Middle East Experience

The leak contains a list of over 50,000 phone numbers that the report estimated were identified as “people of interest” by clients of Israeli spyware company NSO Group since 2016.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Massive data leak uncovers human rights abuses using Israeli tech - report

Temple Mount activists say there were no changes in procedures at the holy site after 1,600 Jewish visitors ascended to mark Tisha Be'av.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Discreet Jewish prayer continues on Temple Mount

The President told the ambassadors, who are visiting Israel, that the country is a proud and vibrant democracy surrounded by enemies, and requested that their countries judge Israel fairly
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Ambassadors to US and UN meet with Herzog

In a tweet, Dubai Ruler greets people of the UAE and all Arab and Islamic countries..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Sheikh Mohammed shares Eid Al Adha greetings

There have been no reported cases of coronavirus among Hajj pilgrims to date, the spokesperson for Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health said on Monday.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.“The health of the pilgrims is reassuring, praise be to God, and no Coronavirus infections or any diseases affecting public health have been recorded among them,” Dr. Mohammed al-Abd al-Ali wrote on Twitter.Saudi Arabia has imposed strict coronavirus measures to ensure that everyone is safe at all times during the Hajj pilgrimage.The Islamic ritual usually brings more than 2.5 million Muslims a year to Mecca. This year, authorities have limited the number of people allowed to take part in Hajj to only 60,000.Only vaccinated Saudi Arabian citizens and residents who are aged between 18 and 65, do not have chronic illnesses, or have not done Hajj before were allowed to take part in this year’s pilgrimage.Last year, only 10,000 people living in the Kingdom were given permits.Social distancing measures have been enforced throughout the ritual, including pilgrims walking around the Kaaba (known as circumambulating), when they walk or run between the Safa and Marwah hills, and when they take part in the stoning of the devil ritual.The pilgrims have been divided into groups of 20, all lead by a guide, to ensure that they abide by the protocols.The courtyards around the Kaaba are also repeatedly sanitized throughout the day and robots have been set up to hand out Zamzam water bottles to prevent crowding at the water wells.Read more:Hajj amid COVID-19: Pilgrims take part in stoning devil ritual on Eid al-AdhaHajj amid COVID-19: Steps and rituals every pilgrim must followHajj begins in Saudi Arabia under strict COVID-19 rules for second consecutive year
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: No COVID-19 cases among Hajj pilgrims: Saudi Arabia’s health ministry 

A well-off minority is the driving force behind vibrant consumption in Turkey, but the party might not last long as inflationist pressures increase and the country’s current account deficit widens.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Wealthy Turks drive consumption despite soaring inflation

As thousands of Muslims partake in the annual Hajj ritual amid strict coronavirus measures, Saudi Arabian authorities shared heartwarming pictures of the pilgrims throughout their journey.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, is rite for every able-bodied Muslim. This year, due to COVID-19, Saudi Arabia limited the ritual to only 60,000 people residing in the Kingdom.Those permitted to partake in Hajj this year must have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, be between the ages of 18 and 65, must not have any chronic diseases, and must not have done Hajj before.Also read: Pictures: Muslims flock to Mecca for annual Hajj pilgrimage amid COVID-19Read more:No COVID-19 cases among Hajj pilgrims: Saudi Arabia’s health ministryHajj amid COVID-19: Pilgrims take part in stoning devil ritual on Eid al-AdhaSaudi Arabia’s King Salman wishes Muslims worldwide a blessed Eid al-Adha
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: In pictures: Heartwarming scenes of pilgrims performing Hajj amid COVID-19

Iran on Tuesday registered a new daily Covid caseload record, the health ministry announced, as strict limitations to curb its spread went into effect in the capital Tehran.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.In the past 24 hours, the country registered a record 27,444 new infections to bring its total number of positive cases to 3,576,148.It also recorded an additional 250 coronavirus-related deaths, taking the total to 87,624, the ministry said.Authorities have previously admitted that the official figures do not account for all cases but those numbers still make Iran the hard-hit country in the Middle East.To contain the new surge in infections, the national virus taskforce ordered government offices and banks in Tehran and Alborz provinces to close for six days from Monday evening, a first since the pandemic began.The country’s previous daily infection record of 25,582 was reached on April 14, as Iran battled to contain a “fourth wave” that started in late March and was blamed on a surge in trips made during the Persian New Year holiday.Earlier this month, President Hassan Rouhani warned of a “fifth wave” of infection fuelled by highly contagious Delta variant of the virus.On Saturday, he blamed the rising numbers on the June presidential election, “unnecessary travel” and the flouting of health protocols.The new restrictions also include a ban on road travel to and from Tehran and Alborz provinces, and a new shutdown of high-risk businesses across Iran’s worst-hit areas.The measures coincide with the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday celebrated in the Islamic republic on Wednesday.On Tuesday, state television showed traffic police blocking roads leading north to popular holiday destinations, but Iranian media reported heavy traffic on Monday night as residents tried to leave the capital.Read more:Iran reimposes COVID-19 restrictions as delta variant spreadsIran shuts Tehran government offices, banks as COVID-19 spreadsIranians flock to Armenia for vaccines amid surge in COVID-19 cases
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Iran detects record number of COVID-19 cases in past 24 hours: Health ministry

Dozens of doctors, nurses and caregivers stranded in India have flown back to the United Arab Emirates with special permission to help the country fight the COVID-19 pandemic.The caregivers, all of the UAE’s NMC Healthcare group, had been stranded in their native country due to travel restrictions to limit the spread of the coronavirus.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.NMC have now flown back dozens of workers in chartered planes to help bring the medical staff back in the UAE’s frontline fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.Through a chartered eight-seater flight from Mumbai earlier in June, it first flew several lifesavers; a cardiologist, intensivist, critical care and pulmonology expert who, upon arrival, underwent their mandatory quarantine and tests as per national COVID guidelines.Dr Sanjay Rajdev, a consultant in interventional cardiology at NMC Speciality Hospital, Abu Dhabi, who was one of the passengers on this special chartered flight said: “I find myself incredibly grateful to have been able to come back and save at least two lives. These were two acute heart-attack patients whom I could operate and save.”In another flight from India, last week, NMC Healthcare got 49 of its staff including 31 medics for its hospitals in Dubai; NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Nahda and NMC Royal Hospital, DIP and NMC Day Surgery center, Deira. All medical professionals are currently under mandatory quarantine and are expected to join soon.On Tuesday, two special Air Arabia flights from Kochi and Trivandrum also landed at Sharjah bringing back 20 critical care team members of NMC Royal Hospital, Sharjah.Michael Brenden Davis, CEO of NMC Healthcare, commended the medics for flying back to the UAE to help the country’s fight against COVID-19 pandemic.“The staff wanted to come back and serve their patients in these trying and testing times. Accomplishing this required an incredible amount of coordination and logistics with multiple regulatory approvals.”“We worked in tandem with the various regulatory and approving bodies and the ease and speed with which the two regulatory bodies of healthcare and the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) processed the approvals, was truly incredible.”After the private sector healthcare groups in the UAE had approached the authorities seeking special permission to fly back their stranded healthcare workers from India, some providers have been given special approvals.Last year in May, the UAE sent an Emirates aid plane containing seven tons of medical supplies to India to 7,000 medical staff there while DP World organized for medical oxygen whilst India was struggling with 600 percent rise in its demand for the same.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Next week, NMC Healthcare is planning to get more than 80 more of its staff members back to its hospitals across the emirates.These doctors, nurses and paramedics will be flying with special regulatory approvals via Cochin, Calicut, Trivandrum, Mumbai, Delhi, Coimbatore, Bengaluru and Chennai, the healthcare provider said.Read more:UAE reports 97 pct recovery in COVID-19 Sotrovimab clinical trialAbu Dhabi introduces new entry requirements to prevent COVID-19 variants spreadUAE health officials announce new rules to limit Eid al-Adha COVID-19 spike
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Doctors, nurses from India fly back to the UAE to fight COVID-19 pandemic

Egypt recently released dozens of activists and journalists who had been in pre-trial detention for months in what some say is an effort to polish the Egyptian state’s image before the United States.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Cairo releases dozens of detainees