Bodies of Belgian mother and son found in south Jordan after weekend flash flooding
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Search and rescue teams in Jordan have recovered the bodies of a Belgian mother and her son, a day after the woman and her three children were reported missing in flash flooding.
The two other children from the same family were found alive.
Sunday's flooding in southern Jordan also led to the evacuation of hundreds of tourists from the Petra archaeological site, the country's main tourist attraction.
The mother and children had been part of a group of 18 tourists who had been on an adventure trip in Wadi al-Nakhil when they were caught up in the flash flood, Ma'an district local governor Hassan al-Jabour told state media broadcaster Al-Mamlaka TV.
Fourteen tourists, all Czech nationals, were rescued on Sunday.
Rescue crews located two of the children alive late Sunday, al-Jabour said.
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The search and rescue operation was suspended at about 2 am because of the complicated weather conditions and terrain.
The bodies of the woman and her son were found Monday morning after the search resumed, he said.
Further details about the family and the ages of the children weren't immediately available.
Jordan often experiences flash flooding as heavy seasonal rains send torrents of water through dry desert valleys.
At least three people died in 2021 when floodwaters swept away their car, while more than 30 people were killed in flash flooding that hit Petra and Jordan's Dead Sea coast in two separate floods in 2018.
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Mount Etna's latest eruption sparks tourism concerns
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Euronews
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Explore Europe by bike: How cycling tourism is transforming travel
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Exclusive: EU countries to mull charging for cabin baggage
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"The European Court of Justice has made it very clear that hand baggage is an integral part of the basic ticket price. Normally, there is no surcharge on the price as long as the hand luggage is of a reasonable size," said Steven Berger, a lawyer with the European Consumers' Organisation (BEUC). "All we're seeing is a proliferation of airlines charging for this baggage (...) we're calling for very clear rules. Passengers must be able to take one piece of luggage, a small suitcase or a rucksack," he added. European airlines have a different interpretation of the case law. Kevin Hiney, Communications Director of A4E (Airlines for Europe), pointed out that "under European law and the single market, airlines have the right to unbundle their services in order to offer the best possible package to passengers". For the organisation, which represents 17 airlines in Europe and 80% of European air traffic, the proposal on the table merely seeks to harmonise different approaches between companies on this cabin baggage. "I think it's important to stress that what the current proposal from the Poles (the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU) is doing is setting the dimensions of these personal items to ensure clarity and transparency for all passengers, as well as for the airlines," said Kevin Hiney. In this political battle, consumers should be able to count on Spain to make their voice heard. Last November, Madrid condemned five airlines for abusive practices. The €179 million fine concerns, among other things, these extra charges on hand luggage. A proposal to revise the 2004 European regulations on compensation for delays also set to be discussed by ambassadors on Wednesday is also causing concern among civil society, carriers and governments. Passenger groups and airlines both want to see the rules revised, but in different ways. A European Commission proposal presented in 2013 envisaged extending the time limit required to trigger compensation to 5 hours of delay. The text presented to the member states by the Polish Presidency now moves in this same direction, proposing to extend the time limit for claiming primary compensation to 4 hours, with a second step from 6 hours depending on the distance of the journey. At present, compensation of between €250 and €600 euros can be claimed for delays of 3 hours or more. The European directive applies to all flights departing from an EU airport, regardless of the nationality of the airline, and to flights arriving at EU airports if they are operated by an EU airline. It does not apply to flights to Europe operated by non-EU airlines, or to non-EU flights with a stopover in Europe. For A4E, the proposal is a step in the right direction. 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On the whole, you have the camp of the member states that are going to defend the three hours to be able to benefit from the right to compensation and others that are going to ask for five hours and nine hours based on distance. So right now this is really the big source of conflict," said Steven Berger. Just ten or so countries would constitute a blocking minority within the EU Council. Before the ambassadors' meeting, Germany and Spain seemed to be opposed to any change in the compensation rules. However, it is the entire revision that must be validated or rejected. In other words, opposing changes to the compensation rules will bring down the whole reform. Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders has announced that his Party For Freedom (PVV) will leave the governing coalition over a migration dispute. The withdrawal, which comes three weeks before the Netherlands is due to host a NATO summit in the Hague, could spell the end of the 11-month-old government of Prime Minister Dick Schoof. Wilders confirmed the move in a social media post on X, saying he had taken the decision because his coalition partners were unwilling to agree to his migration plans. "No signature under our asylum plans. The PVV leaves the coalition," he wrote on Tuesday morning. 'I signed up for the toughest asylum policy and not the downfall of the Netherlands,' Wilders told reporters. His coalition partners hit out at the move, with Dilan Yesilgöz, the leader of the right-wing People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), saying she was "shocked" by the decision, which she described as "super-irresponsible". Caroline van der Plas, leader of the populist Farmers Citizens Movement (BBB), also expressed her disappointment. 'He is not putting the Netherlands first, he is putting Geert Wilders first,' she told Dutch broadcaster NOS. Since last July, the PVV has been in a coalition with the VVD, the BBB and the centrist New Social Contract (NSC) party. Wilders presented a 10-point plan last Monday to radically reduce migration, putting pressure on the four-party coalition to toughen its migration policy or risk a cabinet crisis. "The gloves are off," Wilders said during a press conference to announce the plan, adding that his party would withdraw from the cabinet if migration policy was not toughened up. The proposal called for a complete halt to asylum, as well as a temporary stop to family reunions for asylum seekers who have been granted refugee status, and the return of all Syrians who have applied for asylum or are in the Netherlands on temporary visas. Wilders, who has long campaigned against immigration, also wanted to close asylum centres. Opposition parties and activists have called for new asylum centres to be opened to prevent overcrowding and inhumane conditions for asylum seekers who need shelter. Wilders' PVV won a dramatic victory in the November 2023 national election, gaining 37 out of the House of Representatives' 150 seats. Despite the PVV becoming the largest party in the Dutch parliament, Wilders failed to secure the position of prime minister after resistance from other major parties. The fragile right-wing coalition has been beset by problems, surviving crisis talks in November, when an NSC minister resigned after alleged racist comments were made by other cabinet members.
