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Off the Cuff

As COVID-19 ravages US, shootings, killings are also up

DETROIT: When Andre Avery drives his commercial truck through Detroit, he keeps his pistol close. Avery, 57, grew up in the Motor City and is aware that homicides and shootings are surging, even

December 30

Region

Pfizer to complete supply of COVID-19 vaccines to EU by September

BRUSSELS: The distribution of an initial 200 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech across the European Union will be completed by September, a spokesman for the EU

December 29

Region

Indonesia bans international visitors for 2 weeks over new virus

JAKARTA: International visitors will be barred from entering Indonesia for a two-week period in a bid to stem the spread of a new potentially more contagious strain of the coronavirus, its foreign

December 29

Region

Chinese citizen journalist jailed for four years for Wuhan virus

SHANGHAI: A Chinese citizen journalist was jailed for four years for her livestream reporting from Wuhan as the Covid-19 outbreak unfurled, her lawyer said Monday, almost a year after details of an

December 29

Off the Cuff

Saudi crown prince sparks rush for vaccine as registrations jump

LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appears to have sparked a surge in the number of people registering for the coronavirus vaccine in the Kingdom after being inoculated on

December 28

Off the Cuff

At least eight climbers killed in Iran, ship crew missing after

DUBAI: At least eight climbers have died and several more are missing in mountains north of Iran’s capital Tehran after heavy snowfall and a blizzard, state television reported on Saturday, and the

December 28

Region

Cyberspace: The new frontier in the Israeli-Iranian battleground

There is hardly any respite in the broadening and intensification of the points of friction between Israel and Iran. The battle between these two major Middle Eastern powers is mainly indirect, but

December 27

Region

King Salman invites Gulf leaders for Riyadh summit

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has formally invited leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for the 41st group summit being held in Riyadh on January 5 next year. The invitation was sent

December 27

Region

Russia’s total number of COVID-19 cases crosses 3 million mark

MOSCOW: The total number of cases of coronavirus infections in Russia crossed the 3 million mark for the first time on Saturday after officials recorded 29,258 new cases in the preceding 24 hours and

December 27

Off the Cuff

Israeli strikes on Syria kill 6 Iran-backed fighters, says watchdog

BEIRUT: Israeli missile strikes on Syria killed at least six Iran-backed fighters on Friday, a war monitor said.

December 27

Off the Cuff

Under pressure Premier League managers hope for festive cheer

LONDON: Slaven Bilic’s sacking by West Brom last week made him the earliest managerial departure in a Premier League season for six years after it took 18 games for Cardiff City to dismiss Neil

December 27

Region

Syria’s pain forgotten but not foregone this holiday season

She may be around 5 or quite possibly older, but she is small. Her little hands are clutching four clear plastic bags. The top one is a goody bag with a handful of small local chocolates. Then there

December 26

Region

The Russian bear can still roar and claw at the global order but it

Throughout his long tenure in the Kremlin, which began in May 2000, Russian President Vladimir Putin has managed to ensure his country remains a thorn in America’s side. Consistently vexing the West

December 26

Region

The real cost of lockdown

The IMF has estimated the cost to the global economy of the pandemic to have been $28 trillion this year, while successive lockdowns are thought to have reduced economic activity in concerned

December 26

Off the Cuff

Gaza Christians face canceled Christmas amid pandemic

GAZA CITY: Nasr Al-Jaldah and his fellow Christians living in Gaza face a canceled Christmas mass as the coronavirus pandemic hits the small enclave’s churches. The celebration usually offers a brief

December 25

Off the Cuff

Global cargo logjam deepens, delaying goods for retailers, automakers

LOS ANGELES/LONDON: Amazon seller Bernie Thompson shifted half of his production out of China to reduce his business risks and still found himself in the crosshairs of logistical chaos besetting the

December 25

Region

2021 to bring some measure of regional relief

As 2020 comes to a close, many people worldwide will be glad to see it go. A historic pandemic rocked our world, cratering economies, shaking societies and polarizing our politics. Poverty numbers

December 24

Region

UK caught between COVID rock and Brexit hard place

Most British people would like to see their country as Cool Britannia, as it was portrayed in the late 1990s, or the “land of hope and glory,” Arthur Benson’s patriotic ode set to the rousing music

December 24

Region

It’s easy to criticize Abbas for Palestinian failures but the true

Since the death of Yasser Arafat and the collapse of the peace process, many Palestinian activists and groups have blamed his successor, Mahmoud Abbas, for Palestinian failures. Abbas is the

December 24

Off the Cuff

The White Land Tax will spur development opportunities

JEDDAH: After the first phase of the White Land Tax (WLT) program generated SR1.4 billion ($373 million), the Ministry of Housing announced it will push ahead with the second phase of the initiative

December 24

Off the Cuff

Bryson’s seven and Tiger’s 10: Golf talking points of 2020

HONG KONG: In a year dominated by the coronavirus off the course and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson on it, here are some of golf’s talking points of 2020: After Bryson DeChambeau, bulked up by protein

December 24

Region

Singing sensations Kylie Minogue, Sabrina Claudio tap Lebanese

DUBAI: Despite lockdowns and travel bans in effect across the world, people are still trying to get festive during the holidays and what better way to get into the spirit than taking in a virtual

December 23

Region

George Clooney talks isolation, ‘The Midnight Sky’

LOS ANGELES/ JEDDAH: Hollywood heavyweight George Clooney is no stranger to the big screen, but his latest outing — both as lead actor and director — is set to drop on Netflix on Monday, and offers

December 23

Region

US warship sails by China-claimed Spratly Islands

WASHINGTON: An American warship sailed through waters off the contested Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Thursday, in the latest challenge to Beijing’s sweeping territorial claims in the

December 23

Off the Cuff

Saudis experience the magic of Wadi Hanifa in winter

RIYADH: With cooler winter weather sweeping Saudi Arabia, and with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) surges putting many countries back into lockdown, people in the Kingdom are heading to open

December 22

Off the Cuff

Brazil’s bankers prepare floats for Carnival with a difference

SAO PAULO: With Brazil’s normally ebullient Carnival likely to be curtailed by coronavirus next year, investment bankers are planning their own parade with a long lineup of Brazilian share offerings.

December 22

Off the Cuff

Armenian church leasing land to Israelis causes Palestinian worry

AMMAN: A previously unknown agreement to turn sensitive land in the old city of Jerusalem into a parking lot — largely for the exclusive use of Jewish residents of the old city — is causing concern

December 21

Off the Cuff

Death toll rises to 16 in overnight Somalia suicide bombing

MOGADISHU: The death toll from a suicide bombing in Somalia has risen to 16, after a number of people hurt in the blast succumbed to their injuries overnight, security sources told AFP on Saturday.

December 21

Region

New York Times returns Daesh podcast award after ‘false reporting’

LONDON: The New York Times has returned a prize awarded for its podcast “Caliphate” in 2018 after an internal investigation found that “crucial portions did not meet its standards for accuracy.” The

December 20

Region

Macron ‘stable’ after virus infection: presidency

PARIS: The condition of French President Emmanuel Macron, who has tested positive for the coronavirus, is stable, and tests had given reassuring results, a statement from his office said

December 20