DUBAI: A “fake” picture of the Moroccan king holding a pro-Doha slogan has been broadcast by Qatari media and went viral on social sites.
A doctored picture showing King Mohammed VI holding a sash with slogan with the Arabic slogan “you have the world, we have Tamim,” went viral on social media, drawing the ire of Moroccan authorities.
Media reports from Qatar attempted to suggest that King Mohammed’s visit to Qatar was an expression of his backing of Doha’s stance.
It is unclear where this photo first appeared, but one Qatari journalist apologized to the king for tweeting the fake photo. The Qatar-owned Al Jazeera news channel ran the doctored picture in a news bulletin, but later said it was fabricated.
The slogan “you have the world, we have Tamim” was widely chanted by Qataris as a demonstration of their support to Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
But the picture with King Mohammed, on a visit to Qatar, apparently holding a sash with the same slogan was fake, Moroccan officials said.
Moroccan media quoted Yassir Zenagui, an adviser to King Mohammad, as saying: “This is a blatant fake; we were surprised by this picture. I was alongside His Majesty the King throughout this visit, and he never held that scarf and nobody has taken a picture of him holding any scarf.”
Morocco is close to the Gulf states but has remained neutral in the row between Qatar and some of its Arab neighbors over Doha’s alleged funding of extremist groups and ties to Iran. Morocco has also offered to host talks between Qatar and the GCC member states.
Qatar issued an official statement saying that the picture was fake. Government spokesman Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed Al-Thani decried the fabricated picture and said that the matter would be probed and the culprits brought to justice.
Qatari media under fire over ‘fake’ photo of Morocco king
Qatari media under fire over ‘fake’ photo of Morocco king
Gems of Arabia magazine launched to spotlight talents shaping Saudi Arabia’s evolving cultural landscape
- The publication features established and emerging talents elevating the region across design, fashion, art, tech, music, architecture and media
- Saudi fashion designer Hatem Alakeel seeks to highlight the richness of the Kingdom, and wider modern Arab culture to global audiences
DUBAI: When Saudi fashion designer Hatem Alakeel interviewed Princess Reema bint Bandar Al-Saud before her appointment as Saudi ambassador to the US, the longtime advocate of women’s empowerment made a powerful prediction: “I look forward to the day that the Saudi woman is no longer the story but rather a phenomenal achievement.”
That moment would become the foundation for Gems of Arabia, an arts and culture audio-visual podcast that spotlights the creative talents shaping the landscape of Saudi Arabia and the broader region.
Over six years, Gems of Arabia has documented the sweeping transformation of the Kingdom’s art and culture scene, and is now evolving into a full-fledged magazine.
“It started off as a column I used to write, and from there, it turned into a podcast. Now it is growing into a magazine,” Dubai-based Alakeel, the magazine’s founder and editor-in-chief, told Arab News ahead of the launch of the digital publication on Thursday.
Besides spotlighting celebrated regional artists, Alakeel said Gems of Arabia is in search of the “hidden gems” elevating the region across design, fashion, art, tech, music, architecture and media.
The magazine serves as a platform for talented, authentic creatives and tech entrepreneurs unable to articulate their work “because they don’t have the public relations or capacity to promote themselves even through social media.”
Alakeel added: “Our job is to identify all these authentic people; you don’t have to be famous, you just have to be authentic, and have a great story to tell.”
The digital publication offers a dynamic blend of short-form podcasts, coverage of regional cultural events, in-depth features and editorials, long-form interviews and artist profiles — spotlighting both celebrated and emerging talents. This is complemented by social media vox pops and bite-sized coverage of art events across the region.
Alakeel, who also runs Authenticite, a consulting and creative production agency connecting creators and brands who want to understand Saudi culture, said the magazine content is “carefully curated” to feature topics and personalities that resonate in the region.
What differentiates Gems of Arabia, he said, is its story of continuity and substance amassed over the years that has captured the evolution of the wider regional landscape.
“The website represents an archive of nearly 150 articles compiled through years of podcasts and long-form conversations that show continuity and depth changes,” he said.
“So, it’s an evolution and it’s another home for all our content and our community.”
Growing up in France, Alakeel said his mission started early on when he felt the need to represent his Saudi culture “in a way where it can hold its own internationally.”
Through his first brand, Toby, he sought to bring the traditional thobe into modern designs and introduce it to the luxury fashion world. This mission was accomplished when his thobe designs were placed alongside global labels such as Harvey Nichols, Dolce & Gabbana and Prada.
What began as a personal design mission would soon expand into a broader platform to champion Saudi talent.
“I was articulating my culture through fashion and it just felt natural to do that through the incredible people that the region has,” Alakeel said, adding that the magazine aims to highlight the richness of the Kingdom, and wider modern Arab culture to global audiences.
“Art is such a great way of learning about a culture and a country,” he said.
On the ground in Saudi Arabia, the publication hosts GEMS Forum, a series of live cultural gatherings that bring together prominent artistic figures for in-depth conversations later transformed into podcast episodes recorded with a live audience.
Alakeel said the print edition of Gems of Arabia will debut in March, designed as a collectible coffee-table quarterly distributed across the Gulf.
He envisions the platform growing into a long-term cultural record.
“It's a Saudi-centric magazine, but the idea is to make it inclusive to the region and everyone authentic has a seat at the table,” said Alakeel.
