Arts & Culture | The National

Taylor Swift's new song Babylon uses the ancient Iraqi city to represent a life whose value is only recognised once it is gone. Getty Images

Taylor Swift to Bob Marley: Why Babylon endures as a musical metaphor

Swift's new song joins a centuries-old tradition of turning the ancient Iraqi city into a symbol for emotional turmoil

Music & On-stage

Susan Sarandon, Hannah Einbinder detained at pro-Palestine protest in New York

Syrian theatres, museums and cultural spaces reopening or being restored in 2026

Avengers Endgame Encore spoiler review: new ending sets up Doomsday

Katy Perry to headline New Year's Eve gala at Atlantis in Dubai

Music & On-stage

Spotlight

Features

Actress Hannah Einbinder, right, and comedienne Sarah Sherman take part in a protest ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on September 24. Reuters

Susan Sarandon, Hannah Einbinder detained at pro-Palestine protest in New York

The actresses joined more than 100 demonstrators protesting against the Israeli Prime Minister's presence at the UN headquarters

Avengers Endgame Encore spoiler review: new ending sets up Doomsday

Gaza documentary Naza set for Middle East cinema release after Venice win

Documentary examining Israeli settlements nominated for International Emmy Award

Avengers: Endgame Encore banned in Kuwait as re-release opens worldwide

Oscars 2027: All the Arab films submitted for Best International Feature

Real-life murders behind Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story

Artist Ismail Al Rifai's landscapes at Unseen Script draw on familiar roads and routes travelled repeatedly as part of everyday life. Antonie Robertson / The National

UAE art guide: 12 exhibitions to see in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah

Plus, Eman Al Hashemi's new exhibition at Iris Projects

Frieze fuelled London's art boom and now the stage is set for Abu Dhabi

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi tickets go on sale ahead of grand opening

Syria's first Art Week seeks to revive cultural scene after years of war

Early Arabic poetry offers a window into the social life, knowledge and values that shaped Arab culture long before the modern literary world; seen here, an old engraved illustration of Baghdad. Getty Images

Bees, battles and bragging: What ancient poetry reveals about pre-Islam Arabia

Award-winning German anthology shows how verse recorded nature, status and survival 1,500 years ago

Zayed National Museum hosts record-setting reading club session

Young Arabs want more Arabic content – but say much of it feels outdated

From Galileo to Grendizer: Eight rare finds at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair

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