Middle East Experience

The Dubai-based airline is getting closer to resuming its pre-pandemic network, despite a new virus outbreak in the United Arab Emirates.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Emirates resumes flights to Muscat

Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah has been named as the successor to his half-brother Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, according to an announcement from the Kuwaiti cabinet.Sheikh Nawaf was appointed Crown Prince in 2006, the same year Sheikh Sabah was appointed emir.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Under Kuwait’s constitution, each new crown prince must be approved by a majority in the country’s National Assembly.Traditionally, the succession of the Emir and Crown Prince positions are limited to the descendants of Mubarak al-Sabah.Read more:Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah dies at age 91: Amiri DiwanWorld leaders express condolences to Kuwait on death of Sheikh Sabah‘Father of Humaneness’: Kuwait’s Emir dies at 91 leaving legacy of mediation, charitySheikh Nawaf, 83, was previously the Minister of Defense and the Minister of Interior. After the 1990 invasion of Iraq, he became the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, a role he held until 1992. Between 1994 and 2003, Sheikh Nawaf was the deputy chief of the National Guard.Earlier in July, the late Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah authorized Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf to temporarily take over some responsibilities as Deputy Emir.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Kuwait names Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah as new emir

Phase III clinical trials are still ongoing, which are expected to be published in October or November.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Top US doctors take part in first briefing of Russian COVID-19 vaccine

Any such incident would mark a potentially major escalation of conflict in the South Caucasus region.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Azerbaijan and Armenia reject peace talks as Karabakh conflict zone widens

Three network providers are offering 5G packages as of Tuesday 29 September
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: 5G network officially launches across Israel

Ali Reza Razmhosseini will take on the post as trade and industry minister, at a time when Iran faces an unprecedented economic downturn amid intense pressure from the United States..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Iranian parliament approves new trade and industry minister

A group of US Senators has asked the Trump administration to grant sanctions waivers to Lebanon in order to continue importing electricity from Syria, according to a letter obtained by Al Arabiya English on Tuesday.The three senators - Jeanne Shaheen, Tim Kaine and Chris Murphy - signed the letter that called for Lebanon to be exempt from sanctions under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, also referred to as the Caesar Act.For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“While we understand the controversial aspects of this proposal, we urge you to consider Lebanon’s geography and the regional difficulties facing the small country in reviewing this request. Lebanon’s power grid is connected only to Syria, and electricity imports from other regional states must occur through Syria,” the letter said.The senators added that Lebanon previously attempted to purchase electricity through other states, like Egypt and Jordan, “however the Syrian government has not allowed these agreements to come to fruition.”Despite being a strong advocate of sanctions against Lebanon over the role of Iran-backed Hezbollah, Shaheen is pushing ahead with calls to shield Lebanon from unintended repercussions of the Caesar Act.The legislation, which went into effect in June, looks to cut off all forms of revenue from reaching Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and its allies. It also threatens to impose sanctions on anyone who does business with the Assad regime.Lebanon’s power stations use expensive heavy fuel, and state utility Electricite du Liban (EDL) cannot afford to provide 24-hour power, leaving consumers to rely on costly private generators.However, Lebanon imports up to 276 megawatts of power from Syria under an agreement between Beirut and Damascus that was initially signed in 1995.Without that potential supply, Lebanon would have to rely more heavily on the diesel generators that provide power for most of the country when state-provided electricity is cut, Marc Ayoub of the American University of Beirut previously told Al Arabiya English.Read more: Lebanese PM Diab calls for protection for Lebanon from Caesar Act sanctions on SyriaDuring the summer, when demand usually spikes, Ayoub said, the country might see an additional 100- to 150-megawatt power deficit if the option to import from Syria is not there. As of now, there is no option to fill that gap apart from relying on costly generators.In June, then-Prime Minister Hassan Diab called on the United Nations, the European Union, and “friendly nations to shield Lebanon from the negative repercussions of any sanctions that may be imposed on Syrians, particularly in the context of the Caesar Act.”Lebanon’s Ambassador to the US Gabriel Issa previously put forth several requests to the US administration for sanctions waivers in several sectors.“We need these waivers granted to alleviate the economic pressure on Lebanon,” a senior Lebanese diplomat told Al Arabiya English.The request submitted by the US Senators also called on the State Department to help Lebanon rehabilitate its ramshackle electricity sector, which would eventually see Beirut ease of its dependence on Syria for its power grid.Earlier this year Shaheen threatened to slap Lebanese officials with sanctions over the detention of Lebanese-American citizen Amer Fakhoury for his role with an Israeli-backed militia in south Lebanon.But Shaheen cited the multiple waivers extensions given by the US to Iraq for continuing importing electricity from Iran.“Should an institution of similar confidence exist in Lebanon, we urge you to consider a comparable framework to allow for Lebanon’s energy purchases as the country rebuilds,” the letter said.Read more: US to release Lebanese businessman accused of ties to Hezbollah- With Reuters
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: US Senators request temporary sanctions waivers for Lebanon

Bashar al-Assad’s estranged cousin Rami Makhlouf, who fell out with the regime in 2019, has accused figures close to the Syrian dictator of stealing money earmarked for the country's poorest..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Assad’s estranged cousin lashes out at regime figures over ‘biggest heist in the Middle East’

The number of coronavirus cases in Lebanon rose sharply once again Tuesday, with 1,105 additional people testing positive for the disease and ten more dying from related complications. Only 15 of the new cases were detected from people traveling into Lebanon from abroad..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Lebanon confirms 1,105 new COVID-19 cases, 10 more deaths

The Washington Post columnist founded the Democracy for the Arab World, or DAWN, in the months before his 2018 murder.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Human rights group launches two years after death of founder Jamal Khashoggi