https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/rainfall-disaster:-pakistan-reels-from-death-toll-of-more-th

Rainfall disaster: Pakistan reels from death toll of over 580

Non-stop rainfall has hit Pakistan’s largest city for two consecutive days, claiming the lives of more than 40 people in Karachi since July.

An estimated one million Pakistanis have been impacted by heavy rainfall, flash floods and landslides since July as Pakistan experienced more than 60% of its normal total monsoon rainfall in three weeks, leading to the death of more than 580 people and thousands losing their homes as a result.

The provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh have been from the three worst affected, but Balochistan suffered its worst floods in more than 30 years, with the National Disaster Management Authority stating that the province had taken in 305% more rain than the annual average.

Collateral damages

Pakistanis have been forced to leave behind their homes as their crops and livestock were washed away, and hundreds of miles of roads have been destroyed, thus leaving areas impossible to access for emergency services.

Moreover, beyond 570 schools have been damaged, and cholera cases have been reported across the provinces. Residents have reported getting food and aid from volunteers and NGOs but none from government officials, although Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has visited the area twice this month, saying: “We are doing our best to provide for extensive relief and rehabilitation of flood victims.”

Former member of the national task force on climate change, Dr. Pervaiz Amir, described the flooding as “overwhelming”.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/economics/iran-to-join-mir-banking-system-within-months:-iran-finance

Iran to join Mir banking system within months: Iran Finance Ministry

The Iranian finance ministry's banking and insurance department said Tuesday that Iran could join Mir payment system within months of when talks between Tehran and Moscow reach a conclusion - this, according to Qorban Eskandari, the department's head, could be in the very near future.

According to Eskandari, however, the talks on Mir between the two countries are restricted to bilateral financial ties and countries that have access to Mir's banking services.

Launched in 2017, Mir is a Russian banking system, meaning both "peace" and "world" in the language. With the West's current isolation measures of Russia, Iran, Cuba, and other countries from the SWIFT banking system, friendlier alternatives have been on the rise in a bid to combat the West's economic hegemony and aggression.

South Korea and Turkey, in addition, has also joined Mir, and several former Soviet republics benefit from its services. The United Arab Emirates is also looking to join Mir in the future.

Last month, authorities in the Iranian foreign ministry announced that they will soon begin to accept Mir cards for transactions. The development in economic relations came during rising reports that Tehran and Moscow were working on expanding economic relations to combat US sanctions.

On July 23, Iran's Currency Exchange (ICE) launched a currency pairing system that enables exporters and importers to make payments in both the Iranian rial and the Russian ruble.

Last February, Russian banks were excluded from the SWIFT interbank payment system by the decision of the European Commission and its allies. The maneuver was intended to hit the country's banking network and its access to funds via SWIFT, which is pivotal for the smooth transaction of money worldwide.

>> Launched 2017.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/economics/inflation-fever:-uks-first-high-in-40-years-recession-unavoi

Inflation fever: UK's highest in 40 years, recession unavoidable

Global inflation is soaring, with the UK's accelerating at the fastest pace in 40 years in July, reaching double-digits and adding more pressure on the Bank of England.

Last month, the consumer price index boosted up 10.1% on an annual basis, surpassing the FXStreet-cited market consensus of 9.8% and speeding up from 9.4% in June.

The last time inflation was this extreme was in 1982 - 40 years ago.

A long deep recession closer than expected

A year prior, the inflation rate was at 2.0% - matching the Bank of England's target. Nevertheless, there has been a rapid increase in annual inflation every month since last October, and per month, consumer prices jumped 0.6% in July, slowing from a growth of 0.8% recorded in June. Regardless, this had been expected by analysts to slow even further to 0.4%.

UK wages dropped 3.0% year-on-year in the three months leading to June, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), adding that July's alarming inflation figure is likely to make that pay squeeze even tighter. Hundreds of thousands of businesses are functioning with razor-thin profit margins and are aware that their consumers are tightening their budgets, limiting their ability to pay greater wages. Rather than raising prices, these companies are likely to lower output or service levels.

The latest inflation readings also put the Bank of England (BoE) under the spotlight again. The BoE lifted rates by 50 basis points in August which mirrors aggressive monetary policy from the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, as the world struggles to tame the worrying inflation that has been fuelled by the war in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, annual factory gate inflation slowed and production-input prices jumped 23% yearly in July, easing from June's record high of 24%.

The ONS also projected that the country would enter a recession that would last until late 2023.

Christopher Dembik, head of macro analysis at Saxo Bank, commented: “The recession will be long and deep. There won’t be an easy escape. This is most worrying, in our view. The Bank of England assesses the slump will last with GDP still 1.75% below today’s levels in mid-2025.”

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/art-culture/indigenous-icon-littlefeather-gets-apology-from-academy-49-y

Indigenous icon Littlefeather gets apology from Academy, 49 years late

In 1973, Sacheen Littlefeather (Apache/Yaqui/Ariz) protested Native American mistreatment while representing Marlon Brando at the Oscar ceremony where she declined, on Brando’s behalf, to accept his Oscar. During her speech, Littlefeather was mocked and booed, and following the 60-second speech, she was harassed and mistreated ending her career in film.

50 years later, on June 18, according to The Hollywood Reporter (THR) the Academy offered Littlefeather an official apology and invited her to the Academy Museum as a guest for an evening of reflection on September 17.

On stage, in a historical moment in both Oscars and live television in 1973, Littlefeather was heckled offstage and threatened with both arrest and physical assault. At Marlon Brando's request, the Native American actress, then 26 years old, entered the stage and declined the best actor prize for his part in the cinema classic "The Godfather".

She vowed to follow Brando's directions not to touch the statuette and to confine her remarks to a maximum of 60 seconds (A directive from the show's producer Howard Koch, who informed Littlefeather before the award ceremony that he had security on ready to detain her if she continued over the allotted time).

Little feather was pushed to improvise her speech after Koch’s threats which became an obstacle to reading Brando’s pre-written speech.

“[Brando] very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award,” Littlefeather said adding that “the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry [the audience begins to boo] — excuse me — and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee.”

At the time Wounded Knee was under a US Department of Justice-imposed blackout as Native Americans had occupied the South Dakota village in protest of the continued mistreatment of their people.

She will visit the Academy again over fifty years later as an honored guest for an evening of reflection at the Academy Museum that will include a formal apology from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), something she never thought would happen in her lifetime.

“I was stunned. I never thought I’d live to see the day I would be hearing this, experiencing this,” adding that “When I was at the podium in 1973, I stood there alone,” now 75-year-old Littlefeather told regarding the apology she received.

In 1973, according to THR, film director John Wayne, who was in the wings as Littlefeather gave her speech, needed to be restrained and held back from storming the stage and physically assaulting her. In the aftermath, the actresses’ identity and integrity were challenged. While she took part in a few films prior to her infamous speech, everything changed after the speech. Even talk shows or productions were threatened to be shut down by the US federal government, revealed THR.

Part 1

>>17407168

The apology, dated June 18, and signed by then-Academy president David Rubin read:

“As you stood on the Oscars stage in 1973 to not accept the Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando, in recognition of the misrepresentation and mistreatment of Native American people by the film industry, you made a powerful statement that continues to remind us of the necessity of respect and the importance of human dignity.

The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified. The emotional burden you have lived through and the cost to your own career in our industry are irreparable. For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. For this, we offer both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration.

We cannot realize the Academy’s mission to “inspire imagination and connect the world through cinema” without a commitment to facilitating the broadest representation and inclusion reflective of our diverse global population.

Today, nearly 50 years later, and with the guidance of the Academy’s Indigenous Alliance, we are firm in our commitment to ensuring indigenous voices—the original storytellers—are visible, respected contributors to the global film community. We are dedicated to fostering a more inclusive, respectful industry that leverages a balance of art and activism to be a driving force for progress.

We hope you receive this letter in the spirit of reconciliation and as recognition of your essential role in our journey as an organization. You are forever respectfully engrained in our history.”

At the Academy Museum celebration of Littlefeather on September 17, THR wrote, the apology will be read in its entirety. Littlefeather will take part in a discussion with producer Bird Runningwater (Cheyenne/Mescalero Apache/N.M.), co-chair of the Academy's Indigenous Alliance. Runningwater was the one who initially contacted Littlefeather on the Academy's behalf as part of the museum's ongoing initiatives to examine the group's past and determine its future through a more comprehensive, inclusive lens.

Part 2

>>17407174

Littlefeather will be making her first trip to the museum, where a picture of her has been put within the gallery chronicling the history of the Academy Awards. After her career got derailed due to her decision to stand up for her people in 1973, Littlefeather pursued studies in traditional medicine and nutrition as well as worked at Mother Teresa's AIDS hospice. However, she never anticipated reconciliation with the most powerful Hollywood institution.

When Academy Museum Director and President Jacqueline Stewart visited her home to record the visual history, she presented Littlefeather with two gifts: a photograph of her appearance on the Museum’s gallery walls and a framed letter from Rubin.

In response to the letter, after Stewart read it aloud to her, she expressed herself with the same poise and candor she demonstrated on stage 50 years ago and said that “You know, I never stood up onstage in 1973 for any kind of accolades. I only stood there because my ancestors were with me, and I spoke the truth.”

After that, Littlefeather started to cry while holding the framed letter close to her chest as she thought about and paid tribute to the Native American artists and filmmakers making progress in Hollywood, including Runningwater, Rae, actor Wes Studi, and Reservation Dogs creator Sterlin Harjo.

Living with metastatic breast cancer, Littlefeather, according to THR, said “Yes, there’s an apology that’s due. As my friends in the Native community said, it’s long overdue,” adding that “I could have been dead by now. All of my friends — [activists] Dennis Banks, Russell Means, John Trudell, [comedian] Charlie Hill — are gone.”

When asked what she thought of Koch and the other Oscar night participants who stood by as she was harassed, she laughed wholeheartedly and said that “When they got to the other side, I’m sure that my ancestors spoke to them on my behalf. And I’m sure Mr. Charles went over there and had a talk with them immediately. I’m sure his first target was John Wayne.”

According to THR, Littlefeather claims that she has maintained a daily practice of "love, gratitude, and forgiveness” for herself. She has also been encouraged by the most recent advancements in Native American representation in Hollywood stories and stated that “At long last, somebody is breaking down the doors. And I’m so very happy this is happening."

When in 1973 Littlefeather concluded her speech by saying “I beg at this time that … in the future, our hearts, and our understandings will meet with love and generosity,” she did not know it would take 49 years for the world to finally get there.

Part 3 - End

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israel-to-restore-full-diplomatic-ties-with-turkey:-pm-lapid

“Israel” to restore full diplomatic ties with Turkey: PM Lapid

Following years of strained relations between Turkey and the Israeli occupation, Prime Minister Yair Lapid announced Wednesday that his government will restore full diplomatic ties with Ankara.

"It was decided to once again upgrade the level of the relations between the two countries to that of full diplomatic ties and to return ambassadors and consuls general from the two countries," said a statement from Lapid's office.

The Israeli prime minister claimed that the decision is an "important asset for regional stability as well as very important economic news for Israeli citizens."

The announcement comes less than two weeks after the Israeli occupation launched a brutal aggression on Gaza which left at least 49 martyrs, including 16 children.

Turkey ignores Palestine, bolsters ties with 'Israel'

Relations between Turkey and “Israel” deteriorated due to the occupation’s policies toward Palestinians, culminating in the withdrawal of both countries' ambassadors in 2018.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was considered by some as a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause.

However, he has been lately reaching out to “Israel”, aiming to repair relations as Turkey's official inflation rate was at a 20-year-high in April, which posed a significant challenge to Erdogan's government.

It is worth noting that the talks between Erdogan and his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog took place amid a widespread Israeli crackdown on Palestinians during the holy month of Ramadan.

Many of Turkey's social issues, economists contend, are the result of Erdogan's unusual economic policy, which has pushed many foreign investors away from the once-promising growing market.

Ironically, Erdogan decides to open his country's doors to the Israeli occupation to quench Turkey’s thirst for inventors, turning a blind eye to the ongoing murder of Palestinians and the endless violations of human rights.

>> What was hidden is now coming into the open.

>>17407213

Still can't believe she lost. I thought she would cheat like the rest and win. I guess she took the plank.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/mbss-crackdown:-a-saudi-mother-sentenced-for-34-years-for-tw

MBS's crackdown: A Saudi mother sentenced for 34 years for Tweeting

A Saudi university student who had returned home for a vacation was sentenced to 34 years in prison for following and retweeting dissidents and activists on her personal Twitter account.

The sentence was handed down by Saudi Arabia's so-called "special terrorist court" just weeks after US President Joe Biden's visit to the Kingdom, which human rights activists warned could give Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) a green light to intensify his crackdown on dissidents and other pro-democracy activists.

The case poses evidence of how MBS has targeted Twitter users in his repression campaign, while also controlling a significant indirect stake in the US social media company through Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

In MBS' playbook, Tweeting is a crime

Salma Al-Shehab, a 34-year-old mother of two, aged four and six, was initially sentenced to three years in prison for the "crime" of using an internet website to "cause public unrest and destabilize civil and national security."

However, an appeals court handed down the new sentence on Monday - 34 years in prison followed by a 34-year travel ban - after a public prosecutor requested that the court consider other alleged crimes.

Shehab was not a prominent or particularly vocal Saudi activist, neither in Saudi Arabia nor in the United Kingdom.

On Instagram, where she had only 159 followers, she described herself as a dental hygienist, medical educator, PhD student at Leeds University, lecturer at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, wife, and mother to her sons, Noah and Adam.

Her Twitter profile listed 2,597 followers. She regularly shared pictures of her young children and tweets about Covid burnout.

Shehab rarely retweeted posts from Saudi dissidents in exile calling for the release of political prisoners in the Kingdom.

The PhD student appeared to support the case of Loujain Al-Hathloul, a prominent Saudi feminist activist who was previously imprisoned and tortured for advocating for women's driving rights, and is now subject to a travel ban.

Someone who knew Shehab said she couldn't stand injustice. She was described as well-educated and a voracious reader who had moved to the UK in 2018 or 2019 to pursue her PhD at the University of Leeds.

She had returned to Saudi Arabia for a vacation in December 2020, intending to bring her two children and husband with her. Saudi authorities then summoned her for questioning, and she was eventually arrested and tried for her tweets.

Of secret torture and oppressed revelations

In further detail, a person who followed her case revealed that Shehab had been held in solitary confinement at times and had sought to privately tell the judge details about how she had been treated that she did not want to reveal in front of her father during the trial.

She was not permitted to communicate the message to the judge, as per the source. Three judges signed the appeals verdict, but their signatures were illegible.

On its account, Twitter declined to comment on the case and did not respond to specific questions about Saudi Arabia's influence over the company, according to the Guardian.

It is worth noting that Twitter previously did not respond to questions about why a senior aide to MBS, Bader Al-Asaker, was allowed to keep a verified Twitter account with more than 2 million followers, despite US government allegations that he orchestrated an illegal infiltration of the company, leading to the identification and imprisonment of anonymous Twitter users by the Saudi government. A former Twitter employee has been convicted in the case by a US court.

The Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owns more than 5% of Twitter through his investment company, Kingdom Holdings, is one of Twitter's most significant investors.

While bin Talal remains the company's chairman, his authority over the company was called into question by the US media, including the Wall Street Journal, after it was revealed that the Saudi royal - a cousin of the crown prince - had been held captive at the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh for 83 days.

Part 1

>>17407271

The incident was part of a larger purge led by MBS against other members of the royal family and businessmen, which involved allegations of torture, coercion, and the expropriation of billions of dollars from Saudi Arabian coffers.

In May, Kingdom Holding announced that it had sold approximately 17% of its company to the PIF, of which bin Salman is chairman, for $1.5 billion. As a result, the Saudi government is a significant indirect investor in Twitter. According to Twitter, investors have no influence over the company's day-to-day operations.

“MBS’s ruthless repression machine”

The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights condemned Shehab's sentence, which it said was the longest ever imposed on an activist. It was noted that many female activists had been subjected to unfair trials that resulted in arbitrary sentences, as well as "severe torture," including sexual harassment.

Khalid Aljabri, a Saudi living in exile whose sister and brother are detained in Saudi Arabia, said the Shehab case demonstrated Saudi Arabia's view that dissent equals terrorism.

“Salman’s draconian sentencing in a terrorism court over peaceful tweets is the latest manifestation of MBS’s ruthless repression machine,” he said.

“Just like [journalist Jamal] Khashoggi’s assassination, her sentencing is intended to send shock waves inside and outside the kingdom – dare to criticize MBS and you will end up dismembered or in Saudi dungeons.”

While the case has received little attention, the Washington Post published a sarcastic editorial about Saudi Arabia's treatment of the Leeds student on Tuesday, stressing that her case demonstrated that the "commitments" the US President received on reforms were "a farce."

“At the very least, Mr. Biden must now speak out forcefully and demand that Ms. Shehab be released and allowed to return to her sons, 4 and 6 years old, in the United Kingdom, and to resume her studies there,” it read.

Part 2 - End

>>17407284

While lakes and rivers are drying in other places. Anyone found out what's under Lake Mead yet?

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us-aims-to-turn-syria-into-israel-iran-confrontation-arena:

US aims to turn Syria into 'Israel'-Iran confrontation arena: Russia

The United States is creating a threat of turning Syria into an arena of confrontations between "Israel" and Iran, Igor Kostyukov, the head of the Russian General Staff's Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), considered on Tuesday.

"With the United States being behind it, there is a threat of turning Syria into an arena of Israeli-Iranian confrontation," Kostyukov said during the 10th Moscow Conference on International Security.

According to Kostyukov, "Since the beginning of the Syrian conflict, the Israeli armed forces have carried out over 180 operations to destroy civilian and military infrastructure on the territory of the [Syrian] republic under the pretext of fighting the Iranian presence."

"As a result of the strikes, more than 40 civilians were killed and about 70 were injured, the losses among the Syrian military personnel amounted to over 90 people, up to 200 were injured," the Russian Intelligence official highlighted.

US reviews Israeli plans for strikes against Iranian targets in Syria

It is noteworthy that according to current and former US officials, "Israel" secretly coordinates with the US on many of the airstrikes it conducts in Syria.

Behind the curtains, current and former officials say that for several years, many Israeli missions have been reviewed in advance for approval by senior officials at US Central Command and the Pentagon.

This means that the formal coordination was previously unknown, and the secrecy surrounding it demonstrates how Washington has sought to support its Israeli ally.

The US review, according to the Wall Street Journal, mainly focuses on Israeli missions in eastern Syria that pass close to the US occupation's Al-Tanf base.

What is the US doing in Syria?

Besides being an occupation that backs armed groups for its own operations and agenda in the region, the US occupation forces continue to steal Syrian oil by smuggling it from their bases in Syria to their bases in Iraq.

Convoys of tens of vehicles, including tankers loaded with stolen oil from oil fields occupied by US forces in Syria, are frequently seen crossing toward northern Iraq, in addition to trucks loaded with military equipment.

US training militants to conduct terrorist attacks

Kostyukov revealed that the United States is training militants of the Syrian armed groups and the Islamic State terrorist group (IS) to conduct terrorist attacks in the country.

"The destructive activity of the US armed forces is also noted in the al-Tanf zone. American servicemen continue to train militants of the Syrian armed opposition (up to 800 people) and IS (about 200 people) in order to use them to carry out terrorist attacks in the southern and central regions of the Arab country," the head of the GRU underlined.

The United States continues to plunder the Syrian resources, the Russian official said, adding that US companies are engaged in extracting 220,000 barrels of oil daily.

Moreover, the US and Europe prevent the return of Syrian refugees to their country, although Damascus created all conditions for this, Kostyukov added.

ISIS leader killed in special operation in south Syria

On Monday, SANA reported that the Syrian Special Mission Forces carried out a special operation in the city of Tafas in the Daraa countryside, during which a high-ranking leader of the ISIS terrorist organization was eliminated.

“The security forces carried out a special operation in Tafas city in Dara northwestern countryside, during which the terrorist Mahmoud Ahmad Al-Hallaq, nicknamed as Abu Omar Al-Jababi, one of the most dangerous terrorists in the southern region, was eliminated," a security source told SANA.

This is the second ISIS leader to be eliminated by the Special Mission Forces this month. Last Wednesday, Special Forces carried out an operation in which the terrorist leader of ISIS in the south, Abu Salem Al-Iraqi, was killed. Al-Iraqi was killed after he blew himself up with an explosive belt when he was surrounded by the Special Forces.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/vucic-tells-nato-that-serbia-will-remain-military-neutral-te

Vucic tells NATO that Serbia will remain military neutral territory

Belgrade will remain neutral and does not require any foreign military bases on Serbian soil said the Serbian President Alexander Vucic.

After a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg the Serbian President said that "When it comes to our bilateral relations once again, I underlined to Secretary General Stoltenberg that Serbia is a military neutral country and that we will remain military neutral," adding that Serbia "does not need any foreign military bases."

Furthermore, Vucic said that conducting a military operation in Kosovo that would cross the administrative line had been ruled out by Serbia.

"For 180 days we have been listening about Serbia’s possibility and Serbia’s wishes it invade either some entities, either some countries in the region and that it was going to happen five months ago, four months ago, three months ago, two months, and it didn't happen so far."

Vucic also denied false news and insisted that this is all he can do adding that "It is easy to use the current political situation against Serbia, so I asked NATO to look carefully at the situation in Kosovo and say when and where Serbian forces crossed the administrative line or border, as they say. We need a rational approach, conversations, a compromise solution, and not someone's desire to find a solution in which someone could blackmail Serbia or order Serbia how to behave.”

Earlier on August 12, Vucic stated that Serbia cannot pledge to preserve the current stance on the subject of sanctions against Russia.

Before the parliamentary elections on April 3, several Serbian lawmakers opposed imposing sanctions on Russia, but they later changed their minds, according to Vucic.

"I do not promise anything, I only promise the people that we will protect our policy as much as we can. And this my ‘as much as we can’ is stronger than the oaths of everyone else in this country on the political stage, who swear on books, blood, and so on," Vucic told TV Prva when asked if Serbia is able to manage external pressure when it comes to Russia sanctions.

It is worth noting that Serbians in early March rallied in Belgrade in support of Russia and Serbia has recently vocalized its refusal to join NATO, citing the 1999 killing of Yugoslavian children.

Vucic, who has recently assumed office for the second term in April, also vowed to prosecute any volunteers participating in the war in Ukraine.

KFOR Ready to Intervene if Stability Jeopardized at Kosovo-Serbia Border - Stoltenberg

According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) is prepared to act if the security of the Kosovo-Serbia border is threatened.

During a joint press conference with Serbian President Alexandar Vucic, Stoltenberg said: "NATO continues to monitor closely the situation on the ground," He added, "Our KFOR peacekeeping mission remains focused on its UN mandate, should stability be jeopardized, KFOR stands ready to intervene and will take any measures that are necessary to ensure a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all the people of Kosovo."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-occupation-court-extends-solitary-confinement-of-ahm

Israeli occupation court extends solitary confinement of Ahmad Manasra

The Israeli occupation court in Beer Al Sabe extended Tuesday the solitary confinement of prisoner Ahmad Manasra for another six months, despite his difficult physical and mental health condition.

Waed Association for Prisoners said the occupation court's decision is an organized Zionist crime that requires immediate action by international human rights institutions, as Manasra suffers from a severe mental health condition due to his continuous solitary confinement for nearly a year.

The association called for a broad popular and international solidarity campaign to rescue Manasra from what is being plotted against him, warning of the consequences of the Israeli decision, which will only exacerbate the health condition of Manasra who was arrested when he was only 13 years old.

Last Saturday, the Israeli occupation authorities transferred Manasra from "Eshel" prison in Beer Al Sabe to the solitary confinement section in "Hashikma" prison.

Lawyer Khaled Zabarqa said the Israeli occupation transferred Manasra to the solitary confinement section in "Hashikma" prison, amid demands for his immediate release due to his deteriorating health condition inside the prison.

Amnesty demands immediate release of Ahmad Manasra

On August 4, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for the MENA region, Heba Morayef, called for the immediate release of Manasra.

"It is outrageous that the Israeli authorities have renewed Ahmad Manasra’s spell in solitary confinement. Continuing to detain Ahmad Manasra in such inhumane conditions is a callous act of injustice. Ahmad has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and is severely depressed," she said.

"Ahmad Manasra was just 13 years old when he was arrested. The decision to detain him should always have been a measure of last resort and for the shortest possible time," Morayef said.

The Director warned that Manasra has turned into a shadow of his former self and has threatened to take his own life. "The Israeli authorities must immediately revoke their decision to renew his solitary confinement, and urgently release him from detention," she stressed.

It is noteworthy that in late June, Al Mayadeen correspondent reported that the Israeli occupation court rejected a request for the early release of the 20-year-old Manasra, despite his deteriorating health and psychological condition.

Our correspondent had reported that an Israeli occupation parole committee has classified the case of the Palestinian prisoner as "terrorism".

Manasra was only 13 years old when the Israeli occupation arrested him under false accusations. He has been in solitary confinement since early November 2021.

He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, suffers from psychotic delusions, and is severely depressed with suicidal thoughts.

Who is Ahmed Manasra?

Born on January 22, 2002, in occupied Al-Quds, Ahmad Manasra is one of a family of ten.

With the beginning of the popular uprising in 2015, arrests against children in occupied Al-Quds escalated and were accompanied by systematic abuse and torture.

On October 12, 2015, Ahmad and his cousin Hassan - who was martyred on that day - were subjected to brutal abuse by Israeli occupation forces and settlers.

This day marked a turning point in Ahmad's life. As a result of his arrest, interrogation, and physical and psychological torture, even while receiving treatment in the hospital, he suffered from a fractured skull and serious health conditions.

After several sessions, the Israeli occupation court issued a verdict of 12 years in prison against Ahmad and compensation of 180,000 shekels. The sentence was reduced to nine and a half years in 2017.

Before his transfer to prison, the Israeli occupation authorities held Ahmad for two years in a special institution for juveniles in difficult and harsh conditions and later transferred him to "Megiddo" Prison when he was 14 years old.

>> This is horrible. The teen is sick, physically and mentally and yet, he is being more brutalized.

>>17407407

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israel-infringes-on-religious-freedom-prevents-christian-fea

'Israel' infringes on religious freedom, prevents Christian feast

The Israeli police said on Tuesday that it had banned the Christian holiday of the transfiguration of Jesus on "Mount Tabor" in Lower Al-Jalil, citing security concerns as a pretext to "justify" their infringement on religious freedoms.

"The commander of the northern police district … issued an order to ban the mass religious event feast of the transfiguration [of Jesus], scheduled for Saturday, August 20, on the top of Mount Tabor," the police said.

The Israeli occupation police justified their actions by accusing "various authorities" of failing to meet the necessary conditions for the safety of visitors.

The Jewish National Fund, the fire department, the ambulance service, and the administration of the country's parks and reserves all supported the decision to cancel the holiday.

It is worth noting that the transfiguration of Jesus is considered one of the most important Christian holidays. Celebrations are held annually on "Mount Tabor" and up to 10,000 Christians take part in the events.

Israeli brutality against Christians is not new to the entity. Earlier this year, Al Mayadeen correspondent in occupied Al-Quds reported that the occupation forces prevented Christians from freely reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, adding that one of the priests was attacked by the IOF while on his way to the church.

Last year, 350 Gazan Christians applied for permits to celebrate Christmas in the holy cities of occupied Al-Quds and occupied Beit Lehm, yet did not receive any response. In parallel, 80 had their permits flatly rejected by Israeli authorities - for no reason - according to the director of Public Relations at the Orthodox Church in Palestine, Kamel Ayyad.

>> Palestinian Christians living in Gaza need PERMITS to celebrate Christmas in Jerusalem. PERMITS.

>>17407435

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/france-air-force-deploys-air-assets-to-asia-pacific-region:

France air force deploys air assets to Asia-Pacific region: NATO

NATO announced Tuesday that the French air force has successfully conducted the first phase of a large-scale, long-range deployment of air assets into the Asian-Pacific region.

In a statement, the alliance said that "the first phase of the deployment - dubbed Henri Brown - began in France on August 10 and ended in New Caledonia on August 12."

According to NATO, "An air task force consisting of three Rafale fighters, two A330 MRTT Phenix air-to-air refueling aircraft and two A400M transport aircraft conducted the force projection mission in less than 72 hours."

The military alliance indicated that the second phase of the deployment will be hosted by Australia from August 19 to September 8 in the form of Pitch Black multinational air drills, boosting battle readiness and interoperability of NATO member-states.

The third phase would be conducted from September 11 to 18 and would include the return flights to France with stopovers in Indonesia and Singapore for "conducting operational cooperation with the local air forces," the NATO statement read.

Pitch Black is a biennial exercise designed to enhance flight operations and proficiency between participating nations. This year, the drills will be visited by participants from 17 countries including Japan, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and India.

China conducts fresh drills around Taiwan as US lawmakers visit

Similarly, in the Asia-Pacific region, China announced new military maneuvers surrounding Taiwan on Monday, as a team of US politicians met with the island's leader only weeks after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's provocative trip.

The two-day visit came as Beijing launched warships, missiles, and fighter jets into the waters and skies surrounding Taiwan.

Washington's de facto embassy revealed that a five-member congressional delegation led by Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey met with President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday.

"The delegation had an opportunity to exchange views with Taiwan counterparts on a wide range of issues of importance to both the United States and Taiwan," it said.

The bipartisan trip sparked a caustic response from Beijing, which said it had carried out "combat readiness patrol and combat drills in the sea and airspace around Taiwan island" on Monday.

"This is a solemn deterrent against the US and Taiwan for continuing to play political tricks and undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Chinese military's Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement, promising to "resolutely defend national sovereignty."

In response to the delegation's visit, Beijing called on Washington to "stop going further down the wrong path of hollowing out and distorting the one-China principle, so as not to cause further damage to China-US relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."

"China will take firm and forceful measures to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing.

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https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/mali-calls-for-emergency-un-meeting-over-french-aggression

Mali calls for emergency UN meeting over French 'aggression'

Mali has demanded an emergency UN Security Council meeting to make an end to what it calls French "acts of aggression", including claimed espionage and violations of sovereignty.

In a letter seen Wednesday by AFP, Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop told the Chinese presidency of the Security Council that if France's actions continue, Mali "reserves the right to use self-defence" in accordance with the UN Charter.

Diop slammed the French forces' "repetitive and frequent violations" of Malian airspace and said flights by French aircraft were involved in "activities considered as espionage" and accused France of "intimidation".

In the letter, Diop said that Mali has "several pieces of evidence that these flagrant violations of Malian airspace have been used by France to collect intelligence for the benefit of terrorist groups operating in the Sahel and to drop arms and ammunition to them."

Mali "invites" the Security Council to make sure that France "immediately ceases its acts of aggression," Diop said.

The Chinese presidency was asked by the letter to deliver these details to the council's members in the hope of arranging an emergency meeting.

While Mali also accused France of supporting jihadists, the French authorities have not responded to any of these accusations.

On the date of the letter, which was Monday, the last French soldiers withdrew from Mali after nine years of allegedly defeating jihadists in northern Mali and the Sahel, which never happened considering the increasing number of operations targeting Malian forces.

It is worth noting that France sent troops to the western African country in 2013, under the pretense of defeating terrorists in northern Mali and the Sahel, which never happened considering the increasing number of operations targeting Malian forces. The operation ended in February following the deterioration of France's ties with its ex-colony.

Malians have repeatedly taken to the streets of the capital, Bamako, in demonstrations in support of the Malian Armed Forces. The demonstrators also voiced dissatisfaction with France's actions in the country, a former colony, especially after Malian troops reportedly found bodies buried near the base in the town of Gossi, which had been under the control of French forces until they handed it over to Mali.

One of the demonstrations took place in Bamako near the Monument of Independence. Hundreds of Malians expressed dissatisfaction with France's actions, accusing the French military of the mass killings in Gossi and expressing support for Russia on the matter, considering that the French accused the Russians of staging the whole thing; a claim heavily disputed by the locals and Moscow alike.

The rally participants held posters with the slogans "Thousands of children are victims of Macron", calling Macron a white racist, "Macron, what did you need your drones for?", "Macron is the butcher of Gossi."

The demonstrations garnered many Malians' intent on getting rid of French influence in the country and holding Paris accountable for its crimes in its former colony and the largest nation in Africa.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/n-korea-fires-pair-of-cruise-missiles-towards-yellow-sea:-se

DPRK fires 2 cruise missiles towards Yellow Sea: Seoul

Amid tensions over the US’ meddling in East Asia, North Korea launched two cruise missiles from the west coast town of Onchon into the Yellow Sea early Wednesday, according to Seoul's defense ministry.

"The US and South Korean military authorities are analyzing detailed specifications such as flight distance," a ministry official said as quoted by AFP.

It is worth noting that North Korea has not tested a cruise missile since January, as per Yonhap News Agency.

Pyongyang last conducted a weapons test on July 10, when it fired what appeared to be multiple rocket launchers.

The launches come just one day after Seoul and Washington began four days of preliminary joint drills in preparation for the long-delayed live field training Ulchi Freedom Shield, which will take place from August 22 to September 1.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday that the United States, South Korea, and Japan took part in a ballistic missile defense exercise off the coast of Hawaii last week, the first such drill since 2017.

Pyongyang is enraged by the drills, which it sees as a dress rehearsal for an invasion.

Kim: Washington "demonizing" Pyongyang

By the end of July, DPRK leader Kim Jong-Un, pointed out that Washington continues "dangerous, illegal hostile acts" with South Korea, and seeks to justify its behavior by "demonizing" the country.

He considered that "The duplex act of the United States, which is misleading all the routine actions of our armed forces as 'provocation' and 'threat' while holding large-scale joint military exercises that seriously threaten our security, is literally a robbery."

"That is driving bilateral relations to the point where it is difficult to turn back, into a state of conflict," he added.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/un-chief-to-meet-with-zelensky-erdogan-in-lvov-on-thursday

UN chief to meet with Zelensky, Erdogan in Lvov on Thursday

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Lvov on August 18, according to spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

"At the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, the Secretary-General will be in Lviv on Thursday to attend a trilateral meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and the Ukrainian leader," Dujarric told a briefing. It is worth noting that Guterres will visit Odessa on Friday.

UN chief to discuss Zaporozhye NPP with Zelensky Thursday: Spokesman

Guterres and Volodymyr Zelensky will discuss the situation around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. according to spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

"There are a number of issues that will be raised: the conflict in general, the need for a political solution to this conflict. Obviously, I have no doubt that the issue of the nuclear power plant, the fact-finding mission, and others will be raised," Dujarric told a briefing.

UN has logistics, security from Kiev to help IAEA team to get to Zaporozhye NPP

The UN has logistical and security assurances from Kiev to facilitate the safe flight of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team to the Zaporozhye nuclear power facility, according to UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

Earlier in the day, Russia's permanent envoy to international organizations in Vienna stated that Moscow hopes Kiev and the UN will not endanger IAEA workers by sending them over the combat lines. There are alternative options, according to the official.

"We are willing and able to help the IAEA anyway we can, and we have the logistics and security apparatus to do that from Kiev," Dujarric told a briefing.

Erdogan to discuss Ukrainian settlement at meeting With Guterres, Zelensky

On its part, the Turkish president's office confirmed that Erdogan will meet with his Ukrainian counterpart and Guterres to discuss diplomatic measures to cease the bloodshed.

The Erdogan administration announced plans for a trilateral conference, stressing that it would explore ways to settle the Ukrainian conflict "by diplomatic means, by revitalizing the mechanism created to export Ukrainian grain to global markets."

>> Will the Zelensky curse hit Guterres too?