Trending Middle East brings you the latest social media and search trends from the region and around the world. Here are today's headlines.
At least 10 strikes hit Beirut's southern suburbs at dawn on Friday, Lebanon's National News Agency reported. Footage showed explosions in the area, a Hezbollah stronghold, after the Israeli army ordered residents of several buildings to leave.
The attacks caused “massive destruction”, levelling dozens of buildings and causing fires to break out in the area, the agency added.
Germany on Thursday announced the closure of three Iranian consulates in the country. The move came after German-Iranian activist Jamshid Sharmahd was executed in Iran.
The Iranian consulates in Hamburg, Frankfurt and Munich are to shut, with diplomatic relations between the countries at “more than a low point”, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said. The main Iranian embassy in Berlin will remain open and German representatives remain in Tehran.
Senior US officials arrived in Israel and Egypt as they lead efforts to negotiate ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon. CIA chief William Burns met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in Cairo and reviewed ceasefire efforts in Gaza and a potential deal to exchange hostages in the enclave for Palestinian detainees in Israel, a statement from Mr El Sisi's office said.
US Brett McGurk and Amos Hochstein arrived in Israel on Thursday, with Mr McGurk set to discuss a Gaza ceasefire. Their arrival in the region marks the latest efforts by the US, alongside Egypt and Qatar, to bring Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon to an end.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Starfield
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
