Middle East Experience

The United Arab Emirates has reunited two Jewish families from Yemen, with the rest of their member family members on UAE soil, the state news agency reported Monday.Scattered between the UAE, Yemen and London several relatives were unable to see each other for over a decade.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.With separations of over 21 and 15 years respectively, the two families were finally reunited.Comprising 15 members, the first family saw the grandfather, grandmother and uncle travel from Yemen to the UAE for the family reunion.Yitzhak Fayez, 35, told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that he had not seen his uncle and grandparents since he moved to the UK from Yemen.“The last time I saw them was as a child. They are today meeting their great grandchildren for the first time,” he said.“Today, the UAE made my family’s dream come true after we had lost hope on getting reunited, after 21 years of separation”.His mother, Losa Fayez, said that their reunion had put an end to 21 years of suffering.The second family, consisting of five members, saw a reunion after 15 years apart. The mother, two children and father, Haron Salem were flown in from Yemen to the UAE to meet their relative, who lives in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.“Words cannot express how grateful we are to the UAE. We are very happy being here reunited with our family member. The UAE is truly the homeland of love, tolerance and peace,” Salem said.Read more:UN envoy Martin Griffiths plans trip to Yemen and Saudi Arabia after Aden attackGlobal community expresses condemnation, outrage at Yemen’s Aden Airport attacksNEOM’s ‘THE LINE:’ An environmentally friendly, car-free city in Saudi Arabia
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: UAE reunites two Yemeni Jewish families after over a decade apart

Israel added more restrictions on top of its lockdown as coronavirus cases continue to spread rapidly. On the other hand, Israel is successfully rolling out the vaccine.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Israel tightens lockdown measures

Oman’s sultan announced on Monday a constitutional shakeup that includes the appointment of a crown prince for the first time and new rules on how parliament will work, state media said.A new basic law issued by Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said also emphasizes the role of the state in guaranteeing more rights and freedoms for citizens, state news agency ONA said.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Sultan Haitham came to power a year ago after the death of his predecessor Sultan Qaboos.Qaboos did not have a crown prince and named his preferred successor in a sealed envelope opened after his death.The basic law sets out mechanisms for the appointment of a crown prince and his duties. The report did not say who would become the new crown prince or provide other details.It also sets the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary as the basis for governance in Oman, ONA said.Read more:Oman expected to add $779 million in revenue from VAT this yearOman discusses plans for replacing expats with locals in government firms
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Oman issues new basic law organizing succession, naming of crown prince

Anthony Tata sat down with Prince Khalid bin Salman on Thursday, but details of the discussion remain unclear.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Pentagon’s top policy official meets Saudi Arabia’s deputy defense minister in Riyadh

Elon Musk made headlines for the second time in one week when his Tweet urging people to “use Signal” sent an unrelated company’s stock price through the roof.The tech billionaire is one of the world’s most-followed Twitter users, and overtook Amazon’s Jeff Bezos to become the world’s richest person, as reported on Thursday.But why was he pointing his Twitter fan base towards the encrypted messaging app, and why did it cause such a stir?What is Signal?Signal is a messaging app that prides itself on security and privacy. The non-profit software company, Open Whisper Systems developed the software in 2013, for use in encrypted text messaging, and voice and video calls.Why is Elon Musk telling people to use it? Musk’s tweet did not give any clues about why he thought people should use the app.However, it is generally understood that his advice came in response to WhatsApp’s new terms of service published on January 4.The messenger, which uses Signal software, has said that users will have to consent to allowing the app to share their data with its parent company Facebook if they wish to continue using it.Signal said on Twitter that the app is seeing a record number of new users join in response to Facebook’s new terms.How is it different from other messaging apps?The app uses end-to-end encryption, which in theory means that the only people who are able to read messages are the sender and receiver. Messages pass from the sender to a third party – the app – before reaching the recipient. In a system that uses end-to-end encryption, even the makers of the app itself cannot read the messages stored on their system.Several apps use Signal software, including Whatsapp, Facebook, and Skype. However, unlike these services, Signal is fully open-source – meaning that anyone can read the code that it uses to protect users’ privacy and make sure that messages are not being accessed in transit.Why is Elon’s tweet significant?With 41.9 million followers, Musk has the 34th most popular Twitter profile in the world. His activity on the platform has been known to move markets, including when he knocked $14 billion off the value of his own company, Tesla, by tweeting “Tesla stock price too high imo,” as reported by the BBC.In December, the value of Bitcoin rival Dogecoin spiked by 35 percent after Musk changed his Twitter bio to read “Former CEO of Dogecoin” and tweeted: “One word: Doge.”He has a dedicated fan base of technology enthusiasts, and his tweet ushering people towards Signal saw the app overwhelmed by the number of new users, forcing delays.Read more: Musk urged followers to ‘use Signal,’ sends unrelated stock with similar name flyingElon Musk leaves behind Amazon’s Bezos to become world’s richest personCoronavirus: Elon Musk tests positive and negative for COVID-19 on same day
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Explainer: Why is Elon Musk telling people to use the Signal app?

Nasrin Sotoudeh is serving a decadeslong prison sentence on charges related to her work as a human rights defender.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Iran approves 3-day release for jailed lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh

Saudi Arabia welcomes the United States’ decision to designate the Iran-backed Houthi militia as a terrorist organization and to classify three of its leaders as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), the Saudi Press Agency cited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as saying.The move is in line with the Yemeni government’s efforts to “put an end to the violations of the Iran-backed militia and the real dangers it poses, which has led to the deterioration of the humanitarian situation of the Yemeni people, and the ongoing threats to the international peace and security,” the ministry said.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The United States will designate the Iran-backed Houthi militia as a terrorist organization, and three of its leaders as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an official statement on Monday.“The Department of State will notify Congress of my intent to designate Ansarallah – sometimes referred to as the Houthis – as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity, pursuant to Executive Order 13224,” the statement from the US added.“I also intend to designate three of Ansarallah’s leaders, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, Abd al-Khaliq Badr al-Din al-Houthi, and Abdullah Yahya al Hakim, as SDGTs,” Pompeo added.The Kingdom’s foreign ministry said it hoped the move would put an end to the Houthis’ terrorist acts and discourage its backers from supplying the group with missiles, drones, weapons, and funds, according to SPA.Yemen’s foreign ministry also welcomed the US’ decision on Monday and said that the move aligns with the government’s efforts to punish the militia.“After six years of war, and the imposition of numerous sanctions against individuals, we believe that all political and legal pressures on the Houthis should continue to escalate and intensify in order to create conditions conducive to a peaceful solution to the conflict,” Yemeni foreign minister Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak said in a statement.The Iran-backed group should be classified as a foreign terrorist organization “not only for their terrorist acts, but also for their permanent efforts to prolong the conflict and cause the worst humanitarian catastrophe in the world,” the minister added.The group’s crimes include bombing civilian homes and places of worship, arresting and torturing journalists and political activists, using health and educational facilities for military purposes, destroying economic institutions in Yemen, as well as targeting civilians in Saudi Arabia, according to the foreign ministry.Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) supplies the Houthis with missiles, drones, and training, allowing the group to target airports and other critical infrastructure, Pompeo said.Iran backs the Houthis in Yemen’s civil war against the internationally-recognized government.Read more:US to designate Iran-backed Houthis as terrorist organization: PompeoAttack on Aden airport meant to ‘eliminate’ new govt: Yemen’s PMYemen's army thwarts a Houthi infiltration attempt northwest of Saada
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry welcomes US designation of Houthis as terrorist group

The FBI on Friday arrested an Arkansas man who was photographed sitting at a desk in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office following the storming of the Capitol by a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters, authorities announced.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Richard Barnett turned himself in to FBI agents at the Benton County Sheriff’s Office in Bentonville, Arkansas, said FBI Little Rock spokesman Connor Hagan.Barnett is jailed in the Washington County Detention Center in nearby Fayetteville, Arkansas, without bond pending an initial court appearance, Hagan said. No attorney is listed for Barnett in online jail records.Ken Kohl, the top deputy federal prosecutor in Washington, said Barnett was charged for entering Pelosi’s office, where he “left a note and removed some of the speaker’s mail.”Barnett, 60, faces three federal charges: knowingly entering or remaining in restricted grounds without authority; violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds; and theft of public property or records.If convicted, he faces up to a year in federal prison.Authorities say Barnett was among supporters of Trump who stormed the Capitol on Wednesday.Five people died because of the protest and violence, including a Capitol police officer. Authorities said in court documents that they were able to identify Barnett in part through photographs taken by news media when he was inside the building.Authorities also used video surveillance from inside the Capitol and a video interview Barnett gave to a New York Times reporter in which he said, “I didn’t steal (an envelope). ... I put a quarter on her desk, even though she ain’t (expletive) worth it.”Barnett is from Gravette in northwest Arkansas. He has identified himself on social media as a Trump supporter and gun rights advocate.Jim Parsons, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who served in Vietnam as a Green Beret, told The Associated Press that he has been a guest speaker at a couple of “patriotic gatherings” that Barnett also attended.Barnett had an AR-15 rifle with him “to make sure things stay peaceful,” Parsons said.He called Barnett “a good guy. He’s patriotic.”One of the groups that Barnett belongs to believes “a face mask is a dress rehearsal for what’s to come. … It’ll end up with a chip in the forehead,” said Parsons, who is from Bella Vista, Arkansas.Gravette Mayor Kurt Maddox said the photo of Barnett in Pelosi’s office has brought his small town unwelcome attention and some residents have received threats. The FBI takes such threats “very seriously,” said spokesman Hagan.Read more:Police rejected multiple offers of federal help to quell mob in runup to Capitol HillFour dead, 52 arrested after violent protests by Trump supporters at US CapitolTwitter permanently suspends Trump’s account
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: FBI arrests US Capitol rioter photographed inside Nancy Pelosi’s office

Adelson was a strong supporter of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as pro-Israel Republicans in the United States.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Sheldon Adelson, major donor in US and Israeli politics, dies at 87

Dubai Health Authority has authorized the Al Safa Primary Healthcare Center to offer the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, making it the seventh location where individuals can get the shot.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.Residents and nationals living in the emirate can volunteer to receive the vaccine for free if they fall under one of the following three categories:• Individuals over the age of 60 and people with chronic diseases, as well as people of determination.• Frontline workers in both the public and private sectors.• Vital-sector workers.Health authorities are giving priority to the above three categories then will then open the vaccination campaign to all others who wish to be vaccinated, “based on approved international and local protocols,” according to the Dubai Media Office.The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is available at the following locations:• Al Safa primary health care center• Zabeel primary health care center• Al Mizhar primary health care center• Nad Al Hamr primary health care center• Al Barsha primary health care center• Uptown Mirdif medical fitness center• Hatta hospitalThose interested can register through the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) app or by calling 800 342.Dubai is planning to inoculate 70 percent of its population by the end of 2021, in a campaign free of charge for citizens and residents, a health official said, according to Reuters.The United Arab Emirates has vaccinated 887,697 people – nearly 10 percent of its population – since it first launched the inoculation campaign in December, the official WAM News Agency reported on Friday.Read more:Can you travel to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Dubai? Not yetDubai aims to inoculate 70 pct of population with Pfizer vaccine in 2021UAE vaccinates 887,697 people since launch of COVID-19 shot campaign
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Seven Dubai health centers offering Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine