Singer Intibint launches magazine that celebrates Yemeni culture through female lens


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Yemeni-British singer and artist Noha Al Maghafi, better known by her stage name Intibint, is launching a print magazine to represent Yemeni women in a way that is “long overdue”.

Al Yamaniah celebrates female creatives from a country embroiled in civil war since 2014. It has been a digital platform since 2019 but will be available in print for the first time from March 2. The launch issue features 286 pages of poetry, photography, illustrations, collages and fashion from more than 80 Yemeni female contributors.

Al Maghafi says the magazine's purpose is to celebrate Yemeni culture through a female lens at a time when the mainstream media continues to paint a “one-sided” picture of the country.

“Global awareness of what is happening in Yemen and how this affects its people in the country and diaspora is long overdue,” she says. “As this slowly shifts, we want to do our part to make sure the world does not only see a one-sided representation of Yemenis.”

The cover of the first issue of Al Yamaniah, a publication spotlighting female creatives from Yemen. Photo: Al Yamaniah
The cover of the first issue of Al Yamaniah, a publication spotlighting female creatives from Yemen. Photo: Al Yamaniah

Culture, art, identity and feminism are focal points for Al Yamaniah. The cover of its first print issue features a veiled woman wearing a printed silk scarf, exaggerated cat-eye sunglasses and leather biking gloves. Above her, the title is written in orange and green block letters, in both English and in Arabic.

Al Maghafi, whose stage name, Intibint, Arabic for “you are a girl”, released her single, Silently, earlier this month as a tribute to Yemen. She says her music is a natural extension of her passion for art.

Raised both in Yemen and the UK, Al Maghafi is passionate about keeping the focus on creative women from her country. “I grew up in a family with more women than men but always found that the men’s needs were put first,” she explains.

“It’s something that always felt wrong, especially when all the women around me were so strong, talented and inspiring. With this in mind, I wanted to create a platform for celebrating women. It was long overdue in so many ways.

“My intention was to create a community that could give all Yemeni women the same confidence I was given when I started sharing my work – this way more of us can thrive and the world can see our talent.”

It was Asma Ibrahim who proposed the idea of creating a physical edition of the magazine after joining Al Maghafi's online project. She is now its editor and has been working closely with fashion photographer Asma Hamdi, the magazine's creative director and designer, on the print launch.

The first issue might appear like a luxury glossy at first glance, though readers will quickly note that the opening, full-page adverts from Dolcetain & Gabbana and Al Chaneel, are not representative of the famed European fashion houses, but are instead satirical renditions created with a playful punch.

Likewise, the magazine’s editorial team is introduced not through posed portrait shots, but rather, through Zoom screenshots, complete with filters and props.

British-Yemeni singer Noha Al Maghafi, better known by her stage name, Intibint, was the magazine's brainchild. Photo: Ma'ana
British-Yemeni singer Noha Al Maghafi, better known by her stage name, Intibint, was the magazine's brainchild. Photo: Ma'ana

Brimming with youthful passion and energy, the content is both vibrant and varied, at times coming across as tongue-in-cheek and at others, very emotional. Interactive and engaging, one page features a wordsearch in Arabic, while another contains a recipe for a traditional tuna steak.

There’s a photography series starring hijab-clad Fulla dolls, while the magazine’s main fashion shoot showcases the designs of Yemeni label Kazna Askar, who became the first designer to incorporate hijabs into designs shown at the Central Saint Martins’ MA fashion show at London Fashion Week and also won the Debut Talent Prize at Fashion Trust Arabia in 2022.

Fashion editorial is featured inside the first print issue of Al Yamaniah. Photo: Al Yamaniah / Asma Hamdi
Fashion editorial is featured inside the first print issue of Al Yamaniah. Photo: Al Yamaniah / Asma Hamdi

Ibrahim says she was keen to create a tangible publication that could showcase the creative community of Al Yamaniah beyond its digital pages. “I know how powerful material impact can be,” she says.

Hamdi, meanwhile, explains that the publication’s focus on Yemeni women makes it unique within the already underrepresented niche in the Middle East.

“I liked the idea of a physical archive that documents contemporary Yemeni female artists,” she says. “There aren’t many publications that would publish this many artists together.”

The launch issue of Al Yamaniah is the Al Dar (Arabic for home) edition, symbolic of childhood memories of Yemen. “As a diaspora-led project, we really wanted to capture the sense of nostalgia and romanticism that people can develop after a long time away from home,” says Ibrahim.

“We decided a focus on childhood was important because the war has made it difficult to visit Yemen over these past eight years, and many of our core memories of Yemen are rooted in our childhood visits.”

Among the other highlights inside the launch issue are sections on patterns and textiles, as well as historical tributes.

The launch issue of Al Yamaniah is out on March 2 and is available for pre-order from alyamaniah.com/shop

The%20specs
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Last-16

France 4
Griezmann (13' pen), Pavard (57'), Mbappe (64', 68')

Argentina 3
Di Maria (41'), Mercado (48'), Aguero (90 3')

The line up

Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego  

Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh  

Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com

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Church of South Indian Parish

St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch

St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch

St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais

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Rating: 1 out of 4

Running time: 81 minutes

Director: David Blue Garcia

Starring: Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Mark Burnham

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

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Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
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FA CUP FINAL

Manchester City 6
(D Silva 26', Sterling 38', 81', 87', De Bruyne 61', Jesus 68')

Watford 0

Man of the match: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)

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Who: UAE v USA
What: first T20 international
When: Friday, 2pm
Where: ICC Academy in Dubai

SCHEDULE

Saturday, April 20: 11am to 7pm - Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Festival and Para jiu-jitsu.

Sunday, April 21: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (female) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Monday, April 22: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (male) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Tuesday, April 23: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Wednesday, April 24: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Thursday, April 25: 11am-5pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Friday, April 26: 3pm to 6pm Finals of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Saturday, April 27: 4pm and 8pm awards ceremony.

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Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg

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Tuesday:

Primeiro Agosto (ANG) v Esperance (TUN) (8pm UAE)
Al Ahly (EGY) v Entente Setif (ALG) (11PM)

Second legs:

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1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details

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3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details

4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure

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6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies

7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately

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Favourite hobby: Football

Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk

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USA: Seeking The Soul/Dallas Stewart, Imperial Hunt/Luis Carvajal Jr, Audible/Todd Pletcher, Roy H/Peter Miller, Yoshida/William Mott, Promises Fulfilled/Dale Romans, Gunnevera/Antonio Sano, XY Jet/Jorge Navarro, Pavel/Doug O’Neill, Switzerland/Steve Asmussen.

Japan: Matera Sky/Hideyuki Mori, KT Brace/Haruki Sugiyama. Bahrain: Nine Below Zero/Fawzi Nass. Ireland: Tato Key/David Marnane. Hong Kong: Fight Hero/Me Tsui. South Korea: Dolkong/Simon Foster.

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Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

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3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

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Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Updated: February 26, 2024, 12:08 PM