Queen Rania of Jordan hosts iftar banquet for women in armed forces

Queen Rania conveyed King Abdullah II’s greetings to the guests. (Petra)
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Updated 27 March 2025
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Queen Rania of Jordan hosts iftar banquet for women in armed forces

  • Efforts of military, security personnel ‘make us proud,’ she says
  • Monarch conveys King Abdullah II’s greetings to guests at Ramadan meal

LONDON: Queen Rania of Jordan on Wednesday evening hosted an iftar banquet at Al-Husseiniya Palace in Amman for women serving in the country’s armed forces and security services.

She conveyed King Abdullah II’s greetings to the guests and praised them as “an example of dedication and service to the nation,” the Petra agency reported.

“Your stances, whether inside or outside Jordan, make us proud,” she said.

The queen said a unique bond between citizens and the military had developed over the years.

“It’s a natural relationship based on trust, love and respect for the military’s motto. Most of our homes have either a military person or someone related to the army or security,” she said.

The queen spoke directly to several of the guests about their lives and families.

“May God protect you as a source of strength for the nation and support for your colleagues in serving this country,” she said.


Lufthansa group suspends Tel Aviv flights through May 25

Updated 4 sec ago
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Lufthansa group suspends Tel Aviv flights through May 25

BERLIN: Airline group Lufthansa will suspend its flights to Tel Aviv through May 25, it said on Thursday, citing the “current situation.”
This affects flights operated by Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Eurowings, ITA Airways, Brussels Airlines and Lufthansa Cargo, it added.
Global airlines have again halted their flights to and from Tel Aviv after a missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels toward Israel on May 4 landed near the country’s main international airport in Tel Aviv.

Madinah municipality continues intensive food safety inspections

A picture taken on April 4, 2024 shows a view of one of the minarets of the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Saudi Arab
Updated 17 min 1 sec ago
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Madinah municipality continues intensive food safety inspections

MADINAH: Food safety inspections have been stepped up ahead of the arrival of Hajj pilgrims, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Thursday.

The Madinah Regional Municipality has carried out routine testing of commercial establishments, with 4,165 samples to date confirmed as conforming to approved standards. So far, 186 samples have been deemed unfit for human consumption.

The municipality emphasized the importance of adhering to health standards for the safety of consumers. Individuals are encouraged to report any food safety concerns via the hotline on 940 or through other official communication channels.


Jordan evacuates second group of cancer patients from Gaza

Updated 33 min 13 sec ago
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Jordan evacuates second group of cancer patients from Gaza

AMMAN: Jordan’s government on Wednesday began evacuating four child cancer patients and 12 family members from Gaza.

They are the second group of patients evacuated for treatment under the Jordan Medical Corridor initiative, started in March this year, that aims to treat 2,000 Gazan children.

The children and their families were evacuated by the Royal Jordanian Air Force in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health.

They will be treated at the King Hussein Cancer Center.

The first evacuees were 29 children and 44 family members. Seventeen of these children have since returned to Gaza with their families after completing their treatment.


Trump: Iran has ‘somewhat agreed’ to terms of a deal

Updated 41 min 29 sec ago
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Trump: Iran has ‘somewhat agreed’ to terms of a deal

  • Trump says the US is in serious negotiations with Iran to reach a long-term peace

DUBAI: President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Iran had “somewhat agreed” to the terms of a potential long-term agreement with the United States, signaling progress in ongoing negotiations aimed at defusing tensions over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.

“We are in very serious negotiations with Iran to reach a long-term peace,” Trump said, adding that the US was seeking to resolve the Iran issue “in a smart, but not violent, way.”

Donald Trump, in his first term as president, effectively torpedoed the accord in 2018 by unilaterally withdrawing the US.

Since returning to office in January, Trump has revived his campaign on Tehran, backing nuclear diplomacy but warning of military action if it fails.

He also reaffirmed Washington’s strategic role in the region, stating, “America is a strong ally of the Middle East.”

Speaking on broader foreign policy, Trump criticized US aid oversight in Ukraine: “We don’t know where the money we gave to Ukraine went,” he said. “The war in Ukraine must stop.”

Turning to defense, Trump claimed the US possesses “the most powerful military in the world—not Russia or China,” and “the most powerful weapons in the world.” 


54 people killed in overnight airstrikes on southern Gaza city, hospital says

Updated 15 May 2025
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54 people killed in overnight airstrikes on southern Gaza city, hospital says

  • Some bodies arrived in pieces, with some body bags containing the remains of multiple people
  • There had been hope that Trump’s regional visit could usher in a ceasefire or renewal of humanitarian aid to Gaza

KHAN YOUNIS: A hospital in southern Gaza says 54 people have been killed in overnight airstrikes on the city of Khan Younis.
An Associated Press cameraman in Khan Younis counted 10 airstrikes on the city overnight into Thursday, and saw numerous bodies taken to the morgue in the city’s Nasser Hospital. Some bodies arrived in pieces, with some body bags containing the remains of multiple people. The hospital’s morgue confirmed 54 people had been killed.
It was the second night of heavy bombing, after airstrikes Wednesday on northern and southern Gaza killed at least 70 people, including almost two dozen children.
The strikes come as US President Donald Trump visits the Middle East, visiting Gulf states but not Israel. There had been widespread hope that Trump’s regional visit could usher in a ceasefire deal or renewal of humanitarian aid to Gaza. An Israeli blockade of the territory is now in its third month.