Middle East Experience

Protests sparked by a water crisis in Iran spread to the capital Tehran on Monday, videos shared online showed, with demonstrators chanting slogans against the country’s theocratic rulers.“The clerics must get lost,” chanted protesters in one video, referring to Iran’s clerical rulers.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Another video showed protesters chanting “death to the dictator,” a chant used regularly in anti-government demonstrations in Iran against the country’s highest authority, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.The protesters also expressed their disapproval of Iran’s foreign policies, chanting in one video “neither Gaza nor Lebanon, I sacrifice my life for Iran” in reference to Tehran’s support for Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.Protests sparked by a water crisis have been taking place in Iran since July 15.The protests were initially concentrated in Arab majority areas in the oil-rich southwestern Khuzestan province, which is home to ethnic Arabs who have long complained of discrimination in Iran. But the demonstrations have since spread to more cities in Khuzestan, as well as to other parts of the country.On Saturday, protesters took the streets in Tabriz, the provincial capital of the northwestern East Azerbaijan province, to express support for protesters in Khuzestan, according to activists and footage circulating on social media.Protests in solidarity with Khuzestan had also broken out late on Thursday in the neighboring western province of Lorestan. Demonstrators in Lorestan’s city of Aligudarz chanted slogans against Khamenei, a video shared on social media showed.Iran has so far confirmed the death of five people, including a police officer, in violence connected to the protests. Iranian officials have blamed unknown “rioters” for the deaths.Activists reject the official narrative and maintain the deaths were caused by security forces opening fire on protesters. Iranian officials, who typically use the term “rioters” to refer to protesters, have blamed them for the deaths in the past.HRANA said on Saturday that it had been able to identify 10 killed and 102 detained in connection with the protests in Khuzestan.Amnesty International said on Friday security forces had killed at least eight protesters and bystanders in Khuzestan since protests erupted in the province on July 15.In his first comments on the protests, Khamenei said on Friday protesters cannot be blamed and called on officials to deal with the water shortages.The water crisis has devastated agriculture and livestock farming which are the source of livelihood for many in Khuzestan, particularly in its Arab majority regions.Authorities have blamed the water shortages on a severe drought, but protesters in Khuzestan say government corruption and mismanagement, as well as “discriminatory” policies aimed at changing the region’s demography, are to blame.The rallies come as thousands of workers in Iran’s key energy sector have launched strikes for better wages and working conditions.Iran’s economy has been hit hard since 2018 when former US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers and reimposed sweeping sanctions on the country. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the country’s economic problems.Read more:Protests break out in Iran’s Tabriz in support of Khuzestan demonstrationsIran rejects UN rights chief’s ‘false accusations’ over water protestsIran using unlawful force in water protest crackdown: Rights groups
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Iran protests spread to Tehran with chants against supreme leader 

Leading Lebanese businessman Najib Mikati secured enough votes in parliamentary consultations on Monday to be designated the next prime minister, raising hopes for an urgently needed viable government to tackle a crippling financial crisis.Mikati, who has been prime minister twice before and unlike many Lebanese leaders does not hail from a political bloc or dynasty, received 72 votes out of a total of 118 members of parliament.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Like the previous nominee, Saad Hariri, he now faces major challenges in navigating Lebanon’s sectarian, power-sharing structure to secure agreement on a cabinet equipped to address the country’s financial meltdown.While Lebanon has been run by a caretaker administration for nearly a year, since a huge blast devastated large parts of Beirut, its currency has collapsed, jobs have vanished and banks have frozen accounts. The economic freefall is Lebanon’s worst crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.Hezbollah, the heavily armed Shia movement that the United States deems a terrorist group, nominated Mikati in Monday’s consultations and most of the main parliamentary blocs endorsed the choice.“Today, with signs that hint at the possibility of forming a government..., that’s why we named Mikati, to give an extra boost to facilitate forming a government,” Muhammad Raad, the leader of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, told reporters.Among Mikati’s endorsers was Hariri, who abandoned his effort to form a new government last week after nearly 10 months of failing to agree its composition with Aoun.Hariri told reporters after meeting Aoun that he hoped Mikati, a telecoms tycoon, would be chosen and succeed in forming a cabinet. “The country has a chance today,” he said.The news of Mikati’s likely designation boosted the Lebanese pound on the unofficial parallel market earlier on Monday, where dollars changed hands at around 16,500 pounds, compared to over 22,000 at the height of the deadlock over the government.In Lebanon’s political system, the post of prime minister has to be held by a Sunni Muslim, while the presidency is held by a Maronite Christian.Western governments have been piling pressure on Lebanon, one of the most heavily indebted states in the world, to form a government that can set about reforming the corrupt state. They have threatened to impose sanctions and said financial support will not flow before reforms begin.Read more:Crisis-hit Lebanon holds consultations to pick new prime ministerIraqis, Lebanese felt most pain, anger, sadness in 2020: Global negativity pollLebanon, Cyprus discuss bilateral relations, agree to cooperate on oil and gas
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Najib Mikati secures votes to be designated Lebanon PM

Following President Kais Saied's suspension of parliament, Tunisian troops on Monday prevented the parliament speaker from entering the building.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Tunisian police storm Al Jazeera's offices amid political upheaval

Saudi Arabia has suspended the privatization of the Ras Al Khair desalination and power plant, one of a number of state assets that the government aimed to sell to reduce pressure on capital spending and diversify revenues away from oil.“This decision was made in order to capitalize on knowledge and capacity built in the Kingdom as a result of many years of experience in the areas of water desalination, new technologies, R&D (research and development), and supply chains,” said the Privatization Supervisory Committee for the Environment, Water and Agriculture sectors.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“A new engagement strategy and plan for the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) assets such as Ras Al Khair plant will be announced shortly,” it said in a statement on Monday on the website of the Saudi national center for privatizations.SWCC had hired advisers to help it sell the $7.2 billion Ras Al Khair desalination plant, sources told Reuters previously.In January, it said that seven companies and consortia had been invited to submit bids for the plant, with the winner expected to own 60 percent of the project company and handle its management, operations, andmaintenance.Desalination is expensive and energy-intensive but is relied upon in hot, water-scarce climates like Saudi Arabia and neighboring Gulf countries.The privatization committee said that it will continue to engage investors in future public-private partnerships and privatizations in the water sector.Read more:Gulf rebound seen as Saudi Arabia, UAE to top 4pct growth in 2022: Reuters surveySaudi PIF-backed EV company Lucid Motors makes Nasdaq debutAbu Dhabi reduces business setup, license renewal fees by more than 90 pct
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi Arabia suspends privatization of Ras Al Khair desalination, power plant

Lebanon recorded 341 coronavirus cases and two deaths over the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry reported Monday..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Lebanon records 341 coronavirus cases and two deaths in the last 24 hours

Mikati’s conditions for accepting the task were the same as those that Hariri had set for the formation of a new government..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: MPs pick Najib Mikati as new Lebanon prime minister-designate

Ali Adil reached out to President Biden in video from his hot, dusty rooftop. The video brought millions of likes. It also left him afraid to leave his house..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: In Iraq, Going Viral Can Bring Fame, and the Threat of Violence

Rotstein stepped down earlier this month after the Hadassah Board of Directors unanimously decided to summon him for a hearing in order to consider terminating his employment.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Hadassah names new acting director-general: Prof. Yoram Weiss

Sa’ar proudly displayed Netanyahu’s signature on a Likud-sponsored bill during the tenure of then-prime minister Ehud Olmert that was aimed at blocking him from making a comeback.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Gideon Sa'ar: Likud MKs back anti-Netanyahu laws

In contrast, several studies have found a significantly negative impact of the virus on sperm parameters.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Couples desiring to conceive should vaccinate against COVID - here’s why