Middle East Experience

Iraq is experiencing a resurgence in Covid-19 cases attributed to new strains spreading in the country..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Iraq to receive first delivery of Covid-19 vaccines on Monday

Emirati hasn’t let his ostomy bag come in the way of his passion for athletics..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: UAE surfer chases Olympic dream after colon surgery

Lebanon registers 40 coronavirus deaths, 2,258 cases in 24 hours..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Lebanon registers 40 coronavirus deaths, 2,258 cases in 24 hours

Hundreds of people have begun walking with their families to Jerusalem on foot along the edges of the highway, after being turned away at checkpoints.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Shushan Purim marked by traffic jams, illegal gatherings, maskless meals

Sultan Saleh Aida Aida Zabin, who heads criminal investigations in Houthi rebel territory, has allegedly played a role in arbitrary detentions, torture and sexual crimes against women involved in politics.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Houthi security official in Yemen sanctioned by UN for crimes against women

A global logistics center in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently was put into use to accommodate mass storage and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.The logistics center has a temperature-controlled warehouse with an area of 19,000 square meters and currently it is the largest vaccine distribution center in the Middle East.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.Led by the local Department of Health, the newly-launched Hope Consortium, which is a UAE-based public-private partnership, appointed these global transport companies based on their expert abilities and reach to safely and effectively deliver vaccine doses under different temperature of cold and ultra-cold conditions between transportation hubs, warehouses, medical facilities and other final destinations in over 170 countries.“So the facility you’re in is a dedicated health care hub. It functions as the hub for vaccines, and other medical products. The capacity of this is over 120 million vaccines, with a temperature of 2 to 8 and between 15 and 20 million vaccine doses of minus 80 or ultra-cold,” said Robert Sutton, the head of Logistics Cluster, Abu Dhabi Ports.“So this is a purpose-built facility and it acts as the hub for the MENA (Middle Eastern and Northern Africa), Africa, South Asia, and it allows us to bring vaccines from all over the world into a single location and then move those vaccines through the supply chain on the strict controls to make sure that we can support the need and the destination country,” he added.UAE is the first country to apply for the official registration of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm.Read more:Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi Ports to store and distribute 70 mln COVID-19 vaccinesAbu Dhabi Culture Summit to focus on creative solutions for post-COVID-19 environmentAbu Dhabi pair arrested over video showing man with positive COVID-19 test in public
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Abu Dhabi Ports becomes logistics hub for distribution, storage of COVID-19 vaccines

A Myanmar court filed another charge against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday, a lawyer acting for her said, as protesters marched in defiance of a crackdown by security forces that killed at least 18 people the previous day.Suu Kyi looked healthy as she took part in a court hearing via video conferencing in the capital, Naypyitaw, though had perhaps lost some weight, and she asked to see her legal team, lawyer Min Min Soe told Reuters.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) has not been seen in public since her government was ousted in a February 1 military coup and she was detained along with other party leaders.She was initially charged with illegally importing six walkie-talkie radios. Later, a charge of violating a natural disaster law by breaching coronavirus protocols was added.On Monday, a charge was added under a section of the colonial-era penal code prohibiting the publication of information that may “cause fear or alarm” or disrupt “public tranquility”, Min Min Soe said.The next hearing will be on March 15.Myanmar has been in chaos since the military seized power after alleging fraud in a November election won by Suu Kyi’s NLD in a landslide.As Suu Kyi appeared in the video conference court hearing, police in the main city of Yangon used stun grenades and tear gas to disperse protesters, witnesses said, a day after the worst violence since the coup.There were no immediate reports of any casualties on Monday but the previous day, police opened fire on crowds in various parts of the country killing 18 people.“It has been one month since the coup. They cracked down on us with shootings yesterday. We will come out today again,” prominent protest leader Ei Thinzar Maung said on Facebook earlier.The military has not commented on Sunday’s violence and police and military spokesmen did not answer calls.Earlier, police with water cannon and military vehicles were mobilized at protest hotspots in Yangon as crowds gathered to chant slogans.‘Abhorrent’Demonstrators marched in the northwestern town of Kale holding up pictures of Suu Kyi and chanting “democracy, our cause, our cause”.Live video on Facebook showed a small crowd in hard hats gathered across a street in the northeastern town of Lashio, chanting slogans as police marched towards them. Protesters also marched in the central town of Bagan.The coup, which brought a halt to tentative steps towards democracy after nearly 50 years of military rule, has drawn hundreds of thousands of demonstrators onto the streets and the condemnation of Western countries.US Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced what he called “abhorrent violence” by security forces, while Canada’s foreign minister, Marc Garneau, called the military’s use of lethal force “appalling”. Both urged a united response.Tom Andrews, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, said it was clear the junta’s assault would continue so the international community should ratchet up its response.He proposed a global arms embargo, more sanctions from more countries on those behind the coup, sanctions on the military’s businesses and a UN Security Council referral to the International Criminal Court.“Words of condemnation are welcome but insufficient. We must act,” Andrews said in a statement.“The nightmare in Myanmar that is unfolding before our eyes will get worse. The world must act.”While some Western countries have imposed limited sanctions, the generals have traditionally shrugged off diplomatic pressure with support from China and Russia.The junta has promised to hold a new election but not set a date.Read more:Fatalities reported as Myanmar police intensify use of forceCrackdown on Myanmar protests sees at least 18 killed: UN Human Rights officeMyanmar military-linked accounts and ads banned by Facebook
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Myanmar’s Suu Kyi faces another charge; protesters take to the streets again

Emirates airlines will allow economy class passengers to purchase up to three adjoining seats for extra comfort and privacy, the airline announced in a statement Monday.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“Empty seats will only be offered for purchase at the airport check-in counter prior to flight departure, and costs range from AED 200 to AED 600 (US$ 55 to US$ 165) per empty seat, plus applicable taxes depending on flight sector,” according to the statement.Passengers who want entire rows to themselves will be allowed to purchase up to three seats in the same row. The airline said this new option was introduced to address “the needs of a range of customers seeking extra privacy and space while flying in economy class.”Amid the drop in air travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Emirates has introduced several new options to boost demand. In November last year, the airline announced a free multi-risk travel insurance would be available to all passengers who purchase flights from December 1. This insurance is still available as of March 1, 2021.In July of last year, the airline offered free coronavirus medical and quarantine coverage for its travelers in the United Arab Emirates and around the world.Read more:Coronavirus: Emirates airlines offers free COVID-19 medical, quarantine coverageUAE’s Emirates airlines launches free multi-risk travel insuranceEmirates airline asks some pilots to take 12 months unpaid leave
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Emirates to allow economy class passengers to buy unoccupied seats for more space

In the midst of an almost year-long global pandemic, Lebanon has been forced to endure ongoing civil unrest, political deadlock, a catastrophic financial crisis and the horrifying events of the August 4 Beirut port blast, compounding an already extreme situation.As the country continues to ease restrictions following almost a month of strict lockdown, the embattled Ministry of Public Health is taking the first tentative steps towards delivering much needed COVID-19 vaccines, as well as hope, to the stricken nation.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.“We have reserved over six million doses, so we can vaccinate around three million people, about 50 percent of the population,” Dr Mohamad Haidar, Director of Nuclear Medicine at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, and consultant to the Ministry of Public Health, told Al Arabiya English. “The private market now also has the authorization from the Ministry to bring in other kinds of vaccines, such as the Russian [Sputnik V] vaccine.”Skyrocketing numbers of COVID-19 cases in January led the government to implement the harshest restrictions yet seen in the country, with most citizens subject to a 24-hour curfew.“We had around 90 deaths per day,” explained Haidar. “Now, we are down to around 50 per day. With the number of new cases, we are around 2500 per day, which is still very high right now because the percentage of positive PCR tests is almost 20 percent."“If we can vaccinate our population fast, we think we could be back to normal by the end of summer,” he continued. “But, in order to do that, we need to vaccinate over 70 to 80 percent of our population first.”The fight to halt the spread of COVID-19 in Lebanon has not been easy. With the Lebanese pound severely depreciated and reserves of fresh US dollars in short supply, the relief effort is largely dependent on foreign aid. The World Bank has dedicated $34 million to Lebanon’s vaccination program.Many Lebanese citizens have been left unable to access their bank accounts, due to freezes implemented by the financial sector to prevent the banks from collapsing. According to estimates by the UN, over 55 percent of the country’s population is now below the poverty line, almost double from the previous year, driving some to flout public health recommendations simply in order to provide for their families.“In the early weeks of lockdown, almost 90 percent of Lebanese people respected the recommendations,” said Haidar. “After that, the recommendations were respected between 70 and 80 percent, depending on the area of the country, but our police, and the Lebanese Internal Security Forces try to follow up and makes sure that [these measures] are respected.”The lack of fresh dollars also affects Lebanon’s ability to bring in materials, particularly drugs and medical equipment from abroad, as the companies selling these goods will only deal in US dollars, driving up the cost significantly against the weakened Lebanese pound. Shortages of vital medicines for chronic conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol have also led to panic buying.“It has been a very difficult situation in Lebanon, especially in November and December last year, because the prices were increased, multiplied by as much as three times the actual value,” explained Haidar.Hospital spaces have also been at a premium due to the high volume of cases. Many hospitals in Beirut were also severely damaged by the August 4 blast, further reducing the number of available spaces. Despite these setbacks, things are beginning to improve.“The total number of COVID-19 patients is down,” said Haidar. “This is the first time since January 1 that we have ICU beds free.Some hospitals in the country have occupancy rates of less than 90 percent. Competition for the emergency rooms is lessened and we no longer have a lot of people on emergency wards for COVID-19 symptoms.”Many have already signed up to receive their vaccinations through the government’s online Impact registry system. However, concerns remain about the possibility of another wave of new infections as restrictions continue to ease.“We will have Easter in two months, and then we will have Ramadan and after that we will have Eid al-Fitr, so we will have a very big wave of COVID-19 related to the social conduct,” explained Haidar. “We’re starting to decrease the number of new cases and deaths, but we encourage people to respect the recommendations and avoid any social gatherings.”Read more:Lebanon COVID-19 vaccine scandal exposes risk of working with a corrupt governmentLebanon’s average salary plummets 84 percent over 12 monthsLebanon’s health ministry deems anger over vaccine line-jumping an overreaction
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Vaccine rollout brings hope to Lebanon as lockdown eases

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham presses on with its campaign to weaken Hurras al-Din.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Hayat Tahrir al-Sham intensifies campaign against al-Qaeda affiliate in Idlib