Middle East Experience

News of Biden's election victory has been met with both elation and dismay in Egypt. Pro-democracy activists are hoping a Biden presidency would ease the repression in Egypt while government supporters fear Biden will push for inclusion of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Biden's election victory draws mixed reactions in Egypt

The Turkish president’s replacement of key economy officials, including his son-in-law, resonate as preparations for snap elections before the political cost of Turkey’s economic turmoil becomes irredeemable.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Erdogan’s change of economy team signals snap election plan

BioNTECH plans to provide 50 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed with Pfizer by the end of the year, Chief Executive Officer Ugur Sahin told Al Arabiya on Thursday, adding that he believes immunity could last for one year.“Our goal is to make up to 50 million vaccine doses available this year and up to 1.3 billion doses together with our partner Pfizer in the next year,” Sahin said.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.The companies are currently in talks about distribution with 30 governments around the world, according to Sahin, who also pointed out that it is crucial for countries to pre-order the vaccine in order to work out the logistics.“Pre-orders are important because we have to work on the logistical chain for transportation and distribution – this is not an easy task because this must be coordinated,” Sahin said.The CEO also said even though the partner companies have applied for approval in several countries including the US, Canada, United Kingdom and China, he doesn’t expect approvals for supplying vaccines to be issued before mid-December.“This takes time,” he said. “If we get approval from [Europe] or the US, we will continue to apply in other regions of the world to ensure we can supply the vaccine wherever it is needed.”Sahin told Al Arabiya that everyone is working at maximum capacity, but “quality requires time.” He also said producing enough supply for the entire population will require the participation and collaboration of other pharmaceutical companies such as AstraZeneca.Immunity could last up to one yearIn order to be effective, two doses of the vaccine must be given to individuals, with the second dose being 22 days after the first dose.Preliminary trial data showed that immunity developed from the vaccine lasts for at least three months. Experts are waiting for further data by July 2021 to show whether immunity could last up to six months or one year. However, Sahin said he personally expects immunity could last for one year.“I personally expect that the vaccine will have a strong immune response also after one year, so it could be that after one year a vaccinated [person] would need an additional vaccination that would not be harmful but if the immune response is, even after one year, very strong we can wait longer,” he said.More than 40,000 people are enrolled in the clinical studies that have been taking place in the United States and five other countries since July.Sahin said about 15 percent of the participants showed mild to moderate side effects, including a fever that lasted one to two days.“This is a normal side effect profile for a vaccine,” the CEO said, adding that there was no need to pause the trial since no serious side effects developed.The company expects to learn more in three weeks about how the vaccine protects the elderly and younger people. The CEO added that the company has already started vaccinating children between the ages of 12 and 16 as part of the trial.There are also plans to vaccinate children under the age of 12, according to Sahin, as the company continues to collect more safety data for up to two years of the study.“We are now in discussion in Europe and the United States to identify the time to start vaccinations for children of a younger age of 5-12 and from 3-5 years of age,” Sahin said, adding that details can be expected within “the coming weeks.”Read more:Israel in talks with Pfizer over COVID-19 vaccine, Netanyahu saysFirst Pfizer coronavirus vaccine may reach Spain in early 2021: Health ministerPfizer says COVID-19 vaccine 90 pct effective in phase 3 trials
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: 50 mln vaccines could be ready in 2020, immunity up to one year

In a bid to advance the truce with Israel, Gaza’s resistance factions, including Hamas, seem to have agreed to avoid and stop indiscriminate rocket launches toward Israel and to hand over culprits to the competent official authorities for accountability.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Can Hamas control individual rocket firing?

The ISIS extremist group claimed responsibility on Thursday for the attack on an event at a non-Muslim cemetery in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that injured two people on Wednesday.The ISIS claim was made in a statement published on the militant group’s Amaq news agency, according to the SITE Intelligence Group.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.It said ISIS fighters “planted an explosive device in... the cemetery in the city of Jeddah yesterday,” where European diplomats were gathered.The Spokesman of the Mecca region principality Sultan al-Dosari had said on Wednesday: “Security authorities have launched investigations into a failed and cowardly attack that took place while the French Consul was attending a ceremony in Jeddah Governorate.”“The attack resulted in a minor injury of a Greek consulate employee and a Saudi security man… Investigations are ongoing.”Read more:Saudi Foreign Ministry condemns ‘failed and cowardly’ Jeddah attackTwo injured in attack on non-Muslim cemetery in Jeddah: AuthoritiesMan arrested in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah after stabbing guard at French consulate: SPA
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: ISIS claims attack on Jeddah’s non-Muslim cemetery in Saudi Arabia

Dutch police arrested a man on Thursday on suspicion of being involved in the shooting at Saudi Arabia's embassy in The Hague, causing damage but no injuries.“The police arrested a man from Zoetermeer (40) on Thursday afternoon, November 12 at around 2.15 PM on suspicion of involvement in the shooting incident at the Saudi Arabian embassy,” The Hague police said in a statement.“On Thursday morning multiple shots were fired at the embassy building on Koninginnegracht in The Hague. Nobody was injured,” it added.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“The police immediately started an extensive investigation and formed a so-called large-scale investigation team. Investigation led to the Zoetermeer suspect. The man was arrested in a house in Zoetermeer. Police officers also confiscated a passenger car for further investigation. The suspect is detained and will be questioned.”The police found several bullet casings outside the embassy and bullet holes in the window of the building, they said.The Saudi embassy confirmed none of its staff were hurt, and said it had urged Saudi citizens in the Netherlands to "exercise caution.""Embassy security officers informed security authorities of the incident as soon as it occurred," the Saudi embassy said in a statement posted on Twitter.The Saudi government "condemns this cowardly attack, and thanks the Dutch authorities for their prompt response."The Dutch foreign ministry said it "takes this very seriously and is in close contact with the Saudi authorities."On Wednesday, an attack on a non-Muslim cemetery in Jeddah hit an Armistice Day commemoration at which diplomats from France, Greece, Italy, Britain and the United States were in attendance.At least two people were wounded.- With AFPRead more:ISIS claims attack on Jeddah’s non-Muslim cemetery in Saudi ArabiaSaudi embassy in The Hague was the target of a ‘cowardly’ shooting: statementTwo injured in attack on non-Muslim cemetery in Jeddah: Authorities
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Dutch police arrest man over shooting at Saudi Arabia's embassy in The Hague

Rabbi Yossi Rodal and his family are putting everything they have to restore life to this once-thriving community.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: After 60 years, the Jews in Australia's coal capital have a rabbi

The campaign, conducted in conjunction with the Institute of Jewish History in Poland and the Polish Museum, will cover over 1,000 years of Jewish history.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: New campaign to highlight history of Polish Jews, Polish-Israelis

Donald Trump's decision to crush the dominant conservative news outlet seems linked to its early call that Arizona went to Joe Biden.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Trump to start digital media outlet to undermine Fox – report

‘Uncle reminds me of my father, who passed away a few years back, and my heart ached to see him suffer’..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Pakistani man tends and cares for blind Indian ‘uncle’ in UAE