AGP Executive Report

Jordanian Arts & Culture: The Jordanian Fine Artists Association election results are in: the “Growth and Change” bloc swept the administrative seats, with Ghazi Anaim elected president, as the new team vows to strengthen the institution and back creativity beyond factionalism. Jordanian TV & Drama Legacy: A Jordan-focused social page revisits the classic 1972 Arab collaboration “The Fugitive” (Al-Harbeh), highlighting its black-and-white production, director Haseeb Youssef, and a cast that bridged Jordanian and Egyptian talent. Arts & Entertainment (Regional/Global): HBO’s “Lanterns” keeps pulling viewers—Episode 3 hit 10M globally in its first three days, with 7M on HBO Max in the U.S., as the series deepens John Stewart’s origin. Film & Music Buzz: Stephen King publicly recommends the Shudder horror “The Cycle,” starring Deborah Ann Woll, while TIFF 2026 programming is teased with 293 titles and a standout opening-night pick, “Being Heumann.” Sports Styling & Culture: A fashion-sports feature spotlights how athletes’ “tunnel walks” and style moments are reshaping luxury branding and entertainment crossover.

Middle East Conflict: Iran and the U.S. trade fresh strikes again, with Iran targeting U.S. allies including Jordan, the UAE and Kuwait after American attacks on Iranian military sites; Kuwait reports air defenses intercepting missile and drone threats. Regional Security: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also claim attacks on Jordan’s Camp Titin and on bases in Kuwait and the UAE, while CENTCOM says U.S. strikes hit military facilities. Film & Culture: The South London Film Festival returns to Brixton (Sept 12–27) with UK premieres and a world premiere, featuring work backed by big names like Jordan Peele. Sports (Youth): Bahrain’s youth handball team returns from Amman with silver and a World Championship berth; Bahrain and Jordan meet in AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers in Isa Town. Arts & Entertainment: HBO’s Lanterns teases Episode 4 with new images and story pivots around Hal Jordan and the show’s wider DCU mysteries. Local Sports Tech: Illinois unveils a record-setting $20.9M jumbotron at Gies Memorial Stadium, signaling a bigger visual push for college football. Music: Jazz legend Cassandra Wilson, a two-time Grammy winner, dies at 70.

Jordanian Arts & Culture: Fuheis Festival’s final night at Al-Qanater closed with a packed, three-hour musical finale featuring Syrian star Sobhi Toufiq and Jordanian vocalist Firas Toaimah, who moved the crowd through Jordanian heritage songs and folk classics. Streaming & TV Buzz: HBO’s Lanterns S01E04 image gallery teases a pivotal Hal Jordan chapter—yet skips the expected Hal/Sinestro face-off—while Laura Linney’s Guardian raises bigger questions about who’s steering John Stewart’s fate. Film & Free TV Picks: A quieter fall movie slate is rolling out with new theater releases and streaming additions; Pluto TV also expands its September lineup, including English-dub anime debuts and free premieres. Music Scene: Palestinian-Arab singer Saint Levant (raised in Amman) postponed his North American tour to spring 2027 due to ongoing US visa background-check delays. Sports (Regional): Bahrain’s U20 side take on Jordan in an AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifier after both teams opened with wins, with Ali Mahran starring for Bahrain.

Fuheis Festival Finale: Fuheis Festival / Jordan, History and Civilization wrapped its final public night at the Al-Qanater stage with a packed, three-hour tarab closing concert featuring Syrian star Sobhi Toufiq and Jordanian singer Firas Toaimah. Jordan Pro League Kickoff: The new 2026/2027 Jordan Pro League season begins with a big opening weekend, including Al-Wehdat vs Al-Faisaly in the capital and Al-Hussein Irbid starting their title defense against Al-Jazeera. Regional Arts & Culture Calendar: Sharjah’s Department of Culture unveiled its annual programme of 40+ festivals and forums for Sept 2026–Aug 2027, with Jordan set to feature in the Sharjah Narrative Forum. Books for September: A curated reading list spotlights fresh September releases, including Marlon James and Malcolm Gladwell, plus other fiction and nonfiction picks. Streaming & Film Buzz: Disney confirmed Pixar’s second-ever trilogy with Incredibles 3 arriving in June 2028, while Paramount+ and Pluto TV added the full Rocky and Creed movie lineup. Travel Disruption: Emirates flight schedules are being affected by technical issues, delays, diversions, and cancellations amid escalating regional tensions.

Royal Engagement: Crown Prince Hussein met Irbid leaders and sector representatives on investment, tourism, agriculture, technology and sport, stressing Jordan’s stability and the need to back young people and build on China-linked agreements. Heritage & Arts: Fuheis Festival’s 33rd edition drew crowds to heritage arches and the Greek Orthodox Church Museum area, with organisers highlighting Jordanian narratives, women-led traditions, and inclusive artistic activities. Local Culture Calendar: Kingfield Friday Artwalk returns Sept. 4 (5:00–7:30pm) with local artists, a featured painter at High Peaks Artisan Guild, plus music and a new sweet shop soft opening. Food & Social Rituals: A feature explores how the argileh café tradition is moving into Jordanian living rooms, driven by better equipment and a new hosting culture. Health & Regulation: Jordan’s JFDA seized hormonal injections, steroids and unauthorized medicines from fitness trainers’ vehicles in Amman, referring violators for legal action. Sports Spotlight: Jordan’s karate teams are set for the AKF Cadet, Junior and U21 Championship in Al Hussein Youth City (Sept. 8–10), targeting top results with 40 athletes and a referees’ course.

Fuheis Festival Music: The 33rd Fuheis Festival delivered a big night at Al-Qanater, pairing Palestinian star Iyad Tannous with Jordanian artist Basel Jreisat for classic Arabic tarab—crowd singalongs, Levantine folklore, and Wassouf favorites bringing the audience to a full-on joy moment. Jordanian Arts & Culture Spotlight: The same festival also showcased Jreisat’s rising presence with songs that connected directly to young listeners, reinforcing Fuheis as a stage for the next generation of regional performers. Jordan in the Spotlight (Royals): Queen Rania marked her 56th birthday with a relaxed, romantic new portrait with King Abdullah—soft pink elegance, signature styling, and a family milestone vibe. Sports (Local Interest, Limited Arts Link): Jordanian racing talent Nayef Abu Tayeh signed a five-year management partnership with Kotinos, aiming to grow his brand and opportunities beyond the track.

Middle East Tensions: Trump says the US will “hit [Iran] hard” after Iran’s missile-and-drone attacks on US forces in Jordan and the UAE, with Jordan reporting eight intercepted missiles. Local Impact: The strikes keep drawing attention to Jordan’s airbases (King Hussein and Azraq) as everyday life in Mafraq reportedly carries on despite the escalation. DC Comics Buzz: HBO’s Lanterns keeps reshaping the Green Lantern myth—Episode 3 (“OutKast”) retcons John Stewart’s origin and showrunner Chris Mundy explains the change as a family legacy tied to Hal Jordan. Royal Style: Queen Rania marks her 56th birthday with a relaxed, romantic portrait—blue jeans, subtle glam, and a sweet post with her granddaughters. Music Roundup: New Orleans releases stay rolling in August, with picks including The Rumble’s “Ain’t No Dying” and Dawn Richard’s latest. Fantasy TV Watch: A list of fantasy shows canceled “way too soon” adds to the week’s streaming chatter.

Aqaba Events Economy: Aqaba is pushing its 2026 events calendar beyond seasonal tourism, banking on SOFEX 2026, Amwaj+ concerts, and more forums to boost hotels, dining, transport, retail, and local production. Royal Spotlight: Queen Rania turns 56 with a new relaxed portrait, and the royal family’s fast-growing “grandchildren club” stays in focus. Fall Art Guide: A major roundup of 84 museum exhibitions and biennials for the season highlights how artists are responding to today’s “world-chaos,” from Europe’s retrospectives to politically charged work. Documentary & Resistance Film: Roger Waters joins Rishi Pelham’s “Freedom Theatre” as executive producer, backing a Jenin refugee-camp story about keeping a theater alive. TV Pop Culture: HBO’s “Lanterns” lands Episode 3 with John Stewart’s origin and new DCU lore.

Jordanian Arts & Culture: “Our Jordan Through Our Eyes: From Hobby to Profession” is training 240 young photographers across all 12 governorates, turning passion into professional skills with Ministry of Culture support—an effort to document Jordan through local eyes. Royal Spotlight: Queen Rania marks her 56th birthday with a relaxed new portrait, styled in jeans and a white top, released by the Royal Hashemite Court shortly after her daughter Princess Iman welcomed twin granddaughters. Streaming & Pop Culture: HBO Max’s DCU series “Lanterns” returns with Episode 3 this Sunday, with release times listed across time zones. Entertainment Industry Buzz: Taylor Sheridan’s “Landman” is still teasing Season 3 casting, with LaMonica Garrett pitching why he’d fit the blue-collar, outdoors-first vibe. Humanitarian & Community: JHCO says it distributes 3,000–4,000 food parcels daily across Gaza, alongside water, health and shelter support. Fashion & Identity: Olivia Rodrigo wore a handmade tatreez dress by Palestinian label Nöl Collective at the Daisy Chain Fields festival, spotlighting Palestinian craft. Arts in Public Space: A feature rounds up MENA street art and murals as living archives of culture, politics and everyday life.

Arts & Culture in Jordan: Jerash welcomed 100,362 visitors between January and July 2026, but that’s down 14.7% from the same period in 2025, according to preliminary Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities figures—while the city’s long-running Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts continues to draw local and international performances to its ancient theatres. Music & Community: Jordan’s arts scene also gets a boost from youth-focused culture moments, with the week’s coverage highlighting how events and creative programming keep communities connected. Sports (Arab region, Amman): Bahrain wrapped up the inaugural Arab Women’s U18 Volleyball Championship in Amman, with the tournament organized by the Arab Volleyball Association in cooperation with the Jordan Volleyball Federation. Weather & daily life: The Jordan Meteorological Department warned of unstable conditions Sunday morning, with showers mainly in northern and parts of central-western areas, plus dust and reduced visibility in some regions.

Weather Watch: Jordan Meteorological Department says Sunday morning instability will bring light showers in the north (Ajloun, Irbid, Ramtha and parts of the northern/central-western areas), with westerly winds that can stir dust and reduce visibility in eastern Badia, plus fog on high elevations and slippery roads; conditions ease by Sunday afternoon and fully stabilize Monday. Arts & Culture (Local Tourism): Jerash welcomed 100,362 visitors in the first seven months of 2026, down 14.7% from the same period in 2025, while the city’s Greco-Roman heritage and long-running Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts remain key draws. Sports (Jordan on the Court): Gilas Pilipinas edged Jordan 82-81 in overtime in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, with CJ Perez and Kevin Quiambao delivering late clutch shots; Jordan coach Luis Guil praised Gilas’ size and depth. Music & Media: Egyptian DJ/radio host Nihal El Aasar is pushing beyond narrow labels of Arab music through her NTS Radio programme “Nile to Bank,” spotlighting underground electronic, experimental, hip-hop and regional club scenes.

Sports Spotlight (Jordan–Philippines): Gilas Pilipinas edged Jordan 82-81 in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, with Kevin Quiambao drilling a “rhythm shot” with 11.7 seconds left in overtime and Justin Brownlee’s absence met by CJ Perez’s late scoring surge. Local Sports Context: Jordan coach Luis Guil praised Gilas’ size and depth after the win, while the match highlighted board control led by Kai Sotto and AJ Edu. Music & Culture: Egyptian writer/DJ Nihal El Aasar is pushing back against narrow labels of Arab music through her NTS Radio program “Nile to Bank,” spotlighting underground electronic, experimental, hip-hop, drill and club scenes. Entertainment Picks: HBO Max and Broadway pro-shots are driving weekend viewing buzz, with “Hadestown” streaming and lists of must-watch stage recordings. Global Sports Business: The NFL is eyeing Japan for growth, with a record nine international games across seven countries in 2026.

Sports-Drama (Gilas vs Jordan): Kevin Quiambao hit a late overtime three as Gilas Pilipinas edged Jordan 82-81 in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, with CJ Perez setting up the winning shot and Kai Sotto sealing it with a crucial late block. Global Sports Business: The NFL says it’s expanding internationally, including Japan, with a record nine overseas regular-season games across seven countries—aiming to grow American sports fandom abroad. Fashion (Y2K Return): Y2K style is back in 2026, with a more grown-up twist—think expressive wardrobes and lace-trimmed camis making a comeback. Film & Pop Culture: A live-action/animation hybrid movie roundup spotlights the appeal of mixing cartoon worlds with real cinema, while Ridley Scott’s latest, The Dog Stars, gets ranked against his best-known work. Local Arts/City Culture: San Francisco’s new waterfront park will be named for former Mayor Art Agnos, tying civic change to public space and arts-adjacent community life.

Royal Style & Diplomacy: Princess Salma brought a piece of Queen Rania’s wardrobe to China, wearing a brown Bottega Veneta shirt dress for high-profile Beijing engagements. Arts & Tech Culture: A new push in Jordanian arts circles is echoing a wider anti-AI trend—small businesses are leaning into messy, handmade promotion to stand out online. Sports Losses & Local Pride: Jordanian judo mourns the passing of Khaled Barakat Ibrahim, a former Jordan Judo Federation president and IJF development commission member. Tourism & Heritage Watch: Amman’s Jabal Al-Qalaa cable car project is moving ahead, with officials stressing downtown’s archaeological identity will be protected. Adventure Tourism: Jordan’s off-road community is organizing around “Dunes Capital 2027,” aiming to turn desert driving into a regional sports tourism destination. Screen Culture: HBO Max’s DCU hit “Lanterns” keeps climbing streaming charts, while FX’s “The Shards” lands its “Homecoming” episodes.

Tourism & Heritage: Amman’s Jabal Al-Qalaa cable car project moves into preparatory works in downtown, with officials stressing the plan won’t target classified heritage sites and aims to boost tourism while protecting the city’s historic identity. Public Transport: A new Amman station complex is set to link bus networks across the capital, connecting BRT services and the Amman–Zarqa corridor to Raghadan station, with construction planned to take about 730 days. Adventure Sports: Jordanian off-roaders are organizing a regional desert motorsport push, building toward “Dunes Capital 2027” as an annual destination for off-roading fans in Wadi Araba. Community & Sports Tourism: Housing Bank backs “Hike for Health and Heritage” in Petra, supporting the reconstruction and expansion of Al-Qatrana Health Center and strengthening emergency services along a major highway. Human Stories: UNHCR says about 220,000 UNHCR-registered Syrian refugees have voluntarily returned from Jordan to Syria since Dec. 8, 2024, with returns accelerating after the school term ended.

Public Space Upgrade: Greater Amman Municipality says it has finished installing a rubber surface on the 1,500-meter walking track inside Al-Nashama Park in Marj Al-Hamam, aiming to boost safety and improve the park experience for residents and visitors. It also previously added an iron pedestrian bridge on Al-Salam Street outside the park to reduce accidents and make crossings easier. Transit & City Planning: A new Amman station complex is planned as a central transfer hub linking BRT services inside the capital and the Amman–Zarqa BRT corridor to Raghadan bus station, with a total cost of 33 million dinars and construction set to take 730 days. Arts & Culture Spotlight: Jordanian singer/DJ KEENA shares a new “Select” mix blending Arabic-infused house and indie dance, featuring tracks by Franky Rizardo and Jimi Jules plus her own unreleased productions. Art History Tribute: Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour—an educator credited with shaping the visual language of Palestinian perseverance—has died in Jerusalem at 79, prompting tributes across the Arab art world.