Snap launches ‘Kingdom’s Lenscape’ campaign for Saudi National Day

Snap has 22 million active users in Saudi Arabia, with reports indicating that 84 percent of citizens expect brands to introduce new products or ideas on National Day. (Snap/File)
Snap has 22 million active users in Saudi Arabia, with reports indicating that 84 percent of citizens expect brands to introduce new products or ideas on National Day. (Snap/File)
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Updated 23 September 2024
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Snap launches ‘Kingdom’s Lenscape’ campaign for Saudi National Day

Snap launches ‘Kingdom’s Lenscape’ campaign for Saudi National Day
  • 2 augmented reality experiences showcase brand contributions, exclusive deals, limited-edition products
  • 10-day activation ‘reflects spirit of unity and national pride’ via Snapchat’s Lens Explorer and carousel

LONDON: Snap Inc. has launched a new augmented reality campaign, “Kingdom’s Lenscape,” to mark Saudi Arabia’s National Day.

The 10-day activation features two AR experiences accessible through Snapchat’s Lens Explorer and carousel.

Snap said in a statement that the activation “reflects the spirit of unity and national pride that characterizes the occasion,” while connecting users with advertisers.

“This experience is more than just a digital activation — it’s an invitation to celebrate the culture of gifting that is central to Saudi National Day,” said Abdulla Alhammadi, managing director of Snap in the Kingdom.

Alhammadi added that the “Kingdom’s Lenscape” campaign is “designed to capture the essence of Saudi Arabia’s most important cultural moment.”

The first feature, named FAKHAR, offers brands a dedicated AR environment where users can explore their contributions to Saudi Arabia’s progress.

The entities featured include Saudi Investment Bank, Laverne and Alwaleed Philanthropies. The feature allows users to imagine the future of each brand through a GenAI-inspired lens.

The second feature, K’AR’AM, has participating brands including Ounass, Huda Beauty and Spotify offering exclusive deals and limited-edition products through an AR marketplace.

Snap said that K’AR’AM aims to “reflect the spirit of generosity and patriotism on Saudi National Day,” where brands can give back to the Saudi Arabia community though exclusive deals.

Snap has 22 million active users in Saudi Arabia, with reports indicating that 84 percent of citizens expect brands to introduce new products or ideas on National Day.

In previous years, Snap has launched similar campaigns for the day, including “This is our home” in 2022, which showcased a world lens of Saudi Arabia’s future landmarks and projects.


Moroccan court sentences journalist to 18 months in jail for defamation

Moroccan court sentences journalist to 18 months in jail for defamation
Updated 11 November 2024
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Moroccan court sentences journalist to 18 months in jail for defamation

Moroccan court sentences journalist to 18 months in jail for defamation
  • Hamid Mahdaoui was also fined $150,000 for allegedly defaming the justice minister

RABAT: Moroccan journalist Hamid Mahdaoui said he was sentenced on Monday to 18 months in prison on a charge of defamation against justice minister Abdellatif Ouahbi.
Mahdaoui, who is also editor-in-chief of news website Badil.info and an outspoken critic of government policies, was also fined 1.5 million dirhams ($150,000) by the court of first instance in Rabat.
Mahdaoui was sued after he accused Ouahbi of fraud, among other allegations, in a video on his website. Ouahbi has denied the accusations.
“I am innocent … I did not expect this prison sentence,” Mahdaoui told Reuters, adding that he was still undecided whether to appeal against the verdict to a higher court.
“I already presented all my arguments in my defense at court,” he said.
The justice minister was not immediately available for comment after the verdict.
Mahdaoui was sentenced under the penal code, instead of the press code which does not include jail terms, said Khadija Riadi of the Moroccan human rights group AMDH.
Mahdaoui was released in July 2020, after spending three years in jail on the charge of not reporting a crime against state security.


Jailed Swedish-Eritrean journalist wins rights prize

Jailed Swedish-Eritrean journalist wins rights prize
Updated 11 November 2024
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Jailed Swedish-Eritrean journalist wins rights prize

Jailed Swedish-Eritrean journalist wins rights prize
  • Dawit Isaak has been held incommunicado without charge in Eritrea for more than 23 years

STOCKHOLM: A Swedish-Eritrean journalist held incommunicado without charge in Eritrea for more than 23 years won a Swedish rights prize on Monday for his fight for freedom of expression, the jury said.
Dawit Isaak was among a group of around two dozen people, including senior cabinet ministers, members of parliament and independent journalists, who were seized in a purge in September 2001.
He was awarded the Edelstam Prize “for his outstanding contribution and exceptional courage in standing up for freedom of expression, one’s beliefs, and in the defense of human rights,” the Edelstam Foundation said in a statement.
Amnesty International considers Isaak a prisoner of conscience, and press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says he and his colleagues detained at the same time are the longest-held journalists in the world.
UN rights experts have demanded Asmara immediately release him.
Eritrea has provided no news about him, and there are fears he may no longer even be alive. He would be 60 years old.
His daughter Betlehem Isaak will accept the award on his behalf in Stockholm on November 19.
Isaak fled to Sweden in 1987 during Eritrea’s struggle against Ethiopia which eventually led to independence in 1993.
After obtaining Swedish citizenship, he returned to Eritrea in 2001 to help shape the media landscape, and co-founded Setit, the country’s first independent newspaper.
He was arrested shortly after the paper published articles demanding political reforms.
Asmara has not provided any information about his whereabouts or health over the years, which UN experts in 2021 deemed “extremely concerning.”
But they said a credible source had indicated Isaak was still alive in September 2020.
The Edelstam Prize is awarded in memory of Swedish diplomat Harald Edelstam, who as ambassador to Chile at the time of Augusto Pinochet’s 1973 military coup granted thousands of Chileans and other Latin Americans safe conduct to, and political asylum in, Sweden.


Arab News celebrates double win at WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards 2024

Arab News celebrates double win at WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards 2024
Updated 11 November 2024
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Arab News celebrates double win at WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards 2024

Arab News celebrates double win at WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards 2024
  • ‘Why Riyadh? Saudi Arabia’s Expo 2030’ scooped the top prize for Best Newspaper Infographic while ‘The Fast Track to Makkah’ won Best Newspaper Infographic

LONDON: Arab News marked a double win at the prestigious Asian Media Awards 2024, organized by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, also known as WAN-IFRA.

The Riyadh-based newspaper won top honors for Best Newspaper Front Page Design and Best Newspaper Infographics at the highly competitive event, which featured 251 entries from 42 media organizations across 13 countries.

Arab News secured the Best Newspaper Front Page Design award for its feature, “Why Riyadh? Saudi Arabia’s Expo 2030,” a special issue dedicated to Riyadh’s successful bid to host the World Expo in 2030.

The Best Newspaper Infographic award went to “The Fast Track to Makkah,” showcasing a detailed infographic on the Haramain high-speed rail and Mashaer train, which connects the holy cities of Madinah and Makkah. This graphic was a centerpiece of Arab News’ special Hajj 2023 coverage, lauded for its clarity and creativity in explaining the Kingdom’s 450-km rail network.

WAN-IFRA, founded in 1948 as the Federation Internationale des Editeurs de Journaux et Publications, represents over 18,000 publications globally, promoting publishing standards in design, infographics, editorial, marketing, community service, and photojournalism.

Now in its 23rd year, the awards ceremony took place at Mount Faber Peak, Singapore, with other leading participants including SPH Media, South China Morning Post, Japan Times, and Kumparan.

With these new accolades, Arab News has now won 145 awards under the leadership of Editor-in-Chief Faisal J. Abbas, who has steered the publication’s transformation to a digital-first platform since 2016.

Past recognition encompasses a range of special projects, including multiple international awards for “Saudi’s Animal Kingdom,” “The Kingdom vs. Captagon” deep dive, and the “FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022” special edition.

For more information about Arab News and its award-winning projects, visit arabnews.com/greatesthits.


Iran aware of reports about Iranian-American journalist’s arrest, ministry says

Iran aware of reports about Iranian-American journalist’s arrest, ministry says
Updated 11 November 2024
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Iran aware of reports about Iranian-American journalist’s arrest, ministry says

Iran aware of reports about Iranian-American journalist’s arrest, ministry says
  • Iran does not recognize second nationalities and treats dual nationals solely as Iranian

DUBAI: Iran’s foreign ministry is aware of reports about the arrest of Iranian-American journalist Reza Valizadeh in Iran, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday.
Earlier this month, the Associated Press reported that Reza Valizadeh, an Iranian-American journalist who once worked for a US government-funded broadcaster, was believed to have been detained by Iran for some months.
“We are aware of reports regarding the arrest of one Iranian national, he is an Iranian national and I do not have information on his second citizenship. We are in contact with relevant institutions to follow up on the case,” Baghaei said when asked about Valizadeh in a press conference.
Iran does not recognize second nationalities and treats dual nationals solely as Iranians.
The US State Department had earlier acknowledged the imprisonment of Valizadeh, who previously worked for Radio Farda, an outlet under Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that is overseen by the US Agency for Global Media.


Turkiye arrests journalist over social media post on prosecutors

Turkish anti-riot police officers stand guard in Diyarbakir, on November 4, 2024. (AFP)
Turkish anti-riot police officers stand guard in Diyarbakir, on November 4, 2024. (AFP)
Updated 11 November 2024
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Turkiye arrests journalist over social media post on prosecutors

Turkish anti-riot police officers stand guard in Diyarbakir, on November 4, 2024. (AFP)
  • RSF ranked Turkiye 158th out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index

ANKARA: An Istanbul court late on Saturday formally arrested a Turkish journalist over his social media posts on prosecutors investigating a mayor from Turkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), his lawyer said.
Furkan Karabay, a reporter with news website 10Haber, was detained early on Friday after writing on X the names of prosecutors conducting an investigation into the mayor.
Ahmet Ozer, the mayor of Istanbul’s Esenyurt district, was arrested on Oct. 30 after prosecutors accused him of having ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), banned as a terrorist group in Turkiye.
Late on Saturday, the court ordered the arrest of Karabay pending trial, ruling his social media posts were “targeting public officials involved in the fight against terrorism,” a court document seen by Reuters showed.
In his statement to court, Karabay denied the accusation, saying that the names of the prosecutors were reported by a number of media outlets and CHP leader Ozgur Ozel himself mentioned name of the prosecutor.
Ozel at the time condemned the investigation into the mayor, saying that the prosecutor was instructed by President Tayyip Erdogan.
Karabay’s lawyer Enes Ermaner said the detention was unlawful.
“A journalist was arrested for reporting on people whose names are well known. It’s a shame,” Ermaner said.
Press freedom groups and the main opposition party condemned the arrest with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) representative Erol Onderoglu saying that Karabay’s pre-trial detention aims punishment in advance.
RSF ranked Turkiye 158th out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index.
“The arrest of a journalist solely for reporting and informing the public is a serious blow to press freedom and democratic values,” the Progressive Journalists Association said in a statement.