Region

The Israeli occupation forces stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque and detained at least 10 Palestinians on Monday in raids at their homes in the occupied territories.Three Palestinians were detained in Isawiya neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem after special forces broke into their family homes and a fourth was detained in the street.Confrontations broke out during the raid and the forces used skunk water against the protesters.Another Palestinian was detained at his home in the town of Abu Dis, east of Jerusalem.The Israeli occupation forces also detained 17-year-old boy at his family home in Tulkarm, in the north of the West Bank, and two former prisoners were detained in the city of Nablus following raids at their homes.Another was detained in the town of Jifna, near Ramallah, and one was detained in Hebron, in the south of the West Bank, said the sources.

Two Palestinians were injured during clashes with the Israeli occupation forces that erupted in the town of Aqaba, north of Tubas in the West Bank on Monday.Medical sources said that a young man was injured in the shoulder and thigh. He was taken to the hospital for treatment where his injuries were described as moderate. The Israeli occupation forces detained another injured Palestinian for several hours before being transferred to the hospital, where his condition was described as stable, Palestinian news agency (WAFA) reported.The Israeli occupation forces launch daily raid and arrest campaigns against the Palestinians in several parts of the West Bank.

The Secretary-General of the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation Jassim Sultan Al-Rumaihi, praised the efforts made by the Iraqi Football Association in order to make the organisation of Gulf 25 successful in Basra, praising the opening ceremony of the tournament, which was interesting and contained the Iraqi legacy and heritage.The Secretary-General of the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation expressed his great happiness that the people of Basra and Iraq are very happy with the tournament and the joy painted on their faces, as well as the generosity and hospitality that are characteristic of the Iraqi people, by welcoming all the brotherly delegations and the masses that came to the province of Basra, which left a good impression on everyone.Al-Rumaihi appreciated the role of officials in establishing fan zones and installing large screens in most of the governorates of Iraq in order to provide opportunities for the fans to follow the opening ceremony and matches, which is a very positive step.Regarding the technical level of the opening day matches, Al-Rumaihi explained: "The general level was average, which is normal because the opening matches are always overshadowed by caution, and the general technical level will undoubtedly rise from round to round, and the performance will be enjoyable for the fans."

Israeli authorities released on Thursday the longest-serving Palestinian freedom fighter Karim Younis after spending 40 years behind Israeli bars, Palestinian news agency (WAFA) reported.Younis, 66, was detained on January 6, 1983, for his resistance of the Israeli occupation and sentenced to life in prison, which was later commuted to 40 years.Younis and his cousin, Maher Younis, who has also been in Israeli prisons since 1983, were supposed to have been freed in 2014 in a deal brokered by then-US Secretary of State John Kerry in which Israel was supposed to free in four different batches all Palestinian prisoners held since before the signing of the 1993 Oslo Accords that launched the peace process between the Palestinians and Israel, but Israel refused to release Younis, saying that he had Israeli citizenship and it was an internal issue.

Iran has released top Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti on bail, state media reported yesterday, weeks after she was detained for criticising a crackdown on anti-government protests that have rocked the Islamic Republic for months.Best-known for her role in The Salesman, which won an Academy Award in 2017, the pro-reform artist Alidoosti had supported the protests, including by posting her picture on Instagram in November without the compulsory head covering, and holding up a sign which read “Woman, Life, Freedom” in Kurdish, a popular slogan in the mass protests.The semi-official ILNA news agency, citing her lawyer, said “Alidoosti, who was arrested on December 17, was released today on bail”, without giving further details.Her picture, taken in front of Tehran’s Evin prison, was widely shared on social media.The protests, sparked by the death of a young Kurdish woman while in the custody of the morality police, have posed one of the biggest legitimacy challenges to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution.Since Amini’s death, protesters from all walks of life have taken to the streets, calling for the downfall of the country’s rulers, with women taking off and burning their headscarves in fury across the country.Dozens of female Iranian actresses and artists have posted pictures of themselves without the compulsory head covering, in solidarity with the demonstrations in which women have played a leading role.Facing their worst legitimacy crisis in the past four decades, Iran’s rulers have accused a coalition of “anarchists, terrorists and foreign foes” of orchestrating the protests.The Islamic Republic has so far executed two people involved in mass protests. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights group has said that at least 100 detained protesters face possible death sentences.

Dr Kasia Sterriker is pushing the boundaries of traditional environmental sculpture with her innovative biophilic designs and unconventional use of Bonsai techniques. Known for creating living sculptures that are larger or smaller than human scale, Dr. Kasia's work aims to alter the perception of the environment for the viewer and challenge the expected image. Let's delve into Kasia's unique artistic approach and the thought behind her captivating installations.Environmental art, a movement that originated as a rebellion against the traditional confines of the art world and sought to create innovative works using natural elements in outdoor locations, has always been a controversial and experimental field. Blurring the lines between sculpture, architecture, landscape design, and environmental science, environmental art embraces interdisciplinary ideas and media to address pressing issues related to humanity's relationship with nature.In Europe, environmental art has often taken the form of interpretive works that seek to re-envision our connection to the natural world and propose ways for us to coexist with it. Dr. Kasia Sterriker, a pioneering environmental artist, now based in UAE, is no exception. Despite initial criticism from traditional art critics, the field of environmental art has continued to evolve and gain recognition, with artists like Kasia leading the way. Through her captivating installations and thought-provoking artistic approach, Dr. Kasia is helping to shape the future of this interdisciplinary movement and inspire a new generation of artists and nature enthusiasts.She is a celebrated environmental artist who is redefining the connection between humankind and nature through her stunning living sculptures. With her unique perspective on the intersection between art, horticulture, craft, and science, Dr. Kasia is creating works of art that are both beautiful and meaningful. She believes that environmental art is an amalgamation of many different disciplines. As a result, it requires a creative and open-minded approach to combine all of them into a singular art form. She considers a wide range of factors in order to create her living sculptures.For example, she takes into account the physical composition of her sculptures, as well as the environment in which they will survive. She also looks into the origin of the living materials needed for her sculptures, including their geographical and topographical backgrounds, as well as the local community and history. All of these factors must be taken into account in order to ensure the survival of the sculptures, as well as to give them sensuous qualities that make them stand out.In her works, Dr. Kasia brings together various disciplines in order to create masterpieces that evoke emotion and bring people closer to nature. Her works are a testament to her creativity and open-mindedness, and her living sculptures are sure to continue to captivate and inspire.Recently, she has turned her creative focus toward developing a whole new genre of environmental art based on trees native to the Middle East. By applying the far eastern arts of landscape miniaturization to a range of trees that are not only important to the region historically and horticulturally, but also carry significant religious and cultural meaning, as they are referred to in the Holy Quran. Dr. Kasia is able to engage with, work with, and transform a new medium while also paying respectful homage to the region.These works allow people in the Middle East to reconnect with these important and holy trees in a new way by bringing them into their homes and gardens in the form of art. Through this unique approach, Dr. Kasia is able to draw attention to these trees and their meaning both within and outside of their native lands, encouraging a deeper understanding and appreciation of the natural world and the cultural significance of these trees.Her passion for bonsai art, which she inherited from her father, who is a bonsai master, is evident in the care and attention she brings to each of her living sculptures. On the other hand, her husband is also passionate about her environmental art and supports her every step of the way. Together, this dynamic duo aims to create an environmental art gallery that will showcase her unique vision and inspire others to appreciate the natural world in new and meaningful ways. Follow Dr. Kasia on Instgaram for latest updates @dr_kasia_sterriker

In Dubai, renting a car is a regular occurrence, and the selection of high-end vehicles keeps growing. By providing a large selection of ordinary and premium cars, the nation helps ensure that clients are satisfied. You can even choose from rental agencies that offer a variety of standard and exotic cars. The great news is you can check out top companies such as Elite Rentals Dubai, a brand that offers you an opportunity to rent your dream car.Elite Rentals Dubai is a leading provider of premium rental car services. Elite Rentals Dubai has made a name for itself as the go-to brand with over 67 super and luxury automobiles, which include Lamborghini, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, McLaren, and many more. The company was established by Kristan de Graaf and Julian de Graaf, two driven business owners who share the CEO role.Whether you need a luxury car or a yacht in Dubai, Elite Rentals Dubai will advise and support you with your booking and hand you the keys to the ride of choice. The company prides itself in bringing you a luxurious driving experience in the most prestigious vehicles Dubai offers at an affordable rate.Though a highly-competitive industry, Kristan and Julian have quickly mastered the industry's dynamics, earning recognition from many people for their status and role in the Dubai market. Julian and Kristan have also been named young entrepreneurial talents in the Middle East several times. In addition, Kristan has been named 30 Under 30 Middle East in Forbes.By avoiding pessimists, Julian and Kristan believe you can conquer any hurdle on your path. Also, embrace the company of positive, inspirational people who serve as examples for you in life. Plan your life's objectives constructively and carry them out one at a time. You can achieve everything in life you want, so don't let anyone or anything stop you from doing it. Decide on your life's objectives, and then use the appropriate techniques to live your dream. Embrace your uniqueness and pursue your passions regardless of your present situation.Seeing your aspirations come true will be one of the greatest human accomplishments. However, it requires effort. You must confront your worries and overcome all obstacles in your path. Kristan's decision to enter the vehicle rental industry was a turning point in his battle with gambling addiction. He also received a supportive environment free of gambling inducements in Dubai. He believes making this choice is the best and actively pushes people to follow their aspirations.Elite Rentals Dubai has scaled to become a billion dollar brand, but the two founders believe it's only growing faster. Their dream is to continually revamp the brand to keep up with the latest industry trends and see Elite Rentals Dubai become the go-to company for all your luxury car rental services. By 2025, the two envision themselves managing a fleet of at least 200 supercars in Dubai, some of which will be newly-manufactured premium cars. In the background, Julian and Kristan are also engaged in other significant projects that will undoubtedly impact the market. By following their exciting and engaging social media feeds, you can obtain more updates on the project.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were among nations to condemn a visit yesterday by Israel’s extreme-right new national security minister to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.The move by Itamar Ben-Gvir has enraged Palestinians, while the United States warned of steps which may harm the status quo.“Our government will not surrender to the threats of Hamas,” Ben-Gvir vowed in a statement published by his spokesman, after the Palestinian group warned such a step was a “red line”. Ben-Gvir’s visit comes days after he took office as national security minister, with powers over the police, giving his decision to enter the highly sensitive site considerable weight.Under a longstanding status quo, non-Muslims can visit the site at specific times but are not allowed to pray there.The UAE, “strongly condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard by an Israeli minister”. The US ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides, said Washington “has made it clear to the Israeli government it opposes any steps that could harm the status quo in the holy sites”. Lying in the walled Old City of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, the compound is administered by Jordan’s Waqf Islamic affairs council, with Israeli forces operating there and controlling access.After his visit, Ben-Gvir vowed to “maintain the freedom of movement”.Ben-Gvir was accompanied by units of the Israeli security forces, Waqf guards said.Secretary-General of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) Dr Nayef Falah Mubarak al-Hajraf condemned the provocation by the Israeli minister, QNA reported.In a statement, al-Hajraf expressed his regret for the practices carried out by the Israeli occupation authorities that undermine international peace efforts and contradict international principles and norms on respecting religious sanctities.GCC secretary-general stressed the firm stance of the GCC council to stand by the Palestinian people, to support all efforts aimed at ending the occupation, and to reach a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue in a way that enables the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.The Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) has also strongly condemned the minister’s storming of the courtyards of Al-Aqsa under the protection of the Israeli forces, QNA added. It deemed such practices as provocation for all Muslims’ feelings and a flagrant violation of the relevant international resolutions.Jordan’s foreign ministry spokesman Sinan Majali said Amman summoned the Israeli ambassador, to “convey a protest message about the recklessness of the Israeli national security minister in storming the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque”. Saudi Arabia condemned the “provocative practices” of Ben-Gvir.And Iran called the visit a “violation of international regulations and an insult to the values and sanctities of the Muslims,” with a foreign ministry spokesman warning of a response from “Muslim nations”. While Ben-Gvir has visited the compound numerous times since entering parliament in April 2021, his presence as a top minister is highly significant.A controversial visit in 2000 by then opposition leader Ariel Sharon was one of the main triggers for the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, which lasted until 2005.The Palestinian foreign ministry called Ben-Gvir’s visit a “serious threat”. Basem Naim, a senior Hamas official, last week warned such a step would be “a big red line and it will lead to an explosion”. Yesterday, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem deemed it a “crime” and vowed the mosque compound “will remain Palestinian, Arab, Islamic”.Hamas rules the Gaza Strip and in May 2021 an 11-day war broke out between Palestinian fighters based in the territory and Israel, after violence at Al-Aqsa Mosque.Hundreds of Palestinians and dozens of Israeli police were wounded in the preceding clashes across east Jerusalem, initially sparked by restrictions on Palestinians gathering and eviction threats against residents.During this period, Ben-Gvir rallied his supporters in Israeli settler homes in east Jerusalem, which has been occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967.The foreign ministry of Egypt — which serves as a key mediator in Gaza — warned “of the negative consequences of such actions on security and stability” in the Palestinian territories and the wider region.A man walks near Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, yesterday.

The killing of a top Iranian general three years ago in a US drone strike will be avenged, President Ebrahim Raisi vowed yesterday at a commemoration attended by thousands.Then-US president Donald Trump ordered the strike which assassinated General Qassem Soleimani, 62, on January 3, 2020.Soleimani commanded the Quds force, the foreign operations arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and has been lionised by Iranian authorities.He was one of the country’s most popular public figures, who spearheaded Iran’s Middle East operations and was seen as a hero of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.“We have not forgotten and will not forget the blood of martyr Soleimani,” Raisi said at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla mosque, where the throng waved Iranian flags and held pictures of the slain commander.The “murderers and perpetrators” of his killing should know that “revenge for the blood of martyr Soleimani is certain and they will not sleep easily”, he added.Soleimani died with his Iraqi lieutenant Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in the strike near Baghdad airport.Days later, Iran retaliated by firing missiles at bases in neighbouring Iraq housing American and coalition troops. No US personnel were killed but Washington said dozens suffered traumatic brain injuries from the blasts.Amid the heightened tensions Iran also accidentally downed a Ukrainian passenger jet on January 8, 2020, killing all 176 people aboard.The Pentagon said at the time that Soleimani had been “actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.”

Israeli forces killed a child in the West Bank city of Bethlehem yesterday, the Palestinian health ministry reported, as Israel said police officers fired on people throwing Molotov cocktails.The health ministry announced “the death of the child Adam Essam Shaker Ayyad, 15, with a bullet in the chest fired by the occupation soldiers during the aggression on Bethlehem at dawn today.”Israel’s military said rocks and Molotov cocktails were thrown at border police officers during an operation in Bethlehem’s Dheisheh refugee camp.“The forces fired toward Molotov cocktails (sic) hurlers who risked their lives, hits were identified,” the army said in a statement.The official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, reported clashes erupted when Israeli forces entered Dheisheh, in the southern occupied West Bank, to search houses.Ayyad is the third Palestinian killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank since the start of the year.On Monday, two Palestinian men were shot dead in the northern city of Jenin, when clashes broke out as the army demolished the homes of two Palestinians accused of killing an Israeli soldier in September.More than 150 Palestinians and 26 Israelis were killed last year across Israel and the West Bank, including Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, according to an AFP tally.In December, the United Nations said 2022 was the deadliest year in the West Bank since its records began in 2005.The inauguration last week of the most right-wing government in Israel’s history, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, has sparked fears of a military escalation in the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War.Two of Netanyahu’s extreme-right coalition partners have taken charge of critical powers regarding the West Bank. Bezalel Smotrich holds the portfolio for Israeli settlement policy in the territory, while Itamar Ben-Gvir serves as national security minister with powers over the border police force which operate there.Both have a history of inflammatory remarks about Palestinians.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque and deemed it as unprecedented provocation and an underestimation of the calls for halting such provocations, as well as legitimation for further incursions and desecration of Al-Aqsa by extremist settlers, it is even an encouragement for them to perpetrate similar crimes and violations on Al-Aqsa.In a statement on Tuesday, the ministry held the president of the Israeli occupation government Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for this flagrant assault on Al-Aqsa.Palestinian Minster of Awqaf and Religious Affairs Sheikh Hatem Al-Bakri also condemned Itamar Ben-Gvir's storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces, considering such an incident to be dangerous.Al-Bakri added that the demands of the groups of the Temple Mount movement and other steps if met would drag to a religious war that would ravage the entire region, holding the occupation's government responsible for the escalation in general, and the latest escalation in particular and calling on the world and its rights and political institutions end these escalatory moves against the Palestinian sacred sites and places of worship.

The Turkish authorities announced that they had deported 124,441 illegal migrants in 2022.The Migration Management Department of the Turkish Ministry of Interior stated in a statement today that 58,758 irregular migrants have voluntarily returned to their country.It added that 280,206 illegal migrants had been prevented from entering the country, noting that the number of migrants who were deported in 2022 increased by 161% when compared to 2021.

Israeli far-right Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, stormed the compounds of the blessed Al-Aqsa mosque in the occupied city of Jerusalem on Tuesday under heavy protection from the Israeli forces.Ben-Gvir entered the Islamic holy site from al-Maghariba Gate (Dung Gate) and arrived at Al-Buraq Wall plaza, Palestinian news agency (WAFA) reported.This came two days after he announced his intention to storm the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.Israeli media reports said Ben-Gvir had requested the Israeli police to coordinate Ben-Gvir's expected incursions into the Islamic holy site next Tuesday and Wednesday.Ben-Gvir was sworn in as Israeli Minister of National Security last week, becoming a key member of Israel's most racist, far-right government coalition ever led by long-running Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Ben-Gvir is publicly advocating for dividing the holy site - which is the third holiest Muslim place of worship - between Muslims and Jews, a move that is likely to inflame an already tense situation in the Israeli-occupied territories.On the other hand, large forces of the Israeli occupation army stormed the city of Jenin and its refugee camp on Tuesday.According to security sources, Israeli army units infiltrated the city and its camp first, followed by a large number of occupation vehicles storming the area.Confrontations broke out between Palestinians and the occupation forces in the city and the camp, the sources added.Earlier Tuesday, a Palestinian child succumbed to a bullet wound by the Israeli occupation forces in Dheisha refugee camp in Bethlehem.

Turkey's annual inflation rate slowed for a second month in December after hitting a two-decade high, official data showed Tuesday, helping President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's chances in elections due by June.Consumer prices rose by 64.3 percent in December from the levels at which they stood a year earlier, the state statics agency said, compared to an 84.4-percent year-on-year increase in November.Analysts attribute the sharp slowdown to the so-called base effect, which makes year-on-year price increases look smaller when compared to extremely high levels 12 months earlier.The latest reading is still higher than in any another other emerging market except for Argentina.But it fulfils Erdogan's campaign promise that inflation will start falling at the start of the year after reaching the highest levels since 1998 last year.Turkey's economy has been going through convulsions since Erdogan launched an unusual experiment in September 2021 that tried to fight inflation by bringing down borrowing costs.The lira began to lose value almost immediately, as consumers rushed to buy up gold and dollars to protect their savings.The price of imports such as oil and gas soared, creating an inflationary spiral that the nominally independent central bank fed further by continuing to lower interest rates.The annual inflation rate peaked at 85.5 percent in October 2021.The economic crisis forced Erdogan to alter his foreign policy, resuming economic alliances with petrodollar-rich rivals in the Arab world and ramping up trade with Russia, despite its war on Ukraine.These deals have helped to prop up Turkey's hard currency reserves, allowing it to stabilise the lira.The government has further forced exporters to convert 40 percent of their dollar revenues into liras, further supporting the Turkish currency.The lira's stabilisation has helped temper the pace of price increases.But analysts warn that a wave of populist social support measures that Erdogan announced heading into the election make the current economic policies unsustainable."Turkey faces a very difficult economic outlook after elections, because of the current disastrous policy mix," Timothy Ash of BlueBay Asset Management tweeted.Erdogan has vowed not to raise the benchmark interest rate, which at nine percent is just a fraction of the annual inflation rate.

Israeli forces killed two Palestinian fighters during clashes near the occupied West Bank city of Jenin yesterday that were set off when the army came to demolish the homes of two slain gunmen, Palestinian sources said.The fatalities in Kafr-Dan village were the first for Palestinians since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu retook office last week at the head of a hard-right coalition.The Israeli army confirmed carrying out the raid to raze the homes of two Palestinians who killed one of its commanders in the West Bank last year before they were shot dead.Troops shot at Palestinians in Kafr-Dan who attacked them with gunfire, rocks and firebombs, the army said in a statement.There were no Israeli casualties in the incident.Hamas, the group that runs the Gaza Strip, and a rival organisation in the West Bank each claimed one of the two dead Palestinians as a member.In a statement, Hamas, which rejects coexistence with Israel, vowed to “pursue resistance and confront the terrorism and fascism of the new Occupation government”. In Kafr-Dan, Hani Abed, the father of one of the gunmen killed in the Sept 14 clash, described the Israeli demolitions as “collective punishment”.“This will not break our determination,” he told Reuters as he stood by the rubble of his house.Last year saw the worst levels of violence in the West Bank in more than a decade, much of it concentrated around Nablus and the nearby city of Jenin, with at least 150 Palestinians and more than 20 Israelis killed.In Ramallah, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Shtayyeh, held Israel responsible for any escalation that could result from “acts of killings and daily incursions”.

Oman's production of crude oil and condensate increased by 10 percent by the end of Nov. 2022, to reach 355,473,100 barrels, compared to the same period in 2021, which amounted to about 323,174,600 barrels.According to data issued by the Oman's National Center for Statistics and Information, crude oil production alone increased by 13.5 percent, amounting to 283,534,000 barrels, whilst condensate production decreased by 2.0 percent by the end of last November compared to the same period of 2021.Oman's total oil exports increased by 12.7 percent by the end of Nov. 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, to reach 293,944,600 barrels, when total exports amounted to 260,804,100 barrels end of Nov. 2021.According to the issued data, the average price of Omani crude oil increased by 52.7 percent by end of Nov. 2022, to reach USD 95.8 per barrel, compared to USD 62.77 per barrel in 2021 of the same period.On the other hand, natural gas production (including imports) in the Sultanate of Oman increased by 2.3 percent to reach 47,113,100,000 cubic meters.

Two Palestinian youths were shot dead by the Israeli occupation forces as they stormed the town of Kafr Dan, west of Jenin in the West Bank at dawn Monday.Medical sources said that two young men were killed and eight others were wounded, one of them critically, when the Israeli occupation forces stormed the village, Palestinian news agency (WAFA) reported.The sources noted that the two martyrs - Muhammad Samer Hoshiyeh (21 years) from the town of Al-Yamun, and Fouad Mahmoud Abed (17 years) from Kafr Dan - succumbed to thier wounds sustained by Israeli bullets.

The First Kuwaiti Satellite (Kuwait Sat-1) will launch on board a space rocket from the FKM platform on Tuesday Jan. 3, 2023, from Florida in the United States.Operator Director at the National Project for the first Kuwaiti Satellite Dr. Ahmed Al-Kandari said that once the Kuwait Sat-1 reached its designated orbit, it would disengage from the rocket and spread its wings containing solar-powered batteries that would enable it to operate, adding that the satellite would be able to send its first message in four hours and two minutes after launch with the signal received at a station in Kuwait University.

Settlers renewed their storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Sunday, under heavy guard by the Israeli occupation forces.The Palestinian News Agency 'Wafa', reported that dozens of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa, from the Mughrabi Gate, in successive groups, and carried out provocative tours in its courtyards.Al-Aqsa Mosque is exposed daily to settler incursions under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces in the mornings and evenings in an attempt by the Israeli occupation to impose the temporal division in it.

The Palestinian Presidency today welcomed the United Nations General Assembly's resolution asking the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to give an advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said that the resolution is evidence of the whole world's support for Palestinian people and their inalienable historical rights.Quoted by Palestinian WAFA news agency, Abu Rudeineh said "the time has come for Israel to be a state under the law, and to be held accountable for its ongoing crimes against our people. The world must shoulder its responsibilities and implement the resolutions of international legitimacy, and everyone must stop the double standards."He stressed that "the Palestinian leadership will not leave a door without knocking it to protect our Palestinian people. We are now awaiting the International Court of Justice to request a legal advisory opinion on the Israeli colonial regime."He said that "resorting to international institutions is a Palestinian right and we will continue to join international bodies and institutions."The UN General Assembly voted last night on the resolution with 87 states voting in favour, 26 opposed, and 53 countries abstaining.