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DUBAI: Sky News Arabia, part of media group IMI, has opened its new headquarters in the same building as the IMI HQ on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

The new HQ features advanced broadcasting studios fitted with the latest AI technologies, the company said.

Sky News Arabia has also launched a new programming grid covering politics, lifestyle, sports, business and entertainment.

The announcements come 12 years after the channel’s launch.

They mark a new chapter that “embodies our forward-thinking strategy to anticipate and exceed audience expectations by embracing cutting-edge technologies and delivering diverse, engaging programming that transcends borders, setting new benchmarks for excellence,” said Rani Raad, CEO of IMI and president and operating partner of Redbird IMI.

The company has been working over the past year to elevate “the way each of the media companies within our network engage with audiences, to ensure we continue to deliver content that truly resonates,” he added.

The new programming will include shows such as “Studio One” hosted by Fadila Souissi, which will highlight political and societal issues, and the “Emad Eldin Adib” show, which will focus on politics in the Arab world.

Sky News Arabia is also expanding its lineup of non-political shows. The “Al Sabah Show” will return, featuring segments on health, fashion, law, and celebrities. It will be hosted by Maha Abdullah, Ahmed Qassem, Hani Ziadeh, Christine Dagher and Lubna Mansour.

The show will extend to digital channels and social media platforms through 12 specifically tailored mini-segments.

“In an era of rapid change and information overload, we are committed to empowering our audience with the tools to navigate and discern credible news,” said Nadim Koteich, general manager of Sky News Arabia.

He added: “By providing transparent, engaging and diverse content across politics, economics, lifestyle and technology, we ensure that Sky News Arabia remains a credible source of information that meets the dynamic needs of our viewers.”

The Al Jazeera news network says the Palestinian Authority arrested one of its reporters after preventing him from covering an Israeli operation in the occupied West Bank.
The Qatar-based news network reported Thursday that its reporter, Mohammed Al-Atrash, was arrested from his home.
It said Palestinian security forces had earlier prevented him from reporting on a large Israeli military operation in Jenin, an epicenter of Israeli-Palestinian violence in recent years. The Palestinian Authority launched its own crackdown on militants in the city late last year.
There was no immediate comment from the Palestinian Authority.
Both Israel and the Western-backed Palestinian Authority banned Al Jazeera last year. Israel accuses it of being a mouthpiece of Hamas over its coverage of the war in the Gaza Strip and says some of its reporters are also militants.
The pan-Arab broadcaster has rejected the allegations and accused both Israel and the Palestinian Authority of trying to silence critical coverage.
The internationally recognized Palestinian Authority administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and cooperates with Israel on security matters. It is unpopular among Palestinians, with critics portraying it as a corrupt and authoritarian ally of Israel.