Israeli settlers chop dozens of olive trees in West Bank

Israeli settlers chopped dozens of olive trees in the village of Qaryut, south of Nablus, according to a local activist. Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors settlement activities in the northern West Bank, said that villagers were shocked to find out today that Israeli settlers chopped more than 160 grown olive trees in the western area of the village. Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and their property is common and is rarely prosecuted by the Israeli occupation authorities.

Source: Palestine News & Information Agency (WAFA)

WHO warns of health crisis in Sudan despite ceasefire

WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Ahmed Mandhari, Thursday urged the warring parties in Sudan to evacuate health facilities immediately, warning of a health crisis. Mandhari said in a statement by Anadolu, “While the news of the ceasefire in Sudan is welcome, the attack on Sudan’s health infrastructure has escalated with the occupation of hospitals in Khartoum and the country’s central public health laboratory by parties to the conflict.” He explained, “The occupation and violation of these vital health facilities prevent patients from obtaining basic health care and also caused the cessation of testing important laboratory samples.” He warned, “The impact of these occupations and the violation of these vital health facilities are being felt by the lack of access by patients to essential health care and in the instant halt to the testing of critically important laboratory samples.” He added, “WHO is concerned that untrained individuals could mishandle such infectious specimens, thereby infecting themselves and others.”

Source: Jordan News Agency

ASE closes trading on higher note

The Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) closed Thursday’s trading session up by 0.59 percent at 2,387 points. A total of 2.3 million shares were traded through 2,033 transactions at a trading value of JD3 million. The closing prices of 36 companies with traded shares went up, while 16 others declined. The prices of the shares of 35 others remained unchanged.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Moderate weather Thursday, cooler conditions, rain expected over weekend

Thursday’s temperatures are forecast to be in the usual range for this time of year, with moderate weather prevailing in the hilly highlands and plains, while it will be warm in other areas, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said in its daily update. Medium to high-altitude clouds will develop, and winds will be northwesterly moderate, stirring dust in desert regions. On Friday, temperatures will drop to levels below average for this time of year, although most places will continue to have nice conditions, with the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, and Aqaba seeing quite warmer weather. At night, the weather will gradually become partly cloudy, especially in the western regions, as a cold and humid air mass approaches the Kingdom. Limited areas of the northern and central-western regions are predicted to experience scattered light showers that will last into the night, the JMD added. The impact of the cold air mass will intensify on Saturday, with temperatures dropping significantly to (8-9) degrees Celsius below their average levels. Consequently, the weather will be chilly, partly cloudy to cloudy in most areas, and rainy in the north of the Kingdom, occasionally accompanied by thunder. The central regions will experience brief spells of rain, and the northwesterly winds will be brisk with strong gusts. Today, the highs in Amman and other highlands across the Kingdom will range between 25 and 23 degrees Celsius, dropping at night to 11C or even 9C in the southern highlands. In the Gulf city of Aqaba, it will be warmer with mercury reaching a high of 33C and a low of 18C.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Jordan, Portugal foreign ministers talk region, Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories

Jordan and Portugal’s foreign ministers discussed on Thursday over the phone ties and regional developments and the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. Jordan’s foreign minister Ayman Safadi and his Portuguese counterpart Joao Cravinho discussed the two countries’ efforts to improve cooperation in the economy, defence, tourism and culture. They discussed the developments in Sudan and the evacuations of third-country nationals from the war-torn country. The top diplomats urged the warring parties to come to the negotiating table to reach a cease-fire deal and resort to dialogue to “protect the Sudanese people.”

Source: Jordan News Agency

Jordanian MPs meet European Parliament officials

Jordanian MPs met with officials in the European Parliament and discussed the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and ways to mobilise international efforts to realise peace based on the two-state solution. The Jordanian MPs discussed during the meetings the responsibility of the international community to act against the Israeli violations against the Palestinians and to push for a two-state solution that leads to the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with occupied East Jerusalem as its capital on the lines of June 4, 1967. The Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the Jordanian parliament, Khaldoun Hina, said, “A just, lasting and comprehensive peace constitutes a strategic choice and a necessity for regional and international security and stability,” urging intensified international efforts to end the “injustice” practised on the Palestinians.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Israeli forces kill Palestinian for allegedly attacking Israeli forces in occupied West Bank

Israeli forces Thursday shot and killed a Palestinian civilian for allegedly carrying out a knife attack in Salfit City in the occupied West Bank. According to the Israeli radio, the Palestinian victim was “neutralised,” citing Israeli forces as claiming that the Palestinian victim had tried to ram an Israeli officer and then tried to stab them before being shot dead by the Israeli forces.

Source: Jordan News Agency