VINCENNES, France: A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli strike on south Lebanon carried Sunday the Olympic torch in Paris to honor journalists wounded and killed in the field.
The torch relay, which started in May, is part of celebrations in which about 10,000 people from various walks of life were chosen to carry the flame across France before the Games opening ceremony on July 26.
Christina Assi, of Agence France-Presse, was among six journalists struck by Israeli shelling on Oct. 13 2023 while reporting on fire exchange along the border between Israeli troops and members of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group. The attack killed Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah. Assi was severely wounded and had part of her right leg amputated.
AFP videographer Dylan Collins, also wounded in the Israeli attack, pushed Assi’s wheelchair as she carried the torch across the suburb of Vincennes Sunday. Their colleagues from the press agency and hundreds of spectators cheered them on.
“I wish Issam was here to see this. And I wish what happened today was not because we were struck by two rockets,” Assi told The Associated Press, struggling to hold back her tears. “I wish I could have honored journalists this way while walking and in my best health.”
AFP, Reuters and Al Jazeera accused Israel of targeting their journalists who maintained they were positioned far from where the clashes with vehicles clearly marked as press, while international human rights organizations, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, said the attack was a deliberate attack on civilians and should be investigated as a war crime.
“This is a chance to continue talking about justice, and the targeted attack on Oct. 13 that needs to be investigated as a war crime,” said Collins.
The Israeli military at the time said that the incident was under review, maintaining that it didn’t target journalists.
While holding the torch, Assi said participating in the relay “is to send a message that journalists should be protected and be able to work without fearing that they could die at any moment.”
In late November 2023, Rabih Al-Maamari and Farah Omar of the pan-Arab television network Al-Mayadeen were also killed in an apparent Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon while covering the conflict.
Assi doesn’t believe there will be retribution for the events of that fateful October day but hopes her participation in the Olympic torch relay can bring attention to the importance of protecting journalists. “For me, justice comes the day I can stand up again, hold my camera, and get back to work,” she said.
The watchdog group Committee to Protect Journalists, in a preliminary count, said at least 108 journalists have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, the majority in the Gaza Strip.
The war was triggered by the Palestinian militant group Hamas’ sudden attack on southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and abducting 250 others. Israel says Hamas is still holding about 120 hostages — about a third of them thought to be dead. Israel retaliated with an offensive that has killed more than 38,000 people in Gaza, according to the territory’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Hezbollah militants have traded near-daily strikes with the Israeli military along their border over the past nine months.
Lebanese photojournalist, wounded in Israeli strike, carries Olympic torch to honor journalists
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Lebanese photojournalist, wounded in Israeli strike, carries Olympic torch to honor journalists
- Christina Assi, of Agence France-Presse, was among six journalists struck by Israeli shelling on Oct. 13 2023
Russia will impose restrictions on US media over RT row: Kremlin
- The US indicted two RT employees and slapped its top editors with sanctions on Wednesday
- They were accused of trying to influence the upcoming 2024 US presidential election
The United States indicted two RT employees and slapped its top editors with sanctions on Wednesday, accusing them of trying to influence the upcoming 2024 US presidential election.
“A symmetrical response is not possible. There is no state news agency in the US, and there is no state TV channel in the US,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the state RIA Novosti news agency.
“But there will certainly be measures here that will restrict their media disseminating their information,” he said.
Peskov also justified Moscow’s unprecedented censorship during its Ukraine offensive, in a rare admission of Russia’s tight grip on information.
“In the state of war that we are in, restrictions are justified and censorship is also justified,” he said in separate remarks to the TASS news agency.
Peskov did not say what restrictions Russia would introduce against US media.
Most US media outlets downsized or pulled their staff from Russia when Moscow launched its Ukraine offensive amid laws targeting independent reporting on the conflict.
The 10 individuals and two entities sanctioned by the US Treasury Department on Wednesday included RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan and her deputy Elizaveta Brodskaia.
US officials have long warned of efforts by foreign powers to meddle in the upcoming US election, accusing Moscow of seeking to influence US ballots dating back to the 2016 contest between former President Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Top regional advertising group ramps up staff training programs
- Focus on skills, says Ricarda Ruecker of Middle East Communications Network
- Firm’s academy has begun collaboration with Harvard Business School Online
DUBAI: Regional advertising group Middle East Communications Network is ramping up efforts to train staff with a new platform, collaborations and programs.
The firm’s MCN Academy is “designed to advance professional and personal progression at all career stages for our people,” said Ricarda Ruecker, chief talent officer of MCN Middle East, North Africa and Turkiye, during a recent interview.
In the past, the academy has collaborated with partners including the Berlin School of Creative Leadership.
In addition, it has held an MCN AI Week, which had experts provide workshops, training and talks for all employees, she told Arab News.
Although the academy has existed for nearly 10 years, the network has “relaunched and revamped the platform with upgraded, tailored programs and new partnerships,” she added.
In June, MCN Academy announced a dedicated Harvard Business School Online learning collaboration including two programs for mid-management and executive leader talents.
The two-month-long programs focus on areas including leadership in change and innovation and “designing and delivering unique value to teams and clients,” Ruecker said.
The partnership will be continued in 2025 with “further strategic programs” as well as other “high-profile collaborations,” she added.
The academy will focus on three areas in the next two years: leadership development at all career stages, generative AI, and emotionally intelligent and inclusive leadership.
Ruecker said that these three “strategically important areas” are equally relevant to all 15 MCN agencies. This includes creative agencies FP7 McCann and MullenLowe MENA, media agencies UM and Initiative, and public relations agencies including Weber Shandwick.
Moreover, MCN Academy’s focus on these areas will complement the individual agencies’ efforts in “providing upskilling and knowledge in functional areas and technical skills,” she added.
Ruecker explained that development of talent at all career stages is crucial for the network, whether it is training the next generation of talent or upskilling its top leaders.
Referring to the third area, she said: “We believe that behavioral skills are critical in successfully leading high-performing teams and bringing out the best and unique skillsets of our teams.”
For MCN, it is important to not only form large-scale partnerships at the parent company level but also “ensure our people in market feel empowered and well equipped to integrate AI tools into day-to-day projects,” Ruecker explained.
The fast-paced nature of the AI sector has driven the need for MCN Academy to focus on it in the past and continue to do so as part of its longer-term program.
Critics often question the threat AI may pose to human talent, but Ruecker said that AI should be “the partner, enhancer and facilitator for our industry”.
“With the correct guardrails and usage, it opens the door to not only change the way we work, collaborate and create but also shape the future of our workforce with new skills and opportunities for our talent,” she added.
Ruecker’s views on generative AI are seemingly supported by data of its adoption as a crucial investment for businesses. According to a 2024 McKinsey report, 65 percent of respondents said that their organizations are regularly using generative AI.
The same report found that AI adoption has seen a massive surge this year jumping to 72 percent compared to 55 percent last year.
Former 2016 Trump campaign adviser is charged over his work for sanctioned Russian TV
WASHINGTON: The Justice Department has charged a Russian-born US citizen and former adviser to Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign with working for a sanctioned Russian state television network and laundering the proceeds.
Indictments announced Thursday allege that Dimitri Simes and his wife received over $1 million dollars and a personal car and driver in exchange for work they did for Russia’s Channel One since June 2022. The network was sanctioned by the US in 2022 over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Simes, 76, and his wife, Anastasia Simes, have a home in Virginia and are believed to be in Russia.
“These defendants allegedly violated sanctions that were put in place in response to Russia’s illegal aggression in Ukraine,” US Attorney Matthew M. Graves said in a statement announcing the charges. “Such violations harm our national security interests — a fact that Dimitri Simes, with the deep experience he gained in national affairs after fleeing the Soviet Union and becoming a US citizen, should have uniquely appreciated.”
The indictments come at a time of renewed concern about Russian efforts to meddle with the upcoming US election using online disinformation and propaganda. On Wednesday federal authorities announced charges against two employees of the Russian media organization RT accused of covertly funding a Tennessee company that produced pro-Russian content.
Simes and the Washington think tank he led, the Center for the National Interest, figured prominently in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential ties to the Trump campaign.
The report chronicles interactions that the Soviet-born Simes, who immigrated to the US in the 1970s, had with assorted figures in Trump’s orbit, including Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Before one such meeting, according to the Mueller report, Simes sent Kushner a letter detailing potential talking points for Trump about Russia and also passed along derogatory information about Bill Clinton that was then forwarded to other representatives of the campaign.
Simes’s think tank, which was founded by former President Richard Nixon, helped arrange a foreign policy speech at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington at which Simes introduced Trump, according to the report. Among those present was Sergei Kislyak, then the Russian ambassador to the US
Simes was never charged with any crime in relation to the investigation.
After the report was released, Simes defended himself in an interview in The Washington Post: “I did not see anything in the Mueller report that in any way that would indicate any questionable activity on my part or on the center’s part.”
A second indictment alleges that Anastasia Simes, 55, received funds from sanctioned Russian businessman Alexander Udodov. Udodov was sanctioned last year for his support for the Russian government. He is the former brother-in-law of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and has been linked to business dealings with both of them. Udodov also has been investigated for money laundering.
It was not immediately clear if either defendant had a lawyer who could speak on their behalf. An attorney who previously represented Simes said he was no longer representing him. The Trump campaign did not immediately return a message seeking comment Thursday.
In an interview with The New York Times before the charges were announced, Simes, who appears regularly on Channel One, defended the work he was doing.
“I assumed that what I was saying on Russian TV would not be to the liking of the Biden administration, but I also assumed that as long as it was just my opinion and was presented as such, it was not something for which I could be prosecuted,” he told the newspaper.
Meta body rules pro-Palestine phrase ‘from the river to the sea’ is not hate speech
- Firm’s Oversight Board says ‘blanket ban’ would hinder ‘protected political speech’
- Board seeks better access to Meta data for independent monitoring of moderation
DUBAI: Meta’s Oversight Board ruled on Wednesday that posts with the phrase “from the river to the sea” do not necessarily violate the company’s policies and therefore should not automatically be removed.
The independent board reviewed three Facebook posts containing the pro-Palestinian phrase. Meta had decided to keep the posts up after users wanted them removed, leading to an appeal.
On Wednesday, the board concluded its review and said it upholds Meta’s decision to leave the posts up. And found that they did not violate the company’s rules on hate speech, violence and incitement, or support of dangerous organizations and individuals.
The three posts contain “contextual signs of solidarity with Palestinians” and “do not glorify or even refer to Hamas, an organization designated as dangerous by Meta,” the board stated.
While a majority of the board believes that the phrase has multiple meanings, a minority believes that its use in a post should “be presumed to constitute glorification of a designated entity, unless there are clear signals to the contrary.”
This minority view was based on the phrase’s presence in the 2017 Hamas charter and in light of the October 2023 attacks.
The board acknowledged that the phrase was often used as a “political call for solidarity, equal rights and self-determination of the Palestinian people, and to end the war in Gaza,” and therefore “cannot be understood as a call to violence against a group.”
It argued that Hamas’ use of the phrase does not make it inherently violent or hateful, and because it is used in a variety of different ways, a “blanket ban” would hinder “protected political speech.”
In addition to upholding Meta’s decision to leave the posts up, the board also advocated for better data access to independently monitor Meta’s moderation.
For example, it said that it used Meta’s public data analysis tool CrowdTangle for some research during the case. Meta discontinued the tool in August and directed users to the Meta Content Library.
The board said it was concerned with “Meta’s decision to shut down the tool while there are questions over the newer Meta Content Library as an adequate replacement.”
In addition, the board recommended that Meta process applications for access to its Content Library in a timely manner and ensure it was a suitable replacement for CrowdTangle.
The board also said the ability to assess the extent of the surge in antisemitic, Islamophobic, racist and hateful content on Meta’s platforms remains limited.
As such, it urged Meta to fully implement a recommendation from consultancy Business for Social Responsibility’s “Human Rights Due Diligence” report.
This states that Meta should “develop a mechanism to track the prevalence of content” which constitutes antisemitic, Islamophobic, anti-Arab, and homophobic attacks.
Empowering Saudi content creators: AI summit bridges innovation and collaboration
RIYADH: The American Embassy in Riyadh hosted the event “AI Summit for Content Creators” on Sept. 4 at Beast House, inviting social media influencers and YouTubers to engage with experts from Google and Microsoft with the aim of helping Saudi content creators understand artificial intelligence tools.
The event offered networking opportunities, followed by a discussion panel and training sessions led by Google and Microsoft, focusing on their AI programs such as Gemini and ChatGPT.
The discussion panel featured prominent speakers including Zainab Al Amin, vice president of national digital transformation at Microsoft; Marwa Khost Jarkas, AI communication lead at Google MENA; and Hady Hajjar, co-founder of HuManagment. The panel was moderated by YouTuber Mohammed Salem.
American Ambassador Michael Ratney opened the ceremony, sharing his experiences with social media and expressing his interest in AI’s role in content creation.
“It’s great to see everybody here. Thank you to Google and Microsoft for being our partners today. It’s truly wonderful to have you as part of this gathering of big, famous US companies. There are more out there eager to connect with Saudi Arabia as well,” he said.
He highlighted the numerous opportunities for US companies in Saudi Arabia, especially amid the burgeoning tech partnership between the two nations.
“Today, we’re discussing artificial intelligence, a force that’s becoming integral to our society and economy, especially in a dynamic place like Saudi Arabia. We thought it would be valuable to explore how AI impacts our lives, our work, and specifically, how it will influence your roles in social media and content creation,” Ratney added.
The discussion panel addressed AI’s presence in Saudi Arabia and the country’s initiatives to promote AI education among its citizens.
Al Amin said: “Saudi Arabia aims to become the leading hub for artificial intelligence in the region and globally. We are actively pursuing this goal by collaborating closely with the government sector. We have engaged with key organizations, including the Communications and Information Technology Commission, the Communications and Space Commission, the Ministry of Communications, and the Council of Chambers of Commerce, through an initiative called Advisory Groups.”
The groups consist of representatives from major companies and the government, focusing on identifying challenges related to modern technologies, including AI. “Our objective is to explore the barriers to AI adoption in the Kingdom and to develop initiatives that will enhance its integration and growth,” Al Amin said.
The panel also highlighted the importance of learning prompt engineering, noting that many free resources are available through Google, Microsoft, and LinkedIn.
Jarkas, of Google MENA, elaborated on the challenges of learning AI: “I view AI through three lenses — how to use it intelligently, safely, and responsibly. We often get emotionally drawn to new technologies and rush into using them, forgetting safety and responsibility. We must master prompt engineering and use requests thoughtfully, providing adequate detail.”
She advised caution, stating: “When interacting with AI, we should not disclose our entire identity. This is an essential part of using AI safely.”
HuManagement’s Hajjar discussed AI’s potential benefits for content creators, such as generating new video ideas. However, he cautioned: “We must adapt the content to align with our unique work; AI is merely a tool to assist us. Saudi Arabia is one of the highest consumers of content, making it crucial for creators to leverage AI tools to streamline their content creation process.”
He also noted the emergence of AI-generated social media influencers, presenting a challenge for human content creators and underscoring the importance of understanding AI in today’s landscape.
