Category: News

China on Thursday launched the Shenzhou-18 manned spaceship to send three male astronauts to its orbiting space station for a six-month mission, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

The spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasted off at 8:59 p.m. (1259 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, it said. About 10 minutes after the launch, the Shenzhou-18 spaceship separated from the rocket and entered its designated orbit.

The crew members are in good shape and the launch is a “complete success,” the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced.

While in orbit, the Shenzhou-18 spaceship is scheduled to make a fast, automated rendezvous and docking with the space station combination. The Shenzhou-18 crew will rotate with the Shenzhou-17 crew in orbit.

The crew will utilize the scientific experiment cabinets and extravehicular payloads to carry out more than 90 experiments in the fields of basic physics in microgravity, space material science, space life science, space medi
cine and space technology, according to the CMSA.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Bethlehem – Ma’an – Settlers, protected by the Israeli occupation forces, stormed the Birk Suleiman area, south of Bethlehem, on Thursday.

Eyewitnesses told Ma’an’s correspondent in Bethlehem that settlers stormed the vicinity of the third pool, specifically the Al-Atan area, and spread out in the area.

Confrontations broke out between citizens and the occupation forces when citizens tried to confront the settlers.

A number of citizens were suffocated by gas fired at them by the occupation forces.

It is noteworthy that the Suleiman Pools tourist area and the surrounding area are constantly subjected to violations by the occupation forces and settlers.

Source: Maan News Agency

Hebron – Ma’an – The Public Relations and Media Department of the General Intelligence Service, Hebron Directorate, said that the officers of the Service in the Hebron Directorate were able, today, Thursday, to recover a car after it was burgled and stolen last Tuesday.

The director of the department, Abdel Hafeez Al-Hashlamoun, stated that from the moment the citizen Othman Sharif Abido’s complaint was received to the security services about his exposure to robbery and the theft of the car of the company where he works, on Tuesday afternoon, the officers of the agency began their search and investigations, based on the directives and sustained instructions from the director of the department. The General Administration of Hebron Governorate, Major General Muhammad Ghannam ‘Abu Daoud’, to reveal the fate of the car and find out the perpetrators.

He added, through the follow-up and investigations that were carried out, the location of the car was monitored in the Ziv area, south of Hebron, and it was brought
and will be delivered at a later time to its owner according to the rules.

He pointed out that the General Intelligence Service has incomplete information about the perpetrators who carried out the robbery, robbery, and assault on citizen Abido, and they will be pursued, arrested, and brought to justice.

Source: Maan News Agency

The Baghdad- Al-Rusafa Police Command arrested two people for opening fire after a quarrel broke out.

The Ministry of Interior stated in a statement: ‘Detachments of the Baghdad – Al-Rusafa Police Command arrested two people for opening fire after a quarrel broke out in Al-Fadhiliya area, which led to the complainant being injured by a gunshot, so that they were handed over to the police station in due course.’

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

A girl committed suicide by hanging herself inside her home in the Abu Gharq district, west of Hilla, Thursday evening.

Babylon Police Information Director, Brigadier General Adel Al-Husseini, said, ‘A girl in her twenties committed suicide by hanging herself inside her house in the Abu Gharq district, west of Hilla.’

He added that the police transferred the body to the forensic medicine office and that an investigation was opened into the incident.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

Doha: Weather inshore until 6:00 pm on Thursday will see hazy and moderate to relatively hot temperature daytime, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather report.

Offshore, the weather will be hazy and misty at times, the report added.

Wind inshore will be variable less that 05 knot, becomes mainly northeasterly to easterly at a speed of 05-15 knot, gusting to 20 knot at places at times.

Offshore, it will be northeasterly to southeasterly at a speed of 05 to 15 knot.

Visibility inshore will be 5 to 9 km. Offshore, it will be 5 to 9 km/ 3 km at times.

Sea state inshore will be 1 to 3 feet, while offshore, it will be 2 to 4 feet.

Area High Tide Low Tide Max Messaid 05:33 – 19:38 01:13 – 12:30 32 Wakrah 04:54 – 19:03 00:42 – 11:52 31 Doha 04:15 – 18:09 00:22 – 12:02 33 Al Khor 04:19 – 17:53 12:11 – 30 Ruwais 05:54 – 18:04 00:15 – 12:02 29 Dukhan 11:26 – 23:34 05:20 – 17:21 32 Abu Samra 10:35 – 22:43 04:38 – 16:59 33 Sunrise: 05:01 LT Sunset: 18:01 LT

Source: Qatar News Agency

The death toll from the ongoing Israeli occupation aggression against the Gaza Strip for 202 days has risen to 34,305 martyrs in addition to 77,293 injured.

Health authorities in Gaza said that the Israeli occupation forces committed five massacres in the Strip during the past 24 hours, leaving 43 martyrs and 64 injured.

The authorities noted that there are still numbers of victims under the rubble and on the roads, where ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them.

The intense and unprecedented Israeli occupation aggression against the Gaza Strip has continued for 202 consecutive days, by launching dozens of air strikes and bombardments by land and sea and targeting health facilities and residential areas, causing the largest humanitarian disaster in the region in many decades.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Doha: HE Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater met Thursday with HE World Food Program (WFP) Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, Corinne Fleischer, who is visiting the country.

The meeting discussed the cooperation relations between the State of Qatar and the WFP and ways to support and develop them, and several topics of common interest, including the latest developments in Gaza, Yemen and Syria.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Doha: April 24 – Msheireb Properties announced Wednesday the winners of the Msheireb Award for Innovation in Design.

The announcement was made during the conclusion of the regions first Innovation by Design Summit, organized by Msheireb Properties and Fast Company Middle East, with the participation of over 400 speakers and delegates.

The organizers recognized four outstanding winners across the categories of human-centered, technology-powered, sustainable and luxury and lifestyle design.

Msheireb Properties CEO Eng. Ali Al Kuwari said, “I’m proud to be here today in the heart of Msheireb Downtown Doha to say that Qatar is leading the way in design across its many aspects. Smart, sustainable design is the future, and it’s something were proud to champion.” He revealed that Msheireb Properties was planning to launch another version of the award in 2025, which will include additional categories to include new creative fields.

Msheireb Properties is a subsidiary of Qatar Foundation for Education, Sciences an
d Community Development and Qatars leading sustainable property developer, supporting the goals of Qatars 2030 Vision and Qatar Foundations objectives.

Its mission is to change how people think about urban living and improve their overall quality of life through innovations that encourage social interaction, respect for culture, and greater care for the environment.

Its signature project, Msheireb Downtown Doha, is one of the smartest, most sustainable city districts, which employs a new approach to urban planning by combining traditional methods and modern technology to preserve Qatars environment and cultural identity. All buildings are either Gold or Platinum LEED-certified.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Gaza – Together – Israeli aircraft continued their bombing of various areas of the Gaza Strip on the 202nd day of the war, leaving dozens of martyrs and wounded.

The Israeli occupation committed six massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, claiming 79 martyrs and 86 injuries during the past 24 hours, bringing the toll of the Israeli aggression to 34,262 martyrs and 77,229 injuries since the seventh of last October.

The occupation aircraft bombed Rafah five times during the night, leaving a number of martyrs and wounded.

The occupation targeted a house for the Al-Jamal family in the Al-Geneina neighborhood, east of Rafah, which led to the death of five displaced people from the Nabhan family and the injury of many others.

The bombing of a house for the Hassanein family in the Yabna camp, south of Rafah, led to the death of two citizens and the injury of many others.

The occupation aircraft targeted agricultural land on Saddam Street in Khirbet Al-Adas, north of Rafah, a house for the Abu Arar family
in the Musabah area, north of Rafah, and land in the Shaboura camp in the center of the city, and a number of wounded were transported.

The occupation targeted the Al-Fokhari area, southeast of Khan Yunis, while a citizen was martyred in the bombing of the Al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Yunis.

One martyr and one were wounded in an Israeli raid near the Islamic University, east of the city of Khan Yunis

Gaza and the north

An Israeli raid on the Shati camp, west of Gaza, led to the death of Amna Hameed and her two children.

Israeli artillery bombed the neighborhoods of Sheikh Ajlin, Tal Al-Hawa and Al-Zaytoun, south of Gaza City.

The occupation aircraft destroyed a house in the vicinity of the Indonesian Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip.

The middle of the sector

A martyr arrived at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital as a result of an artillery shell falling west of the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip.

An Israeli reconnaissance plane targeted the vicinity of the Old Balad Mosque in the center of Deir al-
Balah in the central Gaza Strip.

One martyr and a number of injuries occurred as the occupation forces targeted a group of citizens east of the Bureij camp with an artillery shell.

The occupation forces continued to destroy citizens’ homes in the village of Al-Mughraqa, south of Gaza City.

Source: Maan News Agency

Amman: Jordan’s national exports registered a decline, totaling about JD1.106 billion until February this year, compared to JD1.433 billion for the same period last year, marking a decrease of 22.8 percent.

These exports encompass goods and services produced domestically and sold abroad, representing the local products and services offered by Jordanian institutions and companies to international markets.

As outlined in the monthly report by the Department of Statistics on Foreign Trade, total exports amounted to approximately JD1.223 billion by the end of February this year, down from JD1.525 billion for the same period last year, marking a decrease of 19.8 percent.

Total exports encompass all goods and services exported from the country to foreign destinations, including locally produced or re-exported products. The value of imports decreased by 5.6 percent, reaching JD2.840 billion by the end of February this year, compared to JD3.010 billion for the same period last year.

However, re-exports saw an inc
rease, totaling JD117 million by the end of February this year, up by 27.2 percent from JD92 million for the same period last year.

Consequently, the trade balance deficit widened to about JD1.617 billion by the end of February this year, compared to JD1.485 billion for the same period last year, marking an increase of 8.9 percent.

The coverage ratio of total exports to imports stood at 43 percent by the end of February 2024, down from 51 percent during the same period in 2023, marking a decrease of 8 percentage points.

In February 2024, total exports amounted to JD573 million, with national exports totaling JD513 million and re-exports reaching JD60 million. Imports during the same month amounted to JD 1.522 billion, resulting in a trade balance deficit of JD949 million in February 2024.

Comparatively, total exports in February 2024 declined by 35.8 percent compared to the same month in 2023, with national exports dropping by 39.4 percent while re-exports increased by 33.3 percent. Imports also rose by 1
1.2 percent.

The coverage ratio of total exports to imports during February 2024 reached 38 percent, down from 65 percent during the same month in 2023, marking a decrease of 27 percentage points according to the report.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Over 1,740 Israeli occupation settlers provocatively stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque Thursday under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces.

In a statement, the Islamic Endowment Department in Jerusalem (Al-Quds) said that 1,128 extremist settlers broke into Al-Aqsa Mosque from Bab Al-Maghariba gate.

The settler incursions occurred during the Israeli occupation military restrictions for Palestinians heading toward the mosque to pray.

According to Palestinian News Agency (WAFA), 612 Israeli occupation settlers stormed Al-Aqsa during the third evening of Jewish Passover

Source: Kuwait News Agency