Beirut - (AFP) - Egypt has released two senior businessmen after nearly two years of pre-trial detention on terrorism charges, their families said Saturday.

Maryam, the daughter of businessman Safwan Thabet , wrote on social media, "My father, Safwan Thabet, and my brother Saif al-Din Thabet are with us," without specifying when they were released.

Safwan Thabet, in his late 70s, is the founder and former CEO of the Juhayna dairy group.

He had been arrested in December 2020 and charged with joining and financing the Muslim Brotherhood. The group has been banned and classified as "terrorist" in Egypt since 2013.

As for his son, Saif Al-Arbaeen, he was arrested in February 2021.

Philip Luther of Amnesty International said the two men "were punished simply for daring to defy demands by Egyptian security officials to hand over their family's assets in Juhayna".

"They showed rare courage in resisting officials' attempt to blackmail them," Luther added in a statement issued in September 2021.

The prolonged pre-trial detention of Safwan Thabet and his son in solitary confinement, a measure Amnesty International said amounted to "torture", sparked international calls for their release.

When Egypt secured a $3 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund in October last year, the Washington-based advocacy group Freedom Initiative drew attention to their situation.

"Egypt's political economy remains largely controlled by a few state actors willing to detain, intimidate, and harass even beloved business figures," Alison McManus of the organization said in a statement, referring to Safwan Thabet and his son.

Among the terms of the loans, Cairo pledged to privatize key public assets and increase transparency in government business dealings.

The authorities also released hundreds of political prisoners last year, although human rights organizations estimate that some 60,000 people remain in detention, many of whom face harsh conditions in overcrowded cells.

Ramallah - "Jerusalem" dot com - Today, Wednesday, settlers attacked sheep shepherds and forced them to leave their pastures in the "Al Thaghla" area in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron.

Local sources reported that an armed group of "Tsekhar Man" settlers, established on citizens' lands east of Yatta, attacked sheep herders in the "Al-Thala" area near Wadi Al-Jawaya in Masafer Yatta, chased their livestock, and forced them to leave their pastures by force.

It is noteworthy that the occupation and settlers escalate their attacks on shepherds and farmers at this time of the year, to prevent them from cultivating them, and depriving them of access to pastures, with the aim of striking livestock, the only source of income for hundreds of families and families that live in these areas, and pastures are an essential source of feeding their herds. .

In another context, a group of settlers from the "Gush Etzion" settlement bloc attacked a house on the main street in the "Beit Zata" area of the town of Beit Ummar, belonging to Youssef Yaqoub Al-Wahidi and his brothers, and smashed the windows.

And local sources reported that the settlers smashed the windows of a vehicle belonging to the citizen, Ayman Abdel Aziz Al-Hatawi, while it was parked in front of his house on the main street.

The settlers also attacked Mohammed Jamil Awad (54 years old), while he was grazing his sheep, and beat him.

Paris - (AFP) - The sarcophagus of Ramesses II returns to France after an absence of about half a century from its display in Paris in 1976, and the king, who is considered with Tutankhamun as the most prominent of the pharaohs, will be the most prominent element in a huge exhibition to be held in the French capital next spring. .

"When I was told that (the sarcophagus of Ramses II) would arrive in Paris, I almost cried with joy that I would see it," said Egyptologist and professor at the Louvre College Dominique Faro, who is the scientific coordinator of this exhibition entitled "Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs," in a statement to Agence France-Presse. Here again!"

He recounted that he was sixteen when the exhibition was held in 1976 at the Grand Palais, and added, "It was in my room on a large poster. I went to see it eight times in a row."

Ramesses II, one of the rulers of the Nineteenth Dynasty, is considered one of the most famous pharaohs. He ruled for 67 years and was an important military commander and built a large number of temples.

This traveling exhibition began in San Francisco in 2022 and will continue in Sydney next fall, but the sarcophagus will only be shown in France, from April 7 to September 6.

The exhibition includes countless tools, solid gold and silver jewelry, statues, amulets (talismans), masks and other coffins. It is expected to attract a large number of visitors, similar to the exhibition that was held for Tutankhamun, which was prepared in the same place in 2019 and attracted 1.4 million visitors.

The exhibition was organized at that time, as well as the current exhibition, by the world's leading company in the field of organizing cultural and artistic events, "World Heritage Exhibitions".

Egypt exceptionally lent to France the famous coffin made of cedar wood painted yellow, an "exception" that the Egyptian authorities presented to France, in appreciation of the efforts of French scientists who rescued the mummy of Ramesses II and treated it from fungi during the exhibition held in 1976, according to Farrow.

The coffin is shown empty, as the law prohibits the removal of royal mummies from Egypt.

The coffin lid features color-enhanced details

Faro explained that the lid of the sarcophagus represented "the king (...) with his hands crossed, holding a scepter and a whip (...) and with a false braided beard."

The researcher in the history of Egypt explained that the appearance of hieratic administrative inscriptions along its length "testifies to the transfer of the mummy of Ramesses with the aim of saving it three times at the end of the modern empire, around 1070 BC, and then 100 years later."

According to the Egyptologist, "the tomb of Ramses in the Valley of the Kings was plundered and his body was placed" in this sarcophagus. All parts were transferred to the tomb of his father, Seti I.

During the rule of the Twenty-First Dynasty, the sarcophagus was moved again "to a cache at the Deir el-Bahari site, west of Luxor, which contained hundreds of mummies, including mummies of kings of the modern empire."

It was not until 1881 that this cache was found, which had been looted. Faro recalls the circumstances of their transportation, "The mummies were transported from Luxor to Cairo by boat, and this won the approval of the inhabitants who gathered on the banks of the Nile."

In the exhibition, which is being held in Paris, only mummies of animals can be seen, especially kittens, "which were raised and sacrificed by their owners to be presented to the gods," according to Farrow.

The specialist identified the discovery of these mummies in recent years near Cairo, in the cemetery of the kings of the ancient empire, between 2700 and 2200 BC.

In addition to it, the visitor discovers the "Tanis treasure", which was named after the new capital, Tanis, which was rebuilt by Ramesses II east of the Nile Delta after the first capital he founded was buried with mud.
This treasure consists, according to Farrow, of "a sarcophagus of pure silver, guards for fingers and toes, or masks of pure gold, and jewelry, coming from the royal tombs that were found in this city in 1939 and 1940."

Ramallah - "Jerusalem" dot com - The Palestine Real Estate Exhibition 2022 kicked off today, Monday, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Dr. Muhammad Shtayyeh, with the participation of 35 companies, 5 banks and 5 sponsors. The exhibition will be held for three days under the auspices of President Mahmoud Abbas, at the Millennium Hotel in Ramallah.

The organization of the exhibition came as an initiative of the Real Estate Developers Union, a strategic partnership with Al-Nabali and Al-Faris Real Estate Company, strategic sponsorship from the Palestine Islamic Bank, gold from Jericho Gate Company, the Royal Group, and Thabet Real Estate Company, and implementation from the “Eventive Public Relations” and “U. TC Investment and Real Estate”, while the inauguration was in the presence of the Governor of Ramallah and Al-Bireh, Dr. Laila Ghannam, the head of the Real Estate Developers Union, Alaa Abu Ein, developers and workers in this sector, businessmen and representatives of banks, and a crowd of citizens.

During his speech at the opening of the exhibition, Prime Minister Dr. Muhammad Shtayyeh said: "The land in Palestine is not only real estate, but rather real estate, identity, and a field of struggle with the occupation. It is also the geographical base for production, and the political base for our Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital."

Shtayyeh added: "The issue of development, construction and real estate development for us is very important, in order to enhance people's steadfastness on their land. In addition to that, this sector occupies 13% of the labor force in the Palestinian territories, with 94 thousand people working in the construction and construction sector, and this is a large number." There is nothing wrong with it, and it is considered one of the most important employment sectors in Palestine.”

And the Prime Minister continued: "Jerusalem needs more than anthem and singing, and if there is a sector that needs to be strengthened and developed in Jerusalem, it is the housing sector, because the restrictions on our people in Jerusalem are in order to push them outside the city limits, and therefore I wish the workers in this sector to They devote part of their investments in the city of Jerusalem, and are ready to facilitate what we can.

And Shtayyeh added: "I wish those in charge of this sector to direct work in the countryside, and if there is a message in the construction and real estate sector, it is to strengthen people on their land everywhere, mainly in rural areas that need to strengthen the steadfastness of its people, and that there is interest in workers and insurance." On their lives, in addition to that, the issue of complaints that come from apartment owners must be addressed.

And the Prime Minister went on: "In the Gaza Strip, we need 50,000 housing units, and in the West Bank, we need no less than 10,000 housing units annually. Thanks to the banks for providing financing for this important sector.

And Shtayyeh added: "I say to the mayors, whether it is in Ramallah, Al-Bireh, Betunia and all Palestinian municipalities, we must work with workers in this sector in order to reduce the cost of construction and housing. The square meter in Palestine is high and we need creative and technological solutions in order to reduce the cost, and we We know that the issue is supply and demand, and there is high supply and high demand, but supply does not intersect with demand because of the price. Therefore, workers in this sector must study well how to meet supply and demand in order to provide people with housing that is said to be affordable.

The Prime Minister said: "Investment in this sector is safe, the price of the land does not fall, but rather rises or stabilizes, and the risk in it is negligible in the true sense, and it is an important source of income, and every one of the attendees is a success story, and I hope that we will keep moving forward gradually."

Shtayyeh added: "We, as a government, have opened state lands for investment, and the spirit of partnership between you and us is not in terms of profit sharing. We provide you with state land and endowments to invest in in order to preserve it, and in the coming days we will announce the opening of investment in Jabal Qurantal, which is a land with an area of 8 thousand acres, you as developers are required to come up with ideas and I invite you to cooperate to promote large projects, and we are ready to provide all the elements of success, whether by laws or whether by opening lands for investment.

For her part, the Governor of Ramallah and Al-Bireh, Dr. Laila Ghannam, on the vital role of the private sector in advancing development in Palestine, considering that the exhibition is an opportunity to highlight the excellence of companies working in the field of real estate development.

For his part, Abu Ein stressed the importance of the exhibition in terms of highlighting the vital role played by real estate developers, whether on the economic or national level, through investing in the real estate sector, and providing housing and facilities, in a way that enhances the resilience of citizens.

Abu Ein referred to the participation of about 45 companies in the activities of the exhibition, explaining that among the participants were 35 real estate companies and five banks: the Arab Bank, the Bank of Palestine, the Cairo Amman Bank, the Palestinian Islamic Bank, and the Arab Islamic Bank.

Abu Ein noted that the banks' participation came as a result of their contribution to supporting the real estate sector and providing facilities for it. Relationship to the development of a law for real estate development, investment in and development of government properties.

Vienna - (AFP) - The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday expressed his hope to maintain a scheduled visit to Iran to try to resolve a sensitive file, after Iranian statements raised doubts about it.

Last week, Rafael Grossi reported on a meeting to be held "by the end of November" to address the issue of three facilities in which traces of uranium were discovered, despite Iran's non-declaration of nuclear activities there.

And the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, announced on Wednesday that the visit "is not currently on the agenda," according to the official IRNA news agency.

When asked about the matter, Grossi said that Iran had not informed him of the cancellation of the meeting.

He commented during a press conference on the first day of the quarterly session of the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna, "We hope that this technical meeting will take place. There are doubts, and I hope that (the Iranians) will clarify them."

"The situation will worsen if even a simple technical meeting cannot be held, but I do not want to speculate," the UN official added, calling for the resumption of dialogue "as soon as possible."

Islami later told IRNA that during a meeting last week between Iranian officials and the International Atomic Energy Agency, "it was decided that a delegation from the agency would go to Iran."

But he questioned the "usefulness" of the visit if the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors approved a draft resolution proposed by the United States and three European countries on Tuesday. In this context, the Iranian official said, "It is not clear whether the IAEA's visit to Iran will lead to results and be beneficial."

In the face of the lack of progress on this file that has been pending for months, the United States and the three European countries that are party to the Iranian nuclear agreement (the United Kingdom, France and Germany) submitted a draft resolution to the IAEA condemning Tehran for its lack of cooperation with the UN body, according to diplomatic sources.

An Islamist said that the four countries "drafted a draft resolution and brought documents that they realize are incorrect, and this is rejected by the Islamic Republic," according to what was quoted by the official IRNA news agency.

The Iranian official considered that "the adoption of the policy of maximum pressure and the promotion of accusations by the forces of arrogance (referring to the United States and its allies) and the Zionists, is the nature of those who are addicted to sanctions and addicted to this policy."

According to the draft resolution seen by Agence France-Presse, the Board of Governors "expresses deep concern" about this problem, which remains unresolved "because of the insufficient cooperation of Iran."

The text adds that the council "considers it necessary and urgent" for Tehran to provide without delay "technically credible explanations" about the presence of traces of uranium, as well as to ensure "access to sites and equipment" for "sample collection".

And the head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, added, "We have responded to all allegations (...) of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and if their intentions (Western countries) were good and willing to continue negotiations, they would not have submitted a draft resolution" against Iran.

This issue has been a major point of divergence in talks to revive the 2015 agreement on Iran's nuclear program, which have stalled since early September.

The 2015 agreement made it possible to lift sanctions on Tehran in return for reducing its nuclear activities and ensuring the peacefulness of its program. However, the United States withdrew from it in 2018, re-imposing sanctions on Iran, which responded by gradually retracting most of its commitments.

Kiev (AFP) - Ukraine revealed Wednesday that its embassies abroad had recently received 31 threats or suspicious packages with the return address of a Tesla electric car dealership in Germany.

Ukraine's embassy in Madrid said late last month that a security guard was slightly injured after opening a booby-trapped parcel intended for the embassy, after which Ukraine reported more similar incidents.

"We have a total of 31 cases in 15 countries," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said, noting that Ukraine's embassies in Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Denmark are among the diplomatic offices that have received suspicious packages.
"All packages have the same sender address: a Tesla car dealership in Sindelfingen, Germany. They were sent from post offices that are not equipped with video surveillance systems," he added.
Kuleba confirmed that Ukrainian embassies and consulates had been "working under strict security measures" for a week, including explosives and forensic experts.
"The criminals were also keen to follow procedures not to leave traces of their DNA on the parcels," he said, adding that he is in contact with his counterparts in countries where Ukrainian embassies have been subjected to threats.
Earlier this month, Ukrainian diplomatic missions in European Union countries received parcels containing animal eyes, which Kiev described Friday as a "well-planned campaign of intimidation".

AMMAN - (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF ) mission reached (Tuesday) an expert-level agreement with the Jordanian government on the fifth review of the government's economic reform program supported by the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) agreement.

And Jordanian Finance Minister Muhammad Al-Ississ said, in a press conference with the head of the IMF mission, Ali Abbas, and the governor of the Central Bank of Jordan, Adel Sharkas, that the program signed with the International Monetary Fund is a national program par excellence based on national goals set by the government to raise the competitiveness of the economy to provide jobs and raise the level of economic growth. Transparency and improved financial accountability.

He added that the program seeks to strengthen the social protection network and maintain financial and monetary stability, something that many countries have lost in light of the difficult economic conditions the world is going through, including recession accompanied by inflation during the Corona pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.

Al-Ississ confirmed that the government is still up to its commitment and concluded from this review that it will not raise taxes or fees or impose new fees and taxes.

In turn, the Governor of the Central Bank of Jordan said that Jordan's success in completing the review on time for the fifth time represents a clear message confirming the soundness of the economic approach and the stability of the macroeconomic, financial and monetary environment, and that Jordan is "taking steady steps towards economic reform."

He explained that the program aims to support the competitiveness of the Jordanian economy and its ability to attract investments, along with strengthening the social safety net.

In turn, the head of the IMF mission, Ali Abbas, said that during the past two weeks, the Fund's teams worked with government agencies, civil society institutions and the private sector to review the Jordanian macroeconomy.

He added that the prudent fiscal and monetary policies helped maintain macroeconomic stability and continued access to international markets despite the turbulent global economic conditions.

Abbas expected the Jordanian government to reduce the level of the primary deficit (excluding grants) by 0.7 percent of GDP, to reach 3.7 percent in 2022, and the costs incurred by fuel and food subsidies that exceeded expectations will be compensated by rationalizing spending on items that do not represent priority and power. Revenue collection that greatly exceeded expectations.

Abbas said that the Jordanian government confirmed its strong commitment to the rules of financial prudence to reduce public debt to 80% until 2027.

Jordan's public debt balance rose during the first half of this year to 29.16 billion dinars ($41 billion), compared to 28.7 billion dinars at the end of 2021, according to statistics from the Jordanian Ministry of Finance.

The statistics showed that Jordan's internal debt at the end of the first half amounted to 13.89 billion dinars, and the external debt amounted to 15.26 billion dinars.

Thus, the public debt ratio reaches 88.4 percent of the Kingdom's GDP.

BEIJING, (Xinhua) -- Results of data released by the China Asset Management Association showed that the assets under management of IPO funds in China reached 27.29 trillion yuan (about 3.84 trillion US dollars) by the end of last August.

The figure was 231.9 billion yuan higher than the end of July, according to the association, an industry body overseen by China's securities regulator.

By the end of August, a total of 10,262 IPO funds had been operated by 140 fund management companies, said the association.

The data showed that the volume of closed funds reached nearly 3.25 trillion yuan, while the volume of open funds amounted to about 24.04 trillion yuan.

The association said that among the 140 fund management companies, 45 are foreign-funded and 95 are local.

Miami - (AFP) - An 85-year-old woman was attacked by an alligator in Florida while she was walking her dog on the bank of a lake in a retirement home, US media reported.

A neighbor in the Fort Pierce region of the state located on the southeastern coast of the United States recounted that she saw the victim who came to the rescue of her dog after he was attacked by the two of the three-meter animal, before she was swept away in turn by the water.

The neighbor, who was known only by her first name, Carol, told the local WBBF channel, "I remember that she was trying to get back to the surface of the water and breathe air. And I told her: 'Swim to the treadmill.' She told me: 'I can't, the crocodile is holding me.'"

Carol, 77, notified relief teams and tried to save her friend with a stick, but the victim had "missed the scene".

The Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission reported to local media that the woman died of her injuries, while her dog survived the accident.

The crocodile was caught after it was spotted, especially by a helicopter belonging to the local police chief's office. The animal weighs about 300 kilograms, according to employees of a company specializing in catching crocodiles, in statements reported by the "WBBF" channel.

Alligators are so common in Florida that they sometimes even traverse the streets or take advantage of the sunny weather to move around on the grass on the golf courses.

But according to the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission, the chance of a Florida person being injured by an alligator attack is only 1 in 3.1 million. In addition, crocodile attacks killed 26 people in the state between 1948 and 2021, according to the latest figures available in this field.

According to Carroll, the unidentified victim was a "shy and sweet" widow.

LOS ANGELES - (Xinhua) -- NASA has decided to extend the science mission of its "Insight" space probe on Mars and operate its seismograph for a longer period than previously planned, according to a statement from the agency.

As the power available to InSight dwindled, the mission team adjusted the mission schedule in order to maximize the amount of operational research they could do.

NASA said Tuesday that the probe is expected to automatically shut down the seismometer -- InSight's last operational science instrument -- by the end of June in order to conserve energy, surviving on power that its solar panels can generate until about December.

And NASA indicated that the team now intends to program the probe so that the seismometer can work for a longer period, perhaps until the end of August or even early September.

NASA stated that Insight is now on an extended mission after achieving its science goals. The probe has detected more than 1,300 earthquakes since it landed on Mars in 2018, providing information that allowed scientists to measure the depth and composition of the Martian crust, mantle and core.

NASA said InSight, with its other instruments, recorded invaluable weather data, examined the soil under the rover, and studied remnants of Mars' ancient magnetic field.

Jerusalem - "Al Quds" dot com - The national and Islamic forces, the youth movement, the people, clans and residents of the Shuafat camp and Anata town, in occupied Jerusalem, called for a comprehensive strike and a declaration of civil disobedience next Sunday.

A joint statement said that this step comes in response to the crimes of the frenzied occupation government against the Palestinian people in Jerusalem and all areas, especially the criminal and retaliatory measures of abuse, torture, humiliation and daily oppression at the Shuafat camp checkpoint.

And she indicated that the steps will start by calling on workers not to go to their places of work inside the occupied interior, and calling on citizens to boycott the occupation and not to deal with it in various ways (official transactions, paying bills, fees and taxes, the occupation municipality), and closing the road leading to the Shuafat camp checkpoint and not allowing anyone Passing through it, closing the entrance to the town of Anata on Sunday morning at 4:30 am, and not allowing workers to go to their workplaces inside the occupied interior.

It called on the masses to show solidarity with us and support their struggle to end the injustice and oppression that the people of the region suffer from at the oppressive and racist occupation barriers.

Written by: Rasem Obeidat
What happened in the press conference that President Abbas held with German Chancellor Schultz on 8/16/2022, in which he answered a question from a journalist about the Munich operation carried out by the Palestinian group “Black September” in the summer of 1972, in which 11 Israeli athletes were killed. The government of Germany and the state of the entity are responsible for it. Will the Palestinian Authority apologize for that operation? The response came from President Abbas, that there are 50 collective crimes committed against our Palestinian people, in addition to the individual crimes that continue and do not stop. From scratch and inside his home.... President Abbas did not finish his press conference, until the leaders of the entity state, in addition to the Western colonial countries, attacked him, including the German Chancellor himself Schultz, who refused to classify the entity state, which is now suffocating with its racism, as an "apartheid" state "Apartheid ... in addition to the United States of America."

A fierce campaign was launched against President Abbas, including incitement, censure, defamation, cursing, and contempt, by saying that what he said was a lie, disgusting talk, and an immoral act that history will not forgive him. At the hands of the Palestinian organizations, while Gantz, the Minister of the Occupation Army, who was defending his meetings with President Abbas, who was subjected to a campaign of harsh criticism from many members of the entity’s government, said that the security coordination succeeded in saving the lives of many soldiers and settlers of the entity’s state.

President Abbas, who issued a statement clarifying his position on the issue of the Holocaust, that he and our people do not deny the Holocaust against the Jews and consider it a heinous crime in modern history, but on the other hand there are crimes that the Zionist occupation carried out and is still carrying out against our people. Perhaps the Goldstone report after the aggressive war launched on the Gaza Strip in In 2008-2009, he clearly indicated that the occupation army committed war crimes in its aggression against the Gaza Strip, as well as in the battle of "Saif al-Quds" in May / 2021, the entity state killed 69 Palestinian children, whose pictures were published in major international newspapers, even in the newspaper "Haaretz". Likewise, in the last aggressive war on the Gaza Strip in August 2022, Israel killed 16 Palestinian children, and then continued its crimes against our Palestinian people, by killing three Palestinian resistance fighters in the old town of Nablus and a fourth boy in Hebron, and matters reached their climax after the operation The Mughrabi Gate, by executing the young man, Muhammad Shahham, inside his home from scratch... And last Thursday, 8/18/2022, an Israeli force killed the young Wassim Khalifa from Nablus, not to mention dozens of individual and collective crimes, from Deir Yassin, Kafr Qassem, Al-Tantura, Al-Samou’, and Al-Dawayima to crimes The execution of the two journalists, Sherine Abu Aqleh, Ghfran and Rasneh, the young Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, and the boy with special needs Iyad al-Hallaq..etc.

President Abbas has been insulted by the "sacred cow" that should not be attacked, either by deed, or by word, or by condemnation or denunciation, in connection with the crimes it commits against our Palestinian people and the state terrorism it practices. Didn’t the former extremist American representative, Nick Haley, say that the era of reprimanding and condemning the entity’s state in the United Nations is over forever? Didn’t the former chief of staff of the entity’s army, Rafael Eitan, describe our Palestinian people as “narcotic cockroaches in a bottle?” Didn’t Begin say, the former prime minister of the entity, that Our Palestinian people are human animals, walking on four legs.

Are these statements not the height of racism and extremism? We realize that the values of humanity, the principles of justice and democracy, the right of peoples to self-determination, respect for the resolutions of international legitimacy, its laws, agreements and decisions, have fallen from the gate of Ukraine. Seven days after the forced Russian military operation in Ukraine, America, along with the colonial West countries, rose to say that what Russia is doing is a violation. Ukraine's sovereignty, transgressing human rights and democracy, committing war crimes, and violating international legitimacy... while seventy-four years of occupation of the land of the Palestinian people, the expulsion and displacement of more than half of them, and the practice of all forms of ethnic cleansing and apartheid against them, are not war crimes, a violation, an infringement, and a breach of international legitimacy And her decisions..?? It is selectivity and abhorrent duplication in applying the laws and decisions of international legitimacy, in a manner that serves the interests and objectives of the colonial powers.

The statements made by President Abbas are an expression of the position of all Palestinians, which must be adopted and supported by all the Palestinian political, institutional and popular components and components. Abbas, and indicating that the leaders of the entity state, what they want, is only to continue managing the conflict, and improving the conditions for their occupation of our people, “economy in exchange for security” and what is known as “reducing the conflict” without granting it any national and political rights, ending the occupation, and enabling it to establish A Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967 with Jerusalem as its capital, with a guarantee of the right of return for Palestinian refugees in accordance with international legitimacy, and agrees with the leaders of the entity state America and the colonial West countries, especially Britain, France and Germany in this vision and those positions, despite the hollow and worn-out statements about what is known as the two-state solution , which did not leave it the continuous and increasing settlement any chance of implementation on the ground.

Hence, what happened in Berlin and the fierce incitement attack against President Abu Mazen against the background of his failure to apologize for the Munich process, and the talk about the crimes of the entity state against our people, must be a turning point towards transferring the decisions of the Central Council and the previous decisions of the National Council and the Executive Committee from above. The table turned to the practical application of it, by announcing the exit from the Oslo process and the dissolution of all its security, political and economic obligations (stopping security coordination, withdrawing mutual recognition, and stopping work with the Paris Economic Agreement), and initiating comprehensive legislative and presidential elections and for the National Council, in a way that unites the struggle tool and the true partnership In leadership and decision-making and through a unified strategy and vision based on an agreed-upon political program and a national project whose features and addresses are defined clearly and accurately based on steadfastness and resistance.

Jerusalem - "Jerusalem" dot com - Ahmad Jalajel - Jerusalem Governorate reported, on Tuesday, that the number of Palestinian detainees in the governorate has reached 400 since the beginning of the year.

Marouf al-Rifai, the media advisor to the Jerusalem governorate, said in press statements that this is a dangerous escalation compared to the number of detainees in the same period of 2022.

And Al-Rifai indicated that the occupation forces expanded their arrest campaigns against activists and young men in Jerusalem, following the civil disobedience that took place in several areas of Jerusalem governorate two days ago.

He pointed to the escalation of mass arrests carried out by the occupation security forces, especially with the advent of the holy month of Ramadan, and the Jewish Passover holiday coinciding with the third week of it, as they carry out precautionary arrests before this date every year.

Al-Rifai considered that the escalation of arrests against Jerusalemite youths is a continuation of the systematic policy pursued by successive occupation governments to pressure the youths of the Holy City to empty it of its original inhabitants, in a desperate attempt to Judaize it and replace them with settlers.

Brussels - (AFP) - The European Union imposed new trade restrictions on Russia and expanded the list of people targeted by asset freezes and travel bans to the European Union, as part of an eighth package of sanctions against Moscow that took effect Thursday.

These new measures, which were published in the Official Journal of the European Union, are "a response to Russia's escalation in the illegal war that it continues to wage against Ukraine and is manifested in particular by annexing Ukrainian lands after + fake referendums + mobilizing additional forces and threatening to use nuclear weapons," she said. European Commission.

The sanctions also pave the way for the introduction of a cap on Russian oil prices agreed by the Group of Seven, and for a ban on European citizens from taking positions on the management bodies of some Russian state-owned companies.

The eighth batch of European sanctions since the start of the war launched by Moscow on Ukraine on February 24, imposes a new import ban worth seven billion euros to reduce Russia's revenues.

In particular, they include a ban on imports of iron and steel products, machinery and hardware, plastics, vehicles, textiles, shoes, leather, ceramics, some chemicals, and non-gold jewelry.

The new export restrictions aim to limit Russia's ability to develop its defense and security sector. It relates in particular to “the ban on the export of coal, including coke (used in Russian industrial sites), certain electronic components (found in Russian weapons), technical materials used in the aviation sector, as well as some chemical products,” as stated by the European Commission.

A ban on the export of small-caliber weapons is also planned.

In addition, thirty individuals and seven entities have been added to a blacklist of more than 1,300 names subject to an asset freeze and travel ban to the European Union.

The persons and entities added to the list are "involved in the Russian occupation, illegal annexation and + bogus referenda + in the occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions".

Among them are military personnel and senior officials, as well as companies supporting the Russian armed forces.

Bans on crypto assets have been tightened, expanding the range of services that can no longer be provided to the Russian government.
He said that the ban imposed by the European Union on imports of Russian crude oil by sea is still in place.

The commission said that "setting price ceilings, once implemented, will allow European operators to transfer Russian oil to third countries, provided that the latter's price remains below the previously set ceiling."

And she explained that the procedure, in coordination with the G7 partners, “will become effective after December 5, 2022 for crude oil and February 5, 2023 for refined petroleum products, after a new decision of the Council” (member states).

Rabat/Jerusalem - "Jerusalem" dot com - The Secretary-General of the People's National Congress for Jerusalem, Major General Bilal Natsheh , signed yesterday a joint cooperation and coordination agreement between the Congress and Bait Mal Al-Quds Agency in Rabat, where he is on an official visit at the head of a high-level delegation.

In addition to Major General Natsheh, the agreement was signed on behalf of the agency by its Acting Director General, Dr. Muhammad Salem Al-Sharqawi, as it includes various sectoral programs in Jerusalem, specifically helping some Jerusalemite students studying in local universities.

It also includes holding joint events and special seminars in Jerusalem and other Palestinian governorates, in parallel with Moroccan cities.

After the signing of the agreement, which was the culmination of the strong relations between the conference and the Bayt Al-Mal Agency, the conference delegation witnessed the celebration of "Rabat, Capital of Islamic Culture", which is being held with the support of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization "ISESCO", in addition to the opening of the "Rabat" photo exhibition in Jerusalem. Which expresses the extent of the Kingdom of Morocco's support for the Holy City and its interest in strengthening steadfastness and bond in the city, which has been subjected to the fiercest occupation attack on it since its occupation to this day.

The family of the late Dr. Hanna Issa, the former Secretary-General of the Islamic Christian Organization for the Support of Al-Quds, was honored, as the honorary shield was received by the current Secretary-General, Hatem Abdel Qader, in the presence of the late’s wife in Ramallah, via “Zoom” visual technology.

During these activities, several speeches were delivered by Al-Natsheh, Al-Shobaki, Al-Sharqawi and others, all of which called for strengthening the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on the ground, especially in the city of Jerusalem , which is undergoing an unprecedented process of Judaization.

The events were attended by a large number of intellectuals, writers, politicians and activists, led by the Moroccan Ministry of Culture, the Mayor of Rabat, the diplomatic corps in Rabat, the Director General of ISESCO, Ambassador Al-Shobaki, the Beit Mal Al-Quds Agency, and the head of the Palestinian-Moroccan Struggle Support Association, the fighter Muhammad Bin Jelloun Al-Andalusi.

The delegation of the People's National Congress to Jerusalem, headed by Major General Natsheh and with the membership of Secretary Hatem Abdel Qader and the representative of the conference, Younis Al-Amouri, held a series of fruitful meetings in the Moroccan capital on the first day of the visit, which began on Monday. The embassy headquarters in the Moroccan capital.

During the meeting, they discussed the situation in Jerusalem and the latest developments in the Palestinian cause.

The delegation also held a session of talks with Beit Mal Al-Quds Agency, which the visit came at its invitation.

Dr. Muhammad Salem Al-Sharqawi, Acting Director General of the Agency, participated in the session with the delegation. The delegation also held a similar session with the First Chamber of the Moroccan Parliament, represented by Representative Khadija Al-Zoumi, First Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He also met with the second chamber in Parliament, the Council of Advisors, represented by the first deputy of the Council, Muhammad Hanin, and they were briefed on the ongoing Israeli violations in the Holy City, while Major General Natsheh sent an official invitation to them to visit Jerusalem in honor of the conference to see closely the course of the conditions and events that took place. the occupied city.

The delegation also visited the tomb of the founding king of the Moroccan state, the late King Mohammed V, and recited Al-Fatihah on his pure soul, while Major General Al-Natshe wrote a word in the record of honor at the place of the shrine.

BEIJING - (Xinhua) -- China's central bank continued to inject money into the financial system through open market operations on Monday.

The People's Bank of China said on its website that it had conducted a seven-day reverse buyback of 46 billion yuan (about 6.7 billion U.S. dollars) at an interest rate of 2 percent.

The move aims to maintain reasonable and ample liquidity in the banking system, according to the central bank.

Reverse repo operations, known as a "reverse repo", are operations in which the central bank buys securities from commercial banks through bidding, with the agreement to sell them back to them in the future.

Jerusalem - "Al-Quds" dot com - Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency said that the volume of development subsidies it provided between 2000 and 2022 to various sectors of the Holy City amounted to about $64 million.

The agency added, during a press conference held today, Wednesday, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of its founding, that the Kingdom of Morocco contributed $16.7 million of the total contributions made by countries.

A report reviewed by the director in charge of running the agency, Mohamed Salem Al-Sharqawi, confirmed that the social assistance sector, culture, youth and sports received about 60% of the agency's expenditures, in implementation of the instructions of the Moroccan monarch, Chairman of the Jerusalem Committee King Mohammed VI, which requires that the agency give special attention to this sector.

He pointed out that the decent living program, which targets poor families in Jerusalem, distributes 29,000 loaves of bread daily to about 2,900 families, and creates economic support for 20 bakeries.

The report indicated that (the Jerusalem Orphan Sponsorship Program) sponsors 100 orphans and orphans from the children of Jerusalem, adding that 650 boys and girls benefited from the summer camps program for Jerusalem children in Morocco, in addition to the beneficiaries of the "summer camps for Jerusalem children in Jerusalem" program, which is funded by the Agency in partnership with Jerusalemite associations and in cooperation with the Directorate of Education in Jerusalem.

He stated that the (Civil Initiatives Project for a Sustainable Program for Human Development in Jerusalem) is interested in financing association projects in the fields of professions, training, women's empowerment, income generation, capacity support, and community inclusion.

He pointed out that the agency has a number of other social projects such as restoring and rehabilitating sports clubs and cultural centers and equipping them, distributing food parcels during the holy month of Ramadan and religious occasions, supporting and financing the individual and group lending program for building and restoring homes and housing, rehabilitating the homes of the poor and marginalized, and restoring mosques and the Moroccan corner.

The report stated that the Agency has completed several projects in the education sector, which accounted for about 20% of its budget, including: building 4 new schools, repairing and restoring 10 others, and the scholarship program for Jerusalemite students provides annual scholarships in the field of higher education for outstanding Jerusalemite students. And those in need to continue their studies in Palestinian, Moroccan and other universities, by 2000 dollars for literary majors, and 3 thousand dollars for medicine and engineering majors.

He said that the agency supported Jerusalem hospitals by purchasing ambulances, devices and equipment to help them perform their tasks, in addition to rehabilitating and restoring some of them, and establishing medical units and departments in hospitals in various specialties, indicating that during the period of the "Corona" pandemic, it provided hospitals with the necessary supplies to help them deal with the pandemic. .

It is noteworthy that the Bait Mal Al-Quds Agency is a social humanitarian institution, established on the initiative of the late Hassan II in 1995, and began its actual work during the year 1998, and works under the direct supervision of the Chairman of the Jerusalem Committee, the Moroccan King Mohammed VI, to implement social projects in Jerusalem to contribute In protecting the Holy City, preserving its religious and cultural heritage and supporting its residents.

Its projects are divided into sectors: education, health, housing, culture, sports, women's empowerment, youth and childhood care, as well as social assistance programs for people in difficult situations and groups with disabilities.

Jerusalem - "Al-Quds" dot com - The head of the Supreme Islamic Commission in Jerusalem, the preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Dr. Ikrima Sabri , stressed the importance of the Arab and Islamic countries' support for the Bayt Mal Al-Quds agency because it is the practical project to support the Jerusalemites, indicating that interest in Jerusalem is an interest in part of The creed of every Muslim in this holy city.

The preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque, in press statements on the sidelines of his participation in the celebration of the silver jubilee of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Sharif Agency in the capital, Rabat, praised the Kingdom of Morocco’s sponsorship of the agency since its establishment a quarter of a century ago, which enabled it to stand by the Jerusalemites and support their steadfastness, calling for its support to continue its efforts and perform its tasks.

Sabri said, "Moroccan care for Al-Quds Al-Sharif is clear, and it is not strange for the Kingdom of Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, to sponsor Al-Quds, which has great imprints in this city. adjacent to the wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Al-Buraq Wall.

Al-Aqsa preacher explained that part of the Jerusalemites of Moroccan origin came with Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi and settled in it.

Sabri pointed out that the Moroccans have a close connection with Al-Quds Al-Sharif and its people from a spiritual and devotional perspective, and in terms of preserving the Arab-Islamic identity of the Holy City as well as a great affinity with the Jerusalemites, adding that the city of Jerusalem represents a miniature nation of multiple peoples melted into one crucible, which is Jerusalem. Which unites and does not separate, and it is the subject of unanimity among Arabs and Muslims, and it is a blessed land.

Rabat- “Jerusalem” dot com – Specialist doctors from Jerusalem, who are currently visiting the Kingdom of Morocco at the invitation of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Sharif Agency during a medical workshop in front of their Moroccan counterparts, talked about their experiences in dealing with cases resulting from the unfortunate events that the city witnesses from time to time, and falls The innocent Jerusalemites were killed by live bullets, rubber bullets, suffocation from tear gas, and then by the waste water used by the occupation forces.

They emphasized that these interventions are sometimes hampered by the difficulty of ambulances reaching places where tension usually prevails within the walls of the Old City in particular and the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, due to obstructions and prohibitions, which makes it difficult for rescue teams to perform tasks, in addition to the difficulty of dealing with a number of difficult cases in field hospitals. , which are being evaluated by the Palestine Red Crescent crews, and are forced to transfer them, as quickly as possible, to the emergency and emergency departments at Al-Makassed Hospital.

The workshop was organized by the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Sharif Agency, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, in the Moroccan capital, Rabat. It focused on emergencies in the Moroccan and Palestinian experience.

Dr. Adnan Farhoud, Director of Al-Makassed Hospital, Dr. Maher Dib, Medical Director of St. Joseph Hospital, Dr. Hani Abdeen, Medical Director of Al-Mutala Hospital, Dr. Mahmoud Elyan, Director of the Red Crescent Hospital in Jerusalem, and Dr. Mazen Abu Gharbia, Head of Department, participated in the workshop on the Palestinian side. Ambulances at Al-Makassed Hospital, and Dr. Haitham Al-Amleh, Head of the Treatment Department at Al-Mutala Hospital.

The workshop began with a speech delivered by the Secretary-General of the Moroccan Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Abd al-Karim Meziane Belfakih, on behalf of the Minister of Health, Khaled Ait Talib, welcoming the delegation of Jerusalem hospitals and the Palestinian medical and nursing cadres, and appreciating this initiative that opens horizons for the exchange of expertise and experiences between specialists from the two countries, Whether through official channels of communication between ministries, or through the efforts made by the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Sharif Agency, under the instructions of Moroccan King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee.

During the workshop, which was hosted by the National School of Public Health, Dr. Ilham Bachis, Head of the Emergency Department at the Directorate of Hospitals and Ambulatory Treatments at the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, gave a presentation on the control and regulation of the management of the emergency system in Morocco, inside and outside hospitals and health centers.

Examples of the experience of the Moroccan health sector in dealing with emergencies, disasters and health emergencies were presented.

KALAT, Afghanistan - (Xinhua) - A total of 300 people, mostly children, have been infected with whooping cough or pertussis in southern Afghanistan's Zabul province, and two children have died of the disease, Provincial Public Health Director Abdul Hakim Hakimi said on Tuesday.

In his statements to Xinhua, Hakimi said, "The disease, which is spreading in the Souri district of the state, has infected no less than 300 people, most of them children, while two children lost their lives during the past week."

He also confirmed that an emergency team of health officials has been sent to the region to treat those infected with the disease.
Meanwhile, the state's public health office has asked citizens not to leave their homes for several days to avoid the spread of the highly contagious disease.

It is noteworthy that whooping cough is a highly contagious disease that affects the respiratory system, and it is known as a violent, uncontrollable cough, and it usually makes breathing difficult.

Governorates - "Al-Quds" dot com - The general strike took place, Thursday morning, in the various governorates of the country , mourning the souls of the martyrs of the Nablus massacre that took place yesterday and left 11 martyrs and more than 100 wounded.

Institutions, schools and shops closed their doors, while public transport was disrupted in most governorates.

The national and Islamic forces called for a comprehensive strike in all parts of the governorates, and to go to points of contact for confrontation with the occupation forces.

Beirut - (AFP) - European investigators, Tuesday, in Beirut, heard two new witnesses, one of whom is the chairman of a bank, for eight hours in the context of investigations related to the governor of the Central Bank, Riad Salameh, according to a Lebanese judicial source told Agence France-Presse.

On Monday, investigators from France, Germany and Luxembourg began their mission in Beirut by listening to witnesses in investigations related to money laundering and embezzlement cases in Lebanon linked to Salameh.

The judicial source, who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media, said that the European investigators listened for more than eight hours to each of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Resources Bank, former Minister Marwan Khair El-Din, and the former deputy governor of the Central Bank, Ahmed Jishi.

Khair El-Din, who assumed the position of Minister of State in 2011, had a good relationship with Riad Salameh.
Jishi held the position of Deputy Governor of the Banque du Liban between 2003 and 2008.

"As far as I know, he has not received any summons," Pierre-Olivier Sur, Salameh's French lawyer, told AFP.

Two Lebanese judges, who attended both hearings, asked the two witnesses questions.

On Monday, the investigators heard from Saad Al-Andari, who is also Salameh's former deputy.

The judicial source, who is familiar with the content of the sessions, stated that the questions directed to Salameh’s deputies focus on decisions taken by the Central Council of the Banque du Liban, while “the questions directed to managers and owners of banks focus on accounts in them belonging to Raja Salameh, the brother of the Governor of the Banque du Liban, and transfers to the accounts of the two brothers in the outside".

He pointed out that "the delegations focused their questions on the role of Fore Associates," which is registered in the Virgin Islands and has an office in Beirut, and its economic beneficiary is Raja Salameh.

The European investigations focus on the relationship between the Banque du Liban and the “Fawry” company, which is believed to have played the role of intermediary to purchase treasury bonds and Eurobonds from the Central Bank by receiving a subscription commission, which was transferred to Raja Salameh’s accounts abroad.

On March 28, 2022, the European Judicial Cooperation Unit "Eurojust" announced that France, Germany and Luxembourg had frozen 120 million euros of Lebanese assets following an investigation targeting Salameh and four of his close associates, including his brother, on charges of money laundering and "embezzlement of public funds in Lebanon worth more than From 330 million dollars and 5 million euros, respectively, between 2002 and 2021.

Since July 2021, the French financial judiciary has been investigating Salama's fortune, and in early December, a Ukrainian woman close to him was charged with charges, including money laundering and tax fraud.

It is scheduled that the former deputy governor of the Central Bank, Raed Sharaf El-Din, and the former director of parts, Noman Ndour, will appear before the European investigators on Wednesday.

According to intersecting judicial sources, Salama's name is not included in the list of people who will be heard at this stage.

Salama has always denied the accusations against him, considering that his prosecution comes in the context of an operation to "tarnish" his image.

Salama faces several issues in Lebanon, including a local investigation regarding his wealth based on a Swiss investigation, but it did not reach any results.

Despite the complaints, summons, investigations, and travel ban issued against him in Lebanon, Salameh remains in the position he has held since 1993, making him one of the longest-serving central bank governors in the world. His term is supposed to end in May 2023.

واشنطن – (أ ف ب) -ذكرت صحيفة “وول ستريت جورنال” أن تنحّي بيل غيتس نهائياً عن رئاسة مجموعة “مايكروسوفت” مرتبط بعلاقة اعتُبرت “غير لائقة” مع موظفة في الشركة تعود إلى مطلع العقد الأول من القرن الحادي والعشرين.
وكان مؤسس “مايكروسوفت” تنحى عن إدارة شركة المعلوماتية العملاقة في آذار/مارس 2020.
ونقلت الصحيفة الاقتصادية عن مصادر مطلعة على الملف قولها “قرر أعضاء مجلس إدارة مايكروسوفت العام 2020 أن على غيتس التنحي من المجلس فيما كانوا يجرون تحقيقاً عن علاقة أقامها الملياردير مع موظفة في مايكروسوفت اعتُبرت غير لائقة”.
ونسبت الصحيفة إلى ناطقة باسم بيل غيتس قولها إنها “علاقة تعود إلى 20 عاماً وانتهت بطريقة ودية. واضافت أن غيتس تنحى من “مايكروسوفت” من أجل التفرغ لعمله الخيري في “مؤسسة بيل وميليندا غيتس”، على ما ذُكِر سابقاً.
وكان الملياردير الأميركي بيل غيتس وزوجته ميليندا غيتس اللذان أقاما معاً هذه المؤسسة غيتس التي تكافح الفقر والأمراض قبل 20 عاماً، أعلنا في 3 ايار/مايو الفائت طلاقهما بعد زواج استمر 27 عاماً.
وأكد ناطق باسم “مايكروسوفت” لوكالة فرانس برس أن المجموعة أُبلِغَت في نهاية العام 2019 بأن “بيل غيتس سعى إلى إقامة علاقة حميمة مع إحدى الموظفات في الشركة العام 2000. ونظرت لجنة من مجلس الإدارة في المشكلة بمساعدة جهة خارجية هي مكتب محاماة، لإجراء تحقيق شامل”.
وأفادت هذه المهندسة في رسالة أنها ارتبطت بعلاقة ذات طبيعة جنسية مع بيل غيتس “لسنوات”، وفق ما أوردت “وول ستريت جورنال” التي اشارت إلى أن غيتس قدم استقالته قبل انتهاء هذا التحقيق.
كذلك كشفت صحيفة “وول ستريت جورنال” أن أعضاء مجلس الإدارة استفسروا أيضاً عن الروابط بين بيل غيتس ورجل الأعمال الراحل في مجال الخدمات المالية جيفري إبستين الذي كان ملاحقاً قضائياً بتهمة الاستغلال الجنسي لقاصرات. وأشارت الصحيفة اليومية إلى أن وكلاء الدفاع عن بيل غيتس أكدوا أن علاقته بإبستين “خيرية” وأنه “ندم عليها”.
وكان غيتس الذي أسس “مايكروسوفت” العام 1975 استقال من الإدارة العامة للمجموعة العام 2000 لكي يركّز على مؤسسته، ثم استقال من كل مهامه التنفيذية في “مايكروسوفت” العام 2008.

Zagreb (AFP) - At a time when inflation is soaring in Europe and geopolitical winds are not favorable for the bloc, Croatia is hoping its switch to the euro will bring some semblance of protection to the Balkan nation in a world of uncertainty.

On January 1, Croatia will deposit its currency, the kuna, becoming the twentieth member of the eurozone.

Croatia, which joined the European Union nearly a decade ago, recorded an annual inflation rate of nearly 13 percent in September, while it reached 10 percent in the eurozone.

And in the period before the transition to the single European currency, the authorities did not stop talking about the advantages of adopting the euro for the country with a population of 3.9 million people.

"The euro brings flexibility," Ana Sabic of the Croatian National Bank told AFP, arguing that Zagreb would be able, if necessary, to obtain better borrowing terms amid tough economic times.

Since July, the European Central Bank has embarked on a policy of monetary tightening as it tries to rein in accelerating inflation caused by high energy and food prices caused by Russia's war in Ukraine.

Analysts consider that eastern European countries in the European Union that hold currencies outside the eurozone, such as Poland and Hungary, were even more vulnerable to higher inflation.

"It's actually the perfect moment to switch to the euro," said Goran Saravania, chief economist at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce.

"When great uncertainty dominates the global economy, it is always better for a small and open economy like Croatia to be part of a larger union like the eurozone," he added.

Also, Croatia's main trading partners are in the eurozone, while the tourism sector, which accounts for 20 percent of the country's GDP, is energized by large numbers of European visitors.

Croats have also largely adopted the euro, with 80 percent of their bank deposits in euros.

They priced their most prized possessions such as cars and apartments in euros, demonstrating their distrust of the local currency that dates back to the former Yugoslavia, which was in the grip of hyperinflation before its dissolution.

During the Yugoslav era and after Croatia's independence in 1991, real estate was valued in Deutsche Marks until the advent of the euro two decades ago.

"Life will be easier. We calculate everything in euros anyway," said Roman, an economist from Zagreb who declined to give his full name.

For his part, Milan Bator, a retired pharmacist, rejected the concerns of people who fear that some traders will take advantage of the shift to the euro to spin the price numbers upwards.

"It's other reasons, like wars and material shortages, that drive prices up. We can't blame everything on the euro," Bator said.

But some are still concerned that they will suffer a financial blow as a result of the move.

"Maybe the timing wasn't ideal, maybe we could have postponed it a bit given the situation in the world," Zdravka Antonic, a flower seller in a Zagreb market, told AFP.

"People are already worried about how everything will end, and the euro only adds to the uncertainty," she added.

Since the beginning of September, flower bouquets, like other goods and services, have been priced in both currencies, with the conversion rate set by Brussels at 7.53 kuna per euro.

This system will remain in effect throughout the year 2023.

"A country that has its own currency is more independent. But when we joined the European Union, we accepted trading in euros as well," said vegetable seller Ana Bricic.

Right-wing and conservative opposition groups protested the adoption of the new currency, saying that the kuna was an important symbol of national identity, noting that the euro only benefits larger countries such as Germany and France.

But an attempt last year to organize a nationwide referendum to challenge the adoption of the euro failed.

Some Croats fear that once they adopt the euro, the stark reality of how poor they are compared to many citizens of the EU's neighbors will become even more apparent.

According to the latest Eurostat statistics published in 2018, the average monthly salary in Croatia was only 1,179 euros, compared to more than 2,300 euros in the European Union.

About 300,000 Croatian pensioners receive a monthly pension of barely 260 euros.

"It will create a feeling of poverty and misery," said Anna Knezewicz, director of the National Consumer Protection Association.

Gaza - "Jerusalem" dot com - Ahmed Al-Masharawi - Poverty, widespread unemployment and the interruption of job opportunities caused by the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip for more than 16 years are prompting Palestinian citizens to invent new and less expensive ways to follow the fun of the World Cup hosted by the Qatari capital, Doha, since November 20, as well as to watch their participating teams that they love, and the stars of the round witch from international and Arab teams.

Happiness in the midst of deprivation

Citizen Fadl Ibrahim al-Sakani, 43, sits with his four children in front of a small TV screen that he bought from the hardware department in the historic Firas market in central Gaza. He hardly catches broadcasts of the matches, but he feels overjoyed as he watches the results of successive matches. Fadl, who lives in a house not exceeding 60 meters in the poorer popular neighborhood of Al-Tuffah, which is covered with zinc, says: I am very happy despite the simplicity of the place around me. With the arrival of five o’clock, my children, nephews, and neighbors gather around me, watching the matches in an evening under the moonlight that extends until midnight, sipping. Tea cooked on the fire.

He points out that his happiness lies in the presence of his children around him, happy, far from the hustle and bustle, and without incurring any expenses that weigh on his daily earnings of about 25 shekels as a porter.

The World Cup is the joy of the poor

In another hall inside a house in Al-Shati refugee camp, the family of Amjad Al-Hissi, who works in fishing, and his relatives gather to watch the World Cup matches in front of the small screen, among his children, his wife, and his parents.

Amjad finished university studies at the Faculty of Economics, but he has not yet found an opportunity for employment, and he says: The World Cup is the joy of the poor who live the harshness of life, who find in their teams and stars a breather and a balm for their suffering.

He adds: We spend our days toiling in our difficult and exhausting work to earn a living for our children, but when we sit with them sipping cups of tea or eating simple entertainment, we can forget the fatigue and suffering that accompanied us throughout the day.

The ball makes them forget their troubles and draws their laughter

The journalist, Louay Ragab, says that these poor and disadvantaged people forget their followers when they watch the ball move between the feet of the players. In the slums of the camps and destitute towns emerged the stars of the round witch, and the heroes of puffed leather.

In conclusion, conveying the news of the rich and their pictures in front of the giant screens is a natural matter, but conveying the feelings and joy of the poor is the expected date, because they are the most admired, and the most wonderful expression, since they cannot follow the World Cup on the ground of the event, while they meet on simplicity, love and family warmth.

Translation by "Jerusalem" dot com - The Israeli army is pursuing two Palestinian youths, claiming that they attempted to carry out a shooting attack south of Jericho .

According to the Hebrew channel, Reshet Kan, a Palestinian carrying a weapon fired a bullet at a restaurant at the Almoj settlement junction, before his weapon stopped, and he managed to escape in a vehicle accompanied by another.

An Israeli military spokesman said that there were no injuries in the event and the perpetrators are being pursued.

بيروت- “القدس”دوت كوم- (شينخوا)- أعلن المحقق العدلي في قضية انفجار مرفأ بيروت، اليوم الجمعة، أنه حدد موعداً لاستجواب رئيس حكومة تصريف الأعمال حسان دياب، وطلب رفع الحصانة البرلمانية عن 3 أعضاء في البرلمان ووزراء سابقين، تمهيداً للادعاء عليهم وملاحقتهم.

وذكرت (الوكالة الوطنية للإعلام) الرسمية أن المحقق العدلي القاضي طارق بيطار، حدد موعداً لاستجواب دياب، كمدعى عليه في قضية انفجار المرفأ من دون الكشف عن الموعد.

كما وجه بيطار كتاباً إلى البرلمان بواسطة النيابة العامة التمييزية، طلب فيه رفع الحصانة عن كل من النائب علي حسن خليل وزير المال السابق والنائب غازي زعيتر وزير الأشغال السابق والنائب نهاد المشنوق وزير الداخلية السابق لاستجوابهم “تمهيدا للادعاء عليهم” بحسب الوكالة.

ووجه بيطار كتابين إلى نقابة محامي بيروت لإعطاء الإذن بملاحقة النائبين خليل وزعيتر كونهما محاميين، وإلى نقابة محامي طرابلس لإعطاء الإذن بملاحقة وزير الأشغال السابق المحامي يوسف فنيانوس.

وسيتم استجواب هؤلاء، بحسب الوكالة، بجناية القصد الاحتمالي لجريمة القتل وجنحة الإهمال والتقصير.

كما طلب المحقق العدلي من رئاسة الحكومة إعطاء الإذن لاستجواب قائد جهاز أمن الدولة اللواء طوني صليبا كمدعى عليه، كما طلب الإذن من وزير الداخلية في حكومة تصريف الأعمال العميد محمد فهمي للادعاء على مدير عام جهاز الأمن العام اللواء عباس إبراهيم.

كذلك شملت قائمة الملاحقات قادة عسكريين وأمنيين سابقين، حيث ادعى بيطار على قائد الجيش السابق العماد جان قهوجي، ومدير الاستخبارات السابق في الجيش العميد كميل ضاهر، والعميدين السابقين في استخبارات الجيش غسان غرز الدين وجودت عويدات.

وحدد المحقق العدلي مواعيد لاستجواب هؤلاء بشكل دوري دون الكشف عنها.

وفي السياق ذاته، قرر القاضي بيطار إخلاء سبيل الرائد في الأمن العام داود فياض والمهندسة نايلة الحاج، المسؤولة في الشركة المتعهدة لأعمال صيانة العنبر رقم 12 بحرم مرفأ بيروت، اللذين كانا قد تم إيقافهما على ذمة التحقيق في قضية الانفجار.

وكان القضاء اللبناني أفرج قبل أسابيع، عن 7 موقوفين ممن يعتبرون “صغار الموظفين”، وأبقى موظفين كبار قيد التوقيف بينهم 4 مديرين عامين.

وكان انفجار ضخم قد وقع في مرفأ بيروت في 4 أغسطس\ آب الماضي، بسبب مصادرة وتخزين كمية 2750 طناً من مادة “نترات الأمونيوم” الشديدة الانفجار من دون وقاية منذ العام 2014.

وقد أدى الانفجار إلى مقتل أكثر من 200 شخص وجرح 6 آلاف و500 آخرين، إضافة إلى تدمير إجراءات المرفأ ووقوع دمار هائل في أحياء بيروت شرد أكثر من 300 ألف شخص من منازلهم، وأوقع خسائر مادية قدرت بـ 15 مليار دولار .

Beirut - (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund considered today, Wednesday, that most of the prior reforms that Lebanon is expected to approve in order to obtain financial support have not yet been implemented, warning of the "cost" of this delay on the country mired in an unprecedented economic crisis. .

At the end of a visit to Beirut, which included meetings with a number of officials, Ernesto Ramírez Rigo, who headed the Fund delegation, said in a statement, "Despite the urgent need to take measures to address the deep economic and social crisis in Lebanon, the progress in implementing the agreed reforms... It's still too slow."

In April, the Fund announced that it had reached a preliminary agreement with Lebanon on a $3 billion aid plan over four years. However, its implementation is linked to the government’s commitment to implementing prior reforms and the parliament’s approval of urgent draft laws, most notably the “Capital Control” law that restricts withdrawals and transfers of foreign currencies from banks, and the 2022 budget bill, in addition to the approval of legislation related to restructuring the banking sector and amending the banking secrecy law.

Rigaud considered that "most of the prior measures have not been implemented," despite the fact that they, along with other reforms, are "critical to start the recovery of the Lebanese economy."

And he warned that “delaying their implementation only leads to an increase in costs for the state and its population,” stressing that the completion of reforms “is necessary for the fund’s board of directors to consider a request for a financial program” to support Lebanon.

During its meetings, the fund delegation urged officials in Beirut to speed up the adoption of reforms before the presidential elections, according to the Minister of Economy in the caretaker government, Amin Salam, who met the delegation on Tuesday.

Salam said in remarks to Agence France-Presse on Wednesday that the delegation sent a message to "pay attention to the sensitivity of the time, and the need to pass the four required laws before entering the presidential elections."

He added, "The delegation was clear that once we approve it, we will be closer to a final agreement" with the fund.

The term of current President Michel Aoun ends on October 31, without agreeing yet on a candidate, which raises fears that the country will enter a phase of presidential vacuum.

The efforts of Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati to form a government have not borne fruit since the parliamentary elections that took place in mid-May, in a country whose system is based on sharing shares between the political and sectarian components.

Although Parliament is considering approving some reform bills, no final agreement has yet been reached on any of them. Last week, the session for approving the 2022 budget was postponed until early next week.

The prolonged economic crisis is considered the worst in Lebanon's history. It is accompanied by political paralysis that prevents taking measures to limit the deterioration and improve the quality of life of the population, more than eighty percent of whom live below the poverty line.

Nablus - "Jerusalem" dot com - Today, Tuesday, the police arrested a suspect who stole a donation box from a mosque in Nablus and assaulted a person who discovered it in the act.

The Public Relations and Information Department of the police stated that it had received a report from a citizen about a person attempting to steal a donation box located in a mosque in Nablus. A force from the city police station was able to arrest the suspect, who reported that he stole the donation box with his son.

And she confirmed that the arrested person was kept in custody until he was referred to the Public Prosecution to complete the legal requirements against him duly.

BEIRUT (Xinhua) -- Two local economists stressed that the 2022 general budget approved by the Lebanese parliament yesterday (Monday) does not rise to the level of reforms that would pave the way for an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.

The budget came with a deficit of 11 trillion Lebanese pounds (297 million dollars), revenues amounting to 30 trillion pounds (about 810 million dollars), and expenditures estimated at 41 trillion Lebanese pounds (about 1.2 billion dollars).

"The 2022 budget should have included reforms to avoid the huge budget deficit, because printing more money is the only way to finance the deficit," Patrick Mardini, head of the Lebanese Institute for Market Studies, told Xinhua.

And he believed that "the budget is inflationary," noting that "printing more money will lead to more inflation and more depreciation of the local currency."

Mardini explained that the only way to finance Lebanon's budget deficit today is by increasing the money supply, because Lebanon defaulted on its "Eurobonds" and therefore lost its ability to access international financial markets at a time when the state cannot borrow from local banks in light of the crisis. current banking.

The economist and former editor-in-chief of the Kuwaiti newspaper ((Al-Qabas)), Mounir Yunis, confirmed that the International Monetary Fund would prefer if it adopted in the customs dollar the exchange rate of the dollar in the “Sarfa” platform affiliated with the Banque du Liban, amounting to 29,800 Lebanese pounds, in the hope that it would become the actual local and international standard for the exchange rate The US dollar against the lira.

"The International Monetary Fund had called for the unification of multiple exchange rates, but officials in Lebanon see that agreeing to a high exchange rate for the customs dollar on imports is a step that will be unpopular in Lebanon, which relies heavily on imports," Younis told Xinhua. big".

Yunus expressed his belief that the public budget should have approved a comprehensive reform of the tax system by imposing more taxes on high-income people while reducing the burden on low-income individuals, which did not happen in the 2022 budget.

The 2022 budget imposed a 10% tax on interest returns from bank accounts, certificates of deposit, and treasury bonds in Lebanese pounds. It also raised the fees for issuing a passport for a period of 5 years from 300,000 to 1 million Lebanese pounds, and from 500,000 to 2 million Lebanese pounds for a period of 10 years.

Yunus believed that among the advantages of approving the budget is that it will help organize public finances, set spending ceilings, and improve living conditions for workers in the public sector and the army, in addition to correcting the situation of state administrations while preparing for a more comprehensive budget for the year 2023.

He praised the increase in the salaries of all public sector employees in the budget to no less than 5 million Lebanese pounds and no more than 12 million Lebanese pounds per month, and said that this should encourage public sector employees to stop their strike that has been going on for more than two months and improve the performance of public administrations.

Lebanon is facing an unprecedented financial crisis due to the lack of US currency reserves, which led to the depreciation of the local currency by more than 90%. Meanwhile, the country uses at least 4 vastly different exchange rates through which the Lebanese pound is converted into the US dollar.

Parliament’s approval of the general budget is among the conditions for reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, an agreement that is seen as the first decisive step for Lebanon to start emerging from a financial crisis that has been going on for 3 years and has plunged 82% of the population into poverty, according to the United Nations.

A "principled" agreement was signed between Lebanon and the International Monetary Fund at the staff level last April. The Lebanese authorities must increase revenues to finance the public sector, allow more social spending through customs duties, and standardize the exchange rate of the local currency against the US dollar, but the budget approved by Parliament counts. The customs dollar is at a price of 15,000 pounds, compared to the previous rate of 1,500 pounds per dollar, while the exchange rate of the dollar in the parallel market is about 37,000 pounds.

The initial agreement between Lebanon and the IMF relates to $3 billion in financing, which will be spent over 4 years, according to a program that shows what Lebanon must do over the next four years with the aim of rebuilding the economy and restoring financial sustainability.

To sign the final agreement, the IMF requires taking a number of measures, including approving the 2022 budget and the “capital control” draft law (capital control), in addition to passing legislation related to restructuring the banking sector and amending the law related to banking secrecy.