Habib Toumi

The Spring of Culture Festival, the largest cultural event in the Arabian Gulf, promises to be more than just a festival, its patron, the culture and information minister, has said.
 “This festival presents Bahrain’s interest in cultural development, but also has an education, a family, a talent and a community agenda,” Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammad Al Khalifa said. “It also brings to light Bahrain’ most talented youngsters and introduces them to the most renowned performers of the festival who share the common vision of promoting cultural understanding to every world citizen,” she said at the announcement of the festival programme on Monday.
The festival will run from March 1 to March 31 and will feature concerts, lectures, workshops, plays and exhibitions to be held in several cultural locations in Manama, the capital, and Muharraq, Bahrain’s largest city.
“The Spring of Culture returns in its fifth edition to assure Bahrain’s presence on the global map of arts and culture,” Shaikh Mohammed Bin Eisa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of the Economic Development Board, organizers of the event, said. “This time, it is approaching the untapped young Bahraini talent that is considered to be one of our most valuable resources towards the development of the nation in the fields of cultural representation and economic friendliness on the global arena. continue reading…

Kuwaiti lawmakers

Kuwait’s government has no plans to resign or to swap ministerial portfolios to avoid possible quizzing of its ministers, Kuwaiti sources have said.

Rumours of a limited cabinet reshuffle to dodge an impending grilling of the information minister gained in intensity this week in Kuwait City, forcing parliamentary blocs to retreat into a “wait and see” situation.

“The government is standing and ready to confront any grilling of its ministers,” the unnamed sources were quoted as saying by Kuwaiti daily Al Anba. “Whatever is happening, there will be no resignation, no reshuffling of the cabinet, no dismissing of a minister or swapping of ministerial posts. The government is well determined to move forward and to face any call to quiz ministers.”

Several lawmakers have been lately talking about the “inevitable” grilling of Shaikh Ahmad Al Abdullah, the information minister who is also in charge of the oil portfolio continue reading…