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Extreme Heat in Morocco Claims 21 Lives

21 deaths, most of them elderly or suffering from chronic illnesses, were recorded in Morocco due to a heatwave (dpa)
21 deaths, most of them elderly or suffering from chronic illnesses, were recorded in Morocco due to a heatwave (dpa)
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Extreme Heat in Morocco Claims 21 Lives

21 deaths, most of them elderly or suffering from chronic illnesses, were recorded in Morocco due to a heatwave (dpa)
21 deaths, most of them elderly or suffering from chronic illnesses, were recorded in Morocco due to a heatwave (dpa)

A heatwave in Morocco has killed at least 21 people in a 24-hour period in the central city of Beni Mellal, the health ministry announced on Thursday
The meteorology department said soaring temperatures affected much of the North African country from Monday to Wednesday, reaching 48 degrees Celsius (118 Fahrenheit) in some areas.
In Beni Mellal, "the majority of deaths involved people suffering from chronic illnesses and the elderly, with high temperatures contributing to the deterioration of their health conditions," the regional health directorate said in a statement.
Morocco has suffered a sixth consecutive year of drought, and record heat this past winter with January the hottest since 1940, according to the meteorology department.
The rising temperatures and prolonged drought, which have lowered reservoir levels, are a threat to the vital farm sector.
Water evaporation reached 1.5 million cubic meters per day, Water Minister Nizar Baraka said at the end of June.
Globally, Monday was the hottest day recorded since measurements began in 1940, the European Union's Copernicus Earth observation program said.
Morocco's record temperature -- 50.4 degrees Celsius -- was set in August last year in the coastal resort city of Agadir.

 

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Arab World

Israel Renews its Readiness for War... Lebanon Says Doors are Not Shut

Smoke rises from the border village of Kafr Hamam in South Lebanon following the Israeli bombing (AFP)
Smoke rises from the border village of Kafr Hamam in South Lebanon following the Israeli bombing (AFP)
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Israel Renews its Readiness for War... Lebanon Says Doors are Not Shut

Smoke rises from the border village of Kafr Hamam in South Lebanon following the Israeli bombing (AFP)
Smoke rises from the border village of Kafr Hamam in South Lebanon following the Israeli bombing (AFP)

The Israeli army informed the political leadership that it has completed exercises for a major ground maneuver in Lebanon, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation announced, adding that preparations were underway for strong air operations.
Speaking from the Ramat Air base, Israeli Air Force Commander Tomer Bar, spoke of surprises, saying: “We are ready for war. The responsibility of the Air Force to implement all operational plans is full... There will be surprises," the Israeli commander said.
These threats came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s escalatory stances before the US Congress, and the announcement of the army’s end of training exercises simulating battles with Hezbollah on Lebanese territory.
The Israeli authorities have also issued a decision to suspend classes in the settlements and border towns with Lebanon for the next academic year, and informed students of the necessity of enrolling in other schools.
Parliamentary sources in the Development and Liberation bloc, headed by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, did not downplay the importance of these threats, but called for “not being overly optimistic and not giving in to pessimism.” The sources noted that this amount of threats “may indicate an escalation, but without reaching the extent of a great war.”
“The doors are not shut. There are constant communications and movement away from the spotlight. In addition, Lebanon does not need new resolutions, and International Resolution 1701 must be implemented, and pressure must be exerted on Israel to implement it,” they added.
The Israeli decision regarding the school year points to negative indicators and an expanding possibility of war, and raises the question about the fate of the next academic year in Lebanon, specifically in the border areas. A large number of Lebanese students had moved to safe areas within designated schools to complete their educational curricula.
Lebanon’s minister of education in the caretaker government, Abbas al-Halabi, will hold extensive meetings on Monday and Tuesday with the country’s educational authority to discuss preparations for the next academic year, the ministry’s sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Ministry of Education statistics showed that nearly 11,000 students forcibly left their schools, while 44 educational institutions permanently closed their doors in the border villages, including 12 secondary schools.
Meanwhile, confrontations continued at a varying pace between Israel and Hezbollah, which mourned a member and announced that air defense units had fired “anti-aircraft missiles at enemy warplanes inside Lebanese airspace in the southern region, forcing them to retreat.”
On Thursday, Hezbollah said it attacked and hit a building used by Israeli soldiers in the Manara settlement in response to an attack on Kafr Hamam village on Wednesday. The group said it also targeted military buildings in Shtula and Hanita, and “espionage equipment at the Birkat Risha site ... leading to its destruction.”
The party mourned Abdullah Mohammad Fakih from Rab Al-Talatheen in South Lebanon, after the Israeli bombing targeted the town. The National News Agency reported that one person was killed and two were wounded in the attack.