Category: Politics

A 20-year-old Palestinian woman was shot dead by Israeli occupation forces on Wednesday near the village of Beit Ainun, north of Al-Khalil (Hebron) in the West Bank.

The 20-year-old woman, Maimouna Abdel Hamid, was fatally shot in the head by Israeli occupation soldiers north of Al-Khalil (Hebron), the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The Israeli occupation army radio claimed that a Palestinian woman was shot dead by one of the soldiers after she attempted to carry out a stabbing attack.

According to a statement by the Palestinian Ministry, the number of martyrs in the West Bank since the seventh of last October has reached 488 martyrs, including 122 children, five women, five elderly people, as well as 10 prisoners inside the occupation prisons.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani directed the Ministry of Trade to quickly hand over the financial dues to farmers.

Al-Sudani stressed during the marketing season launch ceremony in Anbar: ‘Agriculture has been of great importance in the work and directions of the government, and we have placed supporting agriculture among the priorities, starting with the implementation of agricultural plans.’

He added: ‘The Council of Ministers set the price for receiving one ton of wheat at (850) thousand dinars, and there will be a preferential price in the next season for lands cultivated with modern irrigation systems. / End

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

The Arab League Council on Wednesday stressed its backing to UN special rapporteur’s efforts for human rights in Palestine in revealing the crimes committed by Israeli occupation against Palestinian people.

This came in a statement issued by the Arab League during an extraordinary meeting on humanitarian situations in the occupied Palestinian territories, on the level of permanent envoys to the Cairo-based bloc, under the chairmanship of Mauritania.

The meeting referred to the briefing made by Francesca P. Albanese, the rapporteur, and her reports on grave Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights.

The gathering said that it was briefed on the documentation of these reports of racist policies and practices of Israeli occupation against Palestinian people, the latest was the one issued on March 5 2024, the statement noted.

The reports presented a legal analyze on the genocide committed by Israeli occupation against Palestinian people and its practice of hatred discourse, it added.

The conferees also
welcomed recommendations by the rapporteur to member states and her call for taking economic and political procedures against Israeli occupation to halt mass genocide against Palestinian people, it stated.

They lauded efforts by Albanese in documenting grave Israeli occupation’s violations of human rights in Palestine.

They also urged the rapporteur to continue her efforts in presenting reports on violations of Israeli occupation to expose it to the international community.

This is the second extraordinary meeting held upon a request of Palestine to discuss continued crimes committed by Israeli occupation in the besieged Gaza Strip and repercussions of the US veto, at the UN Security Council, that preventing giving Palestine a UN full membership.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani directed the Ministry of Trade to quickly hand over the financial dues to wheat marketers.

Al-Sudani stressed during the launching ceremony of the wheat marketing season in Anbar: ‘Agriculture has occupied great importance in the work and directions of our government, and in various directions, whether legislative with the House of Representatives or decisions that fall within our powers, and we have placed supporting agriculture among the priorities, starting with the implementation of agricultural plans, as well as we directed the adoption of modern irrigation methods to confront water scarcity and achieve the highest yield per dunum, which achieves economic feasibility for the farmer and meets our need for this strategic crop.’

He added: “We were able to provide locally produced fertilizers, after opening the urea fertilizer production line and the Dab fertilizer production line in Basra. For the first time, Iraq reached self-sufficiency in fertilizer for the agric
ultural plan, and we directed the amount that was allocated to import fertilizers to purchase modern irrigation systems.”

Al-Sudani stressed: ‘Our reliance on agriculture is a strategic choice to activate the economic sector,’ noting: ‘The agricultural sector is important in both its plant and animal parts and is related to food security. The government is serious about improving the agricultural situation, which represents a profession for about 75 % of the population of Iraq.’

Regarding the strategic framework agreement with Turkey, the Prime Minister stressed that it: ‘represents a qualitative leap in terms of radical solutions to the water problem.’

He explained: ‘According to the water framework agreement with Turkey, we will go towards establishing dam projects, lining rivers, and using pipes to reduce waste, to establish wastewater treatment plants and use them in agriculture.’

Al-Sudani supervised the process of receiving the wheat crop from the governorate’s peasants and farmers. He also handed o
ver financial dues to a group of farmers and marketers in the form of deeds, in clear confirmation of the speedy completion of delivering the financial dues to the farmers who will market their crops of wheat, barley and corn./ End

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

Oman’s Foreign Minister Bader Al-Busaidi and his Bahraini counterpart Doctor Abdullatif Al-Zayani, affirmed Wednesday the importance of a ceasefire and putting effort into avoiding further conflict in Gaza.

This came in a statement from the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs after receiving Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs during his official visit to the Sultanate of Oman.

During the meeting the ministers discussed recent developments and the need for a ceasefire, as well as reaching a just solution for the Palestinian cause as per International resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

Both sides stressed the depth and history of the relations between the two countries, and touched on the programs of the joint committee, whose next session will be held in Oman during this year, and signing a new number of agreements and memorandums of understanding aimed at strengthening cooperation.

Al-Busaidi expressed Oman’s confidence in the success of the 33rd Arab Summit to produce constructive results that s
erve everyone in the region with security and peace, it will be hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain on May 16.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

The President of the Republic, Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, received today the head of the organizations of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Sarkout Zaki, and the member of the political bureau of the PUK, Rizgar Hama Amin.

At the beginning of the meeting, according to a presidential statement, the President of the Republic blessed the opening of the headquarters of the political office of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in Baghdad, considering this a positive step towards strengthening cooperation and coordination between all political and social forces in order to consolidate the gains achieved at various levels, especially related to the needs of citizens and improving their general conditions. livelihood and services, and consolidating security and stability in the country.

The President stressed the importance of strengthening dialogue between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to resolve outstanding issues in accordance with the Constitution and the law and taking into account
the rights of all citizens in the federal government and the Kurdistan Region.

For their part, Zaki and Hama Amin expressed their thanks to the President of the Republic for the congratulations on the opening of the headquarters of the Political Bureau of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, appreciating his proposals to consolidate stability in the country and enhance cooperation between political forces to serve the citizens./End

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

The Saudi Royal Court announced, Wednesday, that Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud left the King Faisal Hospital in Jeddah after completing routine medical checkups.

The Saudi Royal Court wished King Salman everlasting wellbeing.

Earlier, the Royal Court stated that King Salman was admitted Wednesday afternoon to the King Faisal Hospital for routine medical checkups that are expected to take only a few hours.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

The United States on Wednesday lambasted the Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s announcement about plans to legalize 68 illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank as dangerous and reckless.

“These reports about directives to support illegal outposts in the West Bank, we believe that to be dangerous and reckless,” US State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a press briefing.

“Our policy, US policy remains that settlements are counterproductive to the cause of peace and the government of Israel’s program is inconsistent with international law.” Patel added that the US continues to urge Israeli officials to refrain from taking actions to fund outposts that have long been illegal under Israeli law.

She warned that actions or announcements seeking to expand outposts will only move the goal of peace and stability in the region further away.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

The National Security Advisor, Qasim Al-Araji, met today, on the sidelines of the twelfth meeting of senior officials on security issues, held in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg, with the Secretary-General of the Russian Security Council, Patrushev Nikolai Platonovich.

The meeting discussed, according to a statement by the Chancellery, the latest security and political developments at the international and regional levels, and ways to enhance cooperation relations between the two countries, especially cooperation in the field of combating terrorism and exchanging experiences and information.

During the meeting, Al-Araji also reviewed the development of the capabilities of the Iraqi security services in all their specializations, stressing the importance of exchanging experiences and information with friendly and brotherly countries to achieve sustainable security that serves the region and the world. /End

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

EU Parliament adopted on Wednesday, the first-ever EU rules on combating violence against women and domestic violence.

The directive calls for stronger laws against cyber violence and better assistance for victims, said the Parliament in a press release.

The new rules prohibit forced marriage and outline particular guidelines for offenses committed online, such as the disclosure of private information and cyber flashing, it added.

It also noted that the new legislation would include a longer list of aggravating circumstances for offenses that carry more severe penalties.

The press release also noted that due to Parliament’s insistence, the Commission will report every five years on whether the rules should be revised.

Co-rapporteur from the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee, Frances Fitzgerald (EPP, IE), said “Today Parliament has taken the first steps to make Europe the first continent in the world to end violence against women.” This is a wide-ranging piece of legislation that will prevent v
iolence against women, protect victims and prosecute perpetrators, she added.

The new rules will come into force twenty days after their publication in the EU Official Journal

Source: Kuwait News Agency

The U.S. Senate passed a USD 95 billion aid package that includes military assistance for Ukraine and support for Israeli occupation, alongside humanitarian aid for Gaza and other parts of the world.

The senate voted on Tuesday with a majority of 79 votes in favor and 18 against the package, following months of waiting and political disagreements, particularly among the Republicans, some of whom opposed sending new American funds to Kyiv.

This package includes more than USD 26 billion assistance to Israeli occupation, and USD nine billion in humanitarian aid for Gaza as well as conflicted regions like Sudan and Haiti.

It also includes USD 61 billion allocated for Ukraine, currently engaged in a war with Russia since late February 2022, as other aid designated for securing allies in the Indian and Pacific Ocean regions.

On another note, this package contains a provision that might result in the ban of the TikTok app in the United States if its Chinese owning company refuses to sell it to other owners.

Pre
sident Joe Biden wasted no time in welcoming the passage of this package, confirming that he will sign it on Wednesday.

In a statement, Biden described the passage of the aid package as “responding to the call of history at this critical inflection point.” He emphasized that Congress had passed legislation to enhance national security and send a message to the world about the strength of American leadership.

In his statement, he added that the message underscores the United States’ firm stance in support of democracy and freedom, and against tyranny and oppression.

The House of Representatives approved last Saturday, the passage of this package, amidst American efforts to expedite the delivery of military aid to the Israeli occupation.

This comes in the wake of Iran’s recent attack in response to the bombing of its consulate in Damascus by Israel occupation.

Over the past few months, political disagreements within Congress have prevented the passage of this aid package, meanwhile, the White House continu
ed to urge for its passage as Russian forces make steady advances at the expense of Ukrainian forces.

In October, Biden asked Congress for more than USD 100 billion, which included USD 61 billion in aid for Ukraine, as well as military assistance for the Israeli occupation, humanitarian aid for Gaza, and security assistance for allies in the Indian and Pacific Ocean regions.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

The head of the Integrity Commission, Haider Hanoun, called on countries around the world to help Iraq recover its smuggled money and assets.

A statement by the Integrity Commission stated: ‘Hanoun met with Swiss anti-corruption officials, and during the meeting it was agreed to intensify cooperation between the two countries and exchange experiences, information and training.’/ End

Source: National Iraqi News Agency