Middle East Experience

A series of such attacks is happening as the United States and Iraq discuss the future of the US military presence in the country.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Rockets hit Baghdad's Green Zone again

Iran’s US-sanctioned Mahan Air airline transferred “illicit cargo” to Syria using a civilian airliner with hundreds of passengers on board under slain commander Qassem Soleimani’s supervision, according to a Mahan Air pilot.Mahan Air pilot Amir Assadollahi told a website affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Thursday that he once flew a passenger plane carrying seven tons of “illicit cargo” to the Syrian capital Damascus in 2013 with Soleimani in the cockpit.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the appSoleimani, who headed the Quds Force – the overseas arms of the IRGC – was killed in a US airstrike at Baghdad’s international airport on January 3.The plane was carrying about 200 passengers, Assadollahi told an IRGC-affiliated website.The interview has since been deleted.While Assadollahi did not give details of the cargo he flew to Syria, Iran has previously exported weapons and military equipment to the country.Soleimani was the central figure in Iran’s support for the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad throughout the ongoing war in Syria. The IRGC dispatched thousands of Quds Force members to Syria to train and fight alongside the Syrian Armed Forces and al-Assad’s militias.Read more:With Soleimani dead, Iran militias in Iraq struggleIran unveils new Soleimani statue in his home province of KermanInside Assad’s palace: Rami Makhlouf, money, power and the future of SyriaMahan Air sanctionsThe US had imposed sanctions on Mahan Air in 2011 for its links to the IRGC and for smuggling weapons to Iran’s proxies in the Middle East’s war zones on behalf of the Quds Force.At the time, Iranian officials denied the allegations and strongly criticized the US for sanctioning the airline.In a statement at the time, Mahan Air denied it has any connections to the Iranian military, saying the US sanctions are part of America’s efforts to pressure Iran.Recently, Mahan Air has been accused of being a significant contributing factor to the spread of the coronavirus in Iran because it continued its flights to several cities in China, where the outbreak of the pandemic began, throughout February despite an official Iranian ban on flights to China being announced on January 31.Read more:US sanctions China-based company providing services to Iran’s Mahan AirIran’s Mahan Air contributed to spreading coronavirus in Middle East: InvestigationIran’s Mahan Air launches direct flights to Venezuela
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Iran’s Mahan Air took ‘illicit cargo’ to Syria with Soleimani: Pilot, deleted report

The UAE recorded 393 new coronavirus cases, which brings the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 44,145, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on Friday.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.The new cases were detected after over 38,000 COVID-19 tests were conducted across the country, according to WAM.Two people died of the virus on Friday, raising the total number of virus-related deaths in the UAE to 300.Meanwhile, the number of recoveries rose to 30,996 after 755 people recovered from the virus.Also read: Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi Crown Prince sends jet to reunite Syrian parents with childrenThe rate of infection has been “considerably” falling in the country in the last three weeks, the Head of Dubai’s COVID-19 Command and Control Centre Dr. Amer Ahmad Sharif said on Tuesday.Dubai has been gardually easing its coronavirus restrictions, which are aimed at allowing economic and social life to return to normal. Gyms, fitness centers, malls, and swimming pools have been allowed to operate at full capacity.The government has also issued a list of countries that UAE residents and citizens will be allowed to travel to staring from June 23.Read more:Coronavirus: Countries UAE citizens, residents can travel to starting from June 23Coronavirus: Dubai fitness centers, gyms can operate at 100 pct capacity
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: UAE reports 393 new cases, 755 new recoveries

The total number of confirmed cases of the deadly coronavirus in Saudi Arabia surpassed 150,000 after the Kingdom recorded 4,301 new infections, the Ministry of Health announced on Friday.The country now has 150,292 confirmed cases of COVID-19.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.The majority of the cases were recorded in the capital Riyadh, where health officials detected 1,091 new infections in the last 24 hours. Hafuf recorded the second highest daily reported number of cases, with 430 infections having been detected in the area.The other new cases were recorded in cities and provinces around the Kingdom.Forty-five people died of the coronavirus on Friday, which brings the total number of virus-related deaths in the country to 1,184.Meanwhile, the number of recoveries rose to 95,764 after 1,849 people recovered from the disease.Return to normalcy Returning to normalcy does not mean that the pandemic is over, health ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Abd al-Ali said on Thursday.“The virus is still there, the virus is active, the pandemic is still there, and there is still no vaccine. Research is ongoing, and we are hopeful. Treatment protocols are constantly being updated,” he said.“A return to normalcy is now possible, but must be done with caution,” al-Abd al-Ali added.Earlier this month, the health ministry spokesman had said that the number of active coronavirus cases and the virus-related death toll in Saudi Arabia is rising because several members of the public continue to ignore preventative measures.He urged citizens and residents to continue to adhere to precautionary measures.Read more:Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia to resume domestic tourism starting from June 21Coronavirus: Resuming international flights to, from Saudi Arabia under review
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia surpass 150,000 after 4,301 new cases detected

Selling the plasma of COVID-19 survivors has become a profitable illegal business, after the minister of health announced that using survivor plasma to treat coronavirus patients has proven effective.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Egypt's lucrative blood plasma black market

Mosques in Saudi Arabia’s Mecca are preparing to reopen their doors on June 21 after the coronavirus pandemic forced them to halt prayers for three months, state television channel al-Ekhbariya reported on Friday.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.More than 1,500 mosques will be allowed to reopen in the city if they follow preventative health measures against COVID-19, according to state television.Individuals will have to bring their own prayer mats and maintain social distancing during prayers.Ahead of the reopening, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs hired agencies to sterilize the inside of the buildings completely and accepted dozens of volunteers who will work to implement precautionary measures inside the city’s mosques.Mosques across the Kingdom, except in Mecca, have been allowed to welcome believers since the end of May. The interior ministry had later issued a statement saying that it would be suspending all prayers in all mosques in the city of Jeddah from June 6 until June 20 as part of efforts to curb the coronavirus pandemic in the country.The Kingdom has so far reported 150,292 confirmed cases of COVID-19.Read more:Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia to resume domestic tourism starting from June 21Coronavirus cases, deaths in Saudi will keep rising if people ignore rules: Ministry
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Mosques in Saudi Arabia’s Mecca set to reopen on June 21

Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have been discussing Ethiopia's planned filling of its dam on the Blue Nile River all month, but an agreement has yet to be reached.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Egypt says dam negotiations with Ethiopia make 'little progress'

The criminal complaint accuses nine high-ranking Syrian officials of various sexual and gender-based crimes.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Syrian torture victims file complaint in Germany over prison sex abuse

Amid a drop in global oil prices, even relief from US sanctions may not be enough to save Iran's collapsing economy.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Iran's economy in desperate need of solutions

In a recent divorce case, the rabbinical court was faced with the argument a wife opened a tinder dating profile and was ergo unfaithful, they rejected it.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Rabbis decide: Having a Tinder account does not mean infidelity