Middle East Experience

An indictment which aims to ban Turkey’s Democratic Peoples’ Party (HDP) was prepared for political reasons and should be thrown out, an HDP official said on Saturday, a day after it submitted an initial defence to Turkey’s top court..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Turkey’s pro-Kurdish HDP cries foul at politically-motivated banning case

A Washington Post report claimed that the IDF is using facial recognition with a database containing thousands of images of Palestinians.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: IDF's facial recognition tech in West Bank probed

Digitally reconstructed synagogues will be projected on buildings in Germany during a commemoration ceremony for Kristallnacht.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Synagogues destroyed on Kristallnacht to be digitally ‘reconstructed’

Kuwait’s Public Prosecution office has begun an investigation with four Kuwaiti citizens accused of having ties with the Lebanese Hezbollah group, according to local media reports.Last Thursday, Kuwaiti security authorities arrested a group accused of working and collaborating with the Lebanese Hezbollah and forming a cell within the country.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.According to Kuwaiti newspaper al-Seyassah, Kuwait's State Security Service arrested a group that collaborated with Hezbollah and held them on charges of recruiting young people to work with the party in Syria and Yemen.Sources told the newspaper that the Ministry of Interior had received a security report from a neighboring country stating that the group consisted of four people, one of whom is a son of a former Member of Parliament, another a brother of a former MP, a third who was already named in previous cases linked to the hijacking of the Jabriya airplane in the 1980s, and a fourth is said to be a senior figure working in charitable works within Kuwait.Kuwait last month ordered Lebanon’s charge d’affaires to leave the country and recalled its ambassador from Beirut in protest over comments made by a Lebanese cabinet minister criticizing the Arab intervention in Yemen.Read more:Kuwait gives Lebanese charge d’affaires 48 hours to leave countryKuwait MP submits bill to impose tax on expat remittances: ReportKuwait calls on all citizens to leave Lebanon after deadly clashes
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Kuwait investigating four suspects over ties with Lebanon’s Hezbollah

The Ministerial Committee approved a bill by Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Sunday to give greater enforcement powers to the government regarding privacy rights.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Greater cyber protection needed in Israel - Sa'ar

Tunisia has restarted talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over a rescue package, the central bank said on Saturday, after President Kais Saied’s political measures, including the freezing of parliament, in July put negotiations on hold..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Tunisia resumes technical talks with IMF on rescue package

Nir Hefetz is a former top aide to Benjamin Netanyahu turned state's witness.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Bibi trial: Prosecution sets stage for Nir Hefetz

A study conducted by a British research team has concluded that a regular bedtime between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. is linked to better heart health and lower risks of heart disease.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.A total of 88,000 volunteers were studied during the research where each person wore a tracking bracelet that monitored sleep and wake times over a seven-day period.The researchers then tracked what happened to the heart and circulatory health of the volunteers over an average of six years, according to the study published in the European Heart Journal.Over 3,000 of the adults reportedly developed cardiovascular disease with many having been people whose bedtime was later or earlier than the “ideal” 10 to 11 p.m. timing.In a report by the BBC, study author Dr. David Plans, from the University of Exeter, was quoted as saying: “While we cannot conclude causation from our study, the results suggest that early or late bedtimes may be more likely to disrupt the body clock, with adverse consequences for cardiovascular health.”According to the author, “the riskiest time” was sleeping after midnight as it reportedly “may reduce the likelihood of seeing morning light, which resets the body clock.”A senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, told the BBC that “This large study suggests that going to sleep between 10 and 11 p.m. could be the sweet spot for most people to keep their heart healthy long-term.”Regina Giblin continued, “However, it's important to remember that this study can only show an association and can’t prove cause and effect. More research is needed into sleep timing and duration as a risk factor for heart and circulatory diseases.”According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it is recommended for adults to get between 7-9 hours of sleep per night.“Although the amount of sleep you get each day is important, other aspects of your sleep also contribute to your health and well-being. Good sleep quality is also essential,” the CDC said on its website.Signs of poor sleep quality include not feeling rested even after getting enough sleep, repeatedly waking up during the night, and experiencing symptoms of sleep disorders (such as snoring or gasping for air).Read more:‘Mommy is sleeping:’ Two girls spend days with deceased mother in FranceExpert says cats should not be left alone for more than 24 hours, here’s whyReported missing, drunk Turkish man joins search party looking for him
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Regular sleep between 10-11 p.m. linked to better heart health, lower risks: Study

The United Arab Emirates will be the first country in the Middle East and the second globally to test self-driving cars on its streets, the Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said on Tuesday.“Our goal is for this type of vehicle to be safer and more reliable,” he said.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“I chaired a Cabinet meeting at Expo 2020 Dubai, during which we approved the request submitted by the Ministry of Interior to start testing self-driving cars on UAE roads, and submitted a report to the Council for permanent approval in the future if the Ministry adopts this technology in coordination with the competent authorities,” Sheikh Mohammed said in a tweet.Sheikh Mohammed also approved the conditions for granting residency to retired foreigners in the UAE, where retirees can continue to stay in the country after their retirement.“We welcome everyone to our country,” the Ruler of Dubai said.The Sheikh said the Cabinet also approved the policy of special funds in the federal government, whereby government institutions can, according to regulations and standards, establish financing funds that serve their development programs.“The goal is to raise the productivity and flexibility of government work to achieve better results for the public,” Sheikh Mohammed said.Read more:Expo 2020 Dubai: Visitor numbers approach three million‎Dubai to merge tourism and economy departmentsDubai eyes attracting 25 million tourists in 2025
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: UAE will be first MidEast country to test self-driving cars: Dubai ruler

Businesses in the United Arab Emirates are expected to raise employees’ wages by an average of four percent in 2022, higher than this year’s 3.6 percent increase, according to a new salary survey.Firms across the emirates are also expected to hire more people within their companies next year, the Total Remuneration Survey (TRS) by human resources consulting firm Mercer showed, due to the promising economic recovery experienced in the UAE.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The survey covered 599 companies in the UAE. Respondents indicated that salaries in the country went up by 3.6 percent this year, which is still slightly below 2019 and 2020 figures of 4.5 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively.About 14 percent of employers froze salary increments last year, but the number went down to 10 percent this year.In 2022, only five percent are expected to freeze salary adjustments.Employers are also looking at developing attractive long-term incentive (LTI) plans to attract and retain “world-class” professionals, which are required by many startups in the Middle East region.Those polled for the survey indicated that they are prioritizing hires for in demand skillsets that will help their business grow. Companies in high-tech, life science and consumers goods are likely to increase salaries by 4 percent, while employers in the energy sector are planning for slightly lower increases of 3.8 percent.Overall hiring and remuneration plans, however, are still below the levels seen prior to the pandemic. There is also a need for companies to continue offering flexible working arrangements, a key benefit that has been in demand globally.“This year’s [survey] shows positive sentiment toward hiring trends and salary increases although not quite at pre-pandemic levels. Companies must focus on continuing to provide flexible working models to employees to maintain a strong proposition as an employer,” said Ted Raffoul, career products leader for the MENA region at Mercer.“When looking to 2022, there are clear signs of economic optimism with respondents suggesting that we see an annual increase aligned to pre-pandemic levels with all industries expected to average a four per cent increase. For 2022, industries that will be aligned to the four percent increase include high-tech, life science, and consumer goods. Conversely, energy salary increases are expected to be slightly lower at 3.8 per cent,” it said.Read more:Majority of UAE expats failing to save for retirement, financial experts warnMore than half of Saudi professionals to receive a pay rise in 2021: ReportMajority of UAE employers will recruit new employees within a year: Survey
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: UAE firms prove COVID-19 resilience with 4 percent pay hike in 2022