Facebook and CNN focus on Together Apart at Ramadan

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Updated 26 April 2020
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Facebook and CNN focus on Together Apart at Ramadan

  • Together Apart at Ramadan will highlight how a spirit of togetherness can be maintained virtually
  • It will feature a mixture of English and Arabic language content

Facebook is the exclusive partner for a new series across CNN TV and digital platforms about maintaining community and connection during Ramadan.

The 10-part series, Together Apart at Ramadan, will highlight how a spirit of togetherness can be maintained virtually. Through a mixture of English and Arabic language content, Together Apart at Ramadan will showcase the continued connection between families, friends and communities during Ramadan, despite the current situation regarding Covid-19, and demonstrate creative ways to keep traditions alive and inspire hope. In collaboration with CNN International Commercial (CNNIC), Facebook will be the exclusive brand partner across all platforms – CNN International TV and digital, CNN Arabic, and CNN International and CNN Arabic’s Facebook pages.

Launching on 26th April, the first video will explore how charity is a core value of the Islamic faith, but due to the coronavirus pandemic philanthropy is taking on a new meaning during this year's holy month. As Muslims around the world prepare for a radically different Ramadan, the people who support those less fortunate have been working hard to ensure that the holiday spirit stays intact. CNN highlights those who are not letting Covid-19 hinder their charitable work but are instead giving the gift of hope. 

“Staying in touch and virtual communications have never felt more important, making this partnership a natural fit for a platform such as Facebook that connects us with friends and family during this time. Our aspiration is for this series to inspire our global audiences on how to keep in touch, share the meaning of and observe Ramadan together despite the current restrictions in place all over the world,” Cathy Ibal, SVP, CNNIC.


UAE outlines approach to AI governance amid regulation debate at World Economic Forum

Updated 22 January 2026
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UAE outlines approach to AI governance amid regulation debate at World Economic Forum

  • Minister of State Maryam Al-Hammadi highlights importance of a robust regulatory framework to complement implementation of AI technology
  • Other experts in panel discussion say regulators should address problems as they arise, rather than trying to solve problems that do not yet exist

DUBAI: The UAE has made changes to 90 percent of its laws in the past four years, Maryam Al-Hammadi, minister of state and the secretary-general of the Emirati Cabinet, told the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday.

Speaking during a panel discussion titled “Regulating at the Speed of Code,” she highlighted the importance of having a robust regulatory framework in place to complement the implementation of artificial intelligence technology in the public and private sectors.

The process of this updating and repealing of laws has driven the UAE’s efforts to develop an AI model that can assist in the drafting of legislation, along with collecting feedback from stakeholders on proposed laws and suggesting improvements, she said.

Although AI might be more agile at shaping regulation, “there are some principles that we put in the model that we are developing that we cannot compromise,” Al-Hammadi added. These include rules for human accountability, transparency, privacy and data protection, along with constitutional safeguards and a thorough understanding of the law.

At this stage, “we believe AI can advise but still (the) human is in command,” she said.

Authorities in the UAE are aiming to develop, within a two-year timeline, a shareable model to help other nations learn and benefit from its experiences, Al-Hammadi added.

Argentina’s minister of deregulation and state transformation, Federico Sturzenegger, warned against overregulation at the cost of innovation.

Politicians often react to a “salient event” by overreacting, he said, describing most regulators as “very imaginative of all the terrible things that will happen to people if they’re free.”

He said that “we have to take more risk,” and regulators should wait to address problems as they arise rather than trying to create solutions for problems that do not yet exist.

This sentiment was echoed by Joel Kaplan, Meta’s chief global affairs officer, who said “imaginative policymakers” often focus more on risks and potential harms than on the economic and growth benefits of innovation.

He pointed to Europe as an example of this, arguing that an excessive focus on “all the possible harms” of new technologies has, over time, reduced competitiveness and risks leaving the region behind in what he described as a “new technological revolution.”