PARIS: Reporters Without Borders called Saturday on US President Joe Biden to make “a special plan for evacuating endangered Afghan journalists” from Taliban-controlled Kabul.
RSF said the United States currently seemed to be concerned only with the evacuation “of its own citizens and former employees.”
“This is blocking the evacuation of those on the lists of sensitive persons who are in danger,” it added.
“We are receiving dozens and dozens of urgent evacuation requests,” said RSF chief Christophe Deloire.
“Our problem today is not getting visas or seats on planes, it is making it possible for these people to access planes.”
The NGO is calling on the US to postpone the end of its military operation at Kabul airport so journalists and rights activists from various countries and organizations can be identified and given access.
“It will be materially impossible to complete the evacuation of all those in great danger, including Afghan journalists, by 31 August,” it said.
“The image of the United States as a defender of press freedom and human rights is at stake,” Deloire said.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said it had received “hundreds of requests for help” from Afghan journalists, mostly women, who are “in panic and fear.”
The Taliban, looking for a Deutsche Welle journalist now based in Germany, shot dead a member of his family on Wednesday and seriously wounded another, German radio reported.
Reporters Without Borders calls for US plan to evacuate Afghan journalists
https://arab.news/v8b6x
Reporters Without Borders calls for US plan to evacuate Afghan journalists
- RSF said the United States currently seemed to be concerned only with the evacuation “of its own citizens and former employees”
- The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said it had received “hundreds of requests for help” from Afghan journalists, mostly women, who are “in panic and fear”
Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC
- Bundle available exclusively visa Shahid for $25 a month
RIYADH: In a landmark regional collaboration, Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+ have announced an exclusive streaming bundle that brings together world-class hits from the three platforms under a single subscription in a first-of-its-kind offer for audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
The all-in-one entertainment package, available only through Shahid in the GCC for about $25 a month, grants subscribers full access to three leading platforms covering Hollywood blockbusters, Disney+’s expansive range of beloved films, animations and series, OSN+’s library of HBO originals and international hits, and Shahid’s Arabic premium content.
The bundle is designed to simplify subscription management with a unified payment model, allowing viewers to access all three apps at the price of two and offering a streamlined user experience.
Natasha Matos-Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at Shahid, said the partnership reflects a broader effort to expand digital entertainment offerings in the Middle East, catering to a growing audience seeking diversity, convenience and high-quality programming.
“We are proud to collaborate with OSN+ and Disney+ to offer an unmatched streaming experience to our subscribers,” she said. “With one subscription, one payment, and full access to premium content from all three platforms, we’re delivering unbeatable convenience, value and entertainment.”
With a growing demand for high-quality on-demand content, the bundle is expected to attract a wide range of users seeking comprehensive entertainment without juggling multiple subscriptions.
The move also signals increasing cooperation between global media giants and regional platforms, in a bid to meet the entertainment preferences of Arab audiences while expanding market reach.
Karl Holmes, SVP and general manager at Disney+ EMEA, said the collaboration will bring award-winning series like FX’s “Shogun” and favorites such as “Lilo & Stitch” into a unique bundle with Shahid’s regional hits including “Al Dariya.”
The agreement “reflects a shared ambition between Disney+ and Shahid to shape the future of entertainment in the Middle East,” said Holmes. “The Middle East is young, dynamic and fast-growing, and we’re delighted to give consumers a new and easy way to access extraordinary content at exceptional value.”
Choucri Khairallah, chief business officer at OSN+, said the partnership takes OSN+’s entertainment experience “to the next level.”
He added: “Today’s audiences expect more than great content; they seek seamless access, variety and exceptional value. This all-in-one bundle delivers exactly that.”
