boxing News magazine. (SPA)
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GEA Chairman Named 2025 ‘Promoter of the Year’ by Boxing News

Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and Saudi Boxing Federation President, was named “Promoter of the Year” for 2025 by the Britain-based Boxing News magazine. (SPA)
Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and Saudi Boxing Federation President, was named “Promoter of the Year” for 2025 by the Britain-based Boxing News magazine. (SPA)

Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and Saudi Boxing Federation President, was named “Promoter of the Year” for 2025 by the Britain-based Boxing News magazine, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The recognition reflects Alalshikh influential contributions and growing role in advancing the global boxing industry, built on a series of initiatives led by him in recent years.

It celebrates his efforts in elevating the stature of major fight cards, raising organizational standards, and enhancing both the sporting and media experience of boxing events, with a vision and strong international partnerships that have been instrumental in attracting the sport’s biggest global names.