Middle East Experience

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered on Wednesday an emotional plea to the US Congress in a video address, asking for military support and to impose a no-fly zone over his country to shield it from Russia’s aerial bombardment.Zelenskyy invoked the memory of great historic tragedies for Americans, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the September 11 attack by al-Qaeda extremists in 2001.He also compared Ukraine’s plight against Russia to the worst atrocities Europe faced in World War II.He ended his speech showing the US lawmakers a powerful video capturing the destruction Ukraine has experienced over the course of three weeks of the Russian military operations and the struggle of Ukrainians to survive.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Find below the full transcript of Zelenskyy’s speech:“Mrs. Speaker,Members of Congress,Ladies and Gentlemen,Americans! Friends!I am proud to greet you from Ukraine, from our capital - Kyiv. From a city that is under missile and air strikes by Russian troops. Daily. But it does not give up. And it didn't even think to give up for a single minute! Just as dozens of other cities and communities in our country, which found themselves in the worst war since World War II.I have the honor to greet you on behalf of the Ukrainian people, brave and freedom-loving people. For eight years they have been resisting the aggression of the Russian Federation. They sacrifice the best children - sons and daughters to stop the full-scale Russian invasion.Now the fate of our state is being decided. The fate of our people. It is being decided whether Ukrainians will be free. Whether they will preserve their democracy.Russia has attacked more than just our land and our cities. It went on a brutal offensive against our values. Basic human values. It threw tanks and planes against our freedom. Against our right to live freely in our country, choosing our own future. Against our desire for happiness. Against our national dreams. Just like yours, ordinary people of America. Just like those of everyone in the United States.I remember your Rushmore National Memorial. The faces of your prominent presidents. Those who laid the foundations of America. As it is today. Democracy, independence, freedom and care for everyone. Everyone who works diligently. Who lives honestly. Who respects the law.We in Ukraine want the same for ourselves. All that is a normal part of life for you.Ladies and Gentlemen!Americans!In your great history you have pages that will allow you to understand Ukrainians. Understand us now. When it is needed most.Remember Pearl Harbor. Terrible morning of December 7, 1941. When your sky was black from the planes attacking you. Just remember that.Remember September 11th. A terrible day in 2001, when evil tried to turn your cities into a battlefield. When innocent people were attacked. Attacked from the air. In a way no one expected.In a way you could not stop it. Our state experiences this every day! Every night! For three weeks now! Different Ukrainian cities... Odesa and Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Sumy, Zhytomyr and Lviv, Mariupol and Dnipro. Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into a source of death. For thousands of people.Russian troops have already fired nearly a thousand missiles at Ukraine. Countless bombs. They use drones to kill more precisely. This is a terror Europe has not seen for 80 years!And we ask for a response. For the response from the world. For the response to terror. Is this too much of a request?To establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine is to save people. Humanitarian no-fly zone. Conditions under which Russia will no longer be able to terrorize our peaceful cities every day and night. If that's too much, we offer an alternative.You know what defense systems we need. C-300 and other similar systems.You know how much depends on the battlefield on the ability to use aircraft. Powerful, strong aircraft. To protect your people. Your freedom. Your land. Aircraft that can help Ukraine. That can help Europe.And you also know that they are available. But on land. Not in the Ukrainian sky. They do not protect our people."I have a dream" - these words are known to each of you. Today I can say: I have a necessity. The necessity to protect our sky. The necessity for your decision. Your help. And it will mean exactly the same thing. The same thing you feel. When you hear: I have a dream.Ladies and Gentlemen!Friends!Ukraine is grateful to the United States for its overwhelming support. For all that your state and your people have already done for our freedom. For weapons and ammunition, for training and funding, for leadership in the free world, which helps put pressure on the aggressor economically.I am grateful to President Biden for his personal involvement, for his sincere commitment to the defense of Ukraine and democracy around the world.I am grateful to you for the resolution, which recognizes all those who commit crimes against the Ukrainian people as war criminals.However, now, in the darkest time for our country, for the whole of Europe, I urge you to do more! New packages of sanctions are needed every week. Until the Russian military machine stops. Restrictions are needed as regards everyone on whom this unjust regime is based.We offer the United States to impose sanctions against all politicians in the Russian Federation who remain in office and do not sever ties with those responsible for the aggression against Ukraine. From State Duma deputies to the last official who lacks the morale to sever ties with state terror. All American companies must leave Russia, their market. Leave this market flooded with our blood.Ladies and Gentlemen.Members of Congress!Take the lead! If you have companies in the constituencies that sponsor the Russian military machine, keeping their business in Russia... You have to put pressure. So that the Russian state does not receive a single dollar, which it spends on the destruction of Ukraine. On the destruction of Europe.All American ports must be closed to Russian goods and ships. Peace is more important than profit. And we must defend this principle throughout the world together.We have already become part of the anti-war coalition. The great anti-war coalition, which unites many states, dozens of states. Those who reacted in a principled manner to President Putin's decision - to Russia's invasion of our state.But we have to move on. We have to create new tools. To respond quickly! And stop the war. The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24. And it would be fair if it ended in a day. In 24 hours. So that evil is punished immediately. Today the world does not have such tools.The wars of the past have prompted our predecessors to create institutions that were supposed to protect us from war. But... They don't work. We see it. You see it. So, we need new ones. New institutions. New alliances.And we offer them.We offer to create an association - U-24. United for peace. A union of responsible states that have the strength and conscience to stop conflicts. Immediately. Provide all necessary assistance in 24 hours. If necessary - weapons. If necessary - sanctions. Humanitarian support. Political support. Funding. Everything necessary to preserve peace quickly. To save lives.In addition, such an association could provide assistance to those who are experiencing natural disasters, man-made disasters. Who fell victim to a humanitarian crisis or epidemic.Remember how difficult it was for the world to do the simplest thing - to give everyone vaccines. Vaccines against Covid. To save lives. To prevent new strains. The world spent months and years doing things that could have been done much faster. So that there were no human losses.Ladies and Gentlemen!Americans!If such an alliance, the U-24, had already been formed, I believe it would have saved thousands of lives. In our country, many other countries that need peace so crucially, that suffered inhuman destruction... I ask you to watch one video now. Video of what Russian troops did on our land. We have to stop this. We must prevent such things. Preventively destroy every aggressor who seeks to conquer another nation.Please watch...And in the end to sum it up.Today it is not enough to be the leader of the nation.Today it takes to be the Leader of the world. Being the Leader of the world means to be the Leader of Peace.Peace in your country does not depend anymore only on you and your people.It depends on those next to you, on those who are strong.Strong does not mean big. Strong is brave and ready to fight for the life of his citizens and citizens of the world.For human rights, for freedom, for the right to live decently and to die when your time comes, not when it is wanted by someone else, by your neighbor.Today the Ukrainian people are defending not only Ukraine, we are fighting for the values of Europe and the world, sacrificing our lives in the name of the Future.That’s why today the American people are helping not just Ukraine, but Europe and the world to keep the planet alive, to keep justice in history.Now I am almost 45 years old. Today my age stopped when the hearts of more than 100 children stopped beating. I see no sense in life if it cannot stop death. And this is my main mission as the Leader of my people – great Ukrainians.And as the Leader of my nation I am addressing President Biden.You are the Leader of the nation, of your great nation.I wish you to be the Leader of the world. Being the Leader of the world means to be the Leader of Peace.Thank you.Glory to Ukraine!”Read more:UN top court orders Russia to end Ukraine invasion, Zelenskyy says ‘complete victory’Putin says Russia will achieve goals in Ukraine, won't bow to West‘Close the sky over Ukraine,’ President Zelenskyy urges US Congress
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Zelenskyy invokes Pearl Harbor, 9/11 in powerful US Congress address: Full transcript

An Iranian official said that 16 crew members have been rescued from a stricken United Arab Emirates ship that sank 30 miles from Iran’s Asaluyeh port while transporting cars, AFP and the official IRNA news agency reported on Thursday.Around 30 crew members were earlier reported to be in the water with life vests on awaiting rescue.Strong winds have caused storms in the Gulf and disrupted the movement of vessels and maritime activity, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Capt. Nizar Qaddoura, the operations manager of the Salem Al Makrani Cargo company, confirmed to The Associated Press that the Al Salmy 6 had sunk off Iran.He said that rescuers had saved 16 crew members. Another 11 had made it onto a life raft, while one person was saved by a nearby tanker. Two crew members were still in the water.The crew consisted of nationals from Sudan, India, Pakistan, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia, Qaddoura said. The vessel had been on its way to Umm Qasr, Iraq, carrying cars and other cargo, he said.Marine tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press suggested the vessel was the roll-on roll-off cargo ship Al Salmy 6. The Dubai-based company that owns the Al Salmy declined to immediately comment.Images released by IRNA and Iranian state television matched with the Al Salmy 6.The US Navy’s 5th Fleet, which patrols in the Middle East, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The Arabian Gulf remains a major waterway for trade, ranging from cargo ships that transship onto the rest of the world and energy shipments from the Gulf Arab states.Vessels sinking in the waterway remain incredibly rare. However, dust storms and other poor weather have swept across the region as the seasons change from relatively cold winter months to the scorching days of summer.Severe weather pounded the Arabian Gulf starting on Wednesday, the state-run Iran Meteorological Organization reported, warning of powerful wind gusts that would disrupt maritime activities in the gulf and and damage offshore facilities through Saturday. Wind speeds are expected to exceed 70 kph (40 mph) in Iran’s Bushehr province.Read more:Tremors from Iran earthquake felt in the UAEUAE announces intent to begin bilateral trade talks with Australia: Trade ministerArab Coalition destroys explosives-laden boat launched by Houthis in Red Sea
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: UAE ship sinks 30 miles from Iran’s Asaluyeh port: Report

Kuwait’s government proposed gradually raising the retirement age by three years starting from 2024, its finance minister Abulwahab Mohammed al-Rushaid said on Thursday.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The government will also present a law in parliament about paying retirees a one-time grant of 3,000 dinars, al-Rushaid added.Read more: Majority of UAE expats failing to save for retirement, financial experts warnExpats over age 60 with no degree have until year's end to leave KuwaitKuwait swears in first female judges in country’s history
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Kuwait government proposes raising retirement age

The United Arab Emirates is keen to cooperate with Russia on improving global energy security, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in Moscow on Thursday.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has drawn a raft of Western sanctions and disrupted global energy markets, putting a spotlight on Gulf energy exporters, such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, as consumers look for supplies to replace Russian oil.OPEC producers Saudi Arabia and the UAE have so far resisted US pleas to use their spare production capacity to help contain oil prices, saying they are committed to an output pact under the OPEC+ alliance, which includes Russia.“It is important to maintain the stability of energy and food markets,” the Emirati minister told a televised joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.“We welcome all mediation efforts in the Ukraine crisis ... the UAE is ready to engage with the parties to strengthen opportunities for a peaceful resolution,” Sheikh Abdullah said.The UAE abstained in a recent UN Security Council vote, vetoed by Moscow, condemning the Ukraine invasion.Sheikh Abdullah said he would also discuss Iran, Syria and Iraq during his talks in Moscow.Russia appeared this week to have backed off its previous view that Western sanctions were an impediment to salvaging the 2015 nuclear pact between global powers and Iran just as a deal appeared close at Vienna talks.While Gulf Arab states have voiced support for the talks, they have also urged global powers to address regional concerns over Iran’s ballistic missiles program and network of proxies, including in Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon.Read more: UAE calls on parties in Ukraine-Russia conflict to avoid targeting civiliansUAE FM stresses ‘strength’ of ties with Russia in phone call with Lavrov: MinistryAbu Dhabi Crown Prince, Russia’s Putin agree on preserving stability of global energy
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: UAE keen to cooperate with Russia on energy security: UAE FM

Saudi Arabia will start construction of a green hydrogen plant as soon as this month as it pushes ahead with plans to export the fuel in about four years.The Kingdom is on track sell carbon-free hydrogen from a $5 billion project in Neom by 2026, according to Peter Terium, the head of energy and water for the new region. Engineers have finished flattening the site in northwestern Saudi Arabia and US-based Air Products & Chemicals Inc. will soon begin building the facility, he said.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.There will probably be demand from companies from Asia to the US for the exports, Terium, who used to be chief executive officer of Germany’s RWE AG, said in an interview. Hydrogen is seen as pivotal for the transition to cleaner forms of energy.“There’s a potential competition between Europe, Japan, South Korea and some parts of the US,” said Terium. Shipments will be sold “to those who bid the highest price.”Saudi Arabia wants to be the world’s biggest exporter of hydrogen.The fuel only emits water vapor when burned, making it less polluting than oil, natural gas and coal. The technology for producing it on a mass-scale is still unproven, but the market could be worth $700 billion annually by 2050 if manufacturers can bring down costs, according to BloombergNEF.Riyadh believes demand for oil will remain high for decades and is spending billions of dollars to increase its crude-production capacity. Yet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman aims to diversify the economy, and hydrogen is an important part of his strategy.State oil firm Saudi Aramco is leading the country’s efforts to make blue hydrogen, produced by converting gas and capturing the carbon dioxide emissions.The Neom project, called Helios, is led by a consortium including Air Products and ACWA Power International, a Saudi utility. Green hydrogen is manufactured with renewable energy.The companies will use 120 Thyssenkrupp AG electrolyzers, each of them about 40 meters long, to split hydrogen from water. The fuel will be shipped from Saudi Arabia as ammonia, which is easier to transport than hydrogen in gaseous form.The plan is “gigantic in size and continuously gives you unknown challenges,” said Terium, who used to be chief executive officer of RWE AG, Germany’s biggest utility.The plant will be powered by around 4 gigawatts of solar and wind power, making it one of the largest being built globally. The area was chosen because of its abundance of sunlight, wind, and empty land to place solar panels and turbines.Read more:Saudi NEOM JV looking to finance $5 bln hydrogen project, say sourcesSaudi Arabia wants to be top supplier of hydrogen: Prince AbdulazizSaudi ACWA power to sign $7 billion green hydrogen deal with Omanoil
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi Arabia to start construction of bln green hydrogen plant in Neom

Art Dubai 2022 featured the debut of Art Dubai Digital, a section dedicated to digital art, crypto and NFTs (non-fungible token), a branch of art which has seen an exponential rise in interest over the past couple of years. In an interview with Al Arabiya English, an expert attributed this rise in interest to prolonged time of immobility experienced during the pandemic.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“Several factors contributed to the rise of NFTs. The world is opening up as we speak, but creators and galleries were enduring over two years of immobility amidst lock downs and travel restrictions, and they had to find a creative outlet that worked for them,” Igneus Terrenus, Head of Communications at Bybit, told Al Arabiya English. “The mainstreaming of NFT solutions and platforms offered a way for them to reach their audience and get recognized and rewarded for their creations.”Bybit, a world-renowned cryptocurrency exchange and trading platform, was the lead partner for Art Dubai’s inaugural Digital section this year. Art Dubai Digital featured 17 galleries that represented a broad geographic base, including digitally native platforms and collectives, traditional gallery models, and presentations by some new up-and-coming artists whose work revolved around innovation.“The new section dedicated to digital art gave a voice to emerging artists and market participants, many of whom are first-timers at an international art fair,” Terrenus told Al Arabiya English.“After a 3-year break, Art Dubai 2022 set the scene for a special moment in time for the Gulf region. The pandemic has shaped the way creators and art dealers operate and the way we receive art, and the UAE is at the forefront of crypto adoption and blockchain innovation. With the talent, infrastructure and policies it has to offer, we believe it stands to become a powerhouse in the physical world to supercharge the metaverse.”As the art world continues to adapt and evolve in the NFT and digital art realms, new communities are emerging to support them, bringing in new stakeholders and creators with a new perspective on art and art valuation.Terrenus explained that the commercial aspect of NFTs helped the public see their true value.“What it offers is verifiable ownership validated on the blockchain… a way for NFT holders to truly own a piece of culture they feel a connection to and back an artist without navigating the complexity of the conventional art trading market,” he said.“This is a new supply chain that goes on to contribute to world-building in the metaverse and a host of communities have been able to benefit from it. For that reason, we see NFT solutions to be part of the infrastructure layer of Web 3.”“It creates a mechanism to incentivize creators, IP holders and creative asset holders in the dawn of the new web, that will in turn fuel the growth of that universe. We expect to see market consolidations and shakedowns that less promising projects may not survive, but the potential of NFTs goes beyond trading avatars.”Bybit X Art Dubai Drop On the opening day of Art Dubai 2022, 15 artworks from galleries participating in Art Dubai Digital were dropped on the Bybit platform in the Bybit X Art Dubai Drop.Art Dubai Digital also included an exhibition of new NFTs created by the 12 UAE-based and international artists taking part in this year’s expanded edition of Campus Art Dubai.“Art Dubai provided Bybit with the opportunity to meet the creative community and our peers in the blockchain space. We are keen on connecting with the community here in the GCC region and to learn what crypto can do for them and what we can offer,” said Terrenus.“We are working closely with key stakeholders to strengthen our presence here to better serve our community and explore institutional collaborations. We look forward to playing an active role in the region.”NFTs have piqued the interest of many people across the world, including artists and art collectors.“Artists have always been at the forefront of innovative technology,” he explained. “To be creative is their calling. Therefore, it is no wonder that they have contributed so much to the NFT boom in such a short time.”“We are looking at a transformative technology capable of elevating digital art, an art form with analogue origins [dating back] decades, to scale and dimensions never seen before.”Apart from enabling creativity, NFT listing and trading also offer an “alternative avenue” to emerging artists and creators who may not have the right resources or connections to properly navigate the art world, he said.“It is also forging a unique bond between artists and their backers, who through their digital ownership would become part of the creation that will live in the metaverse, instead of a transient mere interaction.”Bybit NFT Marketplace Launched in January 2022, the Bybit NFT marketplace sold its Mystery Box collections within one second of listing, recording over 50,000 transactions. The price for one Mystery Box from the initial sale rose by 1,000 times in the secondary market.“The vision behind the Bybit NFT Marketplace is to streamline digital ownership and support the development of blockchain gaming and the metaverse,” said Terrenus, adding that it is uniquely positioned to provide exclusive Ips in GameFi metaverse and personalized items from public figures and celebrities, which hold great value for fans and collectors.The platform allows NFT collectors to verify the authenticity and the chain of custody of their favorite NFTs. Users can set up a Bybit spot account, fund it and choose NFTs to purchase through the marketplace.Read more:Art Dubai 2022: What to expect from the exhibit’s largest edition to date‘Queen of Color’: Meet Nat Bowen, model-turned-artist collaborating with McLarenArt Dubai 2022 edition closes with strong sales, record visitors
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: ‘Supercharge the metaverse’: Bybit talks Art Dubai Digital debut, GCC market for NFTs

All but one of the 30 crew of the UAE-flagged vessel have been pulled from the water, officials say..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Iran rescues dozens as UAE-flagged cargo ship sinks in Gulf

The tension in hotels and on Red Sea beaches is palpable, though there are also moments of compassion..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: War Strands Ukrainian and Russian Tourists Together in Egyptian Resorts

There have been general confusions over numerous laws in the country..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Qataris frustrated with confusion surrounding new retirement law

The population of sandbar sharks in the Mediterranean sea went down by a staggering 90% between 2005-2015.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Endangered sandbar shark rescued from fishing net in Israeli beach