Category: Arts & Culture

Tripoli Vice-President of the Presidential Council Abdullah Al-Lafi met Sunday afternoon with the President and members of the Misrata Social Cultural Forum in Tripoli, in the presence of Member of Parliament Ayman Saif al-Nasr.

According to Presidency Council sources the meeting discussed many public issues, first and foremost the comprehensive national reconciliation, as well as challenges facing the upcoming elections and guarantees of their success.

The President of Misrata Social Cultural Forum in Tripoli gave a glimpse of the role of this civilian institution, its contributions at the community level, and its participation, in the reunification and national reconciliation, outlining the forum’s vision on the current general situation in the country, through its members of public social, cultural and political figures, from all cities and regions of Libya.

The members of the forum praised the efforts of the Presidential Council, in the national reconciliation project, and its keenness to hold elections on set time, as the only way to stabilize Libya, stressing their support for the establishment of elections on time, and readiness to contribute to the High National Commission for Reconciliation established by the Presidential Council, for the success of this national project, and to benefit from the experiences of countries that have gone through experiences similar to the Libyan situation.

The Vice President of the Presidency Council welcomed the forum members, expressing hope that these civil institutions will contribute to the success of national reconciliation between Libyans.

Al Lafi underscored continuation of work of the Presidency Council, in order to reach a consensus between the House of Representatives and the High Council of State, to amend the electoral law, and ensure a suitable climate to conduct elections on set time.

Source: Libyan News Agency

New York, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will return to its pre-pandemic form this year, with its route restored through Manhattan, high-flying helium balloons once again pulled by handlers and crowds welcomed back to cheer them on.

This year’s parade — the 95th annual — will snap back to form after bowing to pandemic restrictions last year. It will feature 15 giant character balloons, 28 floats, 36 novelty and heritage inflatables, more than 800 clowns, 10 marching bands and nine performance groups and, of course, Santa Claus, AP reports.

New balloon giants joining the line-up on Nov. 25 include Ada Twist, Scientist and the Pokémon characters Pikachu and Eevee. Broadway will be represented by the casts of “Six,” “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” and “Wicked.” The Rockettes will be there, as will the cast of the upcoming NBC live production of “Annie.”

“For our 95th celebration, Macy’s has created a spectacle to remember featuring a dazzling array of high-flying balloons, animated floats and incredible performers. We can’t wait to help New York City and the nation kick-off the holiday season with the return of this cherished tradition,” Will Coss, executive producer of the parade, said in a statement.

There will be new floats led by the cast of “Girls5eva” — Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Paula Pell and Busy Philipps — Nelly and Jordan Fisher, while Jon Batiste will be on an alligator-themed float celebrating Louisiana’s music, food and culture.

Other celebrities on hand include Carrie Underwood, Jimmie Allen, Kelly Rowland, Rob Thomas, Kristin Chenoweth, Darren Criss, Foreigner, Andy Grammer, Mickey Guyton, Chris Lane, Miss America Camille Schrier, Muppets from “Sesame Street” and the three past and current hosts of “Blue’s Clues” — Steve Burns, Donovan Patton and Josh Dela Cruz.

Some of the returning balloons will be Astronaut Snoopy, ’The Boss Baby,” “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” Chase from “Paw Patrol,” the Pillsbury Doughboy, Red Titan from “Ryan’s World,” Papa Smurf from ”The Smurfs,” Sonic the Hedgehog and SpongeBob SquarePants.

The Macy’s parade has been a traditional holiday season kickoff and spectators often line up a half-dozen deep along the route to cheer about 8,000 marchers, two dozen floats, entertainers and marching bands.

Last year, the usual 2 1/2-mile route through crowded Manhattan was scrapped in favor of concentrating events to a one-block stretch of 34th Street in front of the retailer’s flagship Manhattan store. Many performances were pre-taped and most of the parade’s performers were locally based to cut down on travel. The balloons were tethered to specialized vehicles instead of being controlled by handlers.

Visitors this year will once again be allowed to see the balloons inflated the day before the parade as long as they show proof of vaccination. Children under the age of 12 may be accompanied by a vaccinated adult.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Houn, Silver Jubilee session of the Autumn Tourism Festival continues in its twenty-fifth edition, and will continue until October 31, under the theme “Our Autumn seeks peace for the nation.”

Since yesterday, the festival’s programs have started by presenting artistic and folklore performances, as well as cultural and sports competitions, with wide participation from different regions of Libya. Folkloric teams presented artistic performances, folk dances and displays of innovations in traditional collectibles.

On the sidelines of the festival, various art exhibitions are organized for fine arts such as painting, sculpture, traditional handicrafts, equestrian display, a forum for intellectuals, writers and poets from all over Libya, and displays of traditional costumes for adults and children.

Source: Libyan News Agency

Los Angeles, Warner Bros. has unveiled its trailer for “The Batman,” which features Robert Pattinson’s first bone-crunching turn as a DC Comics superhero.

The trailer unveiled Saturday at the DC Fandome event shows Pattinson’s Dark Knight methodically taking down bad guys despite being outnumbered and his Batsuit absorbing multiple bullets, The Associated Press (AP) reports.

The footage teases a dark, bleak and violent version of Batman, with Pattinson’s voice saying about the Bat-Signal: “Fear is a tool. When the light hits the sky, it’s not just a call. It’s a warning.”

The trailer teases multiple iconic characters, including Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman, Colin Farrell as The Penguin and Batman’s muscle car Batmobile tearing up the streets and emerging from explosions unscathed.

The trailer opens with a scene of police arresting a man in a cafe. The milk in his coffee is swirled into a question mark, the calling card of Batman’s nemesis The Riddler.

Later in the footage, Pattinson’s voice is heard describing the situation in Gotham City: “This is a powder keg. The Riddler’s the match.”

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Tripoli, The 10th meeting of Chiefs of Staff of Air Forces of the 5+5 Defense Initiative kicked off in Tripoli on Thursday.

The meeting, which was hosted by the Air Force Staff of the Government of National Unity is focusing on exchanging viewpoints, and to shed light on contribution by air forces to humanitarian mission during disasters and crises.

The meeting aims at coordinating and developing means for multi-lateral cooperation, for the air forces of west Mediterranean countries.

Source: Libyan News Agency