CNN journalism school begins third year in Abu Dhabi

CNN journalism school begins third year in Abu Dhabi
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Updated 25 May 2023

CNN journalism school begins third year in Abu Dhabi

CNN journalism school begins third year in Abu Dhabi
  • US broadcaster accepting applications for Academy Abu Dhabi supported by emirate’s Creative Media Authority

DUBAI: CNN Academy Abu Dhabi has opened applications for the third year of its journalism training program.

Supported by the Abu Dhabi Media Office’s Creative Media Authority, the 12-week program will end with a focus on climate storytelling to coincide with the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference, COP28, taking place in the UAE this December.

The US network will work with Creative Lab, part of the talent development division of CMA, to choose applicants.

“CNN Academy Abu Dhabi plays a vital role in marrying technical and practical training with a renowned media company, creating a one-of-a-kind coveted opportunity for aspiring journalists,” said HE Khalfan Al Mazrouei, the CMA’s Acting Director General.

The move is in line with “CMA’s remit to develop the skills and knowledge of the media industry, as well as streamlining the training to career pipeline for the industry,” he added.

The program will end with a simulation requiring students to apply their new skills to investigate and report on an unfolding climate disaster in a fictional country.

“Climate change is one of the biggest stories of our time, and as the UN conference takes place here in the UAE, we will simultaneously center our newsroom simulation on how to cover the climate crisis as journalists and storytellers,” said Becky Anderson, managing editor of CNN Abu Dhabi and presenter on “Connect the World.”

The program will teach journalism skills based on how CNN gathers information, verifies sources and produces content for multiple platforms.

Participants will learn 10 topics including ethics, breaking news and scriptwriting through in-person workshops and webinars hosted at The Community Hub, which is part of twofour54’s Yas Creative Hub in Abu Dhabi.

The hub, which also houses CMA’s Creative Lab, will provide facilities and infrastructure including equipment, learning resources and student liaison and outreach.

CNN Academy Abu Dhabi applications are open until July 22 to UAE nationals and residents over the age of 21.


Websites linked to Iran’s presidency hacked with images of exile group’s leaders

Websites linked to Iran’s presidency hacked with images of exile group’s leaders
Updated 6 sec ago

Websites linked to Iran’s presidency hacked with images of exile group’s leaders

Websites linked to Iran’s presidency hacked with images of exile group’s leaders
DUBAI: A series of websites linked to Iran’s presidency bore the images of two leaders of an exiled opposition group Monday, with others showing the pictures of Islamic Republic’s supreme leader and president crossed out.
An Internet account describing itself as a group of hackers claimed responsibility for allegedly taking down websites. The account GhyamSarnegouni, whose name in Farsi means “Rise to Overthrow,” previously claimed hacking websites associated with Iran’s Foreign Ministry earlier this month.
Iranian state media and officials did not immediately acknowledge the apparent hack. However, Associated Press journalists accessing the sites found them defaced with images of Massoud Rajavi, the long-missing leader of the Iranian exile group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, and his wife Maryam, who is now the public face of the group.
One site bore the slogan: “Death to Khamenei Raisi- Hail to Rajavi.” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi both were targeted similarly in the previously claimed hacked in May.
Iran has been targeted by a series of embarrassing hacks amid the rising tensions over its rapidly advancing nuclear program. That’s included the signal of Iranian state television being targeted, gasoline pumps that provide subsidized fuel being targeted in a cyberattack and government surveillance camera imagery being released, including from a notorious prison.
The Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, known by the acronym MEK, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The MEK had angrily condemned a prisoner swap Belgium conducted with Iran on Friday to free an aid worker that saw an Iranian diplomat convicted of being behind a bomb plot targeting the group released.
The MEK began as a Marxist group opposing the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. It claimed and was suspected in a series of attacks against US officials in Iran in the 1970s, something the group now denies.
It supported the 1979 Islamic Revolution, but soon had a falling out with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and turned against the cleric. It carried out a series of assassinations and bombings targeting the young Islamic Republic.
The MEK later fled into Iraq and backed dictator Saddam Hussein during his bloody eight-year war against Iran in the 1980s. That saw many oppose the group in Iran. Although largely based in Albania, the group claims to operate a network inside Iran.

Google Doodle celebrates the late Saudi novelist Abdelrahman Munif

Google Doodle celebrates the late Saudi novelist Abdelrahman Munif
Updated 29 May 2023

Google Doodle celebrates the late Saudi novelist Abdelrahman Munif

Google Doodle celebrates the late Saudi novelist Abdelrahman Munif
  • Since childhood, Munif developed an interest in writing and believed “the mission of literature is to increase awareness”

DUBAI: Google Doodle on Monday celebrated what would have been the 90th birthday of Saudi novelist, journalist and cultural critic Abdelrahman Munif. 

Munif was born on May 29, 1933 in Amman, Jordan. In 1952, he moved to Iraq to study law at the University of Baghdad.

Years later he graduated from Cairo University in Egypt before earning his PhD in petroleum economics at the University of Belgrade in 1961.  

Munif had a career in the oil industry as an economist in Iraq, and later for the Oil Ministry in Syria and OPEC. 

Since childhood, Munif developed an interest in writing and believed “the mission of literature is to increase awareness”.

While living in Baghdad, he worked as an editor at the monthly periodical Al-Naft wa Al-Tanmiyya (Oil and Development). 

He published short stories and eventually his first book during his time as an editor. 

His first novel, Al Ashjar wa-ightiyal Marzuq (Trees and the Assasination of Marzooq) was published in 1973. 

His best known work is the quintet, Mudan al-Milh (Cities of Salt) which describes the Arab world during the oil era.

Other notable works by Munif included Al-Nihayat (Endings), Sharq al-Mutawassit (East of the Mediterranean) and historical novel trilogy Ard Al-Sawad (Land of Darkness).

In 1989, Munif was awarded the Al-Owaist Cultural Award for his distinction in writing and the Award of Cairo Gathering for Arab Creativity in Novel Writing in 1998. 

“Thank you for your contributions to Arab literature and your analysis of sociopolitical issues,” read Google’s description of the novelist.  

The doodle was seen across the Middle East on Monday.


China deletes 1.4 million social media posts in crack down on ‘self-media’ accounts

China deletes 1.4 million social media posts in crack down on ‘self-media’ accounts
Updated 27 May 2023

China deletes 1.4 million social media posts in crack down on ‘self-media’ accounts

China deletes 1.4 million social media posts in crack down on ‘self-media’ accounts
  • About 67,000 social media accounts closed and hundreds of thousands of posts between March 10 and May 22 deleted
  • Beijing frequently arrests citizens and censors accounts for publishing or sharing factual information considered sensitive or critical

BEIJING: China’s cyberspace regulator said 1.4 million social media posts have been deleted following a two-month probe into alleged misinformation, illegal profiteering, and impersonation of state officials, among other “pronounced problems.”
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said in a statement on Friday it had closed 67,000 social media accounts and deleted hundreds of thousands of posts between March 10 and May 22 as part of a broader “rectification” campaign.
Since 2021, China has targeted billions of social media accounts in a bid to “clean” its cyberspace and make it easier for authorities to control.
The latest crackdown targeted accounts on popular Chinese social media apps including WeChat, Douyin, and Weibo that fall under the category of “self media,” a term that broadly refers to accounts that publish news and information but are not government-run or state-approved.
Beijing frequently arrests citizens and censors accounts for publishing or sharing factual information considered sensitive or critical of the Communist Party, the government or the military, especially when such information goes viral.
Of the 67,000 accounts that were permanently closed, almost 8,000 were taken down for “spreading fake news, rumors, and harmful information,” according to CAC.
Around 930,000 other accounts received less severe punishments, from being removed of all followers to the suspension or cancelation of profit-making privileges.
In a separate campaign, the regulator recently closed over 100,000 accounts that allegedly misrepresented news anchors and media agencies to counter the rise of online fake news coverage aided by AI technologies.
The CAC on Friday said its latest campaign had targeted almost 13,000 counterfeit military accounts, with names such as “Chinese Red Army Command,” “Chinese Anti-terrorist Force” and “Strategic Missile Force.”
Some 25,000 other accounts were targeted for impersonating public institutions, such as disease and prevention control centers and state-run research institutes.
Almost 187,000 were punished for impersonating news media businesses, while over 430,000 allegedly offered professional advice or educational services without having relevant professional qualifications.
Around 45,000 accounts were closed for “hyping hot issues, clout-chasing and illegal monetization.”
The regulator said it had “actively coordinated with public security, market supervision and other departments, to deliver a heavy blow and rectify illegal ‘self-media’.”
“At the same time, (we) also call on the majority of netizens to actively participate in monitoring and reporting (illegal ‘self-media’), provide clues ... and jointly maintain a clean cyberspace,” it added.


Starzplay and NMPRO unveil original film ‘Big Lie’ at red-carpet premiere event

Starzplay and NMPRO unveil original film ‘Big Lie’ at red-carpet premiere event
Updated 26 May 2023

Starzplay and NMPRO unveil original film ‘Big Lie’ at red-carpet premiere event

Starzplay and NMPRO unveil original film ‘Big Lie’ at red-carpet premiere event
  • The movie explores the dark side of social media, particularly the influential and dangerous role it can play in people’s lives
  • “Big Lie” will be released on Starzplay soon, said Tony Saab, senior vice president of content and strategic partnerships at the platform

DUBAI: Streaming platform Starzplay unveiled its original film “Big Lie” at a premiere event hosted in collaboration with Middle Eastern production company NMPRO at the Grand Cinemas ABC Verdun in Beirut, Lebanon.
The movie explores the dark side of social media, particularly the influential and dangerous role it can play in people’s lives.
The film is the result of a “long-term partnership built on shared values, a unified vision, and a mutual commitment to delivering exceptional content” between the two companies, said Nadim Mehanna, producer and director of “Big Lie” and founder of NMPRO.
“Big Lie” will be released on Starzplay soon, said Tony Saab, senior vice president of content and strategic partnerships at the platform.
He added: “As part of our commitment to delivering surprises every month, our content acquisition and production strategy focuses on frequently releasing Starzplay originals in collaboration with esteemed production houses across the region.”
The premiere was attended by stars such as Heba Nour, Sandy Farah, Fouad Yammine, Yaaqoub Chahine, Laura Khabbaz, and Sharbel Zyadeh, as well as executives from Starzplay and NMPRO.


Twitter likely to quit EU code against disinformation, EU official says

Twitter likely to quit EU code against disinformation, EU official says
Updated 26 May 2023

Twitter likely to quit EU code against disinformation, EU official says

Twitter likely to quit EU code against disinformation, EU official says
  • Code sets a range of self-regulatory commitments, measures to counter online disinformation
  • Company will not quit Europe, official said

BRUSSELS: Twitter is likely to pull out from a voluntary EU code of practice to tackle disinformation, but the move does not mean it will quit Europe, an EU official said on Thursday.
The European Commission beefed up the code last year, requiring companies to submit regular progress reports with data on how much advertising revenue they had averted from disinformation actors.
New obligations include providing information on the number or value of political advertisements accepted or rejected and instances of manipulative behaviors detected.
Twitter has given signs that it will leave the code, the EU official said, adding that it does not make a big difference as the company has not been putting in a lot of effort recently.
“It just means that they won’t attend meetings and not issue reports. They would still have legal obligations,” the official said, referring to landmark tech rules adopted recently to which the code of practice is linked.
“They are not pulling out of Europe,” the official said.
Twitter did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Violations of the tech rules can cost companies fines as much as 6 percent of their global turnover.
Companies signed up to the code include Alphabet’s Google, Meta Platforms, Microsoft and TikTok.