https://www.middleeastmonitor.com Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa Tue, 08 Aug 2023 13:42:37 +0000 en-GB Middle East Monitor 30 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&quality=85&strip=all&zoom=1&ssl=1 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com 32 32 116394717 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230724-man-tests-positive-for-mers-in-abu-dhabi-near-oman-border-who/ Mon, 24 Jul 2023 20:06:01 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=654901 A 28-year-old man has tested positive for the potentially fatal Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in a city in Abu Dhabi on the border with Oman, the World Health Organisation said on Monday, Reuters reports. The man in the city of Al Ain was admitted to hospital last month, the WHO said in a statement. Health officials had checked 108 people that he was in contact with, but no secondary infections had turned up so far, it added. The WHO said there were no signs the man had come into contact with dromedary camels, which spread the disease that is separate from COVID-19. It gave no more details on his current condition. The United Arab Emirates' Health Ministry did […]]]> 654901 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230620-save-us-a-plea-ignored-by-governments/ Tue, 20 Jun 2023 14:15:46 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=645969 What is it that drives Egyptians to migrate across the sea? "Young people need to live and eat, or else they'll leave you and flee across the sea," President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi said last week, summarising the principal reason behind the increasing illegal migration. A significant decline in services, difficulties in securing a decent life, soaring prices, the struggle to afford food and drink, and a marked increase in poverty rates were all factors in what happened just hours after Al-Sisi's remarks. It was a horrifying incident, the worst in years, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency. A fishing vessel sank off the Greek coast, with approximately 750 migrants of various nationalities onboard, most notably Egyptians and Syrians. Days before Al-Sisi's […]]]> 645969 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230523-oic-head-vows-efforts-for-muslim-countries-economic-recovery-will-continue/ Tue, 23 May 2023 13:56:47 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=638974 Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General, Hissein Brahim Taha, vowed on Tuesday that the bloc's efforts for the economic recovery and development of Muslim countries will continue, Anadolu News Agency reports. Taha was speaking at the 39th meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the OIC (COMCEC), which kicked off in the Turkish capital, Ankara. The official also conveyed his condolences to the victims of the 6 February twin earthquakes centred in Turkiye's southern Kahramanmaras province. Stating that COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying measures caused an unprecedented slowdown in economic activities on a global scale, Taha said: "In mid-2022, the world started to take the pandemic under control. However, global economic growth weakened due to the […]]]> 638974 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230505-covid-19-global-health-emergency-is-over-who/ Fri, 05 May 2023 17:02:12 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=633979 The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday announced the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a global health emergency, Anadolu News Agency reports. "Yesterday, the Emergency Committee met for the 15th time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice," WHO head, Tedros Ghebreyesus, told a press briefing. "It is, therefore, with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency," Ghebreyesus said. However, that does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat, he said and added that last week the virus claimed "a life every three minutes – and that's just the deaths we know about." "This virus is here […]]]> 633979 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230227-after-turkiyes-earthquake-a-grave-mental-health-toll-looms/ Mon, 27 Feb 2023 16:44:58 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=618412 It has been three weeks since Tugce Seren Gul's aunt and grandmother were killed in Antakya, when a devastating earthquake struck Turkiye's south-east. And, yet every night, she waits until 4.17 am in the morning, the exact time that the disaster hit, to try to go to sleep, Reuters reports. "I keep thinking another disaster will strike at that time and just wait for it to pass," said Gul, 28, who managed to run out of her family house with her mother, moments before the walls of her house collapsed during the tremors. After reaching the street barefoot, Gul saw the dead bodies of neighbours killed by falling concrete. She remembers the screams of people trapped in collapsed buildings. Gul […]]]> 618412 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230208-egyptairs-losses-reach-900m-minister/ Wed, 08 Feb 2023 09:17:27 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=613123 Egypt's national airline, EgyptAir, incurred losses of about 30 billion Egyptian pounds ($990 million) until 30 June 2022 due to the devaluation of the Egyptian pound, in addition to the increase in jet fuel prices, the minister of aviation said on Monday. Mohamed Abbas Helmi added that in 2021, EgyptAir obtained a loan of five billion Egyptian pounds (170 million) to pay the salaries of its employees, noting that a large part of the current losses were carried forward from previous years. He added that EgyptAir suffered from a period of instability between 2011 and 2014 due to the events that took place in the country. During that period, around 4,000 workers, including seasonal workers, were hired, bringing the total […]]]> 613123 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230202-tunisians-struggle-with-prices-and-shortages-as-economy-worsens/ Thu, 02 Feb 2023 16:07:21 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=611579 Tunisian street cleaner, Lassad Mejri, says life has grown so tough for his family because of the country's dire economy that they prepare just one meal a day, but as government finances falter, there may be worse to come, Reuters reports.   Like many Tunisians Mejri, 57, and his wife, Elgeya, had already been struggling to cope with basic living costs before recent years brought the COVID-19 pandemic, rising global inflation and a crisis in state finances. "People are no longer happy and cannot even laugh. Everything is difficult. If you laugh now, you feel bad," said Mejri, who lives in the town of Tebourba, 30km (18 miles) west of the capital, Tunis. Mejri, his wife, and their son used […]]]> 611579 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230131-egypts-new-imf-deal-leaves-economic-rights-of-millions-unprotected/ Tue, 31 Jan 2023 11:02:45 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=611084 The International Monetary Fund's new loan agreement with Egypt leaves the economic rights of millions unprotected, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and DAWN have said. The $3 billion loan is the fourth Egypt has received from the IMF since 2016 as the government grapples with surging inflation, soaring food prices and a high debt to GDP ratio. It has been approved to help the Egyptian government meet its budget and balance of payments as the economy falls apart and goes some way towards addressing the opaque role of the military in the economy and inadequate social protection. But the two human rights watchdogs say that several provisions in the loan, such as austerity and the sale of state assets, risk harming […]]]> 611084 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230110-hajj-2023-no-limit-on-pilgrims/ Tue, 10 Jan 2023 13:01:26 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=605179 READ: Saudi Arabia to allow 1m Hajj pilgrims as COVID restrictions are eased]]> 605179 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230109-saudi-arabia-to-host-pre-pandemic-numbers-for-2023-haj-pilgrimage-season/ Mon, 09 Jan 2023 19:56:41 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=604679 Saudi Arabia will remove COVID-19 restrictions for the 2023 Haj season and host pre-pandemic numbers of pilgrims, the Kingdom's Ministry of Haj and Umrah said on Monday, Reuters reports. In 2019, the last year before the pandemic struck, some 2.6 million people performed the Haj. The Kingdom allowed only limited numbers from its residents in 2020 and 2021 before it welcomed back one million foreign pilgrims in 2022. The Ministry of Haj said in a Tweet that the Kingdom, home to Islam's holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, will impose no restrictions, including age limits, for this season. Access was restricted in 2022 to pilgrims aged 18 to 65 who have been fully vaccinated or immunised against the coronavirus and […]]]> 604679 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230105-middle-east-2022-energy-perspective-3-3/ Thu, 05 Jan 2023 11:30:36 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=603806 In 2022, the biggest energy issue in the Middle East was Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil cut as the world economy entered into a period of 'heightened uncertainty and rising challenges'. In October, OPEC cut its 2022 forecast for growth in world oil demand for a fourth time since April and also trimmed next year's figure, citing slowing economies, the resurgence of China's COVID-19 containment measures and high inflation. On the other hand, Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has become a factor that increases the importance of the Middle East in terms of regional and global energy policies. Especially in the European-centred energy crisis that started with Russia's intervention in Ukraine, energy resources in the Middle East […]]]> 603806 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221027-first-repatriation-buses-take-off-wednesday-morning-for-syria/ Thu, 27 Oct 2022 11:17:14 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=589749 Several buses of Syrian refugee families were repatriated Wednesday morning from different areas in Lebanon, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reports. According to the NNA, the intelligence branch of Lebanon's Internal Security Forces (ISF) accompanied a bus Wednesday morning from Nabatieh to the General Security branch at the Masnaa border crossing on the Lebanese-Syrian border in the Bekaa Valley. Caretaker Social Affairs Minister, Hector Hajjar, told that the majority of the returnees from Arsal, a town in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, are going back to the Qalamoun, a region bordering the border with Lebanon, on the Syrian slopes of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains, report added. "Those whose houses there were destroyed have their tents to live in," Hajjar said. READ: Human […]]]> 589749 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221013-palestinian-factions-agree-to-end-division-through-elections/ Thu, 13 Oct 2022 15:46:42 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=586178 Rival Palestinian factions today agreed to resolve 15 years of discord through elections that will be held within a year, a Palestinian and an Algerian official said, according to Reuters. This came as the factions met in Algeria to discuss ways in which to overcome the Palestinian division. However, there was scepticism back home that they would deliver any concrete changes after previous such promises of elections failed to materialise. The leaders of 14 factions, including President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement and Hamas, held two days of talks in the run-up to an Arab summit in Algiers next month. Under the agreement, to be formally announced later today, the parties promised to "speed up the holding of presidential and legislative elections in all […]]]> 586178 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221006-iraq-baghdads-historic-homes-crumble-as-real-estate-booms/ Thu, 06 Oct 2022 13:29:34 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=584726 Overlooking the Tigris River in Baghdad, a 100-year-old Iraqi mansion stands dilapidated and neglected. Visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of its faded glory are warned off by a sign near the door saying: "Danger of collapse". The 16-room building once boasted latticed windows, delicate carvings, a balcony and an inner courtyard dotted with fruit trees, Reuters reports. Now, like many of Baghdad's roughly 2,500 remaining historic houses, it is falling apart. Decades of political turmoil, neglect, soaring real estate prices and a lack of funds have taken their toll on the buildings, which are part of the city's architectural past. "This is one of the most important remaining heritage houses," said Dhikra Sarsam, founding member of the Burj Babel […]]]> 584726 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221006-unlikely-to-end-extreme-poverty-by-2030-world-bank-warns/ Thu, 06 Oct 2022 10:51:38 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=584660 The world is unlikely to meet the goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030, according to a new World Bank study. The bank's Poverty and Shared Prosperity report showed that global progress in reducing extreme poverty has come to a standstill. "COVID-19 dealt the biggest setback to global poverty-reduction efforts since 1990 and the war in Ukraine threatens to make matters worse," it said. The global body estimated that the pandemic dragged nearly 70 million people into extreme poverty in 2020, the biggest one-year hike since global poverty monitoring began in 1990. "As a result, an estimated 719 million people subsisted on less than $2.15 a day by the end of 2020," it said. READ: IMF and World Bank must […]]]> 584660 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221003-opec-mulls-largest-cuts-since-2020-pandemic-crisis/ Mon, 03 Oct 2022 13:37:39 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=584156 The OPEC+ group of oil producers is discussing output cuts of more than 1 million barrels per day (bpd), OPEC sources said, and voluntary cuts by individual members could come on top of that, making it the largest cut since 2020, Reuters reports. The meeting will take place on 5 October against a backdrop of falling oil prices and months of severe market volatility which prompted top OPEC+ producer, Saudi Arabia, to say the group could cut production. OPEC+, which combines OPEC countries and allies such as Russia, has refused to raise output to lower oil prices despite pressure from major consumers, including the United States, to help the global economy. Prices have, nevertheless, fallen to below $90 per barrel […]]]> 584156 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220929-qatar-confirms-covid-test-requirements-for-world-cup-fans/ Thu, 29 Sep 2022 16:02:56 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=583572 Fans attending the World Cup in Qatar must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test, regardless of their vaccination status, organisers said in a statement on Thursday, Reuters reports. All visitors aged six and over must present a negative result from a PCR test taken within 48 hours before their departure, or from a rapid antigen test taken in the 24 hours before arriving, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy said. Results of the rapid antigen tests will only be accepted if they are from official medical centres and not self-administered. No further tests will be required in Qatar if visitors do not develop symptoms of COVID-19. Visitors aged 18 and above will also be required to download a government-run […]]]> 583572 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220928-egypt-sisi-pledges-to-solve-supply-problems-within-2-months/ Wed, 28 Sep 2022 14:32:00 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=583421 Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi yesterday pledged to solve the problem of the shortage of production requirements resulting from the restrictions on imports within two months, adding that he gave directions to the governor of the Central Bank in this regard. Al-Sisi's pledge came during the inauguration of a number of national projects affiliated to the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI). "Before I entered here, I was speaking with the governor of the Central Bank to make sure that they are working to avoid a real problem that may face investment and work in Egypt," he said. "A month or two at latest to remove all the constraints that we are talking about." Earlier this year, the Egyptian […]]]> 583421 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220911-african-nations-push-for-more-climate-finance-ahead-of-cop27/ Sun, 11 Sep 2022 10:39:54 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=579102 African ministers meeting in Cairo two months ahead of the COP27 climate summit called on Friday for a sharp expansion of climate financing for their continent while pushing back against an abrupt move away from fossil fuels, Reuters reported. Egypt, an oil and gas producer considered highly vulnerable to climate change, has positioned itself as a champion for African interests as it prepares to host the summit in Sharm el-Sheikh in November. A communique released after a three-day forum for finance, economy and environment ministers said Africa benefited from less than 5.5% of global climate financing despite having a low carbon footprint and suffering disproportionately from climate change. It urged rich countries to meet and expand climate pledges, and said […]]]> 579102 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220818-opec-chief-says-blame-policymakers-lawmakers-for-oil-price-rises/ Thu, 18 Aug 2022 18:33:49 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=574063 Policymakers, lawmakers and insufficient oil and gas sector investments are to blame for high energy prices, not OPEC, the producer group's new Secretary-General, Haitham Al Ghais, told Reuters on Thursday. A lack of investment in the oil and gas sector following a price slump sparked by COVID-19 has significantly reduced OPEC's spare production capacity and limited the group's ability to respond quickly to further potential supply disruption. The price of Brent crude came close to an all-time high of $147 a barrel in March, after Russia's ordering of troops into Ukraine exacerbated supply concerns. While prices have since declined, they are still painfully high for consumers and businesses globally. "Don't blame OPEC, blame your own policymakers and lawmakers, because OPEC […]]]> 574063 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220817-egypt-external-debt-rose-to-157-8bn-in-q3-of-fiscal-year/ Wed, 17 Aug 2022 08:02:59 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=573659 Egypt's external debt rose to $157.8 billion in March, from $145.5 billion last December, an increase of about $12.3 billion in three months, while total deposits with the Central Bank amounted to $14.9 billion. Egypt's fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. A statement issued by the Central Bank said Egypt paid about $16.6 billion in premiums and $3.4 billion in interest during the first nine months of the last fiscal year. Earlier, Bloomberg reported that Egypt was in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to secure a new loan to cope with shocks caused by the war in Ukraine that has increased pressure on the country's economy. According to the agency, the two sides discussed a number of options, including a […]]]> 573659 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220816-report-israel-gdp-grew-at-6-8-per-cent-in-q2/ Tue, 16 Aug 2022 19:09:07 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=573644 Israel's GDP grew by 6.8 per cent on an annual basis in the second quarter of 2022, after contracting by 2.7 per cent in the first quarter, the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics reported on Tuesday. The Bureau attributed the economic growth to the return to a post-Covid routine following the sixth wave of the pandemic in the first quarter of this year, which caused hundreds of thousands of workers to be guaranteed and affected the GDP. The growth was also attributed to recoveries in the tourism, aviation, hospitality, restaurant and transport services sectors, according to the same source. Private consumption per capita rose by 8 per cent in the second quarter, the Bureau added. READ: Israel tourism rebounds in […]]]> 573644 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220808-israel-tourism-rebounds-in-july-still-well-below-pre-covid-levels/ Mon, 08 Aug 2022 19:02:43 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=572099 Israeli tourism continued to recover following the COVID-19 pandemic in July although it was 22.6% below its 2019 level, the Tourism Ministry said on Monday, reports Reuters. Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov said he expected the trend to continue this month despite the flare-up in violence on the Gaza frontier over the past few days. Some 250,000 tourist entries were recorded last month, up from just 49,000 a year earlier when Israel's borders were not fully open. In July 2019, a record year for tourism, the country attracted 323,000 visitors. The ministry said that tourism was still down 56% in the January-July period from 2019 but that Israel was on pace for 2.2 million to 2.5 million tourists in 2022. "The […]]]> 572099 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220728-morocco-extends-state-of-medical-emergency-for-2-more-months/ Thu, 28 Jul 2022 17:38:09 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=569820 The Moroccan government has extended the state of medical emergency for two extra months to face the rise in COVID cases. Last December, Morocco had imposed the state of medical emergency for three weeks over rising COVID cases. It has been renewing it, since. The emergency was scheduled to expire at the end of July before it got renewed again until the 30th of September. As per the stage of emergency, exceptional measures are taken, most importantly a night time curfew and a ban on movement between cities without proof of vaccination document. Last November the Moroccan government lifted the night time curfew across the country after a decline in COVID cases. In March, the government announced that the wave […]]]> 569820 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220720-disability-pride-month-inclusivity-and-access-for-all/ Wed, 20 Jul 2022 12:02:38 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=567931 People with disabilities are the largest and most diverse minority within the population, representing all abilities, ages, races, ethnicities, religions and socio-economic backgrounds. According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated one billion people — approximately 15 per cent of the world's population — live with some form of disability. However, they are also the least represented in the public space. This month is a time to recognise their presence and find ways to prevent disability discrimination ("ableism") as well as provide more inclusive public and social spheres. The UN has put together the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development", guaranteeing to "leave no one behind." This action plan from the international community sets the dignity of a person and equality […]]]> 567931 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220706-global-hunger-figures-rose-to-as-many-as-828m-in-2021-un/ Wed, 06 Jul 2022 21:47:09 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=565853 The number of people affected by hunger globally grew to as many as 828 million in 2021, swelling by about 46 million from 2020 and 150 million from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a United Nations report said Wednesday, Anadolu News Agency reports. The UN report shows the world is moving further away from its goal of ending hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms by 2030. Cindy Hollerman, a Food and Agricultural Organisation economist and editor of the report, said at a UN press conference in Geneva it is "dismaying" to see an upswing in hunger and worrying to see the trends. "We are still seeing hunger rising in 2021 and that is very worrying," Hollerman […]]]> 565853 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220701-muslim-pilgrims-flock-to-mecca-for-first-post-pandemic-hajj/ Fri, 01 Jul 2022 20:15:20 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=564863 Thousands of pilgrims started arriving in the holy city of Makkah in Saudi Arabia on Friday, among some one million Muslims expected to attend the 2022 Hajj pilgrimage season, after two years of major disruption caused by the COVID pandemic, Reuters reports. Wrapped in white robes, with some carrying umbrellas against the burning desert sun, hundreds performed the first ritual of the Hajj, which involves walking in a circle around the Kaaba, the sacred building at the centre of Makkah's Grand Mosque. "Praise be God … It's impossible to describe my feelings right now," said Ahmed Sayed Mahmoud, an Egyptian pilgrim. "Being in the Grand Mosque and in the land of the two holy mosques makes me very happy." Saudi […]]]> 564863 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220629-saudi-arabia-population-declines-after-expats-left-during-covid-pandemic/ Wed, 29 Jun 2022 20:31:03 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=564605 Saudi Arabia's population has decreased by at least 2.6 per cent over the past two years, due to the significant amount of expatriate workers who left the Kingdom throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. In a report published today by the Kingdom's General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), it stated that the country's population in the middle of last year was 34.1 million, down from 35 million in the middle of 2020. Back then, the Kingdom's overall population consisted of 63.6 per cent who were Saudis and 36.4 per cent who were non-Saudi. According to the data by GASTAT, the primary factor contributing to the decline in Saudi Arabia's population was the decrease in foreigners by 8.6 per cent, 10.6 per cent of […]]]> 564605 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220623-family-of-murdered-palestinian-activist-call-for-international-donors-to-stop-funding-pa/ Thu, 23 Jun 2022 09:00:32 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=563221 Family of Palestinian activist Nizar Banat, who was murdered last year, yesterday called on international donors to stop funding the Palestinian Authority (PA)'s institutions, a statement said. Nizar Banat was beaten to death by the PA's Protective Apparatus last year. Under international pressure, the PA began prosecuting 14 of its security officers. However, on Tuesday it was revealed that they had been released from custody despite a decision by the military court to keep them detained. Director of the Musawa Centre for Human Rights, Ibrahim Al-Barghouthi, said the PA's Military Prosecutor claimed that they had been released due to the spread of COVID-19. The family blamed PA President Mahmoud Abbas for the consequences on civil safety and security of the release of […]]]> 563221 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220620-airlines-blast-governments-for-messy-pandemic-response/ Mon, 20 Jun 2022 12:53:21 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=562583 Global airlines hit out at governments on Monday for what the industry's leading ambassador termed their "shambolic" handling of the COVID-19 crisis, and urged nations to rip up the playbook of widespread border closures for any future pandemics, Reuters reports. "The cost of government mismanagement was substantial. It devastated economies, disrupted supply chains and destroyed jobs," Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association, told an industry summit. Airlines have themselves been under fire from governments and consumer groups for disruption as travel demand resumes more briskly than expected, but the airline industry sees a common thread in uncoordinated government responses to the crisis. "There was one virus, but each government invented its own methodology," Walsh told the […]]]> 562583 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220613-new-zealand-envoy-sees-vast-opportunities-in-turkiye/ Mon, 13 Jun 2022 15:44:49 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=561645 With a mandate to expand trade and economic interactions, New Zealand's new ambassador to Turkiye says she draws inspiration from "historical foundations" laid in Gallipoli to promote bilateral relations. Zoe Coulson-Sinclair, who was assigned to the important Ankara mission late last year, has had quite busy start as New Zealand's top diplomat in Turkiye since early this year. "Ambassador Zoe will play a vital role in strengthening New Zealand's relationship with Turkiye," emphasised Nanaia Mahuta, New Zealand's Foreign Minister, when she announced Coulson-Sinclair as her pick for Ankara last December. Before flying to her new post, Coulson-Sinclair also visited the Turkish Embassy in Wellington at the latter's invitation. She succeeds Ambassador Wendy Hinton and is also designated as New Zealand's […]]]> 561645 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220613-us-new-political-committee-plans-to-unseat-palestinian-american-politician/ Mon, 13 Jun 2022 10:51:52 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=561586 A new political action committee (PAC) plans to unseat Palestinian American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib over her clear support for the people of occupied Palestine, the Intercept revealed on Friday. The committee claims that it is "dedicated to empowering urban communities to narrow the wealth gap between Black and White Americans." More than 40 Black business and civic leaders launched the Urban Empowerment Action PAC in October. According to the Intercept, the committee "has picked its most prominent and first incumbent target this cycle: Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich." It has labelled the challenge against Tlaib as its "premier race" and plans to spend at least $1 million to unseat her, arguing that Detroit, a city with a majority Black electorate, should […]]]> 561586 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220516-morocco-arrests160-for-spreading-false-news/ Mon, 16 May 2022 14:38:49 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=555793 READ: Morocco government body announces rise in complaints against government officials]]> 555793 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220509-saudi-arabia-flag-carrier-restarts-flights-to-istanbul-after-two-years/ Mon, 09 May 2022 19:15:03 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=554364 Saudi Arabia's flag carrier, Saudia, has restarted flights to the Turkish city of Istanbul, after being halted for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. On Saturday, the first flight undertaken by Saudia to the city in two years landed at Istanbul Airport, carrying 130 passengers on board from the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah. Upon their arrival, the flight was reportedly celebrated and the passengers were greeted with flowers. The airline's flights to Istanbul were halted over the past two years due to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic and the measures imposed by countries in efforts to contain and control the virus. Saudi Arabia was one of the strictest countries in implementing and enforcing measures to combat the pandemic, but […]]]> 554364 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220505-opec-set-to-stick-to-modest-oil-output-rises-amid-price-rally/ Thu, 05 May 2022 14:50:18 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=553832 OPEC+ will likely stick to modest oil output increases on Thursday, arguing it is not responsible for geopolitics and supply disruptions while stressing its worries over the demand outlook due to new COVID lockdowns in China, Reuters reports. Delegates from the group said OPEC+ was set to agree another monthly increase of 432,000 barrels per day in its production target for June. OPEC+ includes the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, such as Russia. Under a deal reached in July last year, the group is set to increase the target by 432,000 bpd every month until the end of September, to unwind its remaining production cuts. READ: OPEC tells EU it is not possible to replace potential Russian oil […]]]> 553832 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220504-un-ukraine-russia-production-critical-to-restoring-global-food-security/ Wed, 04 May 2022 20:21:23 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=553711 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday the problem of global food security could not be solved without restoring Ukrainian agricultural production and Russian food and fertilizer output to the world market, reports Reuters. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February has added to volatility in financial markets, sending commodity prices higher and affecting logistics, potentially derailing the economic recovery from COVID-19 in many countries including Nigeria. "Our analysis indicates that the war in Ukraine is only making things worse, setting in motion a three-dimensional crisis that is devastating global food, energy and financial systems for developing countries," Guterres told reporters during a maiden visit to Abuja, Nigeria's capital. "There is really no true solution to the problem of global food security without […]]]> 553711 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220502-turkey-reports-over-1400-new-coronavirus-cases/ Mon, 02 May 2022 10:22:27 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=553137 Turkey registered 1,480 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, according to official data released Sunday, reports Anadolu Agency. The Health Ministry said 12 virus-related fatalities and 2,113 recoveries were recorded in the same period while 108,802 tests were also conducted. To stem the spread of the virus, Turkey has administered nearly 147.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses since it launched an immunization drive in January 2021. Over 57.81 million people have received their first jab, while more than 53 million are fully vaccinated. READ: Turkiye reports over 13,800 new coronavirus cases The number of people in Turkey who have been diagnosed with the coronavirus since the pandemic began totals over 15 million. Turkey's Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on […]]]> 553137 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220422-the-world-is-facing-a-new-cold-war/ Fri, 22 Apr 2022 08:21:17 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=550390 The Russian invasion of Ukraine clearly reveals that the world is witnessing a Cold War. The rivalry between the US and China is also following the pattern of a Cold War. In turn, international organisations such as the UN are going through a major crisis and are disintegrating, while the world order, which was already suffering from a severe crisis for many years, has today moved to a new stage with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war. In a speech last week, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said that the Ukraine crisis is getting worse, adding that there is no doubt that mutual mistakes were made and that efforts to search for a new balance of power, and calculations of short-term interests will cause great strategic losses and human tragedy in […]]]> 550390 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220421-the-great-starvation-is-coming-and-the-world-must-prepare-for-it/ Thu, 21 Apr 2022 19:09:29 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=550366 While the world endured global supply chain issues and delays for over two years throughout the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, markets suffered, economies buckled, and there were real fears that it would mean potential shortages of essentials, and even food across the globe. Such a fate is finally arriving with the Russian invasion of Ukraine impacting the planting, production and harvesting of wheat and other vital commodities in the region. Known as the "breadbasket of Europe", it does not only feed a few tens of millions in the neighbourhood, but at least hundreds of millions elsewhere in the world. The result is set to be almost apocalyptic. At the time of this writing, data by the UN's World Food […]]]> 550366 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220419-cairos-ramadan-street-feasts-return-after-coronavirus-suspension/ Tue, 19 Apr 2022 14:58:31 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=549933 Communal meals, in which hundreds of people packs around long tables to break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan, have returned to Egypt's streets after being widely suspended for the past two years due to COVID-19 restrictions, Reuters reports. In the working-class Cairo neighbourhood of Matariya, residents sat back-to-back along two tables running down a narrow street festooned with balloons, buntings and banners as they enjoyed a meal of barbecued meat, rice and pickles. Evening street meals are organised by charities for the poor, while others, like the one in Matariya, are run by local communities which pool food donations. "The Ramadan spirit is back," said Haitham Adel, an organiser of the Matariya meal. "People are back to […]]]> 549933 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220414-european-parliament-situation-in-tunisia-is-deteriorating/ Thu, 14 Apr 2022 09:53:52 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=548693 The European Parliament (EP) is monitoring the deterioration of the political, economic and social situation in Tunisia as a result of President Kais Saied taking all powers in his hands, a delegation said yesterday after it visited the north African state. "The EU observes with concern the deterioration of the socio-economic situation in Tunisia, which has been exacerbated by the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the Russia-Ukraine conflict," said head of a European Parliament members delegation, Michael Gahler. "We are always ready to provide technical and financial assistance to help Tunisia surmount its crisis," he added. Gahler said that "many [political actors] we met doubt that the president wants to listen and react to their propositions." The […]]]> 548693 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220412-egypt-explains-symptoms-of-coronavirus-mutant/ Tue, 12 Apr 2022 13:43:30 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=548021 Symptoms of the EX coronavirus mutant are similar to the symptoms of original Covid-19, the Egyptian health ministry announced yesterday. According to ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, Egypt is registering "every mutant for the Covid-19 virus." He insisted that there is "no need to worry about it." Abdel Ghaffar called on citizens to get the vaccine booster "to enhance immunity" and explained that the EX mutant symptoms are "high temperature, loss of sense of smell and taste, digestive problems and shortness of breath, as well as fever, cough, skin rash, delirium, fatigue and cold." The official noted that some "50 million Egyptians" have had the vaccine booster. READ: Turkiye reports over 13,800 new coronavirus cases]]> 548021 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220410-saudi-arabia-to-allow-1m-hajj-pilgrims-as-covid-restrictions-are-eased/ Sun, 10 Apr 2022 16:04:23 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=547772 Saudi Arabia announced yesterday that it will permit up to 1 million people to perform the annual Hajj this year, amid the lifting of two years of COVID restrictions, whereby only a few thousand local residents were allowed to perform the pilgrimage. According to a statement, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said it "has authorised one million pilgrims, both foreign and domestic, to perform the Hajj this year." The Hajj will be "open to those who are under 65 years old and have received the main Covid-19 vaccinations approved by the Saudi Ministry of Health," the statement said. READ: Saudi imposes 10-day waiting period between Umrah permits Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik ? We're honored to welcome one million pilgrims in […]]]> 547772 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220408-thousands-gather-at-jerusalems-al-aqsa-for-first-friday-prayers-of-ramadan/ Fri, 08 Apr 2022 14:25:30 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=547402 Tens of thousands of Muslims flocked to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first Friday of Ramadan for noon prayers, which passed peacefully despite concerns about a repeat of Israeli-Palestinian violence that erupted during the Muslim holy month last year, Reuters reports. From early morning, residents of cities such as Bethlehem and Ramallah in the occupied West Bank lined up at Israeli checkpoints to visit Al-Aqsa. After two years of COVID restrictions, Israel has allowed some Palestinians from the West Bank who hold a travel permit to enter Jerusalem. But tensions are again high in the city holy to Christians, Jews and Muslims. A Palestinian gunman shot dead two people at a Tel Aviv bar on Thursday, the latest in a […]]]> 547402 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220404-over-300000-workers-lost-jobs-in-oman-due-to-pandemic/ Mon, 04 Apr 2022 15:03:08 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=546653 More than 300,000 workers have lost their jobs in the Sultanate of Oman over the past two years mostly due to the pandemic, said the Minister of Economy, Dr Said bin Mohammed Al-Saqri. The vast majority were foreign expats. In an interview with Oman TV, the minister said: "The huge impact of the pandemic was not expected by anyone in the world, and there is no doubt that the economy was affected, especially the private sector." "We shouldn't measure the performance of the private sector in 2020 and 2021, due to the pandemic conditions, low demand and other reasons that led to the exodus of about 300,000 workers from their jobs. Of them, around 7,500 were Omanis." READ: Rockslide kills 14 in […]]]> 546653 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220327-turkiye-reports-over-13800-new-coronavirus-cases/ Sun, 27 Mar 2022 13:51:40 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=545676 Turkiye registered 13,849 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, the Health Ministry said, Anadolu Agency reports. The ministry said 70 virus-related fatalities and 17,673 recoveries were also recorded in the past 24 hours, and 267,848 tests were done. To counter the spread of the virus, Turkiye has administered more than 146.7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses since it launched an immunization drive in January 2021. More than 57.7 million people have received a first vaccine jab, while over 52.9 million have been immunized twice. The number of booster shots administered exceeded 27.5 million. With the virus apparently receding, Turkiye in early March scrapped its outdoor mask mandate, a longtime measure to stem the spread of COVID-19. Since December 2019, the pandemic has […]]]> 545676 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220321-jordan-eases-covid-19-restrictions-ahead-of-ramadan/ Mon, 21 Mar 2022 14:32:59 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=544471 Jordan, on Monday, relaxed coronavirus restrictions ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, due to start early April, Anadolu News Agency reports. Minister of State for Media Affairs, Faisal Shboul, said the measures, which were in place since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, will be eased "in conjunction with the approaching month of Ramadan." Social distancing during congregation prayers in mosques has been removed and the wearing of masks will be mandatory only in closed spaces, Shboul said. The Minister added that capacity restrictions for public gatherings such as weddings have also been removed, allowing for the establishment of Ramadan iftar (fast-breaking) tents. He underlined that the decision to relax anti-virus measures was taken based […]]]> 544471 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220317-pandemic-exposes-injustices-in-global-system-turkiye-president/ Thu, 17 Mar 2022 14:10:52 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=544008 The coronavirus pandemic has, once again, exposed the injustices and flaws in the global system, Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said on Thursday, Anadolu News Agency reports. "We hope that inequalities in the global system, particularly in health and security, can be eliminated as soon as possible," Erdogan said in a video message to a high-level WHO European Region meeting on health and migration. "For a more peaceful, more stable and fairer world, it's clear we need to learn from our mistakes," he added. "It's impossible to achieve sustainable development goals and universal health coverage in a world that ignores the health of refugees and migrants," he stressed, adding that he values the WHO's efforts to develop a new action […]]]> 544008 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220317-israel-announces-discovery-of-new-covid-variant/ Thu, 17 Mar 2022 13:31:10 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=543987 The Israeli Ministry of Health yesterday revealed that it had discovered a new "unidentified" variant of Covid, with two travellers infected by it at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. The ministry said in a statement that the "light symptoms" of the virus combine and that the two infected individuals had symptoms such as fever, headache and muscle pain. However, it stated that it continues to follow up on these two cases with the aim of identifying more symptoms of the new variant. Official Israeli radio quoted the head of the health ministry's coronavirus taskforce, Salman Zarka, as saying that "the phenomenon of combined variants is well known. At this point, we're not concerned about [the new variant leading to] […]]]> 543987 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220315-turkish-covid-19-vaccine-developer-scientist-gets-germanys-top-prize-dpa-reports/ Tue, 15 Mar 2022 18:34:09 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=543768 The Turkish German couple who developed the first coronavirus vaccine are the latest recipients of Germany's most prestigious medical prize, DPA reports. According to the report, the two scientists, Özlem Türeci, and her husband, Ugur Sahin, were awarded the prize named Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter. The prize comes with 120,000 Euros ($132,000) in prize money. Along with the couple, the prize was handed to Hungarian-American scientist, Katalin Kariko, Senior Vice President of BioNTech, co-founded by Ugur Sahin. For the first time in the 70-year history of the award, the winners of two years were honoured at the same prize-giving event, the report says. READ: Erdogan promises to send 15m covid vaccines to Africa]]> 543768