Middle East Experience

Lebanese security forces cleared away a protest camp in central Beirut on Saturday and reopened roads blocked by demonstrators since protests against the governing elite started in October..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Lebanese police remove Beirut protest camp

Opposition leader cites the coronavirus epidemic as the reason for his decision to pursue a unity government..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Gantz angers supporters as Israel moves towards unity government

Qatar confirms its first death due to the coronavirus on Saturday and 28 new cases of the virus in the country, raising the total number of infections to 588 after two patients recovered from the virus, state-run Qatar News Agency reports citing the Ministry of Public Health.“The Ministry of Public Health states that the two recovery cases belong to Qatari citizens, bringing the total recovery cases from the (COVID-19) virus to 45 cases, and that the death case was a result of the virus in a resident from the People's Republic of Bangladesh who was 57-years-old and was suffering from chronic diseases,” QNA said in a tweet.Qatar closed all non-vital businesses on Friday until further notice as part of the country’s efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus, according to a government spokesperson, adding that vital sectors like supermarkets and pharmacies will remain open.Read more:Coronavirus: Qatar to close all ‘unnecessary business’ stores starting March 27Coronavirus: Qatar will shut money exchange and transfer services from March 26Qatar Airways to provide free flights to transport global medical aid to Iran: CEO
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Qatar records first death due to coronavirus, 28 new cases

An end to protest encampments in Lebanon and Palestine, free consultations from Iraqi doctors, and Iran's death toll rises above 2,500 in today's coronavirus roundup..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: The Middle East at war with coronavirus: Top stories from 28 March

Saudi Arabia is working with Britain and the US to fly citizens home..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Britain, US working with Saudi Arabia to fly their citizens home

The Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi militia in Yemen at 11:23 p.m. local time on Saturday toward civilian targets in the cities of Riyadh and Jazan, the Arab Coalition confirms in a statement.Arab Coalition Spokesperson Colonel Al-Maliki said that the two ballistic missiles were launched toward the cities of Riyadh and Jazan, and that there were no deaths or injuries reported as a result of the attack.“The launching of ballistic missiles by the terrorist Houthi militia and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards at this time reflects the real threat to this terrorist militia and the Iranian regime supporting it, as this barbaric attack does not target the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its citizens and residents on its lands, but rather targets the world’s unity and its solidarity, especially in these difficult time,” al-Maliki said in a statement.Two civilians were slightly injured by falling debris from an intercepted missile as it exploded in mid-air over residential districts in Riyadh, a spokesperson for Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense confirmed in a statement.The strikes are the latest Houthi attack against Saudi Arabia, following sporadic missile attacks on various Saudi Arabian locations including Abha airport. The Iran-backed Houthi militia is fighting against the UN-recognized government, backed by Saudi Arabia and the Arab Coalition, for control of Yemen. Southern separatists are also a major faction in the conflict, which has killed over 100,000 people since the Houthis swept south and took control of vast swaths of Yemen including the capital Sanaa in 2015.Read more:Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia extends all flight suspensions and working from homeTimeline: Here are all the measures taken by Saudi Arabia to combat the coronavirusCoronavirus: Saudi Arabia confirms 99 new cases, death toll reaches 4 ‘Loud explosions’“Loud explosions were heard across the northern areas of Riyadh and sources confirmed it was after two ballistic missiles were intercepted and destroyed,” Al Arabiya’s correspondent in Riyadh Abdulrahman al-Osaimi said moments after the attack took place.Residents and citizens in the northern districts of Riyadh reported hearing three loud explosions around 11:20 pm local time.The attacks come more than a day after the Arab Coalition had intercepted and destroyed drones launched by the Houthi militia targeting the Saudi Arabian cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait.Saudi Arabia has faced repeated attacks in recent years from drones and missiles fired by the Houthi militia from the Kingdom’s southern border with Yemen.Earlier this year, Saudi Arabian Military Industries said it was working on developing a new counter-drone system to protect the Kingdom's vital infrastructure and military bases.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Houthi ballistic missiles intercepted above Riyadh, Jazan: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia extends the suspension of all domestic and international flights and workplace attendance until further notice, the Saudi Press Agency reports citing the Kingdom’s interior ministry.The Kingdom’s interior ministry said it would be extending suspension of workplace attendance in all government agencies, except for those under the exempted sectors. Across the private sector, all workplace attendance has been suspended until further notice as well.Internal travel within the Kingdom, including flights, bus, taxi and train activity, has also been suspended indefinitely.Read more: Houthi ballistic missiles intercepted above Riyadh, Jazan: Saudi ArabiaInitially, Saudi Arabia said on March 15 that the suspension of all international flights was meant to last for two weeks.Saudi Arabia has taken several measures to combat the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus since the outbreak of the disease first began earlier this year, with only three deaths being recorded so far.Part of the measures taken by the Kingdom includes suspending the seasonal minor Umrah pilgrimage for national and foreign worshippers to introducing a lockdown of the country and establishing a partial curfew to slow the spread of the coronavirus.Read more:Timeline: Here are all the measures taken by Saudi Arabia to combat the coronavirusCoronavirus in Saudi Arabia: The latest facts about what is closed and bannedSomething is rotten in the Islamic Republic: Iran’s sinister coronavirus cover-up
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia extends all flight suspensions and working from home

The European Union, which has been under fire by Palestinian organizations for an "anti-terror" clause in its general grant contracts, launched talks with the NGOs to clarify stance and get them to sign pending contracts.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Why EU funds to Palestinian NGOs became a victim of misinformation

Residents in Saudi Arabia are banned from entering or exiting the Jeddah governorate as of Sunday in an effort to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus, according to a statement from the Ministry of Interior.A recently imposed curfew will also begin at 3 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. in the governorate, said the statement from the ministry on Twitter.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.The measures are the latest restrictions on movement in Saudi Arabia amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. King Salman bin Abdulaziz approved measures last week that banned residents in the Kingdom from traveling between its 13 provinces. Riyadh, Mecca and Medina were also placed on lockdown as of Thursday, and curfew times were brought forward to also begin at 3 p.m. instead of 7 p.m.Read more: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman orders lockdown in Riyadh, Mecca, MedinaThe curfew exemptions still apply to those in vital public and private sectors such as security, military and media, according to SPA. Those who work in health services are also excluded from the curfew.Saudi Arabia shuts down for coronavirusSaudi Arabia has taken several measures to combat the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus since the outbreak of the disease first began earlier this year, with only three deaths being recorded so far.Malls and parks were shut down earlier this month in an effort to slow the spread of the deadly virus, and restaurants and cafes have been banned from serving food and beverages on their premises.Employees at most government agencies have been told to work from home for a period of 16 days, excluding the health, security, and military sectors.Read more: Timeline: Here are all the measures taken by Saudi Arabia to combat the coronavirus Coronavirus in Saudi Arabia: The latest facts about what is closed and banned Houthi ballistic missiles intercepted above Riyadh, Jazan: Saudi Arabia
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia orders Jeddah lockdown, enforces earlier curfew

Saudi authorities have seized more than five million medical masks that were illegally stockpiled amid the coronavirus outbreak, state media reported on Sunday.The commerce ministry seized 1.17 million masks from a private store in Hail, northwest of the capital, after authorities Wednesday confiscated more than four million masks stored in a facility in the western city of Jeddah in violation of commercial regulations, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.The ministry said people behind such activities would be prosecuted, and that the confiscated masks would be redistributed to the open market.Read more: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia orders Jeddah lockdown, enforces earlier curfewTimeline: Here are all the measures taken by Saudi Arabia to combat the coronavirusCoronavirus: Saudi Arabia extends all flight suspensions and working from homePharmacies in the Kingdom have reported shortages of masks amid panic buying, as authorities warned against prices hikes.Saudi Arabia is scrambling to limit the spread of the deadly disease at home.The Kingdom’s health ministry has reported more than 1,200 COVID-19 infections and four deaths so far, the highest number of cases in the Gulf region.It has imposed a nationwide partial curfew, barred entry and exit from Riyadh as well as Islam’s two holiest cities Mecca and Medina and prohibited movement between all provinces.King Salman warned last week of a “more difficult” fight ahead against the virus, as the Kingdom faces the economic double blow of virus-led shutdowns and crashing oil prices.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia seizes 5 million face masks from illegal hoarders