Middle East Experience

Oman will end a nightly curfew on Saturday designed to curb the spread of COVID-19, but shops and commercial activities will be banned from 8pm until 4am, the Supreme Committee for Combating Coronavirus said.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.The Gulf state had banned the movement of people and vehicles between 7 p.m. and 4 a.m. on May 8 and also banned commercial activity during the day, which will be permitted.New daily cases of the virus have risen in Oman since the start of the year, but in recent weeks have begun to fall.Oman had detected a total of 202,713 cases and 186,391 recoveries as of May 11, according to the Ministry of Health.Read more:China supports WTO talks on intellectual property waiver for COVID vaccinesSaudi Arabia reports 1,116 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours, 11 deathsUAE, Seychelles announce safe travel corridor for vaccinated travelers
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Oman ends COVID-19 night curfew, sets ban on shops, commercial activities overnight

Turkish stocks slid and the lira hit a six-month low against major currencies Thursday as higher-than-expected US inflation data weighed on emerging markets.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Turkish lira nears record lows as emerging markets struggle

Thousands of people gathered in Chicago to send a message of support for Palestinians, facing Israeli aggression in Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Thousands march in Chicago in show of support for Palestine

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok hopes Sudan can wipe out its staggering $60 billion foreign debt bill this year..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Sudan PM hopes to settle bn foreign debt this year

Rocket barrage comes as IDF prepares for possible ground invasion of the Gaza Strip. Plans are to be presented on Thursday to Netanyahu.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: IDF calls up reservists as rockets continue to pound Israel

The recent roll of events that led to the current eruption is a convergence of this historical conflict with current events
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: The cycle of Israeli-Palestinian violence turns once again - opinion

Over 750 Hamas targets have been hit since the beginning of Operation Guardians of the Walls.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Israel continues massive bombardments against Hamas targets

The United States has blocked a public UN Security Council meeting to discuss and issue a statement regarding the escalating violence between Israel and Palestine, sources familiar with the matter said Thursday.Days after objecting to a statement on behalf of the Security Council, the US has now moved to prevent a meeting from taking place on Friday that Tunisia, Norway and China proposed.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.China, heading the UN Security Council for May, later announced that there would be no meeting on Friday without elaborating.Sources familiar with the US approach said Washington continues to believe that a meeting will not help the ongoing violence. “The US would have to stop the Council from issuing any statement,” as it is widely expected a gathering of the member states would result in a “statement bashing Israel,” one source told Al Arabiya English.US officials have been holding calls with Palestinian and Israeli officials as well as with leaders of regional states that have ties with Palestine and Tel Aviv. Issuing any statement that does not lead to progress in de-escalating violence is considered a waste of time and effort by Washington.Hady Amr, the top US diplomat in charge of Israeli-Palestinian affairs, headed to the region Thursday to meet with Palestinian and Israeli officials.President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan all held separate calls with their Israeli counterparts on Wednesday.Biden also sent a letter to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, while Blinken spoke to Abbas on the phone.The 15-nation Security Council met virtually behind closed doors twice this week as violence spilled over from the Al-Aqsa Mosque with rockets being fired by the Islamist Hamas movement and Israeli forces bombarding Gaza with airstrikes.An initial draft statement by Tunisia and Norway - seen by Al Arabiya English - had language condemning both Palestinian factions and Israel while also condemning Tel Aviv for its excessive force against peaceful protesters.One senior diplomat told Al Arabiya that it was “unacceptable for the Security Council to follow the developments and not to release a statement.”But after one week of fighting, the violence appears to continue escalating and civilian deaths increase by the day.Read more: US steps up diplomacy as rockets, air strikes rain over cities in Palestine, Israel
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: US blocks UN Security Council meeting as Palestine-Israel violence rages on

Netanyahu said during his visit to Lod on Thursday that there is no greater threat than the internal disturbances brewing throughout the country.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Israeli soldier attacked in Jaffa, hospitalized in serious condition

Dh5,000 fine, jail term of up to three months for begging in UAE..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: 24 beggars, street vendors arrested in Dubai