Middle East Experience

Diplomatic sources have hinted that the Sultanate of Oman would be the next country to normalize ties with Israel.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Netanyahu: This peace can end the Israeli-Arab conflict once and for all

Five takes on the Israel-Hamas deal and latest from Gaza; Arafat’s wife backs UAE-Israel peace deal; Curly hair makes a comeback in Egypt.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: The Takeaway: Israel and Hamas turn to Qatar for truce

In a first of its kind, Egypt has referred more than 54 million voters to the public prosecution office for their failure to vote in the Senate elections.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Can Egypt prosecute 54 million voters?

Four passengers will be allowed to travel together in Hala (Dubai taxi) vans booked via the Careem app from today due to new guidelines from the Dubai Road and Transport Authority (RTA), a statement from Hala read Thursday.All taxis had previously been restricted to only two passengers by Dubai authorities in a bid to combat the spread of the coronavirus.“As ever, we remain committed to using technology to unlock easy movement around Dubai. We are pleased to announce this positive move and hope it can make travel that little bit simpler for those of our riders who need to travel in groups, whether that be friends or families,” Clemence Dutertre, CEO of Hala said in the statement.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.Customers can book a Hala van through the Careem app, with two passengers allowed to sit in each of the back rows of the cab. Hala added that the price for the van service is identical to that of a normal taxi.Hala urged customers to use the Careem app, noting that there are “limited Dubai Taxi Vans available for street hail in the city.”Dubai has recently been expanding its efforts to combat the coronavirus and most recently increased its COVID-19 testing program. Some Dubai hospitals and drive-through testing centers are now offering PCR coronavirus nose swab tests for only 250 dirhams ($68) or less.On Wednesday, the UAE reported a jump in coronavirus cases with 883 new infections, the fourth highest day on record followed by May 19, 20, and 21 early on in the pandemic.Read more:Dubai Police arrest fake recruitment gang who scammed 150 job seekersCoronavirus: Dubai residents can now get a PCR test for only $68 or lessCoronavirus: Dubai’s Emirates returns $1.4 billion in COVID-19 travel refunds
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Dubai allows four passengers in van taxis as COVID-19 restrictions ease

The murder of two men from an Arab tribe has sparked fresh calls against militia rule in the Iraqi mountain region of Sinjar.Four men suspected of the killings were detained on 6 September, and revealed to be members of the Sinjar Protection Units (YBS), a Yazidi militia which is affiliated to the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK).Yazidi activists condemned the killings, and accused the YBS of deliberately exacerbating sectarian tensions.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“It was a politically provocative move, designed to incite hatred between Yazidis and their Arab neighbors,” said Ibrahim Khudida Kasso in a video statement issued by the Sinjar-based civil society group Yazidi House, “Yazidis have always had good relations with the Al Shammari tribe, who confronted IS terrorists and made sacrifices.”Local reports say that the government has agreed to send special anti-terrorism forces to Sinjar, after a request from MP Nayef Al Shammari, a politician from the tribe whose members were killed.The event is yet another example of Baghdad’s inability to rein in paramilitary groups, who act with impunity and disregard Iraqi rule of law.Once controlled by ISIS, Sinjar has been controlled by armed groups allied to Baghdad since its liberation in 2015. These include the Iran-backed Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU) and the YBS.Their presence has hampered humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts, and poses a security threat for the tens of thousands of displaced people waiting to return to Sinjar.In an interview for the Iraqi television channel Al Sharqiya on 7 September, a leader of Al Shammari tribe whose members were killed, Sheikh Abdullah Al Shammari, accused the PKK and its affiliated groups of destabilizing Sinjar.“Their transgressions have led to killing and war,” he said, “Arabs, Yazidis and Kurds have historically co-existed here. We fought against al-Qaeda and ISIS and paid dearly [to protect] our neighbourhoods.”The YBS is also accused by Yazidi activists of harassment, kidnapping and recruiting minors into their forces. Neighbouring Turkey, which views the PKK as an existential threat, launched airstrikes on Sinjar earlier this year.In the televised interview, Al Shammari called on the newly-appointed Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to restore Iraqi rule of law in Sinjar. “The authorities should recruit the people of Sinjar into the army and police, so that they can protect their neighbourhoods.”Read more:Pentagon to cut US troops in Iraq to 3,000 from 5,200 this monthIraq is presented with golden opportunity to strengthen US, Gulf ties, shake off IranSyria’s Kurds transfer some ISIS-linked foreign families from overcrowded camp
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Yazidi activists call out militia rule in Iraq after double killing in Sinjar

Syria's eastern province of Deir ez-Zor sees escalating tensions between Arab tribes and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Who is behind wave of killings of tribal sheikhs in east Syria?

A large fire broke out at Beirut's port on Thursday, sending up a column of black smoke over the skies of the Lebanese capital more than a month after a deadly explosion at the same site killed at least 190 people and destroyed large parts of the city.The fire reportedly broke out after a tire and oil store caught on fire, a Lebanese military source was quoted by Reuters as saying.However, the director of the port has said that it is still too early to determine the cause of the fire.Dozens of Lebanese social media users, still traumatized by the August 4 blast, shared footage of the fire online.The Lebanese Red Crescent has denied reports of injuries, but confirmed reports that some people are facing difficulty breathing.Firefighters have arrived at the scene of the blaze, according to local media reports.Lebanese military helicopters have been sent to the port to help firefighters on the ground put out the fire, according to a statement from the army. Live television footage showed one helicopter flying to the area, with a water container slung underneath.Lebanon had already been suffering from an unprecedented economic crisis, heightened by the coronavirus pandemic, when the August 4 disaster happened.Hundreds of thousands were left homeless across the capital when the explosion caused entire buildings to collapse and glass to shatter all over the streets.(With Reuters)
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Fire erupts in Beirut port over a month after deadly explosion

The United Arab Emirates government is set to make what is expected to be a significant announcement on the coronavirus pandemic in the country at 5 p.m. local time Thursday.ANNOUNCEMENT LATEST: Coronavirus: UAE detects 930 new COVID-19 cases, highest in four monthsThe country's official Emirates News Agency (WAM) said on Wednesday that the announcement would address COVID-19. It comes after a recent jump in cases in the country has led to fears of a second wave.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.On Wednesday, the UAE recorded 883 new infections in 24 hours - the highest single day increase in COVID-19 cases since May, and the fourth highest on record, following May 19, 20, and 21 at the peak of the first wave of the pandemic.That jump came after a more gradual rise in infections since the end of August.On August 31, the number of new cases rose above 500 and has stayed there since, with the exception of September 7, when only 470 new cases were recorded.On Tuesday, the country recorded 644 new infections and one new death.Will restrictions on movement be reinstated?The UAE previously imposed a lockdown during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic as it conducted its national sterilization drive.At the height of the lockdown, residents could only leave their house if they had a permit approved by the authorities.By late June, the infection rate had been brought down from its heights of mid-May, and on June 24 the UAE announced the completion of the national sterilization program and end to restrictions on movement. The emirate of Dubai has also welcomed tourists back after the suspension of international flights.But this week authorities warned that irresponsible behavior and social gatherings have spurred the infection rate.A single person infected 45 others with COVID-19, one of whom died from the disease, according to UAE government spokesperson Omar al-Hammadi said on Tuesday.However, increased testing may also be linked to the rise in infection rate, as the country continues to open new testing facilities, including two new free testing centers in the northern emirate of Fujairah.The latest number comes after authorities conducted 85,917 tests, with future expansions planned.Read more:Coronavirus: UAE reports highest COVID-19 cases since May with 883 infections, 2 deadCoronavirus: UAE warns against irresponsibility as 1 person infects 45, with 1 deathCoronavirus: Dubai allows four passengers in van taxis as COVID-19 restrictions easeCoronavirus: UAE lifts curfew, ends national COVID-19 sanitation drive
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: UAE set to make announcement on COVID-19

The United Arab Emirates urged citizens and residents on Thursday to take coronavirus countermeasures seriously as the country reported 930 new cases of the virus – the highest in four months.This brings the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 76,911.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.Five people died due to complications caused by COVID-19, raising the virus-related death toll to 398.Coronavirus countermeasures Twelve percent of the new infections recorded in the past two weeks were of citizens and residents who had arrived in the country from abroad despite carrying proof of a negative PCR test result, the government spokesperson said. Those arriving in the UAE had failed to follow instructions to quarantine at home for a period of 14 days upon their arrival.The UAE had in the past two weeks been detecting a rapid increase in the number of daily reported COVID-19 infections. Eighty-eight percent of the coronavirus cases reported in the country in the past two weeks resulted from individuals failing to adhere to social distancing protocols and preventative measures, the UAE Government spokesperson said.This includes individuals who attended wedding parties, celebrations, large gatherings, and funerals, the spokesperson added.Another factor was that some malls and shops have not been enforcing the government’s protocols, the spokesperson added.The government urged everyone to abide by the rules, warning that restrictions and rules may be tightened if people continue to ignore them.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: UAE urges public to follow coronavirus countermeasures as COVID-19 cases rapidly rise

The United Arab Emirates grants paid paternity leave for the private sector, a first in the Arab world and a move widely welcomed by locals and expats.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: UAE grants five-day paid paternity leave