Middle East Experience

At least three people were killed, including a young girl, in an attack Wednesday on a children’s hospital in Mariupol in southern Ukraine, local officials said on Thursday.“Three people were killed, including a female child, in yesterday’s attack on a children’s and maternity hospital in Ukraine’s besieged Mariupol, according to updated figures this morning,” the city council said on its Telegram channel.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Officials had previously given a toll of 17 injured, including doctors, in the attack.“The Russian forces are destroying Mariupol’s civilian population deliberately and without mercy,” the city council said.It says 1,200 inhabitants have been killed in nine days of Russian siege.The attack on the children’s hospital, described by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “war crime”, has triggered international indignation.Save the Children’s Eastern Europe Director, Irina Saghoyan, said in a statement on Thursday: “It’s horrifying that a place people seek for help has become one of absolute and utter destruction.“Where can families and children turn to if even hospitals are not safe? They must not become the battlefields where conflicts rage and innocent children are the casualties.”Read more:Top Russian and Ukrainian diplomats to meet for first time since invasionRussia will no longer participate in Council of Europe: ReportPhilippines ready to back US if it gets embroiled in Russia-Ukraine war
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Three killed, including child, in attack on Mariupol hospital: Ukraine officials

Snap Inc. and MBC Media Solutions (MMS) – the commercial arm of MBC Group – agreed to feature exclusive MBC content on the social media platform, as part of a new partnership, the firms said in a statement released on Wednesday.Snapchat users across the region will have access to popular MBC shows, including its flagship daily shows and exclusives from MBC Group channels and Al Arabiya as well as behind-the-scenes content.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The MBC programs that are set to air on Snapchat will include flagship Ramadan shows like ‘Ramez’ and ‘Studio 22,’ popular morning daily shows like ‘Sabah El Kheir Ya Arab,’ and daily news content from Al Arabiya television.“After more than doubling our audience on Snapchat and further increasing the time spent on our shows on Snapchat in the past year, we look forward to developing this partnership further,” MMS’s COO Nadim Samara said in the statement.“Our reach on Snapchat opens new opportunities to further extend our consumers’ viewing options. Throughout Ramadan and the rest of the year, we look forward to bringing new entertainment choices to audiences wherever they are.”Launched in 2020, MMS is an in-house commercial advertising and sales unit. It offers data-driven integrated media solutions across television, radio, digital and Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms, keeping MBC GROUP at the forefront of the media industry.Snapchat’s community in the region has grown substantially, now at 75 million users, accounting for a 33 percent year over year increase. In Saudi Arabia alone, Snapchat’s monthly reach has mounted to more than 20 million unique users.“The incredible efforts by MMS in 2021 in providing quality content on Snapchat has paid off, the inclusion of Ramadan content this year will drive these numbers even higher, considering that users spent 33 percent more time enjoying Ramadan shows on Snapchat in 2021 than the previous year,” said Snap Inc.’s Head of Media Partnerships and Programming Sarah Abu Zahra in the Middle East and North African region.“We are just beginning to unlock MBC GROUP’s potential on Snapchat, and we are excited to see how this partnership evolves.”Read more:Al Arabiya becomes first regional news channel to exceed 10 mln YouTube subscribersSaudi authorities arrest influencer selling counterfeit designer products on SnapchatMBC Media Solutions to launch ‘Experience Ramadan 2022’ in Riyadh
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Snapchat to feature exclusive MBC, Al Arabiya news content, Ramadan specials

Saudi Arabia concluded its first World Defense Show in Riyadh with a record $7.9 billion (SAR 29.7 billion) in deals, the organizers announced in a media statement on Wednesday.The four-day-long event saw 600 exhibitors in the defense and security sectors from 42 countries.The next edition of the show has been planned for March 2024, according to the same statement.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Suliman Almazrous, CEO of the National Industrial Development And Logistics Program (NIDLP) told Al Arabiya English that the event has “successfully achieved an ideal equation – quantity and quality of exhibitors” which showcases the Kingdom’s marked efforts to promote the local opportunities it has to offer.One of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals is to have 50 percent of defense spending localized.In light of these goals, the World Defense Show was organized by the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) to realize the future of Saudi’s defense requirements.Ahmad al-Ohali, Governor of GAMI in a media statement said, “the networking, knowledge sharing, and commercial relationships established through the World Defense Show platform will spur a new era of investment and growth for Saudi Arabia’s defense and security industry bringing us closer to achieving our target of localizing more than 50 percent of the Kingdom’s military expenditure by 2030.”Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman inaugurated the event on Sunday and toured the purpose-built site north of capital several times.Interoperability was a big theme of event and exhibitors displayed technology from air, land, sea, and space defense systems to support it.Daily panel discussions explored the various current and future technology available in defense, while a Control and Command center simulated handling security threats.On International Women’s Day, the event dedicated the March 8 commemoration to promote and highlight women in defense. Notable dignitaries including Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the US, Phebe Novakovic, CEO of General Dynamics; and Marion Blakely, former President of Rolls-Royce North America who all delivered keynotes at the event.Meanwhile, the youth of the nation were also given a platform to “kickstart and progress their careers” through panel discussions and hands-on activities with many of the defense showcases at the event, according to a statement from the organizer.Read more:World Defense Show: GCC defense sector thrives on partnerships, localizationIn pictures: Saudi’s World Defense Show exhibits innovative defense systemsDrones take center stage at Saudi Arabia’s World Defense Show in Riyadh
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi Arabia’s first World Defense Show in Riyadh ends with .9 billion in deals

Saudi Central Bank announced the extension of its guaranteed financing program for micro, small, and medium enterprises for one year until March 14 2023, in a statement.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The scheme was introduced in March of 2020 during the intial COVID-19 outbreak.It offered SMEs deferrals on bank payments, concessional financing, and exemptions from the costs of a loan guarantee program.Read more: Saudi cabinet approves licensing third digital bank: Central bankSaudi Investment Ministry deploys taskforce to ensure business continuityCoronavirus: Saudi Central Bank announces $13 bln financing package
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi central bank announces one-year extension of SME financing program

Serving British soldiers who have left their posts to fight in Ukraine are in “an awful lot of trouble” and risk escalating the conflict, the armed forces minister warned on Thursday.“It is illegal for a British service person to... go absent without leave in the first place. But to go absent without leave in order to fight in a foreign war is simply unacceptable and frankly, risks the United Kingdom being wrongly claimed by Russia to be a belligerent in this,” James Heappey told Sky News.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.A handful of soldiers are believed to have gone absent without leave to join in the conflict and Heappey – a former army officer who served in Afghanistan and Iraq – warned they were now in “an awful lot of trouble.”“Service people who might think that they are doing the right thing should reflect that it is 100 percent not the correct thing to be doing,” he added.“There’s a thing deep inside you as a soldier that makes you see TV images... and makes you want to go and fight to put things right but no good comes from British service people and veterans going to Ukraine to be a part of this.”He also cautioned those thinking of going to fight that they would be there for the long haul.“People who think they can go there for a couple of weeks, take some selfies, get some Instagram shots and then come home.“That is not the way the Ukrainians are viewing the people that go to fight for them,” he added.Foreign Secretary Liz Truss raised eyebrows last month when she said British people should join the fight if they wanted, a position that was later contradicted by government advice warning against all travel to Ukraine and from defense chiefs.On Wednesday it emerged that a group of British former servicemen, including the son of a Conservative lawmaker, have travelled to Ukraine bent on fighting Russians.Read more:UK adds Abramovich, Sechin, Lebedev to Russian sanctions listRussia admits conscripts “taking part” in its invasion of UkraineNo progress on ceasefire in Ukraine-Russia talks: Ukraine FM
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Awol UK soldiers in Ukraine risk escalating crisis: Britain’s armed forces minister

Wheat provision in the state's budget..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Ukraine war strikes Egypt economy

Do you think you have what it takes to prove your strength? Well, this is your chance to flex your power!.
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Ready to fight for 'Qatar's Strongest Man' title?

The Jewish Agency's hotline has already received over 16,000 calls.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Christians fund emergency hotlines to help Ukrainian Jews make aliyah

Iraq’s most recent election promised change but ended up entrenching the establishment..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Why Muqtada al-Sadr Failed to Reform Iraq

US President Joe Biden announced new sanctions against Russia on Friday, downgrading trade ties with Moscow and banning the import of Russian alcohol, seafood and diamonds.“The United States and our allies and partners continue in lockstep to ramp up the economic pressures on Putin and to further isolate Russia on the global stage,” Biden said in televised remarks from the White House.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Biden also banned the US import of goods from “several signature sectors of Russia’s economy,” including seafood, vodka and diamonds.The White House said this would deny Russia more than $1 billion in export revenues.“And we’re going to continue to squeeze Putin… to deny Russia the ability to borrow from leading international institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank,” Biden said.“Putin is the aggressor, and Putin must pay the price. He cannot pursue a war that threatens the very foundations of international peace and stability and then ask for financial help from the international community,” the US president added.Read more: US sends Patriot missile defense systems to Poland: Pentagon
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Biden bans US imports of Russia's seafood, vodka, diamonds