Middle East Experience

Lebanon has reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF worth about $3 billion, subject to approval by IMF management and the executive board, according to a statement released on Thursday.“The Lebanese authorities and the IMF team have reached a staff-level agreement on comprehensive economic policies that could be supported by a 46-month Extended Fund Arrangement (EFF) with requested access of SDR 2,173.9 million (equivalent to about US$3 billion),” the IMF said.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The IMF said Lebanon was facing an unprecedented crisis, which led to a “dramatic economic contraction and a large increase in poverty, unemployment, and emigration.”The statement said the crisis resulted from years of unsustainable macroeconomic policies fueling fiscal and external deficits and support for “an overvalued exchange rate and an oversized financial sector.”Severe accountability and transparency problems and a lack of structural reforms also led to Lebanon's unprecedented situation.Read more: US announces $64 mln in emergency food aid for struggling Lebanon
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Lebanon, IMF reach deal worth up to billion: Statement

On Monday, Erdogan criticised President Saied's decision last week to dissolve parliament, as a..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Erdogan provokes crisis with Tunisia, tries to re-burnish Islamist credentials

The study’s authors set out to understand the relationship between COVID-19 and friendship, and whether the presence of friends would make a person less likely to follow COVID-19 safety procedures.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Being around friends makes you less cautious about COVID-19 - study

Moroccan authorities have stepped up their harassment of human rights defenders and activists in the past two months, with at least four facing criminal investigations and prosecutions over social media posts critical of the authorities, Amnesty International said today. Human rights defender Saida El Alami was arrested on 23 March and will appear before a ..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Morocco: Stop criminal investigations against human rights defenders over social media posts

A viral video of the incident starts with settlers screaming insults at the bleeding child as he gasps for air and extends his hand for assistance..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: #FreeAhmadManasra: Who is he and how can you support the Palestinian campaign?

“We want to change the overconsumption pattern of bags and ensure the multiple-use bags are used only when needed,” Mazrouei said..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Abu Dhabi bans single-use plastic bags in anti-pollution drive

The Ambassadors of Tanzania, the Republic of Armenia, Austria, Singapore and Kyrgyzstan presented their credentials to President Isaac Herzog.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: New ambassadors present credentials to Herzog

"I believe that the IRGC is a terror organization and I do not support them being delisted from the foreign terrorist organization list."
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: IRGC is terror org., I do not support delisting - Joint Chiefs of Staff chair

Guards also lost money for taking a toilet break without getting cover, taking a day off sick or just wearing their uniform “improperly”..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Qatar admits exploiting workers, Amnesty claims “forced labour”

American Quality Products' legal representation filed a rebuttal to Unilever's plan to cease distribution to the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Ben & Jerry's contract is discriminatory - US product company