MA’AN BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Two Jordanian companies have entered into a major deal to import natural gas from Israel, according to Reuters news agency. US-based company Noble Energy has reached an agreement with Jordanian Arab Potash Co Plc and Jordan Bromine to important natural gas from Israel for a period of 15 years beginning in […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 02/19/2014 Australian drilling giant Woodside Energy signed deal with Leviathan gas partners to acquire 25 percent of basin for roughly $2.71 billion. Exports from the Leviathan reservoir will likely occur through an offshore, floating liquefied natural gas platform rather than via onshore options previously considered, the prospective Australian partners announced on Wednesday. […]

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February 13, 2014 The Daily Star BEIRUT: Lebanon’s net proceeds from gas extraction could easily exceed $600 billion, which is more than enough to contain public debt and stimulate the economy, Bank Audi said. “Based on the current gas and oil prices and on the basis of Lebanon’s 96 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves […]

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February 19, 2014 By Ola Galal Bloomberg CAIRO: Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous nation, is poised to get its first cargo of imported liquefied natural gas before summer to help meet rising demand as local production slumps, Oil Minister Sherif Ismail said. State-run Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Co. is in the “final stage” of […]

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by Hana Namrouqa | Feb 19, 2014 AMMAN — Badia residents and activists are planning to organise a march on Friday to express their rejection of the nuclear programme, activists said on Wednesday. The march, which will be organised by the national anti-nuclear committee, will kick off from Al Husseini Mosque in downtown Amman to […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 02/17/2014 Tractors have broken ground and financial agreements have closed on East Africa’s first utility- scale solar field, an 8.5-megawatt oasis being built under the leadership of Jerusalem-based entrepreneurs. “Today we’re realizing what everyone said would be impossible – creating a viable, commercial- scale solar industry for East Africa,” said Yosef Abramowitz, […]

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Prime minister Katainen wants to overhaul Finnish economy using Israel high-tech model. Reuters Published: 02.18.14, Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen is determined to overhaul his economy, and cites Israel’s success as a “start-up” nation brimming with high-tech innovation as his model. With just 5.4 million people, a world-class education system and an international mindset, Finland […]

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HEBRON, West Bank — It was not your usual Holy Land tour, but surely one of the most revealing I’ve ever had. A team from Friends of the Earth Middle East took me around to see how waste, sewage and untreated water flow, or don’t, between Israel and the West Bank. I never realized how […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 02/10/2014 Since the 10-day mega-storm that drenched the country in mid-December, Israel has experienced almost no rainfall. Drought Israel is currently experiencing an unprecedented drought – so extreme that such conditions this time of year have never been documented, according to the Water Authority. Since the 10-day mega-storm that drenched the country […]

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by Hana Namrouqa | Feb 11, 2014 The current dry conditions and prolonged unseasonable high temperatures are a cause of concern for water and agriculture officials (Photo by Muath Freij) AMMAN — The Kingdom is facing a drought threat which will have a negative impact on water storage and crops if it persists, officials warned […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 02/10/2014 “I intend to bring a new reality in which plastic bags will disappear from the landscape and culture,” environment minister says. After MK Michal Rozin (Meretz) submitted a bill to the Knesset on Monday morning regarding a plastic bag prohibition in stores, the Environmental Protection Ministry announced that afternoon that the […]

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by Mohammad Ghazal | Feb 13, 2014 Amman Mayor Aqel Biltaji (2nd left) attends a meeting held by EDAMA Association in Amman on Thursday to discuss the potential of using waste as an energy source (Petra photo) AMMAN — The potential for generating money from garbage is “huge” in Jordan, as several international companies have […]

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A report by the Israel Union for Environmental Defense says the plan to enlarge the Haifa Port would use 50% more sand than necessary. By Zafrir Rinat | Feb 10, 2014 | 04:20 PM A plan to expand the Port of Haifa would severely damage the marine ecosystem and shrink nearby beaches, according to a […]

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y SHARON UDASIN 02/10/2014 Senior vice president of engineering Ron Weiss: “The IEC is working to preserve the environment.” The Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) has completed construction on a biological wastewater treatment system on the grounds of the Ramat Hovav power plant. The Ramat Hovav power complex produces about 100 cu.m. of wastewater a month, […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 02/09/2014 Study of beach cleanliness for 2013 indicated half of country’s shores ranked between “medium” and “very dirty” Standing by his motto of integrating social and environmental justice, Environmental Protection Minister Amir Peretz decided on Sunday to allocate a budget of NIS 2 million to keep Israel’s beaches clean. The ministry will […]

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Controversy over Ashkelon beachfront kiosk raises questions as to the state and local authorities’ abilities to protect public spaces. By Zafrir Rinat Can a real estate developer annex a part of the natural coastline that was intended to be public property, then turn it into a prosperous commercial enterprise? What are the state and local […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 02/12/2014 New project aims to bridge the legal and institutional gap in the implementation of Mediterranean Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) protocol. In order to optimize coastal management along the Mediterranean’s shores, educating the public effectively and adapting protocols to local needs will be crucial, experts agreed at a conference on Wednesday. […]

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Water Cannot Wait campaign launch EcoPeace/ Friends of the Earth Middle East, together with the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) held a conference in Tel Aviv as part of the launch of our “Water Cannot Wait” campaign. The conference, entitled “Cross Border Environmental Issues and Water Resources in the Context of the Peace Process”, […]

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‘MCA-Jordan completes 45% of wastewater network rehabilitation project’ by Hana Namrouqa | Feb 03, 2014 | 23:20 Once the expansion of the Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant is completed, the plant will become one of the largest wastewater treatment plants in the Middle East and North Africa, according to the Millennium Challenge Account – Jordan AMMAN […]

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Mark Zeitoun | 28 January 2014 he suffering of the Palestinians forced off their land is not due to climate change or drought; it is the result of unchecked political forces. There are at least two features to note in the way that power underlies the conflict over freshwater between Israel and the Palestinians in […]

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