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☆ The Orfali Bros Bistro is the best restaurant in the Middle East and North Africa — again
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Rebecca Cairns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

We love food, and we love people who love food,” says Orfali. Orfali Bros BistroA multicultural menuOrfali left Syria in 2006, relocating to Dubai a year later, and his brothers followed. “Different nationalities, different colors, different languages, different accents. Orfali Bros BistroA “flourishing” food sceneDubai’s restaurant scene has, until recently, been dominated by celebrity chefs and international franchises. “We build a relationship between us and the guests, and we make it family,” Orfali says.

Persons: CNN —, Mohamad Orfali, Treet Bel Laban ” —, ”, Orfali —, Mohamad, Omar, We’re, Orfali, “, Mohammad, barak, they’ve, Orfali Bros, Eclair, Samantha Wood, “ Mohamad, Wood, Chez Wam, ” Orfali, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, Michelin, ”, Orfali, UAE, Dubai, “, Bros Locations: Aleppo, Syria, Dubai, East, North Africa, Orfali’s, UAE, Lebanese, Sichuan, , “ Dubai, Hokkaido, Turkish

☆ Western special ops activity is on the rise around a new US partner in a strategic but unstable area of the Mediterranean
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewA former Russian partner who has drawn closer to the US in recent years has lately become something of a hub for Western special operations activity. The country's proximity to Israel, Gaza, and the Red Sea is important for special operations training. Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs) and Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) conduct live fire weapons training with Cypriot Underwater Demolition Command (MYK) forces near Limassol, Cyprus on Jan. 29, 2024. In 2015, Nicosia signed a deal with Moscow allowing Russian warships to access its ports for replenishment. AdvertisementFollowing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Cyprus barred Russian warships from its ports and scrapped the 2015 agreement, something the US had demanded.

Persons: —, Bill Gallagher, Bill Carlisle, Jeff Butler, Butler, Gallagher Organizations: Service, US Navy SEALs, Warfare, Cypriot, Business, Naval, Craft, Cypriot Underwater, Command, US Navy, Navy, NFL, Super, White House, Cypriot National Guard, Turkish, New Jersey National Guard, Navy SEAL Locations: Russian, Cyprus, Gaza, Germany, Netherlands, Akrotiri, Yemen, Limassol, Levant, North Africa, Asia, Israel, East Coast, Russia, Nicosia, Moscow, Greece, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Turkey, Ukraine, Cypriot

☆ Starbucks Middle East franchisee to slash over 2,000 jobs as boycotts linked to the Israel-Gaza conflict hit Western brands, says report
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Nathan Rennolds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. In a statement in December, Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan said protesters had been "influenced by misrepresentation on social media" of what the company stands for. AdvertisementA Starbucks spokesperson told Business Insider: "As Alshaya reviews its business portfolio they have made the difficult decision to eliminate some roles in their Starbucks store portfolio." The layoffs came as Starbucks and other Western brands such as McDonald's and KFC have faced consumer boycotts over the Israel-Gaza war. "So long as this war is going on ... we're not expecting to see any significant improvement (in these markets)," McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said.

Persons: —, Laxman Narasimhan, AlShaya, Narasimhan, we're, Chris Kempczinski, Jack Guez Organizations: Service, Reuters, Palestine, Business, Starbucks, AlShaya, KFC, Getty Locations: East, North Africa, Gaza, Israel, Palestine, Kuwait, Indonesia, Malaysia, France, Sderot, AFP

☆ Egypt hikes interest rates by 600 basis points, pound crumbles to record low
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Egypt's pound hit a record low against the dollar on Wednesday after its central bank hiked interest rates by 600 points and devalued the currency. The Egyptian pound was trading at roughly 50 to the dollar following the announcement, from 30.85 previously, according to LSEG data. The country's key interest rate now stands at 27.25%, the central bank said Wednesday. Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country at roughly 110 million people, is facing a protracted shortage of foreign currency. "In preparation for the successful implementation of these measures, sufficient funding has been secured to avail foreign exchange liquidity."

Persons: James Swanston, Egypt's Organizations: International Monetary Fund, Economics, United, IMF, Monetary, Government, P Global Market Intelligence Locations: Egypt, East, Africa, London, United Arab Emirates, Cairo

☆ Middle East Crisis Israeli’s Military Turns Back Convoy Trying to Get Food Into Gaza, U.N. Agency Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Anushka Patil | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Starbucks franchise operators across the Middle East and Southeast Asia are losing significant business amid boycotts linked to the Israel-Hamas war, and at least one has started laying off employees. “I think all those who are boycotting Starbucks Malaysia should know that it is a Malaysia-owned company,” he said. A similar post was published on the site for Starbucks in the Middle East. In January, Starbucks cut its global annual sales forecast as the Israel-Hamas war hurt the business of its licensees in the Middle East. Starbucks said it would continue to grow its business in the Middle East, including working with Alshaya Group in developing plans for the region.

Persons: Vincent Tan, ”, Laxman Narasimhan, Howard Schultz Organizations: Starbucks, Alshaya, Hamas, Food Berhad, Starbucks Malaysia, Alshaya Group Locations: East, Southeast Asia, Israel, Kuwait, North Africa, United States, Malaysia

☆ Dubai’s bar scene is being redefined by artisanal champagnes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Rebecca Cairns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

While the city has over 13,000 restaurants, its bar scene has largely been confined to Michelin fine dining, nightclubs, and boozy brunches. Look through the gallery and see the region's other top restaurants, as selected by 50 Best list group. The 50 Best has unveiled its 2024 list of the best restaurants in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Al Muntaha, which was recognized by Star Wine List as having the best sparkling wine list in the UAE earlier this year, has 166 labels on its champagne list, including around 60 recently added grower champagnes, says Lacroix. Tina HillierAnd the culture around drinking is largely focused on dining or special occasions, with little in between, says Krister Bengtsson, founder of Star Wine List.

Persons: Lana —, Nicolas Caupain, ”, boozy, Caupain, Raz Rahav, Tala Bashmi, Em Sherif, Yasmina Hayek, Fawzi Al Mulki, 3Fils, Khufu's, Solemann Haddad, Moonrise, Gregoire Berger, Berger, Himanshu Saini, Pol Roger, Queen Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, champagnes, Larmandier Bernier, Ulysse Collin, Samuel Lacroix, Al Muntaha, Lacroix, “, Josette, Veuve Clicquot, Dom Pérignon, Millau, Lana, Tina Hillier, Krister Bengtsson, it’s, Bengtsson, ” Bengtsson, Jean Imbert, — Organizations: CNN, High Society, United Arab, Michelin, Middle, Gulf, Jordanian, Trèsind, Burj, Star Wine, Arabian, BOCA, Michelin Star, Wine, UAE Locations: Dorchester, Dubai, Emirate, Islam, United Arab Emirates, UAE, East, North Africa, Tel Aviv, Tala, Manama's, Bahrain, Beirut, Giza, Cairo, Ossiano, Atlantis, BOBY, Africa, Emirates, Swedish, Dubai’s, Paris, London , New York, French

☆ Starbucks Franchise Lays Off Workers in Mideast Amid Gaza-Tied Boycotts
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Liz Alderman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Starbucks franchise operators across the Middle East and Southeast Asia are losing significant business amid boycotts linked to the Israel-Hamas war, and at least one has started laying off employees. Alshaya Group, a Kuwait-based franchise operator that owns the rights to operate Starbucks in the Middle East, confirmed on Tuesday that it planned to cut 2,000 jobs across the region “as a result of the continually challenging trading conditions over the last six months.”Alshaya Group, which operates over 1,900 Starbucks shops in the Middle East and North Africa that employ 19,000 workers, said in a statement that it would provide affected employees and their families with “the support they need.”The cuts added to drama playing out in the United States, where Starbucks management and a union of Starbucks workers sued each other after the union expressed solidarity with Palestinians.

Persons: ” Organizations: Starbucks, Alshaya, ” Alshaya Locations: East, Southeast Asia, Israel, Kuwait, North Africa, United States

☆ Mideast Starbucks franchisee firing 2,000 workers after being targeted in Israel-Hamas war boycott
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Middle East franchisee of Starbucks said Tuesday it has begun firing around 2,000 workers at its coffee shops across the region after the brand found itself targeted by activists during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Alshaya runs about 1,900 Starbucks branches in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. Since the beginning of the war on Oct. 7, Starbucks has found itself alongside other Western brands targeted by pro-Palestinian activists over the war. In October, Starbucks sued Workers United, which has organized workers in at least 370 U.S. Starbucks stores. Starbucks isn't the only brand targeted by activists in the war.

Persons: Alshaya, Boycotters Organizations: East, Starbucks, Reuters, Workers United, Israel, McDonald's Locations: Israel, Gaza, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Seattle, U.S

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Middle East franchisee of Starbucks said Tuesday it has begun firing around 2,000 workers at its coffee shops across the region after the brand found itself targeted by activists during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Alshaya runs about 1,900 Starbucks branches in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. Since the beginning of the war on Oct. 7, Starbucks has found itself alongside other Western brands targeted by pro-Palestinian activists over the war. “We do not use our profits to fund any government or military operations anywhere — and never have.”In October, Starbucks sued Workers United, which has organized workers in at least 370 U.S. Starbucks stores. Starbucks isn't the only brand targeted by activists in the war.

Persons: Alshaya, “, Boycotters Organizations: United Arab Emirates, East, Starbucks, Reuters, Workers United, Israel, McDonald's Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Israel, Gaza, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Seattle, U.S

☆ Pritzker Prize 2024: Japanese housing pioneer Riken Yamamoto wins ‘Nobel of architecture’
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Oscar Holland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Calmness leads to splendor.”Across a five-decade career, Yamamoto has dedicated himself to fostering community in Japan’s rapidly expanding cities. After designing a succession of private homes in his early career, Yamamoto completed his first social housing project, in the coastal city of Kumamoto, in 1991. The central public space has no gates and can only be reached by passing through the housing blocks, a scheme designed to increase the likelihood of chance encounters. Completed in 1991, Hotakubo Housing in Kumamoto, Japan, was Yamamoto’s first social housing project. The Japanese architect will be awarded with $100,000 and a bronze medallion.

Persons: Riken Yamamoto, Yamamoto, Alejandro Aravena, Pritzker, Kenzo Tange, ” Yamamoto, “, ”, Philip Johnson, ’ “, David Chipperfield, Francis Kéré Organizations: CNN, Pritzker, Hotakubo, Saitama Prefectural University, Future University, Des, Des Moines Public Library, Neues Locations: Japan, Japan’s, Shinonome, Tokyo, Africa, America, metropolises, Yokohama, Tosu, Kumamoto, Seongnam, South Korea, Hiroshima, Koshigaya, Hakodate, Europe, Edo, Nishi, China, Switzerland, British, Des Moines, Iowa, Berlin

☆ Iran announces record low election turnout despite calls on voters to participate
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

It is unclear if the announced 41% turnout will sink further in the coming days, with some candidates in the parliamentary election going to a runoff. Iran’s last parliamentary election in 2020 saw a turnout of 42.57%, and its last presidential election in 2021 had a turnout of 48.8% – both were the lowest since the establishment of the Islamic Republic. Some 15,000 candidates competed last week for the 290-seat parliamentary election, and 144 ran for the 88 seats of the Assembly of Experts. Some 25 million people cast their ballots out of Iran's 61 million eligible voters. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker and former Revolutionary Guards air force commander, seemed to lose some votes, coming fourth in this year’s election after his popularity peaked in the 2020 parliamentary election.

Persons: IRNA, ”, Alex Vatanka, Mahsa, Iran’s, Ebrahim Raisi, Hossein Beris, Mohammad Khatami, Azar Mansouri, “, Khatami, Khamenei, ” Vatanka, watchdogs, –, Hassan Rouhani, Atta Kenare, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Ghalibaf’s, ” Sanam Vakil, Vakil, ” Vakil Organizations: CNN, Middle East Institute, “, Saturday, Experts, Getty, Iran’s Guardian, Revolutionary Guards, North Africa, Chatham House Locations: Iran, Washington , DC, Fars, Islamic Republic, Iranian, Tehran, AFP, East, London

☆ Iran holds first elections since Mahsa Amini protests, with low turnout and boycott expected
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Iranian women cast their ballots at a polling station during elections to select members of parliament and a key clerical body, in Tehran on March 1, 2024. Iran holds its parliamentary elections on Friday, in the first vote for Iranians since a nationwide protest movement for women's rights rocked the country in 2022. "Transition from the despotic religious regime is a national demand and the only way for the survival of Iran, Iranians, and our humanity," Mohammadi added. "And providing the political system with overt legitimacy, after the very system has disregarded and abused people and civil rights, is just too much." Country analysts expect a nationwide turnout of between 30% and 50%, while state polling center ISPA estimated the turnout in Tehran at just 23.5% and 38.5% nationally.

Persons: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Khamenei, Mehdi, Narges Mohammadi, Mohammadi, Sanam Vakil Organizations: Islamic, Assembly, Experts, CNBC, Iranian, Chatham House Locations: Tehran, Iran, Iran's, East, North Africa

☆ More than 1 billion people in the world now live with obesity, analysis finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Mira Cheng | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Previous estimates by the World Obesity Federation suggested that there would be 1 billion people living with obesity by 2030, but that number was already surpassed in 2022, Ezzati said. The analysis focused on rates of underweight and obesity, both forms of malnutrition that are detrimental to people’s health. Obesity rates among children and adolescents worldwide increased fourfold from 1990 to 2022, while obesity rates among adults more than doubled. Obesity rates are now higher than rates of underweight in two-thirds of the world’s countries, according to the analysis. These countries now have higher obesity rates than those of many wealthy industrialized countries, according to the analysis.

Persons: Majid Ezzati, Ezzati, “ We’ve, ”, “, Dr, Francesco Branca, ” Ezzati, we’ve, ” Branca, Branca, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Sanjay Gupta Organizations: CNN, Imperial College London, World Obesity Federation, World Health Organization, WHO Department of Nutrition and Food, WHO, Get CNN, CNN Health, United Nations, Fund, Nutrition Locations: Polynesia, Micronesia, Caribbean, East, North Africa, Tonga, American Samoa, Nauru, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, France, South America, Mexico, Chile

☆ The eyes have it: The intriguing history of kohl
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Zahra Hankir | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

A Palestinian woman Hadeya Qudaih applying traditional kohl eyeliner to her granddaughter in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip in March 2020. Hadeya Qudaih makes and sells traditional kohl eyeliner for medical and cosmetic purposes (photograph taken in February 2020). A Bedouin man wearing traditional kohl, photographed in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra. Kohl is so commonly worn in the area that girls are sometimes named or nicknamed Kahla by their parents or friends, roughly meaning “the girl who appears to have kohl around her eyes.” Kohl is also a feature of many millennia-old myths, rituals, and legends. “Even if she doesn’t (make kohl) anymore, I will for sure continue to do this myself,” Abu Issa said.

Persons: CNN — Kohl, kohl, Hadeya, kohl eyeliner, Khan Younis, Majdi, Tamam Farhan Abu Issa, Deir al Balah, “, Abu Issa, ”, ” Abu Issa, Issa, Qudaih, Hassan Jedi, Prophet Muhammad —, Alessandro Bigazzi, Jack Sparrow, eyeliner, Kohl, ” Kohl, Zarqa, TikTok, “ Blinkaria Kohl, tightlining, Eyeliner, Fatima Shbair, “ Kohl, I’ve Organizations: CNN, Crusaders, UNESCO, United, kohl, Quds Net News, ZUMA Press, UAE General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments Locations: East, North Africa, Egypt, Europe, Lebanon, Gaza, Gaza’s, Deir, United Nations, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestinian, Petra, Raed, Kohl, Eastern, “

☆ Snap exec discusses how it's managing content amid the Israel-Gaza war
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSnap exec discusses how it's managing content amid the Israel-Gaza warHussein Freijeh, vice president of Snap in the Middle East and North Africa, discusses content moderation in the face of tensions in the Middle East.

Persons: Hussein Freijeh Locations: Israel, Gaza, East, North Africa

☆ Opinion: ‘Dune: Part Two’ falls into a familiar – and telling – trap
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

His hero, Paul Atreides, is filled with doubts about his role as a Messianic leader and director of colonial conquest. (The distributor of “Dune” and “Dune: Part Two” shares a parent company, Warner Bros. So in the movie, it’s not just Paul who sees problems with his colonial power. Timothée Chalamet in "Dune: Part Two" Warner Bros. PicturesIn the book, Chani is mostly supportive of Paul, with few reservations. Paul feels bad for being the destined one; Herbert and Villeneuve, to varying degrees, seem to regret making Paul the destined one.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, CNN — Frank Herbert’s, revel, Whitey, Edgar Rice Burroughs, James Fenimore Cooper, Rider Haggard, Herbert, Paul Atreides, Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky Denis Villeneuve’s, ”, Villeneuve, he’s, Paul, Timothée, Atreides, Paul’s, Leto Atreides, Oscar Isaac, Arrakis, Emperor, Christopher Walken, Baron Harkonnen, Stellan, Leto, Jessica, Rebecca Ferguson, Natty Bumppo, it’s, Chani, Tasha Suri’s “, Ambha, Sriduangkaew’s, Thompson’s, Suri, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Paul doesn’t, “ Organizations: CNN, Warner Bros, Pictures Locations: Chicago, swash, Vietnam

☆ How Benjamin O. Davis Sr. and Davis Jr. became America’s first Black generals
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Nicole Chavez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

In 1940, Benjamin O. Davis Sr. became the first Black person to achieve the rank of brigadier general in the US Army. Twenty years after his father made history, Davis Jr. became the first Black brigadier general in the Air Force in 1960. Davis Sr. was born in Washington, DC, less than 20 years after the ratification of the 13th amendment, which abolished slavery. So, Davis Jr. moved alone to Chicago for nearly two years to secure the nomination and his spot at West Point. “So, (the Army) provided no opportunities for African Americans to lead troops, it provided no opportunities before 1940 for African Americans to fly airplanes, there were no African Americans in the Marine Corps,” Moye added.

Persons: Benjamin O, Davis, Davis Jr, “ Davis, ”, J, Todd Moye, “, White, ” Moye, Sr, West Point Davis, Oscar S, De Priest, Illinois, ” “, Doug Melville, ’, America’s, Ben Jr, ” Benjamin O, Simon, Simon & Schuster, Franklin D, Roosevelt, Moye, Army shouldn’t, Harry S, Truman, Melville, Le’Trice Donaldson, ” Donaldson, Bill Clinton, Davis , Jr, ” Clinton, ” Melville Organizations: CNN, US Army, Tuskegee Airmen, Air Force, University of North, Service’s Tuskegee, Guard, 8th US Volunteer Infantry, Army, Army’s, of, 9th Cavalry, Buffalo Soldiers, Army War, Corps, West Point, African, Blacks, Tuskegee Institute, 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, Chanute Air Museum, Simon &, Marine Corps, Alabama’s Tuskegee Army, US Air Force, Armed Services, United States Army, United States Air Force, Black, Texas, Corpus Christi, Department of Transportation, Federal Air Marshal Service, America Locations: University of North Texas, Washington ,, Spanish, Philippines, Mexico, American, France, Chicago, West, West Point, Italy, Washington, America, North Africa, Sicily, Vietnam, “

So The New York Times asked more than 5,300 people in the U.S. with this heritage how they describe themselves …No Box to Check: When the Census Doesn’t Reflect YouEgyptian, Iranian, Lebanese, Amazigh, Arab, American. In the 2020 census, “Lebanese” and “Egyptian” were offered as examples for the “white” box on the race question. The other categories were “Black or African American,” “American Indian or Alaska Native,” “Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander” and a variety of Asian ancestries. After all, there’s no agreed-upon set of countries or ethnicities that would fall under a Middle Eastern and North African category. The chart shows these responses after the MENA category was added: 69% chose “MENA,” 15% chose “MENA, White,” 3% chose “Another Race,” 5% chose “White” and 8% chose other combinations.

Persons: Brown, New York Times callout, Biden, ”, —, “, ” Martin Zebari, ” Samera Hadi, ” Imene Said Kouidri, ’ ” Faisal Ali, ” Joseph Hallock, Maya Berry, there’s, Margo J, Anderson, “ You’re, Tiffany Kindratt, ” Khelil, ‘, Dusty Haddad, “ White, Jeffrey S, ” Nadine Naber, Naber, I’m, ” Ceylan Swenson, ” Blake Bachara, ” Amin Younes, We’re, ” Rita Obeid, Barack Obama, It’s, ” Thomas Simsarian Dolan, ” Gabrielle Barbara Guliana, Christina Boufarah, I’ve, ” Michele Magar, ” Soufiane, ” Azita, Moustafa, ” Nawar Organizations: U.S ., New York Times, Arab, Israel, American Community, Management, Federal, Arab American Institute, University of Wisconsin, Census Bureau, Survey, North, Cornell University, Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, University of Texas, The Times, Times, Pew Research, University of Illinois, Bureau, West Virginian Locations: Eastern, Sudanese, Southwest, U.S, East, North Africa, United States, Michigan, Gaza, Europe, Lebanese, Alaska, American, MENA, Milwaukee, —, Arlington, America, White, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Lebanon, Iran, N.Y.C, Israel, Turkey, Southwest Asia, Afghanistan, Armenia, West, I’m

☆ Opinion: Who is winning? Gen. Petraeus on Ukraine war, two years in
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Peter Bergen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

CNN —Two years into the Ukraine war, the tide has shifted, and Russian forces have some momentum, according to retired US General David Petraeus. Michal Dyjuk/AP/FILELast weekend Gen. Petraeus was at the Munich Security Conference, the leading global national security conference that was attended by pretty much every European leader and by top American officials – including Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. BERGEN: At the Munich Security Conference, what was the mood like? BERGEN: Who’s winning the war in Ukraine? BERGEN: What’s going on in Ukraine looks a lot like World War I, in the sense that it’s trench warfare, minefields, machine guns.

Persons: Peter Bergen, ”, David Petraeus, Vladimir Putin’s, Putin, Lord Andrew Roberts, ” David Petraeus, Michal Dyjuk, Petraeus, Kamala Harris, Antony Blinken, Alexey Navalny’s, Volodymyr Zelensky, Gen, PETRAEUS, I’ve, Olaf Scholz, Jens Stoltenberg, Tobias Schwarz, they’ll, Who’s, I’m, Vladimir Putin, Alexey Navalny, we’re, didn’t, Thomas Peter, –, Zelensky, can’t, what’s, There’s, Sergei Supinsky, it’s, Andrew Roberts, Biden, Donald Trump’s Organizations: New, Arizona State University, Apple, Spotify, Trump Administration, CNN, Munich Security Conference, Conference, Supreme, NATO, Munich, Reuters, Republicans, Kremlin, Russian Federation, Kherson –, Tactical Missile Systems, Pentagon, Getty, Congress, Munich Security, PETRAEUS Locations: New America, Ukraine, United States, Afghanistan, Iraq, Avdiivka, BERGEN, Munich, Europe, Russia, Russian, Spain, Moscow, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kherson, Ukrainian, Swedish, Donetsk, Sevastopol, Crimea, North Africa, Egypt, Kremlin, St, Petersburg, Moldova, Transnistria, Baltic, Soviet Union, AFP, ” BERGEN

☆ My family traveled in first class on a high-speed train in Morocco for only $34. Here's what the 3-hour ride was like.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Jamie Davis Smith | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I took my two kids on a train ride from Marrakech to Casablanca. I chose to buy my tickets once I got to Morocco to avoid paying extraJamie Davis SmithI like being prepared and wanted to buy train tickets in advance. My thrifty nature prevailed, and I waited to buy train tickets until I arrived in Marrakech. On my first day in Morocco, I asked my hotel concierge how I could buy train tickets, and he advised me to get them at the train station. I braced myself for the worst, unsure if I'd have to navigate the type of stressful, chaotic train station I've encountered in other countries.

Persons: I'd, —, Jamie Davis Smith, wasn't Organizations: Service, Intrepid Travel, Islamic Locations: Marrakech, Casablanca, Morocco, Marakkesh

☆ Iran flaunts a new ship-fired missile, but analysts say it's no game-changer
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

It's the first time Iran has launched a ballistic missile from a ship. The launch from the Shahid Mahdavi was, however, the first time Iran launched a ballistic missile from a ship. "The other benefit to Iran of this kind of weapon is it could attack Israel from axes that are less well-protected by Israeli missile defenses." AdvertisementDeploying SRBMs instead of cruise missiles on the Shahid Mahdavi and similar vessels could also have advantages. For one, the ballistic missiles Iran test-fired on Feb. 12 appear relatively small, around the same size as a cruise missile.

Persons: —, Fateh, Shahid Mahdavi, Bryan Clark, Hossein, Shahid, Ryan Bohl, RANE, Clark, Bohl Organizations: Service, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hudson Institute, GCC, Gulf Cooperation, Iran, East Locations: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel, North Africa, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Tehran, Idlib, Russia

☆ Rashida Tlaib endorses campaign to vote against Joe Biden in the Michigan Democratic primary
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A campaign to get Michigan Democrats to vote against incumbent President Joe Biden in the state's February 27 primary has just gained a new supporter, Rep. Rashida Tlaib. Now, she's joining a campaign led by her sister to turn that disappointment in the Biden administration into an "uncommitted" vote in the upcoming Michigan primary, Tlaib said in a video posted to the X account of the campaign Listen To Michigan on February 17. The campaign, Listen to Michigan, is an effort to earn Biden's backing for a cease-fire in Israel's war in Gaza by having Democrats vote "uncommitted" in the Michigan primary. Now, speaking from an early voting site in Michigan, she's telling her constituents to vote against the president directly. "If you want us to be louder then come here and vote uncommitted," Tlaib said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Rashida Tlaib, Tlaib, she's, Biden, hasn't, Layla Elabed, Hillary Clinton, Dean Phillips, Tlaib's Organizations: Michigan Democrats, Israel, Biden's, Biden White House, Michigan, Trump, Biden, AP, Minnesota Rep, UAW Locations: Michigan, Gaza, Dearborn, Detroit, Biden's Michigan, Eastern, Israel

☆ Morocco's hashish dealers boycott Israeli traffickers in solidarity with Gaza, says report
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Dealers of highly-prized Moroccan hashish are severing ties with Israeli drug smugglers. They are boycotting Israeli dealers in protest at the killing of Palestinians in Gaza, said a report. AdvertisementMoroccan hashish dealers are severing ties with Israeli drug smugglers amid the ongoing war in Gaza, per a report in Israeli media. "The hashish dealers in Morocco are not willing to sell us more hashish either directly or through intermediaries," a drug offender from Sharon told Mako , an Israeli news portal, reports. The Moroccan hashish boycott echoes the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Persons: —, Sharon, Mako, siad, Abu Mustafa, Merchants Organizations: Service, Cannabis Museum, Hamas, REUTERS, IDF Locations: Gaza, Morocco, Israeli, Amsterdam, Israel, Gaza City, Moroccan

This black market for foreign currencies is among the signs of the economic woes plaguing Algeria. In the oil-rich North African nation, business owners are rumored to be dumping their assets and scrounging up euros on the black market so their wealth isn't stuck. The government estimates roughly $7 billion worth of foreign currency trades hands on the country's black market. Traders are intimately aware that the gap between the official and black market exchange rate can narrow or widen by the day. The growing chasm between the official and black market rates meant fewer euros are getting into the country, he said.

Persons: isn't, Belamane, Nourdine Sadaoui, Hicham Safar, “, ”, Abdelmajid Tebboune, Karim Allam Organizations: Associated Press, Traders, “, Bank of Locations: ALGIERS, Algeria, Algiers, Mecca, Europe's, Lebanon, Nigeria, Bank of Algeria, Ukraine, Europe, Russian

☆ Dubai has more ‘best’ restaurants than any other in the Middle East, according to the 50 Best list group
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Rebecca Cairns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The 50 Best Restaurants power list has unveiled its 2024 list for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) — and one city is dominating the rankings. The Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants list was launched in 2022, reflecting the rapid growth of the region’s restaurant scene. With a booming culinary landscape of more than 13,000 eateries, Dubai has dominated the list since its inception, with 15 out of 50 restaurants on the list located in the city for the past two editions. The 50 Best awards has helped “put a spotlight” on the evolving food scene, and by platforming more casual restaurants, they’ve created healthy competition among the city’s many eateries. With ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the organizers decided to forgo a live awards event in the region this year.

Persons: — Mohammad, Wassim, Omar —, we’re, ” Mohammad Orfali, William Drew, Grégoire Berger, Berger, “, they’ve, ’ ”, Maryam, Chef Salam Dakkak, Grams, Jason Atherton Organizations: CNN, Dubai, East Locations: East, North Africa, Amman, Cairo, Tel Aviv, Marrakech, Beirut, Dubai, Ossiano, “

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