PARIS: A French journalist has been killed while working in Ukraine, President Emmanuel Macron said Monday on Twitter, the latest of several reporters killed or wounded during Russia’s invasion of the country.
“Frederic Leclerc-Imhoff was in Ukraine to show the reality of war. On board a humanitarian bus with civilians forced to flee to escape Russian bombings, he was mortally wounded,” Macron wrote.
Leclerc-Imhoff was working for the BFM television news channel, which said he was 32 years old and on his second Ukraine reporting trip since the war began on February 24.
He was near Severodonetsk, a city in eastern Ukraine that has been pounded by advancing Russian troops in recent weeks, the French and Ukrainian foreign ministries said in separate statements.
Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, who visited Kyiv on Monday, said in the statement that “France demands the opening of a transparent inquiry as soon as possible to shed all the light on the circumstances of this tragedy.”
“I share the grief of his family, relatives and colleagues,” Macron wrote, adding that “to those who ensure the difficult mission of reporting in combat zones, I want to reiterate France’s unconditional support.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists, an international media advocacy group, says over a dozen journalists had been killed while reporting on the Ukraine conflict.
French journalist killed in Ukraine: Macron
https://arab.news/g5r6q
French journalist killed in Ukraine: Macron
- Emmanuel Macron: ‘Frederic Leclerc-Imhoff was on board a humanitarian bus, with civilians forced to flee, when he was mortally wounded’
- Leclerc-Imhoff’s employer French TV channel BFM-TV also confirmed that he had been killed
Spotify and Dubai Culture sign MoU to support local talent development
DUBAI: Spotify and the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this month aimed at supporting the growth of local musical talent.
The partnership will include the sharing of insights, data and analytics, as well as practical support to help UAE-based artists sustain and progress their careers, the organizations said.
As part of the MoU, Spotify and Dubai Culture will launch joint programs and develop a series of music-led projects focused on the emirate’s creative community.
Talent development is a core pillar of Dubai Culture’s work, said Her Excellency Hala Badri, director-general of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.
She added: “In the music sector, this translates into sustained support that enables musicians to develop, produce, and continue their practice over time. The agreement with Spotify is part of our broader efforts to support artists and creatives at all career stages and to strengthen the professional foundations of the music sector in Dubai.”
For Spotify, the MoU is in line with existing initiatives such as the RADAR Arabia program and the Fresh Finds Arabia playlist, which highlight and support local emerging talent.
As a global hub connecting Asia, Africa and Europe, Dubai is playing an increasingly important role in the region’s music economy, said Gustav Gyllenhammar, senior vice president of markets and subscriptions at Spotify.
Through the collaboration with Dubai Culture, he added, Spotify is “helping build a stronger local music ecosystem, supporting discovery and helping music coming out of Dubai reach listeners around the world.”
