Middle East Experience

A Byzantine-era Istanbul church is set to re-open as a mosque on….
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Turkey's latest mosque conversion provokes outrage over heritage 'destruction'

“Artificial intelligence is the real thing. It is already in use by attackers. When they learn how to do deepfakes, I would argue this is potentially an existential threat.”
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Ex-US cyber command chief: Enemies using AI is ‘existential threat’

A prison guard in Morocco was killed by an inmate who was imprisoned for belonging to the Islamic State group..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Moroccan prison guard killed by IS-linked inmate

The Turkish president's comments come a year after Turkey launched an offensive against Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Erdogan warns Turkey has 'right to mobilize' again against Kurdish forces

Doha News has obtained exclusive footage that shows the moments immediately after a newborn baby girl was found at Qatar’s main airport. CCTV footage from Hamad Interntional Airport acquired exclusively by Doha News has revealed the moments a newborn baby was discovered by paramedics at the facility. The 1 minute 17 seconds clip shows at ..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: EXCLUSIVE: CCTV footage shows moment abandoned baby discovered at airport – Doha News

In-depth: Attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians often intensify during the crucial olive harvest season..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Palestine's olive harvest marred by rising Israeli settler violence

The Jerusalem Post received a copy of the full report, which is also published on the CBS website.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Nearly 20% more Israelis died in September 2020 vs. 2019

According to scholars, the church, which used pagan architecture, was founded on the site when Christianity became the official religion in Israel in the fourth century CE.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Byzantine church discovered in Banyas nature reserve

Saudi Arabia condemns any cartoons offending the Prophet Mohammed and rejects any attempts to link Islam with terrorism, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) cited an official source from the Kingdom’s foreign ministry as saying.“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia rejects any attempts to link Islam with terrorism and condemns the offensive cartoons of the Prophet of Guidance and the Messenger of Peace Mohammed bin Abdullah, may God bless him and grant him peace, or any of the messengers, peace be upon them,” the source said.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Saudi Arabia condemns all terrorist attacks and those responsible for them and rejects all practices and actions that incite hatred and violence, the source added, according to SPA.“Freedom of expression and culture should be a beacon of respect, tolerance and peace that rejects practices and acts which generate hatred, violence and extremism and are contrary to coexistence,” the statement said.The statement comes amid rising controversy after the murder of a French teacher who had shown cartoons of the Prophet during a class about free speech.French President Emmanuel Macron labelled the killing as “an Islamist terrorist attack” and tweeted in Arabic earlier this week that France would “not give in” and would “not accept hate speech and defend reasonable debate.”In response, several Arab countries, including Kuwait and Jordan, urged their citizens to boycott French products over the use of Prophet Mohammed in French cartoons, with retail co-ops in Kuwait pulling French products from their shelves.Social media users in the Kingdom also called for a boycott of French supermarket retailer Carrefour on Sunday.Read more:Head of Muslim League on Prophet cartoon: We are not against freedoms, only hatredFrance: Calls for boycotting French products in Middle East ‘must stop immediately’Kuwait retail co-ops remove French products in boycott over Prophet cartoonThe foreign ministry source did not address the calls to boycott the products.Saudi Arabia's highest religious body, the Council of Senior Scholars, previously said that insulting prophets only serves extremists who wish to spread hatred among societies.“The duty of wise people all around the world… is to condemn such insults which have nothing to do with freedom of thought and expression and are nothing more than pure prejudice and a free service for extremists,” the council said in a statement reported by the Kingdom's official Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi Arabia condemns Prophet cartoons, rejects attempts linking Islam to terrorism

Dubai revamped its travel regulations on Monday, allowing some passengers from certain countries to take a coronavirus PCR test on arrival at the airport while requiring others to take one before and after arrival, according to a statement by Emirates Airlines.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.According to the Dubai carrier, UAE residents from the following countries can present a negative PCR test result that is valid for up to 96 hours or take a test when they arrive in Dubai:Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States (New York, Washington DC, Boston, Chicago, Seattle).Tourists from the united Kingdom and Germany can also opt to take a test on arrival. All other tourists must take a PCR test within 96 hours before their flight.Also read: Dubai introduces 1-year, ‘work from home visa’ for foreigners with jobs abroadTransit passengers from the countries listed above do not have to present a negative PCR test unless it is mandated by their destination country.All passengers who are tested at the airport must not leave their home or hotel until they receive their results.Previously, almost all residents and tourists were required to present a negative COVID-19 test before their departure. Two PCR tests Emirates Airlines also said that UAE residents and tourists from some countries will now be required to take a PCR tests within 96 hours of their flight and one when they arrive in Dubai. Transit passengers from these countries must present a negative PCR test – taken not more than 96 hours before their flight – as well as any requirements from their destination country.The countries that fall under the new requirements are:Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Chile, Cote d’lvoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Slovakia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United States (California, Florida, Texas), Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.Read more:Coronavirus: Dubai beaches require face masks, distancing, and other COVID-19 rulesCoronavirus: Dubai residents can get COVID-19 PCR test at malls, appointment requiredCoronavirus: Dubai to allow weddings, social events to resume
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Dubai updates winter tourism travel rules; UK, Germany test on arrival