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Ways to Prepare Yourself for a Looming Recession 

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Due to the lack of economic activity over the last few weeks, a recession is inevitable. Millions of people even lost their jobs as a result of the lockdown policies. If you listen to economists and their projections, it seems like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel yet. The best thing that you can do is to prepare yourself for a possible recession. It could take a while before the economy recovers from it.

Check your financial situation

Since you’re mostly at home these days, you can use your time wisely by checking your financial situation. Determine if you still have loans to pay. You also need to check if there are enough savings on the bank to help you for the rainy days. You must have an idea about the current picture of your financial status so that you can decide on the next steps.

Determine which expenses to cut 

Given how difficult the future would be, you couldn’t spend the same way that you did in the past. Things have to change, and it starts by cutting some expenses. You can consider canceling all your immediate travel plans. Given how difficult it is to travel these days anyway, it wouldn’t make sense if you spend money on a trip. You can also consider avoiding eating out in the future. Since it’s no longer safe to always dine in a restaurant, you can cook more often at home. You will save a lot of money if you start cutting unnecessary expenses.

Look for cheaper alternatives 

Reducing your expenses doesn’t mean you wouldn’t spend at all. It means that you have to be wiser before spending money. For instance, if you want to buy a car since you need it, you still have to pursue that plan. However, instead of purchasing a brand-new vehicle, you can consider buying a used car. You will save a lot of money since cars quickly depreciate. You can get the same model for a lot less. Check out the inventory at dealerships in Utah for quality vehicles available at a low price. As long as the alternative is good enough, there’s nothing wrong with investing in it.

Work harder to grow your business 

If you’re running a business, you must be in a difficult position right now. Several companies even closed due to a lack of economic activity. If your business still survived, you’re lucky. The best thing that you can do is to work harder so that you can keep growing your business. You also need to work harder on your marketing strategy so that you can reach as many people as possible. You can even think about expanding your business even if it’s a risk so that you can boost your potential income.

There’s nothing that we can do to prevent a possible recession, given the current situation. You can only prepare for the worst possibilities. Don’t forget to include your health-related expenses when budgeting your money. Even if you’re trying to cut other costs, you shouldn’t sacrifice anything related to health.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Finance category.

Why eSports is Emerging as a Popular Career in Tech

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eSports is on the rise. Across player earnings, sponsorship deals and audience figures, the industry is rivalling traditional sports and has emerged as a profession of its own. In 2018, Tyler Blevins, a notable gamer with a huge following on Twitch, reported earnings in excess of $10 million. The same year, eSports pro Jesse Vainikka’s annual tournament winnings meant his average weekly pay came to over $70,000 making him a millionaire too.

Since 2016, the industry has witnessed dramatic growth. Every year has seen millions added to its audience figures. According to Newzoo statistics, there was a 19.3% increase in those viewing eSports between 2016 and 2017. This grew by 13.8% in 2018 meaning the industry had a global audience base of 380 million people. Predicting further growth in both dedicated followers and casual fans, Newzoo suggests audience numbers will reach 557 million next year. This would put it among the world’s top 10, ahead of baseball and golf.

For tech careers, eSports presents huge opportunities

While some will think of becoming the next eSports celebrity, earning millions of dollars per year, the industry has a lot more to offer. The infrastructure to make eSports happen is huge. Technology is at the heart of that and the focus is on ensuring events stream effectively to a worldwide online audience.

That means managing customized ecosystems for each tier of service, optimizing access for the players themselves. It means managing virtual LAN extensions, various subsystems and microservices, and ensuring thousands of game servers are operational and accessible.

As well as engineers, eSports is also reliant on software developers, data analysts, programmers, product managers, and applications technicians. As well as more general roles concerning administration, marketing, customer engagement and social media, careers can also focus on quality assurance where an individual works with the programmers to eliminate bugs or animation engineering which focuses on building new game prototypes.

An industry now recognized among traditional professional sports

The repute of eSports has been underlined in recent years by an emerging acceptance of the industry alongside traditional professional sports. For example, in England, where soccer is currently suspended, bet365 is applying some of its popular betting features to eSports games played on FIFA 2020 and live streamed on the site.

Illustrating the reputation of eSports today is the fact specific bets that are a mainstay of Premier League and Championship betting such as the fulltime result, first goal, total goals, both teams to score and more, are now attributed to those matches played on the virtual stage.

 

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“YOU DID A VERSTAPPEN!” Charles Leclerc wasn’t happy with Alex Albon’s overtake 😂

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Similar evidence of eSports’ emergence as spectator entertainment is the growing number of tournaments streamed live on major sports channels like ESPN. Recently, the broadcaster presented a 12-hour marathon titled “ESPN Esports Day” featuring both live and archived events across a number of games such as Madden NFL20. It also hosted a virtual grand prix with celebrities joining real life drivers such as Charles Leclerc and Alex Albon for a race on the Xbox/PS4 release F1 2019.

eSports’ growth means career opportunities are going to increase. From hardware and software development to operations and infrastructure, there are a number of compelling roles for those eager to follow a tech career.

How Can Mobile Slots Impact Your Health

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Alongside the advent of online slots, it really began to seem that the gambling industry was subject to the experience of near-constant evolution. For a long time things were threatening to go stagnant in the slots world, but then video slots came along in the 1980s, ultimately paving the way for the online slots of the 21st Century.

And here’s the thing: online slots weren’t even around for much longer than a decade before mobile slots appeared, eventually overtaking their predecessor in terms of popularity. Oh yes, it seems as though everybody is playing mobile slots in 2020, but how can they impact your health? Let’s take a look and learn more at Slotsuk.co.uk.

Train your brain

Experts have claimed for a long time that playing games such as slots can positively impact on people’s cognitive ability, mainly because it keeps the brain active for large amounts of time. It therefore follows that mobile slots can actually serve to train your brain to do better with basic cognitive functions such as spotting shapes or colours.

If anybody remembers the craze that Nintendo started with their Brain Training games for DS you will know that the public loves something that can successfully improve your cognitive ability, so why not try mobile slots?

Do not succumb to addiction

Although there are plenty of positives associated with the affect of mobile slot games on people’s health, you also cannot get away from the fact that they can be dangerous too. The main reason for this is that they are a lot easier to become addicted too, seeing as you can play a mobile slot literally anywhere you find yourself, and even in any situation.

It is therefore very important that all of us take care not to succumb to addiction when playing mobile slots, because as fun as they are, you don’t want to feel as though you rely on them too heavily.

Keep care of those eyes

One of the drawbacks of mobile slots is the fact that, in the vast majority of cases, the action takes place on a much smaller screen, and can therefore be a lot more dangerous to your eyes. Of course, it is not just mobile slots to blame for this, as there are many different things you can do on your mobile phone, but it is definitely something to consider.

Many avid mobile slot gamblers actually end up wearing glasses specifically for their reel spinning sessions as this can help mitigate the affects of mobile slots on your eyesight. However, anyone with a healthy pair of eyes shouldn’t really worry about this!

Lose that feeling of boredom

The feeling of boredom can be directly reflecting off underlying mental health problems such as depression, and mobile slots can be a great way to fight off these feelings of boredom.

The great thing is that they are so practical you don’t even need to make a special effort to play them, just log onto your phone and you are away!

To read more on topics like this, check out the Life Tips category.

Moving on From a Divorce

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The ending of a relationship is always a difficult time. It is an emotional journey with an uncertain and seemingly frightening future. Regardless of who ended the relationship, life goes on, and thousands of people move on to having happy and fulfilling lives. To fully move on, you need to focus on yourself while balancing the things you need to focus more and less on. This list can hopefully help you at this emotional time.

Beanie, Guy, Man, Beard, Jacket, Grey, Looking, People

Let yourself mourn

People get married with the promise of holding each other until death leads them apart. Even if the divorce turns out to be the best way forward, divorce still represents loss and with this, comes grief. Losing something you intended to keep harbors remorse and feelings of inadequacy, which can affect your self-esteem. A healthy balance of reflecting alone and talking to others will help you see the light at the end of the seeming never-ending tunnel. Feeling despair is reasonable; however, if the situation gets out of hand, talking to a therapist can be enlightening.

Learn to like yourself

Being in a relationship facilitates growth. The more you compromise for your partner, the more that the relationship changes you somehow. You become part of each other’s lives so much that you learn to think and act in similar ways. Following the divorce, you will frequently be reminded of the person you have become after the relationship. It is normal to still think about your partner and to miss them too. To get through this numbing and longing phase, rediscovering the new you is vital. Learning to like yourself can help nurture your self-esteem, which took a hit during the divorce. Liking yourself occurs in progression, similarly to how healing occurs. Give yourself time. You will get there. Focus on constructive thoughts in the process.

Learn to let go

Often, what keeps you from healing is holding on to memories and emotions. Holding on to “what could’ve been,” and the bitterness is natural. Focusing on these for too long is counterproductive. To move on, it may help to distance your attention from the person you’re trying to forget. If your current home reminds you of tear-inducing memories, consider a change of environment. In general, if your material possessions are causing you stress, consider getting rid of them. Click here to sell your home fast for cash so you can start anew.

Live in the present

Memories of the past and your visions of the future together will frequent your thoughts. Do not block them. Acknowledge them until you get comfortable with the ideas. Eventually, you will learn to see the little things that make the present such a gift. The pain will submerge as you focus on experiences that make the present worthwhile.

After a divorce, no one knows for sure what to do and which options are right. Just be yourself, your heart will know how to cope. It will always tell you what is and isn’t right. If the pain is dimming your heart and your mind’s voice, sit with the pain. Stay patient because things will get better for sure.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Life Tips category.

Chevy Cruze Mass Air Flow Explained 

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The Chevrolet Cruze (or Chevy Cruz) is a great compact car. It is a very practical car, with great fuel mileage and a superb predicted reliability rating. It makes life easier, thanks in part to its front and back comfortable seats which are adult-friendly and appealing tech features. When you’re out on the road, there’s nothing more important than having a vehicle you can rely on to get the job done. Once you’ve purchased the right make and model, you also need to love and care for your vehicle so that it lasts a long time without giving you much downtime. To keep your Chevy Cruz in good condition and efficiency at all times, it is important to ensure that your Chevy Cruz Mass Air Flow sensor is in good working order.

A mass airflow sensor (MAS) determines the mass of air entering a vehicle’s fuel injection engine, and passes that data to the Engine Control Unit (ECU). The air mass information is necessary for the ECU to correctly balance and deliver the correct amount of fuel to the engine. When a vehicle’s mass airflow sensor is faulty or defective it can cause a variety of problems, and usually results in very poor performance from your engine. It is highly advisable to clean your vehicle’s mass air flow sensor every six months or every time you change the oil or bring your vehicle for servicing.

The mass air flow sensor is prone to failure caused by age or other factors such as common pollutants like dirt and dust. A faulty MAF sensor can result in a significant loss in power, poor gas mileage, and poor performance from your car’s engine. When your vehicle has declining mass air flow sensor quality, you will notice several driveability issues like slow acceleration and reduced engine power.

These are the common symptoms of a bad mass air flow sensor:

The engine has difficulty starting or turning over.

Your air fuel ratio is either too rich or too lean

Your OBD-II scanner gets code P0101

The engine stalls shortly after starting.

The engine hesitates or drags while under load or idle

Hesitation and jerking during acceleration

The engine hiccups

Most of the time, a check engine light appears due to a dirty mass air flow sensor. When you notice the light or feel the symptoms from your vehicle, you should immediately take a look at the MAF.

In times of global pandemic like what the entire world is facing now, shopping for your vehicle’s mass air flow sensor as well as all your Chevy Cruze parts online at AutoZone is the best that you can do. Shopping at this online parts store means you’ll get access to some of the best parts at unbeatable prices. They offer free shipping on Chevy Cruze parts to make sure you save even more when you shop with them. If you want to take the difficulty out of taking care of your Chevy Cruze, AutoZone is the place to go to!

To read more on topics like this, check out the Technology category.

How To Use Influencer Marketing

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Gone are the days when digital marketing could work without involving social media. Today, authenticity and organic engagement can drive more engagement with your business than big ad campaigns. Enter the influencer.

Influencers are people who hold a certain amount of authority within their niche. For example, a fashion influencer has a reputation within the fashion world while a food influencer has built their foundation in the world of food or restaurants.

Depending on what kind of business you own, approaching an influencer to help you promote your business can be an effective way to increase your consumer base and audience quickly.

Who is an influencer and how do you get in touch with them?

An influencer is anyone who has a substantial following and influence on the internet. As long as a person has a strong presence on social media – like a large number of followers, people who listen to them and buy the products they endorse, and quality content that brings in more followers – they can be considered an influencer.

Not everyone who has a following on social media is an influencer. While a person can have a certain number of followers on social media, an influencer’s account is designed to reach new audiences while a standard account may not be. So while a person can have 2000 people they know who follow them on Instagram, an emerging influencer could have that same number but be capable of getting those people to buy the products you want to sell.

Influencers hold authority and can sometimes be considered brands in and of themselves. These are also people with whom audiences interact and are more likely to listen to, should they choose to promote you.

You can get in touch with an influencer by :

  • Contacting them on social media if they have a smaller number of followers (typically fewer than 5000).
  • Bigger influencers will usually provide a link on their social media which businesses can use to approach them for endorsements.

Influencer marketing is not free. Most businesses provide the influencers they hire either with money or with products from their line. Some influencers may also tell you how much they will charge to market your product to their followers.

How do you incorporate influencer marketing into your business plan?

An influencer marketing plan is important if you choose to go this route. While influencer marketing can be lucrative, you need to measure your return on investment and how likely an influencer is to bring you traction before you approach them.

Before you decide on who you want to approach, you need to go through certain steps that will help you in the long run:

  1. Know your audience: If you do not know and understand the people you are trying to market your products to, they will not likely resonate with you. Marketing today is about developing loyalty by building authentic conversations and engagements. The more you know about your customers, the better you will be at engaging them.
  2. Build a business plan: Your influencer marketing plan should be a core part of your company’s overall business plan. The reason behind this is that influencer marketing is one of the biggest ways to increase engagements and sell products today. For instance, in creating a gym business plan, think about local and national celebrities or fitness gurus that could help market your business.
  3. Approach the right influencer: Not only should the influencer you select fall within your budget, they should also fall within your niche. For a small business looking to expand locally, a local influencer would help you gain better traction than a national one. The better you understand your audience, the better you will understand who and what influences them.
  4. Create good content: Content marketing is key to influencers. Sometimes you will have to deliver the content to the influencer yourself, while at other times the influencer might make the content themselves. Someone who posts a review video on YouTube is an example of an influencer who creates their own content, while someone who shares your YouTube video brings you traction on the basis of the quality of your content. If you are going to approach an influencer who makes their own content, you should check out their previous content to make sure their quality standards match what your brand needs.
  5. Keep an eye on trends: The influencer you choose will also depend on who is more popular at the time you are choosing to begin your influencer marketing campaign. Someone who has less relevance in recent years will not give you a great return on investment. By keeping up to date with trends, you will know what people are being influenced by and can approach the right person to market your business.

After you have initiated your influencer marketing campaign, remember to keep checking on how much traction your marketing strategy has brought you. An easy way to do this is to make a hashtag specifically for the campaign in tandem with your influencer and track that hashtag to see how well your influencer marketing strategy is developing.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Business Tech category.

10 Ways To Surprise Your Parents in a Pleasant Way

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When was the last time you got to surprise your parents with a gift delivery or spent a whole day with them? Well, you can’t recall because it’s been long. Due to the mundane life that we all live, at times, it becomes challenging to make time for those who matter to us. And often or not, we take the love of our parents for granted. Isn’t it? It’s never too late to realize and make up for your mistakes.

Here are the 10 ways in which you can pleasantly surprise your parents.

1. Write Letters To Them: In the age of smartphones, write to your parents love letters for the unmatched nostalgia. Nothing compares to the feeling of receiving handwritten letters, till date, it is the most prized possession for most of them, including your parents. You can enclose the letters in envelopes and seal them with a love stamp, or you can send a letter along with a bunch of fresh flowers or gifts.

2. Cook For Them: There is an old saying, “ family that eats together, stays together.” Make this come alive by cooking lunch or dinner for your parents and enjoying it together. It is also one of the best ways to bond and spend some quality time with each other. For the dessert, you can order cake online in the flavour most relished by your parents to end on a sweet note.

3. Call Them Once a Week: If you are living far away from your parents, make sure you call them at least once a week. Take advantage of technology and make your parents feel that you are still close to them while being far away. Over the call, you can show your mom the new collection you just bought, or you can learn from your dad gardening tips, etc.

4. Go With Them To A Trip: A change of weather and location is the natural way to refresh and rejuvenate. It would also give you a chance to unwind from the monotonous life. Take a road trip to a nearby place or go to the mountains to chill.

5. Surprise Them with Gifts: You need not wait for an occasion to send gifts to your parents. They are your parents, and you can pamper them any moment you feel like. So, schedule a gift delivery to your parents home and make them smile from ear to ear. Go for personalized gifts to evoke beautiful memories.

6. Make A Surprise Visit To Them: Leave them open-mouth by making a surprise visit to them on the weekend. They would love it to the core. Spend a whole weekend with them, talk to them, lend your helping hand to your mother in the kitchen, and enjoy a sweet family gathering.

7. Throw Them A Party: Yes! Throw an intimate party by calling your parents and their friends home. Let them have fun and relive their golden days. Organize for snacks and drinks. Include some fun games like Tambola, musical chair, passing the parcel, etc. for cheery vibes.

8. Pamper Them With Spa Day: Parents often forget to take care of themselves. So, book a spa appointment for them, and help them to relax and recharge. Book a couple spa for them so that they can spend some cozy time with each other.

9 Help Them With Their Work: If you live with them, the best way to pamper and surprise them is to help them with their daily chores. You can help your mother in the kitchen and dad with his office work. Share their workload and ease of burden on their shoulders.

10. Say “I Love You” To Them: How many times have you expressed to them that you love them unconditionally? You can show them your love by way of sweet gestures and tokens. You can give them a jar full of love notes, or you can bake them heart-shaped cookies, etc. So, seize every opportunity to make them feel your love, care, and warmth.

Do surprise them with any or all of these ideas and watch them wear their broadest smile.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Family category.

6 Soothing Gifts For Mother’s Day

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Sunday, the 10th of May is approaching, and it is something special. Yes, you got it right. We are talking about Mother’s Day, the best day of the year. And this day shouldn’t pass without gifts. Let us tell you one thing that for your Mother, you are the best gift. But there is still a need to make her smile on Mother’s Day with a gift. It could be something cool, something unique, something useful, or something as beautiful as she is. There is nothing to worry about buying an expensive gift because gifts don’t depict value; they depict emotions and sentiments. Even a single flower from your garden can do the talking. All that matters is your concern and love towards her. But if you want some Mother’s Day gift ideas to surprise your mom, find them below:

Flowers

We just told you that even a single hand-picked flower could do the magic. Believe us, flowers have never failed to impress, and they will never do. You can choose from roses, lilies, carnations, orchids, daisies, tulips and many more. You can create a bouquet of flowers by yourself, or you can buy one online. Get the bouquet furnished with a beautiful message outlining the importance of your mom in your life.

Personalised Cushion

This one is the gift having both personal touch and comfort. Moms keep on working throughout the day restlessly, which is really tiring. Gift your mom a personalised cushion having her picture printed on it with a heartwarming message. It is one of the best personalised Mothers Day gifts. It is useful as whenever she feels exhausted, she can place it on the back of the chair to relax. And won’t stop smiling after receiving this gift.

Cake

Almost everybody in the world loves to eat cake. And cakes are best to celebrate any kind of moment. Get a delicious and mouth-watering cake baked with all the premium ingredients and with proper keep on hygiene, especially for the occasion of Mother’s Day to treat and surprise your lovely mom at the same time. You can also get her a designer cake or a photo cake to make the cake look amazing.

Write Down A Poem

It has been told many times before that; words can do wonders. The kind of power words hold is unmatchable. To surprise your mom in the most amazon way on Mothers Day, try to write down a poem on your own. You don’t have to sound like a perfect poet. All you need to write down what you feel for your Mother while trying to match the rhymes a bit. Make your mom sit on the sofa, give her a cup of coffee, and spit out the poem. We bet she will hug you after that.

Strawberry Shake

It may not sound like a gift, but it is. Everything that we present to someone with a view of surprising the him/her and to make the person smile is a gift. Bring all the ingredients such as strawberry pulp, fresh strawberries, milk, ice cream, and chocolate syrup (to add some blend of different flavours). Hit the kitchen and prepare a tooth-some strawberry shake for your mom.

Jogging Shoes

Everyone is marching towards a healthy lifestyle nowadays, and that’s a great thing. Your mom is getting older, which means she needs to take great care of her body. Gift her a pair of comfortable jogging shoes which will motivate her to go on a walk every morning. This way, you will keep her healthy and will also put a wide smile on her face on Mother’s Day occasion.

Don’t think much, choose a Mother’s Day gift for your mom and buy it now!

To read more on topics like this, check out the family category.

All That You Need to Know About Starting Your Day the Self-Care Way

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Self-care is all about minding your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. As such, it entails many things that one has to take care of. Usually, it is what you take into the body that matters, although activities such as exercise and socializing play crucial roles as well.

Taking good care of yourself should happen all the time, but the largest part happens in the morning: planning and executing of some of the important things. Without further ado, let us dive deep into the highlights of how you can start your day the self-care way.

Wake Up After Enough Sleep

We all know that an average of eight hours of sleep is recommended by health experts. This is the only way to ensure that you remain active the next day. A regular sleeping pattern is also recommended. So, if you want to start your day in a healthy way, create a healthy sleeping cycle that should be followed at all times.

Eat a Healthy Breakfast

Well, we have mentioned that what you take into your body is very crucial. A morning diet routine should start with water or health fluids to refresh the system and then followed by a healthy breakfast. We all know that you should eat like a king in the morning. Make sure that you consume a balanced diet that contains carbs, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. With this, you can rest assured that your entire day will be great.

Exercise in the Morning

Starting your day with some form of activity is crucial. Many people prefer to do some form of exercise such as jogging, doing body workouts, weightlifting, or any other. Starting this habit and sticking to it is not as easy as many people would think. The hardest part is maintaining it once you start. But you can visit this website to see some of the gear that will boost your workout productivity for better results. It is a form of motivation.

Meditate

Taking a few minutes in the morning to meditate about your life plans is highly recommended. Apart from helping your mind to relax, you also get a chance to plan your day and future life. An activity like yoga or a religious activity will facilitate meditation in a perfect way. The good thing is that it does not have to take a long time. Making it a habit in the morning will cause an excellent positive change in your life.

Socialize

As soon as you wake up, warmly greet your partner and family members whom you live with. It will not cost you anything to smile and say ‘hi’ to your neighbor as you jog out into the streets. Likewise, have a small chat with colleagues when you get into work. After all, people are social beings and this activity helps them to grow and live a happy life.

Final Word

Always endeavor to start your day in a healthy way. If it is possible, combine all of these tips together and even add others as suggested by health experts for a great success.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Life Tips category.

The COVID-19 Pandemic is Adding Fuel to the Fire in the Middle East

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Armed conflict in the Middle East and North Africa has disrupted daily life for decades, but in the midst of March 2020, a global emergency brought fighting to a temporary halt in Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Yemen. Civil unrest in Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, and even Iran also subsided as public health officials implemented national quarantines, curfews, and travel restrictions as part of their efforts to contain the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus.

The last two incidents involving military action before the Middle East went into lockdown took place in Iraq. Radical militias supported by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps launched Katyusha rockets at military bases in Iraq; these attacks resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a British medic. Dozens of Iraqi coalition troops were injured in the attack, and the United States retaliated with airstrikes targeting facilities used by the militants.

Under “normal” circumstances, the aforementioned attacks should have triggered street protests in Iraq and Iran. Many Iraqis feel that the presence of American forces in their country has become a dangerous liability; at the same time, they are tired of Iranian intervention. In the Islamic Republic, many people are dismayed at their government’s support of foreign radical groups at a time when the country is going through economic chaos. These protests did not materialize because of the COVID-19 situation, and some geopolitical analysts believe that some leaders in the Middle East dodged a bullet because the region seems to be on the verge of another Arab Spring.

For millions of people in the Middle East, the coronavirus pandemic could not have come at a worse time. This is a crisis that requires management by assertive leaders who can count on robust public health systems, and this is unfortunately not the case for countries such as Iran, where the government has been accused of withholding information and reacting poorly. The Islamic Republic has barely recovered from a rash of deadly protests that resulted in multiple deaths and hundreds of serious injuries, and millions of Iranians must now contend with a government that seems to be ill-prepared to handle a public health crisis.

It is important to remember that the Iranian people have endured nearly two years of stringent economic sanctions imposed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. There has never been a more opportune time to set aside differences and ease sanctions on Iran. Amir Handjani, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, wrote about the immediate need for the Trump administration to realize that American commitment to humanitarian trade with Iran has been ignored for too long.

On paper, each sanction imposed by the U.S. has a set of exceptions with regard to food and medicine; the idea is to avoid civilian populations from being cut off, thus averting socioeconomic catastrophes. In reality, humanitarian trade becomes almost impossible to achieve because each sanction comes with byzantine layers of bureaucratic complexity. The process of importing food, medicine, and even hygiene items into Iran is often Kafkaesque; this is not supposed to happen under policy managed by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, the agency in charge of overseeing sanctions, and it has been admonished by the United Nations.

Economic sanctions are far more complex than how they are reported by news media outlets; they extend to other countries and are made more draconian by secondary mechanisms. It is clear that American companies cannot export goods to the Islamic Republic, but secondary sanctions tend to ensnare foreign entities and individuals as well. In some cases, Middle Eastern exporters and distributors prefer to not do business with Iran because they may have a commercial relationship with the U.S. that they do not wish to risk. The mechanisms to activate humanitarian trade exceptions end up creating vicious circles, and this is deeply discouraging. Even oil-for-food programs, which are often monitored by the United Nations, are very difficult to operate because of the overzealous sanctions.

On March 22, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic acknowledged that the U.S. had offered assistance to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Iran is a country that could certainly use this assistance because of its advanced rate of infections and mortality, but Ayatollah Ali Khamenei refused. In fact, the Ayatollah even referred to a conspiracy theory that the coronavirus is actually an American-made biological weapon. Millions of Iranians probably rolled their eyes at those comments, but the fact remains that easing the sanctions and allowing humanitarian trade to happen the way it is intended to are urgently needed. When President Hassan Rouhani hinted that quarantine measures could be reduced after a week despite a major spike in infections and deaths, WHO officials were quick to signal their disapproval of his comments.

Some Middle East nations are certainly better prepared to face the disruptions of this pandemic. Countries such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will certainly suffer revenue losses because they enjoy significant revenue from air travel operations around the world, but their economies have thankfully diversified in the 21st century. Saudi Arabia is already taking steps towards becoming one of the world’s top energy producers, but this will put pressure on neighboring jurisdictions that are heavily reliant on oil production revenues.

As for Yemen and Syria, their respective humanitarian crises caused by years of armed conflict will likely become exacerbated to the point of requiring interventions by the United Nations. Peace agreements may need to be rushed in these two countries, and United Nations peacekeeping forces may have to be deployed. As for Israel and Lebanon, political leaders will have to focus very strongly on meeting the needs of their constituents in order to avoid civil unrest at a time when governance is being questioned.

As the most critical global challenge of the 21st century, the COVID-19 pandemic could bring even more turmoil to the Middle East, but this will largely depend on what governments do to protect their citizens; this will be crucial to avert another Arab Spring situation that could be even more contagious than coronavirus.

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