Sherine Abdel-Wahab concluded International Festival of Carthage's five-week run in Tunisia on Saturday with a stunning performance at the Carthage Amphitheatre.
The Egyptian singer, better known simply as Sherine, rounded off a line-up of more than 30 shows that have been taking place since the festival opened on July 14.
The annual event has been held in Tunisia since 1964, taking place in July and August almost every year, with a two-year hiatus in the pandemic.
Shows are performed in the Roman Theatre of Carthage, a restored amphitheatre on the outskirts of Tunis, believed to have been built as far back as the first century CE.
Ahead of her concert, Sherine expressed her anticipation with a post on Instagram. She shared a photograph of her meeting with the Egyptian ambassador to Tunisia, as well as popular Tunisian singer Saber Rebai.
“I am very proud that I will meet the Tunisian audience tomorrow at the end of the Carthage International Festival and, God willing, wait for the best party," she wrote in the caption.
Sherine is one of the most popular Egyptian singers of her time, with a career that spans two decades, but it's one that's been tumultuous. She has had disputes with her former management and mental health issues forced her to temporarily retire in 2016.
She has since revived her career, however, and earlier this year returned to the stage in Abu Dhabi for a concert alongside Iraqi crooner Kadim Al Sahir that marked Eid Al Fitr.
The performance, which took place at Etihad Arena, was the second in a bumper week of shows, which included Egyptian singer Amr Diab’s concert the previous evening, and US pop group Maroon 5 the following day.
Backed by their own mini orchestras, the pair delivered "crowd-pleasing sets", wrote The National's Saeed Saeed.
Scroll through the gallery below to see photos of Sherine and Kadim Al Sahir performing in Abu Dhabi
In 2019, Sherine was the subject of headlines again when she quit social media following backlash for a tweet she wrote in support of Lebanon during the wildfires that hit the country.
She wrote: "My heart is broken over our beloved country Lebanon, but during these circumstances, words are not enough. I'm fully ready to put on a concert whose proceeds go to support those affected by the fires and I call on Prime Minister Saad Rafik Hariri that it would be under his patronage."
While fans in Lebanon appreciated the support, many in the Arab world criticised the singer for not taking a similar stand in support of deadly protests in Iraq that were going on at the time, nor in support of Syria or for her home country.
SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%20Twin-turbocharged%204-litre%20V8%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20625%20bhp%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20630Nm%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh974%2C011%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
WHAT%20MACRO%20FACTORS%20ARE%20IMPACTING%20META%20TECH%20MARKETS%3F
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Looming%20global%20slowdown%20and%20recession%20in%20key%20economies%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Russia-Ukraine%20war%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Interest%20rate%20hikes%20and%20the%20rising%20cost%20of%20debt%20servicing%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Oil%20price%20volatility%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Persisting%20inflationary%20pressures%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Exchange%20rate%20fluctuations%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shortage%20of%20labour%2Fskills%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20A%20resurgence%20of%20Covid%3F%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
