World Bank: More than half of Lebanon will be poor by 2021
The World Bank warned yesterday that more than half of Lebanese people will be poor by 2021 and criticised the local authorities' "deliberate lack of effective policy action" to overcome the crisis.
A report by the World Bank Lebanon Economic Monitor (LEM) said: "A year into Lebanon's severe economic crisis, deliberate lack of effective policy action by authorities has subjected the economy to ... More ...
UAE National Day: a moment that ended the gloom of 2020
Across Abu Dhabi's Corniche, out in Al Wathba desert and in Dubai, spectacular fireworks illuminated the sky.
People watched from balconies and windows this year and even streamed the displays from the comfort of their homes.
It marked the end of a day of celebrations for the UAE’s 49th National Day but somehow it felt more than that.
As the fireworks lingered brightly in the evening sk... More ...
UN, Ethiopia Sign Deal for Humanitarian Access to Tigray
The United Nations said on Wednesday that it had signed with Ethiopia's government a deal to allow “unimpeded” humanitarian access to the embattled Tigray region, at least the parts now under federal government control.
This will allow the first aid into the region of 6 million people that has been cut off during fighting that began a month ago between the federal and Tigray regiona... More ...
Afghan government and Taliban talks to advance to next stage
Peace negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government in Qatar are ready to advance to the next stage, both sides said on Wednesday after agreeing on rules for the talks.
The meetings, which began in September, had been bogged down by disputes on the agenda, the basic framework of discussions and religious interpretations.
Nader Nadery, a member of the government's negotiating team,... More ...
Lorient Le Jour: The commander of the Quds Force visits Lebanon and submits a request to "Hezbollah" regarding Israel
On Monday, November 30, 2020, Lebanese media revealed a secret visit by the commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Ismail Qaani, to Lebanon, and his meeting with the leader of the Lebanese "Hezbollah", Hassan Nasrallah.
The Lebanese newspaper "L'Orient-Le Jour" said, "The commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Ismail Qaani, asked the Secretary G... More ...
Trump threatens to veto defence bill over social media protection
US President Donald Trump threatened to veto a major military funding bill unless Congress removed a liability law protecting social media companies he has regularly accused of bias.
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act legally distances social media companies from the content posted by their users, providing a shield for companies such as Facebook and Twitter.
Both platforms have bee... More ...
Japan, Kuwait Reach Oil Storage Deal
Japan said on Tuesday it has reached a joint oil storage deal with state-run Kuwait Petroleum Corp (KPC) to lend it 3.14 million barrels (500,000 kiloliters) of capacity for free.
Under the deal, KPC can use storage tanks at refiner Eneos’ Kiire base in southern Japan of Kagoshima as an export base for eastern Asia.
In return, Japan gets a priority claim on the stockpiles in case of emer... More ...
Human Rights Watch urges IMF to demand Egyptian army's financial data
Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to ask the Egyptian government to disclose the financial information of companies owned by the military before disbursing the new payment of the current lending programme.
This came in a letter sent by the international New York based human rights organisation on Monday to the IMF's executive board.
"The Internationa... More ...
Scorpio Horoscope today
Dec 1, 2020 - Someone you've known for a long time may move away or otherwise vanish from your life. He or she may move to a distant state. You'll probably stay in touch by phone or email, but it will never be the same, at least not for a long time. You will feel better if you meet some new people. They will come your way today, possibly through humanitarian group activities.... More ...
5 incredible benefits ... that's why experts recommend the easiest sport in the world
Experts always recommend taking care to practice yoga exercises during daily life, because of its "physical and psychological" benefits, especially as it is suitable for all ages.
Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word “yogi,” which means “union.”
Yoga is an ancient mind-body practice that includes breathing exercises, meditation and relaxation poses.
Healthline said t... More ...
Egypt to penalise fathers of child brides
Egypt's Cabinet is planning to issue a new law imposing more penalties for the marriage of underage girls and child labour, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said during a Cabinet meeting on the national strategic population plan.
The new law is set to toughen the penalties and broaden the scope of those penalised for child marriage to include the child bride's father or guardian.
The ... More ...
'Farm Girl: A Wisconsin Memoir,' by Beuna Coburn Carlson
The author's bio for Beuna Coburn Carlson is tantalizingly terse, saying only that she is "a writer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan."
What has the nonagenarian written? Well, this. No record of other books, articles or even letters to the editor by Carlson seems to exist, which adds to the homespun appeal of "Farm Girl," where Carlson comes off like a Depression-era Laura Ingalls Wilder.
The b... More ...
Hunger, Loneliness Share One Region in Brain, New Study Finds
A recent US study has urged experts to find solutions for the growing social isolation caused by the pandemic restriction because it may have a significant effect on both the physical and mental health.
Many past researches examined the impact of chronic loneliness on health, but a study published in the latest issue of the Nature Communication journal, found ample evidence that it is bad for o... More ...
A movie about the greatest movie ever
“Mank” tells the story of screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he writes and then fights over what is regarded as the greatest film in Hollywood history: “Citizen Kane.”
And with a cast full of A-list talent, a film about an Oscar-winner could prove to be enough to win an Oscar.
Arab News spoke to stars Gary Oldman and Lily Collins about the film which hit... More ...
Report: Australian Open in February, Players to Train in Quarantine
The start of the Australian Open will be delayed until February 8 because of coronavirus prevention measures, a newspaper reported, as negotiations on players' arrival and quarantine in Melbourne continued on Wednesday.
International players would be allowed by the Victoria state government to arrive from January 15-17, according to detailed plans seen by French sports daily L'Equipe, meaning t... More ...
Zoos in Europe Face Collapse over Coronavirus Lockdowns
Close for good, raise funds from the public or feed animals to other animals: Europe's zoos, caught between reduced visitor numbers and orders to temporarily close, have been forced to consider dire scenarios during ongoing pandemic losses.
Dublin Zoo joined a chorus of zoos across Europe in November appealing to the public for funds amid a financial crisis due to restrictions to curb the sprea... More ...
