News

Twitch Launches Arabic Right-To-Left Interface For Web & Mobile

The livestreaming service has expanded access and inclusion for Arabic-speaking users, unlocking new opportunities for creativity, and growth.

Published

1 year ago

July 14, 2025

Nour Nasir

twitch launches arabic right to left interface for web and mobile

Livestreaming service Twitch has launched a global Arabic Right-to-Left (RTL) interface across its desktop and mobile platforms, marking a major step in its commitment to supporting Arabic-speaking communities. The update allows users to navigate the site in Arabic, with RTL alignment enabled throughout the interface.

Arabic language settings are now available worldwide and can be activated through Twitch account preferences or by adjusting a device’s language settings. Further localization — such as RTL support for notifications and emails — is expected to roll out later this year.

The launch reflects Twitch’s broader strategy of purposeful localization and community investment. “By delivering Arabic RTL, we’re enabling access and supporting streamers to build vibrant communities in their own language,” said Dan Clancy, CEO of Twitch. “Our long-term vision is to localize with purpose and invest in the people behind the content”.

Usage trends point to Twitch’s growing presence in the Middle East and North Africa. In 2024, MENA viewers spent more than 209 million hours watching Twitch content. Top categories in the region include Just Chatting, Valorant, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, and Overwatch 2 — indicating a broad mix of esports, gaming, and conversational content.

The Arabic RTL experience arrives amid rising investment in the regional gaming economy, which is projected to exceed $6 billion by 2027. National digital strategies and youth-led innovation continue to drive growth, and platforms like Twitch are expanding local support to meet the demand.

Also Read: Google Launches Flow And Gemini Photo-To-Video In MENA

Streamers in the region have welcomed the update as a meaningful move toward inclusion. Saudi Arabia – based Twitch Partner Meshael MR commented, “This update makes Twitch feel more like home. It removes barriers for new streamers and shows that Twitch sees our community and is building with us”.

Globally, Twitch remains the leading platform for interactive live streaming, capturing over 60% of the market and logging more than 655 million hours watched in 2024. The Arabic RTL launch adds to its ongoing efforts to build safer, more inclusive spaces for creators and audiences across all regions.

News

Syria Just Got Its First Super App Featuring Built-In Digital Payments

Built by UAE-based Syrian founders with the Ministry of Tourism’s backing, My Syria lands as visitor numbers more than double.

Published

5 days ago

August 1, 2026

Nour Nasir

syria just got its first super app featuring built-in digital payments

For most of the past decade, paying for anything in Syria with an international card was effectively impossible. Sanctions, a collapsed banking sector, and years of isolation left the country running on cash. That is what makes the launch of My Syria — the country’s first super app — more than a routine product announcement.

Developed by 121 Living, a company founded by four UAE-based Syrian entrepreneurs — Rami Kaiem, Feras Kaiem, Waseem Qudmani, and Kinan Madi — the app launched in Damascus on July 30 under the patronage of Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani. It bundles hotels, restaurants, transport, attractions, food delivery, and other lifestyle services into a single platform, currently offering eight services with plans to expand to more than 40 verified tourism and hospitality providers across the country.

Although the app already sounds enticing, the headline feature is its built-in payments. My Syria is the first platform in Syria to support cross-border digital payments through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express — familiar tools for international visitors, and a route into the digital economy for local businesses that have long operated outside it.

my syria super app launch event

The launch rides on a sharp rebound for the troubled country. Syria’s tourism sector recorded 3.52 million visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 111 percent increase over the 1.67 million during the same period in 2025 — a mix of returning expatriates, regional visitors, and international tourists.

Also Read: This UAE Platform Wants To Replace Fashion Photo Shoots With AI

The Ministry of Tourism, which supported and supervised the app’s development, frames the launch as proof of concept for a wider strategy. “Digital transformation is one of the Ministry’s strategic priorities because it enables us to build a more competitive, connected and investment-ready tourism sector,” Al-Salhani said, inviting technology companies “globally, regionally and locally” to explore opportunities across the wider economy.

For 121 Living, this is phase one, with additional services and expanded geographic coverage planned. Whether a super app can flourish in a market still rebuilding its infrastructure is an open question, but for the first time in years, a visitor to Damascus can pay for dinner with their phone.