Until the early morning hours of Wednesday, the Israeli army refused to hand over the bodies of the two martyrs, Saud al-Titi and Muhammad Abu Dira' , after they were killed in Deir al-Hatab, east of Nablus .

According to informed sources, efforts were made by the competent authorities to recover the bodies of the two martyrs, but the occupation forces insisted on detaining them and refused to hand them over.

Yesterday, the Israeli army claimed that the two martyrs, who are residents of Balata camp , carried out a shooting attack towards the Elon Moreh settlement, east of Nablus, and that its forces ambushed the place before they were liquidated.

According to the Ministry of Health, 98 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the year from the West Bank, Gaza Strip and occupied Jerusalem.

In addition to these martyrs, the two young men, Muhammad al-Osaibi and Yusef Abu Jaber, from the occupied territories, raises the number to 100.

The Canadian "Citizen Lab" revealed that a new Israeli spy program similar to the notorious " Pegasus " program was used to target journalists and opposition politicians in several countries.

The laboratory, which deals with cyberspace , global security and human rights, said that the new program was designed by a little-known Israeli company called "Quadream Limited", founded by a former Israeli military official and former veteran employees of the "NSO" company that produced "Pegasus".

Citizen Lab, which monitors misuse of modern electronic devices, has identified at least five people who have been targeted by the Quadream program in North America, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

He added that the list of victims includes "journalists, opposition political figures, and a worker in a non-governmental organization," but he preferred not to announce their identities at the present time.

Spyware programs such as Pegasus have previously been widely used by governments and other agencies to spy on dissidents, the media and activists.

The White House said in late March that governments had used Pegasus to "facilitate repression and enable human rights abuses."

"Citizen Lab" said that the "Quadream" program, after placing it on the user's phone or personal computer, can record calls and external sounds, take pictures from cameras, and search in device files without the user's knowledge.

The program can also generate two-factor authentication codes, that is, a password and a security code, to secure continuous access to the device owner's cloud accounts.

Citizen Lab added that the spyware includes a self-destruct feature to hide its previous existence once it is no longer in use.

Citizen Lab identified servers in 10 countries that received data from victims' devices, including Israel, Singapore, Mexico, the UAE and Bulgaria.

He said that the company "Quadream" marketed spyware it produces to government clients in Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Ghana, Indonesia, Morocco and others.

Manchester City of England and Inter of Italy have come a long way towards the semi-finals of the European Champions League competition, after the first beat its strong guest Bayern Munich 3-0 and the second beat its Portuguese host Benfica 2-0 on Tuesday in the first leg of the quarter-finals.

In Manchester, City and its Spanish coach, Josep Guardiola, knew how to deal with Bayern and its new coach, Thomas Tuchel, and the Premier League champion will play the second leg on Wednesday with great comfort against a team coming from eight victories in eight matches he played in the group stage and the final price, including against Inter and Paris Saint-Germain. .

City owes the big victory to the Spaniard Rodri (27), the Portuguese Bernardo Silva (70) and the Norwegian Erling Haaland (76), who scored the three goals.

And this confrontation pitted Guardiola against the team he supervised from 2013 to 2016, with whom he won the German League title three times and the Club World Cup.

Guardiola also stood up to Tuchel, who was denied continental glory in the 2021 final when he was at the head of the technical management of Chelsea (1-0).

The Spanish coach said, "It was a difficult match, and I liked the football quality of the Bayern players, and they showed courage and strength on the field, and during some periods they were better than us, but we were lucky and that beautiful goal by Rodri relieved us a lot, and we suffered after some minutes passed in the second half, and we rested after the second goal. The result is beautiful." It is acceptable and the performance was convincing, and we must be careful because there is a second leg."

The start came quickly, with a relative advantage in favor of City, but without any real chances, until the solution came in the 27th minute from Spaniard Rodri with a wonderful left arc shot from outside the area, with which I settled the ball in the upper right corner of the Swiss goalkeeper Jan Sommer.

City was close to adding the second through German Ilkay Gundogan, but Sommer excelled in defending his goal (34), before the field advantage passed at the end of the first half in favor of Bayern without effect.

Bayern started the second half strongly, and former City player Leroy Sanneh tested his luck from outside the area, but Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson was on the lookout for him (46), then the scene was repeated seconds later after a quick counterattack, and the Brazilian goalkeeper was on time again with the help of Dutchman Nathan Ake (49).

And Sanneh returned to collide again with the brilliance of Ederson (54), who also had to intervene to clear the ball from under the crossbar, after a cross was turned by one of his defenders (55).

City responded by trying to make Sommer shine in blocking it (57), then the Swiss intervened again in the face of a shot by Portuguese Robin Dias (58).

As the minutes progressed, Bayern tightened its grip on the course of the match and forced its host to retreat to the defense, coinciding with the entry of Sadio Mane instead of Jamal Musiala from the side of the guests and the Argentine Julien Alvares instead of the Belgian Kevin De Bruyne from the opposite side.

But this advantage was not fruitful, but the goal came from the opposite side after a fatal mistake by Upamecano in front of Jack Grealish, who snatched the ball and passed it to Haaland, who crossed it to reach Bernardo Silva to head it into the net (70).

Silva himself was close to adding the third, but Sommer was on time this time before he bowed after a few seconds in front of Halland, who received the ball with a header pass from John Stones, so he pounced on it and turned it into the Sommer net (76).

The 22-year-old raised his score to 34 goals in the 26 matches he played so far in the Champions League, including 11 this season in which his total number of goals reached 45, making him the first player from the Premier League to reach this number during one season, according to “Opta” statistics. .

Alvares was close to the fourth goal with a long shot, but Sommer blocked it this time (82), then he shone again in blocking Rodri's header (87).

In Lisbon, Inter cut more than half the way towards reaching the round of four for the first time in 13 years, thanks to the two goals scored by Nicolas Barella (51) and Belgian substitute Romelu Lukaku (82 from a penalty kick) against host Benfica, who brought back the memory of the 1965 final when the team was crowned. The Italian won its second title in a row, with a 1-0 victory.

With this victory, Inter became a strong candidate to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2010, when it won the third title in its history after 1964 and 1965.

Benfica was the better party in the first half, but without much danger to Cameroonian goal Andre Onana, before the guests woke up in the second half and scored two expensive goals.

The first and most dangerous opportunity in the match was a powerful shot by Rafa Silva from close range, which was removed by goalkeeper Onana before the defense dispersed it (16).

Joao Mario hit a ball "on the fly" from inside the area, which passed near the right post (19).

Francesco Acerbi responded with a powerful shot from 25 meters high, a few centimeters high (25).

Inter surprised its host at the beginning of the second half by opening the scoring with a header from close range to Barella, following a cross pass by Alessandro Bastoni (51).

Greek goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodemos saved his goal from a second goal by blocking the Armenian international, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, from close range (66).

Spanish defender Alejandro Grimaldo almost equalized with a powerful shot from inside the area that hit Dutch defender Denzel Demphris and turned into a corner that did not bear fruit (73).

Barella tried his luck with a powerful shot from outside the area that passed near the right post (74), and a header by Dumfries from close range bounced off the goalkeeper and was dispersed by the defense (78).

Inter got a penalty kick after a handball on Joao Mario after a cross pass to Demphris (79), so substitute Lukaku crawled to the left of the goalkeeper (82).

Al-Sadd crossed into the semi-finals of the Emir of Qatar Football Cup by defeating Umm Salal 3-1 on Tuesday in the quarter-finals.

Hassan Al-Haidous (51), Akram Afif (56) and Moroccan Ayoub Al-Kaabi (90 + 3) scored the goals of Al-Sadd, and Jordanian Yassin Al-Bakhit (82) scored the goal of Umm Salal.

Al-Zaeem completed the title in 18 terms by holding the qualifiers to the quarter-finals, setting a date on April 24, with Al-Shahaniya, the qualifier, at the expense of Al-Gharafa 4-3 on penalties (original and extra time 3-3) on Sunday.

In the second semi-final scheduled for the current 25th, Al-Arabi, who qualified at Muaither’s expense 2-0, will meet on Saturday with Al-Sailiya, who eliminated Al-Duhail, the defending champion, 5-4, with a penalty shootout (regular and extra time 2-2) on Monday.

Despite the defensive efficiency of the team of Moroccan coach Talal Al-Karkouri in the first half, Al-Sadd was more effective in the second half, as the scoring began with a set-piece that was executed by Commander Al-Haydos in a wonderful way (51), before Afif secured the result with the second goal after he took advantage of a pass from Moroccan Ayoub Al-Kaabi (57). ).

Umm Salal revived his hopes of returning to the match when Al-Bakhit reduced the score, taking advantage of Elias Hamid’s pass (82), but he received a painful blow by expelling his Moroccan player, Adel Al-Rahili (87), so Al-Sadd took advantage of the deficiency and scored the third goal through Al-Kaabi after a pass from Algeria’s Baghdad Bounedjah (90 + 3). ).

Today, Tuesday, King Abdullah II urged the international community to stand against measures that undermine the historical and legal status quo in the holy sites in Jerusalem and incite violence in the Palestinian territories.

In joint press statements with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida , the Jordanian monarch stressed the urgent need to stop all unilateral measures that violate the existing historical and legal status of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

He stressed, in the presence of His Highness Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II, the Crown Prince, that "this is a prerequisite for stopping the dangerous escalation, working towards calm, and creating a political horizon that would preserve the chances of a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution."

"Let us all remember that peace between Palestinians and Israelis is an integral part of prosperity and peace for the entire region and all its peoples," he said, expressing his thanks to the Prime Minister for Japan's clear position in this regard.

The Jordanian monarch referred to Japan's leading voice in calling for peace in the Middle East, especially through the "Corridor for Peace and Prosperity" initiative.

For his part, the Japanese Prime Minister shared the Jordanian monarch's concern about the situation in the Palestinian territories during their discussion of the latest developments in the Middle East.

Kishida called for exercising restraint and stopping unilateral measures that undermine the two-state solution, in order to avoid a further deterioration in the situation.

The Japanese Prime Minister considered that Jordan's role in the Hashemite Custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem is "extremely important," expressing his deep respect for His Majesty the King's leadership and his efforts to reduce tension in the region.

Kishida stressed that Japan will strengthen its initiatives, which include the Peace and Prosperity Corridor initiative, to contribute to building confidence between the two parties.

The Japanese prime minister indicated that Jordan is the cornerstone of peace and stability in the Middle East, and one of Japan's most important partners in the region, adding, "I would like to express my deep appreciation to His Majesty the King, who is constantly striving to develop Jordan, and is also working to find solutions to regional challenges."

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs , Hussam Abu Al-Rub, announced that the ministry has completed the procedures for renting buses to transport pilgrims from Palestine (the northern governorates) to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj season 1444 AH/2023 AD.

Abu Al-Rub explained that the ministerial committee formed by a decision of the Council of Ministers and includes members of the Hajj and Umrah Committee in the ministry, representatives of the Ministry of Transport and Communications and Finance - General Supplies and an observer from the Financial and Administrative Control Bureau worked to complete all procedures related to opening the external transport tender for the upcoming Hajj season .

Abu Al-Rub indicated that the directives of the Minister of Endowments, Hatem Al-Bakri , stressed the need to complete all arrangements for transporting the necessary pilgrims in a timely manner, while making sure to choose the appropriate and modern means of transportation that provides all safety requirements based on the principle of taking into account the reasons.

Abu Al-Rub affirmed the commitment of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs to all regulations and instructions regulating the Hajj season, all of which serve the pilgrim and work to achieve the vision and mission of the Ministry by organizing a comfortable Hajj season and performing the rituals with ease and ease.

Abu Al-Rub thanked the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for the efforts and facilities it provides to the pilgrims and pilgrims of the Sacred House of God through the Karama Crossing / King Hussein Bridge in particular, and to our Palestinian people who move daily across the bridges in general, stressing the important Jordanian role and positions in support of the Palestinian right in various forums. Arab and international at all levels.

In turn, the Director General of Hajj and Umrah, Mahmoud Hamad, stated that 110 VIP buses with 30 passengers were rented, and they will be accompanied by mobile technical workshops for each group of buses in the event of any malfunction during the journey, God forbid.

He pointed out that the process of renting buses took place after announcing a tender to transport pilgrims of the State of Palestine (Northern Governorates) in accordance with the legal procedures followed, and that it was submitted for it by five licensed and qualified companies, and the tender was awarded to the company that provided the best prices and services in the presence of all concerned parties.

Hamad indicated that the bus rental committee followed up on the issue of renting buses in the Jordanian capital, Amman, in coordination with the Embassy of the State of Palestine to Jordan, with the participation of First Secretary Bassam Hijjawi, and that all buses will be first received through a specialized committee in mid-May.

The American “Axios” website revealed that the administration of US President Joe Biden has tried to reassure Israeli officials in recent days that Washington is committed to its security relationship with Israel, after it appears that the details contained in a group of alleged secret Pentagon documents that were leaked on social media indicate The United States has spied on some of its closest allies, including Israel, two Israeli officials said.

It is reported that the leak, which also included sensitive details from the US-Israel consultations, could have major ramifications for the extensive intelligence sharing between Israel and the US, especially if Israeli secrets are at risk of being shared due to any kind of security breach.

According to the site, US officials acknowledged that at least some of the documents appear to be real intelligence assessments drawn up by the Pentagon, but officials also warned that some information contained in the documents appeared to have been "tampered" and the US Department of Justice had opened an investigation into the leak.

One of the top secret documents that was leaked contained a short passage about Israel and the alleged involvement of Mossad officials in protests against the government's judicial reform.

According to the Washington Post, the document said that in February senior Mossad members called on agency employees and Israeli citizens to protest, "including several explicit calls to action that would condemn the Israeli government."

The document also stated that this assessment was based on signals intelligence, which indicated that US intelligence agencies were spying on their Israeli counterparts.

Axios says that the Israeli prime minister's office issued a statement on behalf of the Mossad denying any involvement of the agency in the protest.

And according to Axios, "the statement said that" the report published by the American newspapers at night is false and unfounded, and that the Mossad and its senior officials did not and did not encourage members of the apparatus to join the demonstrations against the government, political demonstrations, or any political activity.

And the site adds: “Another highly classified document that was leaked and seen by Axios contained an American intelligence analysis of Israeli policy regarding military aid to Ukraine and stressed that American pressure could push Israel to provide more military assistance to Kiev.

The document, first reported by The New York Times, contained sensitive details of US-Israeli deliberations on the campaign of air strikes against Iran in Syria and Israel's concerns about Russian-Iranian military cooperation.

Today, Tuesday, the Minister of Agriculture, Riyad Attari , discussed with the Director of the Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Palestine , Ciro Fiorello , a mechanism for submitting a joint project for the Green Climate Fund, to develop Marj Sanur and solve problems related to water flooding during winter, and the inability of land and holding owners. In this meadow to cultivate and benefit from it.

Attari stressed during the meeting held in his office in Ramallah, the importance and strategy of this project at the level of the agricultural sector and at the level of the region, as it will help create comprehensive development for the region, lead to the development of the agricultural sector, improve the livelihood of landowners and neighboring areas, and solve the problem of floods that it suffers from. Farmers for decades, praising the role of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in providing technical and development support, and as a key partner of the ministry.

Attari indicated that the Ministry of Agriculture will work to develop partnerships for this project at the level of ministries and government agencies, as well as the ministry's partners in the private sector and local and international institutions, explaining that this project is a government priority of the first degree, so an urgent meeting will be arranged with local bodies in the region to discuss The project.

In turn, Fiorello talked about the project, financing, the partnership of FAO and the Ministry, the stages of applying for funding and the responsibilities of the parties, stressing that FAO will work hard to obtain this funding, and will provide all technical and logistical support to the Ministry and its partners to prepare the initial draft in order to obtain funding.

The two parties agreed to complete the necessary details to prepare the draft and prepare all the necessary requirements.

The meeting was attended by Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Abdullah Lahlouh, Director General of Water Yacoub Zaid, Director General of Lands Ammar Salahat, Director General of Guidance Salah Al Baba, Director General of the Minister’s Office Fatima Irsheed, Director General of International Relations Mahmoud Fatafta, and from the “FAO”: Deputy Director of the Office The organization, program manager Azzam Saleh, and project manager Hussam Al-Hodhod.

Today, Tuesday, settlers cut down 70 perennial olive trees in the village of Qaryut , south of Nablus .

Bashar Muammar , an activist with the settlement resistance in the village, stated that the villagers were surprised today, while inspecting their lands, that the settlers committed a massacre against perennial olive trees .

He pointed out that the ownership of the trees belongs to most of the people of Qaryut, and it is located in the "Bateishah" area, west of the village, near the "Eley" settlement, which is established on the citizens' lands.

Israeli crews recovered, on Tuesday evening, the bodies of two Israelis, whose traces were missing, following the torrential rains that occurred in the Wadi Araba region, southern occupied Palestine , due to heavy rains.

According to the Hebrew website Ynet, a third Israeli woman who was with them was rescued.

The site indicated that the victims were residents of Tiberias.

According to the site, the Israeli rescue forces managed last night to rescue 60 people.

Doha announced on Tuesday that it had received an invitation from the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council to attend a meeting next Friday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to exchange views on the possibility of Syria's return to the League of Arab States.

During a press briefing at the ministry's headquarters in Doha, Majid al-Ansari , a spokesman for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the main objective of "this consultative meeting" in which the Gulf states, in addition to Jordan, Egypt and Iraq, are participating, is to "discuss the situation in Syria."

He pointed out that "there are many developments regarding the situation in Syria and the Arab views towards Syria's return to the Arab League."

In the past two months, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited the Sultanate of Oman and the UAE, in the first visit to two Arab countries since the outbreak of the Syrian conflict in 2011, in light of regional efforts to return Syria to the Arab incubator.

Saudi Arabia and Syria are holding discussions regarding the resumption of consular services after a rupture that has been going on for years as a result of Riyadh closing its embassy in Damascus due to its anti-regime stance, according to a Saudi Foreign Ministry official recently.

Following the outbreak of the conflict, several Arab countries, especially the Gulf ones, severed their diplomatic relations with Syria and closed their embassies in Damascus. The League of Arab States also suspended Syria's membership.

Al-Ansari confirmed the participation of the Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, in the meeting.

The General Secretariat of the Cooperation Council has not yet confirmed the organization of the meeting.

For his part, a spokesman for the Iraqi Foreign Ministry told AFP that the issue of Baghdad's participation in the meeting is currently under study.

Al-Ansari explained that an invitation was extended to Iraq, Jordan and Egypt because they are "concerned countries in this regard."

He pointed out that the Qatari position has not changed, explaining that any change in the position on Syria "is mainly linked to the Arab consensus and to a field change that achieves the aspirations of the Syrian people."

On Tuesday evening, the Israeli political echelon decided to ban settlers from storming Al-Aqsa Mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan , which began today.

According to the Hebrew website Ynet, the decision was taken by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , after deliberations he conducted in the past few days.

The leaders of the security services, after disagreements among them, unanimously agreed that it be banned starting tomorrow, Wednesday, instead of today, Tuesday, which allowed hundreds of settlers to storm Al-Aqsa.

Twitter's annual revenue is expected to drop by about a third this year, according to estimates released on Tuesday by a consulting firm, due to the dispute between brands and Elon Musk , owner of the platform since late October.

And “ Insider Intelligence ” stated that the San Francisco- based company, which generates most of its revenue from advertising, will earn less than three billion dollars in 2023, or 28 percent less than its revenue in 2022, which amounted to 4.14 billion dollars.

"The biggest problem is that advertisers don't trust Musk," a statement quoted analyst Jasmine Enberg as saying.

And she believed that "Twitter must separate the image formed from Mask personally and the image of the company, in order to win the trust of advertisers again and restore them."

And “Insider Intelligence” expected, beginning in the summer of 2022, that is, after the offer of the head of “Tesla” to buy the social network and the accompanying controversy, that Twitter revenues would decrease in 2023 to $ 4.74 billion.

Experts were still taking into account the expectations for the growth of the platform. However, the economic situation deteriorated later, and what was expected regarding the departure of advertisers from the network was achieved.

Musk has limited content moderation, which is a necessary component of creating an environment that brands consider "safe," given that they don't want their names to be associated with inappropriate content.

Musk decided to dismiss a number of employees in retaliation, which made the number of employees in the group drop from 7,500 to less than two thousand employees.

Pathmatics noted in January that half of the 30 major advertisers on Twitter had stopped buying ad space on the network since Musk acquired it at the end of October.
And I expected that the new subscription fee for the “Twitter Blue” service would not be able to compensate for the lost revenues.

And she believed that "the blue mark is no longer a guarantee of credibility," as anyone can pay for it.

A Yemeni official announced that the prisoner exchange process agreed upon with the Houthis will begin Thursday and last for three days, provided that it includes flights between the capital, Sana'a , Aden , and other regions in Yemen, in addition to the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

The Houthis and the government announced last month that they had reached an agreement during negotiations in Berne to exchange more than 880 prisoners, in a new sign of hope with the acceleration of efforts to end the war.

The agreement on the exchange was reached days after Saudi Arabia and Iran , which support different parties to the conflict, announced that they had reached an agreement to restore their diplomatic relations after seven years of estrangement.

"All arrangements have been completed...to implement the agreed-upon exchange process," said the official spokesman for the government delegation to the prisoners and abductees negotiations, member of the negotiating delegation and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Human Rights, Majed Fadael, on Twitter.

He added, "Implementation will start, God willing, on April 13, 2023... and the first day of the exchange process will be through reciprocal flights of the Red Cross between Aden-Sana'a and Sanaa-Aden."

It will be followed the next day by flights between Sanaa, Riyadh, Abha (southern Saudi Arabia) and Mocha (western Yemen). On the third day, there will be flights between Marib (central north Yemen) and Sanaa, according to the Yemeni official.

The Houthis took control of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, in 2014, in a conflict that began the same year between them and government forces. The following year, Saudi Arabia led a military coalition that entered the war in support of the government, exacerbating a conflict that left hundreds of thousands dead and caused one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

A ceasefire reached in April 2022 resulted in a sharp decline in hostilities. The truce ended in October, but fighting remains largely suspended.
Under the agreement, the Houthis will release 181 prisoners, including Saudis and Sudanese, in exchange for 706 detainees held by government forces.

"This exchange process will be followed by other exchanges in the near future until all detainees and abductees are released on the basis of all for all, and all detention centers and prisons are cleared," Fadael wrote on Twitter.

And on Saturday, the head of the Houthi National Committee for Prisoners' Affairs, Abdul Qadir Al-Murtada, announced the arrival of 13 prisoners at Sana'a International Airport in exchange for a Saudi prisoner who was released earlier.

In the last major exchange that took place in October 2020, "more than 1,050 prisoners were released and returned to their regions or countries," according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The new exchange process comes in the midst of strenuous attempts to build on the Saudi and Iranian rapprochement and to consolidate a months-long truce in Yemen as a prelude to a transitional phase that will witness negotiations for a comprehensive peace.

A Saudi delegation headed by Ambassador Muhammad Al Jaber held talks with the Houthis in Sana'a on Sunday, in a rare visit whose aim, according to the ambassador, is to "stabilize the truce" and discuss ways to push for a "comprehensive and sustainable political solution."

The Arab American University announced the start of preparations for the first international conference on digital transformation in Palestine , which will be held in June of the current year 2023.

Prof. Dr. Walid Deeb, Academic Advisor to the University Board of Directors, noted that the conference aims to discuss digital transformation and its prospects in Palestine and its overlap and impact on various sectors to reduce the digital divide compared to leading countries in this field and benefit from all the opportunities offered by digital transformation at the national level and in all sectors.

He added: "At the Arab American University, years ago, we realized the impact of technology and rapid digital development on scientific fields, so we strived to integrate digital technology in various scientific fields and academic programs."

In turn, the President of the University, Prof. Ali Zeidan Abu Zuhri, added: "This conference supports global trends in general and the Palestinian government's directions regarding digital transformation, and we are keen to be key partners in an exemplary and successful digital transformation process in Palestine."

Regarding the conference’s axes, Dr. Islam Amr, Dean of the College of Modern Sciences, said: “The areas of digital transformation in Palestine are multiple and have different aspects undertaken by many partners, and the possible horizons in this field are wide and multiple, as the axes of digital transformation in Palestine are compatible with the directions of the study programs that it offers.” Since the Arab American University was a pioneer in distinguished disciplines, it has been offering a range of academic disciplines at the levels of foundation studies (bachelor) and postgraduate studies, with the aim of providing the Palestinian, regional and global market with the contemporary expertise required in the areas of digital transformation, which are represented by the sectors of the digital economy. Education, culture, media, governance, political action and digital diplomacy, health and life sciences, digital economy, infrastructure and supporting technologies such as data science, artificial intelligence and virtual reality technologies.

Amr added that the conference will host a group of local and international experts and specialists in the various fields of digital transformation, which include: health, education, economy, banking, communications, politics, culture and media, in addition to commercial activities.

It will also shed light on the most important achievements and aspirations in Palestine, in addition to reviewing best practices in the fields of digital transformation worldwide and how to employ them in Palestine in various sectors.

This initiative comes in line with the university's strategy to offer academic programs that meet the needs of the global market and keep pace with its development and enhance the competitive advantage of graduates to be able to compete in the technology-based labor market. Bachelor: Digital Marketing, Digital Health, Digital Media, Digital Economy, Political Science and Digital Diplomacy. As for the master's degree, it includes: digital economy, political science and digital diplomacy, in addition to the doctoral program in digital diplomacy, which will be offered next semester.

The exploration of the icy moons of Jupiter by the " Juice " space probe launched by the European Space Agency Thursday from the Kourou base in French Guiana constitutes a new stage in the search for habitable worlds outside the planet, as their ice caps hide vast oceans of water beneath them. The liquid is supposed to provide a fertile environment for life forms.

These environments are so far from the sun that astronomers have long excluded them from the region of the solar system considered habitable, "which until recently stopped at Mars," astrophysicist Athena Kostinis, who is among the science officials, told AFP. for the European probe.

The explorations of the Galileo probes (1995), which targeted Jupiter, and Cassini (2004), which orbited Saturn, pushed the boundaries of research that focused not on these gas giant planets, which are characterized as being inhospitable to life, but on their icy moons, Europa and Ganymede. for Jupiter and Enceladus and Titan for Saturn.

These moons are characterized by the presence of vast oceans of liquid water under their icy surface, knowing that water in its liquid form alone makes life possible on the surface of any celestial body.

"This is the first time that we will explore possible habitable places beyond the frost line," says Nicolas Altobelli, responsible for the "Goss" probe from the European Space Agency, in an interview dating back to January made in Toulouse by the "Airbus" company that designed the probe. It is not possible to record the presence of liquid water on the surface of a planet or moon.

The next NASA mission, called Europa Clipper, will target Europe. As for the probe, "Joss", it will focus on Ganymede. Joss is scheduled to enter the orbit of this moon in 2034, which is the largest moon in the solar system and the only one that has its own magnetic field that protects it from radiation.

There are many characteristics that indicate the existence of a stable environment, which is another condition for the emergence and continuity of life forms, because “what matters is not only that the place is habitable, but that life is viable,” as Athena Costinis asserts.

And unlike space missions to Mars that seek traces of ancient, vanished life, the underlying goal of exploring icy moons is to search for environments that are still habitable, which Mars does not demonstrate.

Another requirement for the possibility of life to exist is the availability of an energy source. In the freezing temperatures of the Jupiter system, the energy source is not the sun but the gravity that Jupiter exerts on its moons and causes "tidal effects" similar to what happens on Earth with the moon.

And the planetary scientist at the French Center for Space Studies, Francis Rocard, says that this phenomenon leads to "the dissipation of heat inside the moons and the preservation of the liquid form of water."

The head of the "Goss" project at the French Center for Space Studies, Carole Larigaudry, describes Ganymede's ocean as "huge". The depth between two thick layers of ice may be tens of kilometers.

"On planet Earth, we get to discover forms of life at the bottom of the abyss," she says. Some terrestrial ecosystems show the ability to continue without light, while teeming with microorganisms such as bacteria and archaea.

And such a system needs nutrients to keep going. "The issue is whether Ganymede's ocean contains similar elements," says Athena Kosthenis.

For example, the ocean must be able to absorb components deposited on the surface to then dissolve in the water, says the astrophysicist.

GOSS tools will explore this ocean with its various layers to measure its depth, its distance from the surface, and its composition, if available.
The probe will orbit Ganymede for eight months and may approach it up to an altitude of 200 km.

Because it does not have a magnetic field, Europa is less suitable for a spacecraft, and the American probe, Europa Clipper, which will arrive at its destination at the same time as Goose, will only be able to fly over its target. However, the data that the two missions will provide will be complementary, according to the scientists.

"If it turns out that Ganymede has indications of life forms, the next logical step would be to send a lander to it," said Cyril Cavill, scientific director at Airbus, adding, "It would be like a dream," although there are no plans at this stage. .

On Tuesday, two young men were shot dead by Israeli forces in Deir al-Hatab , east of Nablus .

Family sources stated that the two martyrs are the Palestinian security officer and the liberated prisoner, Saud al-Titi, and his companion, the liberator Muhammad Abu Dra’, both of whom are from Balata camp and are activists of the Al-Aqsa Brigades.

An Israeli military spokesman claimed that his forces ambushed a Palestinian cell that tried to carry out a shooting attack against the Elon Moreh settlement, and two of its members were killed, while a third fled the place and combing operations are being conducted in search of him.

He indicated that his forces found two M16 rifles and two pistols.

As the Red Crescent mentioned, a young man who was injured by shrapnel from bullets in the shoulder and hand was transferred, while the occupation forces prevented access to the other injured person.

Germany is proceeding with its decision to abandon nuclear power despite the crisis in this field, as it shut down the last three reactors on Saturday, counting on the success of its environmental transition without relying on atomic energy .

On the banks of the Neckar River, near Stuttgart in southern Germany, the white steam from the Baden-Württemberg nuclear power plant will soon be a memory.

The same applies to the "Essar 2" complex in Bavaria, in the east of the country, and Emsland in the north, on the other side of Germany, near the Dutch border.

While many Western countries rely on nuclear energy, Germany, the economic leader in Europe, is turning this page once and for all, despite the ongoing controversy on the subject.

Germany is implementing the decision to phase out nuclear power taken in 2002, which was accelerated by Angela Merkel in 2011, after the Fukushima disaster in Japan.

The German chancellor said at the time that the Fukushima disaster showed that "even in a high-tech country like Japan, the risks associated with nuclear energy cannot be controlled 100 percent."

The declaration convinced public opinion in a country where a strong anti-nuclear movement had been fueled first by fears of conflict linked to the Cold War and then by accidents such as Chernobyl.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 could have prompted a comprehensive reconsideration of the issue: With Germany deprived of Russian gas after Moscow cut off the bulk of it, Berlin found itself exposed to the darkest scenarios, from the risk of closing its factories to the risk of deprivation of heating in the height of winter.

A few months before the tentative shutdown of the last three reactors, on December 31, the winds of public opinion began to turn. "With the rise in energy prices and the burning climate issue, naturally there have been calls to extend the operation of the stations," says Jochen Winkler, mayor of Neckarfestheim, where the power station of the same name is living its last hours.

And the government of Olaf Scholz, in which the Green Party, the most hostile to nuclear power, finally decided to extend the operation of the reactors to secure supplies until April 15.

Winkler explains, "Perhaps the discussion would have been renewed if we had witnessed a more difficult winter, or if there had been a power outage and a shortage of gas. But the winter that passed us did not have many problems," thanks to the massive import of liquefied natural gas.

For the mayor of the town of 4,000, more than 150 of whom work at the power plant, “the wheel has begun to turn” and there is no time to “turn back”.

Germany has shut down sixteen reactors since 2003. The last three plants provided 6% of the energy produced in the country last year, after nuclear energy provided 30.8% of the total energy in the country in 1997.

Meanwhile, the share of renewables in the generation mix will reach 46% in 2022, compared to less than 25% ten years ago.

However, the current pace of progress in renewables satisfies neither the government nor environmental activists, and Germany will not achieve its climate goals without strong additional efforts.

These goals are "already ambitious without phasing out nuclear energy, and every time we deny ourselves a technical option, we make things more difficult," says Jörg Sackmann, a specialist in energy issues at the Bruegel Research Center in Brussels.

The equation is even more complicated with the goal of closing all coal-fired power plants in the country by 2038, with a large proportion of them shutting down by 2030.

Coal still accounts for a third of Germany's electricity production, up 8% last year to make up for the absence of Russian gas.

Olaf Scholz emphasized the need for Germany to install "4 to 5 wind turbines every day" over the next few years to cover its needs. These numbers are considered high compared to the installation of 551 turbines in 2022.

A series of regulatory easings adopted in recent months should allow the pace to accelerate. “The planning and approval process for a wind power project takes an average of 4 to 5 years,” according to the industry association BWE, which considers accelerating the pace by a year or two as “significant progress”.

China intends to subject artificial intelligence tools to “security audits” regarding the extent to which their contents adhere to “basic socialist values” and do not prejudice state security, at a time when giant local Internet companies are racing to design tools similar to the “GBT Chat” robot.

Launched in November, US ChatGBT's ability to generate detailed answers in a matter of seconds on a wide range of topics has a large following in China.

ChatGBT cannot be used in China, but many articles and discussions on social networks cover it, as major local technology companies compete to design equivalent tools in China.

The search engine "Baidu" was at the forefront of the Chinese groups that entered this line, and soon the Internet and video game company "Tencent" as well as the "Alibaba" company, the pioneer of e-commerce, followed suit.

Amid this rush towards so-called generative AI, China would like to regulate this technology.

Before any product based on generative AI can be put at the disposal of users, it should be "requested to undergo a security audit," according to a draft regulatory text published by the China Cyberspace Administration on Tuesday.

This regulatory body, which published the draft text to monitor comments on it before its adoption, did not specify any date for its entry into force.

The draft regulatory text states that content generated by AI should "reflect core socialist values and not contain (elements related to) subversion of state power".

This content must also respect intellectual property rights, according to the same document.

This text aims to ensure "the healthy development of generative AI technology and its application in accordance with standards."

Andy Chun, a technology expert at the University of Hong Kong, told AFP that the text contained "one of the strictest measures" in the field of regulating ChatGPT artificial intelligence.

China aspires to take the lead in the world in the field of artificial intelligence by 2030, which is expected to revolutionize a number of sectors, including the automotive industry and medicine.

Baidu was the first among Chinese companies to announce the start of work on a similar program, and last month the media briefed on its "Ernie Bot" tool, which works in Mandarin language only and is directed to the Chinese market only, while it is in an experimental stage.

The giant Chinese e-commerce company "Alibaba" also presented its program in the same field on Tuesday, calling it "Tongyi Qian Wen" (a machine that knows everything).

Providing a high-performance chatbot that does not deviate from the very strict framework of what is permissible in terms of content is the main difficulty for developers in China in the race of artificial intelligence.

In light of this future regulation, companies must "exercise extreme caution" and ensure that all data used to feed their AI is "in line" with the directives, says Andy Chun.

Likewise, "it is difficult to guarantee the accuracy of (the answers), as there is not yet any artificial intelligence system that can do that," he said.

China is at the forefront of regulating new technologies, which some argue could pose a potential threat to the stability and power of the Communist Party.

After years of permissiveness, since 2020 the Chinese authorities have been taking a more stringent approach to the practices of powerful digital companies, particularly in cases relating to personal data.

China already closely censors the Internet and the media. An army of censors daily removes content that gives a negative image of state policy.

As for social networks, they are subject to increasing scrutiny.

Last year, Chinese authorities asked internet giants to share their algorithms, which they usually keep secret.

These algorithms are the brains of many applications and services on the Internet.

Last January, Beijing tightened control over deepfakes (what is known as "deepfake"), which allow digital manipulation of images in a way that they appear real, and pose a challenge in combating disinformation.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations , Antonio Guterres, began Tuesday in Mogadishu a brief visit to Somalia , a country suffering as a result of a long conflict and natural disasters.

Pictures published on social media showed Somali Foreign Minister Absher Omar Harusi receiving Guterres at Mogadishu airport.

The Somali authorities strengthened security in Mogadishu on the occasion of the unannounced visit, with most roads cut off and public transport restricted.

Guterres, who visited Somalia in March 2017, will hold talks with political leaders and visit a camp for the displaced, according to local press reports.

Guterres is visiting him at a time when the country is suffering from a catastrophic drought that has brought many to the brink of famine, while the government is dealing with a bloody Islamist insurgency.

The United Nations launched an appeal to collect $ 2.6 billion to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of this country located in the Horn of Africa, but it has not collected so far only 13% of the necessary funds.

Five consecutive disastrous rainy seasons in some parts of Somalia as well as in Kenya and Ethiopia led to the worst drought in the region in four decades, destroying livestock and crops and forcing at least 1.7 million people to leave their homes in search of food and water.

The United Nations estimates that about half of the population will need humanitarian assistance this year, as the drought affected 8.3 million people.

"The crisis is not over yet, the needs are still great and urgent," said the UN coordinator for Somalia, Adam Abdulla, last week in Geneva, warning that "some of the most affected areas still face the risk of famine."

He mentioned that floods resulting from seasonal rains in March killed 21 people and displaced more than 100,000, indicating that the rains may not be sufficient to improve the food security situation in the future.

Somalia witnessed a famine in 2011 that killed 260,000 people, more than half of whom were children under the age of six. The United Nations held its responsibility in part to the international community for not moving at the required speed.

A study published in March by the Somali Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and the UN agency UNICEF warned that the consequences of drought in Somalia could kill between 18,100 and 34,200 people during the first six months of the year.

Somalia, one of the world's poorest countries, suffers from decades of civil war, political violence and a bloody insurgency waged by the al-Shabaab movement, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda.

President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud, who returned to power in May 2022, threatened the Islamists last year with "total war" and sent troops in September to support an uprising by local clan militias in the center of the country against Islamist fighters.

In recent months, the Somali army and clan militias have recaptured several areas from Al-Shabaab in the operation, which was carried out with air support from US forces and the support of the African Union force in Somalia.

At the end of March, the government announced that more than 3,000 al-Shabaab militants had been killed since the start of the attack, and the Ministry of Information reported that 70 cities and villages had been “liberated” from Islamists who have waged a rebellion since 2007 against the federal government supported by the international community.

It was not possible to verify this information from independent sources.

Al-Shabaab often responds by launching bloody attacks that show their ability to launch strikes inside cities and on Somali military installations and civilian, political and military targets, despite the advance of government forces.

Guterres stated in a report to the UN Security Council in February that the year 2022 recorded the largest number of civilian casualties since 2017, especially as a result of the increase in Al-Shabaab attacks.

Today, Tuesday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed that two headquarters will be closed in Ariha and Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip , while maintaining and strengthening all programs in those affected areas and in other existing offices.

The committee also confirmed in a statement that it will continue to provide the humanitarian services and activities it used to provide in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and Israel.

"We remain closely committed to all societies affected by conflict and occupation since 1967, in particular through our work to promote protection and respect for the civilian population," said ICRC Head of Delegation Alessandra Mignon.

Today, Tuesday, the Israeli occupation forces arrested a young man after assaulting him near the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron .

According to local sources, these forces arrested a young man from the al-Rajabi family and transferred him for interrogation, after they assaulted him, claiming he had a knife.

China 's inflation fell sharply in March to below 1%, a sign of weak demand as the world's second-largest economy tries to recover from the recession caused by the pandemic.

The National Bureau of Statistics said in its official figures that the consumer price index, which is the main measure of inflation, was 0.7 percent, compared to 1 percent in the previous month.

Beijing has set a target for average consumer price inflation in 2023 of 3 percent.

Analysts had expected inflation to pick up in March, as economic activity picked up after the waiver of strict COVID-related restrictions at the end of 2022.

The producer price index, which measures the cost of goods leaving the factory, shrank for the sixth month in a row, with prices falling 2.5 percent.

"The economic recovery is on the right track, but it is not strong enough to raise prices," said economist Jeffy Zhang of the "Penpoint Asset Manager" group.

"This is an indication that the economy is still operating below its potential," he added.

China was relatively unaffected by the sharp rise in world prices for raw materials and food and the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

However, the Chinese economy was greatly affected in 2022 by the isolation measures and movement restrictions imposed within the framework of the strict "zero Covid" health policy that finally ended in early December.

Activity and consumption will gradually resume.

"We believe that consumer price inflation will rebound in the coming months," financial advisory firm Capital Economics said in a note.

Analysts pointed out that "it will be well below the ceiling set by the government by about 3 percent, and the increase in inflation will be much less than what has been seen elsewhere."

And the world's second largest economy recorded growth of only 3 percent in 2022, which is among the lowest in four decades.

China has set a target of 5 percent growth in 2023.

Two employees of the " Catholic Relief Services " organization were shot dead during the weekend in the Amhara region in northern Ethiopia , which has been witnessing unrest for several days, according to what this non-governmental organization announced.

Demonstrations and road closures have been recorded in Amhara since Thursday, after the federal government began the process of disarmament and the inclusion of elements of armed units in the federal army or police under local authority.

And formed these units called "special forces" in Ethiopia outside any legal framework about 15 years ago by the Ethiopian provinces.

"Chol Tungiek, a security official and driver Emara Kindia, was shot dead in an organization's car in the Amhara region on the way back from Addis Ababa at the end of a mission," the organization said.

The Catholic non-governmental organization based in the United States added that "the circumstances of their killing are not yet clear."

According to the organization's website, it has been operating in Ethiopia for nearly sixty years.

It is difficult to determine the situation in Amhara, which journalists are prevented from entering for "security reasons".

On Monday, restrictions were imposed, especially on movement at night and gathering, in three cities in Amhara, Gondaro Dessi and Debre Burhan.

These restrictions were imposed by the military "command center" in each of these cities, which gives the impression that the federal army is now holding on to security.

And Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed confirmed Sunday that the disarmament process will be completed "at any cost" and warned that "the law will be applied to all those who contribute to destabilization."

The government confirms that the operation is being carried out in all regions and that the unrest is confined to Amhara, in which the "special forces" in force provided essential assistance to the federal army during the two-year armed conflict between the authorities and the Tigray region.

An agreement signed last November ended this war, but several local disputes are still tearing Ethiopia apart, especially related to ethnic claims and land disputes.

Dr. confirmed. Eman Mostafa , a professor at the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences at the Egyptian National Research Center , discusses the importance of fasting and its impact on health in general, and on immunity in particular, noting that fasting Ramadan lowers high blood pressure, improves cholesterol levels as well as blood sugar levels, and is also a factor. Preventive and therapeutic help in cancer diseases, by strengthening the immune system.

She said that the immune system in the human body is based on a large system of vital processes, to protect the body from diseases, toxins, and cancerous cells. Mostafa said that the immune system works according to two systems, one of which is innate or natural, and inherited, and the other is represented by acquired immunity, as a result of contracting a disease or taking various vaccinations. .

Mustafa said that fasting strengthens the natural and acquired immunity, noting that fasting for long hours stimulates the activity of the immune system, so the body gets rid of dead or damaged cells that it does not need and helps to produce new cells, which enhances immunity. Intermittent fasting, which lasts about 16 hours or more, affects immune cells, as research has shown that these cells leave the bloodstream during fasting, and resort to the bone marrow known for its richness in nutrients, to start multiplying and enhancing its energy and activity, and its ability to protect the body and reduce the chances of disease. .

Fasting stimulates the secretion of many proteins, which in turn help regulate metabolic processes, repair DNA, strengthen immunity and increase cognitive abilities. Fasting increases the secretion of endorphins, which cause happiness, which in turn modulates the production of antibodies from immune cells and calms the immune system, which increases the ability of white blood cells to eliminate microbes and reduce the chances of infection.

Amidst the continuing crisis of the teachers' strike , which has been going on for more than two months, there are negative effects that threaten the current academic year , amid calls to resolve the crisis, before reaching catastrophic effects that may affect the pillars of the educational process.

Disastrous effects on the school year
The director of the U-Smart Center for Training and Consultation, an educational expert, Jawdat Sisan, said in an interview with Al-Quds.com: “The irregularity of working hours may have catastrophic effects on the academic year, with the exception of the Tawjihi, although there is confusion, but things are moving towards holding the exam, and Compensation for the educational loss can be towards overcoming the risk of adopting the school year.

Saisan believes that there are other effects of the continued ignoring of the solution to the teachers' strike crisis, as these effects may affect the teaching profession , amid warning of the reluctance of male teachers from the teaching profession, in addition to the fact that many low-income people are thinking of going to the private education sector, which is expensive.

In turn, educational expert Youssef Abu Ras said in his interview with Al-Quds.com: "The options available to the government and teachers are closed, in light of the intransigence of each party and its adherence to the demands, and thus the continuation of the crisis."

Abu Ras asserts that the continuation of the strike means that the school term is in danger, and the Ministry of Education may resort to closing the school year and calculating the marks for the first semester.

Abu Ras stresses that it is important to consider that the disruption of working hours affects the quality of education in terms of: the skills, experiences, attitudes, and values that students acquire, as there has been an educational loss over the past four years, as a result of the Corona crisis and the strike of public teachers. past and present.

With regard to the "Tawjihi" test, Abu Ras confirms that it was passed and its date was set on the eighth of next June, and I do not think that matters will reach a choice by any teacher in the "Tawjihi" district, because that means that we are going to a disastrous choice both in terms of The students themselves or their families, which means that we are going towards increasing problems in the Palestinian society.

Promote educational loss!
The spokesman for the Ministry of Education, Sadiq Al-Khdour, confirms in a statement to Al-Quds.com that the educational loss that is occurring is not only due to the teachers’ strike this year. The loss rate for this year reached 21% due to disruption of working hours.

Al-Khdour believes that the repercussions of the educational loss vary from one school class to another, but the most affected classes are the first stages of study, as they are the foundation stage, and there is an educational loss that will leave a weakness among the students whose effects can be felt in the coming years and remain with the student in the subsequent grades. In addition, the effects of the strike affect the pillars of the entire educational process, whether among the teachers themselves, or teachers and parents, as well as the psychological effects it leaves on students.

Al-Khdour says: "Since the beginning of the crisis, we have confirmed that this crisis has no winner, but rather that the entire educational process is a loser, and the student is the biggest loser. If we want to monitor the repercussions of the crisis, we can see them, and we hope that they will not affect high school students when they enroll in universities, being a student." (Tawjihi) is one of the affected.”

A complete compensation plan
According to Al-Khadour, the Ministry of Education has a complete plan to compensate students who lost their education, and it will start implementing it after the month of Ramadan. However, the Ministry is monitoring the return of some schools and the total disruption has become limited, and there are teachers who have returned, but we leave this week as preparation for students and breaking the impasse, and in the event of the crisis continuing, there are several scenarios. The Ministry has to deal with any developments, and we need a careful study of all scenarios, and standing on all the details.

Al-Khdour stresses that any amendment to the academic year's agenda will remain the same for the next academic year, noting that a date has been set for the "Tawjihi" exam on the eighth of next June, as the test is related to students' association with universities.

At a time when Al-Khdour called on the parents to support the ministry, he saluted the teachers, and appealed to them all to win in the interest of the students, and said: "The ministry's mission is to achieve a balance between the rights of the teacher and the student alike."

Teachers' willingness to compensate while upholding their rights
On more than one occasion, the "teachers' movement" affirmed its willingness to compensate the students, but with its adherence to claiming its rights, and in the face of the failure of many initiatives to solve the crisis, the "teachers' movement" announced its escalation of its protest steps since yesterday, Sunday, which have been going on for more than two months, and announced a boycott of the test. High School “Tawjihi”, and an emphasis on the continuation of the strike, to demand the implementation of an agreement concluded, last year.

In May 2022, an agreement was concluded between the Palestinian government, the General Union of Palestinian Teachers and the "teachers' movement", sponsored by many institutions and personalities, and the strike stopped after that, but the protests and strikes have returned since February 5, 2023, to demand the implementation of that initiative.

The agreement included 5 clauses: returning discounts to teachers, professionalizing education, issuing a teacher protection law, working to “democratize the union”, and depositing a 15% bonus for the nature of work on the salary slip, starting from the first month of the new year 2023.

Thousands of young doctors in the United Kingdom will launch a four-day strike on Tuesday to demand better pay in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, piling pressure on the country's health system.

"It is the mobilization that will have the biggest impact in the history of the NHS and the most stressful," said Stephen Boyce, health director for NHS England.

"Priority will be given to urgent and dangerous cases, but the appointments of some patients will be postponed," he added.

And the NHS Confederation reported that 350,000 medical appointments could be postponed. The young doctors went on strike for three days last month, affecting 175,000 appointments.

In the UK, junior doctors represent about half of the doctors in hospitals, from young doctors who have just graduated to doctors with eight years of experience.

The strike, which begins on Tuesday morning and ends on Saturday morning, comes after the Easter break, with many workers on holiday.

"This strike will have a catastrophic impact on the ability of the NHS" to operate at full capacity, NHS union director Matthew Tyler told Sky News on Monday.

He added, "It is not useful to hide that it will create risks for patients," calling on the British to be careful. "Try to avoid risky behavior because the NHS will not be able to provide the necessary care."

The BMA, which represents trainee doctors, confirmed that these doctors have lost 26 percent of their actual wages since 2008.
The union is calling for a 35% increase in wages, which Health Minister Steve Barclay described as "unrealistic".

The NHS system is going through a major crisis after it was weakened by austerity policies and the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic. Strikes have been frequent since the beginning of the year among nurses, doctors and paramedics.

In the midst of her tears and sadness, as she received the blessed month of Ramadan , in the absence of her captive son, Shadi Muhammad Gawadrah (36 years), who was sentenced to life imprisonment, the occupation disturbed his family’s joy in the holy month, and added a new wound and suffering to her, by arresting her second son, university student Badr (21 years), in The first day of Ramadan.

His fiftieth mother, Khadija Gawadrah, told Al-Quds.com: "My son, Shadi, received the 20th of Ramadan in the prisons of the occupation , which deprived us of him, and his absence from our lives, our occasions, and our tables.

She adds: "Over the past years, we did not know the joy and taste of Ramadan except with its religious rituals, and the month this year was more difficult, after the occupation snatched my second son, and turned him from a student to a prisoner, and we are missing two of our sons at our tables, so which Sharia or law allows this Israeli injustice?

The prisoner Badr is considered the last of his family of 11 members. He was born, raised and lived in the village of Bir al-Basha, south of Jenin , and he experienced with his family the seasons of pain and pain since his childhood, during the journey of chasing and arresting his brother Shadi. His mother, Shadi’s mother, says: “Badr only cared.” With his studies and planning for his future, and after his success in high school, he joined Al-Quds Open University, but the occupation cut him off during his studies in the second academic year.

And she adds: "On the dawn of 3/23/2023, the occupation forces surrounded our house, and stormed it in a barbaric and brutal manner, as it was the first day of the holy month. They detained and isolated family members, until the campaign of tampering, searching and destroying all the contents of the house ended, in a vengeful and fierce manner, with the aim of punishing us." .

And she continues: "During that, they detained our son Badr in one of the rooms of the house, subjected him to field investigation, then handcuffed and blindfolded him and arrested him without allowing us to say goodbye, but our shock was great, and it brought back to us pictures of the terrible suffering that has not ended in our lives since the arrest of my son Shadi, who is still Behind bars, as well as our son Sami, who spent 9 years until he was freed.

Um Shadi, who suffers from several chronic diseases, waited for Badr's return and liberation, and hoped that it would be a mistake in his arrest case, but she was greatly affected, after the occupation refused to release him, and said: "My son is committed to his university and work. He does not interfere in politics and has no activity. All his interests are in his family and his university." He worked after the academic period, and they took him to the cellars for investigation, and when they failed to convict him of any charge or case, they transferred him to administrative detention.

And she adds: "Until today, he was unable to communicate with us, and the lawyer was not allowed to visit him, and we received news through the prisoners that after the end of the investigation with him without convicting him of any charge, they transferred him to administrative detention for a period of 6 months, under the pretext of a secret file, which confirms that his detention is arbitrary and invalid."

And she continues: "Administrative detention is difficult, painful, and very cruel. There is no end to it, and we will continue to live on our nerves, because the intelligence services control his fate and life."

The mother, Umm Shadi, expresses her pride in her children’s steadfastness, despite her daily pain over their absence, and says: “Badr’s arrest comes, and we have been moving between prisons for 20 years, to visit my wounded and sick son, Shadi, who is suffering as a result of his bullet wounds from the occupation and complications affecting his kidneys and vision. It is considered a case of medical negligence in prisons.

And she adds: "Every day I cry for Shadi, who is sentenced for life, and I wait for his freedom and his return to my arms, but today I became sad for depriving me of him and Badr, but we have nothing but patience and steadfastness, faith and supplication to the Lord of the worlds, and we will remain as a Palestinian people who are proud of our heroes and adore this country even if the occupation arrests us." All of us, and my prayers to God are to celebrate their freedom and all the prisoners, and to welcome them with a national wedding on the next holiday.”

The Central Bank of Cuba announced that deposits in US dollars are again allowed after the decision to suspend them in 2021 due to the blockade imposed by the United States.

"Financial and banking institutions will accept cash deposits in US dollars in bank accounts," said a decision issued by the Central Bank of Cuba, published Monday in the Official Gazette.

This new decision cancels a decision issued by the Central Bank of Cuba, which in June 2021 suspended cash deposits in dollars due to the difficulties associated with the ongoing US blockade.

The decision, which came as a surprise, stated that the new monetary policy responds to the current priorities in the island, namely the economy and tourism, two sectors that have suffered greatly from the Covid-19 pandemic and have begun their gradual recovery.

The Central Bank of Cuba attributed its decision to these favorable economic conditions, noting the continuation of measures to "prevent cash deposits in US dollars abroad".

Cuban economist Omar Everlini Perez said the authorities are trying to reverse mistakes they made, stressing that "dollars are still circulating on the black market."

The Central Bank of Cuba, for its part, pointed out that "the core of the problem has not been solved."

The island has been under a US blockade since 1962, which makes dollar exchanges difficult. This blockade was tightened under former US President Donald Trump, with more than 240 additional measures that current President Joe Biden has not returned.

The monetary reform adopted by the Cuban government in January 2021 in the midst of the pandemic led to a decline in the Cuban peso from 24 to 120 against the US dollar, according to the official exchange rate, with a huge increase in the black market, where the price is 185 pesos against one dollar.

This was accompanied by runaway inflation that reached 70% in 2021 and 39% in 2022.

More than 17,000 Filipino and US soldiers on Tuesday began the largest joint military exercise in decades in the Philippines , amid criticism that it is escalating tensions in the region rather than promoting peace and stability.

According to the Philippine military, the annual 18-day exercise dubbed "Balikatan" involves 5,400 Philippine and 12,200 US soldiers, making it the largest Philippine-US joint military exercise in decades.

About 100 members of the Australian armed forces participate in the exercise, while ten countries, including Japan and Britain, participate as observers.

The "Balikatan 2023" exercise will be held in several regions, including northern Luzon Island, Palawan Province, Batanes Islands and Zambales Province from April 11 to 28.

The exercises will focus on maritime security, amphibious operations, live fire training, cyber defence, counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness. The Philippines and the United States will deploy complex weapons systems, including a Patriot missile battery and High Mobility Artillery Missile Systems (HIMARS).

Hundreds of demonstrators, including members of the Philippine Students Association, held a "flash rally" at around 5 a.m. local time today (Tuesday), a few hours before the official launch of the Balikatan exercise in the Philippines. The students urged the Philippine government to cancel military agreements with the United States.

The demonstrators carried banners denouncing the exercises and urging Filipinos to oppose the joint exercises. Some activists threw "paint bombs" and defaced the seal of the US Embassy in Manila to denounce the joint military training.

Another protest was held at the gate of a military camp while the opening ceremony was taking place inside the headquarters.

Ana Malindog-Oy, vice president of the Manila-based Philippine Century Asian Institute for Strategic Studies, warned that organizing Balikatan would create instability and volatility in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region and the broader Asia-Pacific region, adding that Filipinos would be stuck. in the midst of mutual conflicts and will suffer the most.

Roland Sempulan, vice president of the Center for People Empowerment in Governance in the Philippines, urged his country to focus more on economic relations with all countries rather than continuing to spend on arms sales, which implies Balikatan and other joint military exercises between the Philippines and the United States.

Balikatan, which means "shoulder to shoulder" in the Filipino language, is the most extensive of several joint military exercises between the Philippines and the United States.

The Visiting Forces Agreement gives US forces a legal basis to be in the Southeast Asian country to conduct bilateral military exercises and governs the conduct of US armed forces personnel.