The effects of 3 Israelis were lost, hours ago yesterday evening, Monday, due to torrential rains and floods in the southern areas of occupied Palestine .

According to the Hebrew website Ynet, the Israeli rescue teams managed to save about 60 people from yesterday evening until the early hours of Tuesday.

She indicated that 3 are still missing and are being searched for.

He stated that the rain that fell within two hours in those areas reached 46 mm, which is greater than the amounts that fall in the entire year.

The Israeli police closed many roads, especially all exits to Eilat and those leading to Wadi Araba.

The Pentagon considered Monday that the likely leak of classified US documents related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine , most of which appear to be original documents, poses a "very serious" threat to the national security of the United States.

Here's what we know about the anonymous leak, which only recently caught the media's attention.

Many of these documents are related to the war in Ukraine. Some of them assess the situation of the conflict at the beginning of March, including the size of the Russian and Ukrainian losses, while others address the situation on specific fronts, such as Bakhmut.

The documents talk, among other topics, about Kiev's air defenses, which are crucial to countering Russian strikes, and about international assistance to Ukrainian forces.

Some of these documents also seem to indicate that the United States is spying on some of its allies: one of these documents says that leaders in the Israeli intelligence service "Mossad" are defending the demonstrations against the controversial reform of the judicial system in the Jewish state.

And on Sunday, the US Department of Defense (The Pentagon) said that it was working to “evaluate the authenticity of the video documents circulating on social networks,” but admitted that they “apparently contain very sensitive and confidential information.”

And press reports quoted US officials that most of these documents are original, but it seems that at least one of them was forged to indicate that Ukraine's losses exceeded Russia's losses, while the document, which is supposed to be original, confirms the opposite.

The US Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation as the Department of Defense evaluates the potential national security consequences of this leak.

The Pentagon said that US officials have contacted Washington's allies about this matter, and the relevant parliamentary committees have been briefed.

US Defense Department spokesman Chris Meagher told reporters on Monday that the circulation of these documents on the Internet poses "a very serious threat to the national security of the United States and that they may spread misleading information."

The leak could jeopardize US intelligence sources, as well as provide Russia with valuable information on the conditions of Ukrainian forces.

Documents dealing with partner countries of the United States could be an embarrassment to Washington, especially those that refer to possible US espionage operations on close allies.

Dozens of documents and images have been leaked on Twitter, Telegram, Discord and other sites in recent days, but many of them are no longer available on these sites, as it appears that the United States is working to remove them.

The investigative website Bellingcat said that some of these documents have been circulating on the Internet since before January 2023.

The White House confirmed Monday that it has "full confidence" in the "excellent" relationship between Washington and Paris, despite the statements made by French President Emmanuel Macron on Taiwan, which drew angry reactions in the United States.
"We are comfortable and have full confidence in our excellent bilateral relationship with France, and in the relationship between President (Joe Biden) and President Macron," US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

"The French are really getting more involved in the Indo-Pacific region," he added.
In an interview published Sunday following a visit to China , Macron called on Europe not to "enter into the logic of bloc against bloc".

In his interview with the French economic newspaper "Les Echos", Macron stressed that the old continent should not be "affiliated" to the United States or China with regard to Taiwan.

The grand reception that Beijing held for its guest received wide echoes in the United States, especially in the media.

The New York Times said in an analytical article on the French President's visit to China that Macron's visit "undermines" US efforts to contain the influence of the authoritarian regime led by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In turn, the "Wall Street Journal" newspaper described in an editorial editorial board the French president's position on Taiwan as a "failure."

The "Lions' Den" groups, which are active in Nablus , said this evening, Monday, that they will hold accountable all those who planned, executed, conspired, and gave information, whether it led to the martyrdom of a resistance fighter, mujahid, or leader from the den or from any other resistance faction.

And she added in a statement: "We said and repeat and mention again, and the most important thing is that we do not know everything, every name, every party that participated, regardless of the size of its participation, in the crimes that occurred against the sons of the den and the sons of our people, but it seems that the one to whom we send the messages does not read well and does not read between the lines," considering this to be the last message.

It indicated that its members repelled the occupation forces and ambushed them in Al-Ain camp at dawn, and formed intense fire packs with bullets and explosive devices, which led to injuries among the occupation.

The statement came about Khalifa killing a young man accused of "communicating" in favor of the occupation and participating in the liquidation of resistance fighters.

The Saudi ambassador to Yemen , Muhammad Al Jaber, announced on Monday evening that his visit to the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, to meet with Houthi officials aimed to "stabilize the truce" and discuss ways to push for a "comprehensive and sustainable political solution" after years of war.

"I am visiting Sana'a, in the presence of a delegation from the brotherly Sultanate of Oman, with the aim of establishing the truce and ceasefire, supporting the prisoner exchange process, and discussing ways of dialogue between the Yemeni components to reach a comprehensive and sustainable political solution in Yemen," the ambassador said in a tweet.

He added, "The Kingdom's government and people have stood for decades with the brothers in Yemen in the darkest circumstances and political and economic crises, and fraternal efforts have been continuing since 2011 to achieve the aspirations of the people of brotherly Yemen for the return of security, stability and economic prosperity."

On Sunday, a Saudi delegation held talks with the Houthis in Sanaa, in a rare visit to the capital, which is under the control of the Iran-allied rebels, as part of a new effort to revive the peace process in Yemen after the recent rapprochement between Riyadh and Tehran .

A picture published by Houthi-affiliated media showed the Saudi ambassador shaking hands with the head of the Political Council in Sana'a, Mahdi Al-Mashat , and another picture of the two mediating with the Saudi delegation and an Omani delegation leading the mediation between the two sides and Houthi officials.

And on Monday, two Yemeni officials said that Al Jaber met with the leader of the Houthis , Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi , but Riyadh did not confirm that the meeting took place.

Saudi delegations have previously visited the capital, Sana'a, for talks about prisoner exchanges with the Houthis, who control the capital and vast areas in the north, center and west of the poorest countries of the Arabian Peninsula.

However, this high-level visit comes in the midst of regional and international efforts to push for a political solution that opens the door to Saudi Arabia's exit from the war, and then brings down the curtain on the conflict between the Houthis and the government, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people.

These efforts derive their impetus from an agreement concluded last month between Saudi Arabia, which since 2015 has led a military coalition in Yemen in support of the government, and Iran, which supports the Houthis, stipulating the resumption of diplomatic relations between them after seven years of estrangement.

According to Yemeni government sources, members of the Yemeni Presidency Council recently agreed to a Saudi vision regarding resolving the Yemeni crisis after Saudi-Houthi talks under Omani sponsorship lasted for two months in Muscat.

The Saudi perception, according to the same sources, is based on agreeing to a truce for a period of six months in a first phase to build confidence, and then a period of negotiation for three months on managing the transitional phase, which will last for two years, during which the final solution will be negotiated between all parties.

The first stage includes confidence-building measures, the most important of which is paying the salaries of government employees in all areas, including the areas controlled by the Houthis, and opening closed roads and the airport.

The United Nations announced on Monday that it had managed, for the first time in two years, to send a land supply convoy to two locations belonging to its mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO) , located east of the berm separating the two parties to the conflict, Morocco and the Polisario Front .

"Between 5 and 7 April, a convoy completed supplies to two locations east of the berm, at Tifariti and Muhairis, with the support of the Polisario Front and Morocco," said the spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric.
The organization had announced an agreement on this convoy at the end of March.

He added, "This supply will allow the two sites to continue working," referring to their "urgent need" in particular for fuel.

Dujarric added, "It is necessary to maintain this momentum and ensure that the mission continues its efforts on the ground and its presence throughout the region, with the aim of creating space for progress in the political process" led by UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura.

The United Nations classifies Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, as a "non-self-governing territory" in the absence of a final settlement.

Morocco has been fighting for decades over the fate of this region with the Algerian-backed Polisario Front.

Rabat controls about 80% of the vast desert region, and proposes to grant it autonomy under its sovereignty.

On the other hand, the Polisario Front calls for the holding of a referendum for self-determination under the auspices of the United Nations in accordance with what was approved in the framework of a cease-fire agreement concluded in 1991.

The region has been divided from north to south since the 1980s by a "defensive wall," as the Moroccan authorities who erected it call it.

The UN Secretary-General's latest report in October highlighted the "increasingly serious repercussions" of the supply problems on the ability of the MINURSO teams to perform their mission east of the wall.

No road convoy has been allowed since November 13, 2020, but supplies have been provided by planes and helicopters.

In New York in late March, de Mistura invited representatives of the parties concerned (Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria and Mauritania) and the "Group of Friends of Western Sahara" (France, Russia, Spain, Britain and the United States) to hold a series of informal bilateral meetings.

The envoy is scheduled to submit his final report to the Security Council in a closed session on April 19.

The Pentagon considered Monday that the likely leak of classified US documents, a large number of which are related to the war in Ukraine , poses a "very serious" threat to the national security of the United States.

The leak, which the Ministry of Justice opened an investigation about, appears to include assessments and classified intelligence reports not only on Ukraine but also on Russia, and highly sensitive analyzes of US allies.

Chris Meagher , Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, told reporters that the documents circulating on the Internet pose "a very serious national security risk and have the potential to spread misinformation."

"We are still investigating how this happened, as well as the scope of this case. Steps have been taken to look closely at how and where this information was disseminated," he added.

Dozens of documents and images have been leaked on Twitter, Telegram, Discord and other sites in recent days, and some of them may have been circulating on the Internet for weeks, if not months, before these documents attracted media attention last week.

Meagher did not want to comment on whether these documents were authentic, saying only that a team from the Pentagon was conducting an evaluation.

The US official pointed out that some of the images circulating on the Internet appear to show sensitive information.

He said that there are "images that appear to show documents similar in format to those used to provide daily updates to our senior leaders about operations related to Ukraine and Russia, as well as other intelligence updates," noting that some of them "appear modified."

He explained that among these documents one was circulated on the Internet and it appears that it was modified to show that Ukraine suffered more human losses than Russia did, while the original document indicates that the opposite is true.

Iran and Saudi Arabia will exchange ambassadors after reopening their diplomatic missions, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported, quoting an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday.

Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in a press conference that the Saudi team arrived in Iran on Saturday in order to pave the way for the reopening of the Kingdom's embassy in Tehran and the Consulate General in the city of Mashhad, in the northeast of the country.

He added that the Iranian delegation will soon go to Saudi Arabia for the same purpose before reopening Iran's embassy in Riyadh, its general consulate and its representative office with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah.

Kanaani said that following the signing of a joint statement by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in Beijing on Thursday, the two countries practically resumed formal diplomatic relations.

Kanani praised China's "good intentions and positive approach" and its "constructive role" in normalizing relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and said that Beijing helped complete the diplomatic process that began in Baghdad and Muscat, and bring about a "constructive shift" in relations between Tehran and Riyadh.

The Iranian and Saudi foreign ministers agreed, during their meeting in Beijing on Thursday, to lay the groundwork for the exchange of economic delegations from the public and private sectors, and to hold meetings between the joint economic committees of the two sides, according to Kanani.

Saudi Arabia and Iran reached an agreement last March to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies and missions in the two countries within two months.

Hazem Qassem , Hamas spokesman, said Monday evening that the speech of the Israeli Prime Minister , Benjamin Netanyahu , cannot frighten our Palestinian people, who will continue the battle to defend the identity of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the face of the religious war waged by the occupation.

Qassem added, in a press statement, that Netanyahu's speech is an attempt to overturn the facts, as the occupation is the basis of all tensions, and they are the ones who practice terrorism systematically and continuously, and our people are waging a legitimate battle to extract their right to freedom and independence.

He continued, "Netanyahu's threats against our Palestinian people, Syria, Lebanon and Iran confirm that the occupying entity poses a threat to the entire region and its interests.

Benjamin Netanyahu , the Israeli Prime Minister, threatened to assassinate anyone who tries to "harm the Israelis," vowing that "the army's long hand will reach every terrorist, and his blood will be spilled." He said.

Netanyahu said in a press conference that his government will work to restore the deterrence and security that was lost during the era of the previous government, during which deterrence was damaged and increased when the "enemies" interpreted the refusal of the reserve units to serve as weakness, noting that Israel is now under a "terrorist attack." continued since the previous government.

Netanyahu added: "I sat with the head of the opposition (Lapid), and told him when you say that the State of Israel is collapsing and disintegrating, how do you think that our enemies receive this, hear it, see it and write all this, and believe that they can overcome us with terrorist operations from Lebanon , Syria and the Gaza Strip?"

And he continued, "Now we are responsible, and the responsibility lies with me, and you know me. I work strictly and persistently, above all considerations and with all responsibility, and I tell you our citizens: We will overcome our enemies, and we did so in the past and we will do so now."

And he continued, trying to restore his image: "The previous governments under my era brought security and we destroyed the terrorist tunnels of Hamas and Hezbollah.. Now the government under my leadership will restore calm and security to our state, and we will restore deterrence and correct the damages that we inherited.. This will take time, but we will do it."

Netanyahu referred to the attacks carried out in recent days, including against Iranian targets in Syria and others against the Bashar al-Assad regime, which he said would pay a heavy price if the launching of missiles and drones continued.

He also stated that his forces attacked targets of Hamas in Lebanon and Hezbollah, and that they worked in other ways that he will not disclose at present in response to the Megiddo operation, stressing that he will not allow Hamas to establish an infrastructure in Lebanon.

And he touched on the Gaza front, pointing to the dropping of 50 tons of explosive bombs on tunnels and Hamas's weapons and missile factories in Gaza, saying: "Two sides of a big blow carried a message and a signal to Hamas about the price that we will pay in the future, and it was absorbed."

He referred to the operations taking place in the West Bank, including assassinations, arrests, and operations to thwart attacks, stressing the readiness of his forces to work on various fronts.

And the Israeli Prime Minister announced that Yoav Gallant will remain Minister of the Army in his position.

He also announced his support for the establishment of the "National Guard", which he said would not be a militia for Ben Gfir.

This evening, Monday, settlers attacked citizens' vehicles with stones, under the protection of the occupation forces , near the military checkpoint at the northern entrance to Al-Bireh city, and the town of Taqu', southeast of Bethlehem .

According to local sources, the settlers gathered near the military checkpoint established at the northern entrance to the city and at the roundabout of the town of Beitin, and others gathered near the settlements of "Halamish" and "Dolib".

Later, local sources reported that the settlers in Bethlehem gathered at the entrance to the "Tekoa" settlement, which was built on the town's lands.

On Monday , the Turkish Navy received the first drone carrier, the " TCG Anadolu ", which is designed to allow the landing and take-off of Turkish combat drones.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is seeking to win a new presidential term in the elections scheduled for May, said that the Turkish "Bayraktar TB3" and "Qizil Elma" drones, as well as the "Hurjit" light attack jet trainer, will be "able to land and take off." of them,” according to what was reported by the official Turkish news agency Anadolu.

The aircraft carrier "TCG Anadolu" is 231 meters long, 32 meters wide, and its maximum payload is 27 thousand tons and 436 kg, and it is the largest Turkish warship.

According to the Turkish agency, the ship "can accommodate 10 helicopters and 11 attack drones, while its hangar can carry 19 helicopters or 30 attack drones, in addition to accommodating a crew of 1,223."

The ship, which began construction in 2016, is capable of transporting 94 military vehicles, including 13 tanks.

The defense industry sector in Turkey, which is a member of NATO, has witnessed development in recent years, especially due to the success of its marches, which have become the pride of the Turkish industry.
The "TB2" model of the Bayraktar drone, which is produced by the Bayrak Company (one of Erdogan's sons-in-law and co-director), has proven its effectiveness in Libya and Azerbaijan, and then in Ukraine, where these drones were used shortly after the start of the Russian invasion last year.

Since then, Ankara, which has repeatedly shown its strength in the eastern Mediterranean, has been making redoubled efforts on the mediation line between Kiev and Moscow.

Erdogan indicated, during the ceremony for the Turkish Navy's handover of the "TCG Anadolu" ship, that the drone carrier could be used in military operations, but also "in natural disasters and humanitarian operations."

And last year, China unveiled its first drone carriers, in a move that reflects the growing importance of these unmanned aircraft in modern warfare.

Israel announced today (Monday) that it had signed an agreement worth 1.44 billion shekels (about 400 million US dollars) to sell Spike anti-tank missiles to Greece .

According to the agreement, Israel will supply Greece with sea, air and land Spike missiles, the Israeli Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

"This project joins a series of agreements between Israel and the Hellenic Republic, and further confirms the strong partnership between our two countries and our defense institutions, as well as our mutual commitment to ensuring regional stability," Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in the statement.

The Spike is an electric, precision-guided missile manufactured by the Israeli government company, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

According to the Israeli Defense Ministry, more than 40 countries use the Spike, including 19 countries in the European Union and NATO allies.

More than 34,000 Spike missiles have been delivered worldwide, with more than 6,000 of them launched for training and operational purposes.

The Qudsuna Endowment Foundation organized the Ramadan breakfast for the neighborhood committees in the Old City , in honor of their role and steadfastness in the Old City, and their partnership in implementing the Foundation's projects in the Old City.

The breakfast began with a speech from the head of the Old City Youth Committee, Nasser Qaws, in which he praised the efforts of the Qudsna Waqf Foundation and its important role in the city of Jerusalem, and its keenness to be present in the Old City.

Qaws added that the Qudsuna Endowment Foundation, which is entering its ninth year, has proven to be one of the most important Jerusalem institutions, which has a prominent role in empowering people and building the institution.

On the one hand, Prof. Dr. Imad Abu Kishek, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Qudsuna Foundation, welcomed the youth of the Old City, stressing that Qudsuna Foundation is proud of the youth of the city of Jerusalem and is doing its best to empower the youth economically and socially.

Abu Kishk explained the challenges and difficulties that the Foundation faces in light of the scarcity of capabilities and the large number of commitments, stressing that the Foundation has taken upon itself to do everything in its power to support the various sectors in the city of Jerusalem.

Abu Kishk presented the Foundation's projects over the past years, stressing that the Foundation's doors are open to anyone who has an inquiry or suggestion, based on the Foundation's vision and commitment to partnership with the local community and all partner institutions.

During the breakfast, the coordinators of the committees and volunteers in the campaigns of the Qudsna Endowment Foundation over the past years were honored.

Today, Monday, the Palestine Committee in the Union of Councils of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation convened in an emergency meeting chaired by Algeria , chaired by the President of the Algerian People’s Assembly, President of the Islamic Union , Brahim Bou Ghali , and in the presence of a number of heads of Islamic parliaments.

In a detailed speech, Bou Ghali stressed the importance of strengthening the spirit of solidarity among members, coordination and cooperation to protect the defenseless Palestinian people and to ensure respect for the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque in accordance with international and humanitarian covenants, stressing that the duty is imposed on the parliaments of Islamic countries to take a stand in confronting this aggression.

He called for coming out of this meeting with a position that sends clear messages to the colonialists and the international community and supports the Palestinian people.

Bou Ghali proposed eleven items to be included in the statement issued by the meeting, and among them was in particular the call for the Human Rights Council to hold an urgent meeting to consider these serious and multiple violations of human rights, as well as the demand for urgent action by the International Criminal Court to consider the Israeli crimes that aim to liquidate Palestinians and inflict collective punishment on them, and call on international bodies, led by the Security Council, to assume their responsibilities towards the Palestinian people, take the necessary measures to stop the Israeli aggression, provide protection for Islamic sanctities and enable the Palestinian people to freely practice their religious rites, in addition to calling on regional and international federations and parliaments to condemn Violations of the Israeli occupation and its war of aggression and support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

For his part, the President of the Palestinian National Council, Rawhi Fattouh, denounced the behavior of the international community, which applies double standards whenever it comes to the Palestinian issue, and called for appending the statement of condemnation with concrete measures that strengthen the support of the Palestinian people who are facing the occupation's abuse in light of suspicious international silence on the occupation's disgraceful behavior against the people. Palestine and its Islamic and Christian sanctities, which belong to Muslims and Christian believers around the world.

He pointed to the numerous attempts to desecrate Al-Aqsa Mosque through the settlers, and to attempts to prevent Muslims from performing their religious rites and worship during the blessed month of Ramadan.

For his part, the Secretary-General of the Union, Qureshi Niass, affirmed that it is the duty of the nation to take a firm stance that supports the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and sends a strong message warning against any violation of its sanctities and assuring the world, at the same time, that Palestine is the central issue, and that there is no peace without a just solution. It enables the Palestinian people to enjoy their rights, foremost of which is the establishment of their independent state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

A number of parliament speakers spoke, namely: Mustafa Shantop (Turkish Republic, Troika member), Ahmed bin Salman Al-Musallam (Kingdom of Bahrain), Muhammad Baqir Qalibaf (Islamic Republic of Iran), and Saqr Ghobash (United Arab Emirates), who affirmed the support of the Islamic countries With Palestine and its central issue for the Islamic nation, and with the Palestinian people.

Representatives of the Member Councils from Indonesia, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Morocco, and the Republic of Lebanon also spoke, affirming their condemnation of the Israeli occupation measures against the Palestinian people and their sanctities, and affirming their adherence to the Arabism and Islamism of Jerusalem and its sanctities.

Participated in the meeting, in addition to the Chairman of the National Council, Rawhi Fattouh, Vice-Chairman of the Palestine Committee in the Union of Member Councils of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Secretary of the National Council, Fahmy Zaarir.

Two resistance fighters from the Jenin Brigade survived an assassination attempt during an ambush by the Special Units, east of Jenin, in the German vicinity.

Local sources told Al-Quds Docom that when the resistance fighters passed near the German forests, they came under heavy fire from the undercover squads, who ambushed them among the trees in the lands of the area where the settlements of Jenim and Qadeem were located, which were evacuated during the unilateral withdrawal. Withdrawing and fleeing towards Jenin and the camp, while a supporting military force was heading to the area from the Jalameh checkpoint.

According to the sources, one of the fighters was wounded by shrapnel in the back, and the occupation and special units operations have been repeated recently in Jenin, targeting those they call wanted.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will travel to Vietnam at the end of the week, where he will seek to strengthen relations with the communist country, and Japan , in a tour that comes in the midst of tensions with China over Taiwan, according to what Washington announced Monday.

Blinken will stop in Hanoi before heading to a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven major industrialized nations in Karuizawa, Japan. The meeting extends from April 16 to 18, according to what the US State Department said in a statement.

The ministry added that the minister will discuss in the Vietnamese capital "our common vision for the Indo-Pacific region to be a region characterized by prosperity and peace."

Relations between the United States and Vietnam have strengthened in recent years, including in the field of defense, as the two countries reconciled despite the scars of war.

This is Blinken's first visit to Vietnam since taking office two years ago.

But Vice President Kamala Harris visited this country.

Blinken's visit to Asia comes amid tensions with China over Taiwan.

On Monday, the Chinese army said it had "successfully completed" a three-day military exercise aimed at simulating a "cordoning" around Taiwan, a self-governing island that China considers one of its own.

The Chinese maneuvers, which began on Saturday, came as a protest against a meeting Wednesday in California with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

In addition, Blinken and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin are scheduled to meet with their Filipino counterparts in Washington on Tuesday.

The Philippines and the United States recently signed an agreement allowing US forces to use four additional military bases in the Philippines, which angered Beijing.

Blinken will travel to Hanoi from Ireland, where he will accompany President Joe Biden, who is visiting that country and the United Kingdom from April 11-14, and will stop in Northern Ireland on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the peace agreement.

Ukraine and Russia announced on Monday that they had conducted a new operation to exchange prisoners of war, which included 100 soldiers from each side, in the first operation of its kind in more than a month.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that 106 of its soldiers, who were at "risk of death" while in detention, had been returned.

According to the ministry, the soldiers will be transferred to Moscow to receive medical treatment and psychological assistance.
For his part, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office , Andriy Yermak, announced via Telegram that 100 prisoners had returned to Ukraine thanks to the exchange.

"We have recovered 100 of our men - soldiers, sailors, border guards and members of the National Guard," Yermak said, describing the exchange process as "difficult."

"Some have been seriously injured and are suffering from illnesses. We will do whatever is necessary to ensure that each of them receives the necessary assistance," he added.

The last exchange of prisoners between Kiev and Moscow dates back to March 7. On that day, 130 Ukrainian prisoners were exchanged for 90 Russian prisoners.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in December that Russia had released more than 1,300 Ukrainian prisoners in prisoner exchanges between the two parties that took place since the outbreak of the war in February 2022.

Numerous prisoner exchanges have taken place since then.

The tensions that have been going on for days in Al-Aqsa Mosque , east of Jerusalem, herald a larger and more comprehensive escalation, which may include a multi-front confrontation, according to Palestinian observers.

In a remarkable and unprecedented manner, Israel was subjected to rocket fire from southern Lebanon, then from Syria , as well as from the Gaza Strip , at a time when shooting operations continued in the West Bank , leaving deaths and injuries.

This came after Al-Aqsa Mosque witnessed, since the beginning of Ramadan, night clashes, following its storming by the Israeli police to remove the worshipers who were inside it, claiming that they were armed with stones and fireworks.

Video clips showed masked policemen armed with batons assaulting the worshipers by beating them and firing tear gas and sound bombs, which resulted in the injury and arrest of hundreds and sparked Arab and international criticism.

As a result, the Palestinian Presidency warned the Israeli government not to cross the "red lines" in the holy places, which threatens "a big explosion and ignition of fires in the region."

On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel is working "to preserve the current situation and calm the atmosphere in the Al-Aqsa Mosque," stressing its commitment to "preserving freedom of worship and allowing people of all religions to access the holy places without hindrance."

Letters exchanged with fire

Observers warn, in separate statements to Xinhua, that Israel's escalation of its measures and practices in Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the most sensitive sites for Muslims, is worsening the security situation and threatening reactions and attacks from multiple fronts.

Ahmed Rafiq Awad, a professor of political science at Al-Quds University, says that Israel "was surprised by the presence of unity in the arenas and coordination in action against it, and resorted to limited reactions in order to avoid opening a confrontation with several fronts simultaneously."

Awad believes that Israel "is experiencing an internal crisis that has made it confused and turbulent, and its political decision is not unified and inconsistent, which explains its measured response, which included a kind of containment of responses."

It is believed that the arena is set for greater tension in the coming days, although all parties do not want to enter into a large-scale confrontation, pointing out that the West Bank and Syria fronts are most likely to see further escalation on the ground.

During the month of Ramadan in 2021, Al-Aqsa Mosque witnessed clashes between the Israeli police and Palestinian worshipers, which escalated into a round of fighting in the Gaza Strip that lasted for 11 days between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

The mosque is a permanent address of tension in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

This includes the "tunnel gift", which erupted in 1996 in protest against Israel's digging and opening of the western tunnel under Al-Aqsa Mosque, which lasted for six months throughout the Palestinian territories.

In the year 2000, the visit of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon triggered the second Palestinian uprising, known as the "Al-Aqsa Intifada", which lasted for several years.

Extensive explosion hazard

Talal Okal, a writer and political analyst from Gaza, says that the recurrence of Israel's "attacks" on Al-Aqsa Mosque and its worshipers "cannot have repercussions without Palestinian reactions."

Okal stresses that Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque have an Arab and Islamic status, "therefore there is more than one indication suggesting that the coming period may witness an escalation of confrontations with Israel from more than one place."

He points out that the situation in the Palestinian territories has changed in light of the presence of the current Israeli government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, who is more "right-wing, bloody and extremist", and that this government sees itself in charge of resolving the conflict in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

He believes that the Israeli response to limited rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, southern Lebanon and Syria "provided indications to the Palestinian factions of a decline in Israel's deterrence."

Netanyahu and his far-right allies won 64 seats in the elections held on November 1, and his new government was sworn in on December 29, to be the most right-wing government in Israel's history.

Since the government assumed its duties, tensions have escalated between the Palestinians and the Israelis in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Since the beginning of this year, 96 Palestinians have been killed, compared to the killing of 18 people in Israel in Palestinian attacks.

Palestinian reactions

Prior to the month of Ramadan, two meetings were held in Aqaba and Sharm el-Sheikh with the participation of representatives from the United States of America, Jordan and Egypt, as well as Israel and the Palestinian Authority, in an attempt to stop the deterioration of security in the Palestinian territories.

The head of the political science department at Hebron University, Bilal Al-Shobaki, told Xinhua that the Palestinian attacks are not a spur of the moment, but rather a reaction to the practices of the Israeli authorities in the towns, villages and cities of the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Al-Shobaki considers that Netanyahu "finds himself facing a fundamental dilemma, as he presents himself as being able to arrange the situation at the regional level to ensure calm in the Gaza arena, or southern Lebanon, but he is surprised by the intensity of Palestinian operations that are not organizationally motivated."

Al-Shobaki agrees with his predecessors that Israeli society is "not ready" to receive the scale of reactions on several fronts simultaneously, whether in the Gaza Strip, southern Lebanon or Syria, noting that Israel "is reaping what it sowed in the past period and must stop the escalation."

Energy and Buildings (Elsevier) magazine chose Dr. Adel "Mohammed Saeed" Jaidi from the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at An-Najah National University as a member of its editorial board from among hundreds of international researchers, to be the first Palestinian and Arab researcher to be chosen as an editor in this old magazine.

This selection is considered a prestigious scientific achievement in the world of scientific research, and it is granted to distinguished researchers in their fields, as Dr. Jaidi is an editor on energy and buildings.

Prof. Dr. praised Abdel Nasser Zaid, President of the University, with this achievement as an embodiment of the university's research aspirations, which are not only limited to publishing scientific research, but rather participating in the global research content industry through arbitration and editing of scientific research.

He thanked Dr. Jaidi for his fruitful scientific efforts that led to his achievement of this distinction, which enriches the record of scientific achievements of An-Najah University, places it in the ranks of international universities, and contributes to raising the name of Palestine high in international and scientific forums.

For his part, Prof. Dr. Ismail Warad, Dean of Scientific Research, with this achievement, which is recorded for An-Najah University and its researchers, emphasized the Deanship of Scientific Research's endeavor to open areas of cooperation between researchers at the university, and Arab and international research centers, by stimulating joint research, and participating in arbitration panels for international journals in various fields, as well as For co-authoring research books.

In turn, the Dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology, Dr. Muhannad Al-Haj Hussain recognized this distinction, and pointed out that An-Najah University always puts its fingerprints and scientific achievements on the research map of the world.

He emphasized the college and university's support for scientists and researchers in various disciplines.

For his part, Dr. indicated. Jaidi stressed the importance of this achievement, which is represented by his selection as a member of the editorial board of a prestigious international journal from among hundreds of researchers from various Arab and foreign countries. The most important energy and building magazines published by the international publishing house (Elsevier).

The Energy and Buildings Journal has an impact factor of 7.2. It is an accredited, indexed and classified journal by many accredited international research institutions and websites.

He thanked the university administration and the Deanship of Scientific Research for the continuous support to the researchers and for giving them the necessary facilities to conduct their scientific research.

On Monday evening, the occupation forces arrested the young man, Maher Abu Al-Hawa , from Al-Aqsa Mosque , under the pretext of raising a banner in the mosque.

On the other hand, the Occupation Court issued this afternoon a six-month administrative prison sentence against Al-Maqdisi Murshid Al-Shawamreh.

The occupation forces had arrested Shawamreh on the twenty-seventh of March, after raiding his house in the town of Al-Ram.

In a related context, the occupation court released the young man, Muhammad al-Salaymeh, under house arrest for a week, and the young man, Omar Ashti, under house arrest until next Thursday, and preventing him from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque and using social networks for a month.

The Council of Ministers decided to consider next Sunday 4-16-2023 an official holiday on the occasion of the glorious Easter holiday , and to instruct the Ministry of Education to do everything necessary within the framework of the law to ensure the progress of the educational process.

The council also decided, at the end of its weekly session, today, Monday, to allocate a number of government plots of land for the benefit of government agencies to establish development and service projects for citizens, and to approve a number of school and advisory construction projects for the Ministry of Education and the Energy and Natural Resources Authority, and to approve a number of financing requests for companies. nonprofit and on recommendations relating to crushers and quarries.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh held the Israeli government fully responsible for all the escalation that is taking place in the region, calling on the world to hold it accountable for its repeated daily crimes, the latest of which was the aggression against Al-Aqsa and the march of Israeli ministers and members of the Knesset in support of settlement, invasions and programmed killing. The victims of these crimes were the martyrdom of the child Muhammad Fayez Bilhan, who died during the occupation forces' storming of Aqabat Jabr camp this morning.

In his speech at the beginning of the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers, which was held in the city of Ramallah, today, Monday, the Prime Minister stressed that "the attack on worshipers and those in i'tikaaf and the desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque must not go unpunished."

Shtayyeh saluted our steadfast people in Jerusalem and the defenders of the sanctities, stressing that the intense presence in Al-Aqsa Mosque is the guarantee of preventing the temporal and spatial division that Israel seeks to perpetuate.

Shtayyeh, on behalf of the Council of Ministers, congratulated our people celebrating Easter, Palm Sunday and the upcoming Holy Saturday.

He said: "These occasions and holidays are the embodiment of the spirit of faith, sacrifice, love and sincerity, and the spirit of hope, and that our people who are now walking on the path of pain will inevitably reach the path of freedom and salvation from occupation and its colonial tools, and together for the sake of return, the state and Jerusalem, this Jerusalem is ours and the mosque is ours." And the Church is ours."

He added, "The crimes and violations committed by the occupying power are contrary to international laws, human values, morals, and religions, and these are among their customs, policies, and practices."

The Prime Minister renewed his demand for teachers to return to work, stressing that the government will work within the framework of its legal powers in order to complete the educational process, in order to preserve the future of our students.

He said: "Yesterday and today, about 3,000 male and female teachers returned to work, since the government responded positively to the teachers' demands, which were conveyed by the brothers in the Fatah movement, the factions, and public figures, and we responded to these demands despite the stifling financial crisis we are living through, and we provided everything possible." To solve the crisis, we accepted to install a 15% bonus on the salary slip.

The Prime Minister expressed his hope that "the financial crisis will have ended by the end of the year, enabling us to complete the disbursement of dues, allowances, etc., and we will continue our struggle to obtain all our rights, including financial ones, and to stop the unfair deductions made by the occupying power."

On Monday, the Israeli authorities handed over the body of the young man , Youssef Abu Jaber , who was martyred last Friday evening, claiming that he had carried out a run-over attack in Tel Aviv .

According to the Hebrew website Ynet, Abu Jaber's body was handed over on condition that it be buried within restrictions, including the participation of only 50 members of his family in the funeral.

The family agreed to the unfair conditions of the Israeli occupation, despite the fact that the cemetery is only a few meters away from the family's home in the town of Kafr Qassem , inside the occupied interior.

Abu Jaber will be buried tonight amidst the spread of the occupation police.

The family still insists that what happened with their son was an unintentional accident.

The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank begin their spring meetings Thursday, two days after the release of global growth forecasts on Tuesday, in light of a charged atmosphere between the need for reforms, successive crises and an economic slowdown.

The publication of the revised forecasts for the global economy on Tuesday will be the informal starting point for the meetings held by the two financial institutions at their headquarters in Washington , but IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has already hinted at the prevailing trend, with expected global growth below 3%.

Such an indicator does not include anything new, as the International Monetary Fund expected, in the latest revised figures issued in January, a growth of 2.9%, while the World Bank is more pessimistic, according to its president, David Malpas.

Malpass said during a conference call on Monday that "global growth is supposed to be weak this year, by 2 percent," in a slight increase from the previous figures of the World Bank, which predicted in January an increase of 1.7 percent for the year 2023.

However, what is new is that this trend may continue for a while, as the Fund expects global growth of no more than 3% at an annual rate until 2028, which reflects, according to Georgieva, "the weakest forecast we have issued in the medium term since 1990."

For its part, the World Bank expected at the end of March an annual global growth rate of 2.2% until 2030, which would make this period the weakest decade in terms of growth in more than forty years.

This reflects a significant slowdown at a time when the world is facing an unprecedented series of challenges, ranging from the repercussions of climate warming to the risks of global trade fragmentation and the possibility of a generalized debt crisis.

Faced with these problems, a number of countries, led by the United States, are increasingly calling for reform of international financial institutions.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen confirmed in an interview with Agence France-Presse that she "hopes to reform the tasks" of these institutions, especially the World Bank and its branches, so that "resilience to climate change, epidemics and conflicts" is included in their core.

Yellen added, "We hope to carry out other reforms during the rest of the year. This will be among the talks during the upcoming meetings of the International Monetary Fund, as well as during the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Morocco" next October.

It is assumed that this development will begin with the regional investment banks and the World Bank under the administration of its next president, who is expected to be the American candidate, Ajay Banga, the only candidate for this position.

However, development should take place quickly, as Georgieva reminded that the environmental transformation of emerging and low-income countries will require a minimum of $1,000 billion per year in the coming years, an amount that international financial institutions currently do not have sufficient resources to provide.

And she stressed that it was imperative for "our wealthier members to help fill the gaps" in terms of fundraising, at a time when Banga intends to incentivize the private sector to join this effort after he takes office.

These topics will be among the main points of discussion during the spring meetings, provided that a first series of announcements will be issued on this occasion, especially related to the lending capabilities of the World Bank and its branches, Yellen told AFP.

However, this will not prevent the international financial institutions from raising a number of other points, foremost of which is the risk of destabilizing the financial sector if central banks increase interest rates additionally in the context of combating inflation.

On Thursday, Georgieva stressed that central banks should continue their efforts in this regard, stressing that they should "give priority to combating inflation, and then support financial stability through various tools."

Likewise, raising interest rates will increase the risks of a debt crisis in an increasing number of low-income countries, and the Director-General indicated that 15% of these countries suffer from a debt crisis, while 40% of other countries are close to this possibility.

To face such a situation, the international financial institutions need more resources, which their managements will try to confirm to the representatives of the countries in the coming days, in order to avoid a more difficult economic environment.

Iran intends to tighten legal penalties to combat violence against women , within the framework of a draft law, the outlines of which were approved by parliamentarians.

Discussions in parliament began more than a decade ago and on Sunday led to the approval of the general principles of the bill, which can still be amended and may be formally adopted in the coming months.

The bill comes seven months after the start of the protest movement that followed the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini , a young woman who was arrested by the "morality police" and accused of violating strict dress codes that required women to wear the veil, in particular.

In recent years, human rights advocates have urged the authorities to reform the Women's Protection Law and to increase penalties for domestic violence.

The bill stipulates a prison sentence of up to 15 years (compared to 10 years now) if a man is convicted of murdering a woman if the victim's family rejects the death penalty in court.

The draft law also criminalizes publishing images of a pornographic nature without the woman's consent, or forcing her into marriage.

Also, the bill allows the judiciary to grant married women permission to leave the country even if their husbands prevent them from traveling.

Controversy arose over this issue in 2015 when the captain of the women's national soccer team was prevented from participating in the Asian Cup by her husband.

The most recent report available shows that nearly 77,000 medical examinations were conducted in 2019 following complaints of domestic violence against women in Iran.

In early January, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei lamented that "men in Iranian society rely on their physical strength to oppress women in the family," adding that "the solution is for the laws to be strict so that no man can oppress them."

Monday, The Christian Science Monitor published a report under the title " Ramadan in Jerusalem : How Moments of Tranquility Were Lost," referring at the outset to "diplomats' tireless efforts to pressure the situation to calm down and avoid further outbreaks of violence between Israel and the Palestinians during the holy month of Ramadan."

Continued police violence and repression have undermined the fragile, painstakingly negotiated peace — brokered by the United States, Jordan, Egypt, Israel and the Palestinian Authority — that initially allowed tens of thousands to pray and celebrate their festivals freely during Ramadan, which this year coincides with the holy holiday of Easter. The Jews.

However, observers say the conflict has been less a failure of US-led diplomacy than a success for extremists and far-right agitators in fanning the flames of distrust in a decades-long unresolved conflict.

The report notes that "among the victims of the rapid deterioration of calm in Israel and the Palestinian territories was the brief harmony enjoyed by the followers of the three Abrahamic religions in Jerusalem and the rare energy of joy that Ramadan bestowed on Palestinian Muslims, especially in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa, which they consider a refuge," noting that "even On Friday, behind-the-scenes diplomacy failed to restore order and facilitate the removal of many of the 2,300 Israeli police in and around Al-Aqsa, where the focus of the Israeli government, rather than its military response, was to launch rockets that targeted it across the border.

The report attributes to Jordanian sources as saying, "The dialogue with the Israeli government has been practically closed, as the rhetoric of both Israeli Jews from the extreme right and the Islamic Hamas movement led to an escalation of tensions in the days leading up to the Passover holiday, which began last Wednesday night. Disputes began over i'tikaf."

The report also notes that, according to an agreement reached between Israel, the Palestinians and Jordan, it was agreed that the authorities would close the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex after the evening prayer, from 11:00 pm until 4:30 am for the first 20 days of Ramadan, with the permission to observe i'tikaf starting from The 20th day onwards. However, Hamas immediately jumped to the issue, calling on Muslims to defy this measure and practice i'tikaf and camp at Al-Aqsa every night of the holy month.

Officials believe it was an attempt by Hamas to incite a clash between the worshipers and the ruthless Israeli police, to prove that the path of negotiation and diplomacy pursued by the rival Palestinian Authority and Jordan is doomed to failure.

The report notes that during the first 10 nights of Ramadan, the agreed-upon plan to close the Al-Aqsa complex after the evening prayer succeeded.

But with Passover approaching, Hamas calls for a retreat in the compound escalated with the call of Israelis from the far right to sacrifice animals on the Temple Mount.” Israeli news reports said that in the run-up to Passover, Israeli police arrested the head of the “Return to the Mountain” group that calls for to the offerings, as well as the many Israelis who tried to bring animals to the holy site."

Mainstream rabbis rejected far-right calls to revive the ritual, however, and the arrests failed to assuage Palestinian fears, or weaken sharp messages from both far-right Christian Jewish groups and Hamas, which have dealt with Passover sacrifices on the Temple Mount on the Temple Mount. It is certain, and that is why dozens of Palestinian youths barricaded themselves inside Al-Aqsa on Tuesday evening after the evening prayer, armed with fireworks and stones, in what they believed was their duty to "defend" Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The report says, "When the authorities failed to persuade the youth to leave, the Israeli police broke down the doors, stormed the mosque, and fired stun grenades. The raid damaged several old doors, shattered stained glass windows, damaged offices, and burned mosque carpets, and ended up with more than 350 arrests, and Hamas paid "And Israel entered into an exchange of fire. Rockets were fired again from Gaza and from Lebanon, followed by more Israeli airstrikes. No casualties have been reported so far."

An imam and three elderly people were arrested in a village in Bangladesh after ordering them to beat and stone a woman for allegedly cheating on her husband, police said Monday.

Last week, Hamida Sultana was hit with 82 sticks and pelted with 80 stones under a fatwa issued by the imam of the village of Habigang (northeast) to punish her, according to the police.

Sultana, 30, told AFP that she was "a victim of terrible injustice... I can't describe what they did to me."

This fatwa sparked controversy and was rejected by feminists and human rights activists , who organized demonstrations and demanded that the perpetrators be prosecuted.

"They acted like people from the Middle Ages," Fawzia Muslim, head of Bangladesh's most prominent women's rights organization, told AFP.

"It is barbaric. The Bangladeshi justice system allows for arbitrary local councils but they are not allowed to punish anyone for any wrongdoing," she added.

Bangladesh, a country in South Asia with a population of 170 million, has a Muslim majority but its judicial system is secular and the application of Islamic law in criminal cases is illegal.

According to police officer Zakir Hussain, four people, including the imam of the local mosque, were arrested immediately after Sultana filed a criminal complaint against 17 people following the assault.

"The village council ordered beatings and stoning in the name of Islamic law because Sultana was accused of cheating on her husband. Relationships outside marriage are strictly prohibited in Islam," he told AFP.
He pointed out that the elderly in the village "said that attacking her would exonerate her of her guilt and cleanse her honor."
The victim's husband, Anwar Mia, who works in the Sultanate of Oman and returned to Bangladesh to be with his wife, is calling for "justice for his wife".

Decades ago, village councils in Bangladesh implemented Islamic law and punished Muslim women accused of adultery or having sexual relations outside marriage.

In a 2011 ruling, the Bangladesh Supreme Court allowed fatwas to be issued but prohibited their enforcement.

Today, Monday , the occupation forces raided the streets of Hebron and forced shops to close their doors.

Settlers also stormed the Bab Al-Zawiya area, the commercial center of Hebron, and Yatta Municipality Park, south of the city.

According to local sources, dozens of settlers, under the protection of the occupation forces, headed towards Beersheba Street, or as they call it "the tomb of Otnael bin Kenz," after storming the Hebron commercial center.

The settlers performed provocative dances and chanted obscene phrases and insults against the Arabs, in conjunction with clearing the street of pedestrians, to facilitate settlers' access.

Dozens of settlers from the settlements forcibly established on the citizens’ lands east of Yatta, namely (Ma’on, Karmiel, Havat Yair, Susiya, Mitzpe Yair, Havat Ma’on, Avigal, and Beit Yattir), and other settlements and outposts, stormed the Yatta municipality park, and took a swim in a pool. caramel.

The occupation forces severely beat the popular resistance activist, Muhammad Ali Al-Shawahin, causing him bruises.

The occupation soldiers also climbed the roofs of several houses overlooking the roads leading to the settlement outposts and the park to ensure the protection of the settlers.

The national and Islamic forces called on the masses of our people to participate widely in the revival of the activities of the Palestinian Prisoner's Day on the 17th of this month, at 12 noon, in all governorates, refugee camps, the diaspora and many capitals of the world.

The forces also called, in a statement today, Monday, to light the flame of freedom in honor of the prisoner Walid Daqqa, the martyrs, the prisoners, and the detained bodies of the martyrs, on Sunday 16/4 at 7:00 pm in the square of the Baladna Cultural Center in the city of Al-Bireh, and to hold a press conference to announce the activities of the Prisoner’s Day.

The forces confirmed that all our people stand by the prisoners and detainees and their suffering and their families, and that all attempts by the occupation to undermine this steadfastness will not succeed in breaking their will and determination.

And she stressed that the crimes of the occupation and its open war against our people in all the occupied Palestinian territories, and what is happening especially in Jerusalem, the capital of our Palestinian state, and our blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in terms of daily incursions and provocations by settlers, preventing worshipers from arriving to pray in the holy month of Ramadan and escalating its crimes by promoting To slaughter "sacrifices" is an attempt to drag the region into a religious war, to destabilize and blow up the situation, and to try to impose facts on the ground.

The new governor of the Bank of Japan stressed Monday that no major rate hike is on the horizon, noting that the long-standing loose monetary policy remains "appropriate".

This month, Kazuo Ueda took over the post of central bank governor from Haruhiko Kuroda , who held the position for the longest period in Japanese history during which he engineered monetary policy aimed at boosting the world's third-largest economy.

Ueda, 71, begins amid pressure to catch up with peers around the world who have raised interest rates to combat inflation.

But Ueda made it clear that there will be no immediate change in the policy currently adopted by the central bank.

"Japan is not currently in a position where it needs to raise interest rates significantly," the governor said in his first press conference since taking office.

And Kuroda, who became governor in 2013, tried every possible recipe, from a negative interest rate to spending huge amounts of money on government bonds to boost the moribund Japanese economy.
However, the goal set by the bank, which aims to reduce the inflation rate to 2%, is still far from being achieved amid stagnant wages.

Prices have risen by up to 4 percent in recent months, but they rose only 3.1 percent in February compared to the same month a year earlier.

The central bank says the current price increases are largely temporary and a result of temporary factors such as the war in Ukraine and the resulting hikes in energy prices.