JENIN, Palestinian Territories: Israeli troops on Tuesday killed six Palestinians in Jenin including an alleged militant accused of killing two Israelis, the latest deadly raid in a surge of violence in the occupied West Bank.
The Palestinian health ministry said six men had been killed, one aged 49 and the rest in their 20s, in clashes that the army said included soldiers launching shoulder-fired rockets amid ferocious gunfire.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, called the use of rockets in the Jenin refugee camp — the scene of frequent clashes in the northern West Bank — an act of “all-out war,” Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
Witnesses said Israeli troops entered the camp and surrounded a house as a group of militants fought back, with the army reporting “explosive devices and blocks” were hurled at their soldiers.
An AFP photographer saw thick plumes of smoke rising from the building.
The Jenin Brigade, a militant group in the camp, said on one of their Telegram channels that their gunmen fought “violent clashes” with Israeli forces.
Among those killed was Abdel-Fatah Hussein Khroushah, 49, who the Israeli army called a “terrorist operative” from the Islamist movement Hamas and accused of killing two Israeli settlers in the Palestinian town of Hawara on February 26.
At least 26 Palestinians were wounded during Tuesday’s raid, the Palestinian health ministry said, three of them with serious injuries. The army said two soldiers were lightly wounded.
Sirens rang out Tuesday night in Nir Am, a small Israeli town just a few kilometers from the Gaza Strip, after a rocket was fired from the Hamas-controlled territory, the Israeli military said.
“A rocket launch was identified which seems to have exploded inside the Gaza Strip,” the army said in a brief statement.
It is the most recent in a string of fatal military operations in the Palestinian territory, which Israel has occupied since the Six-Day War of 1967.
After fighting stopped, an AFP journalist who entered the wreckage of the house where Khroushah had been saw blackened walls riddled with bullet holes and entire walls blasted down.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message troops had “eliminated the abhorrent terrorist,” referring to Khroushah.
“Our brave soldiers acted with surgical precision in the heart of the murderers’ lair,” Netanyahu added. “Whoever harms us will pay the price.”
The Palestinian presidency spokesman Abu Rudeineh said Israel was “responsible for this dangerous escalation which threatens to inflame the situation and destroy all efforts aimed at restoring stability.”
Last month, Israeli and Palestinian officials pledged in a joint statement to “prevent further violence” and “commit to de-escalation” following talks in neighboring Jordan.
On Tuesday, Jordan foreign ministry spokesman Sinan Majali condemned what he called Israeli “aggression,” warning it “will lead to further deterioration (and) widen the cycles of violence.”
Hamas condemned the killing of the six Palestinians, which it said would only make Palestinians “more determined to confront the Israeli occupation and Israeli settler militias.”
Islamic Jihad and Abbas’ Fatah movement issued similar condemnations, but also hinted that Palestinian security forces took part in the fight against Israeli troops.
The Israeli army and Shin Bet domestic security agency said Tuesday they had carried out a separate raid in a refugee camp in the city of Nablus and arrested two of Khroushah’s sons “suspected of aiding and planning in the terror attack.”
Witnesses in Nablus, south of Jenin, said three men had been arrested.
The Israeli raids came amid celebrations for the Jewish holiday of Purim and against a backdrop of rising tensions since the beginning of the year, coinciding with Netanyahu’s hard-right government taking office in December.
Some fear further violence, particularly around Jerusalem’s holy sites during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, which begins in late March, and the Jewish holiday of Passover in April.
The killing of the two settlers — brothers Yagel Yaniv, 20, and Hallel Yaniv, 22 — in Hawara took place hours after the Jordan summit.
Hundreds of rampaging Israeli settlers later torched Palestinian homes and cars in the West Bank town.
Since the start of the year, the conflict has claimed the lives of 71 Palestinian adults and children, including militants and civilians.
Thirteen Israeli adults and children, including members of the security forces and civilians, and one Ukrainian civilian have been killed over the same period, according to an AFP tally based on official sources from both sides.
Israeli forces kill six Palestinians including wanted militant in Jenin raid
https://arab.news/5nrrz
Israeli forces kill six Palestinians including wanted militant in Jenin raid
- Israeli troops enter refugee camp and surround a house as a group of militants fought back
- It is the most recent in a string of fatal military operations in the Palestinian territory
Pakistan’s finance chief acknowledges Saudi role in IMF deal, invites counterpart to visit
- Saudi Arabia, UAE and China provided financing assurances needed to unlock the $7 billion loan
- Muhammad Aurangzeb tells Mohammed Aljadaan Pakistan welcomes investment from Saudi Arabia
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday acknowledged Saudi Arabia’s critical role in helping secure the country’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan package and invited his counterpart in the Kingdom to visit Pakistan during an interaction on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, DC.
The IMF approved a $7 billion Extended Fund Facility for Pakistan in September 2024 after Saudi Arabia, alongside the United Arab Emirates and China, provided key financing assurances needed to unlock the deal.
The package was seen as essential to stabilizing Pakistan’s economy amid dwindling foreign reserves and fiscal stress.
The Pakistani finance chief acknowledged the Kingdom’s role in a meeting with his Saudi counterpart, Mohammed Aljadaan, during his trip to the United States.
“Senator Aurangzeb thanked H.E. Aljadaan for Saudi Arabia’s longstanding and strong support to Pakistan in its pursuit of economic development, including through support for the IMF program, and invited him to visit Pakistan,” the finance ministry said in a statement circulated after the meeting.
“The Finance Minister also extended an invitation to H.E. Aljadaan to visit Pakistan,” it added.
Aurangzeb reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to economic reforms and said the country welcomed Saudi investments.
The latest meeting followed Aurangzeb’s engagement with Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Murshid, the top Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) official, on Tuesday, where he sought faster disbursements under the $1.2 billion Saudi Oil Facility, an arrangement allowing deferred payments on oil imports to ease pressure on Pakistan’s reserves.
Aurangzeb also requested SFD’s support for the National Highway N-25 and reviewed the fund’s development portfolio in Pakistan, expressing satisfaction with its pace of implementation.
In recent months, economic cooperation between the two countries has deepened.
During Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh in October 2024, the two sides signed 34 bilateral memorandums of understanding (MoUs), with a total projected investment of $2.8 billion.
Seven of those MoUs had been converted into agreements worth $560 million by December, several of which are already being implemented.
Hong Kong allows outspoken Cardinal Joseph Zen to attend Pope Francis’ funeral
- Zen have said the Vatican’s agreement with Chinese authorities on the appointment of bishops betrays pro-Vatican Chinese Catholics
- He has also criticized Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, the official charged with negotiations with Beijing, as a ‘man of little faith’
HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s outspoken Roman Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen was allowed to leave the southern Chinese city to attend Pope Francis’ funeral in Vatican City.
Zen, a 93-year-old retired bishop, left Hong Kong on Wednesday night after applying at a court to get back his passport, his secretary said in a text message on Thursday. Authorities confiscated his passport after his controversial arrest under a Beijing-imposed national security law in 2022.
Zen is among the critics in recent years who have said the Vatican’s agreement with Chinese authorities on the appointment of bishops betrays pro-Vatican Chinese Catholics. He has also criticized Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, the official charged with negotiations with Beijing, as a “man of little faith.”
Parolin is considered one of the main contenders to be the next pope, given his prominence in the Catholic hierarchy.
On Tuesday, media reports said Zen had issued a critique of the Vatican, questioning why pre-conclave meetings started as early as Tuesday. The AP could not independently verify the reports, but Zen reposted the reporters’ posts about his statement on his X account.
His secretary said Zen would return to Hong Kong after the late pope’s funeral, which is scheduled for Saturday. But she was unsure about his exact return date.
It was not the first time Zen had to go through the city’s court to leave Hong Kong. In 2023, he went through similar procedures to pay his respects to the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. He met Pope Francis in a private audience during that trip.
Zen was first arrested in 2022 on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces under the security law. His arrest sent shockwaves through the Catholic community at that time.
While Zen has not yet faced national security-related charges, he and five others were fined in 2022 after being found guilty of failing to register a now-defunct fund that aimed to help people arrested in widespread 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. A hearing on his appeal against the conviction is scheduled for December.
Separately, Hong Kong cardinal Stephen Chow will travel to the Vatican for the conclave, the city’s Catholic Social Communications Office said Thursday.
In 2023, a Beijing bishop who was installed by China’s state-controlled Catholic church as an archbishop visited Hong Kong at the invitation of Chow. It was the first-ever official visit by a Beijing bishop to the city. Experts at that time said Chow’s invitation was a symbolic gesture that could strengthen the fragile ties between China and the Vatican.
Beijing and the Vatican severed diplomatic ties following the Chinese Communist Party’s rise to power and the expulsion of foreign priests. Since the break in ties, Catholics in China have been divided between those who belong to an official, state-sanctioned church and those in an underground church loyal to the pope. The Vatican recognizes members of both as Catholics but claims the exclusive right to choose bishops.
Palace’s Mateta denies Arsenal win to leave Liverpool on brink of title
- Had Arsenal lost, Liverpool would have won the title on Wednesday but they can now seal it with one point against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday
- Both Arsenal and Palace have huge cup semifinal games looming – Arsenal in the Champions League at home to Paris St. Germain next Tuesday and Palace this Saturday at Wembley against Aston Villa in the FA Cup
LONDON: Arsenal kept Liverpool’s Premier League title-winning champagne on ice, but only just, as they were twice pegged back at home by Crystal Palace with Jean-Philippe Mateta scoring a superb equalizer in a 2-2 draw on Wednesday.
First-half goals by Jakub Kiwior and Leandro Trossard looked like being enough for a lacklustre Arsenal against a lively Palace side who equalized with an Eberechi Eze volley.
But there was a late twist as Palace substitute Mateta beat Arsenal keeper David Raya with an audacious chip.
The draw left second-placed Arsenal on 67 points with four games remaining meaning they can only match the 79 of Liverpool who still have five games to play.
Had Arsenal lost, Liverpool would have won the title on Wednesday but they can now seal it with one point against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday.
“When I started on the bench I could see he (David Raya) was very high up the pitch,” Mateta, who was voted man-of-the-match by Sky Sports despite coming on in the 80th minute, said.
“So I knew if I won the ball I could try, so I did and scored. It is one of the best goals of my career. I thought it hit the crossbar but thankfully it was in!”
Both Arsenal and Palace have huge cup semifinal games looming – Arsenal in the Champions League at home to Paris St. Germain next Tuesday and Palace this Saturday at Wembley against Aston Villa in the FA Cup.
Twelfth-placed Palace could have been excused if they were distracted by what will be the biggest game of their season.
Instead, it was Arsenal who were off the pace as they drew for the 13th time in the league this season and fifth time in eight – a statistic that has allowed Liverpool to all but mathematically wrap up a record-equalling 20th English title.
“We are disappointed with the result and performance. We didn’t find enough consistency in actions to dominate the game. It’s part of football and cost us two points,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.
“In many aspects of the game we should have done better today. We have the most important game of the season in six days. We need to get our energy back.”
Palace, who left key players Mateta and Ismaila Sarr on the bench but still fielded Eze, will have taken great heart from their display as they prepare for Villa on Saturday.
Eze took his goal brilliantly, connecting with Adam Wharton’s corner to bounce a volley in off the post beyond Raya.
But the best was saved to last as Mateta, still wearing the protective covering on his ear badly gashed in the FA Cup fifth round tie against Millwall, lofted a sensational shot over Raya after a bad ball from William Saliba had put Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard in trouble.
Arsenal, who fielded a near full-strength line-up despite Bukayo Saka being on the bench, made a great start as Kiwior rose to thump a header past Dean Henderson after three minutes from Odegaard’s free kick.
Trossard then restored their lead when he controlled Jurrien Timber’s pass and turned sharply to send a low shot inside the post.
Arsenal had a Gabriel Martinelli goal ruled out by VAR after the ball went out of play in the build-up while Henderson also made a splendid save to deny Saka’s volley.
But Palace fully deserved their point and could have got all three as Mateta’s late cross almost led to a winner.
“It’s important to keep this energy and confidence for the semifinal on Saturday,” Palace boss Oliver Glasner said.
Saudi rewilding program: Endangered wildlife released in Riyadh reserve, rare oryx born in Qassim park
- Wildlife included sand gazelles, oryxes, wild hares, steppe eagles, and Black kite
- NCVC team documents birth of rare Arabian oryx in Qassim National Park
RIYADH: Over 30 endangered animals had been released into Riyadh's King Khalid Royal Reserve as part of the Kingdom's rewilding program, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
The release included 20 Arabian sand gazelles, five Arabian oryx, four wild hares, three steppe eagles, and a Black kite, according to the National Center for Wildlife (NCW).
The NCW, in collaboration with the Imam Abdulaziz Bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority, maintains a breeding center in the reserve.
In the central region of Qassim, the National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) has reported the birth of an Arabian oryx in Qassim National Park.
The birth of the wildlife was documented in all stages by a team from the NCVC, giving specialists to study the behavior of this endangered native species, a separate SPA report said.
Saudi Arabia is a global leader in protecting the Arabian oryx. Since the 1970s, it has launched a national program with international organizations to save the species from extinction.
Efforts have included establishing reserves like Mahazat as-Sayd and Uruq Bani Ma'arid, implementing captive breeding programs, and supporting gradual reintroduction, making Saudi Arabia a global model for wildlife protection.
World Bank projects 2.7 percent growth for Pakistan in FY2025
- Pakistan must convert stabilization into durable growth, says World Bank director
- Inflation drop to 1.5 percent in February supports signs of Pakistan’s economic recovery
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s economy is projected to grow by 2.7 percent in the fiscal year ending June 2025, the World Bank said on Wednesday, indicating signs of stabilization amid easing inflation and improved financial conditions.
The World Bank, in its latest report titled “Reimagining a Digital Pakistan,” said the real GDP growth is expected to benefit from a rebound in private consumption and investment, driven by easing inflation, lower interest rates and improving business confidence.
This improvement in Pakistan’s economy is supported by declining inflation, which fell to 1.5 percent in February, prompting the central bank to reduce its policy rate to 12 percent after a series of cuts totaling 1,000 basis points since June 2024.
Despite these positive indicators, the country faces significant external financing challenges, including over $22 billion in external debt repayments, highlighting the need for continued structural reforms and fiscal consolidation.
“Pakistan’s economy continues to stabilize and is expected to grow by 2.7 percent in the current fiscal year ending June 2025, up from 2.5 percent in the previous year,” the World Bank said.
It added that agricultural growth remained modest due to unfavorable weather conditions and pest outbreaks while industrial activity weakened due to rising input costs, increased taxation and cuts in government expenditure.
The report said growth in Pakistan’s services sector remained “muted” due to spillover effects from weak agricultural and industrial activity, which will make it challenging for the government to create jobs and reduce poverty.
“Pakistan’s key challenge is to transform recent gains from stabilization into economic growth that is sustainable and adequate for poverty reduction,” World Bank Country Director for Pakistan, Najy Benhassine, said.
“High-impact reforms to prioritize an efficient and progressive tax system, support a market-determined exchange rate, reduce import tariffs to boost exports, improve the business environment and streamline the public sector would signal strong reform commitment, build confidence, and attract investment.”
The report said real GDP growth was expected to rise to 3.1 percent in FY26 and 3.4 percent in FY27 due to the predicted ongoing macroeconomic stabilization and the implementation of key economic reforms.
“The April 2025 edition, Taxing Times, projects regional growth to slow to 5.8 percent in 2025 — 0.4 percentage points below October projections — before ticking up to 6.1 percent in 2026,” the World Bank said. “This outlook is subject to heightened risks, including from a highly uncertain global landscape, combined with domestic vulnerabilities including constrained fiscal space.”
