A general view of a studio of the TV Channel Al-Jazeera in Doha, Qatar, during a visit of the German President Wulff (not pictured), in Doha, Qatar, 28 February 2011 (reissued 03 June 2018). EPA/WOLFGANG KUMM, FILE 
A general view of a studio of the TV Channel Al-Jazeera in Doha, Qatar, during a visit of the German President Wulff (not pictured), in Doha, Qatar, 28 February 2011 (reissued 03 June 2018). EPA/WOLFGShow more

Feeling the squeeze, Al Jazeera trims staff a year into Qatar crisis



Al Jazeera Media Network eliminated some jobs in its latest round of restructuring, trimming the news channel that is at the heart of a yearlong spat in the oil-rich Arabian Gulf.

Dozens of departments and management positions have been merged or eliminated, including the heads of technical and editorial standards, training, and other roles across 10 divisions, according to a document dated May 24 signed by Al Jazeera’s acting Director-General Mostefa Souag and seen by Bloomberg. It didn’t provide a total number for jobs lost.

An Al Jazeera spokesman didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt severed diplomatic and trade links with Qatar on June 5 of last year, accusing the country of financing terrorism and having close ties with Iran. Qatar denies the charges of supporting terror. The four countries then issued 13 demands that Qatar must comply with to resolve the rift, among them the closing “Al Jazeera and all its affiliates.”

Al Jazeera has been trimming its workforce for at least three years, part of broader cost-cutting measures in Qatar sparked in part by lower oil prices. The network fired about 500 employees and shut down its U.S. television operations in 2016. Al Jazeera employs about 3,000 people, according to its website.

Business Insights
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  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Most%20polluted%20cities%20in%20the%20Middle%20East
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HIV on the rise in the region

A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.

New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.

Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.

Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.  

Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Honeymoonish
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Rating: 2/5
 
LA LIGA FIXTURES

Friday Celta Vigo v Villarreal (midnight kick-off UAE)

Saturday Sevilla v Real Sociedad (4pm), Atletico Madrid v Athletic Bilbao (7.15pm), Granada v Barcelona (9.30pm), Osasuna v Real Madrid (midnight)

Sunday Levante v Eibar (4pm), Cadiz v Alaves (7.15pm), Elche v Getafe (9.30pm), Real Valladolid v Valencia (midnight)

Monday Huesca v Real Betis (midnight)

'Operation Mincemeat' 

Director: John Madden 

 

Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald and Penelope Wilton

 

Rating: 4/5

 
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