BEIJING, (Xinhua) -- China's national political advisors believe the country's economy remains resilient and full of potential and vitality, said a spokesperson for the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Answering questions at a press conference, Guo Weimin said that despite the complex and harsh development environment, China has great strength in market size, industrial system and human resources.

Warning against headwinds, including continued turmoil in the international political and economic landscape, repercussions of policy adjustments in other major economies and domestic economic recovery that has yet to be consolidated, Guo urged firm confidence in doing a good job in economic work in 2023.

"We must make stabilizing growth, striving to effectively upgrade the economy and appropriately expand its scope, as our top priority," he said.

China's economy expanded by 3 percent last year, overcoming the impact of factors beyond expectations such as the complex global environment, COVID-19 and natural disasters.

The spokesperson said that maintaining overall economic stability and withstanding pressure to bring the economy to a new stage is a hard-won achievement for the country.

"National political advisors have suggested concrete reform steps to improve expectations and boost confidence," he told reporters.

Citing advice from members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Guo said the country should continue to implement a strategy to expand domestic demand to speed up recovery and stimulate consumption.

He noted that efforts should be made to promote the stable and healthy development of the real estate sector and push the industry's transformation into a new development model.

He also proposed stronger policy guidance to facilitate the digital transformation of traditional industries and small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as deepening reforms to allow financial institutions to better serve micro and small enterprises and innovation.

The delegation of the Palestinian Business Council in Abu Dhabi visited Ambassador Ali Younis, Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Abu Dhabi.

The delegation was headed by the Chairman of the Council, Engineer Jamal Abu Bakr, and included businessmen, Mr. Muhammad Erekat, Engineer Muhammad Al-Amin, Engineer Saleh Awad and Ms. Lauren Schumer.

The delegation congratulated Ambassador Younes on assuming his duties as Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Abu Dhabi, praising the moral character of Ambassador Younes.

It was agreed to continue meetings and cooperation for the good of the Palestinian people.

For his part, Ambassador Younes affirmed that the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Abu Dhabi is the "home of all Palestinians", and the aim is to serve the Palestinian community in the brotherly United Arab Emirates, and to confirm cooperation with the members of other communities and the concerned authorities.

Nablus - "Jerusalem" dot com - Today, Thursday, large crowds mourned the body of the child martyr, Amer Abu Zaytoun, to his final resting place in Balata camp.

The funeral procession set off in front of Rafidia Governmental Hospital, towards the house of the martyr's family in Balata camp, to take a farewell look at him, pray for him at the Ebad Al-Rahman Mosque in the camp, and then bury him in the martyrs' cemetery.

Participants in the funeral of the martyr's body chanted slogans condemning the occupation's crimes against our defenseless Palestinian people.

The Ministry of Health announced at dawn that the child Abu Zaytoun (16 years old) had risen after being shot in the head by the occupation soldiers during the aggression on Nablus.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates denounced this crime, and the occupation army's incursion into all Palestinian areas and its continuous violation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

She stressed that this reflects the official Israeli reversal of all signed agreements, not only through field executions of Palestinian citizens and dealing with them as targets for shooting and training as a result of the shooting facilities approved by the political and military echelons of the occupying state, but also through the escalation in the seizure of land, the deepening of settlements and the demolition of homes. Ethnic cleansing operations in the West Bank, especially Area C.

She said that this means a process of gradual annexation and swallowing up of the occupied West Bank that is accelerating daily, in a process of systematic destruction and sabotage of the opportunity to implement the principle of the two-state solution, and closing the door permanently to the opportunity to embody the Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the borders of June 4, 1967.

حديث القدس
وقع اكثر من 130 فنانا من مختلف المواقع، على رسالة مفتوحة تدين جرائم اسرائيل المستمرة بحق شعبنا والصمت الدولي حولها، وطالبوا بتحقيق العدالة في قضية استشهاد شيرين ابو عاقلة. وهاجمت منظمة صهيونية امريكية الكونغرس الامريكي واتهمته بتسهيل معاداة السامية وذلك على خلفية مشروع القانون الذي قدمه ستة من اعضائه وطالبوا فيه ادارة الرئيس بايدن بالاعتراف بنكبة الشعب الفلسطيني واحياء ذكراها سنويا والاستمرار بتمويل وكالة غوث وتشغيل اللاجئين الفلسطينيين.
وفي اسرائيل نفسها توجهت منظمات حقوق الانسان وباحثون اكاديميون بانتقادات شديدة اللهجة الى المؤسسة الاسرائيلية التي تمتنع عن التحقيق الجاد والحقيقي في قضية اغتيال ابو عاقلة . ووفقا لمنظمة حقوقية اسرائيلية هي «يش دين» فقد تقدم الفلسطينيون بعشرات الشكاوى ضد جرائم قام بها الاحتلال في العامين 2017 و 2018 ولم يتم سوى تقديم ثلاثة لوائح اتهام وتم اغلاق نحو 80٪من الشكاوى.
ان هذا التطور المعنوي هام وضروري ولكنه غير كاف ولا بد من ملاحقة الاحتلال عمليا في ممارساته هذه واتخاذ خطوات جادة ضده لوقف او تخفيف مثل هذه الممارسات وكذلك معاقبة الذين يقومون بها، خاصة ما تقوم به حكومة الاحتلال نفسها.

حماية التعليم وتطويره من اهم القضايا ...
دعا رئيس الوزراء محمد اشتية الى استئناف عملية التعليم ابتداء من اليوم السبت وانهاء الاضراب الذي كان يمارسه المعلمون والمعلمات ، واكد التزام الحكومة الكامل بالاتفاقية بين وزارة التربية واتحاد المعلمين والموقعة بتاريخ 21/4.
وقد استجابت الحكومة لمطالب الهيئات التدريسية واكدت انه سيتم صرف باقي مستحقاتهم بعد ان تم صرف الدفعة الاولى بقيمة 13 مليون شيكل، والالتزام بالمبادرات التي تقدم بها قادة الفصائل والمحافظون والعديد من النقابات والفعاليات والمؤسسات المختلفة الكثيرة وبينها الاسرى المحررون والذين يقبعون وراء القضبان.
ومن المطلوب والمأمول ان يتم استئناف الدراسة اليوم وان تعود العملية التعليمية والتربوية للقيام بدورها لأن الهيئات التدريسية تمثل قادة التنوير ومصدر الالهام ومعقد الآمال بتربية النشء الجديد وبناء المستقبل المأمول لخدمة وطننا وارضنا ومستقبلنا، ومسؤولية الحكومات والقيادات المختلفة تجاه حماية هذه العملية وتطويرها هي من اهم القضايا التي علينا حمايتها والسعي لتحقيق انجازاتها المصيرية.

Ramallah - "Jerusalem" dot com - Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Riyad Al-Malki , said that work is underway to complete the legal procedures to place Israeli organizations on terrorist lists, mobilize international support to classify them as terrorist organizations and ask the international community not to deal with them so that this list will be announced in due time.

Al-Maliki added, in an interview with "Voice of Palestine" radio today, Thursday, that these steps are a response to the ongoing occupation crimes against our people, and their denial of the resolutions of international legitimacy.

He pointed out that the monthly report of the State of Palestine to the International Criminal Court will include the file of the occupation authorities closing the headquarters of those institutions, despite the European countries' rejection of the Israeli classification.

Among the Palestinian steps, according to al-Maliki, is to go to the United Nations General Assembly to obtain a resolution asking the International Court of Justice to express its opinion on the nature of the Israeli military presence, whether it is an apartheid state or an occupying power.

Jerusalem - "Al-Quds" dot com - The General Secretariat of the National People's Congress for Jerusalem held an expanded meeting today, Wednesday, headed by the Secretary-General, Major General Bilal Natsheh, during which a number of issues of concern to the Jerusalemites were discussed, in addition to the conference's achievements during the last period.

On the agenda of the meeting, which began with reading Al-Fatihah on the souls of the martyrs of our people, was a discussion of the conference’s achievements in the past period to date, the conference’s activity and its role in helping citizens at all levels to enhance their steadfastness, in addition to the visits and agreements held by the conference during the foreign tours, and reviewing the plans and programs of the conference during the stage coming.

The meeting reviewed the achievements of the General Secretariat and the executive teams to confirm the steadfastness of the citizen and the Jerusalemite national institutions with their various orientations and specializations, by working on the relevant files on the Jerusalem arena.

The General Secretariat stressed the importance of accumulating actual practical achievements that would contribute to consolidating the concept of Jerusalem as the capital of the future State of Palestine, and confronting the occupation's plans of Israelization and Judaization.

And she stressed that the conference worked from the beginning to achieve a number of goals, including continuing to highlight the issue of Jerusalem in Arab, Islamic and international forums as the political and spiritual capital of the Palestinian state, representing Jerusalem on all Arab, Islamic and international levels as well as on the national and popular levels, and strengthening the relationship between Jerusalem institutions and their counterparts internally and externally, and promoting The economic, health and educational situation, the development of infrastructure for the people of Jerusalem, the detection, resistance and monitoring of the occupation measures and its violations, the provision of legal, financial and public support and follow-up against the occupation measures and the contribution to the establishment and development of institutions working in the field of providing social services and caring for youth, children, women, the elderly and local community organizations as well as contributing to raising awareness and mobilizing The masses among the people of Jerusalem in national and religious issues and ensuring freedom of worship for all religions.

In addition, the conference discussed the overall field and political developments in the Holy City and listened to reports from the audience in this regard.

The meeting indicated that the National People's Congress for Jerusalem works in coordination with the relevant governmental agencies, specifically with the Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs, the governorate and religious references, all of which fall under the banner of the Jerusalem Department of the Palestine Liberation Organization, in implementation of the recent decision of the Central Council, and the general directorates of the ministries, in follow-up The file of defending lands, resisting settlement, monitoring settlement activities in Jerusalem, as well as following up the file of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Islamic and Christian sanctities.

They emphasized that the conference took upon itself the issue of Al-Aqsa as one of its most important priorities by introducing what is being plotted against it and the Islamic and Christian sanctities through issuing newsletters and press releases and circulating them to all regional and international institutions. And document everything that is published or published about Al-Aqsa. Representing the latter in seminars, festivals and events, whether scientific, religious or political.

The General Secretariat referred to the conference's follow-up to the housing file and the obstacles facing citizens in issuing the necessary permits for construction and expansion, and helping to overcome obstacles in this field.

The participants also referred to the conference’s follow-up of the file of local bodies, councils, and popular committees, and the holding of many meetings with all councils within the framework of the Jerusalem governorate, and its assistance in presenting its projects to the relevant Palestinian, Arab, and international bodies, and overcoming the obstacles facing its work. As well as the establishment of popular committees in the Jerusalemite neighborhoods inside the wall, working in accordance with the programs of the conference to help citizens and combat poverty and unemployment.

On the file of social reform, the conferees indicated that the constituent body of the Supreme Tribal Council of Jerusalem was formed and cooperated with reform men in addressing the problems and the absence of law, imposing the control of societal law, and preserving lives and property when problems occurred in the governorate.

Regarding the cultural file, the General Secretariat said that the conference worked and is still working on the cultural situation in Jerusalem through cultural institutions, continuous communication with them, and coordination with them regarding this aspect.

Regarding the education file, the conferees explained that there has been constant communication with the Directorate of Education in Jerusalem and work to monitor violations of the occupation regarding the educational process throughout the city and the governorate, and to provide the required assistance in this regard, and to respond through the Ministry, parents’ committees, civil society institutions, national institutions and frameworks. And the Jerusalem activities of the occupation programs aimed at the Israeliization and Judaization of the national educational process, imposing the Israeli curriculum in Jerusalem schools, and combating the phenomenon of school dropouts.

The meeting discussed the achievements in the files of health, Jerusalemite institutions, youth, women, civil peace, popular committees, neighborhood committees, and community work, in addition to reviewing the activities and events of the conference at the internal and external levels.

Istanbul - (AFP) - A crossing between Armenia and Turkey has opened for the first time in 35 years in order to allow the passage of humanitarian aid after the earthquake that hit the region, the official Turkish Anadolu Agency reported Saturday.

The agency said that five trucks loaded with aid for the victims of the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday crossed the Alikan crossing in Igdir province.

The Anadolu Agency quoted a tweet by Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan, in which he said, "The humanitarian aid sent by Armenia has crossed the Margara Bridge on the border between Armenia and Turkey and is on its way to the earthquake-affected areas."

According to the Turkish agency, this crossing was specially opened in 1988 to send aid to Armenia, which was hit by an earthquake that hit its capital, Yerevan, and the number of victims ranged between 25,000 and 30,000 dead.

Tension prevails between the two countries due to Ankara's refusal to recognize the massacres of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I as genocide.

Tensions escalated due to the military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan last year over Nagorno-Karabakh.

However, in December 2021, the two countries appointed special envoys to represent each other in the other country, and they met several times in Vienna to discuss the normalization of relations between them.

Commercial flights between them also resumed in February 2022.

Amman - (AFP) - The killing of a female student at a Jordanian private university Thursday angered the Jordanians, while the search is still on for the killer who fired six bullets at her before fleeing the crime scene.

According to a statement issued by the Jordanian Public Security Directorate on Thursday afternoon, "a person fired shots at a girl inside a private university north of the capital."

The statement added that the girl "was taken to the hospital in a bad condition, and the perpetrator fled, and investigations were launched to determine his identity and arrest him."

Later, the girl died of her injury.

A source close to the investigation told AFP, "The murdered Iman Irsheed (21 years old), who is studying at the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Applied Sciences (northern Amman), was hit with six bullets to the head."

He added, "The autopsy showed that the bullets had fractured and lacerated the skull."
As of Thursday evening, the unidentified perpetrator is still on the run, and the reasons for his commission of the crime are not yet known.

Jordanians and the victim's family demanded, through social media and local news sites, that fair retribution be inflicted on the perpetrator, who, if arrested, faces the charge of premeditated murder, which carries a penalty of death by hanging.

The University of Applied Sciences issued a statement saying, "With hearts squeezed by pain and believing in God's will and destiny, the university mourns its student, Iman Irshaid."

And she pledged to "prosecute everyone who caused this painful incident so that he can obtain just punishment for his heinous crime."

This crime in Jordan comes days after an Egyptian young man stabbed a female student in front of her university in Mansoura, Egypt, after she refused to associate with him.

Jordanians circulated the hashtag (#execution of the killer of the applied) on social media, calling for the punishment of the killer.

LONDON - (Xinhua) -- Economists polled by Reuters news agency in July predicted a 40 percent chance of a recession in the United States next year, up from 25 percent in June.

On Thursday, the agency reported that the probability of a recession in the United States within two years was 50 percent, a significant increase from 40 percent the previous month.

The Fed is expected to raise interest rates again at the conclusion of its two-day meeting on Wednesday. After that, the country's GDP for the second quarter will be released.

(Reuters) said that the outlook for economic growth has "generally eased." After the US economy experienced a decline in the first quarter, more than one in five respondents polled in July expected another contraction for the second quarter.

Also on Thursday, the agency said the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose in the week ending July 16 for the third straight week, reaching an eight-month high, which "is likely to add to fears of a recession."

Ramallah - With the platinum sponsorship of the National Bank , the Palestinian Engineers Association launched the activities of the Fourth Forum for Young Engineers under the title "Scientific Development and the Future of Engineering Work".

The conference sessions were opened by the Engineers Syndicate, Eng. Nadia Habash, in the presence of a number of union members, and Jamal Musa, Director of the Funds and Commissions Department at the National Bank. ‏

The conference included several sessions and various scientific lectures, including a session on self-employment opportunities presented by "Gaza Sky Geeks", and success stories to inspire young engineers and shed light on job opportunities that exist in light of the rapidly changing labor market, and other sessions on digital marketing, and challenges the local labor market. ‏

Regarding the sponsorship of the forum, Salama Khalil, CEO of the National Bank, touched on the importance of preparing young engineers for the challenges of the labor market in order to know the opportunities in front of them in light of the high rates of unemployment among graduates, and how to optimally employ technology in order to advance this reality and create new entrepreneurial and operational opportunities. In the market.
Khalil praised the efforts made by the Engineers Syndicate to develop the Palestinian engineering sector at all levels, stressing that the relationship between the Bank and the Syndicate is a historical one and a real national strategic partnership.
The forum, which extended over a full day of intensive sessions, was attended by nearly 500 students from fourth and fifth year engineering faculties, in addition to recent graduates from various Palestinian universities. ‏

Jenin - "Jerusalem" dot com - Ali Smoudi - The Governor of Jenin, Major General Akram Rajoub, announced today, Wednesday, the launch of a national campaign to rebuild 12 houses demolished by the Israeli occupation in Jenin Governorate.

This came during an inspection visit to the families of the two captives, Sobhi Imad Sbeihat and Asaad Al-Rifai, after the occupation forces demolished their homes under the pretext of carrying out Operation El-Ad in May of this year.

Rajoub praised the steadfastness and steadfastness of our people and their adherence to their land and clinging to it in the face of the attempts of uprooting and displacement practiced by the occupation, which were unable to undermine the morale, steadfastness and will of our Palestinian people.

He called for the unity of our people and all its institutions and sectors to work jointly towards thwarting the occupation policies and rebuilding all the houses and sites that were demolished.

For his part, Secretary of the Fatah Movement in Jenin Region, Atta Abu Armila, saluted the honorable positions of the families of the martyrs and prisoners, which constitute the biggest challenge message to the occupation confirming that our people will not kneel.

The citizen, Sobhi Sobeihat, the grandfather of the prisoner, Sobhi, confirmed that the demolition decision was arbitrary and unjust, and aimed at punishing and taking revenge on his family, but our people will not surrender or raise the white flag, adding that no matter how many demolitions the occupation practices, it is capable of rebuilding, steadfastness and steadfastness.

London - (AFP) - In a report published Tuesday, the non-governmental organization " Oxfam " denounced the failure of governments to act in the face of inequality, which has worsened sharply since the spread of the Covid epidemic.

"The poorest and most vulnerable have been hit hardest by the disease and its profound economic repercussions," a statement accompanying the report said.

The 2022 edition of the ERI (which measures the efforts of different countries around the world), which is published every two years, “clearly shows that most governments have not taken concrete long-term measures to mitigate this dangerous increase in inequality.”

Oxfam indicated that "although this is the worst health emergency the world has seen in a century, half of low- and middle-income countries cut their spending on health during the pandemic," and it also cut 70 percent of its spending on education.

Moreover, the organization explained that "despite massive tax shortfalls and massive increases in the wealth of the wealthiest people and companies during the pandemic, 143 out of 161 countries did not raise taxes on the rich, and 11 countries reduced taxes for the rich."

Norway topped the index as the best performing country when it came to tackling inequality.

It was followed by Germany, Australia, Belgium and then Canada. France ranked 12th while Britain ranked 14th.

Oxfam explained that the countries that ranked first are all developed countries, which have more resources to allocate to public policies to reduce inequality.

Conversely, low-income countries that are greatly affected by armed conflicts and political instability, such as South Sudan, rank last, or Nigeria in the penultimate rank.

Among the countries "which are making progress in this area are low-income countries (such as Tajikistan, thanks to a strong increase in personal income tax collection) and four middle-income countries," notably Moldova.

The countries that experienced the greatest deterioration include the Seychelles and the territory of Hong Kong in China. Oxfam noted that “eight of the ten countries with the highest deterioration rates have seen tax revenues collapse, mainly due to the pandemic.”

The organization warned that an additional 263 million people will find themselves in extreme poverty by the end of the year.
It also called on governments to act urgently to confront the risk of wasting a decade of efforts to reduce the wealth gap.
Oxfam recommended, in particular, that "governments increase social spending, not reduce it" and "protect workers' rights and provide them with wages that allow them to live" above the poverty line.
"More than anything else, the taxes paid by the richest must be greatly increased," the organization said, as well as businesses and individuals.
vid/nash/lin

(AFP) - Napoli continued tweeting alone in the lead, reinforcing its position before the temporary cessation due to the Qatar World Cup 2022, when it defeated its guest Udinese 3-2 on Sunday in the fifteenth stage of the Italian Football League .
And he took turns scoring the Napoli trio, Nigerian Victor Osimhen (15), Poland's Piotr Jelinsky (31), and North Macedonian Elif Elmas (58), while Udinese's other North Macedonian Ilya Nestorovsky (79) and Germany's Lazar Samardzic (82) scored.
Napoli achieved its eleventh successive victory in the league and its thirteenth this season, raising its score to 41 points in the lead, 11 points ahead of its closest pursuers, Lazio II and Milan III, and the defending champions, who play Sunday against Juventus and Fiorentina, respectively.
And Napoli remains the only team that has not lost any match so far in the league, in its quest for its third title in its history and the first since the 1989-1990 season.
For his part, Udinese failed to return to the winning streak and scored his seventh match without a win in the league, after he also bid farewell to the local cup competition at the hands of Montsa, the newcomer to the top flight.
And after he was a surprise at the start of the season and was a stone's throw from the lead about a month ago, he is now in eighth place with 24 points.
At the “Diego Armando Maradona” stadium, the match seemed within reach of Naples from the start, so the landlords opened the scoring in the fifteenth minute, when Elmas converted a cross with his right hand into the penalty area, and Osimhen raised his head to her and settled it in the net.
According to the "Opta" sports statistics network, Osimhen, with this goal, hit the net for the eighth time with a header since the beginning of the year 2022, noting that no one is better than him in the five major leagues except Tottenham striker Harry Kane with nine header goals.
After another 15 minutes, Napoli strengthened its lead when Osimhen played a ball with his heel in the middle of the field to the Mexican international striker Hirving Losano, who made a quick counterattack, and passed it through to Jelinsky, who set it up in front of him inside the penalty area and hit it with a wonderful power to the left of goalkeeper Marco Silvestri (31). .
Napoli continued its brilliance at the start of the second half, scoring a third goal when Diamond received a perfect through-pass from Cameroonian Andre-Frank Zambo Angisa, entered the penalty area, dodged the defenders and hit the net (58).
Udinese rose up against its host about ten minutes before the end of the match, and scored the goal of reducing the difference with a powerful and beautiful shot from Nestorovsky (79), then the guests returned to score a second goal that almost turned things upside down, when Samardjic hit goalkeeper Alex Merritt (82), but That uprising was not complete and the three points went to Napoli.
And Napoli became the only second team in the history of the Italian league capable of winning at least 13 out of 15 matches played in one season, after Juventus, who achieved this in four seasons: 1949-1950, 2005-2006, 2013-2014, and 2018- 2019.
Sampdoria continued its disappointing results and suffered its fourth consecutive loss in the league, this time against Lecce with two clean goals scored by Lorenzo Colombo (45 + 1) and Zambian Lamic Banda (83).
Bologna also regained its balance after its humiliating loss to Inter 1-6 in the last stage, and defeated its guest Sassuolo 3-0.
The stage ends on Sunday with matches between Atalanta and Inter, Roma with Turin, Monza with Salernitana, and Verona with Spezia.

Manila (AFP) - The Philippines will lift a ban on sending domestic workers to Saudi Arabia next November, after Riyadh agreed to strengthen protection measures for citizens of this Asian country, officials said.

In November, Manila stopped sending its domestic workers to Saudi Arabia, an important destination for Filipinos working abroad, after reports of mistreatment and non-payment of wages.

Manila will resume sending its workers on November 7, a decision announced after talks between the Philippine Ministry of Expatriate Labor and the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

The two ministries pledged to "work closely together to facilitate decent and productive employment" for Filipino workers and ensure "their rights are protected," according to a joint statement issued late Tuesday.

Among other things, workers will be allowed to quit before the end of their contracts if the employer is abusive, and insurance cover will be provided for unpaid wages.

"Any acts of violence and any immoral acts are grounds for terminating (contracts) prematurely," Susan Obley, the Philippines' Minister for Migrant Workers, said in a press release.

The Saudi government did not respond to a request for comment.

And on Tuesday, the Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Ahmed bin Suleiman Al-Rajhi, posted on his Twitter account a picture during his meeting with Obley in Riyadh.

"We stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral relations and common interests between our two countries, and we also signed a memorandum of cooperation to resume the recruitment of Filipino workers to the Kingdom, including domestic workers, starting from November 7, 2022," Al-Rajhi wrote.

Elaine Sana, executive director of the Manila-based Migrant Advocacy Center, welcomed the announced changes, but said enforcement of protections was critical.

"Announcing them is not enough. Due diligence is important and making sure that all these reforms are implemented on the ground," SANA said.

More than 700,000 Filipinos work in the kingdom, most of them domestic workers, according to the latest official data.

Millions of Filipinos work abroad due to low wages or a lack of jobs in their country of 110 million people. The money they send home to their families is a lifeline to the local economy.

Geneva - (AFP) - The United Nations announced in a report published Monday that "modern slavery" has expanded around the world in recent years, driven in particular by the epidemic, and about 50 million people were forced during the past year to forced labor or forced marriage.

The United Nations hopes to eradicate this scourge by the year 2030, but ten million additional people found themselves last year in a state of modern slavery compared to global estimates for the year 2016, according to the latest report published by the International Labor Organization and the International Organization for Migration of the United Nations in cooperation with The Walk Free Foundation is a non-governmental organization.

Of the 50 million people living in modern slavery, about 27.6 million are subject to forced labor, while 22 million were married against their will.

The report indicated that women and girls represent more than two-thirds of people who are forced into marriage, and about four out of five people who are subject to commercial sexual exploitation.

In total, they account for 54 percent of modern slavery cases.

And the pandemic - which caused a deterioration in working conditions and an increase in the indebtedness of workers - reinforced the sources of modern slavery in all its forms.

The report shows that the multiplication of crises in recent years - the pandemic, armed conflicts and climate change - has caused unprecedented disruptions in employment and education, exacerbated extreme poverty, multiplied forced and dangerous migration, and an explosion of cases of gender-based violence. All of which increase the risks of modern slavery.

Worldwide, one in every 150 people is considered to be in modern slavery.

This data, which is based on nationally representative household studies, also indicates that instances of modern slavery are by no means fleeting, but rather persist for years.

"It is shocking that the situation of modern slavery is not improving," ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said in a statement, calling on governments, trade unions, employers' organizations, civil society and ordinary people to fight this "fundamental violation of human rights."

The report proposes a number of measures, most notably improving and enforcing labor laws and inspections, ending forced labor imposed by the state, expanding social protection and strengthening legal protection, including by raising the legal age of marriage to 18 years without exception.

Women and children remain disproportionately vulnerable, as one in eight forced laborers is a child, and more than half are victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

Migrant workers are three times more likely to be subject to forced labor than non-migrant adult workers.

The Director-General of the International Organization for Migration, Antonio Vitorino, appealed for all migrations to be "safe, orderly and regular".

"Reducing migrants' vulnerability to forced labor and human trafficking depends above all on national political and legal frameworks that respect, protect and implement the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants," he said.

Modern slavery exists in almost every country in the world. More than half (52 percent) of all cases of forced labor and a quarter of all cases of forced marriage are in high-income or high-income countries.

Forced marriage has increased in recent years by 6.6 million cases since the 2016 global estimate.

The report revealed that the number of people working in forced labor increased by 2.7 million between 2016 and 2021, an increase attributed to forced labor in the private economy, whether through commercial sexual exploitation or in other sectors.

The Asia Pacific region is home to more than half of all forced laborers in the world. In this context, the report highlights in particular that various UN bodies have raised concerns about forced labor in China, including in Xinjiang.

In this regard, the report emphasized that on August 12, China deposited the ratification documents for the two basic ILO conventions on forced labor, which "creates new impetus for cooperation with the government and social partners in order to monitor these issues (and) combat forced labour."

Jerusalem - "Jerusalem" dot com - A number of citizens suffocated, during clashes that broke out today, Sunday, between citizens and the Israeli occupation forces, in the town of Abu Dis , east of Jerusalem.

According to press sources, the Israeli occupation forces fired gas bombs and rubber-coated metal bullets at the residents through the town's facades.

Doha - (AFP) - Lionel Messi broke the doors of history and wrote his name in the book of football legends when he fought with his comrades to the last breath against defending champion France and won by penalty kicks in the "Final of the Century" in the Qatar 2022 World Cup, picking up a historic third star for Argentina.

With this victory, "Al-Barghout" achieved its long-awaited ultimate goal after four disappointing appearances, most notably losing the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil against Germany in the final breaths of overtime.

And after the quorum of titles was completed in his coffers, the Argentine captain engraved his name in the book of legends, along with his late compatriot Diego Armando Maradona, who won the second title for “Albiceleste” in 1986.

By participating in this final, Messi broke the German record, Lothar Matthaus, as the player who played the most matches in the finals, with 26 matches.

By participating originally in the Qatari finals, Messi reached another record represented by the number of World Cups he played (5), similar to his Portuguese rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who left the tournament in the quarter-finals, and Matthews also and others.

And after scoring seven goals in the Qatari World Cup, including five in the eighth, quarter, semi-final and final, to break his fast from scoring in the knockout stages of four versions, Messi raised his total score to 13 goals in the finals, to break the Argentine record registered in the name of Gabriel Batistuta (10 in 12 matches). .

Messi's first goal was in the finals in 2006 when he entered the last quarter of an hour of the second round match against Serbia and Montenegro when his country was leading 3-0, adding the fifth after he had passed the fourth goal scored by Hernan Crespo, becoming at the age of 18 years and 357 days the youngest recorder. in the history of his country in the World Cup.

After a closing ceremony that began with music and some poetry delivered by Tamim Al-Barghouti, the atmosphere flared up in the stadium with the performance of the official World Cup songs, before the performance of the two national anthems of France by Egyptian singer Farah Al-Dibany, and of Argentina by Lale Esposito.

And then the ball began to roll with an Argentine rush leading Messi to the sight of the fans thirsting to see him lift the precious cup, and to the rhythm of their cheers that "devoured" the atmosphere from the first moments.

Coach Lionel Scaloni's step was effective with the inclusion of Di Maria, so he moved the left corridor and disturbed the French, who relied on Jules Condé for coverage, so gaps were opened that yielded promising opportunities that were not completed at first.

In the 17th minute, Messi received a ball and turned it into a clever through ball to the right at Alexis McAllister, but his cross crossed the "flea" and Di Maria shot it high and far.

The French responded three minutes later with a free kick following a mistake, which was executed by Antoine Griezmann, and Olivier Giroud raised it with a header that crossed the crossbar of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez (20).

Then, the first Argentine rain came in the 23rd minute, after the referee awarded the Argentines a penalty kick following a foul on Osman Dembele against Di Maria inside the area. The “flea” translated it as a goal despite attempts to confuse Griezmann.

With this goal, Messi became the first player in history to score in the group stages, the final price, the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, and the final.

The suffering of the French increased when the veteran Di Maria himself returned to add the second goal for Argentina in the 36th minute, after a series of wonderful passes that Messi started from the middle of the field and ended with a cross from McAllister, who successfully followed it into the net of Hugo Lloris and drowned in tears of joy.

With the exception of the loss against Saudi Arabia in its first match in the group stage, Argentina advanced with two clean goals over all its competitors in the World Cup.

The shock was great for coach Didier Deschamps, who resorted to two heavy early substitutions four minutes before the end of the regular time of the first half, so he took out Giroud and replaced him with Marcus Thuram, while Brandal Colo Moani replaced Dembele (41).

Deschamps, who dreamed of making history as the first coach after the Italian Vittorio Pozzo to achieve two World Cup titles in a row, said that it was "a first half to forget."

But the second did not start early for the "roosters", so they missed the threat of the Argentine goal until the last third of the hour, when Mbappe appeared.

A first shot in the 71st minute hit the Argentine goal, before he executed a penalty kick that the French got in the 80th minute, which he successfully translated, and equalized after one minute after a wonderful pass behind the defense line from Thuram, which he hit with a beautiful right to the left of Martinis (81).

Thuram tried to get a second penalty kick, so he fell into the Argentine penalty area, and the referee gave him a yellow card.

Messi almost ended it all in the 90 + 7 minute when he hit a powerful left ball from the outskirts of the penalty area, Lloris saved it, so the two teams ruled for two more halves.

In overtime, Messi regained the lead (108), before Mbappe equalized again from the penalty spot (118), scoring a hat-trick and equaling the Englishman Geoff Hurst in the 1966 final.

But the penalty shootout was decisive in the end 4-2, and smiled for Argentina

Kahramanmaraş ( Turkey ) - (AFP) - After the news from her aunt was interrupted, Tuba Yolcu went to the sports complex, where the bodies recovered from the ruins of her city, Kahramanmaraş, in southeastern Turkey, the epicenter of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake, were placed, hoping to find her body.

Here, the earth shook Monday for 75 seconds, which is a long period of time, leaving massive devastation and destruction.

"We heard that the authorities will not keep the bodies for a long time and will move them to another place for burial. I pray to God that I will find them," Tuba said anxiously.

Families search for their dead in modern morgues in southern Turkey, such as parking lots, playgrounds and gyms. The authorities have pledged to identify all the bodies and hand them over to their families.

"Every body will be handed over to their families," said the public prosecutor sent to reassure the bereaved families.

"Don't worry, we take blood samples from every unclaimed corpse," he declared.

So far, more than 20,000 bodies have been recovered from under the rubble in Turkey (the death toll is more than 25,000 with the Syrian victims).

In the gymnasium in Kahramanmaraş, families gather to look at bodies lying in bags or under blankets, hoping to find loved ones lost in the earthquake.

"We show the faces of the bodies to the relatives," a crime scene investigator who did not want to be named told AFP.

This gym is located along a vast field on the outskirts of town, where corpse trucks continually come to unload and leave.

"If the body remains unidentified, we take fingerprints and a dental sample to compare it with relatives," when they come, the investigator explained.

In this new cemetery, about two thousand bodies were counted, according to estimates, but new processions continue to arrive, carrying additional bodies.

Handwritten nameplates of the victims were placed above each hastily dug grave, some wrapped in a scarf so families could locate their loved ones in the vast expanse.

The unidentified bodies were placed separately. Investigators take samples from each, take photographs and take notes.

Yusef Sakman, a representative of the Directorate of Religious Affairs, said that the unidentified bodies are distributed according to the collapsed buildings where they were found, adding, "Thus, relatives can find them according to the address of the deceased."

For his part, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Friday that he hoped all the bodies would be identified. "We upload pictures of each of them in a special program in order to match them" with relatives, he added.

At the gym, Tuba Yolcu gave up hope and left, saying, "The official told me all the bodies have been identified." Then she went to her husband and told him, "Let's go back to the ruins"... Her aunt may still be there.

Washington - "Jerusalem" dot com - Saeed Erekat - President Joe Biden called, during his "State of the Union" speech, on Tuesday evening, Republican and Democratic members of Congress to work together, and reminded of the economic successes achieved by his administration in two years, and also praised the strength and solidity of American democracy.

President Biden used his State of the Union address, his first address to both parts of the US Congress since the Republican Party won a simple majority in the House of Representatives last November, to urge the newly divided Congress to "finish the job" to help the nation through a series of historic trials.

But his plea for bipartisanship was also accompanied by an implicit contradiction to the radical elements of the Republican Party.

Biden devoted most of his speech to talking about the US economy, internal matters, and his recipes to keep the United States the strongest power in the world. He did not mention the foreign policy that he singled out for the Russian-Ukrainian war, and competition with China, except at the end of the speech and for minutes on the fingers of one hand.

On the Russia-Ukraine war, Biden said: "I spoke from this room one year ago, just days after Vladimir Putin unleashed his brutal war against Ukraine...a murderous attack that evokes images of the death and destruction that Europe suffered in World War II."

"Putin's invasion was a test for the ages. A test for America... a test for the world... Do we stand for the simplest principles? Do we stand for sovereignty? Do we stand for the right of people to live free from tyranny? Do we stand for democracy?" Biden added. Because such a defense matters to us because it keeps the peace and prevents an open season for potential aggressors to threaten our security and prosperity. One year later, we knew the answer; yes, we would and yes, we did."

"Together, we've done what America always does best: We united NATO, forged a global coalition, and we stood against Putin's aggression. We stood with the Ukrainian people. America is united in our support of Ukraine, no matter how long it takes, as our nation works for more freedom," he said. And more dignity, and more peace, not only in Europe, but everywhere."

On rivalry with China, Biden said: "Before I took office, the story was about how the People's Republic of China increased its power and America's landing in the world; but not anymore, and I made it clear with President Xi Jinping that we seek competition, not conflict."

"I will make no apologies because we are investing to make America strong... investing in American innovation, in the industries that will define the future, and China's government is bent on hegemony... investing in our alliances and working with our allies to protect our advanced technologies so they are not used against us," he added.

"Today, we are in the strongest position in decades to compete with China or anyone else in the world, and I am committed to working with China to advance American interests and benefit the world," he said.

On the downing of the Chinese balloon last Saturday, Biden said, "But we make no mistake, as we made clear last week, if China threatens our sovereignty, we will work to protect our country, as we have done."

He pledged to modernize the US armed forces to maintain stability and deter aggression.

And Biden, the president, began his speech by joking with the Speaker of Parliament, Republican Kevin McCarthy, saying, “I congratulate you, Kevin McCarthy, on your victory in the presidency of the House of Representatives, and although I do not want to discredit you, I look forward to cooperating with you.” He also praised former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying that she was “ The best president in the history of Congress."

Biden mentioned the state of the economy when he assumed the presidency two years ago, stressing, "The economy was faltering, but in two years we created 12 million jobs, which no president has achieved in four years."

"We are the only nation that emerges from crises stronger in a stronger position than it was before," he continued.

"We have restored jobs and dignity after four years of economic chaos," he said.

On Covid, Biden said, "Covid does not control our lives as it used to, when it disrupted factories and stole a lot from the experience of studying in schools."

"And our democracy was threatened two years ago, and now we have proven that the roots of our democracy did not bend or break," he added.

The President praised the successes achieved by the cooperation of the Democrats and the Republicans, and called on the Republicans to work and cooperate, adding, saying: "We worked together in the last Congress, and there is no reason why we should not do that in this Congress."

"Conflict for the sake of conflict, and power for power's sake, will not achieve any results," he said, calling for restoring the nation's spirit and building "the backbone of the nation, which is the middle class."

In his speech, which lasted more than 75 minutes, the US President did not mention the devastating earthquake that afflicted Syria and Turkey, or the issues of the Middle East.

Copenhagen - (AFP) - After announcing its donation to Ukraine of all its 19 French-made Caesar cannons , the Danish government indicated that it was negotiating with the Israeli company Elbit to purchase new mobile cannons.

The Danish Ministry of Defense announced Thursday evening that "the Danish Military Equipment Agency has begun negotiations with Elbit Systems to purchase ATMOS portable artillery pieces and PULS missile launchers as soon as possible."

The government said it may receive the equipment in 2023.

"The missile launchers complement the new artillery systems because initially it is not possible to deliver enough artillery pieces quickly enough to meet defense operational needs," the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Denmark ordered 15 long-range artillery from France's Nexter range in 2017, and then four more in 2019. But deliveries have been delayed and only a few have been delivered. And it needs to quickly compensate for these defences, to ensure its contribution to NATO.

Defense Minister Jakob Ellimann Jensen said in the statement that these acquisitions are "important for Danish defense and for Denmark to be able to fulfill its obligations to NATO".

He added that the donation of artillery pieces to Ukraine "leaves a huge void in defense capabilities."

Danish media reported that the French Nexter group advised Denmark not to change the supplier, stressing that it was able to provide new parts.

A spokesman for the French group told public television, "Caesar cannons have proven themselves on the battlefield in Ukraine, Danish soldiers are able to use them, and they are compatible with Danish defense computer systems. For these three reasons, it would be inappropriate for the ministry to purchase Israeli systems that do not meet any of these criteria.

Al-Bireh - a special report by Al-Quds.com - Mrs. Muntaha Al-Taweel "Umm Abdullah", the wife of the captive Hamas leader Jamal Al-Taweel (60 years) from Al-Bireh, hopes that he will be released after the end of his current administrative detention, on the 18th. From the current month, as he spent about a year and a half in his current detention continuously in the Israeli occupation prisons under administrative detention , bringing the total of what he spent in the occupation prisons to about 18 years in various periods of detention.
Hope for release and an end to suffering

On the thirty-first of May 2021, an Israeli special force stormed the house of "Abu Abdullah" and arrested him, after his release in March 2021, after an 8-month administrative detention, and he was transferred to administrative detention three times, each time for 6 months, ending The last one was on the 18th of this month, noting that the occupation forces arrested Al-Taweel after a period of his candidacy for the postponed Legislative Council elections last year, in the "Jerusalem is our date" bloc.

In an interview with Al-Quds.com, his wife, Muntaha Al-Taweel, hopes that the date for her husband's release will be determined in the appeal session that will be held on the seventh of this month, given that the administrative detention is without a declared charge and without a specific date for release.

Constant suffering from detention

"Umm Abdullah" confirms that her family suffered a lot during her husband's eighteen years of detention, especially during the period when he and her children were detained, as they missed their father a lot, and they needed him on many of their social occasions, in which they were denied him standing by their side.

The wife of "Abu Abdullah" and their children believe that what is happening with their father is their fate in the presence of the occupation of Palestine, but they realize that the absence of their father disturbs their lives, and in their social events as well as in social events, and "Umm Abdullah" indicates that she calms her children's anxiety about their father And she does not show her reaction to them by making their lives difficult from detention.

The wife of the long-captain told Al-Quds.com: "The family did not reunite much. The occupation deprived us of many occasions with my husband, and he was only able to attend the wedding of his eldest son Abdullah five years ago, but it seems that they did not like that, so my daughter Bushra was arrested." 17 days after Abdullah's wedding.

The occupation did not leave Jamal Al-Taweel alone, so he was arrested, according to his wife, in 2005 when he ran for the municipal elections of Al-Bireh and won while he was in the occupation prisons, to be the captive mayor. He was released in 2008, then arrested in 2009, after which he remained in the municipal presidency until 2012.

What eases "Umm Abdullah" is that her children notice and listen to people about his history of struggle and good treatment, even his young son Nasrallah, who was 18 months old when his father was arrested in 2002, and when he grew up, he began to hear his father's good biography from people.

But "Umm Abdullah" suffered a lot and was prevented from visiting her husband for 12 years, and her daughter , Bushra Al-Taweel , who is currently imprisoned, was taking her younger brothers to visit their father in prison, because their mother was forbidden to visit.

"Umm Abdullah" recounts the hardships of the occupation to them when her children were deprived of their father for many years, as she says: "My son Nasrallah was in school, and his father got out of prison one time, and he became with him in all matters of his life. It was a difficult situation," when Nasr said God for his mother, I have a father like my friends!

Deprivation of education

The prisoner, Jamal Al-Taweel, was prevented from completing his higher education over the past years, so he insisted on studying despite his old age, and he registered at Birzeit University with a major in international relations eight years ago, and so far he has not completed his studies, and he is in his last semester, but the arrests prevented him from completing his studies, and his wife hopes The university is required to allow her husband to complete the requirements of distance study.

Jamal Al-Taweel studied high school in the Sharia School in Al-Aqsa Mosque, then joined the College of Da’wah and Fundamentals of Religion at Al-Quds University, obtained a bachelor’s degree, worked as an imam and preacher, and moved around in many mosques in Ramallah and Al-Bireh for a period of 27 years.

Bushra's arrest

The prisoner Jamal Al-Taweel, at the beginning of his detention last year, went on an open hunger strike for about a month, in rejection of the occupation’s continued detention of his daughter, journalist Bushra (29 years), for several months. Al-Taweel suspended the strike after defining her administrative detention, then the occupation forces re-arrested her on March 21. March 2022, at the Za'tara military checkpoint, south of Nablus.

And Bushra Al-Taweel spent about 4 years in the occupation prisons, her first arrest in which she spent several months, then she was released in the “Wafaa Al-Ahrar” deal in 2011, and she was arrested six times, the last of which was this year, and she was transferred to administrative detention several times, the last of which was for a period of 3 months. The date of her arrest is on the eighteenth of next month.

Umm Abdullah confirms that the arrests of her husband, as well as her detention, are for a period of one year 12 years ago, and the continued detention of her daughter, journalist Bushra, affected the family, but the family is patient and content, as everything is expected from the occupation, according to what she says.

London - (AFP) - The Japanese currency fell Thursday to its lowest level in 24 years against the dollar, which also rose against the euro and the pound sterling in a market dominated by anxiety.

The yen, which suffers on the other hand as a result of the extremely accommodative policy of the Central Bank of Japan, lost 0.60%, recording 140.13 yen per dollar, at around 14:25 GMT.

The Northern Jordan Valley - "Al-Quds" dot com - Notified the Israeli occupation forces, today, Monday, to stop work in an agricultural facility in the village of Bardala in the northern Jordan Valley.

According to press sources, the occupation forces raided the village of Bardala and ordered them to stop work in an agricultural room of 24 square metres, belonging to Ibrahim Rafi Sawafta.

The occupation forces also raided Khirbet Yarza, east of Tubas, and Al-Deir in the northern Jordan Valley, and photographed citizens' homes and livestock pens in the two areas.

London - (AFP) - British police announced Tuesday that they had arrested a 20-year-old man after he threw an egg at King Charles III during his visit to Luton, north of London.

Bedfordshire police told AFP that the young man had been "arrested for questioning" for attempting to cause "bodily harm".

Charles III was visiting Luton to meet city officials and charities and visit a new Sikh temple.

In early November, a twenty-three-year-old man was arrested in York, in the north of England, after he threw eggs at the new king, while the latter was walking and shaking hands with those in the city center, accompanied by his wife, Camilla.

"This country was built with the blood of slaves," the young man chanted, before the police stopped him, at a time when calls are mounting to review the country's colonial past. The suspect was later released on bail.

Last week, the royal family witnessed a new controversy after statements described as racist were made by a close associate of the former Queen Elizabeth II to a black feminist during a reception at Buckingham Palace.

(AFP) - The Swiss weekly Sonntagsteinzeitung reported on Sunday that a large part of the $300-500 million that Egypt's central ruler of Lebanon was accused of embezzling was deposited in 12 Swiss banks.

This comes in the wake of new lawsuits filed by Lebanese Judge Raja Hamoush on Thursday against Riad Salameh, who is being targeted by several judicial investigations in the country, on the background of the financial collapse.

A Lebanese judicial source told AFP on Thursday that Riad Salameh, his brother Raja, and his assistant, Marianne Howayek, are being prosecuted for the crimes of "embezzlement of public funds" and "money laundering."

This is the first allegation in Lebanon that affects Salama in the local investigation that is taking place against the background of the European investigations, but it is not the first local allegation against him in other cases related to illegal enrichment and smuggling of funds abroad, and a judge issued a travel ban against him.

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

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

According to the Swiss newspaper, $250 million was deposited in Raja Salameh's personal account at the HSBC branch in Geneva.

Other sums were deposited in UBS, Credit Suisse, Julius Baer, IFG and Pictet, according to the newspaper.

The same source explained that the transfers were made through an offshore company registered in the Virgin Islands under the name "Fore Associates" established in 2001.

Subsequently, "large sums" were transferred to purchase real estate in several European countries.

The Swiss Federal Prosecutor's Office initiated criminal proceedings on suspicion of money laundering in October 2020 and the proceedings are still ongoing.

The weekly newspaper indicated that millions of dollars in funds had been frozen, but the Federal Prosecutor's Office did not give a specific number.

Likewise, the Financial Markets Regulatory Authority (FINMA) has been conducting preliminary investigations "several months ago" with 12 Swiss banks. A spokesperson confirmed to Sonntagstzeitung that legal proceedings had been initiated against two financial institutions in the "Lebanese context". The names of the banks were not announced.

And in the year 2021, Lebanon opened an investigation into the assets of Riad Salameh, after requesting assistance from the Attorney General in Switzerland in the framework of investigations that include a movement of funds of more than $ 300 million carried out by the Governor of the Banque du Liban and his brother.

And Salama (72 years), who has been in office since 1993, is accused by many Lebanese and part of the political class of corruption, and of being one of the main officials responsible for the unprecedented financial and economic crisis that Lebanon is witnessing.

Translation by "Jerusalem" dot com - Resistance fighters from the Gaza Strip fired, on Wednesday evening, a missile towards the town of Sderot, adjacent to the borders of the northeastern sector.

According to the Hebrew Channel 13, the Iron Dome system intercepted the missile in the sky of the town.

The IDF later confirmed that Iron Dome had intercepted the missile.

A female settler was slightly injured while trying to reach a protected area after she fell to the ground, following the sound of warning sirens.

Monitors linked the missile launches to the leaked audio message of the female prisoners, which appealed to the resistance to work for their liberation.

While the so-called Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, came out, trying to put himself in the scene, by tweeting on Twitter, that the firing of rockets from Gaza would not make him back down from his move that he took this morning regarding closing bakeries in the "Rimon" and "Ketziot" prisons that are being run. One of the prisoners to provide them with fresh bread as part of his steps aimed at putting pressure on the prisoners, calling on the Cabinet to meet to discuss ways to respond to the missile launch.

Ramallah - "Jerusalem" dot com - Today, Monday, the Council of Ministers instructed the Ministers of Labor, Higher Education and Scientific Research to continue working to resolve the labor dispute between Birzeit University and its employees, and to consult with all parties, in order to ensure the return of the educational process to the university as soon as possible.

The Council of Ministers, in its weekly session held in Ramallah, headed by Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh, discussed ways to find a solution to the ongoing crisis in the university, due to the conflict between the workers union and the university administration. the crisis.

The Council of Ministers also decided in its session:

Implementing the issues mentioned in the President's speech related to the government.

- Approval of financing in the amount of (4 million dollars) to purchase vaccinations for children.

- Recommending to the President of the State of Palestine to ratify a decree by law for investment in Jabal Qurantal / Jericho.

- Assigning the Central Elections Committee to supervise the elections of chambers of commerce in all governorates of the country.

- Adopting recommendations for solving the traffic problem in the town of Al-Eizariya.

- Approval of the recommendations of the Technical Committee for Early Retirement to refer a number of employees to retirement at their request.

- Approval of granting a license (rebroadcasting) to "Monte Carlo International" Radio in Palestine.

The Council of Ministers approved the recommendation of the Minister of Health to raise the annual vacation days for radiology technicians in the Ministry of Health hospitals from 30 days to 45 days.

He approved the recommendation submitted by the Minister of National Economy to hold elections for chambers of commerce in the State of Palestine, where it was decided to assign the Central Elections Committee to prepare and supervise the conduct of those elections. He also discussed the traffic crisis in the town of Al-Eizariya and decided to adopt recommendations for solving the traffic problem in the town.

The Council listened to a report from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates on the diplomatic efforts that took place on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, where work was done to motivate European countries to recognize the State of Palestine collectively, in order to save the two-state solution that the occupying state is working to undermine with unilateral policies and practices.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs indicated that the Palestinian delegation held several meetings with the foreign ministers of several countries participating in the session, as well as with the Secretary-General of the United Nations to discuss the importance of implementing UN Resolution No. 181. He also held consultative meetings with the foreign ministers of Arab countries to coordinate efforts at the level of foreign ministers. Where it was emphasized that the Palestinian issue was and will remain the central issue of the Arab group.

Also, meetings were held with the Palestine Liaison Committee in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and it was agreed on the importance of activating the Jerusalem Committee and providing financial support to Palestine in the face of the continuous Israeli aggressions. 29 countries, including: Russia, China, Algeria, Iran and Venezuela, in addition to participating in a meeting that included the Arab League, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the European Commissioner on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the presentation of the Arab Peace Initiative.

At the outset of the session, the cabinet expressed its pride in President Mahmoud Abbas's speech before the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, and its standing behind his sovereignty in implementing the directions and steps contained therein.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh said, in his speech, that the president's speech represented the Palestinian conscience, summarized the historical grievance of the Palestinian people, re-evaluated the Palestinian narrative in all its human, historical, political and legal dimensions, and presented his sovereignty to the world with a speech of initiative, audacity, disclosure, and trust, which preserves the dignity and rights of our people. And his ambitions.

He added, "Once again, the president puts the ball in the court of the international community, which is steeped in double standards and silent about the Palestinian right, to carry out its responsibilities towards an occupied people."

He continued: The time has come for us to see an international movement towards protecting the Palestinian people, and holding the occupying state accountable for its crimes.

The Prime Minister confirmed following up on what was stated in the President's speech, and putting it into practice in everything related to the government.

Regarding the donors' meeting in New York, Shtayyeh indicated that he reviewed during the meeting, in which 30 countries and international institutions participated, the violations and measures taken by the occupying state against the Palestinian people, their land, economy and capabilities, as well as the administrative, financial and institutional reform undertaken by the State of Palestine and the government. He also assured the donors that "whatever reforms we do, this will not put an end to the crisis because the occupation is the root of the crisis, and it is the main problem, and without ending the occupation, some steps will be difficult to implement, and the economic situation will remain complex," and pointed out that the reform plan that I presented The government was welcomed by all speakers at the meeting.

Shtayyeh drew attention to the reports submitted to the meeting of donor countries, which showed that the unemployment rate decreased from 26% to 24%, as it became 44% in the Gaza Strip, while it decreased in the West Bank to 13.8%. 3.5% by the end of this year, and spending this year remained at the level of spending in the past year, while the monetary and banking system continues to recover from the "Corona" pandemic, and this indicates the strength of the Palestinian banking system.

He pointed out that the donors stressed that Israel should stop piracy of funds and deductions from the clearance, and they also demanded that it grant freedom of work to Palestinians in areas called "C" because this enhances the Palestinian economy by a third, and increases government revenues by 6% of the gross domestic product.

The Prime Minister stressed that all the efforts undertaken by the Palestinian government in the economic field will not be sufficient without getting rid of the occupation and its measures on the ground, including lifting the blockade on Gaza and Jerusalem, and stopping Israel's piracy of our money.

He added, despite the Israeli cuts and the decline in donor funds from 30% of the GDP in 2008 to 1% in 2021, the Palestinian economy remained resistant, active and resilient.

Shtayyeh said, We called on those present to put pressure on the occupation government to respect the signed agreements, to stop its violations and destruction of the two-state solution, to continue financial and political support, to preserve the two-state solution through serious and real measures, and to compel Israel to do so.

He added, whoever claims to believe in the two-state solution must stop the settlements, lift the siege on Gaza, open Jerusalem to its people, end its siege, and stop the repeated incursions of settlers, which reached their climax this morning.

Quoted from the official news agency "Wafa".

France - (AFP) - European negotiations on remote work will start Tuesday in Brussels, with the aim of drafting directives while the adoption of this practice is "accelerating" due to Covid-19, according to Naila Gleize, President of Eurocadres, the European trade union organization of employees.

The negotiations are chaired by representatives of European employers and representatives of the European Trade Union Confederation, in which Eurocadres participates.

The aim is to update the European agreement issued in 2002 in this regard, to reach in June the formulation of directives that will be attached to the law of the member states within two years, as confirmed by Glaze during a press conference at the headquarters of the Confederation of Trade Unions in Montreuil (Paris region).

“What is important for us is not to lose what we reached in 2002,” Glaze said, referring to the principle of “volunteering” workers, “the obligation to negotiate an agreement before starting remote work,” “the responsibility of employers in the areas of health and security,” and Equipment maintenance, training, monitoring and data protection issue.

"It is also an opportunity to win new rights: a real right to shut down the computer," and the right for workers' representatives to use professional email to "ward off risks" (feelings of isolation, domestic violence), she added.

Jenin - "Jerusalem" dot com - Ali Samoudi - The military wings of the resistance factions in the Jenin camp warned the occupation government against committing new assassinations of its leaders, or storming the camp, threatening violent battles for which its soldiers would pay dearly.

This came during a speech delivered by the spokesman for the wings during the memorial festival organized by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the Al-Quds Brigades, the Al-Qassam Brigades, and other resistance groups, in the presence of the persecuted Fathi Khazim , the families of the martyrs, and masses of people from the West Bank governorates.

The spokesman stressed that the resistance will not waste the blood of the martyrs, and will continue their journey until the occupation is defeated.

And he said in the presence of dozens of masked armed men from various military wings: "Our message to the occupation is that we have prepared for you from inside our camp types of death, which you will meet with tyranny, and we have planted enough explosive devices for you to defeat your soldiers .. You will meet death inside your armored vehicles, you will meet death inside the camp's homes, And in its alleys, and everywhere.. In the next battle, trees, walls, and everything will explode with you, even in your homes. We will sow terror while you are barricaded.

The speaker saluted the mass stand by the Palestinian people, for the resistance and the families of the martyrs, calling on citizens everywhere to open their homes, and turn them into an incubator for the resistance fighters, stressing the importance of unity and close ranks.

For his part, the father of the two martyrs Raad and Abd al-Rahman Khazim, the persecuted Fathi Khazim, called for unity and close ranks to stand together in the face of the occupation, whose resistance is a legal and religious duty, stressing the importance of fighting under the banner of "there is no god but Allah", and rejecting division and differences, presenting many lessons. And lessons inspired by religion, Islamic history, and the biography of the Messenger, peace be upon him, in the martyrdom and martyrs, whom he promised to follow in their footsteps until the achievement of the goals of the Palestinian people and the end of the occupation.

Nablus - "Jerusalem" dot com - Madar for the Press and Media / Report by Wafaa Abu Turabi - With the continuation of the strike of the employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Palestinian camps, the people of Balata camp in Nablus live in difficult and tragic conditions that cast a shadow on various aspects of their lives. In conjunction with the occupation’s attacks and repeated incursions into the camp, and the resulting loss of lives and destruction of citizens’ homes and properties.

All health and educational facilities and UNRWA relief aid distribution centers in the refugee camps in the West Bank have been disrupted since the beginning of the strike on January 23, which is still continuing until now, which has increased the suffering of the residents of the Palestinian camps and doubled the burden of responsibilities placed on the shoulders of People's Committees for Services.

A member of the Executive Office of the Department of Refugee Affairs in the West Bank and a member of the People’s Committee for Balata Camp Services, Ahmed Dhouqan, said in an exclusive interview with Al-Quds.com: “The people of the camp and the People’s Committee are basically facing heavy suffering and burdens before the start of the strike, as a result of the daily Israeli incursions and what they cause.” Destruction of homes and people's property, and the consequences of all of this fall on the shoulders of the Services Committee, which in turn bears its full responsibilities in this regard, such as repairing some damages and setting the budgets that it needs, and these responsibilities increased after the start of an open-ended strike by UNRWA workers in the West Bank, which impeded work In various camp institutions and public services.

Thouqan explains: "We cannot determine our position on this strike, as the striking employees are from our people and are demanding their rights, and their salaries are eroding and insufficient as a result of the cuts that are taking place. We also want UNRWA to remain present as a witness to the Palestinian Nakba and the right of return." Which is the reason for its establishment, despite its practices and shortcomings against Arab employees and even the refugee population.”

The citizens express their dissatisfaction with these difficult conditions that their camp in particular and the Palestinian camps are going through in general, and many of them wish to volunteer in order to improve a better reality for their camp.

Balata camp is considered one of the largest camps in the West Bank in terms of population, with more than twenty-four thousand people living on a limited area of land of less than one square kilometer. It also contains one health center and four schools, two of which are for males and the other for females. All of them include about three thousand five hundred students.

Regarding life in the camp during the strike, Thouqan says that they could not leave the waste piled up inside the camp, so they took voluntary initiatives with the participation of the camp residents to clean its lanes during the strike period and urged them to take this waste and put it in the nearby containers. The Nablus municipality also helped in transporting it to private landfills. Pointing out that the committee cannot hire cleaners, as it takes on the role of UNRWA, which is trying to evade its duties towards the Palestinian camps.

He adds that the health center inside the camp operates before the strike for a few times, around eight in the morning until two in the evening, and there are no centers other than it, and that going to a private doctor is expensive for those who do not have government health insurance, and they demanded before starting the strike and closing the center that medicine for diseases be distributed Chronic diseases such as pressure, diabetes and asthma so that it is sufficient for a month.

Thouqan hopes that the duration of this strike will not be prolonged, as it happened in 2015, when it lasted for sixty days, and this also affects the education sector, and that the process of compensating students in schools is not easy.

He expresses his concern about the decline in interest in the role of "UNRWA", which was formed to provide relief to the Palestinian refugees, and its role ends with their return, and that every three years it is granted a renewal, and recently it was renewed, but there is no support for it, indicating that there are many cuts that have occurred in this agency, whether With education, health and home repair inside the camps, they have become dependent on the emergency budget, and they do not have a fixed budget.

And he continues, "There is great pressure to end UNRWA's role and stop its support from some countries with the aim of pressuring it to stop its work. This is something we always fight, through the Department of Refugee Affairs and the popular committees, and we always submit the necessary reports as much as possible."

According to the Union of Arab Employees of UNRWA, the strike came as a result of the agency's downsizing policy, its prejudice to the job security of its Arab workers and its imposition of sanctions on union members, in addition to its refusal to increase their salaries. The number of workers and employees of the agency and its institutions in the West Bank is three thousand and seven hundred. A worker and an employee, working in the education, health and relief services sectors, all of whom committed themselves to the strike.

For its part, "UNRWA" indicated that it is suffering from "financial hardship" and called on its employees to "dialogue and not to close its international institutions."

Thouqan stresses that the camps are in need of government support in light of the difficult security and living conditions in which they live, as is the case in the Jenin, Balata, Dheisheh and Shuafat camps, explaining that the camp residents suffer from problems of unemployment, poverty, overcrowding and the dilapidated houses that UNRWA does not help to restore.

UNRWA was established by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in 1949, to provide direct relief and employment for Palestinian refugees in its five regions, in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, until a just solution to their cause is reached.