Middle East Experience

Kavala is charged with espionage and "attempting to overthrow the constitutional order” in connection with the failed 2016 coup.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Turkish court extends detention of philanthropist Osman Kavala

Mohammad Hassan Rezaiee, who was arrested at the age of 16, has spent more than a decade on death row.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Iran to execute man arrested as teenager, Amnesty says

Saudi Arabian citizen Emad al-Daihan became the first citizen from Saudi Arabia on Thursday to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine (Tozinameran) in the capital Riyadh.Speaking to Al Arabiya, al-Daihan said the process to register, schedule an appointment and receive the vaccine was smooth from the moment he entered his details on the Kingdom’s Sehaty app.For more on coronavirus, visit our dedicated section.“First, I registered through the Sehaty app for myself, my children and my wife. About three days later, I was contacted, and an appointment was set for yesterday at ten in the morning. I gave them some data about my health information. Then I went to the site that is the Exhibition Center and went there and was surprised by the preparations done by the Ministry of Health, which readied about 550 rooms for the vaccination campaign,” al-Daihan told Al Arabiya.Asked whether it was painful to receive the vaccine, al-Daihan said it felt like a normal vaccination experience, liking it to getting the flu shot.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“On the contrary, it was a normal experience for me just like getting the influenza vaccination. There definitively weren’t any complications or any side effects from this aspect,” he said.Since Thursday, Saudi Arabia has seen more than 300,000 people register on the Sehaty app to apply and schedule an appointment to receive the coronavirus vaccination.Read more:Coronavirus in Saudi Arabia: More than 300,000 sign up to receive COVID-19 vaccineCoronavirus: Saudi Arabia’s health minister receives COVID-19 vaccineCoronavirus: Saudi Arabia receives first COVID-19 vaccine shipment
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Meet the first Saudi Arabian citizen to receive COVID-19 vaccine

The Egyptian military has reported several operations against Islamist insurgents in the Sinai Peninsula recently.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Three dead in Sinai bombings

The case centers on some 22,000 Egyptian relics, including gold coins, discovered by Italian authorities in 2017.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Egypt demands Italy hand over ex-officials accused of stealing artifacts

The Iraqi health authorities affirmed the country is polio-free and mass vaccinations aim to prevent the spread of the disease.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Iraq vaccinates 2 million children against polio

Eight people were killed Saturday in a fire at an intensive care unit treating COVID-19 patients in southern Turkey, state-run media reported.The Anadolu news agency said the fire started when an oxygen cylinder exploded at the privately-run Sanko University Hospital unit in Gaziantep.The agency cited a hospital statement identifying the victims as being aged between 56 and 85. The fire was quickly brought under control.For more on coronavirus, visit our dedicated section.The statement said 14 patients undergoing intensive care treatment were transferred to other hospitals. An investigation was underway.Intensive care units across Turkey currently have a 74 percent bed occupancy rate due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to government figures, although medical associations have claimed that hospitals are overrun.Read more:Coronavirus: UK removes UAE, Bahrain from COVID-19 travel quarantine listCoronavirus: Dubai updates winter tourism travel rules; UK, Germany test on arrivalCoronavirus: England adds Saudi Arabia to safe travel corridor listOn Friday evening, the Health Ministry reported 26,410 new cases over the previous 24 hours, bringing the total since March to 1.98 million. The figure includes asymptomatic cases that Ankara did not report in the four months to late November.A record daily high of 246 COVID-19-related deaths were recorded, the ministry said, taking the total to 17,610.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Eight COVID-19 patients killed in Turkish hospital fire

Donald Trump’s outgoing administration is planning to close the two remaining US consulates in Russia, media reports said Friday, as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office amid high tensions with Moscow.The US will close its consulate in the far eastern city of Vladivostok and suspend operations at its post in Yekaterinburg, CNN reported, citing a December 10 letter sent to Congress from the State Department.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The move comes in “response to ongoing staffing challenges for the US Mission in Russia in the wake of the 2017 Russian-imposed personnel cap on the US Mission and the resultant impasse with Russia over diplomatic visas,” the report said, citing the letter.Ten diplomats assigned to the consulates will reportedly be relocated to the US embassy in Moscow, while 33 local staff will lose their jobs.“No action related to the Russian consulates in the US is planned,” CNN cited the letter as saying.The closures would leave the embassy in Moscow as the US’ last diplomatic mission in Russia.In March 2018 Moscow ordered the closure of the US consulate in St Petersburg amid a diplomatic spat sparked by the poisoning of Sergei Skripal on UK soil.It was unclear whether the closures would happen before January 20, when President-elect Biden takes office.AFP reached out to the State Department for comment on the report but did not receive a response.On Friday Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Russia was “pretty clearly” behind a devastating cyberattack on several US government agencies that security experts say could allow attackers unfettered access to critical IT systems and electric power grids.Yohannes Abraham, executive director for the Biden transition team, said the hack was of “great concern” and that under the new administration cyber attacks would meet a response inflicting “substantial cost.”Russia has denied any involvement in the cyberattacks.Read more:US State Department says Russia must close consulate within two daysPompeo says Russia ‘pretty clearly’ behind major cyberattack on US agenciesUS cybersecurity agency warns of ‘grave’ threat from hack
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: US plans to close last two consulates in Russia: report

Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed on Saturday the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement by Yemeni parties.A ministry statement said it was “an important step to strengthen and unify Yemeni efforts to confront the Iran-supported Houthi militias,” according to a foreign ministry statement.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The statement said the agreement would “achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Yemeni people for security, peace and stability.” Bahrain also commended the “sincere efforts made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” who initiated the talks.After stalling in August when the southern-separatist movement, the Southern Transitional Council, suspended their participation, the Riyadh Agreement was finalized this month.Saudi Arabia welcomed the government formation in Yemen as part of the agreement that established a power-sharing structure between the Southern Transitional Council and the Yemeni government, consisting of 24 ministers from both groups, according to SPA.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Bahrain thanked Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abzulaziz and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their “concern and interest in the security, stability, and prosperity of brotherly Yemen.”The statement continued: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hails the formation of a government of political competencies that includes all Yemen’s social components to put an end to military arrangements, appreciating the Yemeni parties’ keenness on the supreme interests of the Republic of Yemen and their endeavors to unify efforts to restore Yemeni legitimacy and achieve peace and stability in all parts of brotherly Yemen.Saudi Arabia introduced the Riyadh Agreement in November 2019 to try to end the dispute in the country’s south that emerged in 2017.Read more:Saudi Arabia says ‘Riyadh Agreement’ implementation step toward ending Yemen crisisYemen government, STC deal to implement Riyadh Agreement ‘positive step:’ Saudi FMRiyadh Agreement set to be implemented in Yemen, 24-member government formed: SPA
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Riyadh Agreement implementation in Yemen a step toward peace, stability: Bahrain FM

The UAE will continue its crackdown on racism and discrimination, says Public Prosecution..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Up to Dh200,000 fine, 1-year jail for hate speech in UAE