Middle East & North Africa

AMMAN, Apr 16 (NNN-PETRA) – Jordan said Wednesday, it will start reducing curfew restrictions in some areas, where no cases of the COVID-19 have been reported.

Jordan’s Minister of State for Media Affairs, Amjad Adaileh, said, there will be fewer restrictions in certain governorates, according to a statement.

He added that, there will be measures to ensure the safety of citizens, and if these are not respected, the curfew will resume.

RAMALLAH, Apr 16 (NNN-WAFA) – The Palestinian government will borrow 400 million U.S. dollars from local banks, during the coming six months, to back its treasury amid the COVID-19 crisis, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Shukri Bishara, Palestinian finance minister, told a news briefing in Ramallah, that, the government agreed with the Palestinian Monetary Authority, to borrow 400 million dollars from local banks during the coming six months.

BAGHDAD, Apr 16 (NNN-NINA) – The Iraqi authorities decided to extend the nationwide curfew until the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, to contain the outbreak of COVID-19.

The decision came, after a video conference by the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety, headed by the caretaker Prime Minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, the committee said in a statement.

The committee also decided to hold another meeting next week, before Ramadan, which is expected to start on Apr 24 or 25, according the Islamic lunar calendar, the statement said.

AMMAN, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Jordan said Wednesday it will start reducing curfew restrictions in some areas where no cases of the novel coronavirus have been reported.

Jordan's Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh said there will be fewer restrictions in certain governorates, according to a statement.

He added that there will be measures to ensure the safety of citizens and if these are not respected, the curfew will resume.

The easing of restrictions will start as of next week in coastal city Aqaba in the south and will extend to other governorates.

15 April 2020; MEMO: Lebanese Army soldiers faced off with Israeli troops yesterday, after reports the latter had crossed the Blue Line – the UN demarcated border between the two countries.

Local media reported that Israeli forces crossed into Lebanon while carrying out work on the concrete wall on their side of the border, near the southern Lebanese village of Marjayoun.

Egypt’s Medical Syndicate yesterday said it would compensate medical personnel who had contracted the coronavirus, paying them 20,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,267) or paying families of those who have died as a result of the virus 100,000 Egyptian pounds ($6,337).

15 April 2020; MEMO: Following a presidential decree made yesterday, treatment for coronavirus in Turkey’s public hospitals will be completely free of charge. Patients will be provided protective gear and testing, in addition to medicine, even if they failed to pay state insurance.

Citing an anonymous Turkish official, Middle East Eye reported that the government had already begun allowing every citizen to benefit from the free health services.

15 April 2020; MEMO: The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov has asked Israel to release the Palestinian tax revenue that it is withholding to allow the Palestinian Authority to combat the social and economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

15 April 2020; MEMO: Palestinian Authority (PA)’s health ministry yesterday received an assistance package of 50,000 coronavirus testing kits from China’s e-commerce Alibaba Group.

The Palestinian Health Minister, Mai Al-Kaila, told local reporters that aid was provided in cooperation with Jack Ma, e-commerce giant Alibaba’s co-founder.

Al-Kaila thanked the Chinese president, government and people for their “generous assistance and support in light of the global spread of the coronavirus.

15 April 2020; MEMO: A meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and leader of the Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) party, Benny Gantz, on the formation of a national emergency government, ended without result.

The two parties announced, in a statement issued after nearly six hours of talks, that “they will meet again on Wednesday evening after the Jewish Passover holiday”.