Nancy Ajram will perform at Global Village next month.
The Lebanese singer, known for her hits including Akhasmak Ah and Aah w Noss, will be taking to the Global Village Main Stage at 9pm on December 12.
Ajram is an influential force in the Arab music industry and has previously been named as one of the top female Arab artists by Forbes. In 2009, she was selected by Unicef as the first female regional ambassador for the Middle East and North Africa.
Between 2013 and 2017, she served as a judge on MBC's reality talent show Arab Idol. She also began serving as a coach on The Voice Kids: Ahla Sawt in 2016. This year, she collaborated with Marshmello on the single Sah Sah, proving her music has global reach.
Ajram is the second Arab superstar to be billed for this year's event. Myriam Fares, the Arab "Queen of the Stage", performed at the venue this month.
Global Village opened for its 27th season on October 25 and will be running until April.
Last season, the family-friendly attraction in Dubai welcomed a record 7.8 million visitors during the six months it was operational. The venue is famous for its pavilions, each themed according to a different nation or culture. This year, 27 pavilions representing more than 80 cultures are featured.
More than 400 performers from around the world will be part of the event's entertainment line-up. This includes more than 200 performances each night, such as Puttin' on the Glitz, which brings jazz music to the theme park.
London Calling takes music-lovers through nostalgic songs, from 1960s classics and punk rock to the top tunes of today.
V.Unbeatable, a dance crew from Mumbai that won season two of America's Got Talent: The Champions in 2020, will perform on the Main Stage from January 4 for a month.
Filipino troupe Urban Crew, who competed on the latest season of America's Got Talent, will return to Global Village to showcase their acrobatic skills all season.
Another international ensemble back by popular demand is Colombian Aaijaa, a group of young percussionists setting the beat for the evenings, while Global Village favourites making a return this year include The Wonderers — Ozka, Waleef and Zoya, who bring a new production to the Kids Theatre called The Mystery of the Golden Rock.
Throughout the years, Global Village has attracted several big-name acts to its main stage, including American singer-songwriter Jason Derulo, former One Direction member Liam Payne and Pakistani pop star Atif Aslam.
Free for Global Village ticket holders; Dh18 online Sunday to Thursday and Dh20 at the gate; Dh22.50 online and Dh25 at the gate for all other days; free for children under three and senior citizens aged 65 and above, as well as people of determination
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.
In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
The Transfiguration
Director: Michael O’Shea
Starring: Eric Ruffin, Chloe Levine
Three stars
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Huroob Ezterari
Director: Ahmed Moussa
Starring: Ahmed El Sakka, Amir Karara, Ghada Adel and Moustafa Mohammed
Three stars
