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Instagram’s Amber Alert Feature Is Coming To The UAE
Each alert will include a picture and description of the missing child, as well as the location where the child was last seen.
Social media networks like Instagram receive a lot of criticism for their negative influence on their users and society at large. But just like most things humans have created, they can be used for both good and bad.
Instagram’s Amber Alert feature, whose purpose is to make the site’s users aware of missing or abducted children from their local area, is a shining example of how social media network can benefit not just their users but even those who avoid them like the plague.
The feature first launched on Facebook back in 2015, and it quickly became a major success. Now, this incredibly useful feature is coming to 25 countries, including the United Arab Emirates.
Here’s a complete list of all the countries where Amber Alerts will soon launch: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Ireland, Jamaica, Korea, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Romania, South Africa, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, and the United Arab Emirates.
“We know that the chances of finding a missing child increase when more people are on the lookout, especially in the first few hours,” says Emily Vacher, Director of Trust and Safety at Meta. “With this update, if an AMBER Alert is activated by law enforcement and you are in the designated search area, the alert will now appear in your Instagram feed.”
Also Read: How To Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account
Each alert will include a picture and description of the missing child, as well as the location where the child was last seen. With a simple tap, Instagram users will be able to contact law enforcement to share what they know with them.
The feature has already been used to help rescue at least two children. In 2016 an anesthesia technician at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee helped save a four-year-old girl who was abducted in Florida. In 2020, 11-year-old Charlotte Moccia from Massachusetts was rescued after Amanda Disley and her husband saw an Amber Alert on Facebook.
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UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.
The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.
خلال ترؤسنا الاجتماع الأول للمجلس الأعلى للفضاء، بحثنا الاستثمارات الوطنية والمشاريع المقبلة في قطاع الفضاء والذي يشهد تطوراً مستمراً… وجددنا التزامنا بدعم ومواصلة تنفيذ برامج طموحة لاستكشاف الفضاء الخارجي حيث وصل حجم الاستثمارات في هذا القطاع إلى 40 مليار درهم خلال السنوات… pic.twitter.com/etJ33OnuSu
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) December 16, 2024
Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.
Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.
Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.
Also Read: IBM Opens New Doha Office To Support Qatar’s Digital Growth
The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.
The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.