Many prisoners in the Israeli occupation prisons are keen to strive to worship during the holy month of Ramadan , and to perform Friday prayers and Tarawih prayers in congregation if they are allowed to do so. However, human rights activists and released prisoners believe that the Israeli occupation prison administration is practicing a clear violation of the prisoners' right to worship, and imposes restrictions on them.

Prisoners worshiped in prisons

In Ramadan, many prisoners intensify their worship. Some of them strive to recite the Holy Qur’an and complete many chapters daily, and some of them strive to memorize the Qur’an, while many are keen to perform prayers on time in congregation with other prisoners inside the rooms, as well as they are keen to perform night prayers and Tarawih prayers. and retreat.

The released prisoner, Muhammad al-Taj, told Al-Quds.com: “The prisoners strive hard to worship in Ramadan, and intensify it, especially in the last ten days of the blessed month.

The prisoners, according to the released prisoner Louay Al-Mansi, are trying to allocate an atmosphere for worship, especially Tarawih, in the rooms, and they only perform the noon and afternoon prayers in the square.

Al-Mansi indicates that public religious circles are prohibited by the occupation prison administration, and only allow Friday sermons, as gatherings for them are prohibited.

Collective worship is a feat for the captives

In the beginnings of the occupation, prisons were not like these days, the restrictions on the prisoners were more, and then things developed gradually, after the struggles of the prisoners to get their rights, and despite that, the occupation authorities still impose restrictions on the prisoners in the field of worship.

The mayor of Hebron, the released prisoner, Tayseer Abu Sneineh, says: "I was released in the eighties of the last century, and before my release I was in Nafha prison, and it was not only a restriction on the worship of prisoners, but the occupation prison administration was preventing Friday prayers, while the Suhoor and Iftar meals were not It did not come to us at the times set for the Han, but rather the prisoners hid it until those times, and in some prisons, these meals came on time.

They are forced to pray in their rooms

The prisoners’ performance of their worship varies, whether obligatory prayers, Tarawih prayers, or Friday prayers, either collectively or individually, according to the nature of the prison in which they are detained. General for all sections of the prison, according to what was explained by the Director General of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, Abdullah Al-Zaghari, in his interview with Al-Quds.com.

In general, according to Al-Zaghari, the procedures of the occupation prison administration against the detainees prevent them from performing religious rituals collectively during the month of Ramadan, except for some cases, and if they are prevented, they are forced to pray inside their rooms.

Sometimes prisoners take protest steps and mobilize in order to force the Israeli occupation prison administration to allow them to perform prayers collectively in the police station, but in many situations they are forced to perform their prayers during the month of Ramadan in their rooms.
Occupation watching their prayers!

According to Al-Zaghari, the restrictions prevail on the prisoners in performing their worship, and the worships are not performed properly and there are obstacles for the prisoners, as the prison administration is mobilized until the end of the prayers. Religious prayers for prisoners, specifically during the holy month of Ramadan, or Friday prayers throughout the year.

Al-Zaghari confirms that the occupation prison administration practices military policies against the prisoners that are not consistent with international agreements at all, which stipulate freedom of worship or religious rituals in general, and impose restrictions on them even if it allows them to perform prayers in congregation in the square of the “Al-Fura” department, and sets a time for them. Determined to end their prayers, which compels them to hasten to recite the Qur’an in prayer, and to abbreviate many matters of worship.

As for the Friday sermon or religious sermons between prayers, the occupation prison administration, according to Al-Zaghari, monitors and records the Friday sermon often, and isolates the Friday sermon for a long time, if what he claims to be affecting his security is addressed! Or he considers it incitement, as the sections of the prisoners who prayed those prayers are stormed, and penalties are imposed on them, while Al-Zaghari indicates that the prisoners are part of the Palestinian people and they talk about what is happening abroad, especially if there are martyrs, which expresses their affiliation.

violation of freedom of worship

The director of the Freedom and Civil Rights Center "Hurriyat", Helmy Al-Araj, confirms that the practices and restrictions by the Israeli prison administration against the worship of prisoners are an attack on the freedom of worship guaranteed by international agreements, especially international humanitarian law, specifically the Fourth Geneva Convention, but the occupation applies some of these Convention and other minimum.

Al-Araj says: "The occupation always seeks to tighten the screws on the captive movement, and that any right they obtain is through struggle, strikes, protests and "disobedience", until any right is accepted, but the administration of the occupation prisons turns against any agreements, and at any opportunity retracts from it. right that has been taken away.

Al-Araj explains that the occupation prison administration practices restrictions with regard to the worship of prisoners, and in the event that collective prayer that is related to the rituals of the month of Ramadan is allowed, the occupation uses it as a means of collective punishment, as restrictions are imposed on the number of prisoners, and during prayers, especially Friday prayers, tension prevails. The prison administration prohibits prayer, and may cancel its permission for long periods, in case it does not like anything, or perhaps for no reason.

Al-Araj indicates that the occupation prison administration often does not allow the usual form of performing Tarawih prayers, as prisoners are not allowed to move between prison sections, especially at night, and are often allowed individually, while he notes that Friday prayers are allowed, but mostly with limited numbers, and may be canceled prayer for any reason.

For his part, the head of the Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, Major General Qadri Abu Bakr, confirms that the Israeli occupation prison administration, after the recent agreement with the captive movement, has restored things as they were with regard to the aspect of worship for the prisoners.

It is noteworthy that, according to the Prisoners’ Association, the occupation forces are detaining (4,800) prisoners in (23) prisons and detention and investigation centers, including (29) female prisoners in “Damon” prison, and among the total number of prisoners are (170) children. As minors, they are imprisoned in (Ofer, Megiddo, and Damon) prisons.

The young man, Muhammad Al-Osaibi (26 years old), from the village of Hura in the occupied Negev, was killed, just before midnight, after he was shot by the Israeli bullets forces, at the Chain Gate , one of the doors leading to Al-Aqsa Mosque.

In a statement, the Israeli police claimed that the young man tried to seize the weapon of one of its officers, and he was shot and neutralized.

And the Hebrew Channel 14 reported that the young man was killed instantly.

Jerusalemite sources said that the young man tried to defend a girl who was assaulted by the bullets police, and when he tried to remove her from them, he was shot, while those forces assaulted other young men, including one of the Al-Aqsa Mosque guards.

The story of traditional Palestinian glass is one of the very old stories. The glass industry began in Palestine since the era of the Romans and was prevalent in the era of the Phoenicians and continued to this day. It is considered one of the most important and prominent traditional crafts that are on the verge of extinction despite their scarcity and beauty. You can find an analogue with its own beauty that cannot be canceled, as it is an integral part of the Palestinian heritage throughout the geography.

Despite the lack of those who study this type of art, “the art of glass making,” and they are few, there are still conscious youth who are fully aware of the importance of this traditional craft and how to build on it and develop it with the methods of development and new technology and introduce the spirit of modernity to it, as well as work to embody reality in it through the creation of pieces of art Tell stories and embody social issues.

Abeer's story with glass

The young woman, Abeer Al-Najjar, preferred to be distinguished in choosing her profession, which despite its difficulty and the hardship and effort it bears to work in it, she made it professional and created a distinctive art by making glass manually, through the “Blazing” glass industry project, to restore interest in this industry that declined a long time ago to stand in front of the furnace And she makes creations of glass in her attempts to revive the art of forming glass in Palestine, and to work on teaching and spreading this craft because of her admiration and strong love for this art.

The young woman, Abeer, says: My primary goal is primarily to raise community awareness of the importance of craft work and to save the profession of hand-made glass art from extinction, which was confined to the city of Hebron. This is what prompted me to learn it, as I studied and learned glass design and art education at a specialized academy in the occupied city of Jerusalem, in order to revive this art and work in it tirelessly.

Abeer adds: This type of industry is in addition to being a traditional industry, as it is an environmentally friendly industry. I design and make special designs out of glass by working with hot glass and not drawing on the glass. As for the furnaces for the manufacture of "melting" glass, the glass begins to melt at a temperature of 1500-2000, and after that I start pulling (glass) out of it, and as for standing in front of the very hot furnace, I am very happy, especially since I hold a solid material and convert it into a soft material that I bend with my hands to shape What I want to get out of it is a masterpiece that dazzles the viewers because of its intense beauty. Despite the fatigue in this profession, the result is worth it.

Her love of working in the glass industry

The glass industry is considered one of the ancient crafts that are inherited by generations, generation after generation, and since people knew how to make glass, they resorted to using it as well as an artistic material. Glass is called art glass.

And about the requirements of this profession, Abeer says: Perhaps one of the most important requirements for working in the glass profession is enduring the hardship of working in front of melting furnaces and providing the creative and artistic spirit that qualifies the worker in this field to acquire molding skills, but unfortunately there is not enough demand to learn this craft, as the number of artists working in it It does not exceed fifteen of those who learn it, and a large part of them are still studying and have not graduated yet, perhaps because this industry is no longer as widespread as before, and most prefer to go to other professions that may be less difficult and more profitable.

And she continues: What I love most about this work is that it is environmentally friendly, as I recycle the glass pieces that I sell, such as broken utensils. I use them by melting them, reshaping them, and adapting them to produce and manufacture a completely new masterpiece. There are pieces that need to work on a very short time, such as five minutes, and other pieces that need work. It has to complete it for five months of continuous work without fatigue, and the most important thing in this work is extreme caution when dealing with heat and furnaces, as well as when blowing, as the temperature may exceed a thousand, and we must exploit this high temperature to shape the glass as we want, and I do not depend only on selling individual pieces as well I do designs for artists.

ambition

When a person knows his true passion, his life turns into a world of pleasure and happiness. Passion is a person’s guide to what he loves, and with it alone he can draw his life as he wants. Behind every successful project is the belief of its owner that it is a door to learning and growth. She believes that working in the glass industry means that things It is constantly changing and evolving, and we must develop ourselves and engage in a work environment that encourages innovation and diligence and encourage others to do what we do.

And about her ambition, the artist Al-Najjar says: I aspire through my project to revive this craft and restore interest in the art of glass to the country because glass was invented in this land, and I seek to develop it through the use of modern and contemporary technologies. The existence of many innovative methods and mechanisms, science is developing, and tools and equipment are changing, so that the artist can express himself through his work with glass, as well as he can highlight societal issues through it, as I work to exploit this material and reduce its properties such as fracture and transparency, and I seek to generate a new generation that learns He loves the art of glass so that this material can come back and live again.

And she continued: I also aspire in the near future to be part of the “Blazing” glass industry project, a small school to teach the art of glass and ceramics using modern technologies and forming them in different forms in design and recycling to produce different arts. Many stem from it, especially since its importance lies in the fact that it is an ancient craft that must be inherited from generation to generation, with the introduction of the spirit of modernity and era in it.

transparent

The artist, Abeer Al-Najjar, who creates stories with her fingers from glass and discusses societal issues that she presents through the art she practices. The issue of violence against women had a prominent role in her work to shed light on it through the “Transparent” project. Art and artists trying to process it and deliver it to the world.

She says: I made different pieces of glass as part of the "Transparent" project to express through it an important issue concerning women, which is the phenomenon of violence against women. He seeks to see its details, instead of discussing them in a systematic, organized and appropriate manner. Therefore, this work was to shed light on the issue and the phenomenon of violence against women in general, and to perpetuate the memory of women who were killed in violent incidents, whether in the Palestinian interior, the West Bank, and Gaza. I have produced pieces of art It aims to raise awareness of the issue of violence against women, and the name of the work was chosen "Transparent" to indicate that our societies ignore this issue, and treat it as invisible.

This is the story of the artist, Abeer Al-Najjar, with traditional Palestinian glass. This craft has existed for thousands of years, and was monopolized by men only because of the hardship and effort it requires. Although it is still practiced to this day, it is threatened with fading, and Abeer seeks to revive this type of art with modern methods and methods. tirelessly, to restore luster to glass and tell the story of Palestine through it.

Moroccan human rights associations denounced, on Friday, a "very lenient" sentence issued against three defendants who were convicted of raping an 11-year-old girl and served only two years in prison, calling on the judicial authorities to intervene to guarantee the rights of the victim.

On March 20, three adults were sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of "deceiving a minor" and "violently indecent assault," according to the local "Media 24" website, which described the verdict as "shocking."

The victim is a girl who was no more than 11 years old at the time of the crime and was residing in a rural area on the outskirts of Rabat. She was raped under threat and resulted in pregnancy, according to the same source, according to the “Insaf” association that specializes in supporting single mothers and has taken up this case.

After the girl's father filed a complaint, the authorities arrested three men who were referred to the court, which sentenced them to two years in prison and to pay compensation of approximately $4,800.

This sentence angered human rights activists and local media, especially since the penalty for these two charges is no less than 10 years in prison and can reach up to 20 years in prison.

On Friday, the women's association "Jusour" expressed its "deep regret" over a sentence that was "very lenient compared to the atrocity of the crime."

And she called on the judicial authorities to intervene "to achieve justice in this catastrophe, and to correct the errors that marred the file in the preliminary ruling."

The "Spring of Dignity" coalition, which includes many women's associations, launched a campaign on social media to condemn this ruling.

For her part, sociologist Somaya Noaman Jasous sent an open letter to Minister of Justice Abdel Latif Wehbe, in which she said, "I complain to you about this unacceptable injustice," expressing her hope that "this girl and her family will be able to take their share of justice."

The victim appealed the verdict, according to the "Media 24" website, citing the "Insaf" association.

Moroccan human rights organizations have previously criticized, in separate cases over the past years, sentences that were considered lenient against those accused of sexually assaulting minors, calling for tougher penalties.

Stormy Daniels , the porn actress for whom Donald Trump will be criminally prosecuted, said in an interview published Friday that she was "proud" to see the former US president face justice and "hopes" she will be called to court to testify.

In an interview with the British newspaper The Times, the 44-year-old actress, who received $130,000 before the 2016 presidential election to keep quiet about her past relationship with Trump, said, "It's great, impressive, and I'm proud."

Paying this amount without registering it in the campaign accounts is especially the reason for criminal charges against Trump, in a historic precedent for a former president.

The actress, who claims to have had a sexual relationship with Trump before his election in 2016, added, in allegations the former president denies, that "the other side of this issue is that it will continue to divide people and lead them to conflict."

"Whatever the outcome is, it will lead to violence," said the actress, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, referring to the threats she has received since the announcement of Trump's criminal indictment.

The woman, who spoke to the British newspaper from an unspecified location in the United States, said she was "for the first time in her life" feeling afraid.

"I'm not afraid of him or the government, but all it takes is a crazy supporter who thinks he has to do God's work or protect democracy," she added.

However, she expressed "hope" that she would be summoned to testify in court against the 76-year-old former Republican president, even if she had not been formally summoned yet.

"I am not afraid, I have nothing to hide and I am happy to tell everyone what I know," she added.

"I saw him naked, it couldn't be more scary in clothes," she added.

Trump, who aspires to return to the White House in the 2024 elections, denounced the "false and shameful" accusation, which he considered to have been orchestrated by the Democrats before the presidential campaign.

His lawyers confirmed on Friday that their client intends to "fight" tirelessly to drop the charges against him.

Geneva Bern police announced that two regional trains derailed on Friday, tens of kilometers away from each other, injuring several people in the north of the canton, at least one of them seriously.

Police spokeswoman Florina Schenck told AFP that the first train derailed at around 16:30 (14:30 GMT) between Leuchartz and Biel, and the second after about twenty minutes on the outskirts of Born zoom Hof.

She explained that the two accidents "resulted in many injuries."

Police added on Twitter that there was "at least one person seriously injured" in Born zum Hof.

It was not immediately clear how many passengers were on the trains.

The police have not yet determined the causes of the two successive accidents north of the Swiss capital.

The RBS company suggested that the strong winds that hit Switzerland on Friday were the cause of the second accident.

In the first accident, the police spokeswoman added, "the rear part of the train flipped onto its right side." The accident occurred on the line parallel to Lake Bien, which is operated by ASM.

A depression in southern England on Friday caused strong winds in a part of Europe, including Switzerland, according to the Swiss Meteorological Service (Meteo Suisse), referring to Storm Matisse.

The strongest winds were accompanied by heavy rains and storms, and the meteorologists warned in the morning of winds ranging between 80 and 110 km per hour.

Switzerland is famous for its extensive railway network, speed and reliability of transport.

Many tourists from all over the world visit the country to ride certain lines that cross exceptional alpine landscapes and to climb the steep hills.

Although train accidents are not rare in Switzerland, they generally do not cause a large number of victims.

In 2021, a total of eight people died (not counting suicides) and 47 were seriously injured in train accidents, according to figures from the Federal Statistical Office.

"Overall, the number of victims of railway accidents has decreased significantly in recent decades - despite an increase in transport services," the statistics office said.

The deadliest disaster in Swiss railway history occurred on June 14, 1891.

A Jura-Simplon railway bridge built by Gustave Eiffel collapsed under the weight of a crowded train from Basel. The accident killed 73 people and injured more than 150.

On September 12, 1982, a train collided with a bus that was passing at a railway crossing whose barrier broke down in Pfaffikon, near Zurich.

39 people were killed in this collision and only two of the bus passengers survived

Eyewitness accounts in the town of Jaba , south of Jenin , refuted the allegations and the Israeli version of the assassination and execution of three resistance fighters from the Jaba Battalion of the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, confirming that the undercover units attacked, shot and executed them in cold blood without resistance, after more than a month. For a previous execution crime carried out by the Special Units near the town of Jaba, during which they assassinated resistance fighters.

The Israeli claimed that the three young men were trapped in a building before they fled and were pursued and targeted.

According to the testimonies documented by Al-Quds.com correspondent, residents of the area and witnesses who were in Jaba’, the three resistance fighters, Sufian Fakhouri (26 years old), Nayef Malaysha (25 years old), and Ahmed Fashafsha (22 years old), arrived at around six o’clock in the morning. On the ninth of this month, by means of a "Hyundai" vehicle, to the Al-Fawwara area in Jaba', suddenly the undercover men disguised in Palestinian civilian clothes showered their vehicle with heavy and successive showers of bullets that hit them directly and killed them instantly.

Citizen Muhammad Ibrahim, who was driving his vehicle from the area, said: "I saw a group of masked gunmen, and I did not know or distinguish that they were special units, and they fired at the Hyundai without stopping, and despite its stopping and swerving on the side of the street, they continued to shoot at it," noting that he No gunfire or response was observed from inside the vehicle.

Witnesses unanimously agree that the special units planned in advance to liquidate and execute the three resistance fighters, as they are activists and effective resistance fighters in the Jaba Battalion. A spokesman for the Jenin Battalion told Al-Quds.com that all information confirms that the operation's goal is to assassinate the resistance fighters and execute them in cold blood.

The data revealed that the Israeli special units infiltrated at an early hour into the town of Jaba, deployed in several locations, occupied houses under construction, tightened the siege on the "Al-Fawwara" area, and distributed death and assassination squads under the cover of darkness without anyone being able to monitor or notice them.

The father of the martyr, Nayef Malaysha, said, "We woke up to the sound of heavy gunfire. We were worried that my son was being chased. My great shock was when we received the news of his assassination and execution with two of his companions. When we arrived at the site of the operation, the effects of the crime were horrific, as the amount of bullets in their bodies was large." .

After the Israeli forces stormed the town of Jaba, they surrounded the area to support the special units and take them out after they threw the bodies of the martyrs after stripping them on the side of the road.

The witnesses stated that the occupation forces blew up the vehicle after assassinating the young men inside it, and very large quantities of occupation bullets were found on the crime scene and in the vicinity of the car, while the father of the martyr Malaisheh confirms that "the assassination was from a very close distance."

During the transfer of the corpse to Jenin Hospital, anger exploded in Jaba' at the horror of the scenes that appeared on the martyrs and the traces of bullets, and the citizen, Um Muhammad, whose house is located near the crime site, collapsed, screaming and crying, and she said: "We left after hearing the sound of bullets, but they pointed weapons at us and prevented us from They approached, fired continuously at the vehicle, and then blew it up."

Most members of the UN Security Council on Friday expressed their concern about the danger of nuclear proliferation, during a meeting regarding Moscow's declaration of its intention to deploy "tactical" nuclear weapons in Belarus , which was clearly condemned by Western countries.

"This is an additional blow to the map of arms control, to strategic stability in Europe, and to international peace and security," said French Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere during the meeting, which Ukraine called for.

"Let's be clear, no other country has raised the possibility of using nuclear weapons in this conflict, and no country is threatening Russian sovereignty," British Deputy Ambassador James Kariuki said.

He considered the Russian declaration "a new attempt at intimidation and coercion." "(These attempts) have not succeeded so far and will not succeed. We will continue to support Ukraine's efforts to defend itself," he added.

While France, the United States, and the United Kingdom, along with other members of the Council, clearly condemned the Moscow Declaration, some blamed both the Russians and Westerners, and expressed concern about the spread of nuclear weapons.

"Evil cannot be remedied with evil," said Brazilian Ambassador Ronaldo Costa Filho.

Russia referred to the policy of "nuclear sharing" pursued by NATO, especially through the deployment of US nuclear weapons in Europe, to justify its agreement with Belarus, a position that was repeated Friday before the Security Council.

The Brazilian ambassador stressed that "responding to a nuclear sharing agreement by placing weapons in a non-nuclear country is also a violation of obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons," denouncing "the race to the bottom that does not guarantee the safety of anyone, regardless of who took the first step."

“On March 25, the Russian Federation announced that it had reached an agreement with Belarus to deploy its non-strategic nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus,” said Izumi Nakamitsu, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. “When it comes to nuclear weapons issues, I would like to be clear to all countries. Avoid any actions that, through an error of judgment, may lead to an escalation of violence."

China, for its part, called for "the abolition of nuclear sharing agreements." "We call for any nuclear-armed country to refrain from deploying nuclear weapons abroad, and to withdraw nuclear weapons deployed abroad," said Chinese Deputy Ambassador Geng Shuang, without naming any country.

On Friday, the Israeli police arrested 3 Palestinian youths after they left Al-Aqsa Mosque .

According to the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs , these forces arrested Jalal Al-Asmar, Alaa Rushdi, and Faris Al-Natsheh, and referred them for investigation.

Canadian police announced Friday that the bodies of six people from two families, one Canadian-Romanian and the other Indian, were found in a swamp near the border with the United States that they had tried to enter illegally.

Their bodies were found Thursday near a capsized boat belonging to a still-missing man from the Aquisasne Aboriginal community, local deputy police chief Lee Ann O'Brien told a news conference.

"It appears that the six people belong to two families, one of Romanian origin and the other of Indian nationality," she said, adding that a child among the dead was less than three years old.

"We believe they were trying to enter the United States illegally from Canada," she added, confirming that they had arrived in Canada legally.

O'Brien explained that a second child from the Romanian family was not found, while his Canadian passport was found, and the police are continuing their search.

A helicopter and teams of divers from various police departments have been dispatched to the scene to assist in the search.

The authorities pointed out that the weather conditions were very bad, with rain, sleet and strong winds, when the "very small" boat tried to cross the border.

Local police said they had recently noticed "an increase in the number of people crossing Akwesasne to enter the US", with 48 crossings recorded since the start of the year.

Two people have already spent the year trying to enter the US illegally from Canada.

The two countries reached an agreement on tackling the growing problem of illegal immigration along their border during President Joe Biden's visit to Ottawa last week.

The agreement calls for undocumented asylum seekers who cross the border to be sent back to Canada, while Ottawa has committed to taking in more immigrants.

The deal has drawn heavy criticism from migrant rights groups, who believe it poses more dangers to those trying to cross the border illegally.

Six members of the crew of a Danish oil tanker attacked by pirates last weekend in the Gulf of Guinea have been kidnapped, the French navy announced Friday, after the ship was found and rescued off the coast of Sao Tome e Principe.

The Mongasa Reformer, which flies the flag of Liberia, was attacked on Saturday evening by a pirate boat when it was 140 nautical miles from the Congolese port of Pointe-Noire, and contact with its crew was lost shortly thereafter.

The French Defense Ministry said in a statement that the ship was spotted Thursday "in the early afternoon" by a drone launched from a French patrol boat deployed by Paris as part of its "Courimp" mission to combat piracy in the region.

As for the pirate boat, which was spotted near the tanker during the first sortie, its trace disappeared during a second sortie of the drone.

When the French boat approached the tanker a few hours later, its crew reported on the radio that "six of its own have been taken by pirates."

Of the 10 crew still aboard the Mongasa Reformer, three received minor injuries and are being treated by a military doctor.

The company, "Mongasa", announced in the morning that part of the crew had been kidnapped, but it did not specify the number of those kidnapped.

The nationalities of the kidnapped sailors are still unknown, but media in the Scandinavian country said they were not Danish.

AFP contacted the company, which is based in Fredericia, Denmark, but did not want to give details.

"We are thinking of the abducted crew members and their families at this difficult time," the company said in a statement. "We are working closely with local authorities" to secure the sailors' return.

No damage was recorded on the ship or its cargo of fuel, according to the statement.

The 135-meter-long vessel was attacked on Saturday night, but the owner company did not announce the attack until Tuesday, three days after losing contact with the crew.

Some of the crew were able to report that they had taken shelter in a "compartment in the ship" before communication was lost. Since then, it has launched searches in the eastern Gulf of Guinea.

According to Congolese authorities contacted by AFP on Tuesday, the attack was carried out by three men.

According to the Franco-British "Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade Golf of Guinea" mission, the attack was carried out by five pirates.

The Gulf of Guinea represents an important sea passage for hydrocarbon-rich countries, extending 5,700 km between Senegal and Angola, and has been witnessing piracy activities for several years.

Recently, however, the attacks have decreased thanks to the joint efforts of the coastal states and European countries.

Denmark, the main commercial maritime power through its giant Maersk, sent a frigate in the fall of 2021.

In 2022, about two dozen incidents were recorded in the Gulf of Guinea, according to the Maritime Informatics Cooperation and Awareness Center. In 2021, 52 accidents were recorded, and 115 in 2020, according to the Maritime Security Experts Agency, based in Brest, France.

Since the beginning of the year, two attacks have been reported in the region, according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

The Danish Shipowners' Association said Tuesday that the tanker's case proves that "piracy problems off the coast of West Africa are still far from being resolved".

The Maritime Trade Organization is concerned about the rise in attacks again as Western militaries focus their attention on Europe due to the war in Ukraine.

Most of the attacks in recent years have been carried out by Nigerian pirates by speedboats.

Some of them captured large fishing vessels, which they use as bases from which they launch their speed boats to launch attacks far from the coast.

The Palestinian Red Crescent in Jerusalem said that its crews provided first aid services to about 103 people during the second Friday prayers of the blessed month of Ramadan in three field clinics that were set up on the roof of the Dome of the Rock and the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque , and the crews also referred 5 other people to hospitals to complete their medical treatment.

It is noteworthy that the association deployed about 200 paramedics and volunteers in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings in the town to provide first-aid and humanitarian services to the worshipers heading to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque. in the vicinity of the Old City and is working to transfer cases to city hospitals.

It is noteworthy that the occupation forces impeded the work of the association and prevented the entry of small ambulances into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the sick cases were transferred by hand to the Bab Al-Asbat area, where the ambulances are located.

Amos Harel, correspondent and military analyst for the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz, warned against allowing the Israeli Minister of National Security , Itamar Ben Gvir , to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque again during what is known as the Jewish "Passover".

In an analytical report in the Hebrew newspaper, Harel said that Ben Gvir could not pass this period without being its first media star.

He pointed out that next Friday, which falls on the third Friday of the month of Ramadan , and the extremist settlers' celebrations of "Passover" will be an important test moment for the Israeli security system, which has been preparing since the beginning of the month of fasting to prevent an escalation of the situation.

Perhaps you have not been fortunate enough to know the sixty-year-old Muhammad Asaad al-Aghbar (Abu Rami), from the city of Nablus , who has been guided to the craft of making straw and nylon brushes since the seventies of the last century. Resilience After God's wisdom required that he lose his sight as a result of a severe weakness in the retina that had been necessary since birth, he refused to surrender and was determined to continue his career full of achievements.

The craftsman and active member of the Association for the Care of the Blind (Abu Rami) makes with his own hands distinctive collections of brushes that are used to clean roads and floors or paint and of different sizes, in the workshop of the association, making every effort to accomplish them with perfection and extreme accuracy, and away from complacency; So that his work remains the only competitor to these newly manufactured products through machines and imported from other countries.

Abu Rami told Al-Quds.com: “The most important thing that distinguishes my industry is that I color the plastic that I use in brushes, by placing two different colors against each other, then I start to combine them until the brush becomes colorful and beautiful, and everything that I produce in this craft is different and distinctive because I master it well.” However, I am a bit slow at work, I can do three or four brushes, and then I get a small amount for all the pieces I produce during the day.”

He adds that he learned this craft little by little, starting with small brushes and then paintbrushes, shoe brushes as well, and chairs made of bamboo wood, indicating that he had joined the "High School for the Blind" since his childhood, and he also used to make baskets of beads or straw where they were placed His products were shown in many exhibitions, but his poor eyesight failed him, and he did not continue to do so for long.

Abu Rami points out that he does not face difficulties at work, but offers his help to the rest of his colleagues in the association, but he suffers from difficulty in moving from one place to another, so his eldest daughter accompanies him in all his movements to become the sight he lost, and supports him leaving her studies since the school stage to stay with him. .

Abu Rami and his fellow members of the Association for the Care of the Blind, merchants and citizens, also hope that they will support their handicrafts, and that they will go to visit their humble workshop in the market, which is superior to ready-made products in terms of quality and period of use.

The secretary of the association, Eng. Hassan Al-Zaqqa, explains that its establishment since 1955 aims to reunite the blind in a special place for them, and to involve them in the society surrounding them in order to become effective and not be dependent on others, and to live independently and with dignity, until this group became engaged in handicrafts such as Manufacture of brushes and brooms from straw, wood or nylon, which are used in various fields of cleaning, whether in streets, shops, factories, or for painting and others.

And he added, "The association has no fixed sources of income or special projects except for this workshop, where we contract with the Nablus municipality and sell these brooms and brushes to them at nominal prices, and the association is based on donations from charitable people and the Zakat Committee, to support the blind, either with supplies and food parcels, or Financial aid according to the needs of each member.

And the executive director of the association, Eng. Musab Al-Nabulsi, continues the conversation, indicating that these products of brushes and road brooms that are made by the blind to earn their living, their workshop may be closed if the municipality stops purchasing them. Because the demand for them decreased as a result of the spread of plastic brushes in the markets, so limited quantities of them are produced, and most of them are sold to the municipality, just as there are no institutions and shops that support this handicraft.

He hopes that the competent authorities will help the association with another project to support the blind in addition to this simple investment, as the idea of establishing a bakery was proposed to be the source of income for the workers among them, and to spend its profits on other needy members.

Al-Nabulsi goes on to talk about the association’s activities and initiatives that help develop the talents of blind members, develop their skills, and enhance their self-confidence so that they can actively participate in the local community and take care of them in terms of education and culture. Accordingly, many courses and trainings are offered to them, such as first aid, and maintaining public health in cooperation with Civil defense, teaching languages, and always trying to provide job opportunities in community institutions for everyone who desires them.

He added that they are ready to teach any blind person this handicraft, and to teach them the Braille language as well, as they have copies written in this language and give them to whoever wants to obtain them, in addition to training them to practice various sports activities such as bell ball and running, and in order to help them know the types of medicines that were taken. Submitting a proposal to pharmaceutical companies so that an optical reader (barcode) is placed on the medicine packages, and as soon as the camera lens is shined on it, the blind person can know the use of various medicines, and other initiatives in restaurants and public facilities.

Al-Zaqqa also said that the association welcomes everyone who wishes to join it, from the age of 18 and over, but a report must be brought from the Palestinian Ministry of Health regarding his disability percentage, which is 80% or more, and whoever proves that it is less than that cannot join, adding that the association It includes (150 members), of whom (135 members) suffer from visual impairment or both visual and kinetic disabilities, and the rest of the members are sighted and volunteered to work in it in addition to their other jobs, where they constitute (15 members); In order to help the blind and conduct their work.

It is worth mentioning that Al-Aghbar represents one of the members of the association whose visual impairment did not discourage them from continuing their daily lives like any other person in society. Amazing art, such as playing musical instruments and singing, and some of them were employed in many institutions, and other skills that they acquired and were able to develop, in addition to the presence of a number of humanitarian cases that the association is constantly following up on.

On Friday evening, the Israeli army announced its intention to demolish the home of the martyr Moataz Al-Khawaja, who carried out the Dizengoff Street attack in Tel Aviv.

According to an Israeli military spokesman, the Khawaja family was given the opportunity to file an objection to the decision.

Al-Khawaja was a resident of the town of Ni'lin in the Ramallah district. On March 9, he carried out a shooting attack that killed an Israeli and wounded others.

On Friday, US President Joe Biden asked Moscow to "release" the American journalist working for the Wall Street Journal, Ivan Gershkovitch , who was arrested in Russia, while the newspaper called for the expulsion of Moscow's ambassador and Russian journalists from the United States.

Biden addressed the Russian government, saying, "Release him," after reporters asked him to comment on this issue as he was preparing to leave the White House for a tour of the southern United States.

The 31-year-old Russian-speaking reporter, Ivan Gershkovich, was arrested in Yekaterinburg in the Urals on charges of "espionage".

The Wall Street Journal said in an editorial published Thursday night that "the expulsion of the Russian ambassador from the United States and the Russian journalists working in it is the least that can be done."

And she considered that "the timing of the arrest appears to be a calculated provocation to embarrass the United States and intimidate the foreign press that is still working in Russia."

On Thursday, the Kremlin warned Washington against taking any retaliatory action against the Russian media operating in the United States after the arrest of the American journalist "in the act," according to Moscow.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday, "Regarding the request to expel all Russian journalists, the (Wall Street Journal) can say so, but it should not happen," considering that "there is no reason for that." He added that the American journalist was "caught red-handed (by espionage)" and that "the case is clear."

Gershkovich, known for his professionalism, denied the charges against him during a hearing in a Moscow court, according to the Russian news agency TASS.

The court said in a statement that the American journalist was in custody until May 29. The detention period can be extended pending a possible trial.

According to the Tass news agency, the case has been classified as "secret", which greatly limits the publication of information about it.

The only details available at this stage are the FSB's announcement that it had "thwarted illegal activity" when Ivan Gershkovich was arrested in Yekaterinburg in the Urals on an unspecified date.

His arrest comes in the context of increasing repression of the press in Russia since the invasion of Ukraine, which has led to great tension in relations between Moscow and Washington.

The last exchange of prisoners between Moscow and Washington took place in December, when Russia handed over American basketball player Brittney Grainer, imprisoned for drug trafficking, in exchange for the release of arms dealer Viktor Bout imprisoned in the United States.

The White House condemned the journalist's arrest, describing what happened as "unacceptable," while US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken expressed his "deep concern."

White House spokeswoman Karen Jean-Pierre said Russia's "espionage charge" against Gershkovitch was "ridiculous".

The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on Twitter that the bloc "condemns" Russia's arrest of US journalist Ivan Gershkovitch on charges of espionage, criticizing Moscow's "systematic disdain for press freedom".

After twenty years in power and a desire to stay in power, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is once again heading to southern Turkey , which was devastated by the February 6th earthquake, to launch on Friday the official campaign for his re-election, which seems to involve high stakes.
As he did in Gaziantep, the head of state intensified before the elections promises of reconstruction and visits to the tents of the survivors of the February 06 earthquake (more than fifty thousand dead, three million displaced, and hundreds of thousands of afflicted families), embracing veiled elderly women and children.
But he is not sure that this apparent sympathy is sufficient this time in the face of the economic crisis and inflation that leads to the impoverishment of the middle classes and the consequences of the earthquake that affected the economy and employment in the 11 affected governorates.
In the face of Erdogan, 69, three candidates whose candidacy was approved this week by the Electoral Commission intend to compete with him, hoping for the success of the opposition.
An opinion poll conducted by the "TAG" research institute revealed that 51.8 percent of voters hope that the leader of the Republican People's Party (the main opposition party) Kamal Kilicdaroglu will win the presidency, compared to 42.6 percent who support Erdogan.
Kilicdaroglu who appears smiling on his campaign posters under the slogan "Hello, I am Kemal, I am coming!" A six-party coalition from the left to the nationalist right. He has the tacit support of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (10 to 13 percent of the electorate), whose leader Selahattin Demirtas is in prison.
While the head of state tours the country and is omnipresent on television, Kilicdaroglu, 74, an economist and former civil servant, addresses every segment of society on Twitter via video messages from his dimly lit kitchen, addressing conservative women.
The number of views for his latest recording reached 3.3 million Thursday.
Political risk advisory group Eurasia said in a note dated March 22 that since announcing his candidacy, the CHP chairman has continued to "broaden his base" (from 30 to 40 percent of intentions to vote) while Erdogan's approval rating is declining (from 60 to 50 percent). .
She added, "The main challenge for Kilicdaroglu is to attract anti-Erdogan voters - who make up the majority - without starting battles within the opposition."
And Kemal Kilicdaroglu will have to reckon with the re-emergence of Muharrem Ince, a candidate who was defeated by Erdogan in 2018 and decided to spoil the game.
Ince, who disappeared without greeting his supporters on the eve of the first round, met the CHP candidate this week, with the aim of reaching a possible agreement.
But for now, according to policy experts including those at the Metropol Institute, this return could appeal to young people who see the CHP chief as not very charismatic.
However, the youth vote will be an important component of this election. Seventy percent of the electorate is under the age of 34, and six million young Turks will vote for the first time on May 14.
Finally, former MP Sinan Ogan (far-right) is supposed to appear in the first round.
In addition to the serious economic crisis (inflation rate exceeded 50 percent and reached more than 85 percent in the fall) affecting family income, the earthquake revealed the loopholes of the strong state that Erdogan dreams of.
It took three days for relief to begin in a highly centralized country, and then there were failures in the distribution of aid, especially tents. But above all, the collapse of housing exposed the neglect of the real estate and construction sectors that have driven growth under Erdogan for 20 years.
And the president, who campaigned in 2003 on the ruins of the 1999 earthquake in Izmit (northwest, 17,000 dead) by denouncing the weakness of the regime, may pay a price for these angry Turkish lands.
During the celebration on March 24 of the inauguration of a hospital building in Antioch (south), which was severely damaged, cameras revealed that the building - which was supposed to open on May 10 - has no basis, like those housing that collapsed on February 6. .
Finally, the earth shook again (4.6 degrees) Friday in Gaziantep, a few hours before the arrival of the head of state.

Last night, "Jabal Al-Mukaber" club was crowned the "Martyr Yasser Arafat" Football Cup, after defeating "Balata Center" with a goal without a response, in the match that brought them together at the Martyr Faisal Al-Husseini Stadium in the town of Al-Ram, north of occupied Jerusalem.

Zaid Qanbar scored the only goal of the match with a beautiful header in the 27th minute of the first half, so that “Jabal Al Mukaber” kept the cup in its coffers after winning the title last season, and also crowned the Professional League title for this season.

The match was stopped for more than 30 minutes, after the Israeli occupation forces stormed the stadium’s perimeter and fired a barrage of tear gas canisters at the stadium and the stands, which led to the suffocation of a number of players and fans, including children.

The toxic gas bombs reached the dressing rooms during the presence of the players of the two teams between the two halves of the match, which led to the injury of a number of them to suffocation, and the fans were forced to leave the stands and go down to the field to take refuge from the gas bombs.

Local sources indicated that three injured were taken to the hospital, while the rest of the injuries were treated inside the stadium by the medical staff of the Football Association and the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance crews.

Despite the vicious attack by the occupation forces, the Palestinian Football Association, the arbitration staff, the management of the two teams and the players decided to resume the match.

The "Jabal Al Mukaber" club gave the title to its captive player Ahmed Abu Khadija, who was arrested by the Israeli occupation forces on the third of March.

On Friday evening, a child was killed by an accidental bullet while his brother was playing with his weapon in his family's house in Tulkarm .

According to local sources, the 3-year-old died instantly and his lifeless body was taken to a hospital.

On Friday, official and factional Palestinian bodies praised the ability of a quarter of a million citizens to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque and perform Friday prayers there.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said, in a statement, that the movement of citizens to pray in the blessed Al -Aqsa Mosque is evidence of their adherence to the capital of their state, and the failure of the Israeli occupation policy aimed at separating Jerusalem from its surroundings and its Palestinian identity.

The Ministry condemned the military measures imposed by the Israeli occupation to limit the entry of citizens to pray in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, considering that it is a collective punishment aimed at severing the citizens' relationship with their holy city, contrary to its claims.

For his part, the head of the National Council, Ruhi Fattouh , said that the human encroachment towards Al-Aqsa is a clear response to the measures taken by the apartheid government to isolate the city from its Palestinian surroundings. .

Fattouh added, in a press statement to him, that the human advance is a message to all those haunted by illusion and daydreaming that Jerusalem is not divisible by two, and it is the essence and heart of the conflict. There is no Palestine without Jerusalem, and no Jerusalem without Palestine.

He explained that despite the barriers, oppression, and harassment of worshipers, Al-Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards were adorned with human waves of worshipers that exceeded a quarter of a million worshipers, at a time when thousands of worshipers were prevented from arriving because of the racist occupation police.

He pointed out that Jerusalem is the key to peace and stability, and these masses have disappointed the occupation, dispelling their illusion of changing the identity of the Islamic civilized city, the eternal capital of Palestine. like he said.

While the "Hamas" movement saluted the masses who reached Al-Aqsa, despite the restrictions of the occupation, which impeded the access of many citizens to the mosque, which reflects the commitment of our sacred people to defend it and protect it from the violations of the fascist occupation. as she said.

And she stressed the importance of continuing the ritual prayer and i'tikaaf in Al-Aqsa Mosque, in order to revive Islamic rituals and protect the shrine of our noble Prophet from the threats and violations of the occupation army and its terrorist settlers. according to the text of its statement.

On Friday, the staff of the Palestinian Embassy identified the body of a living martyr, Ayman Abu Abed, from the town of Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Yunis , in the southern Gaza Strip .

The young man, Abu Abed, lost his traces weeks ago in the Aegean Sea, while trying to migrate from Turkey to Greece .

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates indicated that his body was identified by matching DNA samples.

On Friday, the Tunisian authorities approved a set of restrictions on the use of drinking water , including the adoption of a quota system to distribute it to the population for several months, following a drought in the country.

The Minister of Agriculture issued a decision to limit the use of potable water for agricultural purposes, to irrigate green spaces, to clean streets and public places, and to wash cars.

A quota system will also be adopted to distribute water to the population until next September.

The ministry justified its decision by "frequent years of drought and poor revenues from dams, which negatively affected its water reserves, which reached an unprecedented level."

Tunisia is facing a severe drought crisis with declining rainfall, and the rate of filling of dams did not exceed 31%, and some of them are less than 15%, in a country whose economy depends mainly on agriculture.

These decisions coincide with the advent of the month of Ramadan, and residents in different areas of the Tunisian capital spoke of water cuts at night when the rate of consumption increased.

Agricultural unions began sounding the alarm for the agricultural season, especially with regard to the grain sector.

The Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fisheries said in a statement that thousands of hectares were affected by the lack of rain and the low level of dams, in addition to the damage to fruit trees, vegetables and others.

Union spokesman Anis Kharbash said in media statements that the grain season "will be disastrous and the harvest season will be non-existent" this year, and that Tunisia will produce only "2 million quintals" of grain. And this number is not enough even for the seeds of the next season.
Experts attribute the main cause of drought and the frequency of climatic disasters such as floods and hurricanes, which are expected to increase, to the exacerbation of climate warming.

Dozens of citizens were injured today, Friday, as a result of the Israeli  forces ’ suppression of the weekly marches in the West Bank .

The Israeli forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at the citizens participating in the marches, condemning the settlement and the continuous Judaization of their land.

Clashes erupted in the town of Beita, south of Nablus, Beit Dajan in the east, the Zawiya area in Hebron, and the town of Kafr Qaddum in Qalqilya.

On Thursday, a New York state court filed criminal charges against former President Donald Trump , in a precedent in US history that is only the first step on a long judicial path.

A New York court opened an investigation in 2018 into the payment of $130,000 to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 presidential election in order to cover up an alleged extramarital affair with Donald Trump.

The amount was not declared in the accounts of the Republican candidate's campaign in violation of state election laws and was recorded as "legal fees" in the accounts of his company, which is headquartered in New York.

In January, Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg entrusted this case to a grand jury.

In the United States a grand jury consists of citizens chosen by lot who are responsible for the investigation in strict secrecy to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to bring formal charges against a suspect.

After hearing the testimony of a number of witnesses, the grand jury called Donald Trump to testify in mid-March.
The former president had refused this before and called on his supporters to demonstrate in protest against his upcoming "arrest".

The grand jury convened at 14:00 (18:00 GMT) Thursday with three prosecutors in charge of the case, according to The New York Times. After three hours of discussions behind closed doors, they adopted an indictment in which the charges were not disclosed.

Prosecutors contacted Donald Trump's attorney Thursday night to schedule a court appearance in New York to be formally notified of the indictment.

If he refuses he can be arrested and it will then be necessary to "extradite" him from Florida, where he lives, to New York since each state has its own legal system.

Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Twitter that he would not be cooperative even though the constitution bars him from opposing his transfer.

And US media reported that Trump will agree to appear in person in New York court, most likely at the beginning of next week.

Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond in Virginia, said, "He will be photographed, his fingerprints recorded, and Trump will be presented to the judge, who will ask him 'on what basis will he defend himself'." He added that he would "certainly plead not guilty".

Donald Trump's lawyers may launch a legal battle to try to quash his accusation, possibly by arguing that the investigation was flawed in procedure or form. If they fail to do so, the normal course of justice provides for three scenarios after the indictment:
Charges can be dropped. This is relatively common and may be especially related to the arrival of a new attorney general, but is unlikely in the case of Donald Trump.

- The accused can make an agreement with the Public Prosecution and agree to plead guilty to avoid trial and get a lighter sentence. But that is unlikely because Donald Trump maintains that he did nothing wrong.

- The judiciary organizes a trial, but many procedures must first be respected with many previous hearings. Once again, Donald Trump's lawyers may use every means possible to delay this deadline.

- of course no. In the United States, anyone who has been criminally charged or convicted can run for office and be elected. The Constitution provides for only one exception to the exercise of an official function: participation in an "insurrection" or "rebellion" against the United States.

Donald Trump, who launched his campaign last November for the 2024 presidential elections, is under investigation by the federal judiciary for his role in storming the Congressional Building (Capitol) on January 6, 2021, but no charges have been brought against him at this stage.

The so-called "Temple" gangs continue to mobilize their supporters to target the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque , by intensifying the incursions and desecrating it with their racist rituals, and these calls intensify on Jewish occasions and holidays.

And the “alleged Temple groups” and the “We Return to the Mountain Movement” announced that they would allocate sums of money as rewards for settlers who attempt to slaughter an “oblation” in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, during the Jewish Passover holiday, noting that it will provide 25 thousand to those who can slaughter the “oblation” inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Shekels, and 2,500 shekels in the event that its activists were arrested inside Al-Aqsa Mosque and in possession of the “qurban.”

Extremist settler groups called on their supporters to carry out the largest storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Passover holiday, coinciding with what the occupation army announced to impose a closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and to close all checkpoints during the holiday period.

Last Wednesday, 15 rabbis sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir , requesting that settlers be allowed to slaughter this year's Passover offerings in Al-Aqsa Mosque.

On Friday, the Israeli occupation forces assaulted citizens and journalists in the town of Hawara , south of Nablus .

The occupation forces fired stun grenades and tear gas at the citizens and journalists, after performing the Friday prayers.

Large forces of the occupation army were deployed in the town.

And those forces arrested a young man after assaulting him.

Tens of thousands of citizens performed the second Friday prayer of the month of Ramadan, at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque .

The Islamic Endowments Department reported that 250,000 worshipers performed the second Friday prayer of the month of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque, despite the Israeli occupation's restrictions on worshipers and its attempt to impede their access to Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Local sources stated that the occupation forces closed the Qalandia checkpoint in front of citizens' vehicles, and prevented those under the age of 55 from crossing, in addition to erecting iron barriers at Damascus Gate, Al-Anbiya Street, Salah Al-Din Street, and others, in an attempt to impede the arrival of worshipers to Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The New York Times published a news analysis, under the headline “Biden’s confrontation with Netanyahu has been brewing for years,” in which it was stated that when US President Joe Biden explicitly warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he “cannot continue on this path” regarding judicial reform in His country provoked the kind of response usually expressed by opponents of the United States, not its allies, as Netanyahu said on Wednesday that "Israel is a sovereign state that makes its decisions by the will of its people and is not based on pressure from outside, including from best friends," accusing the US president of meddling in Another country's politics - which is exactly what Biden intended to do.

According to the newspaper, "It was a remarkable public explosion of this type of dispute that usually takes place in secret, but there were other factors brewing for many years, as there is no affection that can disappear between the two leaders, despite the polite facade that they show regarding their relationship that has been going on for decades." Time and their shared commitment to defending Israel, and Netanyahu has made no special effort to hide his support for President Donald Trump in the 2020 election, making clear his preference for someone who did everything he asked for, including moving the US embassy to Jerusalem and paying little attention to the Palestinians and allegedly backing Israel. entitlement to the Palestinian lands in the occupied West Bank.

In Biden's view, the newspaper says in its news analysis, "Netanyahu himself engaged in what was perhaps the most daring intervention in the American legislative process in modern history, when he arrived in Washington in 2015 and addressed Congress, denouncing the pending nuclear agreement with Iran and describing it as" a nightmare that will almost ensure that Iran has those nuclear weapons, and a lot of them."

At the time, according to the newspaper, "Netanyahu denied that he was meddling in American politics — instead, he insisted that he was making an argument against an agreement he believed would weaken Israel's security." However, former officials who helped shape US policy toward Israel in administrations described The current crisis is unusual.

The analytical report credits Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a former Middle East peace negotiator at the State Department, as saying: “This is unlike any other crisis in the relationship between the United States and Israel. I have never seen any administration interact with a new Israeli movement.” With a force and a pace - and a high level - comparable to this."

Miller and others said the past weeks have dramatically altered US perceptions of Netanyahu, leaving Biden administration officials far less confident that differences with the Israeli leader and his right-wing government can be contained. "What amazes me is that the Biden administration is dealing with Netanyahu so differently than anything anyone has dealt with in the past," said Daniel Kurtzer, who served as US ambassador to Israel during the George W. Bush administration.

On Friday, the Israeli occupation army announced the imposition of a comprehensive closure on the Palestinian territories during the Jewish "Passover".

According to a statement by the occupation army, the closure will begin in the afternoon of next Wednesday (April 5), to be lifted again at midnight (Saturday-Sunday), and this includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip crossings.

He pointed out that on Friday, the seventh of April, the crossings will be opened to the movement of Palestinians from the West Bank, according to the civil steps that were approved on the occasion of the month of Ramadan.

Another comprehensive closure will be imposed on Tuesday afternoon (11 April), and the crossings will be opened and the closure lifted at midnight Wednesday-Thursday.

The Chinese telecoms giant, Huawei, announced on Friday a sharp decline of 69 percent in its net profits last year, especially due to US sanctions that significantly weakened its phone sales.

At the same time, the group announced in a statement Friday that its CFO, Ming Wanzhou, daughter of Huawei's founder, will take over the company's rotating presidency from Saturday for a period of six months.

And Wanzhou was arrested in Canada in 2018 at the request of the United States, which led to a major diplomatic crisis between Beijing and Ottawa, with the arrest of two Canadians accused of espionage in China.

In an atmosphere of competition with China in the technology sector, the administration of former US President Donald Trump blacklisted Huawei in 2019.

The measure bars US companies from selling the group sensitive technologies, including microprocessors. The current administration of Joe Biden has not changed this policy.

The sanctions cut Huawei off from global supply chains for components as well as from Google's Android operating system, which is found in most smartphones in the world.

This situation led to a significant weakening of the Huawei phone branch in recent years, which in 2020 separated from its first brand, Honor.

In this context, Huawei announced on Friday that its net profit decreased by about 69 percent year on year during 2022.
The group achieved profits of 35.6 billion yuan (4.7 billion euros) in 2022, compared to 113.7 billion yuan in 2021, when it recorded its best historical performance.

On the other hand, the group's sales increased slightly in one year (+0.9 percent) and amounted to 642.3 billion yuan (85.8 billion euros). And it had decreased in 2021 by more than 28 percent.

"In 2022, difficult business conditions and non-market factors continue to affect Huawei's business," Eric Xu, Chairman of Huawei's Board of Directors, said in a statement, without explicitly referring to the sanctions.

Huawei was one of the three largest smartphone manufacturers in the world, along with the Korean Samsung and the American Apple. It held the top spot for a brief period, helped by demand in China and sales in emerging markets.

Huawei did not disclose details of the number of mobile phones it sold last year.

The company is not listed on the stock exchange, so it is not subject to the same obligations to certify accounts or details in publishing its results.

Huawei is also the world's leading provider of 5G equipment. But Washington pressured its allies to abandon it to equip their own 5G networks, arguing that Beijing could use Huawei to monitor state communications and data traffic.

The company is now focusing again on the Chinese market and diversifying its activities, particularly in cloud computing, connected cars and chip design.

The Huawei Group is headquartered in Shenzhen, in southern China, and has about 207,000 employees, with centers in more than 170 countries.