Middle East Experience

New Hadassah CEO Naomi Adler is passionate about women, Israel and health – three pillars of the organization.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: New Hadassah CEO: 'Healthcare is foundation of healthy nation'

Bennett's was the first Israeli prime ministerial visit to Egypt in a decade.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Bennett and Sisi discuss Hamas and Iranian threats

The inaugural Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit 2021 (RGMBS) is set take place in Saudi Arabia’s capital Tuesday and will see an international participation to review and discuss the role of biotechnology in developing medical solutions.The summit targets biomedical and health research experts, clinicians, faculty, students, as well as pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry experts.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit also targets health research funders, health government representatives, and research and development (R&D) experts and administrators.According to its website, the summit aims to “push the boundaries of our existing thinking and practices towards a targeted and sustainable medical biotechnology enterprise in Saudi Arabia.”The summit, which will be inaugurated by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of National Guard Prince Abdullah bin Bandar, will propose models and opportunities for biotechnology development and academic-industrial partnerships.It will also address challenges and opportunities that will impact the country, the region and the rest of the world.“Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit will bring together thought leaders in the field to push the boundaries of our existing thinking and practice and propose innovative models that will impact the country, the region and the rest of the world with direct impact on health and economy,” Bandar al-Knawy, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs and the President, said.Al-Knawy is also the president of King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences.“We aim at bringing together in a unique interactive and dynamic global summit key local and international players in biotech R&D and industry and to formulate what will be the Riyadh Declaration for Biotechnology in order to make Saudi Arabia a gateway to thriving biotechnology,” he added.Read more:Saudi Arabia updates travel entry rules: All you need to knowSaudi Arabia to donate $5.3 mln to supply COVID-19 vaccines to poor countriesSaudi Arabia extends visas for expats, residents stuck abroad until Nov 30
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Riyadh’s inaugural Global Medical Biotechnology Summit: What to expect

Fishermen in Gaza are not celebrating Israel's expansion of their fishing zones, saying the measures are largely empty and there are no guarantees they will last.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Israeli goodwill gestures fail to hook Palestinian fishermen

The Al Ain Criminal Court in Abu Dhabi has sentenced a young Emirati man to death for killing his father, the emirate’s Judicial Department reported on Monday.The man, whose age was not revealed by the court, stabbed his father 36 times, and damaged his brother’s car as he tried to rush his father to hospital due to the wounds. The accused repeatedly crashed into his brother’s car to stop him from getting his father to the hospital.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The perpetrator constantly asked his father for money to buy drugs and used to physically abuse his father if he was refused money, the court revealed in a statement.The man was sentenced to death by retribution after the authorities decided not to grant him a pardon for what he had done.Court records revealed that the perpetrator was previously convicted for drug abuse and had been placed in a rehabilitation clinic.The murder took place in Ramadan this year, but the exact date of the incident was not disclosed.The man is said to have lured his father into the courtyard of their home to discuss a matter, which has so far been undisclosed, before the stabbing took place.“As soon as the victim came within an appropriate distance, the accused stabbed him 36 times with a blunt object in different parts of his body. The accused’s brother, seeing the incident from the balcony of his room, rushed down to the hall of the house, placed his father in his car and tried to take him to the hospital. However, the accused, in his own vehicle, hurriedly blocked his brother’s way and crashed his car against his brother’s vehicle several times to the point of making it inoperable,” the statement read.The second brother, who was outside the house at the time, contacted the police to alert them of the situation after hearing his father shouting.Premeditated murder Al Ain’s Family Prosecution referred the accused to the criminal court for premeditated murder. The man was then also accused for purposely damaging his brother’s car by crashing into it with his own vehicle “while he was aware of the presence of his father, the victim, inside the vehicle” with the intention of preventing him from being rescued and to “accomplish his crime,” the court said.“The defense argued that the accused committed the crime under the influence of a temporary state of insanity resulting from drug abuse, relying on the accused’s statements that he could not remember any of the facts of the crime, which was denied by the medical committee which stressed that the accused was responsible for his actions and statements at the time of the incident.”Read more:New COVID-19 cases fall to just 0.2 pct in UAE capitalUAE central bank issues new guidelines on anti-money launderingUAE to restart Dubai-Abu Dhabi bus route following COVID rules, tests
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Abu Dhabi court sentences Emirati man to death for killing his father

From mega-mansions to plush penthouses, Dubai luxury realtors have reported a 48 percent surge in sales of ultra-high-end properties in 2021.Dubai’s prime residential market received the surge in sales volume in Q2 2021, with 4,681 apartments and 818 villas sold worth a collective $4.5 billion, according to analysis by Luxhabitat Sotheby’s International Realty, which shows foreign buyers flush with cash have flooded Dubai’s high-end property market.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Palm Jumeirah, MBR City, Downtown DubaiThe most popular areas have been Palm Jumeirah, MBR City and Downtown Dubai, with Chris Whitehead, managing partner at the realtors, saying: “The post-COVID resilience of UAE’s economy is attracting immense wealth from across the world and specially from Europe, England and Americas.”“This exponential growth in high-net-worth end user buyers is here to stay and it will increase the demand for luxury sector properties through 2021 to next year.”George Azar, chairman of Luxhabitat Sotheby’s, points out that Dubai is particularly good at offering two key features of luxury living that are especially sought after - customization and service.“Given the high price tags of the higher end luxury properties, investors and buyers want to get the most value for their money,” he said. “What makes a luxury property even more impressive? When it is like nobody else’s. Here in Dubai, there are far more opportunities for buyers to customize their homes to their personal preferences, adding in unique touches and exciting amenities.”Currently responsible for over 70 percent of the luxury property sales in Dubai: “Ultra-high net worth individuals from all over the world are looking for the perfect place to build their dream home,” Azar said. “With its unique range of extraordinary properties and zero tax economic benefits, Dubai is the obvious choice. We are seeing more and more enquiries from buyers in the US, Europe and Asia who recognize the stability, innovation and prosperity of the UAE.”Here are some of the most expensive properties sold in Dubai in 2021.Mansion, Jumeirah Bay Island. Price tag: $33 millionThe largest property deal of 2021 was this vast Jumeirah Bay Island mansion which was sold to an unnamed European buyer revealed as a member of the Forbes Top 500 richest people in the world list.The custom-built villa’s unique features are being kept under wraps for now, but its obvious appeal is certainly enhanced by its enviable positioning. Jumeirah Bay is a prestigious new island neighborhood situated just off the coast of Dubai. This elite location is fast becoming one of the city’s most exclusive addresses, particular for international investors.As well as commanding sea views and unrivaled amenities, the titanic seahorse shaped community is home to the renowned Bvlgari Resort & Residences, one of only six in the world, and Bvlgari’s first ever marina and Yacht Club. A playground for the rich and famous.Villa, One100Palm, Palm Jumeriah. Price tag: $30 millionThe largest property deal of 2021 was this vast Jumeirah Bay Island mansion which was sold to an unnamed European buyer revealed as a member of the Forbes Top 500 richest people in the world list.The custom-built villa’s unique features are being kept under wraps for now, but its obvious appeal is certainly enhanced by its enviable positioning.Jumeirah Bay is a prestigious new island neighborhood situated just off the coast of Dubai. This elite location is fast becoming one of the city’s most exclusive addresses, particular for international investors.As well as commanding sea views and unrivaled amenities, the titanic seahorse shaped community is home to the renowned Bvlgari Resort & Residences, one of only six in the world, and Bvlgari’s first ever marina and Yacht Club. A playground for the rich and famous.Villa, Dubai Hills. Price tag: $27 millionThis custom-built villa in the Dubai Hills estate was purchased by a discreet, high net-worth buyer. Already a sizeable villa, the owners transformed the design inspired by the woods of Switzerland and the ‘Tree of Life.’Every detail was finished to the highest standards and makes this a truly remarkable home, from the 4-meter high glazed bi-fold doors that integrate the indoor with the outdoor to the 10 meter drop Grand Staircase light installation made of handcrafted Bohemian crystal glass leaves.Penthouse, Downtown Dubai: Price tag: $20 millionLuxhabitat Sotheby’s International Realty also sold the largest super triplex penthouse at the Dorchester Collection by Omniyat for $20 million.This triplex penthouse is built up on an awe-inspiring 17,712 square feet of space and sits atop the unique building with only 39 apartments in an enviable location, five-star service, customizable interiors and exceptional views over Downtown Dubai and Burj Khalifa.As well as being able to enjoy the breath-taking vista from the property’s giant outdoor terrace with the private swimming pool, the owner can now curate the finish of the penthouse to their exact specifications. The large eight-meter ceilings, the biggest private pool in the development as well as a wraparound terrace makes this triplex penthouse a unique offering for its new owner.Villa, Emirates Hills. Price tag: $20 millionStanding out amongst these transactions is a property with the most desirable address, L1 in Emirates Hills. Luxhabitat Sotheby’s International Realty listed the property off-market and closed the transaction within six weeks.The well-known neighborhood continues to see high demand from high-net-worth individuals and international buyers across Germany, Switzerland, France, Russia, Italy, India & GCC.International buyers see Dubai as a safe and stable economy to buy into particularly when it comes to investing in the large value assets available in areas like Emirates Hills, Palm Jumeirah, Al Barari and Jumeirah Bay Island, said Luxhabitat.Plot of land, Jumeirah Bay Island. Price tag: $16 millionThe waterfront plot LV11 is one of only a few left remaining on Jumeirah Bay Island.Originally purchased for just over $9 million, the recent sale completed by Luxhabitat Sotheby’s International Realty saw its value rise to $16 million in under six months, making it the most expensive plot ever sold of its type. Bought by a prestigious Russian buyer, this stunning corner plot not only offers the chance to create your own personalized mansion villa, but it also comes with breath-taking views and its rarity makes it a highly sought-after commodity; only further increasing its value and selling price.The unnamed buyer will now be able to construct a magnificent home to their exact specifications, all on one of the world’s most enviable island locations. Jumeirah Bay Island is an exclusive new community nestled off the coast between the iconic Downtown Dubai and the famous World Islands.Given the limited space available, these rare units are now top of the list for luxury property buyers looking for a bespoke home surrounded by extravagance in a secluded and private environment.Read more:Going, going, gone! Dubai’s most expensive villa sells for $30 millionDubai sees highest sales boom in $10 mln luxury homes since 2015Dubai luxury home market soars as world’s rich flee pandemic
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Mega-mansions, penthouses: Most expensive Dubai homes sold in 2021

Despite his past support for attacking Hamas, the meeting between Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid's plan to rehabilitate Gaza signal a very different policy.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Bennett, Lapid shift stance on Gaza

Cairo is training a number of Sudanese police officers on measures against the Muslim Brotherhood as Sudan accuses Brotherhood members of being behind the demonstrations and riots that have erupted in the country.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Egypt trains Sudanese police to counter Brotherhood plans

Some women have reported changes to their menstrual cycle – including early or late periods – after taking a COVID-19 vaccine, but experts say these are normal reactions and are temporary side effects that do not affect fertility or the reproductive system in the long-term.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.“Data are reassuring that there is no effect on fertility and the effects on menstrual cycle are limited and for a few cycles, with no long-term implication,” Doctor Faysal al-Kak, an obstetrician (ObGyn) at the American University Beirut (AUB) Medical Center, told Al Arabiya English.In addition to delayed or early starts, some women have reported symptoms including spotting, severe cramping, heavier than usual flows and “prolonged menstruation,” the doctor added.“This was common across all vaccines” after the first or second dose, al-Kak said.Why do women experience such symptoms after vaccines?It is common for women to experience such symptoms and changes to their menstrual cycles after getting vaccinated against any virus, not just the coronavirus, according to the doctor. Official research has yet been done on the correlation between COVID vaccines specificially and changes to periods.Al-Kak went on to explain how vaccines building up immunity in the body can affect a woman’s period, just how any other stressors – including travel, diet changes, and stress – affect the master gland in the brain which controls menstruation.“Looking at the mechanism of action of vaccines in general, which is basically to build up an immune reaction and protection against the pathogen or germ – which implies the release of immunogenic defense substances – this process will affect the changes happening across the menstrual cycle and ovulation at the lining of the endometrium [the cavity of uterus],” the AUB doctor said.Read also: Researchers to study whether COVID-19 vaccines affect women’s periodsA woman’s average 28-day menstrual cycle includes hormonal interplay, thickening of internal uterine lining followed by ovulation, and then either menses or fertilization of an egg. Immune cells play a role in in the different stages the uterus goes through to either prepare for pregnancy, or a period if the egg is not fertilized.According to al-Kak, “all these processes require local inflammatory reaction and thus release of inflammatory substances.”Taking a vaccine initiates an immune reaction, according to the doctor. This includes the release of inflammatory substances which will interfere with those associated with the “stability of the endometrial lining and ovulation, leading to weakening support and early shedding of endometrial lining causing premenstrual spotting and earlier menses [period], and midcycle spotting,” al-Kak explained.Research on connection between vaccines, periods underwayAccording to a New York Times report published Tuesday, yearlong studies will be conducted “to examine any possible connections between vaccination and irregular menstruation.” The studies are reportedly backed by funding from the National Institute of Health.Teams from Boston University, Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins University, Michigan State University, and Oregon health will conduct the research on unvaccinated individuals.“The studies will include participants of all ages and backgrounds who have not yet been vaccinated, including those who plan to get the shots and those who do not, in order to study their menstrual cycles before and afterward,” the New York Times reported.Read more:Researchers to study whether COVID-19 vaccines affect women’s periodsHigh stress levels increase heart attack risk, here’s what you can do to prevent itPeriod poverty on the rise as Lebanon’s economic crisis worsens
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: COVID-19 vaccines may cause temporary changes to women’s periods, expert weighs in

High stress levels can increase blood pressure and may put healthy individuals at a higher risk of developing hypertension within the next decade, a new study finds. For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.According to research published in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal, on Monday, adults with regular blood pressure levels and high levels of stress hormones were more susceptible to develop high blood pressure and experience cardiovascular problems compared to those who had lower stress hormone levels. Cumulative exposure to daily stressors or traumatic stress can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. “The stress hormone norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine and cortisol can increase with stress from life events, work, relationships, finances, and more,” study author Kosuke Inoue, MD, PhD, assistant professor of social epidemiology at Japan’s Kyoto University said.“And we confirmed that stress is a key factor contributing to the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular events,” Inoue, who is also affiliated with the department of epidemiology at the Fielding School of Public Health at the University of California Los Angeles, said. A study published earlier this year, titled ‘Psychological Health, Well-Being, and the Mind-Heart-Body Connection,’ a new American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Statement, found that there was a connection between the mind and the body, suggesting that a person’s mind can positively or negatively affect cardiovascular health, risk factors and events as well as cardiovascular prognosis over time. “Previous research focused on the relationship between stress hormone levels and hypertension or cardiovascular events in patients with existing hypertension. However, studies looking at adults without hypertension were lacking,” said Inoue, adding that it was important to “examine the impact of stress on adults in the general population because it provides new information about whether routine measurement of stress hormones needs to be considered to prevent hypertension and CVD events.”Younger people at greater risk The research involved 412 multiracial adults between the ages of 48 and 87 years old, half of whom were female. The study’s participants had normal blood pressure levels. The team measured stress hormone levels in urine at several points between 2005 and 2018. They focused on testing for three hormones: norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine, all of which regulate the automatic nervous system and control heart rate, blood pressure and breathing. The doubling of cortisol levels (but not epinephrine, dopamine or norepinephrine) was found to be associated with a cardiovascular event risk rate of 90 percent, according to the new study. When combined levels of all four stress hormones doubled, the risk of developing high blood pressure levels increased between 21 and 31 percent and this effect was more pronounced in younger people, below the age of 60. “In this context, our findings generate a hypothesis that stress hormones play a critical role in the pathogenesis of hypertension among the younger population,” the researchers wrote. Mind, heart and body are interconnected Cardiologist and professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston Dr. Glen Levine, who was not involved in the study, told CNN that this was yet another study that illustrated the obvious link between the mind a person’s heart health. “Stress, depression, frustration, anger and a negative outlook on life not only make us unhappy people but negatively impact our health and longevity,” said Levine. Levine also chaired the AHA’s scientific statement on the connection between heart disease and mental health. He said that whilst developing the statement, he (along with the team) analyzed available data on the matter and “concluded that negative psychological health factors such as stress were clearly associated with many cardiovascular risk factors.”He added that because the mind, heart and body are interconnected and interdependent, people can change their psychological outlook on life and be more positive to improve heart health.Fixing your mindset “You can decide to change your mindset about that stressful situation or set boundaries – just by being aware you can keep that stress from becoming toxic to you,” stress-management expert Dr. Cynthia Ackrill told CNN. “We shouldn’t discount our ability to have a role in our well-being,” she added. Prevention: What else can you do? Without a urine test, it can be difficult to gauge what our cortisol levels are, said Levine, suggesting that there are “ways we can learn to self-reflect on whether we may have some negative psychological factors, particularly things like stress.”“If we do recognize that we tend to be frequently stressed, frustrated or angered, then it’s helpful to ponder what exactly are the things that lead us to become stressed,” he added. “Once we do that, we can really thoughtfully sit down and decide, is it worthwhile to allow these things to lead me to become stressed or frustrated?”Understanding our triggers can allow you to avoid these adverse automatic immune responses before they affect the circulatory system, Ackrill said. “The mechanism of stress is that we get worked up over something so our sympathetic nervous system revs everything up. We need our heart pumping fast to keep our blood pressure up so that we’ve got good circulation and we can get away from the danger,” Ackrill explained. Intervening earlier, such as when your stress response is about to happen, with deep breathing exercises or other “relaxation response[s]” can help, she said, allowing your executive brain to react and give you options on how to handle a stressful situation. “Often we let our mind quickly react to something before we’ve truly had time to allow our higher levels of cognitive functioning, our prefrontal cortex, to weigh in,” said Levine. “We want to pause, ponder and digest this, and take a couple seconds to decide what is the most skillful way to react.”Read more:Having too much free time is worse for your health than you thought, here’s whyAbu Dhabi court sentences Emirati man to death for killing his fatherUS hospital stops delivering babies after employees resign over vaccine mandate‘You are what you eat’: Your diet may be affecting your mental health, here’s how
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: High stress levels increase heart attack risk, here’s what you can do to prevent it