Middle East Experience

A BBC war reporter is warning that there could be serious ramifications for Yemen and Afghanistan in the fight against Covid-19..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: World's poorest nations face 'summer of violence and virus', report warns

Kuwait reported 551 new coronavirus cases and four COVID19 deaths, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 44,942 and the virus-related death toll to 348, the Ministry of Health announced on Sunday.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.Out of the newly reported cases, 341 were found in Kuwaiti citizens and 210 were found in non-Kuwaiti expatriates.Meanwhile, the number of recoveries in th country rose to 35,494 after 908 people recovered from the coronavirus.Currently, a total of 9,100 people are being treated for COVID-19.Kuwait began reducing its nationwide curfew hours, and the lockdown will now be in place from 7 p.m. local time and last until 5 a.m. each day.Read more:Kuwait reduces coronavirus curfew hours starting June 21, lifts lockdown on districtsCoronavirus: Oman records 1,197 new cases, majority in Omani citizens
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Kuwait reports 551 new cases, four COVID-19 deaths in 24 hours

Traces of coronavirus have been detected in wastewater collected in Barcelona, Spain from March 2019, nearly a year earlier than when the first official case was recorded in Europe, research published by the University of Barcelona revealed Friday.The timeline of COVID-19, which was originally to have thought to have begun spreading in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, has been challenged by a wave of recent scientific studies suggesting that the virus began spreading much earlier.“Barcelona receives many visitors for both tourist and professional reasons and it is possible for a similar situation to have taken place in other parts of the world, and since most of the COVID-19 cases show a similar symptomatology to the flu, those cases could have been disguised as an undiagnosed flu,” Albert Bosch, a biology professor at the University of Barcelona and researcher in the study said in a statement on the university’s website.The researchers examined wastewater from two large treatment facilities in Barcelona as part of a study into whether using wastewater surveillance could help anticipate the spread of pathogens much earlier.The coronavirus was also detected in water from January 15, over 40 days earlier than the announcement of the first Spanish case of coronavirus on February 25.Considering the high number of carriers of coronavirus that show very mild symptoms, or are entirely asymptomatic, using wastewater to detect cases could be of use, the researchers said.“Those infected with COVID-19 could have been diagnosed with flu in primary care by mistake, contributing to the community transmission before the public health took measures,” Bosch said.“In the specific case of Barcelona, having detected the SARS-CoV-2 spread a month before could have improved the response to the pandemic,” he added.The study has been submitted for peer review. If approved, it may add to other evidence that the coronavirus spread for much longer and much earlier than the scientific community previously suspected.Earlier this month, scientists in Italy found traces of COVID-19 in wastewater collected from northern Italy in December 2019. Meanwhile a study in May by French scientists found a man infected with the coronavirus as early as December 27, nearly a month before France confirmed its first official case.Read more:Coronavirus cases surpass 10 mln worldwide: AFP tallyBill Gates says US coronavirus response ‘embarrassing,’ outlook ‘more bleak’Coronavirus: COVID-19 may be causing diabetes, research says
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus found in sewage water from March 2019 in Spain, COVID-19 research shows

Careem, a unit of Uber Technologies, expects ride-hailing demand to recover to pre-pandemic levels “sometime” in 2021, encouraged by a better-than-expected pickup as countries started to ease coronavirus-related curbs.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.“It’s been a tough couple of months,” Careem Chief Executive Mudassir Sheikha told Reuters on Sunday.“It’s really anyone’s guess. We have planned for a recovery (in ride-hailing) sometime next year but ... the recovery has begun and the recovery has been faster already than our initial projections.”The company, which primarily operates in the Middle East, has seen its overall business, which also includes delivery services such as take-away food, recover at an almost double-digit rate week-on-week over the past two months as countries eased restrictions, he said.“I’m actually quite bullish on the rest of the year and the next few years as a result of some of the restrictions that were put on our movement and the growth it led to in the adoption of digital platforms.”Dubai-headquartered Careem will fast-track plans to add more features to its ‘Super App’ that has expanded to also include some payment services.It announced on Sunday it had signed a multi-year agreement with Visa that will see Visa push payment services become available through the app.Careem, which was bought by Uber last year for $3.1 billion, shed nearly a third of its workforce as a result of the pandemic, laying off 536 staff.“We did a lot of things in our business in the last three months that now position us well for any future disruptions were they to come,” Sheikha said.Read more:Uber’s Middle East business Careem cuts 31 pct of workforceCoronavirus: Saudi nationals driving for Uber, Careem, to get three-months salary
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Uber’s Middle East Careem says ride-hailing demand to recover next year

Saudi Arabia detected 3,989 new coronavirus cases, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the Kingdom to 182,493, the Ministry of Health announced on Sunday.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.Four people died due to complications caused by COVID-19 after they were being treated for the virus, the ministry said. This brings the virus-related death toll in the country to 1,551.“We can notice that when it comes to critical cases, we are recording numbers between 2,000 and 2,500, which are high numbers but they seem to stabilizing now,” health ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Abd al-Ali said on Sunday.“We can notice in June, and specifically from mid-June, we have been recording a rate of infection between 1 and approximately 1.5. This rate coincides with our adherence to precautionary measures or lack of adherence. We remind you that experts advise country’s to keep the 1 so that infections are lower and spread slower. Currently, we notice in the last few days a slight increase, which requires us to be careful,” he added. Al-Abd al-Ali urged the public to follow preventative measures, such as social distancing and wearing a mask at all times, to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.Most of the cases in Saudi Arabia are caused by people who failed to follow precautionary measures and spread the infection to others, he added. Meanwhile, the number of recoveries in the Kingdom rose to 124,755 after 2,627 people recovered from the coronavirus.Out of the newly reported cases, 487 were detected in Hufof, 389 in Riyadh, and 320 in Damman. The other new infections were recorded in cities and provinces across Saudi Arabia.Read more:Coronavirus: New COVID-19 drug developed by Saudi Arabian company, US partnersSaudi Arabia’s coronavirus social distancing app ‘Tabaud’: All you need to know
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia detects 3,989 new cases as infection rate rises slightly

As Egypt begins to gradually lift restrictions imposed to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the country’s top film festivals are preparing to hold their events in the coming months while taking the necessary precautionary measures.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Egypt’s top film festivals gearing up to open as scheduled

The UAE detected 437 new coronavirus cases and two COVID19 deaths, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 47,797 and the death toll to 313, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on Sunday.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.The new cases were confirmed after health officials conducted over 58,000 COVID-19 tests across the country.Meanwhile, the number of recoveries in the UAE rose to 36,411 after 577 people recovered from the virus.Last week, the UAE announced the completion of its national disinfection program and the lifting of the curfew acorss the country.However, the ban on entering Abu Dhabi is still in place, but residents are free to move within the emirate’s borders.Read more:Coronavirus in UAE: Abu Dhabi set to reopen gyms, sport centers on July 1Coronavirus: UAE lifts curfew, ends national COVID-19 sanitation drive
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: UAE detects 437 new COVID-19 cases, two deaths

A Turkish soldier has died in clashes with PKK rebels in northern Iraq..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Turkish soldier dies in clashes with Kurdish rebels

Nine have been killed in air strikes targeting positions of Iranian-backed militias..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: 9 Iran-backed fighters killed in 2nd raid in Syria in 24 hours: monitor

The Dubai Ruler is known for his surprise visits around Dubai. Last week, he visited the DMCC Coffee Centre and a fish farm in Jebel Ali..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Sheikh Mohammed visits vegetable market; video goes viral