News in Brief (04-12-2021)

Armed man outside UN arrested after standoff, lockdown

NEW YORK, Dec 03: The United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York City was locked down for several hours Thursday after a man was seen pacing outside one of its main gates with a loaded shotgun, holding it under his chin at times, police said. The man, who appeared to be in his 60s, was taken into custody without incident at around 1:40 p.m., about three hours after police said he was first spotted outside a UN security checkpoint on Manhattan's First Avenue. He was taken to a hospital for evaluation, NYPD Chief of Special Operations Harry Wedin said. The gun was loaded with one shotgun shell, Wedin said. The man also had a bag with him and gave police documents, included medical papers, that he said he wanted delivered to the UN, Wedin said. — AP

The granny who learnt to read and write at 104

KERALA, Dec 03: Kuttiyamma, a 104-year-old woman in the southern Indian state of Kerala, had always wanted to go to school. But an early marriage and a life centred on household chores put an end to that dream. But her dream became realistic when she finally got a chance to join a government-sponsored literacy programmeme. At 104, she learnt how to read and write - something she had wanted to do since she was a child. And then she made headlines by scoring 89 marks out of 100 in the official literacy test. — BBC

KSA’s music industry rapid growth, due to Vision 2030 reform plan

JEDDAH, Dec 03: Saudi Arabia's music industry has seen rapid growth from a standing start, largely due to the Vision 2030 reform plan, which positions entertainment front and centre in the diversification of the Kingdom's economy away from oil and its derivatives. The General Entertainment Authority was established in 2016 with a mission to "provide recreational opportunities for all segments of society...to enrich lives and to spread joy." It is doing just that with spectacular mega-events like Riyadh Season. And with the relaxation of social norms in the Kingdom, music has become not just an integral part of daily life, but a dynamic new economic sector. — Arab News