Middle East Experience

Grundberg will replace Martin Griffiths, a veteran British diplomat who served as the UN's Special Envoy for Yemen since 2018.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: UN names Swedish diplomat Hans Grundberg as Yemen envoy

As soon as Saif al-Islam, the son of late Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi, announced his plan to return to political life, media outlets close to the regime in Egypt rushed to announce their support, thus raising many questions about Egypt’s position and whether Cairo would support him if he runs for the upcoming presidential elections in neighboring Libya.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Gadhafi's son announces return to Libyan politics

Following the months-long calm, the Egyptian army said that eight soldiers have been killed and wounded in recent military operations in north Sinai, and 89 militants killed.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Sinai militants launch sporadic attacks against Egyptian army

The country’s only modern art museum, the 60-year-old Sursock boasts a collection of Lebanese art dating back to the late 1800s..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: For Beirut’s Sursock Museum, there is life after the blast

The total doses administered now stand at 17 million..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: UAE: 59,736 Covid vaccine doses administered in 24 hours

Egypt has transported the Pharaoh Khufu’s intact solar boat dating back some 4,600 years to the country’s soon to be unveiled grand museum, the antiquities ministry said on Saturday.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Solar boats were buried in pits next to royal burial chambers in the belief that they would transport the departed into the afterlife.Cairo’s Great Pyramid -- also known as the Pyramid of Cheops -- is the largest of the three Giza pyramids and houses Khufu’s tomb.“After... crossing the streets of Giza on a smart vehicle, the first boat of King Khufu discovered in 1954 at the southern corner of the Great Pyramid has terminated its long journey to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM),” a ministry statement said.The boat was commissioned by Khufu, a Fourth Dynasty monarch who ruled during the Old Kingdom.The ministry boasted that the 42-meter (138-foot) long and 20-ton solar boat is “the biggest and oldest organic artifact made of wood, in the history of humanity”.Its journey on a special remote-controlled vehicle imported from Belgium began late on Friday and took 10 hours, the official MENA news agency reported.Egypt has touted the anticipated opening of the GEM at the Giza plateau, home to the famed pyramids, as an important archaeological landmark housing its most precious antiquities.The vessel was transported intact on its 7.5-kilometer journey, and is set to be one of the star exhibits when the new museum opens.It had been on display near the Great Pyramid.Egypt has pinned its hopes on a series of recent archaeological discoveries to revive its vital but ailing tourism sector which has suffered multiple shocks, from the 2011 uprising to today’s coronavirus pandemic.In April, authorities moved the mummified remains of 22 pharaohs from Cairo’s iconic Egyptian Museum in a grandiose ceremony to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation in the city.In a carefully choreographed televised event, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi greeted the coffins that included the mummies of Ramses II and Queen Hatshepsut.Read more:Egyptian mummies of kings and queens paraded through Cairo on way to new museumMeet Egyptian soprano Laura Mekhail, Bocelli-Jameel scholarship winnerItalian hospital uses CT scan to unveil secrets of Egyptian mummy
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Egypt transports Pharaoh Khufu’s boat to new grand museum

Saudi Arabian karateka Tarek Hamedi will bring home a silver Olympic medal after being disqualified from the men’s over-75kg final when he threw a high kick and knocked out his opponent.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Hamedi was leading on points when he threw the kick that struck Iranian athlete Sajad Ganjzadeh in the neck, leaving him motionless and having to be removed from the arena on a stretcher.Ganjzadeh was awarded gold after officials deliberated and decided that Hamedi’s move constituted a violation of the rules.Sport karate is based on a scoring system where punches and kicks landed on an opponent with proper form earn points.Moves that are deemed to be dangerous can earn a warning or disqualification from officials.It was not immediately clear how exactly Hamedi’s kick constituted a breach of the rules.Hamedi’s efforts garnered Saudi Arabia’s second-ever silver medal in the Olympic games, despite narrowly missing out on winning the Kingdom’s first gold.With agenciesRead more:Yasmeen al-Dabbagh: Saudi Arabia’s fastest woman takes on the Tokyo Olympics‘Our heroes’: Saudi Arabia sends its largest ever delegation to Tokyo OlympicsTahani al-Qahtani gets Saudi online support ahead Tokyo match against Israeli athlete
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi karateka wins Kingdom’s second-ever silver after knocking out opponent

Tunisian commentators have linked the PR contract to the publication of an opinion piece by Rached Ghannouchi in The New York Times..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: US lobbying contract deepens Ennahda’s predicament at home

The United States on Friday urged Lebanon's government to prevent Hezbollah from firing rockets into Israel, as tensions between the long-time foes escalated..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: US urges Lebanon to prevent Hezbollah attacks on Israel

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Sports and President of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki al-Faisal announced that karate player Tarek Hamedi will be honored and gifted 5 million Saudi riyals (US$1.3 million).Hamedi will bring home a silver Olympic medal after being disqualified from the men’s over-75kg final when he threw a high kick and knocked out his opponent. Hamedi was leading on points when he threw the kick that struck Iranian athlete Sajad Ganjzadeh in the neck, leaving him motionless and having to be removed from the arena on a stretcher.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Hamedi’s Iranian opponent Ganjzadeh was awarded gold after officials deliberated and decided that Hamedi’s move constituted a violation of the rules.“Because he is the hero in the eyes of all of us, our Olympic champion Tarek Hamedi will be honored with the gold medal award (5 million riyals) for his excellence, creativity, and honorable representation of the country in front of world stars in Tokyo 2020,” Prince Abdul Aziz added.The Prince added in a tweet: “You deserve it, hero, and the future is for you, God willing.”Read more: Saudi karateka wins Kingdom’s second-ever silver after knocking out opponent
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi Sports Minister says Olympic champion Hamedi will be awarded 5 mln Saudi riyals