Middle East Experience

Palestinian leaders exhibit varying reactions toward the confidence-building measures with Israel.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Confidence-building measures with Israel trigger mixed reactions among PA leaders

The new leader of the historic church must now navigate the unique political and spiritual challenges facing his shrinking community in Iraq and its worldwide diaspora.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: LISTEN: Assyrian Church of the East elects new patriarch

A 76-year-old Palestinian has been resisting Israel’s attempts to confiscate his land in the Jordan Valley for years.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Elderly Palestinian resists Israel’s settlement ambitions

The rate of confirmed infections and of severe cases of COVID-19 was more than 10 times lower among people who received the booster compared to people who did not. 
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Third COVID shot boosts immunity tenfold - Israeli study now peer-reviewed

China has fully vaccinated more than 1 billion people - 71 percent of its population - a health official said Thursday.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.“As of September 15, 2.16 billion vaccine doses have been administered nationwide,” said a National Health Commission spokesman at a press briefing.Read more:Local COVID-19 cases more than double in southeast ChinaChina imposes local lockdowns as COVID-19 cases surge
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: China fully vaccinates more than 1 bln people against COVID-19

German police averted a possible extremist attack on a synagogue on Wednesday and a 16-year-old Syrian youth was among four arrested in connection with the threat, the regional interior minister said on Thursday.“We received a very serious and concrete tip that an attack on the synagogue could take place during Yom Kippur,” Herbert Reul, interior minister for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia told a news conference. German police have arrested “several people” over a threat of an attack on a synagogue on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, a source close to the case told AFP Thursday.The arrests followed a huge police deployment late Wednesday at the synagogue in the western city of Hagen, which was forced to cancel an event over the threat.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Police in Germany said they had received information about a possible threat to a synagogue in the western town of Hagen and had put appropriate measures in place to deal with it.A spokesperson declined to give further details about the operation on Thursday evening, which coincides with the Jewish festival of Yom Kippur, when observant Jews hold overnight vigils in synagogues.Read more:Germany's police say they are responding to possible threat at synagogueGerman prosecutors search ministries over money laundering probe
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Several arrests over German synagogue attack threat on Yom Kippur

The world-famous wax museum Madame Tussauds is gearing up to open its first ever GCC location in Dubai next month.Madame Tussauds has announced it will open to the public on October 14 in Bluewaters Island, next to Ain Dubai.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The attraction - dedicated to giving millions of visitors the opportunity to mingle with the mighty from A-listers to music legends, heroes of sport, to infamous world leaders - is the first of its kind in the GCC, and the 25th such attraction globally, open in many of the most bustling cities worldwide.The GCC’s new attraction in Dubai will feature 60 wax-figures with 16 being notable celebrities from the region.Some of the celebrities who will feature at the museum have already been unveiled with singers Balqees Fathi and Mohammed Assaf taking their place in history at Madame Tussauds Dubai.The museum will feature seven specially designed themed rooms (including a party area complete with an interactive dance floor) and a wax figure library which includes sports heroes such as Connor McGregor, historical figures including the Queen of England, models such as Cara Delevingne, actors like Kareena Kapoor, singers and many moreMadame Tussauds first opened its doors in 1835 in London. Each figure at Madame Tussauds is created using the same techniques as Marie Tussaud herself, creating a single life like figure that takes 20 skilled artists around 12 weeks in total to make. During that time, they document 500 precise body measurements, insert real hair strand by strand, apply countless layers of paints to build up the skin tones, and more.Read more:Palestinian artist Mohammed Assaf’s wax figure unveiled on Dubai EyeLego parent buys Madame Tussauds owner Merlin for £5bnSaudi female artist dreams of becoming the Arab Madame Tussauds
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Madame Tussauds Dubai: Iconic wax museum to open doors Oct. 14

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior on Thursday warned that non-compliance with the country’s COVID-19 precautionary measures could lead to fines worth up to $26,633 (100,00 riyals).For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.Refusing to adhere to coronavirus precautionary measures such as social distancing and temperature checks when entering public and private spaces is in “violation of the Kingdom’s preventive measures against COVID-19,” the interior ministry said in a tweet.Those who don’t follow the country’s COVID-19 rules will be faced with a $266 (1,000 riyals) individual fine for their first offense. The fine will be doubled the next time a person fails to adhere to the rules, and the fine could reach $26,663 (100,00 riyals).Read more:Saudi Arabia signs MoUs with COVID-19 vaccine makers Pfizer, AstraZenecaSaudi Arabia updates travel entry rules: All you need to knowSaudi Arabia administered over 39 mln COVID-19 vaccine doses so far: Health ministry
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Violating COVID-19 rules in Saudi Arabia could result in ,663 fines

The Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is set to hold its 149th session in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh on Thursday, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The session will be headed by the current chairman of the council, Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani, and will witness the participation of GCC Secretary-General, Nayef Falah al-Hajraf.Al-Hajraf said the Ministerial Council will discuss several topics, including a follow-up to the implementation of the decisions of the Supreme Council that were issued in the summit of Sultan Qaboos and Sheikh Sabah in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla earlier this year.The Kingdom’s ancient city of AlUla hosted the 41st GCC Summit of Gulf leaders for the first time in January.According to SPA, al-Hajraf said that two separate meetings will be held. The first meeting will bring together the foreign ministers of GCC countries with Yemen’s foreign minister, while the second meeting will include GCC foreign ministers and Iraq’s foreign minister.Read more:Saudi Arabia’s ancient city of AlUla hosts the 41st GCC SummitFull transcript of AlUla GCC Summit Declaration: Bolstering Gulf unityGCC Summit in Saudi Arabia: Leaders sign final communique, AlUla declaration
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: GCC Ministerial Council to hold 149th session in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh

A group of factions affiliated with the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army have formed a new alliance known as the Syrian Liberation Front intended to end the power struggle between Turkey’s allied factions in northern Syria.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Turkey-backed Syrian opposition groups merge under new banner