Middle East Experience

Australia on Monday condemned Qatar authorities’ treatment of women passengers on a flight to Sydney who were subjected to internal examinations after a newborn baby was found abandoned at a Doha airport.The women, including 13 Australians, were examined at Hamad International Airport on Oct. 2 after Qatar Airways Flight 908 to Sydney was delayed.Australia’s foreign affairs department described the treatment of the women as inappropriate and beyond circumstances in which they could give free and informed consent.Read more: Qatar ‘forcibly examined’ women after newborn found abandoned in airport“Grossly disturbing”: Australia FM“This is a grossly, grossly disturbing, offensive, concerning set of events,” Foreign Minister Marise Payne told reporters. “It’s not something that I’ve ever heard of occurring in my life, in any context. We have made our views very clear to the Qatari authorities on this matter.”Australia would await a report from the Qatari government before “we will determine the next steps,” Payne said.She said the matter was reported to Australian Federal Police, but did not explain which action police might take. Police did not respond to a request for comment.The baby was still unidentified and was being cared for by medical and social workers, airport officials said in a statement sent to The Associated Press.Medical professionals were concerned for the mother’s health and had requested she be located, it said. “Individuals who had access to a specific area of the airport where the newborn infant was found were asked to assist in the query,” the statement added.Forced examinationsThe airport’s statement did not acknowledge the forced examinations.The women were examined in an ambulance parked on the tarmac, Seven Network News reported.Wolfgang Babeck, who was returning home to Australia on the flight, said women were taken from the plane regardless of their age.“When the women came back, many of them or probably all of them were upset. One of them was in tears, a younger woman, and people couldn’t believe what had happened,” Babeck said.“They told me they had to take their underwear off or their clothes from the bottom and then it was inspected whether they had given birth,” Babeck added.The passengers are now in 14-day hotel quarantines in Sydney as part of coronavirus measures.Read more:Qatari activist says Doha’s guardianship rules curtail women’s freedom to travelUAE minister: Gulf has changed and cannot go back to what it was before Qatar crisisQatar might get F-35 warplanes from US despite Israel’s objection: Israeli ministerQatar Airways and the Qatari government did not respond to questions from The Associated Press on Monday.In Qatar, like much of the Middle East, sex outside of marriage is a criminal act. Migrant female workers in the past have hidden their pregnancies and tried to travel abroad to give birth. Others have abandoned their babies anonymously to avoid prison.Qatar, a small, energy-rich country on the Arabian Peninsula, is home to the state-owned Qatar Airways, which along with Etihad and Emirates leverages its location to be a major hub for East-West travel. Its modern Hamad International Airport serves as the base for Qatar Airways’ operations and soon will funnel travelers into the country for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Australia condemns Qatar's ‘grossly disturbing’ airport examinations of its citizens

The United Arab Emirates reported 1,111 new coronavirus cases on Monday, a significantly lower tally than in recent days, according to numbers from the Ministry of Health and Prevention.The cases were detected after authorities carried out 85,093 tests during 24 hours, a lower number than the previous day's 118,058 tests, which revealed 1,359 cases.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.A futher three people died from difficulties linked to COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 480.Meanwhile, 1,189 people recovered from the disease, bringing the total number of recoveries to 120,750 out of 126,234 total cases.Coronavirus in UAEThe UAE has experienced a renewed surge of cases this fall, in line with global trends.Authorities reported the country's highest daily increase on October 22, with 1,578 cases.However, the country's death rate has remained low by global standards.With residents and tourists set to descend upon the UAE's beaches during the cooler winter temperatures, Dubai police clarified that beachgoers must follow coronavirus regulations to avoid further spread of the virus.These include wearing a face mask and limiting non-family gatherings to five people.Read more:Coronavirus: UAE reports 1,359 new COVID-19 cases, drop from recent spike of 1,578Coronavirus: Dubai beaches require face masks, distancing, and other COVID-19 rulesCoronavirus: Saudi Arabia says current COVID-19 case levels do not call for curfew
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: UAE reports 1,111 COVID-19 cases, significantly lower than recent days

Israel’s Mossad ‘brought’ a coronavirus vaccine from China to Israel to study it, Israeli media reported on Monday.Israel’s foreign intelligence brought the vaccine to Israel “in recent weeks in order to study and learn from it,” according to a Jerusalem Post report, citing Israel’s Channel 12.The report came as Israel announced developments in its domestic coronavirus vaccine development.Israel’s coronavirus vaccine, researchIsrael’s Institute for Biological Research announced Sunday that it will begin human testing for its coronavirus vaccine on November 1 after receiving regulatory approval.Run by Israel’s Defense Ministry, the institute hopes to produce 15 million doses for both Israeli residents and “close neighbors,” director of the institute Dr. Shmuel Shapira told the Associated Press.Israeli companies announced a partnership with companies in the United Arab Emirates in July to develop research and technology relating to COVID-19.Two private UAE companies signed a “scientific and medical agreement” with two Israeli companies, state news agency WAM reported at the time.The UAE is at the end of its Phase III clinical trials of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine that is expected to be available on the global market by the end of 2020 or early 2021.The trial is a collaboration between Sinopharm’s China National Biotec Group and Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence and cloud computing company Group 42.Over 40 coronavirus vaccine candidates are in clinical trials worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.Israel, a country of about 9 million people, has reported over 300,000 cases of COVID-19 and nearly 2,400 deathsRead more:After agreeing to normalize ties, Israel to send $5 million of wheat to SudanCoronavirus: UAE reports 1,111 COVID-19 cases, significantly lower than recent daysDubai, Abu Dhabi businesses team up to help Israel firms enter UAE market
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Israel’s Mossad ‘brought’ COVID-19 vaccine from China, says report

With the end of the UN arms embargo, Iran could be looking to purchase new additions to its defense system — could Russia become a main supplier again?
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Can Russia return to Iranian arms market following end of weapons embargo?

Existing social welfare systems have insulated Gulf nationals from changing economic realities and the likelihood of a major global energy transition in the coming decades.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Can Gulf states adopt universal basic income?

The strikes on Monday reportedly targeted a training camp run by the Failaq al-Sham group.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Russian strikes kill dozens of Turkey-backed rebels in Syria's Idlib

Israel and Sudan have agreed to establish diplomatic relations, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be celebrating alone as the news media focus on the coronavirus crisis and wide demonstrations.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Israel preoccupied with domestic ills as ties warm with Khartoum

Rabada has left the other pace bowling rivals-Jofra Archer, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami behind in the race..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: IPL 2020: Kagiso Rabada is powering Delhi Capitals ahead

Turning its back on American shale, the gas giant is looking to strike deals with Israel and other countries after its multi-billion-dollar acquisition of Noble Energy..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Chevron gambles on Middle East reconciliation for its natural gas future

The Turkish lira has sunk even lower as Erdogan calls for a boycott of French goods..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Turkish currency sinks to eight liras to the dollar as Erdogan calls for France boycott