‘Blockout’ trend targets celebrities over Gaza silence

A full list is circulating on social media, leading to a significant loss of followers on Instagram and other platforms. (TikTok/File)
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Updated 15 May 2024
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‘Blockout’ trend targets celebrities over Gaza silence

  • Selena Gomez, Zendaya and Kim Kardashian are among the celebrities who have lost hundreds of thousands of followers
  • Boycott campaign gained traction following Met Gala event last week in New York

LONDON: A new trend threatening to boycott celebrities over their refusal to speak out about the Gaza conflict is gaining momentum on social media.

Known as “Blockout 2024,” the movement has surged in popularity following the Met Gala last week.

As part of a solidarity campaign, social media users are calling for the blocking of accounts of celebrities who have remained silent on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

High-profile figures such as Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, and Drake are among the hundreds of celebrities facing this “digital guillotine.”

A full list is circulating on social media, leading to a significant loss of followers on Instagram and other platforms.

Actress and singer Selena Gomez reportedly lost 1 million followers on Instagram and 100,000 on X, according to US-based social media analytics site Sonic Blue.

Fellow actress and singer Zendaya, reality TV star Kim Kardashian, and her sister Kylie Jenner have also seen hundreds of thousands of followers drop.

Pro-Palestinian activists have been pressuring celebrities for months to show more support for Gaza civilians. This growing discontent reached a tipping point last week when the Met Gala’s glitz and glamour coincided with Israel’s announcement of a military offensive in Rafah.


@ladyfromtheoutside #greenscreen #greenscreenvideo #digitine #digitalguillotine #haleyybaylee ♬ original sound - Meagan

The movement was sparked by a TikTok video from influencer Haley Kalil at the Met Gala on May 7, where she lip-synced to the phrase “Let them eat cake.”

This phrase, attributed to Queen Marie Antoinette, drew parallels to the French Revolution, symbolizing indifference to the suffering of the impoverished.

“It’s time for the people to conduct what I want to call a ‘digital guillotine.’ A ‘digitine,’ if you will,” said TikTok creator @ladyfromtheoutside, who kicked off the movement with her viral video.

“It’s time to block all the celebrities, influencers and wealthy socialites who are not using their resources to help those in dire need. We gave them their platforms. It’s time to take it back, take our views away, our likes, our comments, our money.”

According to Gaza authorities, at least 35,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in the Palestinian territory during the seven-month war, which has been widely condemned as failing to comply with international humanitarian law.


Internet watchdog says Turkiye restricted social media access after Istanbul mayor’s arrest

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Internet watchdog says Turkiye restricted social media access after Istanbul mayor’s arrest

  • NetBlocks reported that users were unable to access X, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok on Wednesday
  • The incident comes after Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and dozens of others were detained on corruption charges, which the opposition claims are politically motivated

LONDON: Turkiye restricted social media access on Wednesday following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, according to internet watchdog NetBlocks.

In a post on X, the London-based organization that monitors cybersecurity and internet governance said that “multiple social media platforms including X, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok” had seen their “reachability” — a user’s ability to connect to a specific website — decline significantly.

“The incident comes as Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and dozens of others are detained in events described by the opposition as a ‘coup,’” it added.

State-run media reported that Turkish police arrested Imamoglu as part of an investigation into alleged corruption and terror links, just two days after a university invalidated his diploma. Anadolu Agency also reported that prosecutors issued warrants for 100 other people.

Authorities closed several roads around Istanbul and banned demonstrations in the city for four days in an apparent effort to prevent protests following the arrest.

A key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Imamoglu’s arrest has been condemned by critics who see it as an attempt to bar him from running as a presidential candidate.

Turkiye has previously imposed internet shutdowns during times of political and social tension.

In 2024, authorities were accused of tightening internet control ahead of local elections. Social media and communication platforms were also blocked in November 2022 after a bombing in Istanbul, and again in February 2023 following two major earthquakes that devastated southern Turkiye, killing more than 50,000 people and collapsing parts of the telecommunication network. The outages hampered search and rescue operations and the coordination of humanitarian aid.

Commenting on the latest restrictions, Isik Mater, an internet activist and director of research at NetBlocks, said: “Access to information is a fundamental right, especially during moments of political crisis.”

She added: “Restricting social media platforms at a time when elected officials are being detained not only undermines transparency but also fuels public uncertainty. These shutdowns prevent critical communication and violate freedom of expression.”


Pope pens letter to the editor while in hospital as Buckingham Palace announces King Charles’ visit

Updated 19 March 2025
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Pope pens letter to the editor while in hospital as Buckingham Palace announces King Charles’ visit

  • Italian daily Corriere della Sera published a letter to the editor from Francis, signed and dated March 14 from Rome’s Gemelli hospital

ROME: Pope Francis said in a letter published Tuesday that his lengthy illness has helped make “more lucid” to him the absurdity of war, as his top deputy rejected any suggestion of resignation and Buckingham Palace announced plans for an upcoming audience with Britain’s King Charles III.
Italian daily Corriere della Sera published a letter to the editor from Francis, signed and dated March 14 from Rome’s Gemelli hospital where the 88-year-old pontiff has been treated since Feb. 14 for a complex lung infection and double pneumonia.
In it, Francis renewed his call for diplomacy and international organizations to find a “new vitality and credibility.” And he said that his own illness had also helped make some things clearer to him, including the “absurdity of war.”
“Human fragility has the power to make us more lucid about what endures and what passes, what brings life and what kills,” he wrote.
Responding to a letter from the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Luciano Fontana, Francis also urged him and all those in the media to “feel the full importance of words.”
“They are never just words: they are facts that shape human environments. They can connect or divide, serve the truth or use it for other ends,” he wrote. “We must disarm words, to disarm minds and disarm the Earth.”
The letter was published as Francis registered slight improvements in his treatment and as the Vatican No. 2, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, shot down any suggestion the pope might resign.
“Absolutely no,” Parolin told journalists on Monday when asked if he and the pope had discussed a resignation. Parolin has visited Francis twice during his hospitalization, most recently on March 2, and said he found Francis better than during his first Feb. 25 visit.
Also on Tuesday, Francis received a standing ovation from the Italian Senate, after Premier Giorgia Meloni sent her greetings and said “not just this chamber, but all of the Italian people″ wish the pope a full recovery “as soon as possible.”
Meloni, who was the first outsider to visit the pope after he was hospitalized, said that “even in a trying moment, his strength and guidance have been felt.”
Francis for the second day spent some time off high flows of oxygen and used just ordinary supplemental oxygen delivered by a nasal tube, the Holy See press office said Tuesday. In addition, for the first time in several weeks he didn’t use the noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night at all, to force his lungs to work more.
While those amount to “slight improvements,” the Vatican isn’t yet providing any timetable on when he might be released. That said, Buckingham Palace announced Monday that King Charles III was scheduled to meet with Francis on April 8 at the Vatican, assuming he is back and well enough.
Such state visits are always closely organized with Parolin’s office. However, the Vatican press office on Tuesday declined to confirm the visit, noting that the Holy See only confirms papal audiences shortly before they happen.
The developments came as the Vatican released some details on the first photograph of Francis released since his hospitalization. The image, taken Sunday from behind, showed Francis sitting in his wheelchair in his private chapel in prayer without any sign of nasal tubes.
The photo, showing Francis wearing a Lenten purple stole, followed an audio message the pope recorded March 6 in which he thanked people for their prayers, his voice soft and labored.
Together, they suggested Francis is very much controlling how the public follows his illness to prevent it from turning into a spectacle. While many in the Vatican have held up St. John Paul II’s long and public battle with Parkinson’s disease and other ailments as a humble sign of his willingness to show his frailties, others criticized it as excessive and glorifying sickness.
The image certainly reassured some well-wishers who came to Gemelli to pray for Francis, who is recovering in the 10th-floor papal suite reserved for popes.
“After a month of hospitalization, finally a photo that can assure us that his health conditions are better,” said the Rev. Enrico Antonio, a priest from Pescara.
But Benedetta Flagiello of Naples, who was visiting her sister at Gemelli, wondered if the photo was even real.
“Because if the pope can sit for a moment without a mask, without anything, why didn’t he look out the window on the 10th floor to be seen by everyone?” she asked. “If you remember our old pope (John Paul II), he couldn’t speak up, but he showed up.”


Manga Productions looks to attract Japanese investment for Riyadh Season

Updated 19 March 2025
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Manga Productions looks to attract Japanese investment for Riyadh Season

  • New pact inked with entertainment firm Sela
  • Promotions to take place at Anime Japan 2025

RIYADH: Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation, or Misk, has signed a new strategic partnership with the Saudi Arabia entertainment company Sela.

The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration with renowned Japanese companies and create new opportunities for their participation in Riyadh Season, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Potential collaborations will enable Japanese companies to engage with Saudi Arabia and international audiences through events and experiences in the Kingdom with the facilitation of Manga Productions, the SPA reported.

In 2022, Sela unveiled a 33-meter-tall statue of the anime character Grendizer, which set a Guinness World Record during Riyadh Season of that year.

This year, Manga Productions announced its official sponsorship of Anime Japan 2025, one of the world’s leading events in the creative industry.

During the event from March 22 to 25, the company’s booth will promote investment opportunities, according to the SPA.

This article also appears on Arab News Japan


Sharjah Media City offers new ‘Mazeed’ service for entrepreneurs

Sharjah Media City is offering a new service called Mazeed. (Supplied)
Updated 18 March 2025
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Sharjah Media City offers new ‘Mazeed’ service for entrepreneurs

  • It provides a wide range of tailored options that simplify set-up and expansion of small and medium-sized businesses, to help foster innovation and creativity
  • Strategic partnerships with several business-services companies offer seamless access to essential financial and operational services and tools

SHARJAH: Sharjah Media City, also known as Shams, is offering a new service, called Mazeed, designed to empower entrepreneurs and provide integrated solutions for startups and small and medium-sized enterprises.

The new service offers a wide range of tailored options that simplify the formation or expansion of a business, including financial solutions, digital marketing, legal consultancy and operational services, Shams said, to help foster an environment that promotes innovation and creativity in support of a thriving business ecosystem, it added.

“The launch of Mazeed aligns with Shams’ strategy to support entrepreneurs and enhance entrepreneurship in Sharjah and the UAE by providing practical solutions that simplify business management, reduce operational costs and promote sustainability and growth,” Shams said.

Rashid Abdullah Al-Obad, the director of Shams, said the new service represents a step forward in the enhancement of digital innovation in the business environment.

“Mazeed aims to simplify the journey of entrepreneurs, enabling them to focus on growing their businesses instead of dealing with complex operational procedures,” he added.

“The launch of Mazeed aligns with Sharjah’s vision to support a sustainable economy and foster investment while enhancing the customer experience by offering innovative services that effectively meet the needs of the business sector.”

Shams also said it has formed strategic partnerships with business-services companies Aura, Peko and Qashio to provide small and medium-sized enterprises with seamless access to essential financial and operational services, to help ensure that business owners have the tools they need to optimize operations.

Aura will provide access to flexible financing solutions, including invoice financing for business-to-business transactions and installment payment plans for licensing fees. Such services offer greater financial flexibility, which helps businesses maintain operational stability and drive growth.

Through Peko, businesses can access essential business services such as utility bill payments, mobile bill management, flight and hotel bookings and payroll processing. Peko also offers advice on digital business tools, such as WhatsApp for Business and electronic signatures, that can simplify operations.

Qashio focuses on advanced financial-management solutions, including expense management, virtual bank account creation, and a rewards system using Qashio Points. The partnership also includes a revenue-sharing model.

Shams said Mazeed will continue to form new strategic partnerships in various sectors as part of its strategy to expand the services on offer to entrepreneurs, and more announcements are expected soon.

The aim of such collaborations is to drive business innovation and provide cutting-edge solutions that help support the sustainability and growth of startups in the UAE, it added.


Saudi wildlife documentaries receive top honors at Muse Creative Awards

Updated 18 March 2025
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Saudi wildlife documentaries receive top honors at Muse Creative Awards

  • ‘Guardians of the Red Sea: The Hidden World Beneath,’ ‘Hope is Growing,’ ‘Horizon’ each win 2 platinum awards

LONDON: Three documentaries showcasing Saudi Arabia’s wildlife have won a total of six platinum awards at the Muse Creative Awards, which honor excellence in innovative and creative filmmaking worldwide, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

“Guardians of the Red Sea: The Hidden World Beneath” earned two platinum awards in the Nature and Wildlife, and Documentary categories, while “Hope is Growing,” which explores the propagation and reintroduction of endangered species, secured platinum awards in the Music Film and Nature, and Wildlife Films sections.

“Horizon,” which was produced in collaboration with the Center for Government Communication, took platinum awards in the Cinematography, and Documentary Film tracks.

Established in 2015 by the International Awards Associate, the Muse Creative Awards have become one of the most prestigious events in digital media, design, and marketing, attracting over 100,000 entries from more than 120 countries.

The award-winning films showcase the Kingdom’s rich biodiversity and natural landscapes, helping to raise public awareness of environmental conservation. They also underscore Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to protect wildlife, preserve ecosystems, and promote sustainable environmental practices.

Arab News hosted a special screening of the “Horizon” documentary at the residence of the EU ambassador in Riyadh in April 2024, where Abdullah Alahmari, CEO of the Konoz initiative, and Yazeed Albader, associate producer of the documentary, were honored. Speaking at the event, Princess Lamia described the film as “not only a celebration of Saudi Arabia’s rich natural heritage but also a call to action — a reminder of our shared responsibility to protect and conserve the precious ecosystems that define our world.”

Now available on streaming giant Netflix, “Horizon” is part of a collaboration between the Ministry of Media’s Center for Government Communication, and the National Center for Wildlife, celebrating the rich natural diversity of the Kingdom.

Several other Saudi entries were also recognized at the ceremony, including “Start Your Championship,” a film which chronicles the first national Olympics in Saudi history; “Challenge is Our Nature,” a documentary which follows the Dakar Rally in the Kingdom; “Race the Sunset,” a celebration of youth spirit and culture during the GT race in Jeddah; and “We Race the Future,” a film about the Saudi Arabian Formula One Grand Prix in Jeddah.