Middle East Experience

The two rabbis reportedly performed marriages and divorces, wrote Torah scrolls and even officiated Orthodox conversions.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: US Orthodox rabbis accused of secretly being Evangelical Christians - report

Water-scarce Egypt aims to more than quadruple desalination capacity by granting private companies concessions from its sovereign wealth fund to build 17 plants over the next five years with sustainable solar energy..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Egypt seeks to quadruple desalination to ease water shortages

Iraq’s transportation ministry announced the resumption of Iraqi Airways direct flights with Saudi Arabia, state news agency INA reported on Thursday.“Thanks to great efforts, our national carrier resumed its direct flights from Iraq’s airports to Saudi Arabia’s airports, after a suspension of nearly two years due to the coronavirus pandemic,” the ministry said in a statement.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Iraq had suspended all flights to and from its airports in March 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Saudi Arabia had suspended travel to and from Iraq in the same month.The Iraqi transport ministry added: “The resumption follows high level coordination with the Hajj and Umrah Authority and the Saudi side to ease transporting Iraqi Umrah pilgrims according to the instructions set forth in the two countries.”Read more:Saudi Arabia signs maritime transport agreement with IraqSaudi Arabia’s FM Prince Faisal meets Iraqi counterpart in SerbiaIraq PM meets with Saudi interior minister, discusses security cooperation
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Iraq resumes direct flights with Saudi Arabia after nearly two years of suspension

A Lebanese military court will ask Lebanese Forces (LF) party leader Samir Geagea to give a statement about last week's Beirut street violence, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday.Geagea, who was due to appear shortly on a local television show, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.An LF spokesperson said Geagea had so far not been informed of any court request to give a statement.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The bloodshed, in which seven Shias were killed, was the worst Lebanon had seen in over a decade and the Iran-backed Shia Hezbollah group has accused the Christian Lebanese Forces of being responsible for it, a charge denied by Geagea.Th event, which last several hours and stirred memories of the 1975-1990 civil war, added to fears for the stability of a country that is awash with weapons and suffering an economic meltdown.The gunfire started as protesters were on their way to a demonstration called for by Hezbollah and its Shi'ite ally Amal against the lead investigator of the deadly Beirut port blast probe.The LF blamed the violence on Hezbollah “incitement” against the judge and accused the group of sending its supporters into the Christian neighborhood of Ain al-Remmaneh where it says four residents were wounded before a shot was fired.Hezbollah's chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah made a scathing verbal attack on Geagea and his party in a televised speech on Monday and accused the group of trying to drag the country into civil war.Geagea's upcoming comments in Thursday's interview to the local MTV channel show will be the first since Nasrallah's speech.Read more:Nasrallah: Lebanese Forces real agenda is civil war, Hezbollah has 100,000 fightersLebanon tensions test alliance between Shia Hezbollah, Christian AounLebanon’s Amal group says goal of violence aimed to reignite internal strife
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Lebanon military court to ask LF's Geagea for statement on street violence

Ain Dubai (Dubai Eye), the world’s tallest and largest observation wheel, officially opened on Thursday night with a spectacular drones and fireworks show.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The new record-breaking and long-anticipated attraction welcome its first public riders on Thursday.The fireworks and drone shows were a part of the attraction’s two-day opening celebration which began on Thursday at 2pm.Dubai’s Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum shared an Instagram video of himself sitting on top of a pod on the gigantic Ferris wheel as the attraction prepared to open to the public later on in the day.In the Instagram reel, Sheikh Hamdan, also known as “Faz3” or “Fazza,” was seen sitting atop of a pod taking a sip of a drink while safely tied to what seemed to be a harness. The video was shot using a drone, which filmed a full view of Ain Dubai, the sea, Dubai’s JBR skyline, Dubai Palm and Bluewaters Island.The observation 250-meter-high observation wheel is the latest attraction to open in the region's tourism and business hub, after the wax work museum Madame Tussauds opened earlier this week.The monument represents another addition to Dubai Holding’s extensive entertainment portfolio and supports Dubai’s long-term vision, as set by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to strengthen its global position as a key tourism hub, continuing to build on the emirate's reputation as a leader in the global leisure and entertainment landscape.“Ain Dubai offers unique experiences catering to all audiences, including luxurious special event cabins; nightlife and party occasions; unique dining and culinary options; family-friendly cabins and customizable romantic experiences for special moments,” said Ronald Drake, General Manager of Ain Dubai.“We are the ultimate celebration destination, so it was only fitting that we celebrate the opening in style. More exciting details of what to expect from our grand opening will be revealed soon. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to Ain Dubai.”Offering unique views of Dubai's iconic landmarks from indoor, air-conditioned cabins and a huge range of entertainment to keep visitors coming back for more, the experiences are split into three main categories: Observation Cabins, Social Cabins and Private Cabins, with experiences starting with one rotation of approximately 38 minutes, up to two rotations of approximately 76 minutes.Read more: Dubai Crown Prince sips coffee on top of Ain Dubai wheel pod on opening day
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Dubai eye, world’s tallest observation wheel, opens with lavish firework show

His motorbike's tank almost empty, Ahmad had barely enough fuel to make one more delivery and get home for the night.When the 24-year-old Syrian's phone pinged with a food order in a distant suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut, his heart sank.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Ahmad could ill afford to lose the work he picked up through local delivery app Toters - a precarious lifeline as Lebanon's economic meltdown destroys thousands of jobs and plunges three-quarters of the population into poverty."If I don't work, I don't eat," said Ahmad, who like other workers asked to be identified only by his first name.Freelance delivery work from app-based platforms has boomed worldwide as COVID-19 lockdowns kept people at home, prompting demands for better pay and conditions from workers around the world, from New York and Amsterdam to Johannesburg.In Lebanon, eight riders for leading delivery apps Toters and India's Zomato Ltd told the Thomson Reuters Foundation they were struggling to make ends meet with the additional strains of fuel rationing, petrol queues, power cuts, and price hikes.Although gig work is promoted as flexible, the riders said they found their jobs stressful and exploitative as they lack the protections of formal employment.Lebanon's labour minister did not respond to an interview request and Zomato declined to comment.Toters co-founder and chief operating officer Nael Halwani defended the company's model, saying it allowed "shoppers" to decline orders as they wished.But Ahmad said his managers at Toters refused to reassign his late-night order some 10 km (6 miles) outside the capital.After siphoning gasoline from his friend's motorbike to make the delivery, a power cut left Ahmad stuck in the apartment building's lift for 30 minutes before he could finally head home."Remember what it was like in the past when everyone had slaves? That's what this job is like," he said.Two Toters drivers shared a list of working conditions they had received in September that stated: "A driver cannot refuse an order for any reason."The instructions said drivers who declined orders too often or did not wear their uniform would have their accounts temporarily closed.Halwani said drivers had the "freedom" to decline orders and go offline as they wished, but acknowledged that mid-level supervisors may have communicated such instructions to drivers.Halwani added that Toters had raised drivers' rates above those of competitors to account for rising prices, as well as the usual factors of driver availability and order volume.A driver who worked "more than eight hours per day for either five or six days a week" could bring home 4 million Lebanese pounds per month, he said.That would have amounted to a competitive salary of just under $3,000 in mid-2019, but the pound's dramatic devaluation means it is worth $200 at the current market rate.Toters drivers also said they spent too much time at gas stations to accrue enough deliveries - or were forced to stay home because of an empty tank."I'd go down to the station at 6 a.m. and finish at 12.30 p.m.," said Muhannad, a 31-year-old Toters driver. "I'd keep thinking that I could have delivered three orders in that time."As hyperinflation drives up fuel prices and other everyday costs, drivers said compensation rates were falling further and further behind.One driver said he had to move back in with his parents as he could no longer afford rent, while Hammoudi, a 24-year-old Lebanese driver for Zomato, wished he could emigrate."My monthly wage adds up to about 3 million Lebanese pounds, but it depends on whether or not I got good tips," said Hammoudi. "I feel like there's no place for me here anymore."Under Lebanese labour law, app-based delivery drivers are considered "independent contractors", meaning they have no social security or health cover and can be laid off at any time.Lebanon is not a signatory to Convention 87 of the International Labour Organization, which enshrines the right of workers to establish or join labour organizations.It does allow collective bargaining, but Zomato and Toters drivers said that when they asked for better pay and working conditions, their managers told them they could be easily replaced.When some Toters riders formed WhatsApp groups and Instagram pages to share grievances and float the possibility of strike action, company bosses shut their app accounts - barring them from working - until they removed the posts, two drivers said.Economists and labour experts said the tensions were characteristic of gig economy jobs worldwide but had been exacerbated by Lebanon's cocktail of crises."This is the new way of doing business - outsourcing the means of production to the workers," said Rabih Fakhri, a doctoral candidate at Canada's University of Montrealresearching the Middle East's gig economy.""Workers in Lebanon have to cope not only with this, but with social, political and economic stressing factors in a country that is running towards a financial meltdown."Read more:Alvarez and Marsal to resume Lebanon central bank audit, presidency saysIMF begins talks with Lebanon, calls to address financial sector lossesLebanese pound back in freefall after brief recovery
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: ‘Like slaves’: Lebanon's delivery riders struggle as economic crisis bites

A member of the media in the United Arab Emirates has been detained by authorities over charges relating to hate speech and violating public morals while covering a football match between the UAE and Iraq, state news agency WAM reported on Friday.The news agency said the UAE’s Public Federal Prosecution for Cybersecurity Crimes had ordered the detention of member of the media and the release of others on bail after investigations.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.WAMsaid that while covering the match between the UAE and Iraq national teams last week on the Abu Dhabi Sports Channel before the broadcast went live, the accused were charged with committing an act and issuing a statement amounting to disorderly conduct, publishing through the internet.The prosecution said it would violate public morals, harm the public interest, and incite hate speech.Wam said the charges can carry a prison term of up to five years and up to a $136,000 (AED500,000) fine.The Public Prosecution received a complaint from the Abu Dhabi Media against the two mentioned and a third unidentified person.An audio and video clip circulated online showed the accused exchanging conversations while technical devices were being tested before the live broadcast on Abu Dhabi Sports Channel, and in the analytical studio before the match, uttering words and phrases which would "harm the public interest in the country", WAM reported.The broadcast sent from the television production vehicle of the analytical studio to the broadcast reception unit in the TV building was hacked, and the published clips were seized and broadcast on some social media platforms on the internet.After the Public Prosecution began investigating the accused and took the decisions, it summoned those responsible at the Abu Dhabi Sports Channel and programmes to complete the investigations.The Public Prosecution asked the responsible technical authorities to determine how the hacking occurred and who conducted it. They ordered the arrest of the persons and seizure of the tools used and launched investigations into the incident.The Abu Dhabi Media terminated the services of the three media professionals as a disciplinary measure for violating the Media Code of Honour, the ethics of the profession and their jobs.The Public Prosecutor is following up on the investigations.While no further information has yet been released, the statement seemed to refer to a game held between the two Middle East nations earlier this month.The UAE played Iraq at the Zabeel Stadium in Dubai on October 12 in the third round of the 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign.Read more:Dubai sets up money laundering court to ‘strengthen integrity of financial system’Dubai Police handle more than 100 cases of child abuse, negligenceOne of the UK’s most wanted fugitives arrested in Dubai
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Journalist detained over ‘hate speech’ following UAE-Iraq football match: WAM

Mass Friday prayers has resumed in Tehran after a 20-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The prayers at Tehran University, a gathering of religious and political significance, came as authorities warned of a sixth wave of the coronavirus, which has so far claimed 124,928 lives in Iran and afflicted more than 5.8 million.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.On Saturday, schools with less than 300 students are also due to reopen.Also starting on Saturday, government employees, except those in the armed forces, will be barred from work if they are not vaccinated at least with a first dose, according to agovernment circular released earlier this week.The government says more than 28.2 million people have so far received a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.“Today is a very sweet day for us. We thank the the Almighty for giving us back the Friday prayers after a period of restrictions and deprivation,” said Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari, Tehran’s interim Friday prayer imam who led the sermons.Worshippers had to heed social distancing and use face masks during the gathering, a forum where officials present a unified front in the weekly sermon, a duty that rotates around senior members of Iran’s conservative clerical establishment.Most worshippers brought their own prayer rugs and clay tablets used during prostration, according to a local broadcast.It said Friday prayers also were performed in several other Iranian cities.Health Minister Bahram Einollah said earlier this week that it was a "certainty" that Iran would face a sixth wave next week. The warning came even as the country has accelerated its vaccination drive.Einollahi added that his country was well-prepared for the new surge.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Schools with more than 300 students will re-open on Nov. 6, Alireza Kamarei, spokesman for Iran’s Education Ministry, said earlier this week, adding that it was not essential for students and teachers to be vaccinated.He said 85 percent of the country's teachers and 68 percent of students had so far been inoculated and that classrooms were well ventilated.Read more:Iran's first coronavirus hotspot Qom still sees raging virus as outbreak continuesThieves in Iran’s Tehran attack car, steal COVID-19 shotsWhat you need to know about COVID-19 right now
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Friday prayers resume in Tehran after nearly two-year hiatus due to COVID-19

The total doses administered now stand at 20.8 million..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: UAE: 50,484 Covid vaccine doses administered in 24 hours

Over 90 Iran-backed Houthis have been killed in 31 operations carried out near Yemen’s Marib within 24 hours, the Arab Coalition said on Friday.“The targeting operations included the destruction of 16 military vehicles and the killing of more than 92 terrorist elements,” the coalition said, in a statement carried by Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Twitter.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The 31 military operations took place in al-Juba and al-Kasara within a 24-hour time period, areas near Yemen’s Marib.The coalition said on Thursday that it launched a military operation in Yemen’s Sanaa in response to threats by the Houthis, adding that it is deterring the targeting of civilians and civilian objects, according to SPA.“If grave violations continue, we will strike with an iron fist within the framework of international humanitarian law,” a statement by the coalition on Thursday read. “Over the past months, the joint forces of the coalition have exercised the highest degree of restraint in the face of massive humanitarian violations and deliberate and systematic brutal hostilities by the Iranian-backed militia, with the aim of supporting international efforts and initiatives to reach a comprehensive and sustainable political solution in Yemen,” Col. Turki al-Maliki, the spokesman for the Arab Coalition, said on Thursday.Read more:Arab coalition says 48 Yemen Houthis killed near MaribArab Coalition launches military operation in Yemen’s SanaaArab Coalition: At least 165 Houthi militia members killed near Yemen’s Marib
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: More than 90 Houthis killed near Yemen’s Marib: Arab Coalition