Dubai: Google-owned video platform YouTube opened a "YouTube Space" in Dubai, the first-of-its-kind in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Located at Dubai Studio City, the YouTube facility aims "to support the growing creator community in the MENA region by giving them access to a state-of-the-art production space," Xinhua cited state news agency WAM as saying.
The space, which is the tenth in the world, is dedicated to YouTube content creators who would have free access to high-end audio, visual and editing equipment in addition to training programmes, workshops and courses.
More than 440,000 creators have visited the nine YouTube Space facilities around the world since the programme was first launched in 2012, said David Ripert, Head of YouTube Spaces in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
"Creators are the heartbeat of YouTube and supporting them has long been one of our most important priorities," Ripert was quoted as saying.
"As a platform, YouTube provides a blank canvas for creative expression and the Space will be one of the tools creators use to tell their own stories," Ripert noted.
The MENA region has more than 200 YouTube channels with over a million subscribers, and over 30,000 channels are subscribed by more than 10,000 users, Robert Kyncl, Chief Business Officer of YouTube, was quoted as saying.
The Arab world has experienced a 160-per cent increase in the number of channels uploaded from MENA countries in the past three years.
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New Delhi: Airlines have asked passengers to reach airports at least three hours before departure after the Centre increased security measures in response to Pakistan’s ongoing attack, reported India Today.
According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, all passengers will now face a Secondary Ladder Point Check (SLPC) before boarding. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has directed all airports and airlines to step up security.
Air India said, “Passengers are advised to arrive at least three hours prior to departure. Check-in closes 75 minutes before departure.” Akasa Air and IndiGo issued similar advisories, asking passengers to allow more time for security checks.
All passengers must carry valid photo ID and will undergo secondary checks before boarding. Visitor entry to terminals has been banned, and Air Marshals will be deployed as required.
The moves come as India’s defence systems shot down Pakistani missiles and drones in Jammu, Punjab, and Rajasthan. At least 21 airports are shut till May 10, and several flights are cancelled. Civilian aircraft are avoiding airspace over Pakistan and India’s western corridor, data from Flightradar24 shows.