Middle east
WHO worried COVID rates could spike during Ramadan
Detected cases of COVID infection in the region rose 22% last week, while deaths rose 17%, said Ahmed al-Mandhari, the Cairo-based chief of the WHO for the...
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Livestock dealer welcomes court ruling on exports to Middle East
The NSPCA had accused the company of animal abuse and neglect but it's failed to permanently stop exports after the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed its bid.
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Pfizer or Sinopharm? 'Vaccine diplomacy' in Middle East
In the Middle East and North Africa, novel coronavirus vaccine orders are driven by diplomatic and logistical considerations, reflecting Beijing's growing regional influence.
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Emirates, Etihad to pilot virus 'travel pass'
The United Arab Emirates carriers have partnered with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to be among "the first airlines" worldwide to trial the IATA Travel Pass, both airlines said in separate statements.
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Bahrain urges Israel-Palestinian peace in historic Jerusalem meet
Bahrain's Abdellatif al-Zayani said the historic US-brokered deals the Gulf kingdom and the United Arab Emirates had struck to normalise ties with Israel would help foster a dawn of "peace for the entire Middle East".
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Israel establishes full ties with Bahrain, UAE at White House
Hundreds of guests attended the event, which US President Donald Trump is hoping will boost his reelection chances in November, but there were no handshakes to cement the historic agreements in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Israel, Gulf states accord charts new era for Middle East
Many of the oil-rich Gulf states have been quietly cultivating ties with Israel for years, but the normalisation deal allows those relationships to burst into the open, offering rich opportunities as they try to repair economies savaged by the coronavirus crisis.
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Saudi Arabia says no Israel deal without Palestinian peace
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told reporters on a visit to Berlin that 'peace must be achieved with the Palestinians' on the basis of international agreements as a condition for any normalisation of relations with Israel.
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UAE minister says UAE-Israel agreement not directed at Iran
The UAE on Sunday said it had summoned Iran’s charge d’affaires in Abu Dhabi and given him a 'strongly worded memo' in response to a speech by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that the foreign ministry described as 'unacceptable'.
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World leaders praise Israel-UAE deal as Palestinians cry foul
The deal sees Israel pledge to suspend its planned annexation of Palestinian lands, a concession welcomed by European and some pro-Western Arab governments as a boost for hopes of peace.
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MTN to exit Middle East to focus on Africa
MTN is in advanced talks to sell the stake in MTN Syria to TeleInvest, which holds the other 25% of the business, Group President and Chief Executive Officer Rob Shuter told media on a conference call as the firm reported its half-year results.
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Palestinians say ready for direct talks with Israel
A Palestinian Authority text sent to the international peacemaking Quartet and seen Monday by AFP, says the Palestinians are 'ready to resume direct bilateral negotiations where they stopped,' in 2014.
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UN seeks $90 mn for Mideast children as virus deepens poverty
"The region has the biggest number of children in need in the world due to ongoing conflicts and wars," said Ted Chaiban, UNICEF director for the Middle East and North Africa, in a statement.
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NCID warns coronavirus stereotyping may cause panic, confusion
There have been no confirmed cases in the country, but fear and anxiety continue to grow as the Covid-19 virus spreads rapidly across the globe.
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Pan-Islamic body OIC rejects Trump's Mideast plan
A meeting of foreign ministers at OIC headquarters in the Saudi city of Jeddah called on 'all member states not (to) deal with this plan or cooperate with the US administration efforts to enforce it in any way or form'.
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Netanyahu tells Putin Mideast deal a 'new opportunity'
Trump's plan angered Palestinians by proposing Israel retain control over Jerusalem as its 'undivided capital' and giving the green light to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
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CARTOON: Deal of the Century
Dr Jack & Curtis.
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Friendly people, food & more – CT voted best city in Africa, Middle East
Cape Town was ranked number one for the 18th time in the 2019 'Travel + Leisure' survey released this week.
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Debate rages in Egypt as Christian women told to cover up
Father Daoud Lamei, a well-known parish priest in an upmarket Cairo suburb with a sizeable social media following, lambasted Christian women for attire that he deemed immodest.
