fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
1981 Halloween
Tags: Spooky, Halloween, Short Story

“Come on now, single file please!” the bus driver commandingly down the aisle. We’re heading off to the Halloween party at Mrs. Meyers house, and everybody was excited. Mrs. Meyer always throws the best parties. I hope she has the costume parade like last year. That was a blast! Speaking of which, I crane my neck to see all the costumes. There’s a witch, a pirate, and even Yoda! I look down at my costume, which is as basic as it can be, a ghost. We couldn’t afford any special ones, so my mother took a white bed sheet and cut holes for my eyes, mouth, and nose.

While I wait for the bus to start, I try to find Jeremy, my best friend. He always brings the best treats, and his house gives out the best candy during trick-o- treat. Caramello, bubble gum, and even toffee filled lollipops! Man, those were so good! I quickly find Jeremy in his superhero costume. “How’s it going?” I ask, plopping on the seat next to him. “Hey Will! Yeah, it’s been good. My mom got the candy from downtown, and its goin’ to be epic!” Jeremy responds back to me, stretching out in the seat. “Groovy.” I respond back, tugging on a corner of my costume. “We’re leaving in 5 minutes folks, make sure you have a seat!” I hear the bus driver say, so loud that my eardrums pop! “Get ready Will,” Jeremy says, his eyes gleaming. “Why?” I ask back, wondering what he was talking about. “It’s going to be a long ride.” he responds back, speaking in a way that I knew he was up to something. “Ok kiddo’s, we’re moving, so get your butt in a seat!” the bus driver says loudly, interrupting my train of thought. And with that, the bus begins to move, and I brace myself for the crazy ride.

As we pull out, I see a shadow outside the bus, moving with it, but there is no one in sight. I hug my bedsheet close to myself. “Hey Jeremy?” I ask him tentatively. “Hmm?” He responds back, staring out the window. “What is it that you have planned?” I ask, fearing the answer. Jeremy looks at me, and with a start I realize that something is off. Jeremy then says, “Watch out for The Shadow.” then he melts into a pool of darkness. I scream, but no sound escapes my mouth. I look around the bus, only to find no one left. I head up front to the head of the bus and find the bus driver there. She turns to look at me and says “Boo.” in the deadliest whisper. And with that, I melt into the darkness.
Αβέβαιο το μέλλον της σειράς ταινιών Halloween σύμφωνα με παραγωγό της
By: Christos Arfanis
Tags: Halloween Ends, Halloween, Halloween Kills

Filmmaker (film producer, screenwriter, film director) and Author and Editor (Movies & Series) for Three Pixels Lab Media Production.
Bye October, Welcome November.
By: Sonia Monica
Tags: 2020, Halloween, October

Hello wassuppp it’s been awhile i haven’t write some stuff on this medium lol well i’m great and i hope y’all doing great too. It’s kinda surprised me because it’s November already what the HAHAHA time flies so fast and did you realized that we have been facing this corona covid19 stuff for 9 months hell ya…..and when you realized next month gonna be your last month in 2020…what do you think? CRAZY I KNOW!

Actually i forgot when is the last time i wrote on a blog so i just wanna share my latest experience around this month. Last month, which is October, i celebrated Halloween Party with my friends at WSE and to be honest it was my first halloween party experience. Uhm i don’t think i can write lots of thing in that night because the party didn’t went as my expectation, ya maybe because it’s corona time and many people can’t come and join the party due to the limited members that had permission to join. I know it’s bad and kinda boring but we didn’t had choices and i do still believe in this pandemic and i would like to respect the social distancing rules.

Well, it’s halloween so we have to wear a costume but many people at my center just wore black clothes lol. I dressed up as Hogwarts Student and i’m very excited to wear the costume because i really adore Slytherin huhuhu eventhough i look like a Hufflepuff but because i wanna be Slytherin so here i am, i am a proud Slytherin yeayyyyy! (YASH SONIA AGAINST THE WORLD)

I ordered this costume from an orange online marketplace (YOU KNOWLAAAA) and it’s very cute totally adorable fit with my body perfectly aaaaaaaa i just love it! What do you think? xD
10 Games To Scare Yourself Silly With This Halloween
By: Kaylee Kuah
Tags: Halloween, 2020, Gaming, Indie Game, Horror

If you’re a fan of guts, gore and horror then you probably love Halloween. October is the time for all this spooky and horrific to make an appearance. From movies, TV specials and of course video games. There’s nothing quite as chilling as turning off the lights, putting on the headphones and immersing yourself in a spine-tingling horror game. The horror genre of games has seen a lot of evolution over the years. It’s not only jump scares and gore but the creators have gotten creative and psychologically twisted in their stories and monsters. Is this a good thing? You tell us. Because we’ve rounded up our Top 10 most horrifyingly disturbing games from the year 2020 for you monsters to play. In no particular order.

MAID OF SKER BY WALES INTERACTIVE

First-person survival horror is the classic scare your pants genre and it’s because it bloody well works. Looking through the eyes of this poor unfortunate person, seeing the terrifying monsters, hearing their fear it’s all enough to make you forget where you are. Based on a true story The Maid of Sker is set in a remote hotel, a real-life dwelling that’s one of the most haunted buildings in Britain. You play as Thomas Evans a musician who is thrust into a terrifying battle with the nightmarish Quiet Men to save the woman he loves. When they arrive, do not panic — don’t even breathe.

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC — Steam

IN SILENCE BY RAVENHOOD GAMES

Who says horror needs to be experienced solely on your own? I say the unified sound of multiple people screaming is more likely to scare off any monsters imo. If you’re a fan of Dead by Daylight then you and your squad are going to enjoy In Silence. Play with up to five players stranded in a forest. Either one player or the AI will play as the Rake, a hideous, rat-like cryptid with more teeth than is sensible. The rest will need to survive. Either scavenge enough parts to fix the car and escape or find the scattered codes to the armory and take on the Rake. The monster is incredibly fast and incredibly strong, but is almost blind and relies on its hypersensitive hearing. Imagine this as survival training for you and your friends if our world ever went the way of A Quiet Place.

Platforms: PC — Steam, Mac
How to Not Cancel Halloween🎃
By: Ovice Official
Tags: Halloween, Online, Virtual Space, Party, Horror

Although not traditionally celebrated in my country, Halloween has always been my favorite celebration. In recent years, many people, mainly teenagers, became interested in hosting and going to Halloween parties, so it’s kind of a trend nowadays. To be honest with you, I’m not a big fan of huge parties, but I’m a sucker for horror movies and dressing up.

Last year, we hosted a small Halloween party at the office and it was pretty fun. This year, we took it online. How we did it? Cream puff.

Pick a good haunted platform

This one was pretty easy. There are tons of platforms which you can use to host parties or gatherings, but if you want your party or event to be as close to reality as possible, you should look for a virtual platform like Ovice where you can see what your colleagues are doing at the office even when they’re off-camera or not talking to you by voice. The best part is that you can customize your own background layout to make your workspace look more creepy. The service offers many layouts with affordable deals but you can always upload your own layout if you’re good at designing.

Below, you can see the before and after of our workspace layout at Ovice.
I Bought a Haunted House — Ghostly Erotic Short
By: Chastity Snow
Tags: Edging, Halloween, BDSM, Ghosts, Erotica

After spending a few hours on my cam show, faking orgasms for a few hours, I went to bed.

I tossed and turned for a few hours before giving up and grabbing my vibrator for a quickie.

I did better this time, trying to draw out my full orgasm. I always wished that I pulled out my camera in these situations, my fans would pay good money to see edging done right. But I wasn’t going to ruin the mood.

Creak!

I froze with my vibrator off my dripping pussy lips. My bed never creaked.

“Oh no, you must continue.” Was whispered right into my ear.

I screamed and dropped my vibrator. At first no one was there and slowly a person appeared.

“No need to scream, sweetheart.” His lips turned up in a smile as he picked up my vibrator. He stared at it for a minute as the vibrator ran at it’s fastest speed for a second before slowing down to turn off.

“Who are you?” I asked, nearly high from my horniness.

“I owned this house nearly a hundred years ago. I haunt it now.” He said going to where my special bag sat. “Where is your phallus?” He said going through my toys.

“It’s in there.” I said.

“Found it!” He smiled, pulling out the hot pink toy. He looked at the toy for a minute before turning towards me. “Spread your legs.” He growled and I obeyed.

I felt a force applied to my ankles and then he was upon me.

“Naughty, little, wet pussy!” He growled, giving my wet pussy a sloppy slap.

I moaned as he shoved the toy into me up to the hilt. He pulled the toy out and pushed it back in with rough thrusts. I squirmed in the sheets but I couldn’t truly move. Whatever he used to hold my legs down worked.

I could move my hands though.

I reached down to turn on the vibrating part of the dildo. But he quickly pulled the dildo out of my pussy and slapped my soaking cunt hard.

“Hands stay above your head. Now!” He punctuated that with another harsh slap to my pussy.

I obeyed and held my hands above my head. Another pressure was applied and I couldn’t move my hands.

He brought the toy back to the juncture in between my thighs and slowly rubbed it against my clit and slit. I squirmed for at least fifteen minutes before he let the toy impale me again.

He dragged the toy out and pushed it back in slowly.

“Please!” I whined. He turned the vibrating function on and my back arched. “Yes!” I screamed to the ceiling right before I climaxed.
Put That Leftover Halloween Candy to Good Use!
By: Viggy Hampton
Tags: Halloween, Baking, Recipe, Food, Lifestyle

Put That Leftover Halloween Candy to Good Use!

Image: Author’s own

We’ve all been there — our kids (or maybe us — no judgment!) go trick-or-treating on Halloween night and come back with a huge haul of Snickers, Milky Ways, Reese’s, you name it. That’s obviously too much candy for one child (or maybe even adult!) to eat at one time, so what ends up happening? Either the candy slowly gets picked off over the following weeks until everybody’s sick of sugar, or it gets dumped in the trash.

Allow me to present another option. I’m not a big candy lover, but I do love keeping food out of the wastebasket. A shocking 40% of food in America is wasted, with waste at the household level being the biggest culprit. Now, I’m not saying that Halloween candy is the most nutritious food source, but why throw it away if you don’t have to? When you throw away food, even candy, you’re also throwing away the labor and energy that went into producing that food.

That’s why I always try to eat my leftovers and, when all else fails, repurpose that food into something more interesting. In this case, that ‘something more interesting’ is a delicious, buttery, chewy, satisfying cookie bar that presents Halloween candy in a new way. Make these bars for parties, bake sales, potlucks, or even as Thanksgiving treats. Even though Halloween candy is the star of the show, elevating candy in a cookie bar keeps this treat from being too seasonal.

Plus, this baked good is sure to impress. With these Halloween Candy Cookie Bars, you can sample all your favorite candies in one delicious bite!
Amrani’s AI Corner 11/3
By: Joshua J Amrani
Tags: Halloween, Covid 19, MIT, Amranisaicorner, AI

BRAINY BLACK BOXES

Wired reports on how deep neural networks are unlocking the secrets of how our minds really work.

COUGH FOR CORONA

The Register reports on a potentially game-changing diagnosis tool from MIT.

SKELETONS IN THE AI CLOSET

The Batch outdoes itself with an absolutely superb Halloween special covering everything from disinformation vectors to OpenAI updates.
Once when I was Yogi
By: Steven Galanis
Tags: Autumn, Halloween, Family, Boyhood, Love

Once when I was Yogi

This morning, the wide grin of a little boy in a smart batman costume caught my eye. The joy on the child's face is unlike that of any boy photos I have in my collection. Beneath the photo appeared a proud grandpa's FB boast "Have you ever seen a happier Batman?"

The man making the boast, roughly 25 years my senior, is the father of 4 boys and 3 girls, the oldest "boy" a childhood friend. I don't know how many grands, grandpa Joe has. My friend, Joe Jr , has sired a couple on the upper end of the age spectrum, and in the post's comment section, Joe Sr mentions that little Paolo is the second youngest.

I will never walk in the shoes of a family patriarch, but I speculate the good ones exercise care with words. Grandpa Joe, is a retired computer engineer who raised 7 children in an affluent neighborhood. On his way to success, he mastered computer languages and algorithmic logic. Thinking as hard as he did may have served as a natural buffer against speech. What countless worth an extra nanosecond in a household more than twice the size of that to which i had belonged!

I must say that the blond headed boy grandpa Joe was beaming about was quite handsome. Despite being maskless for the photoshoot, there was plenty of costume tinsel to appreciate; the black bat-sleeves with pointed ridges, in particular.

Wisely, though,Grandpa Joe alluded to the boy's joy and not to his looks and kept the message brief. In it, perhaps, there was a coded message to his clan for these troubled times.

"Life is good, and this here is the evidence!"

While lingering on this FB post, the faint outlines of an old memory came back into focus. Once again, I saw the multicolored leaves on the maples and oaks of the neighborhood around the school, and I walking in step with fellow first graders on a leaf strewn sidewalk. Once again I recalled the "butterflies" while shuffling along in formation, incognito, surrounded by an eclectic group of kids whose voices I could not distinguish being that they too had disappeared beneath their cloaks and such. I recalled the dark brown coverall that enveloped me as I kept pace with my classmates, the pressure of the mask against my face, and the chafing of its bands against my scalp.

But as my thoughts turned to the mask's painted outer shell, they turned unexpectedly to a different day; to the dress rehearsal that had taken place when the permission slip had been signed, and an adoring smile flashed my way.

The person who once knew the real me reminded me in my thoughts today, that I was Yogi in that parade.
The morale from a Halloween story
Tags: Halloween, Life Stories, Life Lessons, Human Nature, Trick Or Treating

We held hands and walked together, talked about some silly things while she filled her baskets with more goodies. It was getting late and the sun was quickly retiring into the horizon.

It was then that we passed by this little townhouse estate, a man was standing in the parking area holding a beer bottle with hisleft hand while puffing with his right. He had curly shoulder length hair and though it was dark, I could see the tattoos on both his arms.

Moments later, he noticed we were walking past and started calling out to us. I could not really make out what he was saying but given the condition and the way he looked; as you would expect, my heart rate was elevated, red flags all showing and hence, I quickened my pace. I could tell that Elly too was feeling uncomfortable as she started grabbing my hand a little tighter.

We failed in our attempt to escape as he ran towards us and as he gave us his evening greetings, I could smell the alcohol in his breath. He then asked…

“Are you doing trick or treating?”

As soon as I answered yes, he turned towards what I presumed was his home in the estate and called out to his partner/wife, asking her to bring some goodies out.

There was no reply, and again he called out to his wife/partner. He then asked us to wait while he goes and get some for Elly.

What would you do? Would you wait? Would you run?
Working at the Haunted Carwash
By: Jules Reich
Tags: Halloween, Pandemic, Holidays, Business, Adaptation

Of all the trends I have seen in my life, the haunted carwash is by far the one with the most untapped potential. The kernel is so sweet and good: the car wash, a banal feature of modern life and boring errand, transformed into a fun, artistic creative expression of haunting, overwhelming eerie weirdness through a few carefully chosen design features. What could be better? For too long, carwashes have been bland, anodyne and without personality. If a carwash could be haunted in October, could it not become a winter wonderland in December? A tunnel of love in February? A reenactment of the Mexican Army’s 1862 victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in May?

There’s a psychological theory about things that are creepy, or uncanny: that they are the combination of things that are familiar with elements that are very unfamiliar and strange. It’s the pairing of an ordinary thing, like a house, or even a comforting thing, like a doll or a teddy bear, combined with the supernatural and bizarre, like a demonically possessed doll or a haunted teddy bear, or, like, a blue plastic wipe moving slowly, ever so slowly, down the window of your 2013 Honda Accord and cleaning off some of the grime and dead leaves.

Examples of the HCW can be found in Long Island, New York, eastern Ohio, and west Texas. I also, interestingly, found records of haunted car washes dating as far back as 2016. Remember 2016? I certainly don’t. After doing some research, it appears 2016 was a pandemic-free year in which social life flourished and haunted houses proliferated across the earth. In 2020, local news outlets just can’t get enough of area HCWs, which are a fun and pleasant local news story which makes a nice change. Many are raising funds for good causes. HCW owners seem totally earnest, anxious to please/terrify. “We put soap on your car, giving us the element of surprise,” a car wash owner in Tennessee helpfully told the local news. And yet some carwash owners decided that their premises should be haunted. Most of the quotes from customers describe the experience as ‘funny,’ ‘hilarious,’ or just ‘different’ rather than ‘terrifying.’ And maybe that’s enough motivation to go to a carwash.

Maybe it’s just making lemonade out of lemons, and the whole party politely sipping and pretending not to notice that the lemonade is kind of sour and has a few seeds floating in it. And a little bit of soap. You know, for the element of surprise.

Happy Halloween!

This post originally appeared in my newsletter, the JulesLetter. It’s free, subscribe here: https://tinyletter.com/julesgate
The Most Popular Halloween Costumes of 2020
By: Addison Becker
Tags: Trends, Halloween, Fashion, Costume

Based entirely on information obtained from scrolling through my Instagram feed

Space Cowgirls

I’m not really sure how this costume combination rose to fame, but it definitely was a hit. The sparkly skirts and neon crop tops mixed with cow print and feather-covered cowboy hats make for a jaw-dropping costume.

Angel vs Devil

This easy and classic costume was prominent this year. It is the perfect two-person costume that you can dress up or dress down.

Playboy Bunny

Despite its reputation, Playboy Bunnies were seen everywhere this Halloween. Many people ignoring the true meaning of Playboy and rather seeing this costume as a display of woman empowerment.

Powerpuff Girls

This colorful group costume is perfect and easy to make. Each girl picks a color and the color-coordinated outfit immediately turns you into a Powerpuff girl.

Bratz Dolls

Bratz dolls were our childhood and we're bringing them back. Many girls channeled their inner diva while being a pink or purple Bratz doll.

Scooby-Doo Gang

This was by far the most clever group costume idea this year. Daphne and Velma made an appearance and even doggies were involved. This was a fun twist to this year's Halloween.
My Indivisible Man
Tags: Creative Writing, Poema, Halloween, Short Story, Amateur Writing

His name was unknown…never heard of…not on record… He has no documentation of birth. His life is uncharted. Yet he stands in front of me asking for directions. Directions to his home. His hand reaches out to mine and quickly disappears as we began to touch. I can see him clearly but I can’t touch him…there is nothing there.

I ask him if he’s lost…how far is home? Do you have any idea for me to help you? He has none.

His voice is raspy crackling at every word. His breaths are shallow until the stop. He begins to breathe out emitting a variety of unearthly fragrances. He begins to walk closer toward me…I push him away…. But I can’t push him…We can’t touch.

He continues to come towards me…I begin to panic…Suddenly, he is face to face. Looking at me in joy as I respond with fear. He gently whispers “I’m Home”

A soft breeze passes through my body. My hair flows... Turning around, I see nothing but the night sky.
Insulting Henry Kissinger
By: Tim Moore
Tags: Middle East, Politics, Country Music, History

When I was publishing books, I got real comfortable talking with “big names”. And in 2006, I was invited to the 90th birthday party celebration of the incomparable Bernard Lewis. Professor Lewis, who lived to 101, was the world’s leading Islamic and Middle East scholar for all his adulthood. For 50 or 60 years he consulted with every US President, every UK Prime Minister, and Heads of State throughout the Middle East and around the world.

One of Lewis’s best sellers

The two Keynote speakers for the celebration and dinner were then Vice President Dick Cheney and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

I told you Professor Lewis was a big deal. The Vice President had to fly back to DC right after his speech, but Kissinger stayed for the dinner.

He sat at the head table, where I was seated too.

At the head table were, counting from my left: Bernard Lewis; Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Somali refugee and author of Heretic: Judith Miller, formerly of the NY Times, who recently had been in jail for 85 days for refusing to tell the government her sources in the Valerie Plame affair; my old friend, Jerry Wind, full professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; and Buntzie Churchill, Bernard’s lady friend.

Kissinger sat to my right. As he sat down I introduced myself, and said: Mr. Kissinger, that was a great speech. He looked around the table with a look that seemed to say: well, that should be obvious to any dolt. I thought, hmmm.

But then an imp in my brain took over. Ever have that happen? You literally do not control what comes out of your mouth. And the imp made me say, in a sarcastic tone: But, you knew that was a great speech already, didn’t you?

The table burst out laughing, and Bernard tapped my left arm and said: good one!

But I stared out into space, stunned and scandalized. What made me say that? What crawled into my brain and made my lips move? Thank god the people at the table genuinely were laughing, not nervously laughing. But I was petrified.

As I look back at the scene over the years, two things seem to make sense: 1. I was miffed that Kissinger would be dismissive, and that pissed off the imp in me; and, 2. the people at the table liked seeing Kissinger ribbed.

But I am glad the imp has stayed more or less silent all these years. . . . nonetheless.

Here’s a man whose imp pops out every once in a while, as did his Dad’s — the oldest son of one of America’s Mount Rushmore country music stars, Marty Haggard (son of Merle). This is a fun look at Marty and his Dad:
Everything I wrote about technology and social media in the Middle East in 2020
By: Damian Radcliffe
Tags: Tech, Social Media, Trends, Middle East, Technology

In part four of this short series, I’ve collated all of my recent writing about tech and social media in the Middle East.

During 2020, I published 14 stories for ZDNet — a publication I’ve been writing for since December 2013 — as well as my eighth annual study into social media trends in the region. The first was published way back in 2012.

Other round-ups in this end-of-year series include an aggregation of my work on media business and revenue models, changes in the practice of journalism and the major research reports I dropped this year.

ZDNet

I published 14 stories on ZDNet in the past year, covering the impact of COVID, start-up culture, digital dives and other issues. Several of these stories were also picked up — and translated — by ZDNet’s international sites.
A Walk in The Souq
By: Agnes Louis
Tags: Qatar, Travel, Middle East, Traveling, Photography

Souq (n) a free-market where vendors can say the going market price for their products. The term is often used for the market in any Arab or Muslim city. In modern times, it appears in Western cities, too. It may also be the weekly market in some smaller towns where no tribal conflicts would be allowed. — Wikipedia

Intricate chess pieces. ©Agnes Louis

I remember my first few weeks in Doha, Qatar. Dubbed the richest country in the world, I was actually told by my taxi driver that I only need one week to explore the whole country.

“Nothing much to see or do here, Miss,” the taxi driver said.
Saudi, Oman ban international flights for a week over mutant Covid-19
By: Ajay Vaseegaran
Tags: Oman, Middle East, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia and Oman halted global flights and closed their borders for per week over fears approximately the fast-spreading new pressure of the coronavirus.

Saudi Arabia and Oman halted global flights and closed their borders for per week over fears approximately the fast-spreading new pressure of the coronavirus.

State-run Saudi Press Agency stated the dominion might also additionally increase the suspension for every other week relying on the character of the virus spread. Oman halted passenger visitors via its air, land and sea ports for per week beginning Tuesday, however freight offerings are exempt from the ban.
Sudanese soldiers ambushed by Ethiopian army
By: Fact Mirror
Tags: Fact Checking, Yemen, Middle East, Fact Mirror, Sudan

Various social media accounts have been circulating this image claiming that the picture shows the after effects of an ambush suffered by the officers and soldiers of the Sudanese Armed Forces at the hands of the Ethiopian army in the Abdul Lifter area adjacent to the province of Tigray north of Ethiopia.

A Twitter user wrote, “The scene of the martyrdom of an officer in the armed forces and a number of soldiers in an ambush by the Ethiopian army and its militia in the bordering area of Abd al-Rafi, al-Teqari region. Our Lord accept the martyrs and grant speedy recovery to the wounded.”

Meanwhile a page on Facebook by the name “Sudanese Armed Forces — Official Page”, having 606,550 followers, shared the same news claiming this to be an attack by the Ethiopian army.

“On the evening of Tuesday, 15 December, during the return of our troops combing the area around #Jbl_oboutior, inside our territory, was ambushed by #Rult_oualemlisheat Ethiopians inside Sudanese territory. As a result, many lives and equipment were lost.” The armed forces confirmed “to resolve any hostile movements within our borders and will not allow the invasion of territory and defend its people until the last soldier.”

Translated Image

Fact Check

All the above claims are misleading as this image is not from Sudan but from Yemen.

Many news sites like the New York Times and Reuters had already covered this story using the same image in August last year.

According to the NYT, the image shows the aftermath of a missile attack on a military parade in Aden, Yemen. An airstrike launched by the Houthi faction in Yemen killed at least 40 people, including a senior Yemeni military commander, at a parade in the city of Aden.

According to Reuters, the attack, for which the Houthis claimed responsibility, by means of a missile and a drone, targeted a military parade in a camp belonging to the Yemeni Security Belt Forces, and at that time resulted in the killing of 36 people. However, the Prime Minister of Yemen, Maeen Abdul-Malik Saeed, and the Saudi ambassador to Yemen accused Iran of causing the destruction.

UA|TV, a Ukraine based 24/7 international broadcaster, had also covered the news last year.
Middle East FinTech Outlook 2021
Tags: Fintech, Startup, Finance, Middle East, Banking

Velmie, a mobile banking technology provider, carried out research on how the MENA FinTech environment has been transforming recently. The aim was to spot specific regional trends, drivers and challenges that are likely to influence the FinTech industry in the Middle East and North Africa in 2021 and further.

The financial technology industry is in the beginning of its development in the MENA region. That is illustrated by the fact that the Middle East FinTech startups received a mere 1% (about $0,4 billion) of all venture capital FinTech investment across the globe in 2018. However, the growth off this low base is likely to be strong, with the FinTech sector across the Middle East already growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30%. What is more, it is projected that by 2022 some 465 FinTech companies in the Middle East will raise over $2 billion in venture capital funding.

The key factor that makes this region an attractive hub for FinTech startups and mobile banking expansion is a high demand for mobile banking and payment solutions due to the low financial inclusion rates across the region. About 43% of the adult population still have no access to bank accounts in the Arab world.

MENA is one of the world’s most heterogeneous regions, where the diversity is reflected in the vastly different stages of advancement of the FinTech industries across the region. While the GCC countries appear to be the readiest for FinTech adoption in the region, there is slower progress in the North and Sub-Saharan African Countries. Overall the transformation is likely to be propelled by the shift away from oil-based economies toward more service-oriented digital industries, the demographic shift to a younger and tech-savvy population, and the exponential technology evolution.

All in all, MENA’s financial services industry is well-positioned to see significant growth and FinTech disruption in the foreseeable future, which makes it a great market for FinTech startups and investors.

Download the Whitepaper https://www.velmie.com/mobile-banking-outlook-2021-mena
Other than Arab springs, winter for ten years!
By: Robert Jones
Tags: Middle East, Arab, Egypt, Tunisia

On 17 December 2010, precisely ten years ago, a Tunisian street vendor set himself on fire to protest against the violations committed by the authorities. Those flames sparked demonstrations in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Bahrain, beginning in Tunisia. Those protests were named Arab Springs by the world.

But then came the disenchantment of fighting, of Isis’ affirmation. What remains of those days’ hope? What has changed between yesterday and today in the statistics for economic and social indicators? Is it right to talk ofarab winter?

If Tunisia is the only country which can be viewed as a good model of the Arab Spring, this interpretation is not agreed by all Tunisians. As always the issues to be tackled are the same for a country in an area undergoing tough times: low economic growth, high unemployment, terrorism, systemic corruption and tax evasion, illegal migration, the crisis in Libya, social inequality, the crisis in institutions. All is compounded by a pandemic that has also blocked the tourism industry.

Indeed this “revolution” required many free and fair elections to be held. Including the administrative ones, the promulgation in 2014 of a new Constitution, the establishment of stable and democratic institutions, the awarding at the end of 2015 of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Quartet of the Tunisian National Dialogue, in order to consecrate, in some way, the progress of the dialogue model adopted in Tunisian society.

But beyond all this in terms of economic security, unemployment and recession, the Young Republic paid a heavy price. The local society is much more complicated, in addition to the simple Western simplistic readings of a nation often battling between secularists and Islamists. And there is still a fight for political influence to enforce successful governance.If the revolution died out in Egypt and the nation reverted to the past with Al-Sisi, spring will become a long civil war winter in Libya. The situation is out of the hands of the Libyan citizens, suffering from barbaric living conditions following the Russian and Turkish intervention.

In Syria, the uprising of the children of Deraa has turned into Daesh’s nightmare (Isis). The world is now facing the bill of war for which the West is still responsible. The initial demonstrations never ended in Iraq, and yet another spring has recently erupted.

In Yemen, the revolts that erupted ten years ago turned into an international war and a humanitarian emergency. Eventually, south of the Sahara, the wind of rebellion also blew. Like the African storm, it was called Harmattan. But it did not help the people, only suffering, chaos and terrorism.

Speaking of “spring” definitely does not seem fitting in the light of all this. The dreams of millions of young people were frozen by the Arab winters. They have stripped the people of Libya of confidence in the international community. They took away from Tunisians all hope for a life worth living. Hopes of independence for Egyptians. God died in Yemen. And young Syrians are joining in with Ankara’s salary.
Middle East tech: Nine proven ways to unlock the region’s startup scene
By: Damian Radcliffe
Tags: Tech Policy, Tech, Entrepreneurship, Startup, Middle East

Image via Heavy Industry Magazine

“The Middle East and North Africa are among the last large regional ecosystems to rise up, and emerging markets tend to leapfrog adoption of innovations and technology at higher and higher frequencies,” Hasan Haider, a venture partner at 500 Startups predicted in 2017.

“Being a latecomer does not mean staying behind, and the Arabic-speaking world is 500 million strong — young, resourceful, wealthy and a yearning to thrive.”

Jump forward to 2020 and, despite COVID-19, the capital invested in the region’s startups already matches that for the full year of 2019, offering credence to Haider’s prediction. Investment is up from $657m in 2017 to $803m in 2020, according to data shared by MAGNiTT.

Governments, funders and big tech companies have long sought to help unlock the latent potential of the Middle East’s startup ecosystem.

Here are nine ways in which these efforts are starting to be realized.

Read the list - which highlights policy interventions in Tunisia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Israel, and demonstrates how tech titans such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Intel are helping stimulate tech entrepreneurship in the Middle East — at https://www.zdnet.com
Saudi Arabia — The clouds of change may have arrived, but it certainly hasn’t started to rain; not for the foreign worker.
By: Sebastian Farmborough
Tags: Saudi Arabia, Kafala, Sponsorship System, Middle East, Foreign Workers

The Saudi government’s recent announcement of its intention to abolish the sponsorship system on the 14th of March 2021 was greeted with euphoria across the world. A sentiment that over 70 years of abuse was finally coming to an end. However, most fail to grasp the limited impact that this may have on the lives of foreign workers within the Kingdom.

The government has reformed the system in the past. Up until 2015, it was common practice for sponsors to retain their employees’ passports. Since then, this has no longer been permitted. Nevertheless, it has made absolutely no difference to the majority of foreign workers as they still require their sponsor’s permission each and every time they wish to leave the country, right up until the expiration of their work permit.

So, is this another smokescreen, a cosmetic alteration designed to keep the international pressure and indignation at bay?

Previous governments have preferred to stick their heads in the sand and weather the barrages of abuse from overseas. However, now that the country’s image abroad is vital to their desire to be a global player and a prime tourist destination, this is no longer an option.

Following the initial broad announcement, the government soon retracted somewhat, stating that the abolition would not apply to domestic workers. Those of whom are often the worst affected under the gravely exploitative and abusive system. It is important to realise that even for those who will no longer be subjected to it, it by no means represents a cure for the injustices routinely faced by foreign workers.

Little media attention has been paid to the Saudi government’s lack of labour law enforcement, which is responsible for a great deal of the unnecessary economic misery and personal anguish that an employer can inflict on their employee.

The reality for a foreigner working in Saudi Arabia is that their employment contract is only one way. It ties them to their employer and subsequently they may be remunerated if and when the employer chooses.

Judicial proceedings are grossly biased, painfully slow, and ineffective. Beyond the 14th of March 2021 will this change? Will abusers of foreign workers begin to be punished? Will employees be justly compensated for what they have endured? Will judicial proceedings take place in a timely fashion?

The country is certainly capable; the virtual absence of street crime is exemplary. However, are they willing to take their strict approach to the policing of stealing and apply it to cheating? Can they break free from the corruption and nepotism that is such an intrinsic part of their culture?

Eliminating the capacity for employers to hold their employees hostage, while a great improvement is by no means the end of the story. The suffering of foreign workers in Saudi Arabia may well continue.
Pakistan Foreign Minister arrives in UAE on two-day visit
By: Annie Pangilinan
Tags: Middle East, Pakistan, Arab World, Uae

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi arrived in Dubai on a two-day visit to the UAE. During his visit from December 17 to 18, Qureshi is expected to hold meetings with the UAE officials and also have media interaction.

According to Pakistan Foreign Office statement, the Foreign Minister will hold discussions with the UAE leadership on all areas of mutual interest including regional and global issues. “The Foreign Minister will exchange views on bilateral cooperation, in particular trade, investment and the welfare of Pakistani diaspora.” UAE is home to the second largest Pakistani community abroad with more than 1.4 million overseas Pakistanis living here. Qureshi left for Abu Dhabi for meetings after landing in Dubai on Thursday.
The Fear of Uncertainty Wraps the Middle Eastern Student Due to COVID-19
By: Krish Mathew
Tags: Covid 19, Students, Health Care, Middle East, Anxiety

Here’s something significant that I want to share with what I read today. It’s the concern of a quickly spreading, deadly pandemic first emerged in the past year, friends and family around the world have always been on my mind. It has been a legitimate concern over the past 12 months to think about elderly, vulnerable or ill friends and family and how they were faring as the pandemic hit their regions. However one party, namely college students, has rarely received sympathetic attention in public speeches.

College students are stereotyped by a famous illusion of invincibility that borders on recklessness, famous for their enviable youth or for leading lives of adventure and danger. While many continue to live up to this pattern, this year some college students had a particularly rough ride. Let’s face it, despite wealth and advanced healthcare, countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, which are typically attractive for international students, have proved especially daunting for Middle East students, many of whom are in unenviable positions.
Conflicts, Weapons, and Normalizing Relationships
By: Bashar Salame
Tags: Peace, Politics, Diplomacy, Middle East, Foreign Policy

The outgoing Trump administration has been pretty busy when it comes to inking last minute deals. Despite objections from a few prominent Congressional leaders, and many human rights groups, the current administration is pushing weapon sales in some unlikely places.

Recently, The Trump Administration notified Congress of a deal with Morocco to the tune of 1 Billion Dollars in drones and guided munitions. Prior to that, The White House approved missiles, bombs, and related equipment to Bahrain worth an estimated $750 Million. But by far the largest deal of past few months, was a sale to The United Arab Emirates totaling 23 Billion Dollars in the form of F35 Fighter Jets.

Why these three countries, and why now? In a word, Israel. Not that any of the three countries are threatened by Israel, or a hostile actor in the region for that matter. The sales are a congratulatory pat on the back, and reward of sorts, as the three countries have all normalized relations with Israel.

The United Arab Emirates even went a step further, under the guise of security, or health concerns, they halted new visas from thirteen, mostly Muslim countries, all of whom do not have formal ties with Israel. In that same period, tourism from Israel to the UAE has spiked. Another likely reason for normalization, tourism is a crucial economic sector for The Emirates, which has been curved substantially due to the recent pandemic.

What does this mean in for short term relationships and regional peace in the long run? Well, like anything and everything in this region, it’s complicated
“Palestinians Are On Their Way to an Improved Living”
By: Benjamin Richards
Tags: Palestinian, Arab, Middle East

I want to share something interesting about what I read today. It was palestinians normalization of relations with the Arab States, first with the UAE and then with Bahrain, that made it possible for Israel to fall from the folly of the plan of annexation and, subsequently, for the PA to abandon its self-defeating refusal to recognize, by law, tax revenues belonging to its citizens.

The transition will not turn the Palestinian economy around on its own but it is a first step. Now that Sudan and Morocco have joined Israel’s normalization trajectory as well, and Donald Trump is on his way out of the White House, this small but important action could mark the beginning of a concerted effort to ease the occupation and blockade of the West Bank and Gaza, thereby improving living conditions.
Why are MENA countries the future business hubs?
By: Chris Ojukwu
Tags: North Africa, Emarketplace, Mena, Middle East, B2B

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is one of the most digitally connected globally: across countries, an average of 88 percent of the population is online daily, and 94 percent of the population owns a smartphone.

Digital consumption is similarly high in some countries; for example, Saudi Arabia ranks seventh globally in social media engagement, with an average of seven accounts per individual. However, despite this sizable appetite for online content and services, vital digital sectors remain nascent, and entrepreneurship potential is yet to be fully tapped.

Across MENA, only 8 percent of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have an online presence — ten times less than in the United States — and only 1.5 percent of MENA’s retail sales are online, five times less than in the United States.

Research by Digital McKinsey suggests that the Middle East has only realized 8 percent of its overall digital potential, compared with 15 percent in Western Europe and 18 percent in the United States.

However, we believe the region is at the start of a new s-curve: MENA is experiencing a startling growth in both the number of successful start-ups and the amount of investment funding available to them.

From digital music to digital logistics, start-ups are scaling by adapting offerings and business models to serve local needs. Examples of this abound, from Fetchr’s use of GPS technology to power delivery in a region with few addresses, to Tradeling’s network of B2B buyers and sellers, anchoring a disruptive eMarketplace, explicitly focused on business-to-business (B2B) transactions providing a full spectrum of various innovative business functionalities to fulfill MENA B2B market’s needs.

Moreover, the number of investors in the region increased by 30 percent from 2015 to 2017, while total funding was raised by over 100 percent in the same period. In particular, corporate venture capital funds (CVCs) are rapidly emerging in the evolving MENA investment ecosystem.

In 2015 and 2016, 14 new, significant CVCs entered the MENA market. Under management (AUM), corporate VC assets grew by over 2.4 times from 2012 to 2016, reaching 20 percent of total venture capital (VC) AUM in the region.

Furthermore, from targeted, VC-like investment funds to the structured incubator and accelerator programs, public institutions are also playing an increasingly crucial role in the start-up ecosystem. Recent examples include the establishment of Fintech Factory in Egypt, Fintech Hive in the United Arab Emirates, and the National Fund for SME Development in Kuwait.
Schizophrenia terms in psychiatric doesn’t dilute potential customers
By: Povilas Brilius
Tags: Laptop, White House, USA, Middle East, Peace Deal

CI4 became struggling device — its assertion on the application hosts folder is missing, despite its claims — in general, at least. To be precise, MAC block infringed my rights, so I am not so much into programming without remuneration — i.e. compensation or, in other words — salary, which is paid in EUR etc.

Firstly, I’m not a psychiatrist, so I cannot call for a deal nor order of a psychiatrically questionable individuals and enterprises, who are about to deal with the consequences of neglecting ordinary college post-graduate and refusing to employ him. This is insane, equated only to Chernobyl self-blast — just in case.

White House conceptual modeling

Bike ride on the calm and peaceful fields — distanced from Westfield London — is a good way to retain social affinity to enterprise office and ensure calm state throughout the day. It’s not so demanding as it may look like and, it’s ultimately not a girlfriend confidence — in social terms at least, distanced from movies in cinema.

Middle East and White House tales will not help hardly sane individuals to attain bachelor degree or engage into politics, not mentioning slight differences in winning gains. Firstly, the high school preparation is fully sufficient to cope with difficulties state level, such as sold parents’ house and no job in perspectives. Luckily, heavy practice is in favor of the economicst.