أغلقت قوات الاحتلال الإسرائيلي، مساء اليوم الخميس، حاجز شوفة العسكري جنوب شرق طولكرم.

وبحسب مصادر محلية، فإن تلك القوات أغلقت الحاجز أمام المركبات المارة في الوقت الذي تجمهرت فيه مجموعة من المستوطنين بالمكان، وقامت برشق المركبات بالحجارة، دون أن يبلغ عن إصابات أو أضرار.

Istanbul (AFP) - The earthquake that struck Turkey on February 6, Europe's "worst natural disaster" in a century, according to the World Health Organization, left the country in shock.

A month after the disaster, millions of Turks are facing its dire consequences, with relatives dead, cities destroyed and a new life in tents or containers.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake - followed a few hours later by another with a magnitude of 7.6 - killed about 46,000 people (their bodies were found) and injured 105,000, according to an unconfirmed toll.

It also destroyed or damaged 214,000 buildings - sometimes reaching more than twelve floors - in 11 of the country's 81 governorates. Nearly 6,000 people have died in Syria.

Turkish cities in the provinces of Kahramanmaraş, near the epicenter of the earthquake, and Hatay, on the border with Syria, were devastated, forcing the authorities to hastily bury thousands of people in makeshift graves in fields and forests.

About 14 million people, or one-sixth of the country's population, were affected by the disaster. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 3.3 million people had so far been forced to leave the quake zone.

Currently, more than two million people live in tents and containers.

More than 13,000 aftershocks have been recorded in one month and this ground that continues to shake Saturday continues to cause panic in the country, located in one of the most seismically active regions in the world.

In the afflicted areas, anger is still overwhelming at the state, which took fifty hours to deploy relief teams, especially the army, while tens of thousands of people were stuck alive under the rubble.

Erdogan acknowledged the delay, which he blamed on harsh winter weather and the scale of the disaster, which covered 20,000 square kilometres, asking for forgiveness from the survivors.

Opinion surveys have shown that building developers and contractors are primarily responsible for the huge losses, after the buildings they built collapsed like paper.

At the end of February, the Turkish Minister of Justice announced the initiation of legal proceedings against 997 people involved in the construction of these buildings. 247 of them were arrested while trying to leave the country.

But no official has resigned or been removed from office except for the mayor of a small town from the ruling party, the Justice and Development Party.

Turkey, which is suffering from severe inflation and a depreciation of the currency, must absorb the economic damage of the earthquake, which the World Bank estimated at more than $34 billion.

This amount is equivalent to four percent of the country's gross domestic product for the year 2021, and does not include the cost of reconstruction, which may reach "twice" the amount, as indicated by the World Bank.

Erdogan promised to build more than 450,000 homes with earthquake resistance standards "within a year" and to pay 100,000 Turkish liras (about 5,000 euros) to the families of the dead.

On Wednesday, the President announced that one million earthquake-affected people have already received 10,000 liras in aid, a total of half a billion euros.

Special relocation aid of up to 15,000 Turkish liras (750 euros) has also been pledged.

According to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, "increased output from reconstruction activities may largely offset the negative impact of disruption to economic activity."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan put an end to speculation on Wednesday by confirming that the presidential and legislative elections will be held on May 14 as planned.

Erdogan, who has been in power for twenty years and is running for re-election, has made the reconstruction of devastated areas his approach. However, the election is the most threatening for him since 2003.

The opposition, which has tried to unite into a national coalition of six parties, should nominate its joint candidate on Monday. But the choice of Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of the Republican People's Party, the main opposition party, caused the coalition to split on Friday.

Translation by "Al Quds" dot com - Senior officials in the Israeli police said, last night, that they do not have the energy to bear a new escalation in occupied Jerusalem in addition to the current events, including the ongoing protests against "judicial reforms".

This complaint comes after a security assessment session conducted by the so-called Minister of National Security , Itamar Ben Gvir , about the preparations for the month of Ramadan by the Israeli police and the Shin Bet.

The debate sparked controversy because it was held in the meeting room of the "Jewish Power" party, which is led by Ben Gvir, inside the Knesset headquarters, before it was moved to another place after a photo was taken of it.

During the discussion, an audio recording of "Ben Gvir" was leaked, the decision to close Al-Aqsa Mosque in front of settler incursions in the last ten days of Ramadan, considering it a "crazy" step, and a surrender to terrorism.

An official in the Israeli police said that the final decision will be in the hands of the government, according to the security assessment of the situation.

During the discussion, the Israeli police requested the deployment of thousands of its members in Jerusalem, in anticipation of any escalation during the month of Ramadan.

A senior officer said: "The month of Ramadan will be a great challenge, especially as it comes at a time when protests continue, in addition to preparing for any operational activity for any scenario that may occur in Ramadan."

The Israeli police estimate that the month of Ramadan will be very explosive, especially as it coincides with the intention of the Palestinian prisoners to declare a comprehensive strike.

A source in the Israeli police expected to request reinforcements from the army.

Idlib - (AFP) - Paramedics working in areas outside the control of the Syrian regime on Friday appealed to the international community to save critical cases among survivors of the February 6 earthquake, following the death of a child as a result of "crushing limbs" syndrome.

Three-year-old Alp Arslan Berri died Thursday night in a hospital in Idlib, northwestern Syria, knowing that he is the only survivor among his family members, according to what his uncle, Izzat Hamidi, told AFP.

The child was suffering from "crushing limbs" syndrome, of which doctors working in northwestern Syria say that they have received many cases of it, including many children, following the earthquake that killed more than 46,000 people in Turkey and Syria, including 3,688 in Syria.

The syndrome results from pressure on the extremities for a period of more than 12 hours, which leads to interruption of blood circulation at the tissue level, and exposes the patient to amputation, kidney failure, and heart problems.

Raed al-Saleh, director of the White Helmets, which serves as the civil defense in the areas controlled by the opposition and jihadist factions in Idlib and its environs, said, "The world must stand with children and all those affected by mashing syndrome, and there should be action by the International Committee of the Red Cross and an urgent response to these cases."

He added that "hundreds of people affected by the earthquake suffer from this condition and are in need of advanced medical care. The medical sector is greatly exhausted and depleted" in the region.

Miraculously, the child Alp Arslan was pulled out alive after forty hours under the rubble. He was found in the lap of his father, who protected him with his body but died like his mother and two brothers.

"We tried a lot to save him with all the doctors, but he fell into multiple organ failure and sepsis... We made every effort, but the injury was fatal," said Dr. Moheeb Kaddour at Aqrabat Hospital in Idlib.

On Thursday evening, the local authorities in northern Syria transferred the nine-year-old Sham al-Sheikh Muhammad and her brother Omar (15) to Turkey for treatment for their "crushing limbs" syndrome. They are the first victims of the earthquake to be transferred from areas outside the control of Damascus to receive treatment outside the country.

A video clip documenting the rescue of Sham was published on social media, in which she appeared lying under the rubble, talking to the rescue personnel, asking for a bottle of water and suggesting to them how it could be pulled, or singing a song bearing her name with them.

Ramallah - "Jerusalem" dot com - The death toll among our people as a result of the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria rose to 81, after the death of a Palestinian family consisting of three members, in addition to another Palestinian citizen, in the Turkish city of Antakya.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a press statement today, Friday, that the death of Hoda Sweed, Haitham Sweed, Muhammad Sweed, in addition to Amer Dakhlallah was confirmed in the city of Antakya, and they were all living in the Daraa refugee camp in Syria, before they moved to Turkey.

Last night, the Foreign Ministry announced that the death of Aisha Bakir, Abdullah Bakir, and Abdel Moeen Bakir had been confirmed in the city of Antakya, noting that they were Palestinian refugees in Syria, and had moved from Daraa camp to live in Turkey.

The "Foreign Ministry" suggested that the number of casualties among our people would increase due to the incomplete information available regarding the safety of all Palestinian families in the affected areas in both Turkey and Syria.

Yesterday, Thursday, rescue crews were able to recover the body of Doctor Youssef Majdi Darabieh from the Gaza Strip, in the Turkish city of Antakya, after he was lost for three consecutive days as a result of the earthquake, according to the Palestinian ambassador to Turkey, Faed Mustafa.

Earlier, the "Foreign Ministry" announced that rescue crews were able to recover the body of the Palestinian citizen, Hassan Muhammad Demir, and his wife, from under the rubble of their destroyed house in the Turkish city of Adiyaman.

The number of victims among our people in Turkey has reached 30, in addition to 51 Palestinian refugees in Syria.

The death toll from the devastating earthquake in Syria and Turkey has risen to more than 22,000, while the search for survivors continues in an atmosphere of extreme cold.

About 19,000 people were killed in Turkey, and 3,507 in Syria, according to local authorities and medical sources, bringing the total number of victims to about 22,507 people.

Ramallah - "Jerusalem" dot com - An Israeli military force arrested, on Saturday, the young Nazir Nazzal, from Khirbet Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah.

According to local sources, the occupation forces raided the house of the young man, before they searched him, tampered with his contents, and arrested him.

The young man, Aws Khanfar, was also arrested from his family's home in the town of Al-Rama, Jenin.

Written by: Ziad Barakat

Oftentimes, the political analysis of a phenomenon falls short of understanding its roots. It “rationalizes” it, looking into the causes of its formation, its context, and the dynamics of its development. However, it does not provide a healing approach that, let’s say, is creative, that rises to the level of the phenomenon itself. In the Palestinian case, you find hundreds of sober political analyzes and studies, some of which are insightful and insightful, but they cannot simplify for you, in a way that convinces and astonishes you, the phenomenon of the smiles of the Palestinian boys upon their arrest (did you see the laughter of Muhammad Aliwat, the perpetrator of the Silwan operation, as they led him away handcuffed?) Or That brilliant flight of the stone throwers as if they separated from the earthly and its conditions, and the political and its constraints, at the same time, to throw a stone at an Israeli soldier ready in the vicinity with his automatic rifle and sunglasses, and his indifference to his victim on the other side of the fight.

It is true that the extreme thrust of the body makes it physically lighter and so it rises off the ground, but this is an explanation for the apparent event, and the question is about the mighty force that made the boy fly while throwing stones at the Israeli soldier, and there is no convincing explanation for that unless it is poetic, or a search for the "Palestinian personality". I think that Khairi Alqam, the perpetrator of the Jerusalem operation at last, and before him Uday al-Tamimi, the perpetrator of the Ma’aleh Adumim settlement operation, east of Jerusalem on the 19th of last October, are two examples of the complexity and intractability of the Palestinian situation, not because the Palestinian is not like the rest of the people, but rather because his condition itself is exceptional in terms of By all accounts, if we assume that Alqam, who was named after his grandfather who was killed by a Jewish settler three years before the birth of the grandson, carried out his operation in revenge for his grandfather, and this is possible, then what links the event to the storming of Jenin a day before the implementation of the operation, so is it revenge as well? And if that was the case, how did it come to a mere young man (21 years old) to avenge his personal past and the present of his people at the same time?! This parallel between what is personal and national among the Palestinians is not surprising, rather it is at the heart of their lives and against their will, but to combine the two motives in one act becomes brilliant, almost genius in its timing and connotations, and fails to dissect it any analyzes of the brutality of the Israeli right in exchange for despair. Which turns into a bomb that may explode at any moment, this is a kind of stereotypical analysis, and it is correct but not sufficient, unless it is accompanied by a semantic approach, poetic if you like, to this case only, and then linking it to similar cases whose accumulation almost turns into a pattern that makes understanding easier. in a broader context.

See what happened? The young man drives around in a car he drives near the Nabi Yacoub settlement, then gets off carrying a gun. He shoots repeatedly at those he encounters there. He changes the barrel of the pistol more than once, and the result is confirmed injuries that killed seven settlers and injured more than ten, which means that he is a professional or well trained (when did he do that?), Then he encounters a woman who begs him not to kill her, so he tells her that he does not kill women, and that is not It means not only moral superiority, but also an outstanding ability to self-control and high professionalism that is not preoccupied with sub-goals that may hinder the achievement of the main goal. He does all this, and he's only twenty-one, and I don't think he's ever read Franz Fanon or Gramsci. In this intersection between reflecting in your person a coherent, high-level moral system that distinguishes between the legitimate goal and that which conflicts with your collective values on the one hand, and avenging your grandfather who was killed before you were born, and for the martyrs of your people who were killed the day before your operation, there is an amazing genius that is almost invisible. She believes, especially since the entire process is individual, and no organization or party behind it planned, coordinated, supported, and was keen on moral harmony and struggle legitimacy at the same time.

It is necessary for Mahmoud Darwish or someone in his level and there is not yet, for writing to rise to the level of an event like this, so we understand him and we understand the instinctive impulse that another young man made, Uday al-Tamimi, the perpetrator of the Shuafat camp checkpoint operation, the handsome young man as if he was a movie star, with his shaved head , who was chased by the occupation forces for 11 days, and his comrades shaved the hair of their heads like him to mislead these forces, so he returned to the settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim, attacking its guards. He shoots, and they respond, but he does not back down, rather he continues to shoot until he becomes martyred: he stares at death and dances with it, and that is a metaphor that makes that young man himself a short sentence, but it is very intense, and packed with connotations in a poem that only Palestinians write with their blood for a century and more.

About "The New Arab"

Governorates - "Jerusalem" dot com - Dozens of settlers smashed, on Sunday evening, the glass of a house and wrote racist slogans on it in the town of Turmusaya, northeast of Ramallah.

According to local sources, the settlers stormed the town, smashed the windows of a house belonging to Ahmed Kayed Abu Awwad, and wrote racist slogans on it.

It is noteworthy that, last night, settlers burned a house and a vehicle in the town of Turmusaya.

In Nablus , settlers sprayed pepper gas and assaulted Palestinians at the Yitzhar intersection, south of the city.

A group of settlers also attacked citizens' homes in the town of Jalud and burned a vehicle, and two young men sustained fractures as they confronted them with the townspeople, while another group attacked citizens' vehicles with stones from the Jeet junction to the Salman Al-Farsi roundabout in the town of Huwwara.

In Jericho , a large number of settlers tried to burn down a house belonging to the Hamdan family by lighting rubber tires, after they stormed the village of Al-Auja.

Brussels - (AFP) - European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on Israel to use lethal force only as a "last resort", condemning "strongly" the two attacks carried out by Palestinians Friday and Saturday.

Two Israelis were injured on Saturday morning in a shooting attack in East Jerusalem carried out by a 13-year-old Palestinian boy who was also shot by the police, the day after an attack on a synagogue left seven dead and the perpetrator was killed.

"The EU is fully aware of Israel's legitimate security concerns and justified by the recent terrorist attacks, but it should be emphasized that lethal force should only be used as a last resort, when unavoidable to protect lives," Borrell said in a statement.

"The European Union is very concerned about the escalation of tensions in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We call on both parties to do their best to de-escalate and relaunch coordination at the security level, which is essential to prevent further violence," he added.

These attacks come in light of the escalation in the confrontations in the Palestinian territories after the bloody raids of the Israeli army in the occupied West Bank, the most violent in nearly twenty years, followed by the firing of rockets by Palestinian factions from the Gaza Strip, to which Israel responded by launching raids on the besieged sector controlled by Hamas.

Borrell recalled that "at least nine Palestinians were killed Thursday in Jenin and more than 20 were wounded during an operation by Israeli forces," which raises "the number of Palestinian deaths in the West Bank to 30 since the beginning of the year."

"Last year, Israeli forces killed more than 150 people in the West Bank, including 30 children, in a toll that is the highest since the end of the second intifada in 2005," he added.

In a separate statement, Borrell said the EU was "appalled by the shocking terrorist attack" that took place on Friday near a synagogue and "by the attack that took place on Saturday morning in East Jerusalem".

"The European Union strongly condemns these senseless acts of violence and hatred. These terrible events once again reflect the urgent need to reverse this spiral of violence and to make meaningful efforts to re-launch peace negotiations. We call on all parties not to respond to provocations," he added.

Gaza - "Jerusalem" dot com - Palestinian factions confirmed, on Saturday, that the operations that took place in occupied Jerusalem yesterday and today come as confirmation of the continuation of resistance in the face of the occupation and its continuous aggression against the Palestinian people.

Hazem Qassem, a spokesman for the "Hamas" movement, said in a press statement that this operation in Silwan is an affirmation of the continuation of the resistance action on all the occupied lands, and in response to the occupation's crimes against our people and our sanctities.

Qassem added: The battle against the occupation continues and continues until the goals of our people are achieved with freedom and independence, and that all the Zionist army's terrorism will not stop our people's legitimate struggle against the occupation. according to his expression.

While Tariq Ezzedine, spokesman for the "Islamic Jihad" movement, said that the operation came a day after the operation of the martyr Khairi Alqam, to hit the security and military system of the occupation, and reaffirm that the occupation will not enjoy security on our land.

Ezzedine added: The resistance of our Palestinian people is alive and remaining and will not be intimidated by the threats of the occupation, and the occupation will know that the resistance will continue until its demise from our land. like he said.

And he continued: We affirm that the blood of our people will not be wasted, and that the occupation must bear responsibility for the crimes it commits against our people and our sanctities.

For its part, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine praised the operation, which it said came in the context of the natural response to the practices of the occupation and its fascist settlers.

The Popularity affirmed that the Silwan operation, which came in the wake of the operation of the martyr Khairy Alqam, came to confirm the identity of Palestinian Jerusalem and its political and religious status, in contrast to the enemy's plans to Judaize it. according to her expression.

She added: The Silwan operation comes from the heart of the city of Jerusalem to confirm that the conflict will remain open with the occupation over every part of the land of Palestine, and that its security measures and unfair conditions will not prevent the continuation of the resistance.

Gaza - "Jerusalem" dot com - The Agricultural Development Association ( Agricultural Relief ) launched a specialized program to build the capacities of four community protection committees in the governorates of Gaza and North Gaza, as part of the project (Enhancing Economic Opportunities, Psychological and Social Support, and Sharing Livelihoods) PEOPLE funded by the European Union and in partnership with Action Against Hunger AAH, which aims to respond to the social and economic needs and recover from the effects of the May 2021 aggression and contribute to the economic sustainability, livelihoods and well-being of marginalized communities in the governorates of Gaza and North Gaza.

The program targeted the community protection committees that were established in the village of Um al-Nasr in northern Gaza, the al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza, and Juhr al-Dik and al-Mughraqa.

The program included a diverse training package on disaster risk reduction, sustainable livelihoods framework and methodology, and PVCA methodology.

In the context of enhancing the resilience of communities in facing risks and limiting their impacts, PARC will update community plans and emergency plans by implementing 25 participatory workshops, and sharing plans with the relevant authorities to urge them and their participation in playing their role in serving weak and fragile communities.

It is noteworthy that through this project, financing grants will be provided to communities to enable them to launch community initiatives with a societal dimension, as four initiatives will be launched in each of the targeted communities, at the rate of one initiative for each community.

It is noteworthy that this project is being implemented in the governorates of Gaza and North Gaza, and includes other interventions, including the rehabilitation of an agricultural well, laying 10 kilometers of transmission lines, and rehabilitating 500 dunums of agricultural land for 250 farmers, at a rate of 2 dunums for each farmer, through the distribution of agricultural inputs (irrigation network, seedlings and seeds). , organic fertilizers) in addition to rehabilitating and training 4 agricultural production units operating within the selected value chains.

Jenin - "Jerusalem" dot com - Ali Samoudi - The Jenin Battalion and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades organized, this evening, Saturday, a military parade and a symbolic march in the Jenin camp , in order to pay tribute to the two martyrs, Adham Jabarin and Jawad Bawaqna, who were killed during the Israeli aggression on the camp at dawn last Thursday.

The gunmen and the participants in the march carried pictures of the martyrs, and went to the funeral home for the two martyrs at the Social Services Center in the camp, where a memorial festival was held, with massive public participation.

In a speech by the spokesman of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, he stressed that the occupation's continuous attacks on the camp will not stop the march of resistance and struggle until the occupation is defeated.

The spokesman said: "The current popular uprising, like the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000, is a reflection of the raging contradiction between the colonizer and the colonized, and an explicit response to the failure of the negotiation option, opening the way for correcting the path and clarifying the vision.

He added: "It is unfortunate that this uprising, which has been going on for more than a year without any signs of stopping, did not find a local, Arab and international dimension, and those who embraced it politically, socially, in the media and financially, and those who pushed it towards turning into a large popular uprising, and armed it with goals and a political vision that cut with The previous stage, with its miserable symbols and policies, at a time when we are in dire need to transform this gift and its phenomena, into a popular uprising capable of confronting this extremist government and drenching it with the blood of our Palestinian people and our sanctities.

In the speech of the spokesman for the Jenin Brigade, he stressed that the Al-Quds Brigades will continue to fight with all the military wings on the heart of one man to thwart the goals and plans of the occupation and its extremist government, which will face violent battles throughout the country that rises and supports its resistance, and talked about the heroics of the martyr Jabareen, who resisted the occupation valiantly until He was hit by sniper bullets, praising the teacher's heroism and sacrifice of his conviction, who came to his rescue and help him without fear or hesitation, so he rose as a martyr while performing his patriotic duty.

He also stressed the need to preserve the unity of stance, resistance and guns in confronting the far-right government that continues to commit crimes and escalate aggression by all means, but it will not be able to bring our people and their resistance to their knees, which chose the path of jihad and defiance in the era of martyrs until the occupation is defeated and the goals of our people are achieved.

Translation by "Jerusalem" dot com - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to hold a conversation on Saturday evening with the minister in his government, the leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, " Aryeh Deri ".

According to the Hebrew Maariv newspaper website, Netanyahu will seek to reach an understanding with Deri regarding the Supreme Court's decision against the latter regarding his resignation from his post as Minister of Health and Interior due to the corruption cases he was previously convicted of.

Netanyahu will discuss with Deri the possibility of appointing him Speaker of the Knesset, or discussing another proposal to resolve differences in this regard.

Aden - (AFP) - With the phrase "to be or not to be", Prince Hamlet of Denmark addresses himself in the dialect of the people of Aden in southern Yemen, in a rare theatrical performance that revives the hopes of many for the return of cultural life to the country.

Between moral dilemmas and the bitter struggle for power, the tragic play by British writer William Shakespeare resonated widely with Yemenis living in a country torn apart by a fierce war eight years ago.

In partnership with the British Council, the ten performances of the play have achieved remarkable success in the southern city, and all tickets are sold out.

The play is presented by the local "Khaleej Aden" troupe, which was founded in 2005, and is directed by Yemeni film director Amr Gamal.

Jamal had directed the movie "Ten Days Before the Wedding", which is one of the few Yemeni cinematic works in recent years.

"Most of the reactions are beautiful and promising," Jamal told AFP. He believed that "people are happy to work and do not leave the hall until the end of the play, despite it being long," as it lasts three full hours.

Jamal pointed out that the bet was "on limited success because it is a play inspired by international literature, and this type of work usually has a limited audience and is not widely admired by the general public."

The play was presented in the dialect of the people of Aden, and an actor stood on the stage wearing traditional Yemeni dress.

The play was shown in the Legislative Council building in Aden, which dates back to the days of British colonialism.

In the 1930s, Great Britain declared Aden a "Crown Colony".

The effects of British colonialism are still present in the city, including the "Little Big Ben", which is no longer working.

Assistant director Marwan Mafraq describes the play as "an old dream, and we were able to achieve it after many years."

"It was not just a play by Shakespeare, but a restoration of a historical landmark," Mafraq said after a performance in Aden last week.


The assistant director considers that the space for the artistic work is "very narrow. The reason for this is the general situation of the country and the lack of productive resources in the cultural and artistic field."

The war weighed heavily on all aspects of life in Yemen, including the cultural and artistic aspects.

A conflict has been taking place in Yemen between a government supported since 2015 by a Saudi-led military coalition, and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who control large areas in the north and west of the country, as well as the capital, Sanaa, since the start of their offensive in 2014.

The threat of starvation threatens millions of Yemenis, while thousands, including many residents of areas under Houthi control, need urgent medical treatment that is not available in the country whose infrastructure has been destroyed. About 80 percent of Yemen's 30 million people depend on aid to survive.
The team was trained through the "Zoom" video communication technology for two years by specialists from the famous Shakespeare's Globe Theater in London and the Volcano Theater in Wales.
The British Council affirmed its commitment to "empowering and building the capacities of young Yemenis to express themselves creatively," noting that "the Yemeni version of Hamlet embodies this commitment."
The Yemeni actor Omar Mojled plays several roles, including the role of "Guildenstern", Hamlet's friend. He says that the preparations took two years.
"The script was modified from Shakespeare into Arabic and then into the Adenic dialect," he added.
"We always hope, as artists, that cultural, theatrical and cinematic works will be available at a great level that will contribute to highlighting Yemeni culture," says Mujlad.
Nour Zakir embodies the character of Ophelia, explaining, "The play is not easy at all." Zakir admits that practicing acting is difficult in a conservative society.
She continues, "I faced many difficulties as a girl in Aden (...) my family did not object to the issue, but it was difficult because I could not reconcile my studies with acting, and society does not accept this thing."
The play is a rare opportunity for the residents to entertain themselves after the war burdened them.
Heba Al-Bakri came to see the theatrical performance, saying, "We are a people who are eager for these things and we hope to always repeat them. Our people always feel distressed and tired and they need to entertain themselves," noting, "We hope that many things will open and return to theaters again and again."
Fadi Abdel-Malik, a university student, wishes to "pay more attention to art and music, as it cultivates love and peace in Yemen."

Translation by "Jerusalem" dot com - US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas Greenfield affirmed, last night, that her country opposes unilateral measures that threaten the stability and viability of the two-state solution, including any change to the status quo in the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

According to the Hebrew website Ynet, this came in a speech by the US ambassador before the UN Security Council during a discussion he held yesterday about the sanctions imposed by Israel on the Palestinian Authority about two weeks ago, after the Palestinians went to the International Court of Justice to request a legal opinion on the legal importance of the continuation of the Israeli occupation, and a step The Israeli minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The US ambassador confirmed that Washington strongly opposes construction in the settlements, the legalization and annexation of outposts, and the annexation of any other lands, considering such steps illegitimate.

"The United States opposes measures that jeopardize the possibility of a two-state solution," Greenfield said, affirming her country's commitment to this solution, which she considered that peace can only be achieved through it and through direct talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

She indicated that her country's government is looking forward to working with the new Israeli government, as well as to improve relations with the Palestinians, noting the importance of focusing on steps aimed at reducing tensions.

And she indicated that the US administration is concerned about the situation in the West Bank and the possibility of continued instability, noting that it is concerned about the increasing number of victims on both sides, and that it is necessary to take urgent steps to prevent further loss of life, according to her saying.

She said, "Despite the challenges facing the region, there is room for optimism. Look at the steering meeting of the Negev summit in Abu Dhabi, which discussed expanding normalization. This was the largest meeting between Israel and the Arab countries since the Madrid conference, and we will continue to look for ways to improve." Palestinian lives and allow them to enjoy the fruits of the Negev Forum. According to her saying.

Gaza - "Jerusalem" dot com - The Ministry of Finance in the Gaza Strip said, on Sunday, that the policy of financial dealing with gas supplied to Gaza has not undergone any change, and no new fees have been imposed at all.

In a statement, the ministry confirmed that its consistent policies are balancing the interest of the citizen by providing this basic commodity at an acceptable price, and achieving an appropriate profit margin for gas companies.

She expressed her astonishment at the step of some gas companies and the attempt by the media to escalate the matter of my life affecting the citizens, reassuring the citizens that she had worked hard for months to overcome the usual crisis of gas shortage at the height of winter, and she had succeeded in that, and the mechanism for introducing gas through the Egyptian gate is currently proceeding in its usual form.

And she affirmed her keenness to ensure that gas continues to reach citizens at an acceptable price compared to its high cost, stressing that she will not accept that some seek to achieve their own interests without regard to the reality of the living situation.

Ramallah - "Jerusalem" dot com - Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh warned, on Friday evening, of the dangerous consequences of the attacks carried out by settler groups in the West Bank, the latest of which was the attack on university students and foreign solidarity activists during the walking path in the Al-Maarajat area.

Shtayyeh said in a press statement that this attack carries a harbinger of great dangers, as it constitutes a practical translation of the threats made by the extremists who rose to power in Israel.

Shtayyeh called on the United Nations, the United States, and European countries, whose citizens were subjected to this barbaric attack, which led to the injury and terror of a number of them, for urgent intervention to stop the systematic crimes, in which settlers and occupation soldiers exchange roles; in killings and field executions; which killed nine martyrs since the beginning of the year; Among them are three children, in Jenin, Nablus, Qabatiya, Salfit, Al-Dhahiriya, Balata, Qalandia, and Duheisha camps, and a number of injured, in addition to demolitions, arrests, intimidation, and the seizure of land and property by the occupation soldiers and settlers in the occupied territories.

The Prime Minister instructed the Minister of Health to provide treatment for the injured, wishing them a speedy recovery, and expressing his thanks and appreciation to those in solidarity with our people and their just cause.

Santiago - "Jerusalem" dot com - The group of Arab ambassadors accredited to the Republic of Chile sent a message of support to the President of the Republic of Chile, Gabriel Boric, regarding his intention to raise the level of his country's representation in the State of Palestine from a representation to an embassy.

In a statement issued by them today, Friday, the group of Arab ambassadors to Chile stressed the importance of this fair decision, considering it a constructive and courageous step that reflects the continuous and unwavering support of the Republic of Chile for the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, and the consecration of their independent state in accordance with the rules and principles of international law and United Nations resolutions, and their right to self-determination. Living in security, peace and prosperity, like all the free peoples of the world.

The Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Republic of Chile, Vera Baboon, expressed the Palestinian leadership's welcome to this decision, and that it is working with the competent authorities in the Chilean Foreign Ministry to initiate procedures for lifting representation, as this represents support for our legitimate and inalienable rights, an achievement of justice, and a constructive step to preserve what remains of the two-state solution. .

Baboon praised the support of the Arab brothers for Palestine in all international forums and their positions in supporting and strengthening the status of Palestine and the struggle of its people for freedom and independence, and extended her thanks to the ambassadors and heads of missions and charge d’affaires of the embassies of the Arab countries who signed the statement, the embassies of the Kingdom of Morocco, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Lebanon, and the Republic of Algeria People's Democracy, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Libya, the State of the United Arab Emirates, the State of Kuwait, and the Syrian Arab Republic, accredited to the Republic of Chile.

Source: Wafa Agency.

Salfit - "Jerusalem" dot com - A 22-year-old man was killed and another injured today, Friday, as a result of a self- driving accident that occurred in Salfit Governorate.

The media spokesman for the police, Colonel Louay Arziqat, stated that the police operations room received a signal of a self-traffic accident in Wadi Qana, in the north of the governorate, which resulted in the injury of the driver and the death of his companion from the town of Bidya.

Arziqat added that the Public Prosecution Office was informed and an investigation into the accident was initiated by the traffic police, to find out its causes.

Ramallah - "Jerusalem" dot com - The national activist Fathi Khazem "Abu Al-Raad" left the hospital where he was receiving treatment in Ramallah.

And Minister of Health Mai Al-Kaila said, on her Facebook page, that Abu Al-Raad left the hospital today, after conducting complete and comprehensive examinations, and he was treated as necessary.

Al-Kaila indicated that the doctors decided yesterday to leave him, after he was treated and needed to rest in his home.

Jerusalem - (AFP) - The Turkish ambassador to Israel, Cakir Ozkan Turunlar, presented his credentials on Wednesday to President Isaac Herzog, according to the Israeli presidency, in the latest step after the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

"Today we complete an important step, we reach another important milestone in strengthening our relations and deepening friendship between Turkey and Israel," Herzog said after a ceremony at his residence in Jerusalem, according to a statement.

In 2008, relations between the two countries deteriorated after an Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip. In 2010, relations were frozen following the killing of ten civilians in an Israeli raid on the Turkish aid ship "Marmara", which was part of a flotilla that tried to breach the Israeli blockade imposed on the Strip.

The relationship between the two countries returned to witness reconciliation between 2016 and 2018, but Turkey soon withdrew its ambassador and expelled his Israeli counterpart, as well as the Consul General in Istanbul, after the killing of about fifty Palestinians by the Israeli army in Gaza. Israel responded by expelling the Turkish Consul General in Jerusalem.

Diplomatic efforts continued for months during which President Herzog visited Turkey before the two countries announced in August the return of full relations as well as ambassadors.

Erdogan, a defender of the Palestinian cause, had criticized in the past the Israeli policies practiced by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu (1996-1999 and 2009-2021) towards the Palestinians.

On Wednesday, Herzog, who invited Erdogan to visit Israel, confirmed that the relationship between the two countries "is proceeding according to a very encouraging approach."

Last month, Israel's new ambassador to Turkey, Irit Lillian, presented her credentials to Erdogan.
Wednesday's ceremony comes less than two weeks after the new Israeli government, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, was sworn in.

Erdogan had congratulated Netanyahu on his victory in the November 1 elections, despite the previously strained relations between them.
However, Ankara criticized the new Israeli government dominated by the far-right and described the visit of the Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem as "provocative".

Ben Ghafir's visit to the mosque's courtyard sparked Arab and Islamic condemnation.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is for Muslims the first two qiblahs and the third of the Two Holy Mosques after Makkah Al-Mukarramah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina. As for the Jews, they call it the Temple Mount, and it is the holiest site in their religion.

Translation by "Jerusalem" dot com - The European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janiz Lenarech, revealed that he had asked Israel to pay compensation for the buildings and properties it destroyed in the West Bank , which were built with funding from the European Union .

According to the Hebrew newspaper, Haaretz, in its issue issued today, Wednesday, he revealed this during Lenarich’s response to a letter from 24 members of the European Parliament, who contacted the European Commission regarding Israel’s intention to demolish dozens of homes in the Masafer Yatta area, which were built with financial assistance from the European Union or member states. in it.

In their letter, the members indicated that Israel had previously ignored the messages and appeals sent to it through diplomatic channels in this regard, and its refusal to take responsibility for the consequences of the illegal demolitions and the violation of human rights.

Lenarech responded to them that on several occasions he had asked Israel to return or compensate the assets funded by the federation that it destroyed, dismantled and confiscated, noting that the federation continues to work toward this end through a variety of diplomatic and political channels.

The European Commissioner indicated that EU representatives often visit the area to warn against the demolition of buildings, and that the Commission follows up on all demolitions and confiscations of donor-funded buildings, pointing out that the list of possible steps to ensure Israel's compensation for European funding has not yet been discussed, and that the Council should Makes a decision on the possible adoption of the means that will be used to secure compensation.

Brasília - (AFP) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and the heads of Congress and the Supreme Court stressed the need for democracy in Brazil, in the wake of the violent attack carried out by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro on these highly symbolic positions of government in Brasilia.

Police dismantled the tents of radical Bolsonaro supporters who still rejected Lula's victory more than two months after his election, while also making arrests, maintaining control of the situation after the chaos of the night before.

Meanwhile, Bolsonaro was hospitalized with abdominal pain, his wife, Michele, said on Instagram. According to media reports, Bolsonaro was taken to the Advent Health Celebration urgent care hospital outside Orlando, Florida.

Lula met with the presidents of the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies and the Supreme Court at the presidential palace in Planalto.

These officials signed a joint statement "In Defense of Democracy", which was posted on the left-wing president's Twitter account.

"The authorities of the Republic, the guarantors of democracy and the 1988 constitution, reject the terrorist, subversive, criminal and coup acts that took place yesterday in Brasilia. Society needs to maintain its calm (...) peace and democracy," the statement said.

Hundreds of former President Bolsonaro's supporters launched simultaneous attacks on the Planalto Palace and the Congress and Supreme Court headquarters, and it took the security forces about four hours to regain control of these headquarters.

And the center of the capital, Brasilia, appeared stricken and deserted on Monday morning, with the exception of the deployment of a large number of security forces.

"The putschists who vandalized public property in Brasilia are being identified and will be held accountable," the leftist president, who inspected the vandalized buildings in Brasilia late Sunday, wrote in a tweet.

More than 300 people were arrested following the attacks, which recalled the storming of supporters of former US President Donald Trump, an ally of Bolsonaro, at the Congressional Building in Washington in January 2021.

On Monday morning, Brazilian media confirmed that police and army forces dismantled tents that Bolsonaro supporters had erected in the center of the capital, Brasilia, more than two months ago, and arrested no less than 1,200 people there.

An AFP correspondent reported that other tents in Rio de Janeiro were also dismantled.

"Now that the orders have been issued, we no longer have a choice, it is an order from the armed forces and the police," Carlos Silva, a supporter of the former president, told AFP in Sao Paulo.

On Sunday evening, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Morais suspended the governor of Brasilia Ibañez Rocha from his duties for 90 days, after he apologized in a video for security "holes" that allowed the vandalism to take place.

The Public Prosecution Office demanded that investigations be opened immediately to determine the "responsibilities of the persons involved" in the attacks on official buildings.

The attackers caused severe damage to the three huge headquarters, which are masterpieces of modern architecture, rich in works of art, and considered to be of invaluable value.

Brazilian First Lady Rosângela da Silva had previously complained about the situation in which the Bolsonaro couple left the presidential residence.
For his part, Ionar Bispo, 43, a resident of Brasilia, told AFP, "I am not satisfied with what happened. We can demonstrate, but without looting our heritage."
The acts of vandalism sparked a barrage of international reactions, especially from Washington, Beijing, Moscow, Paris and Latin American countries.
US President Joe Biden, his Mexican counterpart Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned Bolsonaro's supporters' attack on power centers in his country, in a joint statement issued Monday. "We stand by Brazil as it defends its democratic institutions," added the three leaders meeting in Mexico City on Monday and Tuesday. "We look forward to working with President Lula."
Bolsonaro had moved to Florida in the United States two days before Lula's inauguration on January 1, refusing to hand over the presidential sash to his opponent who narrowly defeated him in the presidential elections last October.
In a series of tweets, Bolsonaro condemned the "storming and looting of public buildings" on Sunday, but he rejected Lula's accusations that he had instigated the storming of the headquarters of power in Brasilia, considering these accusations to be "baseless." Bolsonaro also defended on Twitter the right to hold "peaceful protests".

Mexico - (AFP) - US President Joe Biden heads Sunday to the border between the United States and Mexico , the first stop on a three-day trip that will lead him to Mexico and center on issues of immigration and drug trafficking.

The US president, accused by the Republican opposition of turning a blind eye to the historic influx of immigrants trying to enter the United States illegally, will stop in El Paso, Texas.

Through this, he wants to silence his opponents' grievances against him by not visiting the common border between the two countries, which extends over 3,100 kilometers, since he assumed the presidency two years ago.

There, he will discuss "border control operations" and meet local deputies and activists, before heading to the Mexican capital to hold a summit with his Mexican counterpart, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, with whom he will participate Tuesday in a tripartite summit alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Speaking late Saturday on Twitter about his trip, the president noted "the need to expand legal pathways for organized immigration," and said, "We can do all of this while simultaneously reducing illegal immigration."

The US president will be accompanied to the border by US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorcas, who called Sunday, in an interview with ABC, for a "regional solution" to the immigration crisis.

On Thursday, the White House announced measures to try to ease the burden on the border, where more than 230,000 people were arrested in November.

Up to 30,000 migrants will be allowed into the United States each month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, but they will have to arrive by air so as not to increase the workload of border guards on the ground.

In contrast, those who cross the border illegally would be sent back more easily, according to the White House.

Biden's visit to Mexico will be overshadowed by the tragedy of the industrial drug fentanyl, which is fifty times stronger than heroin and is supervised by Mexican cartels with chemical components imported from China, according to the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

Two-thirds of the 108,000 overdose deaths in the United States in 2021 were due to synthetic opioids. As for the quantities of fentanyl seized in 2022 alone, they exceed the amount necessary to kill the entire American people, according to the DEA.

US State Department official for Latin America Brian Nichols said the United States seeks to "expand information exchange" with Mexico on chemical compounds and "enhance prevention."

Before Biden's visit, Mexico arrested Ovidio Guzman, a major methamphetamine dealer, during an operation that resulted in ten deaths among the security forces and 19 among the Sinaloa cartel.

Security expert Ricardo Marques said, "When you hold meetings like this, there is a constant that the Mexican authorities always have something to offer, sooner or later," considering that the arrest process does not affect the structure of the Sinaloa cartel, whose networks extend in 50 countries.

In 2021, the United States and Mexico announced a change in their approach to drug control policy, with a focus on the causes of this phenomenon, after a purely military strategy applied for 15 years. Since 2006, 340,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence in Mexico, and thousands have been declared missing, without weakening the cartels.

Amid this bloodshed, the Mexican government has sued the US arms industries, accusing them of fueling violence among drug traffickers on Mexican soil.

Climate change will be on the agenda of the talks, as the two countries announced during the Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP27) in Egypt a renewable energy project that includes investments worth $48 billion, in which Mexico pledged to improve greenhouse gas reduction targets by 2030.

Among the topics on the table are also the exploitation of lithium, the transfer of electric car assembly plants, the construction of six solar energy plants from the Mexican side, and cooperation in the field of clean energy.

The need to develop electronic component supply chains to reduce Washington's dependence on Asia will also be at the center of the discussions.

Gaza - "Jerusalem" dot com - " Hamas " movement said today, Saturday, that the crimes of the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people, and the terror of extremist settlers, through deliberate killing in cold blood, and persistence in the siege, imprisonment, deportation and displacement, will not succeed in breaking the will of resistance and defiance. Our people have to continue the resistance and revolution until freedom and self-determination are achieved.

In a statement on the occasion of the Palestinian Martyr's Day , Hamas added, "The convoys of martyrs that ascend every day will continue to be beacons of light illuminating the path of our people in their project towards liberation and return, and we will remain faithful to their blood and sacrifices in following their path of comprehensive resistance, until the occupation is defeated." Our land and our sanctity.

And she continued: "The occupation's continued detention of the bodies of more than 373 martyrs is a crime and a violation of all international norms, laws and covenants, and what is known as the "numbers' graves" reveals the extent of its racism and sadism against the martyrs of our people and their families," calling on all human rights and international institutions to take effective action to put pressure on the occupation. To retrieve them, bury them, and honor them with processions befitting their status.

The Arab and Islamic nation, and the free people of the world, called for more solidarity with our Palestinian people, in victory for the justice of our cause, in loyalty to the blood of the martyrs who rose in defense of their right to freedom and dignity, and in rejection of the occupation, whose continuation poses a threat to the stability of the region and the interests of its peoples and threatens international peace and security. according to the text of its statement.

Beirut - (AFP) - Following a estrangement that has continued since the outbreak of the conflict in Syria in 2011, Moscow brought together the Turkish and Syrian defense ministers on Wednesday, in a move preceded by indications of a rapprochement between the two adversaries that, according to analysts, would put the Kurdish forces in front of bitter choices.

What is the most prominent information available about the meeting, and what about its expected repercussions on the US-backed Kurdish Autonomous Administration, which Ankara has been threatening for some time to launch a ground attack against its areas of control in northern Syria?

Before the outbreak of the conflict in 2011, Turkey was a key economic and political ally of Syria. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan developed a friendship with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. However, their relationship turned upside down with the start of peaceful protests against the regime and Damascus suppressing the demonstrations by force.

After Turkey closed its embassy in Damascus in March 2012, Erdogan repeatedly described Assad as a "criminal", while the latter described his Turkish counterpart as a "thief" and supporter of "terrorists".

Turkey provided support to the political opposition and hosted its most prominent components in Istanbul, before it began supporting the armed opposition factions and sheltered nearly four million refugees on its soil.

Although Turkey launched three attacks against Kurdish fighters since 2016, which enabled it to control large Syrian border lands, it did not enter into direct confrontation with Damascus except in a limited way in 2020, which soon ended with Russian mediation.

After years of estrangement, signs of rapprochement gradually emerged. On the sidelines of a regional summit in 2021, the foreign ministers of the two countries had a brief informal conversation. In August, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called for reconciliation between the regime and the opposition in Syria.

And Ankara and Damascus acknowledged communication at the level of the intelligence services.

Coinciding with his threat to launch a ground offensive against the Kurds, Erdogan said in November that the possibility of him meeting Assad was "possible." And last month, he renewed the reference to the possibility of the meeting taking place after meetings at the level of the ministers of defense and foreign affairs.

Russia, according to analysts, plays a key role in achieving rapprochement between its two allies, which are united by a common "opponent" represented by the Kurdish fighters.

Moscow announced that the talks between Russian Defense Ministers Sergei Shoigu, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, and Syrian Ali Mahmoud Abbas touched on "ways to solve the Syrian crisis and the refugee issue," as well as "joint efforts to combat extremist groups," without naming them.

The three countries praised the "positivity" during the meeting. Moscow and Damascus stressed the need to "continue dialogue" to establish stability in Syria.

The director of the Damascus Center for Strategic Studies, Dr. Bassam Abu Abdullah, told AFP that the meeting "raised the level of meetings between the two countries from a security level to a ministerial level," stressing the need for "the rational parties in Damascus and Ankara (...) to try to prepare public opinion for more meetings on higher levels" in the next stage.

He points out that the meeting was linked to "developments related to the Turkish military operation that was scheduled in the north, and Moscow worked to stop it," considering that "the transfer of the meetings to the defense ministers means that there is a military field work that must be carefully coordinated between the three parties."

The meeting came weeks after Turkey launched, on November 20, a series of air and artillery strikes that mainly targeted the Kurdish forces, and Erdogan threatened to launch a ground offensive to drive them away from his borders.

Ankara classifies the Kurdish People's Protection Units, the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces, as a "terrorist" organization and considers it an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against it for decades.

Intermittent rounds of talks led by the Syrian government with the Kurdish Autonomous Administration, which controls large areas in northern and eastern Syria, including the most prominent oil fields and large agricultural areas, which Damascus wants to regain sooner or later, have failed.

"Erdogan is under political pressure to launch a military operation in Syria, and to return the largest possible number of Syrians from Turkey" to their country before the Turkish elections in June.

"If Assad gives Erdogan the green light to launch air operations against the Kurds, war will soon follow," he added.
Last week, Akar reported contact with Moscow to "open the Syrian airspace" to Turkish fighters.

The options available to the Kurds, who fiercely confronted the Islamic State organization during the years of conflict, seem difficult, in light of the common interests between the three countries to end their influence and weaken their backer, Washington, which in the past weeks has contented itself with warning of the consequences of escalation.

"The direct goal of the three countries is to eliminate the Syrian Democratic Forces," Fabrice Balanche, a French researcher specializing in Syrian affairs, told AFP.

According to Balanche, Ankara wants to "eliminate the Kurdish threat" near its borders, while Russia seeks to "liquidate an ally of the United States in Syria, namely the Syrian Democratic Forces, and thus strengthen its ally, Bashar al-Assad."

As for Damascus, it wants to “reclaim the lands, especially its oil wealth,” from the Kurds in the north-east of the country, who are burdened by their relationship with Washington, and it expects Turkey to “eliminate the jihadists in Idlib,” in reference to Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra), which controls with other factions the region. About half of the area of Idlib Governorate (northwest) and its surroundings.

In the event that the Kurds refuse to meet Ankara's renewed demand to withdraw thirty kilometers from the border, the tripartite meeting will constitute an engine for a "Turkish invasion".

"The Turkish offensive is only a matter of time," Balanche said. "Erdogan needs a victory against the Kurds in Syria as part of his election campaign."

Washington - "Jerusalem" dot com Saeed Erekat - By the end of this year, experts in the US capital, Washington, believe that the developments in the war in Ukraine will constitute difficult new tests in the coming year 2023 regarding the red lines imposed by the United States and Western countries on the weapons they provide to Ukraine.

Crossing these red lines may become more difficult as the war continues, and dispatching some advanced combat aircraft such as the US-made F-16s, American and German-made tanks, and Ukrainian-made drones becomes more complex in the short term in the capitals. The West is especially concerned with the sizes that can change the balance of the battle on the ground.

A group of experts told the American Politico magazine that the continuation of fierce close-quarters fighting in Bakhmut and the increasing stability of the front lines in the south and east of the country warn that the war will continue. They also believe that “it is true that the United States and Europe already have billions more dollars coming their way to keep Ukraine fighting until a way to end the war emerges, but the question for the West and Ukraine now is: what kind of end should they pursue, and how do we get there?” "

That response likely hinges in large part on what new weapons the United States and its European allies will agree to send to Kiev in the coming months, current and former officials say.

Politico attributes to retired General Ben Hodges, the former commander of the US Army in Europe, that a miscalculation of the type and volume of weapons that Washington is sending to Kiev may have serious consequences, as "the (US) administration will use its best judgment on how you can help Ukraine as much as possible without Will this turn into a conflict between the United States and Russia or NATO and Russia?

And while Ukraine's leaders argue that long-range missiles and modern battle tanks — weapons that many countries consider off limits — are the only way to advance entrenched Russian positions and end the conflict, U.S. officials still debate the effectiveness of those weapons in the next field battle and whether to send the weapons they demand. Ukraine would provoke Russia to escalate the conflict to more dangerous levels that could lengthen the timetable for potential peace talks.

Hodges says such talks are not on the horizon, despite Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba's suggestion this week that Kiev is open to UN-brokered discussions by February, the one-year anniversary of the war's start, but only after Russia faces a court. War crimes, a demand the Kremlin is unlikely to accept.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's top priority remains more weapons, ammunition and equipment. Zelensky made his pleas for more advanced weapons during his surprise visit to Washington last week. And while President Joe Biden remained unimpressed by some requests for tanks, fighter jets and missiles, the visit saw some big announcements about expanding military support, with Washington deciding to soon build a new Patriot air defense battery and precision bombs, both of which were seen as semi-automatic. Impossible or impractical just weeks ago.

The massive influx of weapons into Ukraine over the past 10 months represents a significant shift from Washington's previous approach to Kiev. After Russian President Vladimir Putin's 2014 annexation of Crimea, then-US President Barack Obama's administration refused to provide offensive weapons to Ukraine, choosing instead to provide uncontroversial training programs and equipment such as night-vision goggles. The Pentagon did not agree to send Javelin anti-tank weapons until the Trump administration - and even then it stipulated that Javelin missiles should be stored in the western part of the country, away from the front lines.

He states that when it comes to weapons, Washington's red lines have changed again and again since the invasion last February; In the course of a week in March, the United States and NATO pushed more than 17,000 Javelin shells into Ukraine, a deluge of weapons that shattered the political firewall that pervaded through the Obama and Trump administrations. In the spring, the Biden administration began supplying 155mm howitzers. Then, in June, the Pentagon announced that it would send the M142 High Mobility Artillery Missile System, a state-of-the-art missile launcher that Kiev has used with lethal efficacy, and which took months of wrangling to convince the Biden administration to send.

And the announcement that the United States will soon transfer a Patriot battery and aerial smart bombs, the latest of several weapons packages considered escalatory earlier in the war, points to more potential policy changes next year as all sides look for a way to end the fighting.

London - (AFP) - Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven countries on Thursday called on the Taliban to "urgently rescind" the ban on women working in non-governmental organizations in Afghanistan, according to a joint statement released by the British Foreign Office.

The foreign ministers said they were "deeply concerned that the Taliban's reckless and dangerous order to ban female staff from national and international NGOs places millions of Afghans, who depend on humanitarian aid for survival, at risk."

Brussels - (AFP) - The European Commission called for a meeting Thursday to discuss the adoption of "possible measures for a coordinated approach" among the EU member states in the face of the huge rise in the number of Covid-19 infections in China .

"In light of the epidemic situation in China," a spokeswoman for the European Commission told AFP, the executive authority will convene Thursday morning a committee meeting that includes representatives of the health ministries of the 27 EU member states.

The source added that the aim of the meeting is to hold a "discussion with EU member states and European (health) agencies of possible measures for a coordinated European approach."

After suddenly ending the “zero Covid” policy in China during the current month, a huge increase in the number of Corona infections was recorded in China, which raises the concern of a number of countries about the possibility of the spread of new variants of the virus from the Asian country.

On Wednesday, Italy decided to impose compulsory tests on all travelers coming from China. It is a measure imposed by Japan and adopted by the United States on Wednesday.

Other countries in the union are still waiting.

French President Emmanuel Macron asked the government to "take appropriate measures to protect" his French citizens. For its part, the government confirms that it is "following the development of the situation in China very carefully."

Paris says it is "ready to study all useful measures that can be implemented as a result, in cooperation with France's European partners and within the legal framework that exists today".

It is assumed that the European Commission seeks to prevent some member states of the European Union from moving on its own by imposing restrictions on its borders without consultation, as happened at the beginning of the pandemic in the spring of 2020.

At the beginning of December, on the recommendation of the Commission, the 27 countries agreed to lift all restrictions on entry into the European Union for travelers from third countries and return to the pre-pandemic situation.

However, it maintained the possibility of re-application of restrictive measures in a "coordinated manner" if the epidemiological situation required it.

A spokeswoman for the Commission said, "The variant + Omicron PF7 + that is dominant in China is in Europe and has not recorded a significant increase," stressing at the same time, "We remain vigilant and ready to use the 'emergency brakes' if necessary."

Manila - (AFP) - A landslide killed one person and left three others missing in the southern Philippines , police said Thursday, raising the death toll to at least 33 in the country, which is experiencing flash floods caused by torrential rains.

The authorities are continuing searches to find at least twenty people, following heavy rains that fell during the Christmas holidays and caused floods and landslide accidents in areas in the center and south of the country.

Police said four people were fishing on a stream in the eastern province of Davao on the southern island of Mindanao on Wednesday when a landslide buried them.

The body of a 62-year-old man was found and the search is still underway to locate the other three people, Mati police chief Ernesto Gregory told AFP.

"There was heavy rain in the mountains and they were fishing in a lake when a landslide happened," he said.

The rains in the Philippines destroyed hundreds of homes and more than five thousand hectares of agricultural land, prompting tens of thousands of people to seek shelter in evacuation centers, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.

Most of the deaths were recorded in the western province of Misamis on the island of Mindanao, where 15 people died from drowning or in landslides caused by rain.

The Philippines is one of the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Experts have warned that rain and winds will intensify as the planet warms.