Christians throughout Turkey marked Christmas on Thursday and Friday with masses at Catholic and Orthodox churches while other celebrations were also held by other Christian citizens and expatriates.

In Istanbul, the Christian community celebrated Christmas at various churches. Beyoğlu Mayor Ahmet Misbah Demircan attended the service at Saint Antoine Church in Taksim and offered his holiday greetings to the Christian community.

Source: Hurriyet (Turkey), December 26, 2009

As consumption shifted from the Western world to the East with the recent global financial crisis, Istanbul became the meeting point of the two, especially in the textile and ready-to-wear sectors, CNR Holding sales coordinator Selcuk Icinsel has said. D

elivering a speech at a press conference organized to promote the 15th İstanbul Fashion Fair, which is scheduled to be held at the CNR Expo Center on Jan. 24-26, Icinsel said 125 companies from around the world are expected to participate in the fair. "Since the last fair (held on Aug. 28-30) coincided with the closing of the summer season, the number of companies that attended was very low; however, this time we are expecting a very high figure," he said, adding that he is very optimistic about the fair and that he expects it to attract some 30,000 visitors. The fair will be visited by delegations of 125 purchase specialists from Greece and Bulgaria, respectively, along with 10 purchase specialists each from Jordanian and Romanian textile and ready-to-wear associations.

Moreover, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce expected to attend the fair with a group of eight buyers as will Russia’s Krasnodar Chamber of Commerce. Other countries that will be represented by companies at the fair are China, Egypt, France, Germany, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, the UAE, the UK and the US. Icinsel also drew attention to the attendance of Saudi House, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading department stores, at the fair, stressing that this will be the first time a Saudi company attends.

Source: Today's Zaman (Turkey), December 24, 2009

Despite plates of freshly baked klecha cookies, traditional hymns and festive decorations, this Christmas is far from home for thousands of Chaldean Christians.

The day is a sombre holiday for Chaldean Iraqis who have fled violence and deteriorating security in their homeland, where they have claimed to have lived for over a millennia.

With some residing in Jordan for up to six years, the holiday provides a lone bright spot in a year filled with uncertainty, frustration and fear.

Source: Jordan Times (Jordan), December 24, 2009

On Monday the Coptic Orthodox Bishopric in Giza issued a statement: "On 11 Friday, at 1am, a full apparition of the Virgin Mary on the right dome of the church was reported by at least 3,000 people. She appeared in her usual heavenly blue costume. She was crowned and the concrete cross on the dome was placed on top of her crown. Those present captured photos and videos of the Holy scene," read the statement. The scene, as described, was broadcast on Amr Adib's talk show "Cairo Today" on 13 December.

According to Bishop Theodosios of Giza, it was important to investigate the event in detail.

Source: Al-Ahram (Egypt), December 17-23, 2009

If hip hop is a genre of music associated with the struggle of a people, then there is no better place than the impoverished, blockaded and recently bombarded Gaza Strip to host a rap competition.

Thousands of fans crowded the Red Crescent hall, where the event was held, to watch seven hip hop groups battle it out against each other in a competition called "Our Message."

The competition was organized by a group of ladies in Gaza in cooperation with the municipality of the Norwegian city of Termso and was part of a project called "City to City."

Source: Alarabiya.net (Dubai-based, Saudi-owned), December 22, 2009

Comedy is beginning to be taken seriously in the Kingdom as its people’s receptiveness to stand-up is seeing an unprecedented upturn.

This genre of live entertainment that until very recently was “new” in the Middle East is thriving, and with what joie de vivre!

Lebanese stand-up comedian Rami Salamé, 30, who has performed in several cities of Saudi Arabia, in Lebanon and Bahrain, likes to call the year 2009 as the “Year of Stand-up Comedy” for the Kingdom. “The year-old local comedy industry has had world-class comedians coming here, which shows the potential of this place as an ideal market for stand-up comedians. In this regard, we are the most active country in the Gulf,” he said.

Source: Saudi Gazette (Saudi Gazette), December 24, 2009

The Dubai International Film Festival plans to stage its sixth edition this year despite the emirate being in financial meltdown and stock markets across the globe plummeting amid exposure to its debt crisis.

Among the competish contenders are Egyptian helmer Kamla Zekry’s “One-Zero,” Arab-American filmmaker Cherien Dabis’ “Amreeka” and French-Arab director Nassim Amaouche’s “Adieu Gary.”

Palestinian helmer Michel Khleifi’s “Zindeeq” receives its world preem at the fest as does Emirati filmmaker Ali Mostafa’s “City of Life.”

Organizers are rolling out the red carpet for Mostafa, who has previously won the Emirati Filmmaker prize at the fest and has long been seen as the Emirati helmer most likely to break out internationally. Mostafa’s film, which finished principal photography in mid-March, takes its name from the English translation of Dubai’s oldest nickname. The multi-lingual, multi-stranded character-driven drama follows the intersecting lives of a privileged young Emirati, an Indian taxi driver and Romanian flight attendant all living in the bustling emirate.

Source: Menassat

The Turkish Film Director, Fatih Akin, who grew up in Germany and received several important prizes for his film in Europe, said that he will not attend the gala night of his film ‘Soul Kitchen’ which will be on December 16 to protest the prohibition of minaret construction in Switzerland. Fatih Akin wrote a letter to the Swiss press and said that such a referendum did not fit an understanding that encourages people with different races and religious to live together peacefully. He stated that he was concerned of the result of the referendum as the child of a Muslim father and mother who see the minarets not only as the symbol of Islam but an architectural element that complements a place of worship.

Source: ntvmsnbc (Turkey), December 3, 2009