Middle East Experience

CEO David Yaari said he hopes to increase trade between Arizona and Israel to $1 billion a year.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Arizona opens first Trade Office in Israel

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior announced new fines and penalties of up to 1 million riyals ($266,374), and up to 5 years in jail for violating coronavirus precautionary measures, official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Tuesday.The most serious violation fine is up to 1 million riyals ($266,374) for those who spread rumors or false information on social media or in person about the coronavirus. They could also face up to five years in jail. The minimum fine for this is 100,000 riyals ($26,637).Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.Deliberately transmitting the virus to others is considered to also be a serious violation. This could cost a person up to 500,000 riyals ($133,000) in fines and land them in jail for up to five years, in accordance with the Ministry of Interiors’ latest provisions, according to SPA.The Kingdom has implemented several measures to slow the spread of the deadly virus, including maintaining social distancing as well imposing partial and total lockdowns throughout the country. Authorities have also introduced a permit system for those wishing to go out for necessary reasons during curfew hours.Anyone caught using a permit not within the allowed travel route or timing, will be subjected to a minimum of close to $2,700 and up to $27,000 fine and/or jail time of up to one year, according to SPA. Meanwhile, anyone who helps a person obtain a permit when their work or circumstances do not require one will be subjected to the same amount in fines and penalties as well.Meanwhile, people or businesses not following precautionary measures will subjected to a minimum of 1,000 riyals ($266) and up to 100,000 riyals ($26,637) fine in addition to possible jail time or a business shut down for up to six months, SPA reported.Those who violate medical quarantine regulations will be fined up to 200,000 riyals ($53,274) and/or jail for up to two years.The Ministry of Interior also announced that if any violator is a resident in the Kingdom, they will be deported and banned from returning to Saudi Arabia, according to SPA.Read more:Saudi Arabia records 955 new daily coronavirus recoveries, death toll hits 200Saudi Arabia eases coronavirus restrictions for two weeks: 6 questions answeredSaudi Arabia ministerial decision to cut private sector salaries by 40 percent
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: 6,374 fine, 5 years jail for coronavirus measures violators in Saudi Arabia

Following a public dispute between Bashar Al-Assad and his businessman cousin Rami Makhlouf, the Guernica 37 human rights lawyers group have called for the arrest of Makhlouf for war crimes..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Human rights lawyers call for arrest of Assad’s cousin following reports he fled to UAE

The Donald Trump administration refused to disclose details of its talks with Saudi Arabia about possible cooperation on a civil nuclear program, according to a Government Accountability Office report released on Monday.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Intel: White House refuses to detail secretive Saudi nuclear talks to government watchdog

Iranian militia targets were bombed near Aleppo and in the Deir ez-Zor countryside.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Alleged Israeli strikes target northern, eastern Syria

The number of those in the youngest age group saying they sympathize more with the Palestinians tripled from 1997 to 2020, going from 10% to 30%.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Polling shows anti-Israel positions of youth fade in US with age

In January UNRWA launched a $1.4 billion appeal but to date has received just $586 million in pledges.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: UNRWA operating month to month under COVID-19, as funding crisis persists

Hoping to export test kits within months, Al Jazeera reports from inside an Iranian lab that is part of the international push for coronavirus solutions..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Iranian scientists ramp up efforts to improve COVID-19 tests

Jordan has given migrant workers a deadline to leave the country without being forced to pay fines as part of measures to prioritize Jordanian citizens in the labour market..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Jordan pressuring migrant workers to leave, says post-coronavirus jobs will be for ‘Jordanians first’

Dubai property developer Nakheel has slashed salaries by as much as 50 percent as it tries to weatherthe coronavirus crisis, according to an internal email seen by Reuters, and its chief executive resigned in March, a spokeswoman said.Dubai has faced a slowdown in its property sector for most of the previous decade as the global financial crisis and weak oil prices left the regional business hub oversupplied with homes and offices.Read the latest coronavirus updates in our dedicated section.“Due to the ongoing circumstances, we have reached the stage where it is time to implement some necessary measures to help us weather this storm, safeguard our staff and secure the continuity of our business,” state-owned Nakheel said in the email.Top management and other senior executives were told that wages would be halved from April 1, while less senior employees have had their salaries cut by between 30 percent and 40 percent.Staff earning 4,000 dirhams ($1,089) a month or less would not be affected, the email said.“The revised salary structure – which took effect on 1 April and varies depending on grade – has been implemented to help us weather this storm, safeguard our staff and secure the continuity of our business,” a spokeswoman told Reuters.The spokeswoman also said Chief Executive Sanjay Manchanda had stepped down on March 1 to pursue new opportunities and that a replacement would be announced at a later date.Nakheel in January announced the appointed of Mohammed al-Shaibani, chief executive of Dubai's state fund, as its new chairman.Nakheel, developer of the emirate's palm shaped islands, was one of the worst hit by Dubai’s 2009-2010 real estate crash, forcing it into a massive debt restructuring.Due to government restrictions aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus, Nakheel had to close nearly all outlets in its shopping centers for several weeks.Dubai last month eased a 24/7 emirate-wide lockdown back to 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. and allowed some businesses, such as shopping malls, to starting reopening at reduced capacity.The United Arab Emirates has reported 15,192 infections and 146 deaths.Read more:Dubai: Coronavirus health checks added in Nakheel Mall, Ibn Battuta Mall, Dragon MartCoronavirus: Dubai developer Nakheel pledges $62 million package for customers
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah developer Nakheel cuts salaries, CEO steps down