Middle East Experience

A truck loaded with gas cylinders exploded on the Beirut-Jounieh highway in Lebanon after it caught fire, a video shared on social media showed.Local MTV television reported that the explosion was heard in the areas surrounding Zouk Mosbeh but the incident happened in Kaslik area.According to the report, the driver fled the scene when the truck caught fire and attempts to communicate with him were unsuccessful. MTV added that the driver’s phone is switched off.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Two nearby cars were damaged, but no injuries were reported. The civil defense brought the fire under control, but it reportedly had reached a nearby apartment and damaged electrical cables which caused a power outage.Traffic on both lanes of the highway came to a complete standstill, with traffic from Beirut toward Jounieh more affected.Read more:Lebanese PM signals difficulty in agreeing financial planIMF will only support a ‘comprehensive program’ for Lebanon: GeorgievaLebanon banks association rejects draft govt financial plan
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Watch: Truck loaded with gas cylinders explodes on Beirut-Jounieh highway

Sudan on Friday denounced Western criticism of the arrest of two high-profile former officials opposed to military rule and charged with corruption, saying it was contrary to “diplomatic norms and practices.”Khalid Omer Yousif and Wagdi Salih were arrested on Wednesday, a move Norway, the United States, Britain, the European Union, Canada, and Switzerland condemned as “harassment and intimidation” by Sudan’s military authorities.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“This is blatant interference in internal Sudanese affairs, contrary to diplomatic norms and practices,” the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.Both men had been part of the government that was toppled on Oct. 25 and had been detained in the weeks following. Since then, military leaders have repeatedly warned of foreign interference.The two had been involved in a taskforce that seized assets from members of ousted President Omar al-Bashir’s regime that has come under criticism from the military. A committee reviewing its work said on Sunday it had found irregularities.“The two citizens referred to were in fact detained based on clear criminal suspicion, not as a result of any political charge or motive, and the ambassadors concerned should have taken care to obtain accurate information from official sources,” the foreign ministry statement said.The coup ended a partnership between the military and civilian political parties, drawing international condemnation and plunging Sudan into turmoil, with frequent nationwide demonstrations against the coup and a wave of political detentions.Lawyers told Reuters this week more than 100 people remain in prison, while some 2,000 had been arrested and released.Protests organized by neighborhood resistance committees have drawn hundreds of thousands of people, and at least 79 have been killed and more than 2,000 injured in crackdowns.Read more:Protesters take to Sudan's streets once more, decrying coup and arrestsSudan export highway blockaded as protests stoked by trade woesUN Sudan special mission to wrap up consultations, publish document
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Sudan’s ruling junta rejects Western criticism of arrests as ‘blatant interference’

The UAE Space Agency and its Israeli counterpart are inviting researchers to apply for a research proposal based on data collected from a satellite, the emirates state media WAM reported on Thursday.The UAE Space Agency, Israeli Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology and the Israel Space Agency are calling on universities and research institutes from both countries to submit joint research proposals, according to WAM.The selected research project will receive $200,000 of funding from the host authorities.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The satellite data was reportedly collected by the Israeli Vegetation and Environment Monitoring New Micro Satellite (VENµS), which monitors the environment and vegetation on earth.The satellite data claims to help find solutions to deal with climate change.This joint call for proposals comes after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the UAE and Israel in October 2021.The proposals will be accepted into the Environment Monitoring Joint Research Project, reported WAM, “an earth observation program that collects data using space-based remote sensing.”The sensors reportedly aid in monitoring and exploring water resources, precision agriculture, vegetation exploration, land mapping and more.“Global collaboration is key to leveraging space to protect our planet. By partnering alongside other leading nations in the space sector, we are contributing to expanding the global base of scientific knowledge to help humanity develop solutions to its greatest challenges,” said Sarah bint Yousif al-Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology and Chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency in the WAM report.Orit Farkash-Hacohen, Israel’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, said: “The important space cooperation between Israel and the UAE shows how technology connects nations.”“Governments sign agreements, but it is the people who make the peace,” added the Israeli minster.Rules for applyingThe following are some of the listed conditions to apply for the program according to the WAM report: The proposals must be based on data from the VENµS satellite, Environment Monitoring Joint Research Project. The proposals must be in the field of earth observation with focus on agriculture and water research. The proposals must be jointly submitted by UAE and Israeli research groups and should utilize Environment Monitoring Joint Research Project data. The project must not exceed two years. The proposals should be submitted by the UAE and Israeli team to their respective authorities. The deadline for submission is March 16, 2022.Read more:Elon Musk ‘highly confident’ his SpaceX Starship will reach Earth orbit this yearSolar storm knocks out 40 newly launched SpaceX satellites, the largest such incidentHarvard Stem Cell Institute receives grant from Abu Dhabi Crown Prince
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: UAE, Israel space agencies jointly call for researchers, offers 0,000 in funding

New cases continue to drop * R rate drops to 0.76 * hospitals remain at tight capacity
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: COVID-19 in Israel: 27,000 new cases, R rate in decline

With no domestic political support and international prestige to lean on, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett can't do very much about the Iran deal.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Israel’s silence on Iran illustrates Bennett’s political weakness - comment

He was quizzed about the issue during his talk, in light of Amnesty International's report last month which accused Israel of the crime of apartheid.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: MK Mansour Abbas: Israel is not an apartheid state

Germany's ambassador to Kosovo, Joren Rohde, said he was very concerned about the restoration.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Renovation of Nazi ally's Kosovo house causes ire

A ban on hijabs at several schools in India has prompted the human rights campaigner Malala Yousafzai to demand an end to “the marginalisation of Muslim women”..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Muslims in India: Malala backs Muslim students in India fighting hijab ban

Mawlawi said he was banning “two events” organised by Bahraini opposition which were due to take place on Friday and next Monday..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Lebanon bars Beirut Bahraini opposition events

Saudi Arabia has thwarted two separate attempts to smuggle more that 2.4 million captagon pills, the official Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.Captagon is a type of amphetamine-style stimulant fenethylline that continues to be manufactured, mostly in Lebanon and Syria, for illegal recreational use.The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) caught the drugs hidden in consignments sent to the Kingdom to the Jeddah Islamic Port and Duba Port.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The first batch of drugs was discovered hidden inside glove boxes, according to the SPA report, amounting to 2,483,926 pills.The second attempt occurred as part of a shipment of oranges, where 423,926 number of pills were found hidden in the spare tire of the truck carrying the fruit. The shipment was reportedly routed through the Red Sea port.Three people have been arrested in connection with the crime, SPA reported.The authority reportedly said that they are continuing to “tighten customs control” over imports into the country.On Tuesday, officials arrested an individual in the Asir region for being in possession of 20 kilograms of hashish, a drug derived from cannabis.Authorities in the region have been cracking down on narcotics. In a strong stance against drug use, the Kingdom placed a ban on the import of fruit and vegetables from Lebanon in 2021 after Saudi Arabia’s Customs foiled an attempt to smuggle over five million pills of Captagon.According to an AFP count, more than 25 million pills of Captagon have been seized across the region since the start of the year alone.According to the Ministry of Interior (MOI), the severest punishment dealt to an individual involved in smuggling illicit narcotics is death.Meanwhile, individuals who deal the substance face imprisonment, lashing, and/or a financial fine. Repeat offenders may receive a death sentence, according to the MOI.Read more:Anti-drug judge shot dead in southern IraqJordan armed forces kill 27 drug smugglers attempting to enter from SyriaLebanon seizes drugs concealed in juice powder en route to Sudan
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi Arabia foils Captagon smuggling attempts, 2.4 million pills seized