Kharabeesh, Natural Star join to woo Arabic content market

Kharabeesh – a regional company that produces Arabic-language animated cartoons, music videos and talk shows – and Dubai-based production agency Natural Star have signed a strategic partnership agreement to create quality media content, TV shows, movies and documentaries for the global market.

“A new renaissance era of content is on the way. It is being built by the young disruptive generation of emerging players. We both at Kharabeesh and Natural Star believe that the partnership will create a new wave for us to ride on. We are eager to make a mark together,” said Wael Attili, co-founder and VP of Content at Kharabeesh, which has presence in Dubai, Riyadh and Amman.

“Thanks to an increased internet usage and high smartphone penetration across the world, there is huge market opportunity for innovative and creative content. Our collaboration will ensure that quality products reach the Global Digital Video Content Market, which is expanding at a rapid pace and is fueled by shifting trends,” Attili added.

On his part, Natural Star founder and CEO Najib Sabbagh said, “As content in the region sets eyes on the new horizons, all local players should look towards building strong partnerships, thus providing them with the opportunity to become players in the international markets. The partnership with Kharabeesh is at the core of this thought process. This will help both of us expand further and faster.”

“Natural Star, a content hub launched out of the MENA region in 2012, puts fresh and original productions in an innovative frame that fits the Arab viewers and elevates the level of Arabic content and represents the real social stories with the objective to inspire audiences and promote constructive messages,” Sabbagh highlighted.

“We are constantly on the move to expand our coverage to new countries, boost the impact of the shows produced and maximise our audience's diversity,” said Sabbagh, adding that the partnership is likely to bolster the reach of Kharabeesh.

On this World Earth Day, Blueair expert Kevin Luo, senior air filtration officer, gives five ways you can easily and sustainably improve the air quality in your home, taking care of not only your well-being, but also the health of our planet.

Clean healthy air is essential for both your health and the environment. It is important to understand what is found in indoor air and why clean air is so important. On average, we spend around 90 per cent of our time indoors, yet indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than outside.

Indoor air is made up of a concoction of particles including dust, mould, smoke, bacteria, viruses, VOCs and pet dander. Other indoor activities, such as cooking and cleaning with chemicals, contribute to poor indoor air quality along with outdoor pollution from transport that makes its ways inside. This causes a build-up of pollutants indoors, taking much longer to disperse than outdoor air pollution due to poor ventilation.

Breathing in fine dust or

PM2.5 (also known as fine particulate matter) can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause respiratory difficulties, heart and lung problems and a host of other diseases. Indoor air can also affect other parts of the body in addition to the respiratory system.

Atmospheric factors such as air pollution have been implicated in premature skin aging – this includes air pollutants such as smog, ozone and particulate matter. Studies also show a correlation between higher levels of PM2.5 and air pollution with the increased number of people suffering from skin problems such as pigment spots and wrinkles, hives and eczema.

Here are some easy ways you can improve your indoor air:

Open a window

As indoor air is more polluted than outdoors, opening a window is a great way to ventilate your home and create air movement.

Use an air purifier

Opening a window is not always possible, especially for hay fever sufferers, people who live in polluted areas and those who live near busy roads.

An air purifier is a great way to remove harmful particles from the air including pollen, pet dander, bacteria, viruses, VOCs and PM2.5. Blueair air purifiers remove at least 99.97 per cent of airborne particles like these from the air we breathe.

Vacuum regularly

Vacuuming regularly can effectively remove particles that have become trapped in the carpet. For best results, use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.

Avoid unnecessary chemicals Avoid using cleaning products with chemicals that could be harmful to your health. There are many natural, alternative cleaning products now available to buy.

Candles

Toxins from paraffin candles are the same as those in diesel fumes.

Children are particularly vulnerable to harmful particles from burning candles as their lungs and brains are still developing. Avoid using paraffin candles and opt for natural wax instead.