ISTANBUL - (AFP) - An Istanbul court decided on Friday to keep the president of Turkey 's largest doctors' union, Sibnem Koror Venjani, who is being tried on charges of "terrorist propaganda", in detention until the next session of her trial, Thursday.

Venjani was arrested on October 26 because she had called for an investigation into accusations by pro-Kurdish media and members of the Turkish opposition that the Turkish military had used chemical weapons against Kurdish fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Iraq.

Ankara immediately denounced what it called a "disinformation" campaign, while her arrest sparked protests in Istanbul, where dozens were arrested.

The 63-year-old forensic pathologist entered the packed courtroom Friday, raising her fist in the air, to cheers from her supporters, who were flanked by dozens of riot police.

During the session, she again called for an "effective investigation," including field inspections and autopsies of Kurdish fighters.

"As a human rights defender, I have a responsibility to defend freedom of expression and the public's right to information," she told the judges.

And the PKK announced that 17 of its fighters were killed in chemical weapons attacks in the mountains of northern Iraq.

Venjani is known in Turkey as an expert in forensic medicine and an opponent of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In Berlin, the German government's representative for human rights, Louise Amtsberg, expressed her "solidarity" with Venjani, considering the human rights activist "one of the most courageous voices in Turkey."

"Turkey... must respect the right to expression and opinion," she added.

In turn, the non-governmental organization "Physicians for Human Rights" denounced the Turkish judiciary's decision to keep Finjani in detention, and considered it "a heinous attack on human rights that should be dealt with immediately."

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch issued a joint appeal with five other organizations to release Fenjani pending trial. However, the public prosecutor accused Venjani of "active participation in the propaganda of the PKK" and requested her continued detention.

Chibnem Koror Venjani said her detention helped draw attention to her calls for an independent investigation.

"No one thinks that arrest and imprisonment is difficult for me. In fact, this is a golden opportunity for a human rights defender like me," she added.

(AFP) CIA Director William Burns said Friday he was "convinced" that China plans to send weapons to Russia as part of its war in Ukraine, but the United States has no indication that a decision has been taken or that a decision has been made. No equipment has been delivered.

"We are convinced that Chinese leaders are planning to send lethal equipment," Burns said in an interview with CBS on Sunday.

However, he added, "we did not notice that a final decision was made... We did not notice evidence that they had delivered" weapons to Russia.

The United States has accused China a week ago of planning to supply weapons to Russia to support its attack on Ukraine, which Beijing denies.

According to press information, including that published by the Wall Street Journal, this equipment will be drones and ammunition in particular.

In turn, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken spoke about the matter directly with the Chinese chief foreign affairs official, Wang Yi, in a tense meeting last Saturday in Munich, on the sidelines of a security conference.

Washington believes that Beijing provides non-lethal equipment to Moscow through Chinese companies.

For his part, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN on Sunday that the United States remains "vigilant" in this regard, repeating Washington's warning to Beijing of the "consequences" of such supplies.

"We will continue to send firm messages that sending military aid to Russia at this time ... would be a big mistake and China should not be involved in that," he said.

He stressed that the war in Ukraine involves "serious complications" for the Chinese, but if China decides to take the initiative and supply weapons to Moscow, this will lead to "real costs" for it.

Tripoli - (AFP) - The security authorities of the Libyan government, based in Tripoli, on Monday released the pilot, Amer al-Qajm, of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar's forces, as part of a prisoner exchange deal.

And local media reported that Major General Pilot Amer Al-Qajm was released as part of a prisoner exchange deal, according to which 15 prisoners who were being held by Haftar's forces were released.

The exchange took place in the town of Al-Shwerf, near the municipality of Al-Jafra, 650 km west of Tripoli, which is the dividing line between the forces of western Libya and Haftar's forces.

Haftar's forces did not officially announce the handover of Major General Al-Qajm, who was arrested in December 2019, when his plane crashed while carrying out air strikes in the vicinity of Tripoli, during the military operation that was aimed at controlling the capital and ended in failure in June 2020.

The pilot was captured after his Russian MiG-23 plane crashed in the city of Zawiya, 40 km west of Tripoli, and a video clip was published showing him being held in a security headquarters of the former Government of National Accord.

Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011, Libya has suffered from divisions and political conflict, and two governments are competing for power: one based in Tripoli headed by Abdul Hamid al-Dabaiba since the beginning of 2021, and another headed by Fathi Bashagha, appointed by the House of Representatives last March and supported by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

Translation by "Al-Quds" dot com - A citizen was killed, this Friday afternoon, as a result of being shot by unknown assailants in Lod, inside the occupied territories.

According to the Hebrew website Ynet, the dead man was Marwan al-Wahwah (52 years old), who was shot on Ben Gurion Street in Lod.

The site pointed out that his brother was killed two years ago by unknown gunmen.

ISLAMABAD (Xinhua) - Pakistan is witnessing a continuous increase in dengue cases amid the recent outbreak of the disease due to the ongoing floods in the South Asian country.

And 386 new cases of dengue fever were reported across the southern province of Sindh in the past 24 hours, according to the provincial health department Sunday evening, noting that the worst-hit area is Karachi, the provincial capital and largest city in the country, which reported 349 cases. New.

The number of dengue cases in September in Sindh rose to 3,020, bringing the local total to 5,589 this year.

Moreover, 166 people were diagnosed with the disease in the northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the past 24 hours, the provincial health department reported Sunday evening, bringing the total number of active cases in the province to 1,356.

The eastern Punjab province reported 191 new cases in the past 24 hours, the provincial health authorities said Sunday morning.

The city of Rawalpindi recorded 84 new cases, followed by the capital, Lahore, with 60 cases.

The total number of cases in Punjab this year rose to 3,288.

The country's capital, Islamabad, reported 57 new cases over the past day, bringing the total number of cases in the city to 1,388 this year, according to health authorities.

In response to the high level of concern of cases in the country, the Pakistani government has launched a campaign to combat dengue, which includes promoting public awareness, and has taken special measures in hotspots to curb the spread of the disease.

Paris - (AFP) - Hundreds of people gathered Monday afternoon in Paris to take part in a march in honor of the three Kurds who were shot dead Friday near a Kurdish cultural center by a Frenchman who admitted it was "racist".

A 69-year-old retiree admitted that he shot a Kurdish cultural center and a hairdressing salon in Paris, killing three Kurds, and explained that he did so "because of his hatred of foreigners."

A correspondent at Agence France-Presse said that small structures were erected on the pavement at the sites where the three victims fell, bearing their pictures, in addition to candles and bouquets of flowers.

The procession set off at around 12:30 (11:30 GMT) towards Lafayette Street in the 10th arrondissement, where three female activists of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed on January 9, 2013 in Paris, in an incident whose circumstances have not been revealed so far.

The demonstrators chanted in Kurdish, "Our martyrs do not die," and in French, "Women... Life... Freedom," calling for "truth and justice."

After the attack, the French Kurds referred to the attack as "terrorist" and accused Turkey.

"We decided to come as soon as we heard of this terrorist attack on Friday (...) We are afraid of the Turkish community and the intelligence services," a young Kurdish woman told AFP in English, who came to demonstrate in Rotterdam and asked not to be identified for fear of reprisals.

Often described as the world's largest people without a state, the Kurds are spread across Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran.
The abuser had committed violent acts with a weapon in the past.

On Monday morning, the man appeared before an investigative judge in preparation for a possible charge.

رام الله – “القدس” دوت كوم – قالت عضو مجلس النواب الاميركي رشيدة طليب، اليوم السبت، إن إسرائيل تستهدف مقرات وكالات الإعلام حتى لا يرى العالم ذبح الفلسطينيين، وجرائم الحرب.

وكتبت طليب، في تغريدة على تويتر، أن “إسرائيل تستهدف وكالات الإعلام حتى لا يرى العالم ذبح الفلسطينيين، وجرائم الحرب، التي يقودها رئيس الفصل العنصري بنيامين نتنياهو”.

وأضافت: “الهدف هو ألا يرى العالم مقتل الرضع والأطفال وآبائهم. هكذا لا يمكن للعالم أن يرى الفلسطينيين، وهم يذبحون”.

وفجر السبت، ارتكبت إسرائيل مجزرة في مخيم الشاطئ للاجئين الفلسطينيين غربي غزة، بعدما دمرت منزلًا على رؤوس ساكنيه، ما أسفر عن استشهاد 10 فلسطينيين، منهم 8 أطفال، وسيدتان.

ومنذ الاثنين المنصرم، تشن إسرائيل عدوانًا بالطائرات والمدافع على قطاع غزة، ما أسفر عن استشهاد أكثر من 150 شهيدا، من بينهم 41 طفلا، و23 سيدة.

Ramallah - "Jerusalem" dot com - Minister of National Economy Khaled Al-Osaily and Director of the Latin America, Asia and Africa Department at the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andrews Bragio, discussed economic and trade relations between the two countries and ways to develop them.

During the meeting that took place at the ministry's headquarters in Ramallah today, Monday, the two sides discussed the preparations for organizing the EXPOTECH conference to be held next December in Palestine , in addition to the possibility of cooperation in the fields of information technology and the green economy, including recycling in industry.

The meeting dealt with the possibility of organizing trade missions between the two countries to view investment opportunities in the sectors of food industries, technology and energy, and the two sides confirmed that three visits of Lithuanian businessmen to Palestine will be organized during the month of November.

Al-Osaili stressed the importance of strengthening joint cooperation relations, which guarantees an increase in the volume of trade exchange, in a way that benefits the economies of the two countries.

In turn, Bragio expressed his country's readiness to transfer Lithuanian expertise in many fields, especially in the field of recycling in industry, financial services and technology, and economic digitization in Palestine.

Osogbo ( Nigeria ) (AFP) - Voters in Osun State , in southwestern Nigeria, voted on Saturday to choose a new governor and began counting ballots, the outcome of which could determine the course of the presidential elections scheduled for February 2023.

The outcome of the election and the circumstances under which it takes place are a final indication of the dominant political parties, seven months before presidential elections in Africa's most populous country.

Osun State has 1.9 million registered voters, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria.

Polling stations officially opened at 07:30 GMT and closed at 13:30 GMT.

The winner of this ballot will be announced on Sunday, said election official Obemibo Adelosi in Osogbo, the state capital.

Two of the candidates vying for the Osun governorship are incumbent Governor Gboyga Oytola of the ruling All Progressives Congress party and Senator Ademola Adeleke of the opposition People's Democratic Party.

Osun is one of eight states in Nigeria's 36 states that did not hold gubernatorial elections simultaneously with the rest of the country due to legal challenges to the earlier results.

On Wednesday, the candidates signed an agreement pledging to accept the election result.

And the police announced the deployment of 23,000 personnel, as helicopters and drones flew to ensure the conduct of the elections without clashes.

Acts of violence were recorded before the polls, as armed men attacked the residence of the Labor Party candidate, Yusef Lawson, but he was not at home at the time.

Nigeria's history is full of turmoil during elections.

In 2011, 800 people were killed in post-election violence.

بقلم: غيرشون باسكن

في كثير من الأحيان أكتب عمودًا عن الأشخاص الجيدين والمنظمات الجيدة التي يجب أن يعرفها الجمهور. أكتب عن المنظمات التي أشارك فيها شخصيًا وتستحق الدعم. هذا العمود هو دعوة للدعم - في الغالب لمتطوعين إضافيين في منطقة القدس يحتاجون إلى أكثر من المساهمات المالية.
منظمة Humans Without Borders) ) (HWB) هي منظمة تطوعية مكرسة لمساعدة العائلات الفلسطينية التي يحتاج أطفالها إلى علاج طبي متقدم في المستشفيات الإسرائيلية. في عصر الحواجز والأسوار وإراقة الدماء، تتمثل إحدى أهم مهامنا في إنشاء والحفاظ على الروابط الشخصية بين المتطوعين الإسرائيليين والعائلات الفلسطينية. مثل هذه الاتصالات الشخصية تعزز التفاهم المتبادل والصداقات الحميمة.
يقوم متطوعو منظمة (HWB) بنقل العائلات من وإلى المستشفيات، وتقديم المساعدة الآمنة وفي الوقت المناسب للأسر الفلسطينية التي هي في أمس الحاجة إليها، وتقديم المساعدة المتنوعة لهذه العائلات عند دخول أطفالهم إلى المستشفى. يقوم متطوعو منظمة (HWB) بحوالي 6000 رحلة فريدة كل عام بين نقاط التفتيش والمستشفيات في القدس ومنطقة تل أبيب الكبرى. كما ينظمون أيامًا ممتعة على شاطئ البحر وفي المنتجعات الفلسطينية المحلية، مما يمنح الأطفال المرضى وعائلاتهم الممتدة يومًا من الاسترخاء والراحة من روتين حياتهم اليومية الصعبة.
كما تمول منظمة (HWB) الإمدادات الطبية - شراء الأدوية والمعدات الطبية والدفع مباشرة للمستشفيات لتغطية تكلفة الإجراءات الطبية-. إنهم يساعدون أكثر من 100 أسرة كل عام، ويقودونهم أحيانًا 5 أيام في الأسبوع وأحيانًا يأخذون طفلًا لإجراء فحص ما بعد الجراحة من حين لآخر.
كل رحلة هي نعمة لتلك العائلة وتجربة فريدة للمتطوع، وخلق والحفاظ على الروابط الشخصية بين المتطوعين الإسرائيليين والعائلات الفلسطينية. تولد مثل هذه العلاقات الخاصة حسن النية وتساعد في تعزيز التفاهم المتبادل والصداقات الدافئة في منطقة مضطربة بشدة.
في عام 2021 ، استمرت كورونا في ضرب أنشطة بشر بلا حدود. اصيب بعض السائقين بكورونا، واختير آخرون، بسبب سنهم أو ضعف أفراد أسرهم، لتقليل التطوع أو التوقف عنه. على الرغم من ذلك، منذ أن قررت الحكومة أن تكرار عمليات الإغلاق الوطنية لعام 2020 أمر لا يمكن تحمله، أصبح من الممكن لمجموعة قوية من السائقين المتطوعين تلبية معظم احتياجات النقل لأطفالنا وأولياء أمورهم. لقد تعلم الناس كيف يعيشون جنبًا إلى جنب مع الفيروس - النوافذ تفتح بغض النظر عن الطقس، وارتداء الاقنعة الالزامي، والمسافة الخطيرة. على حد علمنا ، لم يصاب المتطوعون ولا أفراد الأسرة بالمرض أثناء أنشطة منظمة HWB) ) في عام 2021 ، أداروا ما يقرب من 5800 رحلة ، شارك فيها حوالي 110 أطفال، حوالي خمس مرات في الأسبوع، بعضها مرة كل بضعة أشهر. تم التعامل مع أكثر من 1000 رحلة بقليل من قبل سائقي سيارات الأجرة وأكمل حوالي 80 متطوعًا الـ 4800 المتبقية. في عام 2022 ، استأنفوا أنشطتهم الطبيعية دون القلق بشأن كورونا وزاد عدد الرحلات بشكل كبير. كانت جميع الرحلات تقريبًا إلى مستشفيات في منطقة القدس مع بضع عشرات إلى مستشفيات مثل مركز إيخيلوف الطبي في تل أبيب ومركز شيبا الطبي في تل هشومير.
كما دعمت منظمة (HWB) الجراحة للعديد من الأطفال في مستشفى الأردن في عمان. في حالة عمليات زرع الكلى، لا تغطي السلطة الفلسطينية سوى المصاريف المتعلقة بالجراحة والاستشفاء وتتطلب أن تتحمل الأسرة تكلفة معظم الأدوية والفحوصات بعد الجراحة وحتى الإقامة للأب بينما الأم (المتبرع) والطفل في المستشفى. في مثل هذه الحالات يتدخلون ويساعدون الأسرة التي لا تستطيع تغطية النفقات المعنية. أنشأ مجلس إدارة المنظمة المذكورة لجنة طبية، بما في ذلك ممرضة مسجلة متقاعدة وطبيب متقاعد، والتي وضعت قواعد ثابتة لتقديم المساعدة. تتعامل اللجنة مع طلبات العائلات وتتشاور مع الأطباء الإسرائيليين حول الخطوات المناسبة التي يجب اتخاذها.
في الآونة الأخيرة، قام العديد من المتطوعين بدعم الإخوة والأخوات الأكبر سنًا للأطفال الذين نساعدهم والذين يدرسون في الكليات والجامعات الفلسطينية. غالبًا ما يكون هؤلاء الشباب غير قادرين على تغطية النفقات، مما يجبرهم على ترك دراستهم. إحدى المشكلات هي أجهزة الكمبيوتر المحمولة التي تعتبر باهظة الثمن بالنسبة للأسرة الفلسطينية العادية. تبرع الأعضاء بأجهزة كمبيوتر مستعملة قمنا بتجديدها قبل التوزيع. التعليم هو أحد الأدوات القليلة المتاحة لهؤلاء الشباب للخروج من قيود الفقر. منذ فترة، قررت مجموعة صغيرة من المتطوعين تجديد ورش عمل للأمهات الفلسطينيات أثناء خضوع الأطفال لغسيل الكلى اليومي. في الماضي، كانت الموضوعات التي تمت مناقشتها تتعلق بالنساء وأجسادهن. حققت سلسلة ورش العمل هذه نجاحًا كبيرًا ولكن للأسف لم تتم متابعة ذلك. ألكسندرا، متطوعة حديثة ومكرسة للغاية، تفاوضت مع إدارة مستشفى أوغوستا فيكتوريا من أجل وضع إطار لتجديد ورش العمل والأنشطة.
أنا لست من المتطوعين النشطين للغاية، وزوجتي أكثر نشاطًا. أقوم برحلة أسبوعية مع طفل من بيت جالا من مستشفى أوغستا فيكتوريا في القدس الشرقية بعد غسيل الكلى الذي يحصل عليه ثلاث مرات في الأسبوع. يمكنني أن أؤكد لكم جميعًا أن هذه مهمة مجزية للغاية، ويمكن لأي شخص لديه سيارة وقلب طيب أن يبذل مجهودًا بسيطًا وأن يضع وجهًا إنسانيًا على شخص يعتبر عادةً جزءًا من العدو. هؤلاء هم جيراننا ونحن جيرانهم وعندما يتعلق الأمر بالصحة والجسد البشري، لا يوجد فرق على الإطلاق بيننا. أوصي بشدة بالبحث عن المنظمة على الإنترنت، والاتصال بهم، وإعطاء بعض الوقت كمتطوع للقيام بشيء جيد!

Translation by "Jerusalem" dot com - The Hebrew website Ynet reported today, Saturday, that 18 people were killed in traffic accidents during the past week, including Palestinians from the occupied territories .

The site described this as a bloody week on the roads, after a series of serious accidents, and it may be the bloodiest week in years.

He pointed out that the number of traffic accident victims since the beginning of this year has reached 225.

Tehran - (AFP) - Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi pledged on Tuesday that his country would not show mercy to "enemies" of the Islamic Republic, which has been witnessing protests for months following the death of the young woman, Mahsa Amini.

Since September 16, Iran has been witnessing protest movements following Amini's death, after she was arrested by the morality police in Tehran for not adhering to the country's strict dress code.

Officials considered a large part of these movements as "riots", and accused the country's enemies, led by the United States and Western countries, of being involved in it with the aim of destabilizing Iran.

Raisi said in a televised speech on Tuesday that "the recent events were the war of the parties, all the arrogant currents came to the field with all their might... the hypocrites, the supporters of the monarchy, all the anti-revolutionary currents, and all those who were harmed by this revolution, were involved" in the events.

His remarks came in front of large crowds in central Tehran during a funeral ceremony for the recovered remains of 200 soldiers who died during the Iran-Iraq war in the eighties of the last century.

Raisi stressed that "the bosom of the (Iranian) nation is open to all those who have been deceived. The youth are the youth of this country," stressing that "the bosom of the nation is open to all, but we will not show mercy to the enemies."

Human rights organizations outside Iran say that more than 450 demonstrators died during the protests, in which young people and women made up a large part of the participants.

For its part, official Iranian figures reported that more than 200 people, including dozens of members of the security forces, were killed on the sidelines of the protests, which included raising slogans against the authorities. Thousands have also been arrested and some of them have been referred to trial.

The Iranian judiciary confirmed the issuance of death sentences against 11 defendants, two of whom were executed, while the Supreme Court ordered a retrial of two others.

Rights activists say about a dozen others face charges that could lead to the death penalty.

Many Western countries expressed their support for the protests, and imposed sanctions on Tehran against the background of what it considers the authorities' suppression of the protesters.

On Tuesday, Raisi considered that the countries that supported the demonstrators had miscalculated.

And he believed that the supporters of the protests wanted to "distract the Islamic community" from its goals, addressing them without naming them, "Why did you miscalculate again? Why do you send us messages through different channels (and think that we) want to talk to you after insecurity has been eliminated thanks to the efforts of The people and the security forces that make sacrifices?

And he stressed that Iran "will not be deceived" by that.

BAGHDAD - (Xinhua) - The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today, Wednesday, the transition of the Iranian -Saudi dialogue sponsored by Iraq from the security track to the diplomatic track, stressing the continuation of the negotiation sessions between Tehran and Riyadh.

The official Iraqi News Agency (INA) quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Al-Sahhaf as saying that "the Iranian-Saudi dialogue has moved from its security track to the diplomatic track," without further details on how this step took place.

Al-Sahhaf stressed the importance of the step towards bringing the points of view closer and resolving the outstanding issues between the two sides, in a way that achieves the interests of each party and the repercussions of these interests at the regional level.

He added, "Iraq is still promoting positive visions and close views," noting that "the last meeting of the negotiating sessions took place in Baghdad and was sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

"We are still coordinating between the two sides for the possibility of achieving other rounds of dialogue that will be held on more consensus," he added.

Al-Sahhaf explained that "the Iraqi Foreign Ministry is working towards adapting the multiple strategic partnerships that are dedicated to the security and stability of the region," adding, "The stability of the region is achieved only by working to devote collective interests."

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia severed its relations with Iran in January of 2016 after its diplomatic headquarters in the cities of Tehran and Mashhad in Iran were attacked by protesters against Riyadh’s execution of the Saudi Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

In an attempt to bridge the views between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Iraq has sponsored since April 2021 five rounds of negotiations between the two countries in the capital, Baghdad, taking advantage of its positive relationship with both sides.

Riyadh - (AFP) - Saudi Arabia on Thursday launched its first brand to manufacture electric cars , as part of a broader initiative to diversify the economy of the world's largest oil exporter.

And the official news agency, SPA, reported that the company, called "Sir", will contribute to achieving "the Kingdom's goals in reducing carbon emissions and preserving the environment in order to promote sustainable development."

She added that the "Sir" company is a joint venture between the Public Investment Fund and "Foxconn", which "will develop the electrical system for cars."

The agency indicated that “Sir” will work on “designing, manufacturing and selling electric cars equipped with advanced technical systems, such as the self-driving feature, in the Kingdom and the Middle East region, including sedans and SUVs,” noting that the company will provide “30,000 jobs in general.” direct and indirect by 2034.

It is scheduled that the "Sir" cars will be available for sale during the year 2025, according to "SPA".

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said on Thursday, "The launch of the 'Sir' company does not only aim to build a brand of cars in the Kingdom, but also supports the empowerment of multiple strategic sectors that support the development of the national industrial system, and contribute to attracting local and international investments," considering that one of This would "create many job opportunities for local competencies, and provide new opportunities for the private sector, in a way that contributes to increasing the Kingdom's gross domestic product during the next decade."

Riyadh - (AFP) - Saudi Arabia announced, on Wednesday, the seizure of 29.2 tons of khat this month, which was intended to be smuggled across its southern border from Yemen and the northern border from Jordan.

Khat is a shrub widespread in the Arabian Peninsula, especially in Yemen and East Africa in Ethiopia and Somalia, and its effect is similar to that of amphetamines when its leaves are chewed.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted the official spokesman for the General Directorate of the Saudi Border Guard, Colonel Misfer Al-Quraini, as saying, “The land patrols of the border guards in the regions of Najran, Jazan, Asir (south) and Tabuk (north) thwarted attempts to smuggle 29.2 tons of the narcotic plant khat, and 766 tons kilograms of marijuana.

Al-Quraini explained that his forces seized these narcotic substances between December 3-24, pointing to the arrest of 361 accused smugglers, including 23 Saudis, 261 Yemenis, and 70 Ethiopians.

In Yemen, which borders Saudi Arabia, the consumption of the khat plant has been handed down through generations and is very popular with the population. It is also widely smoked and even cultivated secretly among the population in the Saudi cities bordering Yemen.

According to the World Health Organization, the process of chewing khat releases "chemicals" that provide "a mild euphoria, which some compare to the euphoria provided by drinking strong coffee."

The Kingdom, which has the largest economy in the Arab world, constantly announces the seizure of large shipments of Captagon, which the authorities have been fighting attempts to smuggle and distribute for years.

Damascus - (AFP) - Syria appealed on Monday to the international community to "extend a helping hand" to support it after the devastating earthquake that struck the country and its center in Turkey, killing hundreds and thousands of injured.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a statement, "Syria appeals to the member states of the United Nations, the General Secretariat of the organization, its relevant agencies and funds, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and other humanitarian action partners from international, governmental and non-governmental organizations, to extend a helping hand and support the efforts made by the Syrian government in facing the earthquake disaster." The destructive".

Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad, during a meeting he held on Monday with representatives of international organizations operating in Damascus, expressed his country's readiness to "provide all required facilities to international organizations in order to provide humanitarian assistance and the necessary needs."

The Syrian government has so far counted the death of 461 people and the injury of more than 1,326 others in the areas under its control. 390 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured in the northern areas outside Damascus' control, according to local medics.

Hundreds of families are still under the rubble in several governorates. The widening of the affected areas and the difficult climatic conditions impede the work of the rescue and ambulance personnel.

The years of the war, which is approaching its twelfth year, drained the country's capabilities and its ability to deal with similar quarts, after battles and bombing rounds limited the ability of service facilities to operate in several parts of the country.

President Bashar al-Assad, whose country has been subject to Western sanctions since the outbreak of the conflict in 2011, received calls and telegrams of condolences and solidarity from leaders of several countries, most notably his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Iranian Ibrahim Raisi, President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain and King of Jordan. Abdullah II.

Today, most Syrians live below the poverty line, and 14.9 million of them suffer from food insecurity and harsh living conditions, in light of an exhausted economy.

Since 2011, Syria has been witnessing a bloody conflict that has caused the death of about half a million people, massive destruction of infrastructure, and the displacement of more than half of the population inside and outside the country.

WASHINGTON (Xinhua) -- A man driving his car crashed into a vehicle barrier on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., early Sunday morning and fired shots before committing suicide.

The accident occurred at East Capitol Street and Second Street around 4:00 a.m. (0800 GMT), according to a press release from the Capitol Police.

The Capitol Police statement said the car "on fire" as the man was getting out. He then "fired several shots in the air" along East Capitol Street.

"When our officers heard the gunfire, they immediately responded and approached the man when he shot himself," the statement read.

Police said no one else was hurt in the incident, and the man did not appear to have been aiming at any of the congressmen - who are currently on recess - and the officers did not appear to have fired their weapons.

Detectives are looking into the man's background, while the death investigation is being handled by the Metropolitan Police Department.

Gaza - "Jerusalem" dot com - The Joint Committee for Palestinian Refugees expressed, on Monday, its total rejection of any attempts by the US Congress to prepare for a law that affects the right of return of refugees.

In a statement, the Committee affirmed adherence to the right of return for all Palestinian refugees around the world, noting that they are victims of campaigns of terrorism, killing, abuse and displacement practiced by Zionist gangs in 1948 and the displacement of the population of more than 513 Palestinian villages and cities in the largest displacement and displacement process witnessed in the twenty-first century.

The committee said: "The attempts of the US Congress to prepare many laws that affect the Palestinian cause intersect with the program of the right-wing and far-right government led by Netanyahu - Ben Gvir - Smotrich, which bears all the characteristics of fascism, racism and terrorism." According to the text of the statement.

And she added, "It was not in vain that the US administration again targeted the refugee issue and the right of return, given that this issue bears great importance that constitutes the backbone of the Palestinian cause, and a living witness to the tragedy of the Palestinian people, and a witness to the terrorism of the occupation gangs. These attempts are blatant bias on the part of the US administration." On the side of the fascist occupation government, and consistent with its racist program. According to the text of the statement.

And she stressed that the right of return for more than 6 million refugees is a sacred right, and no one has the right to manipulate or prejudice it, and that it is guaranteed by UN Resolution 194, and that any attempts by the US administration or others to write off the right of return threatens to explode the situation throughout the region and all parties will bear the responsibility. that attempt to undermine or manipulate this right.

Dessalle Jerusalem girls' team under the age of 16 achieved its first victory in the girls' basketball league at the expense of Hattin Nablus after a good match for Dessalle Women, which ended in favor of Dessalle Al-Asimah with a score of 36 to 1 point.

The match was held at Majed Asaad Hall in Al-Bireh and was organized by the Palestinian Basketball Association.

It is noteworthy that the team has been led for a month and a half by coach Tawfiq Robert Rafidi "Tifa"; While the team is training with the support of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Institutions Development Center (NDC), thanks within the project of supporting and steadfastness of Jerusalemite institutions.

Each of the players starred in the match: Zina Saadeh, Lynn Nasser El-Din, Celine Bodour, Marian Bodour, Dina Arbeed, Cynthia Tams, Christina Mansour, Christine Anbar, Celine Abu Laban, Abriana Salfiti, and Ania Khoury.

The team was accompanied in the match by a member of the board of directors, Mary Mina.

Abu Dhabi - (AFP) - The UAE on Monday defended the OPEC Plus oil group's decision to cut production, stressing that it was not under pressure, after US criticism in this context.

Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei wrote in a tweet, "I would like to confirm that OPEC's recent decision to cut production was a purely technical decision that was taken unanimously, and not a political decision as some try to describe it."

The OPEC Plus group, consisting of the thirteen member states of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), led by Saudi Arabia and its ten partners led by Russia, decided this month to cut oil production quotas with the aim of supporting crude prices, which were declining.

The White House considered that the decision to cut production, which is in Moscow's interest, means that Riyadh has decided to stand by Russia, while Washington is trying to deprive it of its sources of income, especially in the energy sector, in response to its attack on Ukraine.

Washington also accused the kingdom of "twisting the arm" of other OPEC members "to get what it wants."

However, many of the member states of the group issued similar statements to confirm that the decision to cut production was unanimous.

Seoul (AFP) - A presidential pardon was granted in South Korea on Tuesday for imprisoned former president Lee Myung-bak, ending his 17-year prison sentence on corruption charges, the justice minister said.

Minister Han Dong-hoon told reporters after a ministerial meeting with President Yun Suk-yul that Lee was among a list of more than 1,300 people who received special pardons "out of broader national unity through reconciliation and forgiveness."

Lee, 81, who was allowed to leave prison temporarily in June due to his age and poor health, is serving a 17-year sentence on charges of bribery and embezzlement.

The sentence was effectively a life sentence, as he was not supposed to be released until 2036, when he would be 95 years old.

The former president, who was prior to taking office as CEO of Hyundai, was charged with 16 criminal charges in 2018 and was sentenced to prison in 2020.

He was found guilty of making tens of millions of dollars in illegal money and accepting bribes from Samsung Electronics in exchange for a presidential pardon for its late chairman, Lee Kun-hee, who was imprisoned for tax evasion.

Lee, who was appointed to head a major construction company when he was 35 before entering politics, held the presidency from 2008 to 2013.

He led the country through the global financial crisis, and South Korea won during his reign the right to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, but his opponents accused him of undermining democratic standards and freedom of expression.

The latest pardons, which go into effect at midnight Wednesday, mark the second time President Yoon has used his power to issue a pardon since taking office in May.

In August, Samsung Electronics CEO Lee Jae-young was among the beneficiaries of Yoon's first pardons.

And South Korean presidents often end up in prison after their presidential terms, which is usually the case when their political opponents come to power.

A translation of "Jerusalem" dot com - Yesterday, the session of the Israeli cabinet, the Cabinet , witnessed a sharp confrontation between Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked and Defense Minister Benny Gantz .

According to the Hebrew Channel 13, Shaked asked for clarifications about the gestures made to the Palestinians recently during the visit of US President Joe Baden, and demanded answers from Gantz about that, before their voices were raised during the session.

Gantz accused Shaked of trying to use fake news about allowing Palestinians to build in Area C for the sake of the election campaign, noting that what was allowed was construction inside the Palestinian areas, and that in return it was approved to build 4,000 settlement units in West Bank settlements. .

Shaked asked for more details, but Gantz refused.

This is the first time that the cabinet is held under the chairmanship of Yair Lapid, who leads the Israeli government temporarily until elections are held and a new government is formed months later.

A translation of "Jerusalem" dot com - Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that former US President Donald Trump agreed in 2020 that Israel annex about a third of the West Bank immediately, but he retracted it the day after the day this was put forward. The proposal, which was part of the "deal of the century" plan that was spirited.

In his new book, "Bibi - The Story of My Life," which was distributed on Friday, Netanyahu noted that he had agreed at the time to the property in which it was supposed to transfer about two-thirds of the West Bank lands to Palestinian control, according to what was stated on the website of the Hebrew newspaper, Haaretz.

Netanyahu indicated that he agreed to the plan prepared by Jared Kushner, Trump's advisor and son-in-law, assuming that the Palestinians would reject it anyway, indicating that he announced at that time in the media about his government's intention to annex lands from the West Bank, but the next day the White House issued a statement stating that the annexation Immediate is not on the agenda.

Netanyahu, who speculates that his rival, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, may have persuaded Trump to back down from the move, wrote that "to this day it is not clear the reason for the change... I fulfilled my part of the deal, but unfortunately the Americans did not do their part."

Netanyahu indicated in his book that how Trump was at the beginning of his presidency falling under the influence of a "mutual friend" caused the relationship between them to be badly reduced - and it seems that Netanyahu was referring to the billionaire World Jewish Congress president Ron Lauder, as Haaretz recalls -

According to the head of the Israeli opposition, that "common friend" convinced Trump of the possibility of a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians and that Netanyahu was an obstacle to that. According to him, Trump's son-in-law and close advisor Jared Kushner also tried to push in a similar direction and even suggested to Israel's ambassador to the States United Ron Dermer, that Israel freeze construction in the settlements for a few years.

Netanyahu stated that he had succeeded in changing Trump's view of the Palestinian leadership by showing him a video clip of Trump during his visit to Israel at the beginning of his term, in which President Mahmoud Abbas appears talking about peace in front of Western figures, and in an Arabic speech praising "terrorists", as he put it. .

In the book, Netanyahu also describes his ambiguous relationship with the president who preceded Trump, Barack Obama. According to Netanyahu, he urged Obama to order an American attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, and that this request was made during Obama's visit to Israel in 2013, and his words indicate that this was not The first request was not, and thus confirms the accusations of members of the Obama administration who previously claimed that Netanyahu tried to "involve" the United States in the war with Iran.

According to Netanyahu, Obama rejected the request on the grounds that everyone needed to do it differently.

The book also includes references to several Israeli officials. According to Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, as chief of staff for several years, opposed an attack plan on a large arms shipment from Iran to the Gaza Strip via Sudan. The attack was supposed to be carried out at Khartoum International Airport, and on Despite the support of the heads of the Air Force and the IDF's intelligence department, Chief of Staff Gantz "vehemently opposed" on the grounds that an operation of this magnitude could cause war and would therefore require the approval of the entire government. Netanyahu ruled out such a possibility, and received an opinion from Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein. That the procedure can be approved without convening members of the government to a meeting.

The attack on Khartoum was carried out by fighter planes that flew along the Red Sea, and it was successfully completed on October 23, 2012, and Netanyahu is the first official Israeli official to confirm its existence after a decade. According to him, after the attack, he delivered a personal message to the ruler of Sudan at the time, Omar. Al-Bashir, stating that if Iranian arms shipments through his territory do not end, "you are next in line (assassination)."

Netanyahu pointed out that twice, in 2010 and 2011, he tried to obtain approval to launch an attack against Iran, but he was shocked by the refusal of senior security officials, given that such an attack could spark a regional war and harm relations with the United States.

Netanyahu confirmed what was published in "Haaretz" years ago, that he proposed to the Obama administration a land exchange plan with Egypt that would have allowed the Palestinians to receive it, on the basis of more land in the Sinai in exchange for the Gaza Strip, and in return Israel could annex lands from the West Bank. But sources opposed the idea before any talks began.

In the context of Gaza, Netanyahu also confirmed for the first time that Israel had previously faced a depletion of Iron Dome interceptor stockpiles during the conflicts in Gaza, specifically in Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012, and this was a consideration in the decision to end the operation quickly, but two years later during Operation Protective Edge And thanks to the increase in production with American financial assistance, Israel already had a sufficient stockpile of interceptor missiles, confirming at the same time the news published at the time that the Americans had prevented the supply of Hellfire missiles to Israel.

Netanyahu also confirms in his book that he participated in negotiations with the Assad regime about the future of the Golan Heights, where the first initiative was mediated by Lauder during his first term in the nineties, and that Netanyahu suggested to Syrian President Hafez al-Assad that Israel withdraw from the Golan Heights, but the borders remain on the plateau and not on shores of the Sea of Galilee, but al-Assad rejected the offer under pressure from the Syrian army commander. The second initiative was Netanyahu’s own proposal that the Obama administration begin negotiations with Bashar al-Assad in the event that the process with the Palestinians faltered, and this did not materialize due to the outbreak of the civil war in Syria.

Netanyahu believes that he did not believe that the talks with Syria would lead to an agreement in any case, and that he mainly wanted to reduce the American pressure on him to concede to the Palestinians.

Tunisia - (AFP) - A Tunisian non-governmental organization specializing in migration issues denounced on Sunday the government's "inhumane and oppressive" decision to deport a group of irregular migrants who arrived in Tunisia in 2011.

Naglaa Boden's government declared during a ministerial council on Friday, "the need to start deporting them (immigrants) due to their illegal status, provided that the procedures begin as soon as possible," according to a statement by the government presidency.

The Presidency of the Government added that the stay of this group of immigrants in a state-run youth center in the city of La Marsa, on the outskirts of Tunis, for more than five years, "has disrupted the work of the complex (the center)" because of "their total refusal to leave the place."

In response, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights expressed in a statement Sunday its "indignation at the inhumane and oppressive decision of the prime minister."

According to this NGO, 25 male migrants, including Egyptians, Sudanese, Nigeriens and Nigerians, between the ages of 30 and 32, who fled the tensions in Libya in 2011, have been staying in the youth complex since 2017 after being evacuated from the Choucha refugee camp in southern Tunisia.

The official in the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights, Ramadan Benomar, told AFP that the authorities had rejected their asylum requests, stressing that "the return of these migrants to their country threatens their lives."

The forum warned against "any attempt to impose a solution by force on a vulnerable group whose suffering has continued for more than ten years."

The organization called on civil society to mobilize "against the discriminatory and repressive policies of the Tunisian government towards migrants," stressing that it had resorted to "international organizations, the European Union and all countries that were parties to the Libyan crisis in an attempt to find a solution, even if exceptional, for the remaining group, but to no avail."

Following the outbreak of the revolution in Libya in 2011, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) opened the Shusha camp, which hosted up to 18,000 people at the height of the crisis.

In 2013, the UNHCR decided to close the camp, leaving hundreds of its residents awaiting resettlement in third countries.

While some were able to leave Tunisia, others were offered to move to Tunisian cities.

However, dozens of migrants remained in the camp, demanding a positive response to their asylum application, before they were evacuated from the site in 2017.

BAGHDAD - (Xinhua) - Iraqi warplanes targeted a den of militants of the so-called Islamic State ( ISIS ) in the northeast of the province, which led to their complete destruction, according to the Security Media Cell of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command.

The cell said in a statement today, Wednesday, "Our security units continue to pursue members of ISIS terrorist gangs, and with accurate information from the Directorate of Military Intelligence and with direct and continuous supervision from the Joint Operations Command, and with full use of the technical resources and follow-up of the targeting cell affiliated with the command, a den of terrorists was spotted in the Naryn area, northeast of the governorate." Diyala, there are about 10 terrorist elements inside them.

He added, "The Air Hawks targeted the two hideouts with (F-16) aircraft of the Air Force Command, and managed to destroy them completely on top of the terrorist elements."

In the same context, Muhammad al-Obaidi, a leader in the Tribal Mobilization Forces (Sunni fighters within the Popular Mobilization Forces), told Xinhua that the air force planes targeted a crane west of the village of Narin, south of Qara Taba region (110 km) northeast of the city of Baquba, the center of the province. Between 7 and 10 ISIS members are hiding in them with two direct strikes, pointing out that joint forces from the army, police and the popular crowd began imposing a tight security cordon around the bombing sites, which led to the complete destruction of the two dens, while no accurate information was available yet about the number of dead.

On December 9, 2017, Iraq announced the expulsion of the extremist organization's elements and the imposition of full control over all Iraqi lands, but the organization's sleeper cells are still active in several regions of the country.

Translation by "Jerusalem" dot com - The Hebrew newspaper Haaretz said today, Friday, that Hamas prefers the continuation of calm in the Gaza Strip, and an attempt to improve the economic situation through the facilities recently provided by the Israeli government , rather than initiating any escalation during the current period or Nearby, while the Islamic Jihad Movement will find it difficult to initiate or enter into a new round of fighting without the participation of Hamas, after its failure in the last round.

The newspaper says, in a report by its reporter and military analyst, Amos Harel, that the Israeli army is satisfied with itself after the achievements made in the recent operation in Gaza and neutralizing Hamas from it, and optimism about the continuation of calm by Hamas, and tolerance of its behavior with more civilian steps, in addition to the successful operations in West Bank to eliminate armed cells, despite the growing concern about what is happening in the region.

According to Harel, the Israeli army mainly refers to the success of the operation in Gaza to the accurate intelligence provided by the Shin Bet about the intentions of the Islamic Jihad, as well as determining the locations of its leadership and the rapid preparation to launch a sudden and preemptive strike, in addition to the success of the defense system in thwarting the intentions of the jihad by paying the price for Israel, and depriving the movement of Launching any anti-tank missiles or drones, and countering their missiles by the Iron Dome system.

According to Harel, from the moment the leader of the Islamic Jihad, Bassam al-Saadi, was arrested, and what he was exposed to during the operation and the publication of video clips of that, the assumption was that the Secretary General of the Islamic Jihad, Ziyad al-Nakhala, who was in Tehran at the time, made the decision to prepare for revenge, and it was an emotional decision in front of what happened. He published scenes of Saadi's arrest and assault.

He considered that the Islamic Jihad had agreed to a cease-fire because its firing of 1,200 rockets and missiles did not cause any real damage in Israel, while the Israeli Army General Staff believes that the damage caused to the movement increases the damage inflicted on Hamas in Operation “Guardian of the Walls.” Saif al-Quds" last May, which is still very reluctant to enter into a confrontation.

And he says: The current hope within the Israeli security system is that the failure of the jihad, and the price incurred by the movement by killing two of its senior leaders, who were subordinate to al-Nakhala and his deputy, Akram al-Ajouri, who live abroad, will help ensure calm for another period, and the jihad will find it difficult to initiate a movement. Another attack without enthusiasm, after its relatively limited ability became clear.

And he adds: According to this approach, Hamas currently prefers to promote more economic measures to calm the situation in the Gaza Strip, and is not currently looking for violent confrontation.

An Israeli security source told Haaretz: Hamas is sovereign and responsible for the Strip, and there was a question about dealing with the post-ceasefire phase, and the political echelon adopted the Israeli army's recommendation to immediately remove all restrictions imposed on the Gaza Strip in light of the intensification of the scene. Allowing the passage of goods and the entry of workers and other things.

Harel refers to an article published by the former officer in "Aman / Israeli Military Intelligence" Michael Milstein, who said that the recent operation revealed a sharp strategic gap related to Israeli policy in Gaza, and according to him, the economic relief and the entry of workers were based on 3 basic assumptions, that Hamas is the sovereign. And that improving the civilian situation will reduce the risk of escalation with Hamas, which is afraid of losing what it has already gained, and that any serious security breach will be met with a strong response, which will be directed first and foremost at the movement that controls the Strip.

Milstein believes that, in practice, Israel's behavior during the last round was contrary to the strategy it had defined and left Hamas in the position of observer, although the movement did not abide by its commitments under the cease-fire at the end of Operation "Guardian of the Walls / Sword of Jerusalem", to prevent any attacks in Gaza, which is It did not intervene to prevent the jihad from working, and Israel had to intervene to stop it.

And unlike senior officials in the Israeli army - as Harel reports - Michael Milstein believes that Hamas's policy was not the result of coercion, but rather an option. To keep the operation open and that it is not responsible for everything that happens in the Strip, while Jihad and the smaller factions do not feel that the movement is setting any red lines, including preventing any action against Israel.

Harel believes that Hamas is also trying to be the biggest beneficiary of the last round in Gaza, by strengthening its position at the expense of the Palestinian Authority and not just the Islamic Jihad, noting that the Authority's control over the West Bank is diminishing and Hamas is seeking to exploit this, in light of the presence of armed cells in Some areas such as Nablus and Jenin.

He points out that the General Staff of the Israeli army admits that the situation in the West Bank is not encouraging and disturbing, but there are those who claim that the slope of the weak current of the Palestinian Authority is not steep, and that the Israeli security services see that this can be compensated for through economic and civil gestures, in the hope of strengthening its position a little. in the West Bank.

According to Harel, the IDF General Staff hopes that the successes achieved in Gaza against Islamic Jihad will also resonate with Hezbollah and Hamas as well to discover the Israeli offensive initiative and take unexpected steps such as a surprise preemptive strike at the beginning of the round, accurate operational intelligence and ability to carry out surgical strikes, and improve missile defense, all of which will help deter Israel and prevent escalation from other fronts.

For his part, the political analyst for Haaretz newspaper, Zvi Barel, says that the last round showed the collapse of the alliance between Hamas and Islamic Jihad after the former decided not to join the last round, indicating that social networks did not stop asking questions about this discord and how Hamas stopped being a resistance movement. To a movement that thinks about its interests, and how it did not help the slogan that it raised that Hamas and Jihad are brothers in the arms of the resistance.

Barrell considered that all the questions that were raised during the round of fighting indicate that Hamas thinks rationally and sought to preserve its achievements after Operation "Guardian of the Walls / Sword of Jerusalem". Which has permanent levers of pressure through the Rafah crossing, and perhaps even wanted to leave the Islamic Jihad movement alone and shed its blood to prove that no organization can wage an independent struggle without it against Israel.

He says: But these interpretations specifically shed light on the depth of the dilemma in which Hamas finds itself on the conceptual and ideological level from which it feeds and which is the reason for its existence.

Barrell referred to Hamas's decision regarding renewing the relationship with the Syrian regime, pointing out that there are supporters and opponents of this step inside and outside the movement, including the Muslim Brotherhood and its components from Islamic bodies such as the Syrian Islamic Council, which includes Muslim scholars, and they turned to the leader of the movement, Ismail Haniyeh, and told him Renewing relations will harm the Islamic nation and put the organization on the Iranian axis that is hostile to the nation and trades in the blood of its children and the Palestinian cause, while Turkey described this intention of Hamas as "disgusting", while Qatar was less interested but did not encourage it, referring to the positions of writers and scholars affiliated with the Brotherhood Muslims are between those who justified this relationship and those who categorically rejected it.

Barrell says: For Hamas, which is engaged in a dual conflict, religious and national, this is not only an ideological dilemma. It is unique to the Palestinian people and a spearhead in fighting the occupation, and this requires it to adopt a religious and political consensus not only in Palestine but also in the Arab and Islamic world.

And he considered that here lies the fundamental difference between Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as the latter aims to fight the occupation and liberate Palestine, while Hamas presents a much broader global vision, so that Palestine is just one stage in building the unified Muslim nation, and that there is no place for independent nation-states, which are visible in their view. A product of colonialism, and that the struggle against Israel can bear a great deal of flexibility as long as this flexibility and pragmatism serves the supreme utopian idea. according to his expression.

He adds: Hamas uses religion for political reasons, while Islamic Jihad practices politics on a religious basis, citing statements by Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar that Palestine has no priority at the expense of other Islamic countries and the unity of the nation and its components, considering that this is a unique position that determines the priorities of the national struggle that It must serve religious ideological conflict. as he says.

And he considered that the question about what is best to serve the resistance and the struggle, allowed Hamas to adopt the position it took in the last round, and apparently this is an opportunistic approach that stems from considerations of cost and return that are not related to its position, which can be justified under the pretext that "necessities allow for prohibitions." But it is the same concept that describes cooperation between it and jihad when necessary, or brutal fighting against political and religious opponents such as Salafist organizations, and it is also the one that paves the way for indirect agreements with Israel regarding the exchange of prisoners and detainees and the implementation of reconciliation or a long-term truce, as long as it is not related to recognition. With Israel, but in a temporary situation, it will continue as long as it is on its way to realizing the idea of the Islamic nation.

He says: The political translation of this concept is evident not only in confronting jihad or Israel, but also in the relations that the organization was able to establish with competing countries such as Turkey and Qatar on the one hand, and with Egypt on the other, so that Hamas was able to liberate itself from Saudi tutelage and from Iranian dictates that It (i.e., Iran) imposes it on Islamic Jihad, as if it is a country that can consider without pressure whether to renew its relations with Syria or not, and it succeeded where its mother movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, failed. Patriotism, and it controls its lands in Gaza, and is not committed to partnership with its political opponents such as the Fatah movement, and at this time it considers itself the vanguard force of the Islamic nation.

Governorates - "Jerusalem" dot com - Today, Monday, the Israeli occupation forces demolished a house belonging to the citizen Najeh Ta'imat in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron .

In the same context, the force seized a truck for transporting organic fertilizers in Al-Farisiya, belonging to Arafat Daraghmeh, in the northern Jordan Valley .

The Israeli occupation forces also handed nine citizens notices to demolish and stop construction in the town of Nahalin, west of Bethlehem .

And local sources reported that the occupation forces stormed the "Qornet Al-Da'mis" area, south of the town of Nahalin, and handed Muhammad Yusuf Awad, Ibrahim Youssef Awad, Ahmed Jamil Awad, and Fayez Badr Theeb Najajra notices to demolish agricultural rooms, in addition to handing over to Salem Mahmoud Salem Najajrah. And Mazen Youssef Awad and Sobhi Muhammad Ahmed Salama received notices to stop work in agricultural rooms, a notice to demolish a building floor for the citizen Muhammad Jamal Zaidan, and a notice to stop existing construction for the citizen Ahmed Mahmoud Ishaq Najajra.

It indicated that the occupation forces stormed the same area yesterday and tried to seize a bulldozer, and detained Ahmed Mahmoud Sawad for several hours.

Paris - (AFP) - In her small home on the coast of Belgium, Sophie Diroux confirms that "well-heating the house" has become a more difficult goal this year with the sharp rise in energy bills across Europe.

Like millions of Europeans, the 41-year-old engineering company employee has seen her bill rise since the spring after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the gradual curtailment of Russian pipeline gas to Europe.

Gas prices jumped, which led to turmoil in global markets and caused very tangible and costly repercussions, as Europe and Asia raced to buy LNG shipments from the United States, Qatar and other producing countries.

While countries such as Spain and France froze consumer prices, others such as Belgium allowed suppliers to more or less pass on to customers the increase in prices.

“I panicked a bit,” says Sophie, whose house in Ostduinkirke is 90 square meters in size and does not control the heat very well. Before the war, she used to pay 120 euros a month for gas and electricity, and her bill rose to 330 euros.
But she sees a positive side in the matter, as she monitors her consumption and keeps the house temperature at 18 degrees Celsius instead of 21 previously, and is also looking for ways to install solar panels and reinforced insulating glass.

Like Sophie, a new generation of Belgians, French and Italians have realized their energy negligence in 2022 and learned to monitor their consumption. Before the war, gas was abundant and cheap, and its reference price in the European market was about 20 euros per megawatt hour, but this year it rose to 300 before falling back to about 100 euros.

"I've never seen a period of such turmoil," says Graham Friedman, an analyst at Wood Mackenzie who has studied the natural gas market for 40 years.

Because of the crazy prices, factories were forced to stop, especially in the German chemical sector, which has relied on Russian gas since the Soviet era. Despite this, European reserves were filled to capacity in the summer thanks to the last supplies of Russian gas, and no one suffered from power outages.

"Until February, the idea that Europe could continue without Russian energy seemed impossible," says Simon Tagliapietra of the Bruegel Center think tank in Brussels, but "the impossible has become possible."

The Europeans were also lucky, as the mild weather in the fall delayed the use of heating methods.

But what happened was surprising, as they significantly reduced energy consumption: -20% for gas in the European Union from August to November compared to the previous five years, according to Eurostat.

Half of Germans have gas stoves, and the drop in consumption is "sharp, massive," says Leon Hirth, professor of energy policy at the Hertie School in Berlin. He sees this as a desire to "not pay Putin" as much as a desire to reduce the bills.

It is expected that energy bills will remain high, while experts point out that the gas price ceiling agreed upon by the European Union in December will have only a limited effect on reducing them.

Within months, Russia lost the largest buyer of its gas, which is Europe, whose purchases fell from 191 billion cubic meters in 2019 to 90 billion this year, and perhaps 38 next year, as Wood Mackenzie expects.

Europe had to make up the difference with liquefied natural gas, which the European Union used to avoid due to its high cost.
This was not without negative effects, as "Europe began to pay more than Asia for gas, and countries such as India and Pakistan could not compete," as Graham Friedman asserts.

It also has climate implications, because of the lack of liquefied natural gas, less affluent countries are burning more coal.
To offload LNG from tankers, ports are needed that are able to regasify it and pump it into pipeline networks. Germany accelerated the creation of the first platform of this kind in December.

And 26 new stations were announced on the continent, including a fifth station in France, which was established in Le Havre, according to the "Global Energy Monitor", which fears that the matter will lead to Europe's dependence on gas again at a time when it seeks to move to renewable energy sources.

But next winter and the following winter, there will be no more Russian gas to fill the tanks during the spring and summer.

"The colder the winter, the more LNG will have to be bought since spring, and thus the 'battle' between Europe and Asia will intensify," Kepler gas expert Laura Paige told AFP.

Graham Friedman agrees: "There is not enough gas in the world to replace Russian gas."

New LNG projects will not produce millions of tons more until 2025 or 2026.

By then, will Europeans learn to live in 18°C?

BEIJING (AFP) - China 's Internet regulator Thursday fined local delivery giant Didi $1.2 billion, accusing it of breaches of customer data.

The Chinese authority responsible for cyberspace said in a statement that it had "conclusive evidence" that Didi had repeatedly violated Chinese law, particularly with regard to internet security and personal data protection.

The fine that the company must pay was set at 8.03 billion yuan (about $1.2 billion). And through a calculation conducted by Agence France-Presse, it was found that this amount represents 4.6% of the company’s annual revenue for the year 2021.

In its statement, the Chinese authority accuses Didi of storing personal information belonging to more than 57 million drivers illegally and in an insufficiently secure format.

The company was also accused of analyzing passenger data without their knowledge, including photos from their mobile phones.

"Although the regulatory authorities have ordered Didi to rectify its practices, the company has not made any comprehensive and significant rectifications," said the Chinese authority responsible for cyberspace.

She confirmed that the company's violation of the law took place over a period of seven years and began in June 2015.

In total, the authority accuses Didi of violating three laws: the one related to cyber security, the data protection law, and the personal information protection law.

As for the company, it indicated on Thursday that it agreed to pay the fine, indicating that it will implement everything that the authority requests.