DUBAI: Supermodel Bella Hadid was spotted out and about in the Gramercy neighborhood of New York City over the weekend, taking a stroll with actor and comedian Ramy Youssef, her close friend and the creator of Hulu’s “Ramy.”

The Palestinian-Dutch model took to the streets in a sleeveless mustard-yellow sweater, with baggy jeans and black boots completing the street-chic look. And Golden Globe winner Youssef was seen wearing Egyptian brand Okhtein’s signature Dome Shades, as spotted by Cairo Scene.

Earlier this year, Hadid announced that she will appear on the third season of the introspective Hulu comedy “Ramy,” in an undefined guest-starring role. The model will make her television acting debut on the series, which is based on the story of a first-generation American Muslim living in New Jersey.

“Best cast, best crew, best show honored & excited. yallaaaa @ramy if you haven’t watched the first two seasons … go. run. now. love you,” she captioned the announcement.

The show follows Ramy (played by Youssef), the son of immigrant Muslims living in New Jersey, as he navigates through a life that is torn between faith, community and new age ideals.

Last month, Bella supported half-sister Alana Hadid at her fashion line La Detresse’s summer collection soiree, held in New York.

A post shared by Emily Perlstein (@emilyperlstein)

Hadid went the extra mile wearing a La Detresse ensemble to the celebration. The 25-year-old model was seen in an eye-catching acid-wash tee and matching biking shorts, paired with a leather snakeskin jacket. Thigh-high boots, stacked necklaces and gold hoop earrings completed the look. Alana wore a similar co-ord outfit, donning an oversized tee with cowboy boots.

The siblings were joined by Emily Perlstein, who founded La Detresse with Alana in 2017, as the product of a mutual obsession about creating the perfect denim jacket. Over the years, the duo has produced a line of denim and knitwear in Los Angeles.

Bella has also always been vocal about her support for Palestine and its creatives. She uses her social media accounts to show her support for the diaspora and to raise awareness about the violence perpetrated against Palestinians.

Last year, she joined demonstrations in New York to protest Israeli attacks on Palestinians living in Gaza.

She frequently calls out Instagram for “shadow banning” her Palestine-related posts. “Are we not allowed to be Palestinian on Instagram? This, to me, is bullying,” she previously wrote on Instagram. “I am proud to be Palestinian.”

DUBAI: From US Egyptian jewelry maker Jacquie Aiche to Lebanese eyewear maven Karen Wazen, celebrities from around the world are turning to Arab designers to accessorize their summer looks. 

US actress Vanessa Hudgens recently shared a picture of herself wearing a ring designed by  Aiche. The “High School Musical” star championed the brand’s double pyramid triangle ring in smoky topaz. 

Hudgens’ summery look featured a vintage Versace tie dye mini dress and a midsize Queen Nefertiti necklace in yellow gold designed by jewelry label FoundRae. 

        View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Vanessa Hudgens (@vanessahudgens)

A post shared by Vanessa Hudgens (@vanessahudgens)

Another one of Aiche’s loyal clients is Canadian supermodel and former “America’s Next Top Model” contestant Winnie Harlow. 

The star was spotted flaunting one of the brand’s turquoise beaded necklaces. 

Earlier this week, Brazilian supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio stepped out wearing Aiche’s pave diamond Small Mama necklace that retails at $5,750. 

On her Malibu stroll, the catwalk star wore a linen jumpsuit which she paired with a cotton bandeau top. Later that evening, she posed for pictures in an oversized suit by The Mannei, a brand founded by Polish-Jordanian stylist and model Sara Boruc Mannei. 

        View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Alessandra Ambrosio (@alessandraambrosio)

A post shared by Alessandra Ambrosio (@alessandraambrosio)

In a previous interview with Arab News, Aiche said that to her, jewelry is “everything” — it is much more than just adornment. “It speaks to the soul. It is a form of self-expression, a way of deep healing and a talisman of personal meaning,” she explained. 

Aiche, who launched her eponymous label from her garage in 2008, amassed an impressive celebrity client list that includes Hailey Bieber, Usher, Rihanna, Jada Pinkett Smith and Blake Lively. 

“I have such a strong, beautiful tribe, who have all sort of organically found and gravitated towards my designs. I love that about life, the unknown and the unexpected,” she said. 

        View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Karen Wazen Eyewear (@bykarenwazen)

A post shared by Karen Wazen Eyewear (@bykarenwazen)

Meanwhile, Lebanese eyewear designer Karen Wazen also had her moment in the spotlight this week with a number of international celebrities stepping out in her shades. 

Real estate broker and breakout star of Netflix’s popular “Selling Sunset” reality show Christine Quinn wore Wazen’s Pam reflective glasses in gold.

        View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Karen Wazen Eyewear (@bykarenwazen)

A post shared by Karen Wazen Eyewear (@bykarenwazen)

Meanwhile, US content creator Chriselle Lim, who has more than 1.4 million followers on Instagram, wore the Jen shades in brown. 

LONDON: When details began to emerge of the daring rescue of a Thai football team from flooded caves in Tham Luang Nang Non, it seemed only a matter of time before Hollywood swooped in to buff the real-life drama with the polish of a big-budget movie adaptation. Happily, “Thirteen Lives” is more than a shameless cash in. Director Ron Howard treads carefully, telling the story of a truly monumental international rescue effort which eventually expanded to include more than 10,000 people. Rather than attempting to only superficially capture that sense of scale, however, Howard focuses in on a few crucial players — the British dive team who first located the boys, the small group who planned and orchestrated the rescue of the 12 young players and their coach, the local governor tasked with bringing everybody home, the Thai engineer working with locals to divert the floodwaters, and the Thai Navy SEALs who spearheaded the initial response.

For the most part, this focused approach works well. Viggo Mortensen and Colin Farrell (questionable English accents aside) are excellent as divers Richard Stanton and John Volanthen, as are co-stars Joel Edgerton (as Australian Richard Harris) and Sahajak Boonthanakit as Governor Narongsak. Though the famous faces inevitably get the lion’s share of the screentime, Howard does his best to tell more than just the tale of the Western saviors – taking a few beats to flesh out characters such as the parents of the boys, local farmers and the frustrated SEALs. 

In order to do so, Howard also had to be a little ruthless with his 150 minutes — so there is no mention of Elon Musk’s contentious contributions to the rescue effort, and no time to find out much about any of the innumerous supporting volunteers. Instead, “Thirteen Lives” is a tense, taut drama, claustrophobically shot and scored. It’s perhaps impossible to accurately recreate the sheer terror that must have gripped the rescuers and rescued alike, but Howard goes some way towards acknowledging their magnificence.

DUBAI: Scotland’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe this week presented a Yemeni play titled “Saber Came to Tea” to give visitors a taste of the Middle East. 

The short play, based on a true story, follows a young couple who stand against the constraining social norms of their families and risk their lives to be together. 

The play, which features musical and multimedia elements, is by award-winning Yemeni artist Shatha Altowai and her composer husband Saber Bamatraf. 

The couple worked with Palestinian poet Ghazi Hussein and writer and director Robert Rae on the narrative.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe kicked off on Aug. 5 and will run until Aug. 29. 

This year’s event returned in full capacity after it was canceled in 2020 and was reduced in size in 2021. 

LONDON: A film dubbed the “Muslim version of ‘Home Alone’” is set to appear in UK cinemas in aid of international charity Penny Appeal’s campaign on behalf of orphans.

The critically acclaimed “Super Hijabi,” which stars a Muslim girl wearing a hijab, will be screened in five British cities — London, Bradford, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow — from Aug. 19-29.

“Super Hijabi” is based around a 10-year-old girl tech genius whose parents who are on the brink of divorce. After thieves steal the family safe, she uses her skills to track down the bad guys and reclaim the family’s belongings before financial stress forces her parents to call it quits, Penny Appeal said in a statement.

The charity described the film as a “Muslim version of ‘Home Alone’,” and said the production “is revolutionary to the world of Muslim-inspired movies.”

Poet and performer Boonaa Mohammed and stand-up comedian and actor Omar Regan head the film’s cast.

Penny Appeal founder Adeem Younis said: “We are very proud to present a film made by Muslims and distributed by Muslims.”

Younis said that the screenings will raise money for the charity’s OrphanKind projects, which provide vulnerable orphans around the world with basic necessities, including school uniforms, clothing and books.

DUBAI: The Dubai-based Great Minds Events Management company has announced the launch of Meta Film Festival, which will be held Oct. 27-29 at Vox Cinema in Dubai’s Nakheel Mall.

The festival is billed as the first private-sector- and industry-stakeholder-led film festival in the Middle East and Africa and promises red-carpet premieres and an awards ceremony. It comes five years after the last edition of the not-for-profit, state-run Dubai International Film Festival, which ran annually from 2004 to 2017.

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A post shared by @meta.filmfest

“Due to its location, the festival guarantees one of the most diversified audiences present at any festival, with the legendary glitz and glamour of Dubai to accompany,” the official website states.

The festival will conclude with an awards ceremony that will honor films across seven categories: Best Arabic Feature Film, Best International Feature Film, Best Animation Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Short Film, Best Student/Youth Film and the Film Development Fund award.

Meta Film Festival is accepting submissions on its website, with a selection committee that includes the managing director of Vox Cinemas and the head of OSN Studios deciding which titles make the final cut.