Middle East Experience

Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab rebuked central bank governor Riad Salameh on Friday, questioning his performance after a steep fall in the pound currency and calling on him to clearly explain to Lebanese where the policy was headed.Diab said the crisis-hit country had suffered $7 billion in additional losses since the start of the year and that liquidity in the banking system was running out, with $5.7 billion in Lebanese deposits exiting in January and February.Diab said it was urgent that an economic reform plan, a draft of which emerged earlier this month, be quickly passed to avert further crisis.Read also:Lebanese PM Hassan Diab: State can no longer protect citizensLebanese customers feel currency squeeze as dollar crisis worsensLandmark Lebanon hotel closes over economic crisis, coronavirus lockdown
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: As currency crisis deepens, Lebanon PM Diab rebukes central bank governor

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that there was currently “no evidence” that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second coronavirus infection.In a statement, the United Nations agency warned against issuing “immunity passports” or “risk-free certificates” to people who have been infected, saying the practice may actually increase the risk of spread as they may ignore standard advice.Visit our dedicated coronavirus site here for all the latest updates.Chile said last week it would begin handing out “health passports” to people deemed to have recovered from the illness.Once screened to determine if they have developed antibodies to make them immune to the virus, they could immediately rejoin the workforce.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: ‘No evidence’ recovered patients safe from second infection, says WHO

How a multi-million dollar takeover of English Premier League outfit Newcastle United can help forge a mutually beneficial relationship
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: Newcastle United fans ready to give new Saudi owners a royal welcome to Tyneside

Sebastian Coe, the head of London's successful 2012 Olympic bid, says that Expo 2020 Dubai may be improved as a result of its postponement
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: Expo 2020 Dubai to 'lead the charge' in post-coronavirus world, says IAAF President

Project to raise profiles of individuals and companies working to tackle pandemic
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: Arabian Business and Time Out launch 'The Hero Project' to recognise Covid-19 stars

While flights will only be departing from Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah and Dammam, those outside those areas will be given time to reach them
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: Covid-19: Expats seeking repatriation from Saudi Arabia can apply online

Iran is closely monitoring US troops in the region, but will never initiate any conflict or tension, President Hassan Rouhani said in a phone call with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani on Saturday.Rouhani congratulated the Qatari Emir on the advent of the holy month of Ramadan, according to the official IRNA news agency.“Iran is closely monitoring the movements of the Americans but will never initiate any conflict or tension in the region,” the agency reported Rouhani as saying to the Emir.Rouhani and Sheikh Tamim “assessed the relations and cooperation between Tehran and Doha as positive and growing, and emphasized the need to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries,” IRNA said.The Emir also congratulated the Iranian government and people on the advent of Ramadan and “stressed the need for all countries to work to prevent tensions in the region,” IRNA said.Read more: Rouhani urges Iran military to ‘remain vigilant’ amid US tensions in the GulfIranian satellite launch conducted for ‘military purposes’: US officialThe comments about conflict follow a statement by the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps on Thursday that Tehran would destroy US warships if its security is threatened in the Gulf. That came a day after US President Donald Trump warned Tehran over “harassment” of US vessels.Earlier in the week, Iran launched a military satellite using ballistic missile technology which Britain said was “of significant concern” and inconsistent with a United Nations Security Council resolution.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Iran ‘will never initiate any conflict or tension’: Rouhani

Saudi Arabia reported nine new deaths and 1,197 new cases of the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases in the Kingdom to 16,299, Ministry of Health spokesman said on Friday.The total number of virus-related deaths in the country reached 136, he added.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.A total of 115 cases are in a “critical condition” and are in the ICU, he added.As many as 166 people have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, making the total of recoveries 2215.As many as 364 cases were reported in Mecca while 271 were reported in Jeddah, 170 in Riyadh and 120 in Medina.The other cases were detected in several cities and provinces around the Kingdom.Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Health Tawfiq al-Rabiah said on Monday that the spike in the numbers of daily reported coronavirus cases this week is due to cases being detected by the expanded field testing programs.Medical teams have been conducting mass coronavirus screenings in neighborhoods across the Kingdom since Friday to ensure that cases are detected early.“Instead of waiting for someone to tell us that they have been infected and having to isolate all those who had direct contact with them, we go to the neighborhoods that we feel might have a lot of cases. We go to homes, we go to residential complexes so we can discover the cases before they come to us,” al-Rabiah said.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia reports nine deaths, 1,197 new cases

Until May 15, Etihad is operating a limited number of repatriation flights to help citizens return home
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: Etihad Airways to resume passenger flights on May 16

Bahrain reported 70 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,588, while the number of recovered patients stood at 1,160, according to the Ministry of Health.The ministry added that 51 expatriate workers were among the 70 new cases, with 19 of them getting the virus from direct contact with active cases.It added that as of Saturday, 47 patients recovered from the virus.On Thursday, the Kingdom announced another coronavirus death in a 36-year-old male expatriate, bringing its total death count to eight.Bahrain had recently ramped up testing for the COVID-19 virus, and it conducted more than 97,700 tests.Visit our dedicated coronavirus site here for all the latest updates.The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism has also clarified the government’s decision on Tuesday to extend the statewide closures until May 7.The following will continue to be closed: Cinemas, private sports centers, private swimming pools, special gaming rooms, Shisha (hookah) cafes, and salons.Read more:Bahrain turns car park into ICU for coronavirus patientsCoronavirus can stay in a patient’s eyes long after it leaves their nose
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Bahrain reports 70 new cases, total tally at 2,588