Author: France 24

Issued on: 10/03/2024 – 10:38Modified: 10/03/2024 – 11:24 01:56 As the Islamic holy month of Ramadan is set to begin, there is still no breakthrough in talks for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. The US and regional mediators Egypt and Qatar had hoped to have a six-week ceasefire in place by the start of the religious holiday, but talks appeared to be stalled, with Hamas holding out for assurances that a temporary truce will lead to an end of hostilities. Read more on related topics: Source link

Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking a fifth term as Russians vote from Friday to Sunday in an election that has already raised transparency and accountability concerns. After two anti-war candidates were disqualified, the remaining three have all supported the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  Russia is holding a presidential election that is set to hand President Vladimir Putin another six-year mandate despite the upheaval triggered by Moscow’s war in Ukraine. After a 2021 constitutional reform altered Russian term limits, Putin could remain in power until 2036. He was first elected president in 2000. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe has said its election observers…

Issued on: 10/03/2024 – 18:36Modified: 11/03/2024 – 07:59 01:40 © FRANCE 24 Officials saw the crescent moon Sunday night in Saudi Arabia, home to the holiest sites in Islam, marking the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan for many of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims. In Israel, authorities have tightened security in the Old City of Jerusalem, a hot spot for clashes where the holiest site in Judaism and the third holiest site in Islam is housed. FRANCE 24’s Andrew Hilliar reports from Jerusalem. Read more on related topics: Source link

At least four international news agencies – AFP, Associated Press, Getty Images and Reuters – on Sunday withdrew from their services the first official photo of Britain’s Princess Kate since her abdominal surgery, saying the image of Kate and her children released by Kensington Palace appears to have been manipulated. The concerns particularly relate to inconsistences with Princess Charlotte’s sleeve and hand. The news did little to put to bed speculation surrounding Kate’s condition, about which the palace has shared few details aside from saying it is not cancer-related. Issued on: 11/03/2024 – 08:35 3 min The 42-year-old princess, whose husband Prince…

Al-Qaeda’s branch in Yemen has announced the death of its leader Khalid Batarfi and named a successor, SITE Intelligence Group reported Sunday. Issued on: 10/03/2024 – 22:01 1 min The monitoring service said Batarfi’s body was shown in footage released by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in burial shroud and wrapped in a flag bearing the jihadist group’s name.”God took his soul while he patiently sought his reward and stood firm, immigrated, garrisoned and waged jihad,” SITE quoted an AQAP veteran as saying of Batarfi in the nearly 15-minute video.There were no immediate details of the time or cause…

Gaza’s health ministry collects data from the enclave’s hospitals and the Palestinian Red Crescent.The health ministry does not report how Palestinians were killed, whether from Israeli airstrikes and artillery barrages or errant Palestinian rocket fire. It describes all casualties as victims of “Israeli aggression”.The ministry also does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Throughout four wars and numerous skirmishes between Israel and Hamas, UN agencies have cited the Hamas-run health ministry’s death tolls in regular reports. The International Committee of the Red Cross and Palestinian Red Crescent also use the numbers.In the aftermath of war, the UN humanitarian office has published…

The Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan will begin on Monday, Saudi Arabia and other Middle East nations announced, against a backdrop of devastating war in Gaza. Issued on: 10/03/2024 – 20:25 3 min Saudi Arabia, which is home to Islam’s holiest sites, said through its official SPA news agency on Sunday that the Supreme Court had announced “Monday, March 11, 2024, the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan for this year”.Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam.After the sighting of the crescent moon, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar also announced a Monday start for Ramadan,…

President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday for the first time that he backed new end-of-life legislation that would allow what he called “help to die” and wanted his government to put forward a draft bill to parliament in May. Issued on: 10/03/2024 – 19:12 1 min France’s neighbours Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands have adopted laws that allow medically assisted dying in some cases. But France has resisted that step, in part under pressure from the Catholic Church.The Claeys-Leonetti law on the end of life, adopted in 2016, authorizes deep sedation but only for people whose prognosis is threatened in…

Issued on: 10/03/2024 – 11:37Modified: 10/03/2024 – 11:54 01:47 A boat laden with food for Palestinians in war-ravaged Gaza was “ready” to set sail from Cyprus, an NGO said, as fighting raged between Israeli troops and Hamas militants ahead of Ramadan. The sea route aims to counter aid access restrictions, which humanitarians and foreign governments have blamed on Israel, more than five months into the war which has left Gaza’s 2.4 million people struggling to survive. Read more on related topics: Source link

Ukraine on Sunday slammed Pope Francis’s call to negotiate with Russia two years into its invasion, vowing “never” to surrender after the pontiff said Kyiv should “have the courage to raise the white flag”. Issued on: 10/03/2024 – 17:49 3 min The 87-year-old Catholic leader fuelled anger in Kyiv this weekend after he said in an interview that Ukraine should negotiate with Russia, which has seized large swathes of its territory in the offensive.It is not the first statement by Pope Francis during Moscow’s invasion that has caused outrage in Ukraine. The pontiff has also made statements slammed by Russia.”Our…