BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Environment Ministry is seeking to reduce the risk of recurrent forest fires and their severity through an updated national strategy, which was launched on Wednesday.
Nasser Yassin, caretaker minister of environment, said that work was being carried out “under financially, administratively, and politically unfavorable conditions” to reduce the risk of forests and woodlands catching on fire.

RAMALLAH: On the eve of the Jerusalem “flag day” march, tensions were running high all over Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. They threatened to disrupt the ceasefire agreement between Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Israel, amid fears of violent clashes in Jerusalem.

Thursday afternoon’s march is an annual Israeli, far-right parade that celebrates the capture in 1967 of East Jerusalem and its subsequent occupation, which the Israeli government refers to as the “reunification” of Jerusalem.

RIYADH: King Abdullah II of Jordan has expressed confidence in the success of the upcoming Arab League summit in Jeddah, anticipating the start of a new phase of Arab action based on a solid foundation of economic cooperation that benefits all parties.

During an interview with Ghassan Charbel, editor-in-chief of the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, King Abdullah emphasized the need to address political challenges facing Arab nations, the foremost of which being the Palestinian cause.

AMMAN: More than 6 million children in Turkiye and Syria remain in need of humanitarian aid 100 days after the devastating February earthquakes, the UN International Children’s Emergency Fund warned on Wednesday.

The earthquake and aftershocks on Feb 6. left thousands of children homeless and without access to basic amenities such as safe drinking water, schooling and medical care.

“In the aftermath of the earthquakes, children in both countries have experienced unimaginable loss and grief,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said.

RIYADH: Arab leaders meeting in the Saudi city of Jeddah for the Arab League summit on Friday will have a “unique opportunity” to resolve the conflict in Sudan, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, the foreign minister of Djibouti, told Arab News en Francais.

Sudan, itself an Arab League member, has been rocked by more than a month of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, displacing hundreds of thousands and killing hundreds.