Middle East Experience

The students say the surprise from the Roads and Transport Authority couldn’t have come at a better time..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Dubai: These students won laptops for using Dubai Metro to go to schools, colleges

CDC shows unvaccinated individuals are 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: 90% of COVID ECMO patients are unvaccinated - Health Ministry

Lebanon registers 801 coronavirus cases, 12 deaths in last 24 hours..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Lebanon registers 801 coronavirus cases, 12 deaths in last 24 hours

Palestinian factions have vowed to end all talks of a ceasefire with Israel following the re-capture of the Gilboa Prison fugitives.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Hamas threatens to escalate West Bank clashes after capture of fugitives

Four of the six fugitives who escaped Gilboa Prison last week were found following a massive manhunt led by Israel Police’s Counterterrorism Unit.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Search continues for two remaining Gilboa Prison fugitives

Arabian horse owners in the Gaza Strip are struggling to keep their horses healthy amid crippling food and medicine shortages.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Gaza blockade leaves horses hungry

Anti-Taliban resistance leader Ahmad Massoud is still in Afghanistan, Iranian FARS news agency reported on Saturday, citing a source. The source reportedly said that rumors about Massoud leaving Afghanistan for Turkey or any other place were false and that 70 percent of Panjshir’s main streets had fallen to the control of the Taliban.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“In recent days, the Taliban entered Panjshir and now 70 percent of the main streets and passages are under their control, but the valleys of Panjshir are still under the complete control of the popular forces [National Resistance Front (NRF)],” Qassem Mohammadi, a source close to Massoud, told FNA.“He is in a safe place and the rumors that he has left Afghanistan and went to Turkey or another country are not true and he is in contact with Panjshir Valley,” the source added.Ahmed Massoud, son of late anti-Taliban commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, called for a “national uprising” against the Taliban in an audio message sent to the media on Monday. “Wherever you are, inside or outside, I call on you to begin a national uprising for the dignity, freedom and prosperity of our country,” Massoud said on Monday. Hundreds of Afghans in Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif city took to the streets on Monday night to protest the Taliban rule and in support of the resistance movement led by Massoud. Videos surfaced on social media, showing crowds chanting “death to Taliban, long lie Afghanistan” as they marked in dark streets.Early Monday, the Taliban announced that it had captured the Panjshir province, the last stronghold of the anti-Taliban movement. After the province was captured, Massoud tweeted that he was safe but did not reveal his location.Read more:Afghans take to the streets protesting against Taliban in support of Ahmad MassoudLeader of Afghanistan’s Panjshir resistance movement calls for ‘national uprising’Taliban: ‘Positive signs’ international community will recognize our government soon
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Anti-Taliban resistance leader Ahmad Massoud still in Afghanistan: Report

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Sunday said the Kingdom has advocated for the release of all documents related to the September 11 attacks, adding that they show there was involvement of Saudi Arabia in any way.“We have, for over a decade, advocated the release of any documents related to that tragic day, in the full confidence that the reveal of any data in those documents would completely show that there was no involvement of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in any way,” Prince Faisal said in a press conference with his Austrian counterpart.Prince Faisal said the Kingdom supports the release of any additional documents.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“We have been, for decades, a key partner in the global fight against terrorism and we will continue to do so. The release of these documents affects that in no way,” he added.The Saudi FM said that extremism and terrorism are still a threat to global security.“We, as the global community, must continue to work together to confront that menace and that threat because it is an evolving threat and without global cooperation, without working together, we will not be able to ensure that that threat remains contained and counted,” he said.For his part, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said Saudi Arabia has an important role in the security and stability of the region in a joint press conference with the Kingdom’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.Attacks by the Houthi militia“On Yemen, we have called for a proposal for a comprehensive ceasefire in Yemen and as part of that also a path towards political dialogue and a political process that will end that conflict,” Prince Faisal said.“Unfortunately, so far the [Iran-backed] Houthi militia has not agreed to that proposal,” he added.The Iran-backed Houthi militia have continued to mount attacks on Yemeni cities including Marib, a city with over a million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in addition to the million civilians that already live there, putting civilian life at constant risk, the Saudi FM said.The Houthis continue to “appear to want a military solution, they also continue of course to attack targets within the Kingdom,” Prince Faisal said, referring to their recent attacks on Saudi Arabia, including the civilian airport in Abha, injuring several employees, and the attempt to attack the city of Dammam.“All this indicates that the Houthis have not yet decided to put the interest of Yemen and the people of Yemen over their own narrow interest and the interests of their main sponsor Iran,” he said.Prince Faisal said: “We will continue to push towards an acceptance of this comprehensive ceasefire and the initiation of the comprehensive political process within Yemen.”IranWhen it comes to Iran and the JCPOA, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said: “We have made quite clear that we are skeptical of the agreement as it exists,” adding that the concern is now that the agreement as it exists is not being implemented by Iran.“Long term, our interest is in seeing a longer and stronger agreement,” Prince Faisal said.“The agreement as it exists has significant deficiencies both from its timespan and its coverage, so we hope that the international community will come together and that Iran will respond positively to the efforts to find a path towards a truly sustainable agreement that ensures that Iran’s nuclear program remains peaceful and that it gives the countries of the region and the wider global community the comfort that they need to be able to engage positively on this front,” he added.For his part, Schallenberg said the signs we are seeing from the new Iranian administration are not encouraging.We have not seen positive signs from Iran regarding the nuclear file, he added.Read more:FBI releases newly declassified record on September 11 attacksArab Coalition thwarts latest Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia’s Khamis MushaitIran to allow new memory cards in UN’s nuclear site surveillance cameras
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Declassified Sept. 11 documents show Saudi Arabia was not involved in attacks: FM

The United Arab Emirates’ Air Arabia has announced the resumption of direct flights between Sharjah and Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam starting September 14, 2021. Customers of the low-cost carrier can now book direct flights between Sharjah and three destinations in the Kingdom.All passengers traveling to the Saudi Arabia are required to download the “Tawakkalna” mobile application before departure and upload their vaccination status. Passengers are also be urged to check the travel updates on Air Arabia’s website before departure.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Air Arabia has introduced free COVID-19 insurance coverage for passengers to ensure standards of safety, in addition to enforcing health and safety protocols. The insurance is automatically included as part of the booking and no additional documents are required from passengers, the airline said in a press statement.Saudi Arabia lifts UAE travel banSaudi Arabia announced lifting the COVID-19 travel ban placed on the UAE, Argentina, and South Africa on September 8, allowing the resumption of movement between the Kingdom and the three countries from September 11.The Saudi Ministry of Interior stated that based on continuous monitoring of the epidemiological situation locally and globally it decided to allow entry to the Kingdom through land and sea borders, and airports.However, the Kingdom’s ministry stressed the importance of adhering to all the precautionary and preventive measures adopted.“The Ministry of Interior calls upon citizens wishing to travel to the countries to which travel is permitted to be careful, stay away from areas where the virus is spreading, and follow all precautionary measures, regardless of their destination,” the Saudi Press Agency reported citing the Kingdom’s interior ministry.In May, Saudi Arabia allowed its citizens vaccinated against the coronavirus to travel after a year-long ban. It later decided to allow only fully vaccinated citizens to travel from August 9.Saudi Arabia suspended travel to and from the UAE along with Vietnam and Ethiopia on July 3, after the neighboring due to record cases of the highly transmissible delta variant being reported.Read more:Saudi Arabia plays important role in security, stability of region: Austrian FMBy managing conflicts Gulf nationals can build the civil societies they yearn for
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: UAE’s Air Arabia to resume direct Saudi Arabia flights from Sept. 14

With negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam stalled, the Egyptian government is building a massive water treatment plant in Giza governorate in a bid to address water scarcity.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Egypt builds new water station outside Cairo as fears over Ethiopia dam persist