Latest news with #NawafSalam
The National
an hour ago
- General
- The National
Middle East media must set the tone for how the region is covered
Few regions consume media as enthusiastically as the Arab world. With growing internet penetration rates, a market for video-on-demand subscription services worth more than $1 billion and millions of young people getting their daily news and information on their smartphones, the Middle East is at the forefront of evolving media trends. It is little wonder then that this week's Arab Media Summit in Dubai has brought together more than 300 speakers and 6,000 participants, among them Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Grand Imam of Al Azhar Dr Ahmed El Tayeb and British media personality Piers Morgan. They joined many other notable voices – from influencers to editors – across journalism, digital content creation and communications, all seeking to chart a future for the region's media. It is a future that is exciting and bright but also challenging. For many years, the Middle East been portrayed in a one-dimensional fashion. Outdated tropes about unending conflict and militancy have arisen time and again in news reports, TV series and feature films, often side-lining the voices of the region's people. Therefore, it has been welcome to see the many discussions and insights arising from the summit reflect the vibrancy of media producers in the Arab world, from traditional outlets such as newspaper titles and TV channels to social media platforms and film production. However, in challenging times this vibrancy must also be matched by responsibility, especially when it comes to news reporting. Speaking at the summit on Tuesday, Dr El Tayeb, who is also chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, said Arab media 'has the biggest role in disclosing and showing the injustices in Gaza and keeping the Palestinian cause at the front of nations' minds'. He is right to suggest that it is journalists from the Middle East who should be the ones setting the tone for how the region's stories – good and bad – are told. It is critical that media owners, journalists and content creators meet at events such as Dubai's Arab Media Summit to shape the conversation To drive moves towards more holistic coverage of the Middle East, it is important for media outlets to dig deeper and focus on life in the region as it is lived, not as it is reported on from outside. Beshara, a weekly online newsletter published by The National, works to fulfil this mission by focusing on solutions-oriented stories, and positive developments, highlighting the work being done in the UAE and other parts of the Middle East to tackle some of society's most pressing problems. In a wider sense, the media has a social role to play. Speaking before the first day of the summit, Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and chairman of the Dubai Media Council, called the media "a vital partner in development and a key driver of social awareness'. Well-informed societies tend to make better choices, and in an age of misinformation and widespread social media use – in essence, humanity having a real-time conversation with itself – it is important that media owners, journalists and content creators meet at events such as the Arab Media Summit to shape the conversation.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
‘We want Israel out yesterday, not tomorrow:' Lebanon's leader urges US to pressure Israel to withdraw troops
Israel's military occupation in parts of southern Lebanon is undermining Beirut's attempts to restore sovereignty over a nation reeling from decades of conflict, the country's prime minister has told CNN. Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he would like to see the current United States administration put pressure on Israel to withdraw from five locations in southern Lebanon. A US-mediated agreement in November last year paused months of fighting between the Israeli military and Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed militant group that operates in Lebanon. Israel has significantly weakened Hezbollah over the past year, killing much of its top leadership and severely degrading its power through mass airstrikes. The prime minister said Lebanon has been honoring its commitments to the November agreement and that the Lebanese military is 'consolidating control' over the south of the country and its borders. Hezbollah is committed to an agreement that affirms that the Lebanese military is the only authority allowed to bear arms, Salam said Wednesday. However, 'Israel has not honored its commitments,' he added. The 'Israeli presence in Lebanon is a red line for everyone. This is not a red line for Hezbollah alone,' he told CNN's Becky Anderson in Dubai, where he's attending the Arab Media Forum and meeting Emirati leadership. 'Israel's argument is as follows… they need to be in these five points in order to have a better monitoring of the situation in southern Lebanon… but we are not in World War One…we are in the age of satellite imagery, of drones with cameras. They have balloons monitoring the region, let alone a network of spies operating on the ground,' Salam said. 'Israel's presence is politically counterproductive. It's undermining my government…we want Israel out yesterday, not tomorrow.' Despite agreeing to withdraw from Lebanese territory as part of the US-mediated agreement, Israel has said that the Lebanese army has yet to take control of a region with Hezbollah presence. Israeli defense minister, Israel Katz, said in March that the Israeli military would remain in these five points 'indefinitely, to protect the residents of the north – regardless of any future negotiations.' Along with the United States, France and the United Nations are monitoring the ceasefire. 'I'm sure they can testify that Lebanon has been honoring its commitments while Israel has not honored its commitments,' Salam said on the mediating countries. Salam, who rose to prominence after presiding over the International Court of Justice during South Africa's genocide case against Israel, was designated Lebanon's prime minister in January in a surprise move that was seen as a blow to Hezbollah and its allies. Widely seen as a reformist, the prime minister declared specific priorities for his mandate, including ending institutional corruption and regaining sovereignty over his country by disarming Hezbollah and Palestinian factions. 'The goal… is that the state should have exclusive monopoly over arms, over all its territory,' he said in the interview.
Khaleej Times
11 hours ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE lifts travel ban to Lebanon for citizens from May 7
UAE citizens will be allowed to travel to Lebanon effective May 7 but prior registration on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Twajudi platform is mandatory. Filling in the required information on the service before travelling is required to ensure effective communication, whether citizens will travel directly from the UAE through or from any other country. The Ministry has clarified that departing UAE ports without completing the registration process on the platform may result in suspending travel procedures and possible legal accountability. Citizens are asked to fill in all required information, specify their place of residence in Lebanon, update this information if changed, provide emergency contact numbers, and state the purpose of their visit. They also have to report on Mofa's Twajudi service upon their return to the UAE. The decision to lift the travel ban was taken upon the directives of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed. It follows the recent working visit of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to the UAE. The Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam appreciated the UAE's decision to the lift the travel ban on Emirati citizens travelling to Lebanon. He also emphasised this step confirmed the depth of brotherhood between the two countries. During the visit, the UAE and Lebanon agreed to allow travel for citizens after taking the necessary steps to facilitate movement between the two countries and establish suitable mechanisms to ensure this. The UAE applied a ban on citizens from travelling to Lebanon back in 2021 after comments made by Lebanon's information minister — against the legitimacy led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen — put strains on Gulf-Lebanese relations. The Emirates had also announced the withdrawal of its diplomats in solidarity with Saudi Arabia. Lebanese nationals on the other hand were permitted to travel from Lebanon to the UAE. Earlier this year, UAE reopened its embassy in Beirut, and resumed diplomatic activities, which a UAE official termed a significant step in advancing cooperation between the two countries.
Khaleej Times
11 hours ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: Lebanese PM thanks UAE President for allowing Emiratis to return to 'second home'
Lebanese Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam expressed deep gratitude to the UAE and its President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for fulfilling promises to allow Emiratis to return to their 'second home' Lebanon. 'Lebanon does not forget the gestures of our brothers in the Arabian Gulf.' Dr. Salam said during his address at the Arab Media Summit in Dubai. The Lebanese Premier highlighted that approximately 190,000 Lebanese citizens live and work in the UAE 'with dedication and sincerity,' enjoying 'security, safety, and quality of life' in what they consider their 'second country.' Dr. Salam emphasised that Lebanon is built on the twin pillars of reform and sovereignty, which necessitates the exclusivity of weapons. 'We must free ourselves from the duality of weapons that led to duality in decision-making and consequently to the loss of the national state project,' he stated. Outlining his vision for Lebanon, the Prime Minister described it as 'not a fantasy, but a realistic project.' He said, wanting a state of law and institutions, a state of sovereignty not displacement, a state of decision not a battlefield. Rooted in Arab identity 'We want a Lebanon that owns its decision in peace and war, a Lebanon rooted in its Arab identity and affiliation, open to the world, capable of being a bridge of communication between East and West,' he added. Dr. Salam noted that while Lebanon has returned to the Arab fold, but it longs for Arab brothers to return to it — an effective return based on partnership and integration. The Prime Minister reminded the audience that Lebanon continues to face challenges, including Israeli occupation of Lebanese territory and daily violations of sovereignty, even as the country works to implement its international obligations and adheres to the cessation of hostilities. Speaking about the media landscape, Dr. Salam described the current battle in Lebanon as 'not just an economic or political battle, but a battle of awareness, a battle of words.' 'Media for us is not just a party in our journey toward reform and advancement, but a fundamental condition for it. We want it to be a partner in rebuilding trust and in shaping a new future for our country,' he said. The Lebanese leader called for professional, impartial media committed to truth, creating 'a space for participation, understanding, and mutual comprehension, as the early philosophers intended when they defined communication as a sharing of meaning.' 'Historic crossroads' Dr. Salam described the region as being at a 'historic crossroads' and a 'delicate regional moment' that requires a new media discourse to confront attempts at marginalization and dismantling while reproducing hope. 'We want a vibrant Arab media that opens windows and protects freedom without misusing it,' he stated. Concluding his address, Dr. Salam spoke not just as Prime Minister but as a Lebanese citizen who has experienced pain and hope, and believes that when words are sincere, they can be a bridge toward more humane and cohesive societies. Dubai, which he described as 'the city of vision and ambition as Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid wanted it,' he called on all free media professionals to be 'guardians of truth, makers of awareness, and allies of advancement.' 'Lebanon, from this platform, tells you: We are returning — returning to our state, returning to our Arab identity, returning to the future,' Dr. Salam concluded. UAE and Lebanon agreed to allow citizens to travel after taking the necessary measures to facilitate movement between the two countries and establishing appropriate mechanisms. UAE citizens were allowed to travel to Lebanon effective May 7 but prior registration on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Twajudi platform is mandatory.
CNN
11 hours ago
- General
- CNN
‘We want Israel out yesterday, not tomorrow:' Lebanon's leader urges US to pressure Israel to withdraw troops
Israel's military occupation in parts of southern Lebanon is undermining Beirut's attempts to restore sovereignty over a nation reeling from decades of conflict, the country's prime minister has told CNN. Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he would like to see the current United States administration put pressure on Israel to withdraw from five locations in southern Lebanon. A US-mediated agreement in November last year paused months of fighting between the Israeli military and Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed militant group that operates in Lebanon. Israel has significantly weakened Hezbollah over the past year, killing much of its top leadership and severely degrading its power through mass airstrikes. The prime minister said Lebanon has been honoring its commitments to the November agreement and that the Lebanese military is 'consolidating control' over the south of the country and its borders. Hezbollah is committed to an agreement that affirms that the Lebanese military is the only authority allowed to bear arms, Salam said Wednesday. However, 'Israel has not honored its commitments,' he added. The 'Israeli presence in Lebanon is a red line for everyone. This is not a red line for Hezbollah alone,' he told CNN's Becky Anderson in Dubai, where he's attending the Arab Media Forum and meeting Emirati leadership. 'Israel's argument is as follows… they need to be in these five points in order to have a better monitoring of the situation in southern Lebanon… but we are not in World War One…we are in the age of satellite imagery, of drones with cameras. They have balloons monitoring the region, let alone a network of spies operating on the ground,' Salam said. 'Israel's presence is politically counterproductive. It's undermining my government…we want Israel out yesterday, not tomorrow.' Despite agreeing to withdraw from Lebanese territory as part of the US-mediated agreement, Israel has said that the Lebanese army has yet to take control of a region with Hezbollah presence. Israeli defense minister, Israel Katz, said in March that the Israeli military would remain in these five points 'indefinitely, to protect the residents of the north – regardless of any future negotiations.' Along with the United States, France and the United Nations are monitoring the ceasefire. 'I'm sure they can testify that Lebanon has been honoring its commitments while Israel has not honored its commitments,' Salam said on the mediating countries. Salam, who rose to prominence after presiding over the International Court of Justice during South Africa's genocide case against Israel, was designated Lebanon's prime minister in January in a surprise move that was seen as a blow to Hezbollah and its allies. Widely seen as a reformist, the prime minister declared specific priorities for his mandate, including ending institutional corruption and regaining sovereignty over his country by disarming Hezbollah and Palestinian factions. 'The goal… is that the state should have exclusive monopoly over arms, over all its territory,' he said in the interview.
