Middle East Experience

Bahraini authorities have been criticised after abruptly intervening to stop an anti-Israel normalisation discussion online, amid warming ties between the Gulf state and Israel..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Bahrain abruptly intervenes to halt pro-Palestine discussion on Israel normalisation

Ex-justice Dorner: We need set rules of the game
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: The intersectionality of politics, the court, public opinion - analysis

The World Health Organization has suspended its staff activity in certain areas throughout Houthi-controlled territory.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Intel: WHO suspends Yemen staff activity over 'credible threats' in Houthi-held territory

Finance Ministry aims to reopen restaurants, cafés next week * Cabinet approves reduced restrictions: outdoor workout parks open, Israelis returning to Israel can enter home-isolation
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Middle schools in Israel set to open on May 17

Kuwait, which enjoys friendly relations with Qatar, has been seen likely leader of any future negotiations with other GCC states, notably Saudi Arabia..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Kuwaiti FM meets Qatar leader as Saudi Arabia faces pressure to end blockade

On Monday, Saudi Arabia announced it would be tripling its value added tax (VAT) rate to 15 percent from July 1, up from 5 percent.The move comes as the Kingdom also laid out an enormous cost-cutting program to help maintain long-term financial stability in the face of the unprecendented economic fallout of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.In an interview on Monday, Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan noted that these steps were being taken to protect the jobs and health care of the Saudi Arabian people.“These are the priorities: the health care of people and the livelihood of people, and we want to make sure that we maintain our fiscal strength so that as the economy gets out of the lockdown, we are able to support the economy,” al-Jadaan told Bloomberg in a telephone interview.For all the latest coronavirus news visit our dedicated page.The Kingdom’s new VAT rate of 15 percent is still comparatively low compared to most developed economies.Data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a group of major economies, shows the average VAT rate across members who had the tax in place stood at 19.3 percent.Meanwhile, in Europe the average is even higher, with VAT across OECD member states averaging 21.4 percent.VAT rates: ComparedHere’s the VAT rate of all countries in the OECD with VAT compared to Saudi Arabia:1. Hungary: 27 percent2. Denmark: 25 percent3. Norway: 25 percent4. Sweden: 25 percent5. Finland: 24 percent6. Greece: 24 percent7. Iceland: 24 percent8. Ireland: 23 percent9. Poland: 23 percent10. Portugal: 23 percent11. Italy: 22 percent12. Slovenia: 22 percent13. Europe average: 21.4 percent14. Belgium: 21 percent15. Czech Republic: 21 percent16. Latvia: 21 percent17. Lithuania: 21 percent18. Netherlands: 21 percent19. Spain: 21 percent20. Austria: 20 percent21. Estonia : 20 percent22. France: 20 percent23. Slovak Republic: 20 percent24. United Kingdom: 20 percent25. OECD average: 19.3 percent26. Chile: 19 percent27. Germany: 19 percent28. Turkey: 18 percent29. Israel: 17 percent30. Luxembourg: 17 percent31. Mexico: 16 percent32. New Zealand: 15 percent33. Saudi Arabia: 15 percent34. Australia: 10 percent35. South Korea: 10 percent36. Japan: 8 percent37. Switzerland: 7.7 percent38. Canada 5 percentSource: OECD Tax DatabaseNot all countries in the world impose VAT. Many, such as the US, opt to use a sales tax instead. While VAT is collected by all sellers in every stage of a supply chain, sales tax is only collected by the retailer when a product has reached the end of the supply chain, with end consumers footing the bill.Read more:Jobs, health priority in coronavirus spending cuts, VAT hike: Saudi Finance MinisterCoronavirus: UAE has no plans to increase VAT, says Ministry of FinanceCoronavirus: Saudi Arabia’s $26 bln spending cuts scale back Vision 2030, triples VAT
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi VAT: New coronavirus tax rate one of the lowest among advanced economies

The number of coronavirus cases in the UAE continues to grow as 783 new infections and two virus-related deaths were reported on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health announced.This brings the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 19,661 and the virus-related death toll to 203.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.The new cases are of people of different nationalities who are currently all stable, Emirates News Agency (WAM) cited the ministry as saying.Two residents died of complications due to the virus, the ministry added.Also read: Coronavirus: Impact of outbreak will be same as a third world war, says UAE ministryCases in the UAE have been on the rise in the past few days after restrictions were loosened at the start of the holy month of Ramadan.Health ministry spokeswoman Dr. Farida al-Hosani urged the public to adhere to precautionary measures despite the fact that malls and restaurants were allowed to reopen.“Dr. Al Hosani: While the restrictions on public movement during the holy month of Ramadan have been partially reduced, we remind the public to continue to follow the social and health guidelines specified by,” the UAE’s Government Communication Office tweeted on Monday.The new infections were detected during the UAE’s intensified testing programs launched across the country to help contain the outbreak, according to the ministry.Over 32,000 tests were conducted on Tuesday on different members of the public, including individuals who have had direct contact with previously infected individuals.Read more:Coronavirus: UAE’s Mohammed bin Zayed calls for end of ‘culture of excess’Coronavirus: UAE studies converting government buildings into medical facilities
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: UAE records 783 new infections, two deaths as cases continue to rise

Islam’s holiest site is being cleaned and perfumed, despite being virtually empty due to measures taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques in Saudi Arabia.Incense and bukhoor are being used on the Holy Kaaba and its black stone, according to the presidency, which tweeted pictures of the process.Prayer halls in the Grand Mosque are also being perfumed with bukhoor around the clock, while the black stone is rubbed with oud five times each day.Oud, known in English as agarwood, originates from the barks of trees that only grow in parts of South East Asia.For thousands of years, it has been used in the Middle East and Asia in the form of wooden incense chips, body oils, and fragrances, and has become synonymous with hospitality in the Arabian Peninsula.As of Monday, coronavirus has killed 255 people in Saudi Arabia and infected more than 40,000.The presidency also set up self-sterilization gates at the entrance of Mecca’s Grand Mosque as part of measures to curb the outbreak.The President of the Two Holy Mosque affairs, Sheikh Abdul Rahman al-Sudais, also used “Ozone tech” last week to sterilize the Kaaba.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Islam’s Holy Kaaba, black stone cleaned, perfumed five times a day

The number of coronavirus cases in Kuwait surpassed 10,000 after 991 new infections were reported, the Ministry of Health announced.The total number of cases in Kuwait reached 10,277. Ten new deaths were also reported, bringing the virus-related death toll to 75.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.Some of the newly reported cases are of people who had direct contact with previously infected individuals, the ministry said.Meanwhile, 194 people recovered from the virus in the last 24 hours. This brings the number of recoveries in Kuwait to 3,101.Kuwait on Sunday began its 24-hour nationwide curfew to curb the coronavirus outbreak. The ministry urged citizens and residents to adhere to precautionary measures to contain the spread of the virus.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Cases in Kuwait surpass 10,000 after 991 new infections reported

Saudi Arabia reported1,911 new coronavirus cases and nine new deaths, bringing the total number of cases in the Kingdom to 42,925 and the virus-related death toll to 264.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.Non-Saudi residents made up 69 percent of the new cases, while Saudi citizens made up 31 percent of infections, health ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Abd al-Ali said.Out of the newly detected cases, males made up 82 percent of cases and females made up 18 percent, he added.Also read: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia imposes 24-hour lockdown on Jizan’s Baish governorate Nine people died of the virus, including two Saudi citizens and seven non-Saudis in Mecca, Jeddah, and Wadi ad-Dawasir in Najd, al-Abd al-Ali said.They were between 29 and 64 years old, and most of them suffered from chronic illnesses, he added.Al-Abd al-Ali urged citizens and residents to adhere to precautionary measures, including maintaining social distancing between each individuals. Dozens of people were infected after they attended wedding parties, funerals, and family gatherings, he said. Four families were also infected with the deadly coronavirus after they got together for a Ramadan iftar gathering, with one family then infected other individuals in a different province. Meanwhile, 15,257 recoveries have been reported in the Kingdom.Read more:Coronavirus: Impact of outbreak will be same as a third world war, says UAE ministryCoronavirus ‘end date’ in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar predicted by Singapore researchers
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia reports 1,911 new cases, 69 pct in non-Saudi residents