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SRMG Develops Digital Platforms of its Newspapers, Announces New Editorial Appointments

Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG)
Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG)
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SRMG Develops Digital Platforms of its Newspapers, Announces New Editorial Appointments

Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG)
Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG)

Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), the largest integrated media group in the Middle East and North Africa, announced the development of several digital platforms for some of its newspapers.

Additionally, SRMG appointed several new editors-in-chief and deputy editors-in-chief.

The announcement aligns with SRMG’s digital transformation, growth, and expansion strategy, demonstrating the Group’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of journalists and media professionals to meet the demands of audiences worldwide.

The new developments included Arriyadiyah, al-Eqtisadiah, and Malayalam News, effective Jan. 19, 2024.

The decision also reflects the significant shift in regional media consumption habits, particularly with the rising popularity of digital, social, and audio-visual media platforms.

The developments will optimize SRMG’s operational efficiency and support the production of innovative digital products across audio, video, and written formats, creating new and diverse content offerings and marketing opportunities for advertisers across its digital platforms.

Additionally, SRMG announced several appointments at the editor-in-chief level, empowering the next generation of media professionals and journalists.

The individuals have demonstrated the skills and knowledge to meet the evolving demands of SRMG’s diverse audience across different generations, backgrounds, and interests.

Ibrahim Hamidi has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of al-Majalla, the Arab world’s leading current and political affairs magazine.

With more than 22 years of experience, he has held various editorial positions at al-Hayat Newspaper, including Director of the publication’s office in Damascus.

Since 2017, he has served as a Senior Diplomatic Editor and Writer, covering Syrian affairs at Asharq Al-Awsat.

Additionally, he oversaw the digital transformation of al-Majalla, leading to an impressive annual increase of 1704 percent in views.

Mohammed al-Bishi has been appointed as the Acting Editor-in-Chief of AlEqtisadiah, in addition to maintaining his current role as Managing Editor of Asharq Business with Bloomberg in Saudi Arabia.

Bishi has held many editorial positions at Asharq Al-Awsat, al-Eqtisadiah, and Asharq Business with Bloomberg, ranked number one for digital economy news.

Bishi’s extensive economic and editorial expertise has played a pivotal role in the growth of Asharq Business with Bloomberg since its inception.

It comes following the latest strategic decision from SRMG to restructure al-Eqtisadiah under Asharq Business with Bloomberg, allowing it to focus on the most critical global business and economic news and its impact on the region through in-depth, high-quality analysis and coverage.

SRMG has appointed several new assistant editors-in-chief and deputy editors-in-chief to sustain high-quality editorial processes, transfer knowledge and skills, and create innovative media content.

Mohamed Hani has been appointed Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, the leading international Pan-Arab newspaper.

Hani brings a wealth of experience, having served in various editorial positions at al-Hayat and Asharq Al-Awsat.

He played a pivotal role in the recent revamp of Asharq Al-Awsat, overseeing the media title’s digital transformation and growth strategy by drawing on his extensive experience in modern content management systems.

Zaid bin Kami has been named deputy editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat. He previously served as Assistant Editor-in-Chief of al-Eqtisadiah and Director of Economic News at Asharq Al-Awsat.

Additionally, he worked as managing editor of Asharq Al-Awsat in Saudi Arabia from 2009 to 2014.

He brings extensive experience in both print and video journalism, specializing in economics. He has actively participated in several international conferences, showcasing his broad and diverse expertise.

Noor Nugali has been appointed Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, having progressed through various editorial assignments.

Notably, Nugali played a significant role in the launch of the digital version of Arab News in French in 2020. She has also conducted prominent interviews with leading political figures, including US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Nugali has been instrumental in covering high-level conferences and has been part of the media delegation for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s international tours.

May al-Sharif has been appointed as the Assistant Editor-in-Chief of Independent Arabia, having held several editorial positions within the publication, including her most recent role as Supervising Manager of the Riyadh office.

During her tenure in the content creation department, Sharif effectively implemented various projects and documentaries.

Additionally, she oversaw the media title’s social media accounts, contributing significantly to the publication’s establishment and development stages.

Commenting on this important step in SRMG’s digital transformation SRMG, CEO Jomana al-Rashid said: “We are proud of SRMG’s achievements over the past three years since launching our ambitious growth and transformation strategy.”

Rashid stated that this strategy was developed to address growing audience demand for accurate, in-depth, credible, and high-quality content, and “our investments aim to further cement the Group’s rich journalistic history through modern, innovative products and services.”

Rashid stressed that the Group’s growth and expansion strategy is “focused on maintaining our leading role at the forefront of the regional media landscape and reaffirming our commitment to meet the needs of our diverse audiences, utilizing innovative digital platforms.”

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Varieties

Winter Storm Bears Down on US Northeast, Disrupting Airline Travel

Workers clear snow from the ice rink at Bryant Park during a winter storm in New York City, US, December 26, 2025. (Reuters)
Workers clear snow from the ice rink at Bryant Park during a winter storm in New York City, US, December 26, 2025. (Reuters)
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Winter Storm Bears Down on US Northeast, Disrupting Airline Travel

Workers clear snow from the ice rink at Bryant Park during a winter storm in New York City, US, December 26, 2025. (Reuters)
Workers clear snow from the ice rink at Bryant Park during a winter storm in New York City, US, December 26, 2025. (Reuters)

A winter storm packing a frosty mix of snow and ice bore down on the US Northeast early on Saturday, disrupting post-holiday weekend airline traffic and prompting officials in New York and New Jersey to issue weather emergency declarations.

The National Weather Service posted ice storm and winter storm warnings throughout New York state and Connecticut, forecasting some of the heaviest snowfall totals - up to a foot in localized areas - for Long Island and the Hudson Valley.

New York City could see its highest accumulations since 2022, with peak snowfall ‌rates of 2 ‌or more inches per hour, according to an ‌emergency ⁠declaration on Friday ‌from Governor Kathy Hochul, warning of treacherous road conditions.

In many areas snow was forecast to be mixed or glazed over with sleet and freezing rain.

"The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority, and I continue to urge extreme caution throughout the duration of this storm," Hochul said in a statement, admonishing residents to "avoid unnecessary travel."

Ice storm warnings and winter weather advisories were likewise posted for ⁠most of Pennsylvania, much of Massachusetts, and most of New Jersey, where a state of emergency ‌also was declared. High winds were forecast as part ‍of the storm.

Snow began falling ‍in western New York state and the New York City area on Friday ‍evening and was expected to intensify on Saturday.

More than 1,600 commercial airline flights within the United States and into or out of the country were canceled on Friday, and 7,800-plus were delayed as weather conditions began to worsen, according to the flight-tracking service FlightAware.

The three major airports serving the New York City area - John F. Kennedy, Newark Liberty International and LaGuardia Airport - accounted for ⁠the bulk of Friday's flight cancellations. All three issued alerts on social media platform X warning travelers of potential disruptions.

Another 650 flights that had been scheduled to depart or land in the US on Saturday were canceled, FlightAware reported.

Representatives from American Airlines, United Airlines and JetBlue Airways told Reuters those carriers had waived change fees normally charged to re-book for passengers whose travel plans may be affected by weather-related disruptions.

New Jersey and Pennsylvania issued commercial vehicle restrictions for some roads, including many interstate highways.

"This storm will cause dangerous road conditions and impact holiday travel," New Jersey's acting governor Tahesha Way said in a statement. "We are urging travelers to ‌avoid travel during the storm and allow crews to tend to roads."

Varieties

Cypriot Fishermen Battle Invasive Lionfish and Turn Them into a Delicacy

A cat stands next to a table with fried lionfish at Stefanos restaurant in Larnaca, Cyprus, in the eastern Mediterranean, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP)
A cat stands next to a table with fried lionfish at Stefanos restaurant in Larnaca, Cyprus, in the eastern Mediterranean, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP)
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Cypriot Fishermen Battle Invasive Lionfish and Turn Them into a Delicacy

A cat stands next to a table with fried lionfish at Stefanos restaurant in Larnaca, Cyprus, in the eastern Mediterranean, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP)
A cat stands next to a table with fried lionfish at Stefanos restaurant in Larnaca, Cyprus, in the eastern Mediterranean, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP)

Photis Gaitanos’ rough fingers adroitly untangle the venomous spikes of a lionfish from a net, throwing the exotic-looking creature into an ice-filled rubber bin along with other fish from the day’s catch.

Unlike a few years ago when he would have mostly caught local staples as sea bream, red mullet or bass, the veteran fisherman now hunts for the invasive species that made its way from the Red Sea to the warming waters of the Mediterranean,

Lionfish, with their red and orange-hued stripes and antennae-like barbs that menacingly ward off enemies, threaten to decimate indigenous fish stocks, wreaking havoc on the livelihoods of the roughly 150 professional fishermen in Cyprus.

The prickly fish has even made its way as far north as the Ionian Sea, where Italian authorities have asked the public to photograph and report sightings.

The East Mediterranean has also seen another invasive Red Sea fish in the last decade: the silver-cheeked toadfish. Known as an eating machine whose powerful jaws cut through fishing nets, decimating fishermen’s catch, it has no natural predators off Cyprus, allowing its population to explode.

That toadfish also produces a lethal toxin, making it inedible.

Warmer waters are the culprit

Gaitanos, the 60-year-old fisherman, has fished for years in an area a few kilometers off the coastal town of Larnaca, once famous for its fishing bounty. Now, he says, it’s been more than two years since he’s caught a red mullet, a consumer favorite.

"I have been practicing this profession for 40 years. Our income, especially since these two foreign species appeared, has become worse every year. It is now a major problem (affecting) the future of fishing," he said. "How can it be dealt with?"

Europe’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean says with the sea warming some 20% faster than the global average, the presence of invasive species "is progressively increasing in the western basin."

Models show that warmer seas as a result of climate change could see lionfish swarm the entire Mediterranean by the century’s end. Warmer waters and an expanded Suez Canal "have opened the floodgates" to Indo-Pacific species in general, according to Cyprus’ Fisheries Department.

Lionfish, center, are seen at Stefanios restaurant in Larnaca, Cyprus, in the eastern Mediterranean, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP)

The European Union’s Fisheries Commissioner Costas Kadis, a Cypriot himself, told The Associated Press that more frequent and intense extreme weather, often linked to climate change, could make the Mediterranean more hospitable to invasive species.

And that’s taking a heavy toll on Europe’s fishing industry as fishermen’s catches diminish while their costs shoot up as a result of repairs to fishing gear damaged by the powerful intruders.

"The native marine biodiversity of a specific region, as in the case of Cyprus, faces heightened competition and pressure, with implications for local ecosystems and industries dependent on them," said Kadis.

Fishermen cry for help

Gaitanos, who inherited his father’s boat in 1986, is not sure the fishermen’s grievances are being handled in a way that can stave off the profession’s decline.

"We want to show the European Union that there’s a big problem with the quantity of the catch as well as the kind of fish caught, affected by the arrival of these invasive species and by climate change," he said.

Some EU-funded compensation programs have been enacted to help fishermen. The latest, enforced last year, pays fishermen about 4.73 euros ($5.5) per kilogram (2.2 pounds) to catch toadfish to control their number. The toadfish are then sent to incinerators.

Another project, RELIONMED, which began in 2017, recruits some 100 scuba divers to cull lionfish around wrecks, reefs and marine protected areas. The Cyprus Fisheries Department says surveys show that frequent culls could buy time for native species to recover, but it’s not a permanent fix.

Some try eating the problem

What local fishermen are hoping will catch on with the fish-loving public is a new campaign to serve lionfish as a delicacy after its poisonous spines are carefully removed.

Kadis, the EU Fisheries commissioner, said a social media campaign that began in 2021, #TasteTheOcean, had top European chefs and influencers plugging invasive species as a tasty alternative to the more commonly consumed fish. Renowned Cypriot chef Stavris Georgiou worked up a lionfish recipe of his own.

For most Cypriots, local taverns with their rich meze menus that feature numerous plates different fish is the way to go. Although eating lionfish has been slow to catch on, many tavernas and fish restaurants have started to introduce it as part of their menu.

The bonus is that lionfish is now priced competitively compared to more popular fish like sea bass. At the Larnaca harbor fish market, lionfish cost less than half as much as more popular fish like sea bass.

"By incorporating invasive species such as lionfish into our diet, we can turn this challenge into an opportunity for the fisheries sector and at the same time help limit the environmental threat caused by these species," Kadis said

Stephanos Mentonis, who runs a popular fish tavern in Larnaca, has included lionfish on his meze menu as a way to introduce the fish to a wider number of patrons.

Mentonis, 54, says most of his customers aren’t familiar with lionfish. But its meat is fluffy and tender, and he says it can hold up against perennial tavern favorites like sea bream.

"When they try it, it’s not any less tasty than any other fish," he said.

Varieties

Massive Crash on Highway in Japan Kills 1 Person, Injures 26 as Holiday Season Starts

Burnt vehicles are seen after a massive crash on an expressway, in Minakami, northwest of Tokyo, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
Burnt vehicles are seen after a massive crash on an expressway, in Minakami, northwest of Tokyo, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
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Massive Crash on Highway in Japan Kills 1 Person, Injures 26 as Holiday Season Starts

Burnt vehicles are seen after a massive crash on an expressway, in Minakami, northwest of Tokyo, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
Burnt vehicles are seen after a massive crash on an expressway, in Minakami, northwest of Tokyo, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)

A massive crash in snowy weather killed one person and injured 26 on an expressway in Japan late on Friday as the country kicked off its end-of-the-year holiday season.

The Gunma prefectural highway police said Saturday that the pileup on the Kan-etsu Expressway started with a collision between two trucks in the town of Minakami, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Tokyo.

A 77-year-old woman from Tokyo died, police said. Out of the 26 injured, five were reported to be in serious condition.

The crash of the trucks blocked parts of the expressway, and cars coming from behind them were unable to brake on the snowy surface. More than 50 vehicles were involved in the pileup, police said.

A fire erupted at the far end of the pileup, spreading to more than a dozen vehicles, some of which were completely burned. Nobody was injured from the fire, which was extinguished about seven hours later, police said.

A warning about heavy snow was in effect late Friday, when many Japanese started their year-end and New Year holidays.

Parts of the expressway remained closed for police investigation, removal and cleaning of the wreckage.