Moscow - (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that his country will continue to develop its military capabilities, including the "combat readiness" of its nuclear forces, in light of the conflict in Ukraine and the crisis with Western countries.

"The armed forces and combat capabilities of our armed forces are increasing constantly and every day. This process, of course, will develop," Putin said during a meeting with senior military officers.

"We will continue to maintain and improve the combat readiness of our nuclear forces," he added.

He announced, for example, that new intercontinental hypersonic missiles "Zircon" will enter service "beginning of January", noting that they belong to the new group of weapons that Moscow has developed in recent years.

Putin was speaking in front of a group of senior officers as part of a meeting aimed at defining the goals of the Russian army for the year 2023 as it continues its attack on Ukraine.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said one of the "priorities" would be "to continue to carry out the special operation (in Ukraine) until all its goals are fulfilled."

He also confirmed that Moscow would deploy naval bases dedicated to "support ships, emergency services and marine maintenance units" in the occupied Ukrainian cities of Berdyansk and Mariupol.

Shoigu considered that in Ukraine, "the Russian military is confronting the combined forces of the West," adding that "the growing presence of the West at our borders and the borders of Belarus, and the West's intention to extend military operations in Ukraine to the maximum extent with the aim of weakening our country, are of particular concern."

He considered it necessary to increase the number of the Russian army to 1.5 million soldiers, raise the age of military service and establish new military administrative entities in northwestern Russia.

Vladimir Putin replied, "I agree with your suggestions regarding the upcoming structural changes of the armed forces," stressing that these steps will be implemented "without damage" to the Russian society and economy.

Also, Putin briefly saluted the Russian soldiers killed during the attack in Ukraine. "Certainly, military operations are always associated with tragedies and human losses. But since the matter is inevitable, it is better for it to take place today than tomorrow," he said.
He added that the conflict in Ukraine is a "common tragedy", but Russia is not responsible for its outbreak.

He also pointed out that there is no problem for Moscow in financing the military campaign, despite Western sanctions.

"We have no limits on funding. The country and the government give everything the army asks for. Really everything it asks for," the Russian president said. In September, a military mobilization was announced after military setbacks for the Russian forces.

He mentioned that 300,000 Russians had been mobilized since then, pointing out that a "part" of them were fighting.

He added that 150,000 (of those who have been mobilized) are receiving training in military bases. It is a sufficient reserve to carry out operations, and a strategic reserve that is not used in military operations."

Ramallah - "Jerusalem" dot com - Minister of National Economy Khaled Osaily announced today, Wednesday, that the elections for chambers of commerce will start on December 1, 2022, according to a timetable for 18 chambers of commerce in all governorates of the country.

The minister stressed that the ministry had begun to prepare the necessary preparations for the success of holding the elections in coordination with the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, pointing out that the elections will be held simultaneously between the two parts of the country, including Jerusalem, according to a timetable that includes holding elections there in succession.

According to the minister's decision, the elections will begin in the governorates of Jericho and Deir al-Balah on Thursday, corresponding to the first of December, provided that the elections will be held in all governorates according to the table below.

Ramallah - "Jerusalem" dot com - The Prisoners' Club confirmed that the prisoner Musa Soufan (47 years) from Tulkarm, who suffers from a lung tumor, is facing a continuous deterioration in his health, as a result of the prison administration's procrastination in his treatment.

The Captive Club said that the prisoner Soufan went to the prison clinic in order to provide him with biological treatment needles, which he is supposed to take three times at the beginning of each month and at specific dates, but the administration informed him that because of the holidays, he cannot be given treatment at this scheduled date.

Soufan suffers from many health symptoms, most notably: severe and continuous coughing, severe pains in the chest and extremities, and difficulty sleeping, as a result of the coughing that accompanies him around the clock.

The Prisoner’s Club stated that the prisoner Soufan, who was recently diagnosed with a lung tumor without specifying the nature of the tumor, was subjected, throughout the years of his detention, to the crime of medical negligence (slow killing), despite the many claims that the prisoner made years ago to provide him with treatment and to know the final diagnosis of what he suffers from. However, years ago, he did not receive any response to his demands, and what is happening with him today is only part of a long series of evidence that confirms that he was subjected to medical negligence, deliberate procrastination, and psychological torture through doctor manipulation in disclosing his true health status during the past years until today. .

The Captive Club stated that Soufan, who is sentenced to life imprisonment and is being held in Ashkelon prison, has been facing, and still is, oppressive detention conditions since his arrest in 2003, in addition to the repeated isolation operations he was subjected to, as the total years of his isolation reached (6) years, and during the years of his detention He carried out several strikes, part of which were against his continued isolation, as well as against the crime of medical negligence to which he was exposed.

It is noteworthy that about (24) prisoners are facing cancer and tumors of varying degrees, and the most serious of these cases is the case of the prisoner leader, Nasser Abu Hamid, and they are among about 600 sick prisoners who have been diagnosed.

It is noteworthy that the prisoner Soufan is the brother of the two prisoners, Adnan and Muhammad Soufan, where Adnan is serving a 29-year prison sentence and has been detained since 2002, and Muhammad has been sentenced to 18 years in prison, and has been detained since 2011.

NICOSIA - (AFP) - At least 108 people have been killed in Iran's security crackdown more than three weeks ago against nationwide protests sparked by the death of young woman Mahsa Amini, according to the Oslo-based Organization for Human Rights in Iran.

Iranian security forces also killed at least 93 other people in separate clashes in the city of Zahedan in Sistan-Baluchestan Province (southeast), the organization added in a statement.

Iran has been witnessing protests since the death of a 22-year-old Iranian-Kurdish woman on September 16, three days after she was arrested by the morality police in Tehran for not adhering to the Islamic Republic's dress code.

Violence erupted in Zahedan on September 30 during angry protests over reports that a police chief in the region had raped a teenage girl.

And human rights organizations expressed concern on Tuesday about the extent of the repression in the city of Sanandaj, the capital of the Kurdistan Province, the region from which Amini hails in western Iran.

"The international community must prevent further killings in Kurdistan by issuing an immediate response," Mahmoud Amiri Moghadam, director of the Organization for Human Rights in Iran, said in a statement on Wednesday.

The organization added that its investigation into the level of "repression" in Kurdistan was hampered by internet restrictions, and warned of "imminent bloody repression" of demonstrators in the province to the west.

And "the city of Sanandaj in Kurdistan province witnessed widespread protests and a bloody crackdown in the past three days," the organization said, adding that the death toll it announced did not include those killed during that period.

The Oslo-based organization said that it had so far recorded 28 deaths in Mazandaran Province, 14 in Kurdistan, 12 in Gilan and West Azerbaijan, and 11 in Tehran Province.

She confirmed that the Iranian security forces arrested many children who were demonstrating in the streets and in schools during the past week.

Amiri-Moqaddam said, "Children have the legal right to demonstrate, and the United Nations is obligated to defend the rights of children in Iran by putting pressure on the Islamic Republic."

The organization stated that its toll does not include six deaths that occurred, according to reports, during protests in the central city of Rasht in northern Iran on Sunday, stressing that it is continuing to investigate the case.
She said that workers joined strikes and demonstrations taking place in the country, at the Asalouyeh petrochemical facility (southwest Iran), Abadan (west) and Bushehr (south).

(Xinhua) -- China has made progress in protecting the Yangtze finless borers, a major species in the Yangtze River, the country's longest river, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

Cui Xuhong, an official with the ministry, said at a press conference that a total of 13 nature reserves for the Yangtze finless critters have been established in the Yangtze River basin, covering 40 percent of the species' settlements.

Cui said these nature reserves have made nearly 80 percent of the total number of these species under protection.

The Yangtze finless minnow, also known as the "water giant panda", is a barometer of the ecological environment of the Yangtze River Basin.

In recent years, China has made great efforts in ecological protection along the Yangtze River, by banning fishing for 10 years in the axial waters of the river from 2021.

In December 2020, China promulgated the Yangtze River Protection Law, providing legal guarantees for preserving the river's biological diversity.

Bethlehem - "Jerusalem" dot com - Clashes broke out with the Israeli occupation forces, this evening, Saturday, in the village of Husan, west of Bethlehem.

Local sources reported that the confrontations centered in the "Al-Matina" area at the eastern entrance to the village, during which the occupation soldiers fired bullets and tear gas canisters, without any injuries reported.

بقلم:الأسير قتيبه مسلم

إن حالة الانسداد السياسي والتفاوضي في العلاقة بين القيادة الفلسطينية الشرعية والقيادة الإسرائيلية اليمينية المتطرفة سواء بينيت أو لابيد أو نتنياهو سببها الأساسي هو الرؤية الصهيونية الانغلاقية المهيمنة على عقلية رموز النظام السياسي الإسرائيلي والرافضة للتسليم بحق الشعب الفلسطيني أسوة بشعوب العالم بحق تقرير المصير وإقامة دولة فلسطينية مستقلة ذات سيادة على حدود الرابع من حزيران عام 1967 وعودة اللاجئين وحل قضيتهم باسم القرار 194 ومبادرة السلام العربية.

ووجدت هذه الرؤية الصهيونية المسيطرة والمهيمنة تاريخياً مظلتها الداعمة سياسياً وعملياً بإدارة ترامب سابقاً وفريقه الأكثر صهيونية من الصهاينة أنفسهم وكافة الإدارات الأمريكية ليتم الانقلاب على قرارات أمريكا السابقة وخطابها وعرض ما سُميَ صفقة العار التي تؤبد الاحتلال وتشكل نظام الأبرتهايد العنصري ليعيش شعبنا في كانتونات بلا أي حقوق سبق ونص عليها القانون الدولي وكفلتها كل المواثيق الدولية وقد مثل الانحراف المهزوم في سياسة بعض الدول العربية والتي اختارت طريق الخلاص الفردي الزائف على حساب مبادئ الأمة العربية وتاريخها ودينها، الخنجر ولا زال في خاصرة القضية الوطنية الفلسطينية والداعم لسياسة إسرائيل العدوانية والإجرامية والرافضة للعدالة والحق والحرية والقانون الدولي.

أمام هذا المشهد الذي تقوده عقلية المسيحية الصهيونية (المحافظين الجدد) والذين يمتازون بالعنصرية والتفرقة العنصرية وثقافة الاستعلاء على الآخر والنظر لنا كأغيار يجب شطبهم من خارطة الجغرافيا ورؤية تاريخية تعاكس تاريخ الإنسانية فإن إرادتنا الوطنية الفلسطينية ووحدتنا الوطنية الداخلية الشعبية والقيادية المستندة على شراكة حقيقية في الكفاح والنظام السياسي والقيادة والميدان والبناء الوطني والتي ترفض الانكسار أمام دعوات التفرقة وسعي بعض المحاور لفرض أجنداتهم علينا المدعومة أمريكياً واسرائيلياً متوهمين بأن شعبنا الحر ووعيه الوطني الكفاحي سيتعاطى مع إفرازات التطبيع، ستفشل كل هذه الأوهام وسيبقى قرارنا الوطني سيد القرارات وخيارنا الفلسطيني سفينة النجاة وطوق الأمان لمشروعنا الوطني لن تستطيع إسرائيل وأمريكا وكل حلفائهما من إسقاط نظامنا السياسي وخلق الفوضى والفتن بين صفوفنا مثلما أسقطوا نظام العراق وليبيا ومحاولتهم سابقاً في سوريا هم وبريطانيا من خلال عملية ستراغل التي سعت لتنظيم هجوم من العراق الذي كان آنذاك موالياً لبريطانيا وتركيا وإسرائيل ضد سوريا وخطة أجاكس ضد حكومة محمد مصدق في إيران حيث استأجرت المخابرات الأمريكية والبريطانية زعران انطلقوا في الشوارع منتحلين صفة أعضاء في حزب (توده) يهددون القيادات الدينية بالقتل في حال عدم دعم مصدق وكانت كل أدواتهم ووسائلهم بدعم وتمويل أمريكي وقال روزفلت آنذاك (يمكنك أن تبتاع مظاهرة من الغوغاء) فاحذروا الغوغاء المأجورين ومثلما دعموا مظاهرات الحقوق المدنية في إيران خلال الأشهر السابقة ليس دفاعاً عن المرأة وحقها بالحرية وإنما لتأجيج الفوضى وضرب بنية النظام وشرعيته ومثلما تدعم بعض المظاهرات في أردن البطولة والاستقرار لإضعاف الدولة الأردنية التي تناضل لحماية الأقصى والمقدسات ودعم الوجود الفلسطيني ولا ننسى في فترة الستينات كيف عملت أمريكا عام 1964 على إسقاط حكومة غواو غولارد في البرازيل وكانت مدعومة ببرلمان أُنتخب ديمقراطياً ثم جرت آنذاك مجازر في أندونيسيا والإطاحة بحكم سوكارنو واستبداله بديكتاتورية سوهارتو الدموية ثم إسقاط نظام نيكروما في غانا فإرادتنا الوطنية وقرارنا الوطني الفلسطيني المستقل هما سياج القوة والانتصار ضد كل المؤامرات وسيبقى نظامنا السياسي والكفاحي المستقل مستنداً إلى ديمقراطية حقيقية ديمقراطية الشعب وإرادة فلسطينية عروبية إنسانية لا تقبل الهزيمة أو الذوبان أو الغياب أو الاسقاط ولنحذر من الآتي يا أبناء شعبنا في جعبة اليمين الديني والقومي المتطرف ومحاولات خلق فتن أهلية وصراعات جهوية لإفقادنا مناعة الدفاع عن قضيتنا وتغذية الصراعات البينية وإيصالها لدرجة الاقتتال المسلح لإفشال أي وحدة مقاومة ومناعة لشعبنا الفلسطيني.

Doha - (AFP) - Karim Benzema , the best player in the world for the year 2022, left the French national football team's exercises on Saturday, to determine the type and severity of his injury, according to what Agence France-Presse learned from a source close to the World Cup holder who is preparing to defend. His title Tuesday against Australia in the Qatar 2022 edition.

And after the absence of Real Madrid's top scorer from matches since last October due to a thigh injury, he participated on Saturday in group exercises for the first time since the team gathered in Clairefontaine last Monday. In the event that any player withdraws from coach Didier Deschamps' squad, he can be replaced until Monday, on the eve of the first match.

غزة- “القدس” دوت كوم- رصد مركز فلسطين لدراسات الأسرى 4200 حالة اعتقال من قبل قوات الاحتلال الإسرائيلي منذ بداية العام الجاري 2021، بعد أن صعدت من سياسات الاعتقال ضد الشعب الفلسطيني في الآونة الأخيرة.

وقال رياض الأشقر، مدير المركز في بيان له: إن الاحتلال واجه انتفاضة الشعب الفلسطيني، خاصةً داخل مناطق 48، بحملة اعتقال واسعة وعشوائية بهدف تحقيق سياسة الردع والتخويف ومنعهم من إسناد أهالي القدس وغزة التي تعرضت لعدوان همجي خلال الشهر الماضي.

وبيّن الأشقر أن الاعتقالات طالت كافة الفئات، حيث تم رصد (77) حالة اعتقال لسيدات بينهن قاصرات ومسنات، و(800) حالة اعتقال استهدفت الأطفال القاصرين، كذلك اعتقال 5 من نواب المجلس التشريعي السابق، والعشرات من القيادات الوطنية والإسلامية، إضافة إلى دهم منازل آخرين وتوجيه تهديدات مباشرة لهم بالاعتقال.

وأشار إلى أن قطاع غزة شهد منذ بداية العام الجاري (26) حالة اعتقال، (24) منها لشبان اقتربوا من الحدود الشرقية وأطلق سراحه غالبيتهم بعد التحقيق معهم.

ولفت الأشفر إلى أن الاحتلال استمر في استغلال حاجز بيت حانون (إيرز) كمصيدة للفلسطينيين، واستغلال حاجتهم الإنسانية للمعبر سواء للعلاج أو التجارة، واعتقل عددًا منهم.

وذكر أن حالات الاعتقال بالقدس وصلت إلى (1052) حالة طالت كافة فئات المجتمع المقدسي مع التركيز على فئة الأطفال، وتزامنت مع التصدي لاقتحام الأقصى ولمحاولات تهجير أهالي الشيخ جراح، في سياسة ممنهجة ومقصودة لاستنزاف المقدسيين وخلق واقع معيشي واقتصادي وأمني قاسى، لدفعهم إلى ترك منازلهم ومقدساتهم طواعية للاحتلال.

وأشار مدير مركز فلسطين لدراسات الأسرى إلى أن حالات الاعتقال بالداخل الفلسطيني وصلت إلى (1700) حالة اعتقال، كان أشرسها في حيفا واللد وأم الفحم والطيرة والناصرة، مشيرًا إلى أنها طالت الأطفال والنساء وكبار السن والصحافيين والنشطاء وقياديين من مختلف الأحزاب والحركات الفاعلة على الساحة العربية في الداخل.

وأوضح الأشقر أن غالبية المعتقلين تعرضوا للضرب والإهانة حين الاعتقال وفى مراكز الشرطة التي نُقلوا إليها، حيث أصيب عدد منهم بكسور ورضوض، وتم نقلهم إلى المستشفيات للعلاج، وقد أُطلق سراح غالبيتهم عقب التحقيق معهم، بعد فرض غرامات مالية بحقهم، أو الابتعاد عن أماكن سكناهم لأسابيع، فيما لا يزال أكثر من 160 منهم تم تقديم لوائح اتهام بحقهم تراوحت ما بين الإخلال بالنظام والتحريض على أعمال شغب، وإشعال إطارات مطاطية، والاعتداء على الشرطة، أو التحريض عبر الكتابة على مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي.

ولفت إلى أن حالات الاعتقال بين الأطفال ما دون الثامنة عشرة من أعمارهم خلال الأشهر الخمسة الأولى من العام الجاري وصلت إلى (800) حالة، غالبيتهم من مدينة القدس المحتلة والداخل، بعضهم جرحى تم إطلاق النار عليهم واعتقالهم مصابين بالرصاص، إضافة إلى اعتقال أطفال مرضى يحتاجون إلى رعاية طبية مستمرة، ومن بين المعتقلين أطفال لا تتجاوز أعمارهم 10 سنوات فقط.

وواصلت قوات الاحتلال استهداف النساء بالاعتقال، حيث بلغت حالات الاعتقال بين النساء (77) حالة، غالبيتهم من مدينة القدس المحتلة، بينهن عدد من المرابطات، وتم إطلاق سراحهم بعد إبعادهم عن المسجد الاقصى، فيما اعتقلت صحافيات وقاصرات.

ولفت إلى أن محاكم الاحتلال الصورية أصدرت (570) قرارًا إداريًا خلال العام الجاري ما بين جديد وتجديد من، بينها (332) قراراً بالتجديد لفترات إضافية تمتد ما بين شهرين إلى 6 أشهر، ووصلت إلى (5) مرات لبعض الأسرى، فيما (238) قراراً إدارياً صدرت بحق أسرى لأول مرة، معظمهم أسرى محررون أُعيد اعتقالهم.

A translation of "Jerusalem" dot com - The Ynet Hebrew website stated, on Saturday evening, that the Israeli army granted its forces, who worked in the field in the Jenin refugee camp in broad daylight today, an unusually large-scale air cover, through the use of drones. for reconnaissance, and others like it armed with missiles that flew at relatively low altitudes, along with Apache combat helicopters.

According to the site, none of the planes were used in an "aggressive" manner, and their flight was aimed at helping the ground forces to operate safely and to identify the militants, especially the drones that were carrying out follow-up and photographing tasks, while the use of combat helicopters was aimed at creating "deterrence." ".

According to the site, the Palestinian militants use side and small roads and are stationed in crowded areas due to the population density of the Jenin camp, which makes it difficult for the combat helicopters that hover over them throughout the operation.

The site pointed out that the Israeli army heavily used snipers from the selected units that led the operation, which are "Dovdovan", "Egoz" and "Nahal Patrol", and the snipers were stationed in many points in the camp and inside the buildings, which explains the number of martyrs and wounded.

He pointed out that the operation focused on the arrest of the Islamic Jihad activist, Saleh Samir Abu Zeina, a former detainee on the background of activities he described as "terrorist". He was released in 2020, and returned to the same activities, and was behind the shootings.

Translation by "Al Quds" dot com - The Israeli security services estimate that the chance of a military confrontation erupting on the northern front with the Lebanese Hezbollah, against the background of the negotiations to demarcate the maritime borders , is low, and that there is a possibility that the agreement could be signed by the end of this month.

And according to the Hebrew newspaper "Haaretz", in its Sunday edition, during the cabinet session last Thursday, clear security assessments were heard regarding the small possibility of a war breaking out, despite the directives of Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz to prepare for such a scenario.

According to the newspaper, the Israeli security establishment does not see that there is any security risk in the agreement itself, and believes that the establishment of the new maritime borders does not endanger Israel's security interests at all, and does not affect the freedom of action of the naval forces in the region, and that the agreement is very good in terms of security. The army representatives also reported this to the Cabinet during the last meeting.

She indicated that the timetable for signing the agreement is expected to end soon, at the end of the month, against the backdrop of the end of Lebanese President Michel Aoun’s term, and the elections in Israel, on the first of next month.

The newspaper pointed out that the Israeli army believes that if an agreement is not signed, the start of gas extraction from the Karish field should not be postponed, because this would be considered a concession in the face of Hezbollah's threats, and would harm deterrence against the organization, and in such a case it might choose The Lebanese party responded by using drones like the one it launched recently, and they were all shot down.

The Israeli army estimates that the leader of the party, Hassan Nasrallah, does not have a great appetite for war now, and is aware of the seriousness of the economic and political situation in Lebanon. Therefore, in recent months, it has increased its protection and enhanced the defense of gas sites in the Mediterranean, and executive plans for an Israeli counter-attack on Lebanon have been completed, in response to a possible move by Hezbollah.

Ramallah - "Jerusalem" dot com - Prisoners' institutions announced, today, Tuesday, the launch of popular activities to receive the heroic prisoner, Maher Yunis, who will be released on the 17th of this month, after he spent the entire 40-year period of his detention in the occupation prisons.

During a press conference held at the Red Cross headquarters coinciding with the weekly support stand for male and female prisoners, the institutions confirmed that the conditions inside prisons are heading towards a dangerous stage, in light of the escalating threats from the extremist Israeli government.

And called on the institutions to prepare to support the prisoners in this coming stage, according to an action plan in which all segments of the Palestinian people participate.

Malmö ( Sweden ) (AFP) - The Swedish police announced Saturday that the target of the shooting that occurred in a shopping center in the southern city of Malmö was apparently the man who died in the attack.

"Currently, everything suggests that this man was the target of this murder," Malmo police chief Petra Stenkola told a news conference.

A woman was wounded in the shooting, which took place shortly before Friday evening, and was taken to hospital in serious condition. Police said she was a passer-by at the scene.

A 15-year-old boy suspected of being the shooter was arrested.

Police explained to AFP that they considered the attack "an isolated incident linked to criminal circles", ruling out the existence of terrorist motives.

Weeks before elections in Sweden, criminality has become one of the main issues in the national debate.

Brussels - (AFP) - The Belgian judiciary decided Thursday to keep the Greek representative in the European Parliament, Eva Kaili, in pre-trial detention as part of an investigation into suspicions of corruption linked to Qatar, according to what the Federal Public Prosecutor announced.

The Brussels Chamber, which Kylie appeared before Thursday, 11 days after her arrest, refused her request to be released on bail and subject to monitoring by means of an electronic bracelet. The court decided to "extend her pretrial detention for a month," according to the Public Prosecution Office, in a statement.

Her clients have 24 hours to appeal the decision to keep her in pretrial detention, according to the Public Prosecution Office.

Kylie pleaded not guilty when she appeared in court and asked to be released pending trial.

The Greek MP, who was stripped of her position as Vice-President of the European Parliament on December 13 after the first information was revealed, appeared before the Brussels Council chamber in a closed hearing.

Her legal representative, Andre Risopoulos, had indicated that his client was "cooperating actively" with the Belgian investigation.

On Wednesday, lawyer Michalis Dimitrakopoulos, who is also Kylie's legal representative, said in a statement to reporters that his client was "very disturbed" and felt that her friend, also accused in the case, Francesco Georgi, had betrayed her.

The case shocked Brussels and Strasbourg, prompting European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to announce "broad reforms" in 2023.

Kylie is also subject to a preliminary investigation by the Financial Public Prosecution in Athens on suspicion of "corruption" and "money laundering", in cooperation with the Belgian judiciary.

The case includes three other suspects in a "file of corruption, money laundering and organized crime within the European Parliament", namely Georgi, Rafik Kyli, former European MP Pierre Antonio Panzieri, and Nicolo Vega-Talamanca, an official of the NGO "No Peace Without Justice".

According to a Belgian judicial source, bags full of banknotes worth 150,000 euros were found in her apartment in Brussels.

Lawyer Dimitrakopoulos confirmed that his client "has no knowledge of the existence of these funds," noting that Georgie "betrayed" Kylie's trust.

In Greece, a judicial source announced Thursday that the judiciary had seized a joint bank account for Kylie and Georgie and a land on the island of Paros of an area of seven thousand square meters that had been purchased by this account.

The former TV news anchor turned controversial figure in the Greek Socialist Party (Pasouk Kinal) - who fired her - continues to deny receiving money from Qatar to influence her political decisions.

Qatar also denies any involvement in the scandal, which has strained relations between the European Union and the gas-rich emirate.

Governorates - "Jerusalem" dot com - The Israeli occupation forces launched, at dawn and today, Tuesday, a campaign of arrests and raids in several areas of the West Bank.

According to local sources, these forces arrested at least 14 civilians, during their raid into several areas, including Tubas, Nablus, Tulkarem, and Bethlehem.

A military force stormed Al-Fara'a camp, south of Tubas, and raided several homes before arresting the two young men, Mahmoud Nazmi and Obeida Jabr, from their homes.

Clashes and armed confrontations took place with the occupation forces who broke into the camp, which resulted in the injury of 5 young men, and the injuries of one of them were described as serious.

In Nablus, the occupation forces arrested Omar Al-Hanbali after storming his house, the editor Mustafa Al-Shunnar from his home in Al-Maajeen neighborhood, and the young man, Amid Hijazi, after storming his house in Asira Street.

In Tulkarm, the young man, Muhammad Hassan Saleh Khalaf, was arrested from his family's home.

In Bethlehem, the editor, Muhammad Al-Arouj, was arrested after storming his house in the Janata area, along with the young men: Salah Muhammad Sabah, Ahmed Saeed Sabah, Ibrahim Wajih Sabah, and Muhammad Awad Atallah.

In Ramallah, the young Hamada Nabil Hammad (34 years old) from Al-Amari camp was arrested after his house was raided in the camp. Two young men whose identities were not yet known were arrested near Ofer prison near Betunia.

Beni ( Democratic Republic of Congo - (AFP) - Two people have been killed and ten others are missing after a boat sank in Lake Edward in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to local sources.

The motor boat capsized at around 5 am (0300 GMT), with about 20 singers from a church choir on board, heading from the village of Kyavinyong in North Kivu province to the village of Kisaka in the same area, according to eyewitnesses told AFP.

"We pulled out five people alive and two dead bodies from the water. The rest are at the bottom of the lake. The boat capsized while it was in the lake, about 10 kilometers from Kiavenong," said Patrick Kambale, the government official in charge of the lake.

He explained that when the boat sailed, there were 16 people on board, but nine other passengers boarded later during the trip.

The official confirmed that the accident was caused by "strong winds".

In turn, Rev. Baluku Kafutoiraki, head of the Protestant church to which the singers belong, said that the boat was carrying a total of 24 people, including three children.

He added, "Our search will continue until Sunday," noting that the two bodies that were recovered were buried on Friday.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a vast country with an area of 2.3 million square kilometers, but it lacks usable land roads, which often drives residents to move through water bodies from lakes and rivers.

Drowning accidents are frequent and often have a large toll.

Jerusalem - "Jerusalem" dot com - The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories, the preacher of the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, denounced what the extremist settlers did in terms of burning and tearing copies of the Holy Quran , in the vicinity of the Qaytoun Mosque near the Ibrahimi Mosque in the Old City of Hebron .

The Grand Mufti affirmed in a press statement today, Monday, that these abhorrent and abhorrent behaviors express racist discourse against Islam, which would stir up feelings of hatred and violence among people, and lead to a state of chaos and tension among them, calling for an end to such reckless attacks that affect the most important sanctities. Muslims.

He stated that this is not the first time that these extremists have attacked the Book of God, as they have carried out similar attacks previously, and this is their approach to life.

He warned against continued international silence in the face of these disgraceful attacks against Islam and the Book and Houses of God Almighty, once again calling on the countries of the world and the United Nations to enact a law that prohibits insulting religions and their symbols, and to criminalize and punish whoever does so, in order to put an end to these polemics that are carried out by a hateful group outside. All human and international norms, aiming to create a state of chaos in the region and the world as a whole.

Moscow-AFP) - The Russian Foreign Ministry denounced Thursday the "noise" made by US officials about the case of American basketball star Brittney Grenier, who was arrested in Russia and is being tried for drug trafficking, a file that President Joe Biden has given priority.

Russian media quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying that "the general uproar that modern politicians love so much can be annoying in this case," adding that "this is not just a distraction, but a confusion of the issue."

"What can help (...) is for the American side to take into account the signals it receives from Russia," he added.

The White House announced the day before that the release of Brittney Grenier was a "priority" for the US president, who had read an emotional letter from the player.

-terrified-
The Russian warning comes on the day of the second session of the trial of Grenier, who faces up to 10 years in prison.

The Phoenix Mercury player was arrested in February upon her arrival at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport with cannabis extracts and liquids.

While Ryabkov stressed that the trial must be waited out, some pointed to a possible prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia.

The Russian diplomat said, "It is clear that the judicial procedures have not been completed yet. We cannot talk about what will happen later until the completion" of the case.

In light of Russian case law, the 31-year-old young athlete can expect harsh punishment.
And she wrote a letter to President Joe Biden, which was symbolically deposited in the White House on Monday, the Independence Day of the United States, in which she implored him not to "forget" her.

"I know very well that you have to take care of a lot of things, but please don't ever forget us, me and other American detainees," said Brittney Greener from her cell, adding that she was "terrified at the idea of staying here forever."

- Prisoner exchange -
On Wednesday, Biden called Cheryl Greener, the player's partner, "to reassure her that he is working to secure Britney's release as quickly as possible," according to the White House.

The Americans and the Russians accuse each other of detaining citizens of the other country for political purposes. Many prisoners have been exchanged in the past.

In April, a former US Marine, Trevor Reid, who was sentenced to nine years in prison in Russia for violent acts, was exchanged for a Russian pilot, Konstantin Yaroshenko, who had been imprisoned in the United States since 2010, on charges of drug trafficking and links to the Farc organization in Colombia.

Other exchanges of this kind will be the subject of talks. Among the most frequent names are Paul Whelan, an American who was sentenced to 16 years in prison for espionage, and the famous Russian arms dealer, Victor Bout, who was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and is serving a 25-year prison sentence in the United States.

Gaza - "Jerusalem" dot com - Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said , " The open massacre against our people, which the Israeli occupation is launching, is a Nazi terrorist policy aimed at breaking the will and resistance of our people."

Qassem denounced, in a statement he made this evening, Thursday, that the escalation of aggression against our people coincides with normalization meetings and the exchange of ambassadors between Israel and countries in the region.

Governorates - "Jerusalem" dot com - The Israeli occupation forces launched, at dawn and Thursday morning, a campaign of arrests and raids in separate areas of the West Bank .

Those forces raided dozens of homes as they stormed villages, camps and towns in different cities and governorates, and subjected their residents to field investigations.

In Hebron, the editor Qutaiba Jaradat, Majd Jaradat, Ahmed Hassan al-Faroukh and Moamen al-Faroukh, all from the town of Sa'ir, were arrested.

They also arrested Amer Abu Fanar and Nasser Abu Fanar from Yatta, south of Hebron.

The editor, Aysar al-Atrash, was arrested from Jenin, Jalal Melhem from Kafr Ra'i, Youssef Mahmoud Fashafsha from Jaba', and Amer Abed and Omar Abed from Kafr Dan.

BEIRUT - (Xinhua) - Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati warned today (Thursday) that his country "stands at the crossroads of its conclusion, either the expected rise or the grim deterioration."

This came in a speech delivered by Mikati during his sponsorship of the opening session of the "28th Arab Economic Forum" under the title "Lebanon: The Road to Oil", in the presence of more than 400 participants from Lebanon and about 30 countries.

The Forum is organized by the Al-Iktissad and Business Group in partnership with the Lebanese Economic Authorities, the Union of Arab Chambers, and the Public Institution for the Promotion of Investments in Lebanon (IDAL), in cooperation with the League of Arab States.

Mikati stressed that "Lebanon is at a crossroads, the bottom line of which is either the expected recovery or a gloomy decline," explaining that "in the event that the positive political-economic scenario is realized, the economic and social pressures begin to recede, and the country begins to rise from its dark slump."

He pointed out that "the opposite scenario will lead to more economic stagnation in all sectors, which will lead to great pressure on the exchange rate of the Lebanese pound, and this will be reflected in social conditions and Lebanese families in general."

Mikati believed that achieving economic prosperity requires the election of a new president and the formation of a new government that pledges to adopt a serious reform approach with practical and comprehensive political support.

He also stressed "creating a safe investment environment under a fair and independent judicial system, and completing the steps required to reach a final agreement with the International Monetary Fund, which establishes access to foreign aid and investments towards Lebanon that requires the Fund's involvement as an international observer of reforms at home."

The disagreements of the political forces prevented the election of a new president for the country to succeed former President Michel Aoun, despite the parliament holding 10 sessions for this purpose, between the end of last September and the 15th of this December.
The differences also prevented the formation of a new government headed by Mikati, after the parliament assigned him to do so last June, following the resignation of his government after the parliamentary elections.

Since 2019, Lebanon has been suffering from constant tensions amid political, economic, financial, health and living crises, which are the worst in its history.

Mikati urged politicians to "rise above their narrow interests" (..) and establish a foundation to get out of "the dark setback, contain the underlying risks, and move towards an era of economic advancement."

Mikati addressed the positive indicators that the Lebanese economy is going through despite the severity of the crisis, including the economic growth of about 2%, in addition to the increase in remittances of Lebanese working abroad by about 7%, to reach $6.8 billion.

He believed that the Lebanese private sector is looking forward to stabilizing the general political situation, in order to restore the factor of confidence and consensus on the reform agenda and to conclude a final agreement with the International Monetary Fund in order to return the country to the path of growth.

He said that the public sector is suffering from a massive crisis, as the total budget does not exceed one billion dollars, compared to about $17 billion in the 2019 budget, which limits infrastructure resources and operational and investment expenditures.

And Lebanon had pledged, according to an initial agreement at the staff level with the International Monetary Fund on April 7, to adopt appropriate legislation on “capital control” (capital control), reform the banking sector, and unify currency exchange rates.

Lebanon has not yet made sufficient progress in implementing the commitments made under the initial agreement with the Fund, despite repeated international calls for the authorities to expedite the completion of all the steps that have not yet been resolved.

Nablus - "Jerusalem" dot com - A young man was killed, and at least 5 others were injured, today, Wednesday, as a result of the Israeli occupation forces besieging a house in the town of Deir al-Hatab, east of Nablus, inside which was a wanted man, who turned himself in after 3 hours of clashes.

According to the Ministry of Health, the martyr is Alaa Nasser Zaghal (21 years old) - from Askar camp - as a result of being shot in the head by the occupation forces.

According to the Ministry, all the injuries are stable, including 2 in the shoulder, one in the hand, another in the foot, and a fifth in the abdomen (rubber bullets). They were transferred to Rafidia Hospital.

Among the injured were the Palestine TV cameraman, Mahmoud Fawzi, and colleague Louay Al-Samhan, while they were covering the events.

While the Red Crescent stated that its crews dealt with 6 injuries from live bullets, and 20 from suffocation due to throwing tear gas canisters.

According to eyewitnesses, the occupation forces surrounded the house of the family of the persecuted young man, Salman Omran, amid violent armed clashes from inside and outside the house.

The pursuer, Omran, turned himself in after he ran out of ammunition, following the occupation's threat to the lives of his family members, as the demolition of the house began.

The occupation forces fired a missile at the besieged house, while clashes broke out with dozens of young men.

The occupation forces closed the road leading to the villages of Azmout, Salem and Deir al-Hatab.

 بيتونيا-ضمن مسؤوليتها الاجتماعية ودعمها المتواصل للأندية الرياضية، قدمت شركة المشروبات الوطنية كوكاكولا/ كابي، رعايتها لتزويد نادي عطارة الرياضي، بمستلزمات الإنارة الخاصة بملعب النادي. ووقع الاتفاقية عماد الهندي مدير عام شركة المشروبات الوطنية، ومحمد خميس رئيس نادي عطارة الرياضي، بحضور  نصر العطاري رئيس بلدية عطارة، وعلاء عيساوي المنسق الفني في شركة المشروبات الوطنية.

 وعبر الهندي عن فخره واعتزازه بهذه الشراكة ما بين شركة المشروبات الوطنية ونادي عطارة الرياضي، عبر مساهمة الشركة في توفير الدعم اللازم للنادي من خلال توفير مسلتزمات الإنارة الخاصة بملعب النادي، مشيداً بدور النادي لرعايته واهتمامه بفئة الشباب، وسعيه المتواصل في العمل على تطوير مختلف الأنشطة والفعاليات الرياضية للارتقاء بمستوى النادي.
 وأردف الهندي قائلاً “إن دعم الأندية الرياضية في محافظات الوطن كافة، بما فيها دعم فئة الشباب، يأتي ضمن أولويات واهتمامات شركة المشروبات الوطنية في الوقوف إلى جانب مختلف المؤسسات الرياضية ومساندتها، حتى تتمكن من القيام بدورها بالشكل المطلوب تجاه المجتمع المحلي”.

 ودعا الهندي مختلف المؤسسات بما فيها مؤسسات المجتمع المدني، والقطاع الخاص أن تساهم في رعاية النوادي والفرق الرياضية وتمكينها وإسنادها حتى تكون قادرة على القيام بمسؤولياتها لتنشئة جيل رياضي مثابر وقوي لمختلف الفئات العمرية، وتمكينهم من صقل مواهبهم وتنميتها، هذا بالإضافة إلى بناء قدراتهم الجسدية.  بدوره توجه السيد خميس بالشكر لشركة المشروبات ولمديرها العام السيد عماد الهندي على اهتمامهم المتواصل في دعم المؤسسات الرياضية والأندية الرياضية، بما فيها توفير متطلبات نادي عطارة الرياضي، بما يسهم في تعزيز الأنشطة الرياضية للنادي وتطوير قدراته نحو الأفضل، أملاً أن يتواصل دعم المشروبات الوطنية للنادي، ليشمل جوانب أخرى مستقبلاً.  من جانبه أشاد العطاري بجهود شركة المشروبات الوطنية، والتزامها اللامتناهي في دعم المؤسسات المجتمعية على مستوى الوطن، وخصوصاً الأندية الرياضية، لاسيما في ظل الظروف الصعبة التي مرت بها هذه الأندية، بسبب تفشي جائحة كورونا، والتي أثرت بشكل كبير على تلك الأندية وأنشطتها.

Frankfurt am Main (AFP) - Germans are voting in the coastal state of Lower Saxony in a local election that is a test for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic party amid a deepening energy crisis.

The polls open at 08:00 am (06:00 GMT), while the latest polls indicate a slight lead for the Schulz party (center-left) over the conservative Christian Democratic party of former Chancellor Anguilla Merkel.

Concern about rising energy prices dominated the elections in the northwestern region bordering the North Sea, giving a glimpse into the national mood at a time when Europe's largest economy is reeling from the fallout from Russia's war on Ukraine.

Lower Saxony Prime Minister Stefan Weil, who is widely popular and belongs to the Social Democratic Party, said that the poll was "the most difficult in my life," as he seeks to win a third term.

"I have never seen so many questions and concerns on the faces of citizens," he told the magazine "Wirtschaftwoche".

Weil, 63, portrays himself as a safe haven in times of turmoil and wants Lower Saxony, home to car giant Volkswagen and most of Germany's wind turbines, to play a role in the transition to renewables.

He welcomed a 200-billion-euro ($198 billion) energy fund recently unveiled by Schulz aimed at protecting German consumers from price shocks.

In turn, Weil's main rival, State Minister for Economic Affairs Bernd Althusmann of the Christian Democratic Party, believes that the huge support package lacks clarity. He accuses the federal government of moving too slowly as recession fears mount.

Althausmann, 55, described Sunday's elections as a popular verdict against Schulz's coalition government in Berlin, which includes the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Free Democratic Party (liberals).

"If the CDU becomes the strongest in Lower Saxony, which is realistic, it will be a serious blow to the already divided federal government," he told the Rheinische Post newspaper.

Opinion polls show that the Social Democrats lead in Lower Saxony (31 to 33 percent), followed by the Christian Democrats (27 to 28 percent). The difference between them has increased in recent days.

The victory of the Social Democrats would strengthen their position after they lost in the last two ballots held in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein in favor of the Christian Democrats.

As for the Greens, they are expected to get about 16 percent of the vote, which is their best performance in the state of 6.1 million voters.
Polls indicate that the far-right Alternative for Germany party has about 11 percent of the vote's intentions, nearly double the number of votes it received in the 2017 elections.

As for the Free Democratic Party, it is likely to get about five percent of the vote, which is the threshold it needs to enter the regional parliament.

The fate of the "Emsland" nuclear power plant, located in Lower Saxony, was the most prominent point of contention in the elections, knowing that it is one of the three stations still in service in Germany.

Althausmann reacted angrily to Berlin's decision to proceed with the implementation of the Emsland closure plan this year, despite the urgent need to diversify energy sources at a time when Germany reduces its dependence on Russian gas and oil.

Recently, German Economics Minister Robert Habeck, who belongs to the Greens and is usually opposed to nuclear energy, announced that the other two plants will remain in service until April 2023, in a historic shift in attitudes.

Weil endorsed Berlin's position, pointing out that Emsland was not necessary to guarantee energy supplies in Lower Saxony, although he acknowledged that other regions might face difficulties with the onset of winter.

The two candidates stressed the pivotal role of their states in reducing dependence on Russian energy, pointing to the construction of terminals to import liquefied natural gas in the ports of Stade and Wilhelmshaven.

Although the Social Democrats and Christian Democrats rule jointly in Lower Saxony, Weil ruled out this time the possibility of repeating the experience of forming a coalition of the right and the left.

Buffalo ( United States ) (AFP) - The storm that killed dozens in the United States during the Christmas holidays is still weighing on New York state and air travelers across the country, as stories spread of families trapped for days during the "storm of the century".

The number of winter storm-related deaths — most of them road accidents — rose to at least 50 after officials confirmed another death in western New York's Erie County, the epicenter of the crisis.

"Unfortunately, police expect the number to go up," Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said on Twitter. Buffalo was paralyzed for five days due to snow and power outages, and more snow is expected Tuesday.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, who was born in Buffalo, likened the situation after the storm to a "war zone".
"It is definitely the storm of the century," Hochul told reporters Monday.

With temperatures dropping, passengers and some residents fleeing their freezing homes were trapped on highways with no intervention to save them.

The family of Andell Taylor, 22, a Buffalo resident, said she died in her car after she was stranded on her way home from work.

A video sent by Taylor and posted by her sister shows her car covered in snow up to its windows.

And her family in North Carolina told a local television station that the emergency personnel, who themselves were trapped while trying to save her, found her dead 18 hours later, suggesting that the cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning.

A man said he was trapped in his car on the streets of Buffalo with his four young children for 11 hours before they were rescued, according to the New York Times.

Zila Santiago, 30, said he kept his car's engine running to keep him warm and fed his children some juice from the trunk, before finally being rescued at dawn by a passing snowplow.

Snow storms, strong winds and extremely low temperatures have led to the cancellation of about 20,000 flights in recent days, including about 4,700 flights on Tuesday, according to the specialized tracking website, Flight Aware.

Most of the cancellations on Tuesday included Southwest Airlines, which canceled more than 60 percent of its flights due to successive logistical problems related to its network, which cost it a rebuke from the US government.

The Department of Transportation said via Twitter that it was "concerned by Southwest's unacceptable cancellation rate" and would see if the company was "compliant with its customer service plan."

For his part, US President Joe Biden approved Monday a declaration of emergency in New York State to disburse funds to help it recover from the disaster.

Buffalo International Airport remains closed as of Wednesday morning, and a driving ban remains in effect in the city, where thousands have been without power.

"You can certainly go out and walk to check on neighbors, go to shops that are open, etc., but don't drive," city official Mark Poloncars warned.

Longtime Buffalo resident Bill Sherlock told AFP his house was surrounded by about four feet of snow, but he was lucky the power didn't go out and he had a good supply of food that he used all weekend.

The 38-year-old added that those less fortunate "may have had the worst Christmas of their lives" - noting that some homes in his neighborhood have been without electricity since Friday.

Sherlock has spent three hours clearing snow from his driveway, and may wait another day before venturing out to drive it for the first time in nearly a week. "We're not going anywhere unless we have to," he says.

The National Weather Service predicted snowfall in isolated areas of western New York on Tuesday, but a thaw is expected to begin.

Temperatures are expected to reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) by the end of the week, though officials have warned that melting snow could lead to minor flooding.

Severe weather over the weekend sent temperatures below freezing in all mainland US states, including areas along the Mexico border where some newly arrived migrants are struggling to find shelter.

The power outage, at its peak on Saturday, affected 1.7 million people in the bitter cold, according to the specialized "Power Outrage" website.

The ice also led to the temporary closure of some of the busiest transportation routes, including a portion of the transnational Interstate 70.

The New York governor said on Twitter Tuesday that the reopening of many of New York's major highways, as well as border crossings with Canada, is "an indication that we are finally past the peak of this once-in-a-generation storm."

Gaza - "Jerusalem" dot com - " Hamas " movement considered, on Monday, that a group of settlers burned copies of the "Holy Quran" near the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, coinciding with the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, as a provocation to the feelings of Muslims.

Abdel Latif Al-Qanou, a spokesman for Hamas, said, "This is a heinous crime that must be answered, and an unprecedented escalation by settler militias."

Al-Qanou added: "This disgraceful racist behavior confirms that the occupation and its settlers want it to be a religious war targeting our Islamic religion."

And he continued: "The Jewish holidays of the occupation have become a great danger to Al-Aqsa and an attack on our people and our sanctities."

He called on Muslim scholars and the masses of the Arab and Islamic nation to expose the crimes of the occupation and mobilize energies to support our people and strengthen their steadfastness in the face of the occupation. like he said.

Governorates - "Al-Quds" dot com - Dozens of citizens were injured today, Friday, as a result of the Israeli occupation forces' suppression of the weekly marches in the West Bank .

The occupation 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.

In Beit Dajan, 37 civilians suffocated from tear gas and were injured, and one was injured by rubber bullets, and the other was injured by burns resulting from a direct hit by a gas bomb.

In the village of Kafr Qaddum, east of Qalqilya, 4 civilians were wounded by rubber bullets during clashes with the occupation forces.

// He follows //

BEIJING (Xinhua) -- China's foreign exchange market recorded transactions of 17.14 trillion yuan (2.67 trillion US dollars) in April, according to official data released Friday.

Specifically, the transaction volume in the customer market reached 3.56 trillion yuan last month, while the transaction volume in the interbank market reached 13.58 trillion yuan, according to the National Foreign Exchange Commission.

In terms of products, the cumulative transaction volume of the spot market was 5.88 trillion yuan and that of the derivatives market was 11.26 trillion yuan in April.
The data showed that in the first four months of the year, the country's foreign exchange market transaction volume reached 74.81 trillion yuan.

Jerusalem - "Al-Quds" dot com - Dozens of settlers stormed today, Sunday, the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque , under the strict protection of the occupation police.

The settlers made provocative tours inside the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and performed Talmudic rituals.

Settler groups storm Al-Aqsa on a daily basis, except for Friday and Saturday.

Istanbul - (AFP) - On Tuesday evening, the Michelin Guide awarded its first ratings to restaurants in Istanbul, celebrating the spirit of innovation and modern traditions in the Turkish city, most notably a two-star rating for a restaurant.

The international director of the Michelin Guide, Gwendal Pollnik, indicated that five of the city's restaurants located on the Bosphorus Strait, which are distinguished by their culinary heritage due to their location between the Aegean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Anatolian plateaus, have now obtained Michelin stars and 53 others are recommended to be visited, which "reflects the richness of the culinary field." It is open to the world.

Chef Fatih Totak's "Turk" restaurant received two Michelin stars for its reinvention of traditional Turkish dishes based exclusively on local produce.

After working for sixteen years with top chefs in Asia, including Paul Perrier in Singapore and Rene Redzepi in Copenhagen, Fatih Totak (37 years old) returned in 2019 to his hometown of Istanbul to open his own restaurant.

The guide gave the restaurant a two-star rating in celebration of Totak's "devotion to its region and roots" and to highlight its "dishes that are often enhanced by smooth, citrusy and smoky flavours".

“We are making history,” Tutak said, stressing that “every chef dreams of having this distinguished classification.”

Among the four restaurants that received a one-star rating, Zeynep Pinar Tasdemir's "Araca" won a Michelin star for "a menu focusing on seasonal vegetables and fresh herbs," and "Nikol" which features traditional dishes infused with Middle Eastern spices.

In addition to "Araca" and "Nicole", the one-star restaurants "Mikla" and "Neolocal", which are located in the former Ottoman Bank headquarters in the Galata district, are characterized by Anatolian dishes that blend "tradition with modernity", according to the Michelin Guide.
Neolocal has also been awarded a "Green Star" rating for its "green efforts and initiatives".

The Michelin guide said, "Chef Meksut Ashkar and his team of young people have invested in particular in protecting and promoting Turkish cuisine and Turkish environmental factors that some see as endangered."

In addition, ten restaurants were awarded the "Babe Gourmand" rating, which highlights restaurants that offer high-quality dishes at reasonable prices. This classification is considered important in Turkey, which is facing a severe economic crisis and inflation of more than 83%.