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Tunisian PM Discusses Controversial Social Issues with UGTT

Tunisians demonstrating in support of the protesters of El Kamour oilfield, near the town of Tatouine, clash with riot police officers on Habib Bourguiba Avenue in Tunis, Tunisia. Reuters file photo
Tunisians demonstrating in support of the protesters of El Kamour oilfield, near the town of Tatouine, clash with riot police officers on Habib Bourguiba Avenue in Tunis, Tunisia. Reuters file photo
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Tunisian PM Discusses Controversial Social Issues with UGTT

Tunisians demonstrating in support of the protesters of El Kamour oilfield, near the town of Tatouine, clash with riot police officers on Habib Bourguiba Avenue in Tunis, Tunisia. Reuters file photo
Tunisians demonstrating in support of the protesters of El Kamour oilfield, near the town of Tatouine, clash with riot police officers on Habib Bourguiba Avenue in Tunis, Tunisia. Reuters file photo

The new Tunisian government is facing a set of controversial issues that previous governments have been unable to solve, including the protests of the mining basin in al-Gafsa, the disruption of phosphate production, and al-Kamour sit-in in the Tataouine region.

The cabinet hopes its current agreement with the leaders of the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) will help find solutions to several pending issues.

The UGTT has announced its support for the government of independent experts formed by Hichem Mechichi.

Talks between the two sides have resulted in an agreement on the third installment of the wages of public sector employees. In addition, Mechichi reinstated UGTT’s former leader Mohamed Trabelsi as Minister of Social Affairs.

Trabelsi is the Union’s main negotiator in a number of meetings on social and economic issues.

The Prime Minister launched talks on Saturday on the disruption of phosophate production and transportation in the mining basin, and hydrocarbons in Tataouine region, stressing that the main goal is to find convenient solutions to these social issues.

He stressed that it is no longer acceptable to halt the production of phosphates and oil, noting that these protests damage the state's own resources.

Political analyst Jamal al-Arfaoui believes that the transformation in the relationship between the government and the Union is linked to the drop in state resources and the consequent severe economic and social crises.

He indicated that this led to a “compulsory social truce in order to save the situation in the country that is on the verge of bankruptcy."

In light of the recent situation, both sides realized that it is no longer feasible to rely on confrontation, according to Arfaoui.

The analyst added that the two parties have exchanged messages, and Mechichi asserted that the UGTT is a fundamental partner in overcoming social crises.

The Union responded by saying it was open to help the government overcome the difficult period, which yielded positive outcomes and could result in a real partnership to save the country.

He believed that the Union’s fear of the parliamentary alliance led by Ennahda Movement, Heart of Tunisia, and the Dignity Coalition might be among the reasons that pushed the UGTT “to the government's rescue and to extend a helping hand.”

Meanwhile, al-Kamour sit-in organized a meeting in al-Tataouine region between the government and the Union.

The meeting called upon the government to implement its 2017 pledges.

Tariq Haddad, spokesman for al-Kamour protests, asserted that the first and foremost goal behind these meetings is to defend the right to development, and to ensure job opportunities to the unemployed youth.

The Assistant Secretary-General of the UGTT’s legal affairs, Hafeez Abdul Hafeez, said that lengthy sessions, no later than October 15, will be held with the government to settle the issue of civil society workers after the revolution.

The Union is also expected to announce an increase in the minimum wage of private sector workers as part of efforts to improve the purchasing power of the poor.

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Business

'Halving' Arrives for Bitcoin Miners

A man walks past a bitcoin poster in Hong Kong on April 15, 2024. DALE DE LA REY / AFP
A man walks past a bitcoin poster in Hong Kong on April 15, 2024. DALE DE LA REY / AFP
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'Halving' Arrives for Bitcoin Miners

A man walks past a bitcoin poster in Hong Kong on April 15, 2024. DALE DE LA REY / AFP
A man walks past a bitcoin poster in Hong Kong on April 15, 2024. DALE DE LA REY / AFP

The bitcoin market on Friday engineered the "halving" of the reward for operating the cryptocurrency, a much-anticipated step designed to limit production and boost the digital money.
"The 4th #Bitcoin halving is complete!," announced cryptocurrency exchange Binance on X, the former Twitter.
"The countdown has been reset -- see you in 2028."
Bitcoin is created as a reward when computers solve complex puzzles to decide which miner wins the privilege to validate the block -- and receive the reward in bitcoins, AFP said.
However, since the digital currency's launch in 2009, the reward has been halved for every 210,000 blocks in a process called halving.
With one block validated roughly every ten minutes, this critical industry event occurs just under every four years.
The reward, which was fixed since May 2020 at 6.25 bitcoins per new block, has now fallen to 3.125 bitcoins.
Bitcoin was conceived in 2008 by a person or group writing under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto.
The halving process slows the rate at which new bitcoins are created, thereby restricting supply.
The reward amount has been trimmed over time, via halving, to implement Nakamoto's overall global limit of 21 million bitcoins.
But this ceiling is due to be reached by 2040.
Controlling supply
"The primary purpose of halving is to control bitcoin's supply," City Index analyst Matthew Weller said in a research note ahead of the event.
"By slowing the rate at which new bitcoins are created, halving helps to maintain scarcity and potentially increase the cryptocurrency's value, assuming demand remains steady or increases," he added.
The price of bitcoin has blazed a record-breaking trail on the prospect of reduced supplies, as well as big moves toward greater trading accessibility.
Bitcoin has rocketed by 50 percent in value since the start of the year, climaxing last month at a record $73,797. Prices have fallen in recent days.
"This is the first time that bitcoin beat the previous historical record before the halving has even taken place," said eToro analyst Simon Peters, noting there had been a pullback in recent days.
Commercial bitcoin mining companies operate thousands of computers in huge hangers or warehouses, consuming large amounts of electricity at a vast cost.

Halving therefore represents a major survival test for such companies because it slashes their main income source.
Reduced margins
Faced with the prospect of reduced margins, bitcoin players have invested heavily in cutting-edge new computers, in tandem with an efficiency drive which in particular seeks to slash energy costs.
In addition, some mining companies will have to "turn off some of their machines to cut costs, which equates to fewer bitcoins being created," said Manuel Valente, founder of cryptoasset investment group Coinhouse.
"And if the price of bitcoin goes down, their profitability decreases" further, he told AFP.

Halving therefore exposes the weakest bitcoin mining firms, and could potentially spark a fresh wave of sector consolidation in a survival of the fittest, commentators say.
At around 0030 GMT, after the halving had taken place, the price of bitcoin was up 0.7 percent at $63,467.46.

World

People from Myanmar Flee into Thailand after Clashes in Key Border Town

Thai soldiers and members of the media take cover near the 2nd Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge during fighting on the Myanmar side between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and Myanmar's troops, which continues near the Thailand-Myanmar border, in Mae Sot, Tak Province, Thailand, April 20, 2024. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun
Thai soldiers and members of the media take cover near the 2nd Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge during fighting on the Myanmar side between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and Myanmar's troops, which continues near the Thailand-Myanmar border, in Mae Sot, Tak Province, Thailand, April 20, 2024. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun
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People from Myanmar Flee into Thailand after Clashes in Key Border Town

Thai soldiers and members of the media take cover near the 2nd Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge during fighting on the Myanmar side between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and Myanmar's troops, which continues near the Thailand-Myanmar border, in Mae Sot, Tak Province, Thailand, April 20, 2024. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun
Thai soldiers and members of the media take cover near the 2nd Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge during fighting on the Myanmar side between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and Myanmar's troops, which continues near the Thailand-Myanmar border, in Mae Sot, Tak Province, Thailand, April 20, 2024. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

About 1,300 people have fled from eastern Myanmar into Thailand, officials said Saturday, as fresh fighting erupted at a border town that has recently been captured by ethnic guerillas.
Fighters from the Karen ethnic minority last week captured the last of the Myanmar army’s outposts in and around Myawaddy, which is connected to Thailand by two bridges across the Moei River, The Associated Press said.
The latest clashes were triggered in the morning when the Karen guerillas launched an attack against Myanmar troops who were hiding near the 2nd Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, a major crossing point for trade with Thailand, said police chief Pittayakorn Phetcharat in Thailand's Mae Sot district. He estimated about 1,300 people fled into Thailand.
Thai officials reported people had started crossing since Friday following clashes in several areas of Myawaddy.
The fall of Myawaddy is a major setback for the military that seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021. Myanmar’s once-mighty armed forces have suffered a series of unprecedented defeats since last October, losing swathes of territory including border posts to both ethnic fighters, who have been fighting for greater autonomy for decades, and pro-democracy guerrilla units that took up arms after the military takeover.
The clashes, involving drone attacks from the Karen forces and airstrikes by the Myanmar military, had subsided by noon Saturday compared to the morning, but Mae Sot police chief Pittayakorn Phetcharat said he could still hear sporadic gunshots. He said Thai authorities would move people fleeing into a safer area.
Footage from the Thai border showed Thai soldiers maintaining guard near the bridge with sounds of explosions and gunshots in the background. People with children walked across the bridge with their belongings and were received by Thai officials on the river bank. Several are seen taking shelter in buildings along the river bank on the Myanmar side.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin wrote on the social media platform X on Saturday that he was closely monitoring the situation at the border.
“I do not desire to see any such clashes have any impact on the territorial integrity of Thailand and we are ready to protect our borders and the safety of our people. At the same time, we are also ready to provide humanitarian assistance if necessary,” he wrote.
In March, Thailand delivered its first batch of humanitarian assistance to Myanmar for about 20,000 displaced people.
Nikorndej Balangura, a spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters on Friday that Thailand is currently working to expand its aid initiative.

World

Moscow Says 50 Ukrainian Drones Shot Down as Attacks Spark Fires at Russian Power Stations

Russian rockets are launched against Ukraine from Russia's Belgorod region, seen from Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP)
Russian rockets are launched against Ukraine from Russia's Belgorod region, seen from Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP)
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Moscow Says 50 Ukrainian Drones Shot Down as Attacks Spark Fires at Russian Power Stations

Russian rockets are launched against Ukraine from Russia's Belgorod region, seen from Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP)
Russian rockets are launched against Ukraine from Russia's Belgorod region, seen from Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP)

Ukraine launched a barrage of drones across Russia overnight, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said Saturday, in attacks that appeared to target the country’s energy infrastructure.

Fifty drones were shot down by air defenses over eight Russian regions, including 26 over the country’s western Belgorod region close to the Ukrainian border. Two people — a woman with a broken leg and the man caring for her — died during the barrage, after explosions sparked a blaze that set their home alight, Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on social media.

Drones were also reportedly destroyed over the Bryansk, Kursk, Tula, Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga regions across Russia’s west and south, as well as in the Moscow region.

Ukrainian officials normally decline comment about attacks on Russian soil. However, many of the drone strikes appeared to be directed toward Russia’s energy infrastructure.

The head of the Kaluga region, Vladislav Shapsha, said Saturday that a drone strike had sparked a blaze at an electrical substation, while Bryansk Gov. Alexander Bogomaz and Smolensk Gov. Vasily Anokhin also reported fires at fuel and energy complexes.

In recent months, Russian refineries and oil terminals have become priority targets of Ukrainian drone attacks, part of stepped-up assaults on Russian territory.

Ukrainian drone developers have been extending the weapons’ range for months, as Kyiv attempts to compensate for its battlefield disadvantage in weapons and troops. The unmanned aerial vehicles are also an affordable option while Ukraine waits for more US military aid.

Meanwhile, Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with seven missiles, and air defenses downed two missiles and three reconnaissance drones, the Ukrainian air force said Saturday.

Gov. Oleh Kiper, head of Ukraine’s Odesa region, said that ballistic missiles had damaged infrastructure overnight, but did not provide further details. Previous attacks on the Black Sea city on Friday damaged port infrastructure, including two food export terminals, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Russian shelling also killed a 50-year-old man in the city of Vovchansk, said Gov. Oleh Syniehubov, head of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region.

A 60-year-old woman was also injured after shelling struck a nine-story apartment block, he said.

Features

Russia Quietly Exits Karabakh, Ceding Its Clout ‘For Good'

A still image taken from a handout video made available by the Russian Defense Ministry Press-Service shows the beginning of the process of withdrawal from Azerbaijan of the Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed in Karabakh, Kalbajar district, Azerbaijan, 17 April 2024. (EPA /Russian Defense Ministry Press Service / Handout)
A still image taken from a handout video made available by the Russian Defense Ministry Press-Service shows the beginning of the process of withdrawal from Azerbaijan of the Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed in Karabakh, Kalbajar district, Azerbaijan, 17 April 2024. (EPA /Russian Defense Ministry Press Service / Handout)
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Russia Quietly Exits Karabakh, Ceding Its Clout ‘For Good'

A still image taken from a handout video made available by the Russian Defense Ministry Press-Service shows the beginning of the process of withdrawal from Azerbaijan of the Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed in Karabakh, Kalbajar district, Azerbaijan, 17 April 2024. (EPA /Russian Defense Ministry Press Service / Handout)
A still image taken from a handout video made available by the Russian Defense Ministry Press-Service shows the beginning of the process of withdrawal from Azerbaijan of the Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed in Karabakh, Kalbajar district, Azerbaijan, 17 April 2024. (EPA /Russian Defense Ministry Press Service / Handout)

When Russian troops deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh four years ago, their task was clear: keep the peace between bitter foes Armenia and Azerbaijan and prevent another war in the volatile region.

But as Azerbaijani forces swept through mountainous Karabakh last September and crushed Armenian separatist forces in a matter of hours, the Russian mission looked lost.

The Kremlin this week quietly confirmed that the peacekeepers were withdrawing, taking with them their weapons and hardware, as well as Russian clout from a region it long considered its own backyard.

Moscow ruled over the Caucasus region first during the Russian empire and then in the Soviet era. When war broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan after the USSR's collapse, Moscow sought to mediate.

The Kremlin deployed almost 2,000 troops in 2020 as part of a ceasefire deal that halted six weeks of brutal fighting between the arch-foes over the Karabakh region.

The accord held until the lightning Azerbaijani offensive last September that ignited an exodus of more than 100,000 Armenians from Karabakh and deepened their frustration with Moscow.

Russia 'betrayed us'

"Along with the Russians leaving Karabakh, the last hope that the population will return home is gone," said Iveta Margaryan, a 53-year-old trained accountant on the streets of Armenia's capital.

"The Russians have betrayed us," she added.

Observers of the Caucasus say Russia is too caught up with its invasion of Ukraine to retain its sway in the region.

Azerbaijan has recently deepened ties with Türkiye -- a close military and political partner with shared cultural ties. And with the pullout from Karabakh, Moscow has further alienated Armenia.

Yerevan has criticized Moscow's perceived shortfalls, with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan busy forging closer ties with the West.

In February, he froze Yerevan's participation in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization, a defense grouping of several ex-Soviet states.

Yerevan also joined the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Moscow's wishes -- a move that obligates it to arrest Vladimir Putin should he visit Armenia.

The European Union and United States are now leading efforts to broker a peace agreement between the Caucasus foes, with Moscow stuck playing second fiddle.

'Shattered' myth

Moscow's unease over Armenia's rapprochement with the West has also become public. The foreign ministry this week demanded that Yerevan "disavow" reports it was deepening military ties with Western countries.

France -- home to a large Armenian diaspora -- has also planted a flag in the region, intensifying its diplomatic backing for Yerevan and providing cutting-edge defensive radars and missiles. "Russia is out, the West is in," said Azerbaijani political scientist Eldar Namazov.

The Russian peacekeepers were meant to "project influence," said Gela Vasadze, senior fellow at the Georgian Strategic Analysis Centre.

But their withdrawal has clearly illustrated the limits of Russia's power, he told AFP.

"The myth that Russian boots never leave territories they had once stepped in is shattered."

Shahinoglu said Putin had withdrawn from Karabakh to keep up friendly relations with Azerbaijan and Türkiye at a time when the Kremlin is isolated over the Ukraine war.

But in doing so, Russia has lost its ability to "exploit" Armenian separatism in the Caucasus and leverage it for regional influence, he said.

"Russia has lost its historical footholds in the Caucasus for good."

That sentiment was echoed in Azerbaijan, where the announcement of the Russian drawdown was met with joy and relief.

"People say Russian troops don't ever voluntarily leave," said Ramil Iskenderov, a 37-year-old courier.

"Azerbaijan proved that with the right policy it's possible to achieve the impossible," he told AFP.

In Armenia, where Russia still maintains a military base, the peacekeepers' withdrawal was a final straw for some that meant Yerevan should sever military ties with Moscow.

"Russia has once again betrayed the Armenian people and sold us out. That's it," said Valery Harutyunyan, who lived in Karabakh before fleeing to Armenia in September.

"We can't rely on the Russians again. It's impossible. We should kick Russians out -- not only from Karabakh -- but also from Armenia," he told AFP.

Varieties

12 Students and Teacher Killed in Columbine School Shooting Remembered at 25th Anniversary Vigil

Roses and candles sit on chairs for each of the shooting victims during a 25th Year Remembrance ceremony on April 19, 2024 at First Baptist Church of Denver in Denver, Colorado. (Getty Images/AFP)
Roses and candles sit on chairs for each of the shooting victims during a 25th Year Remembrance ceremony on April 19, 2024 at First Baptist Church of Denver in Denver, Colorado. (Getty Images/AFP)
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12 Students and Teacher Killed in Columbine School Shooting Remembered at 25th Anniversary Vigil

Roses and candles sit on chairs for each of the shooting victims during a 25th Year Remembrance ceremony on April 19, 2024 at First Baptist Church of Denver in Denver, Colorado. (Getty Images/AFP)
Roses and candles sit on chairs for each of the shooting victims during a 25th Year Remembrance ceremony on April 19, 2024 at First Baptist Church of Denver in Denver, Colorado. (Getty Images/AFP)

A girl who wrote in her diaries, a boy with learning disabilities who was just learning to like who he was and a teen who would spend every free minute fishing were among the 13 victims of the Columbine High School shooting remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.

As small candles flickered on 13 empty chairs, short biographies of Columbine students Rachel Scott, Kyle Velasquez and Corey DePooter and the other victims were read one by one. After each, the crowd of about 150 people replied together “never forgotten” and a bell tolled.

The youngest killed in the attack that has inspired dozens of copycat shootings was Steven Curnow, 14. The oldest was teacher Dave Sanders, 47, who shepherded students out of the cafeteria to safety and was shot as he tried to get students upstairs into classrooms.

The others killed were Cassie Bernall, Kelly Fleming, Matt Kechter, Daniel Mauser, Dan Rohrbaugh, Isaiah Shoels, John Tomlin and Lauren Townsend.

Sanders' daughter, Coni Sanders, said her father changed the world forever by saving hundreds of students.

“The kids that he saved now have children and those children will have children so generations from now people will know they exist because of his bravery,” she said before the ceremony began.

The gathering, set up by advocates including gun safety organizations, was the main public event marking Saturday's anniversary, which is more subdued than previous milestone years. In addition to remembering those killed, the vigil at a church near the state Capitol also drew attention to those who were wounded and those who survived the shooting but suffered trauma.

Daniel Mauser's father, Tom Mauser, decided to set up the vigil after learning school officials did not plan to organize a large community event as they did on the 20th anniversary.

Mauser, who became a gun safety advocate after the shooting, urged the crowd of about 150 people gathered at a church across from the state Capitol never to forget the victims of Columbine and to take some kind of action to reduce gun violence.

“And most importantly we ask you to never forget, never forget the victims of Columbine. The slain, the injured, the traumatized and their families. And especially never forget those who lost their lives,” said Mauser, wearing his son's sneakers, a tradition he reserves for special occasions.

Former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who began campaigning for gun safety after she was nearly killed in a mass shooting, attended and spoke about her long recovery, drawing a comparison to the small steps needed to make change in the world.

“Change doesn't happen overnight and we can't do it alone. Join me. Let's move ahead together,” she said, drawing a standing ovation.

Nathan Hochhalter, whose sister Anne Marie was paralyzed after she was shot at Columbine, spoke about being trapped in a classroom at the school with about 30 students as they heard gunfire nearby. They were rescued about four hours later by SWAT officers who he said frisked them five times. Six months later, his mother, who had bipolar disorder, took her own life after asking to look at a gun in a pawnshop and shooting herself there.

“I just want to use this moment to let everyone know that it’s OK to ask for help, whatever your situation is whether, either as a survivor 25 years later or someone struggling with any part of their life. These things come in waves and they can hit you when you least expect it. You should all know that we’re all here for you and that you're not alone,” Hochhalter said.

Varieties

Nigerian Chess Champion Plays Royal Game for 58 Hours, Sets New Global Record

Tunde Onakoya, a Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate, plays a chess game in Times Square, Friday, April 19, 2024, in New York. (AP)
Tunde Onakoya, a Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate, plays a chess game in Times Square, Friday, April 19, 2024, in New York. (AP)
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Nigerian Chess Champion Plays Royal Game for 58 Hours, Sets New Global Record

Tunde Onakoya, a Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate, plays a chess game in Times Square, Friday, April 19, 2024, in New York. (AP)
Tunde Onakoya, a Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate, plays a chess game in Times Square, Friday, April 19, 2024, in New York. (AP)

A Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate has played chess nonstop for 58 hours in New York City’s Times Square to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.

Tunde Onakoya, 29, hopes to raise $1 million for children's education across Africa through the record attempt that began on Wednesday.

He crossed the 58-hour mark at about 02:30 a.m. GMT Saturday, surpassing the current chess marathon record of 56 hours, 9 minutes and 37 seconds, achieved in 2018 by Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad, both from Norway.

The Guinness World Record organization has yet to publicly comment about Onakoya’s attempt. It sometimes takes weeks for the organization to confirm any new record.

Onakoya played against Shawn Martinez, an American chess champion, in line with Guinness World Record guidelines that any attempt to break the record must be made by two players who would play continuously for the entire duration.

Support had been growing online and at the scene, where a blend of African music kept onlookers and supporters entertained amid cheers and applause.

The record attempt is “for the dreams of millions of children across Africa without access to education,” said Onakoya, who founded Chess in Slums Africa in 2018. The organization wants to support the education of at least 1 million children in slums across the continent.

“My energy is at 100% right now because my people are here supporting me with music,” Onakoya said Thursday evening after the players crossed the 24-hour mark.

On Onakoya's menu: Lots of water and jollof rice, one of West Africa’s best-known dishes.

For every hour of game played, Onakoya and his opponent got only five minutes' break. The breaks were sometimes grouped together, and Onakoya used them to catch up with Nigerians and New Yorkers cheering him on. He even joined in with their dancing sometimes.

A total of $22,000 was raised within the first 20 hours of the attempt, said Taiwo Adeyemi, Onakoya's manager.

“The support has been overwhelming from Nigerians in the US, global leaders, celebrities and hundreds of passersby," he said.

Onakoya’s attempt was closely followed in Nigeria, where he regularly organizes chess competitions for young people living on the streets.

More than 10 million children are out of school in the West African country — one of the world’s highest rates.

Among those who have publicly supported him are celebrities and public office holders, including Nigeria’s former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who wrote to Onakoya on the social media platform X, “Remember your own powerful words: 'It is possible to do great things from a small place.’"

World

Man Who Set Himself on Fire outside Trump Trial Dies of Injuries, Police Say

A fire extinguisher sits in a park outside of Manhattan Criminal Court where a man set himself on fire Friday afternoon on April 19, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
A fire extinguisher sits in a park outside of Manhattan Criminal Court where a man set himself on fire Friday afternoon on April 19, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Man Who Set Himself on Fire outside Trump Trial Dies of Injuries, Police Say

A fire extinguisher sits in a park outside of Manhattan Criminal Court where a man set himself on fire Friday afternoon on April 19, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
A fire extinguisher sits in a park outside of Manhattan Criminal Court where a man set himself on fire Friday afternoon on April 19, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)

A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial is on trial has died, police said.

The New York City Police Department said the man was declared dead by staff at an area hospital.

The man was in Collect Pond Park around 1:30 p.m. Friday when he took out pamphlets espousing conspiracy theories, tossed them around, then doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire, officials and witnesses said.

A large number of police officers were nearby when it happened. Some officers and bystanders rushed to the aid of the man, who was hospitalized in critical condition.

The man, who police said had traveled from Florida to New York in the last few days, hadn't breached any security checkpoints to get into the park.

The park outside the courthouse has been a gathering spot for protesters, journalists and gawkers throughout Trump’s trial, which began with jury selection Monday.

Through Friday, the streets and sidewalks in the area around the courthouse were generally wide open and crowds have been small and largely orderly.

Authorities said they were also reviewing the security protocols, including whether to restrict access to the park. The side street where Trump enters and leaves the building is off limits.

“We may have to shut this area down,” New York City Police Department Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry said at a news conference outside the courthouse, adding that officials would discuss the security plan soon.

Arab World

34,049 Palestinians Killed in Israel's Gaza Offensive since Oct. 7

Palestinians perform Friday noon prayer on April 19, 2024, next to the ruins of Al-Farouq Mosque, destroyed during Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Hamas group. (Photo by MOHAMMED ABED / AFP)
Palestinians perform Friday noon prayer on April 19, 2024, next to the ruins of Al-Farouq Mosque, destroyed during Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Hamas group. (Photo by MOHAMMED ABED / AFP)
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34,049 Palestinians Killed in Israel's Gaza Offensive since Oct. 7

Palestinians perform Friday noon prayer on April 19, 2024, next to the ruins of Al-Farouq Mosque, destroyed during Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Hamas group. (Photo by MOHAMMED ABED / AFP)
Palestinians perform Friday noon prayer on April 19, 2024, next to the ruins of Al-Farouq Mosque, destroyed during Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Hamas group. (Photo by MOHAMMED ABED / AFP)

Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed at least 34,049 Palestinians and wounded 76,901 since Oct. 7, the Palestinian enclave's health ministry said on Saturday.
Thirty-seven Palestinians have been killed and 68 injured in the past 24 hours, the ministry added in a statement.
The war was sparked when Hamas fighters attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.
The Israeli offensive in Gaza, aimed at destroying Hamas, has caused widespread devastation and killed over 33,800 people, according to local health officials. Hundreds of UN and other humanitarian workers are among those killed by Israeli strikes.
International officials say famine is imminent in northern Gaza, where 70% of people are experiencing catastrophic hunger.

Arab World

Lebanese Interior Ministry, General Security Take Steps to Resolve Syrian Refugee Crisis

Lebanese caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press at the interior ministry in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (AP)
Lebanese caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press at the interior ministry in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (AP)
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Lebanese Interior Ministry, General Security Take Steps to Resolve Syrian Refugee Crisis

Lebanese caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press at the interior ministry in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (AP)
Lebanese caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press at the interior ministry in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (AP)

Lebanese officials can no longer afford to lightly deal with the Syrian refugee file, especially amid rising popular and political pressure to deal with the crisis.

The Interior Ministry and General Security announced immediate practical steps to resolve the crisis that started in 2011 with the eruption of the conflict in neighboring Syria.

The refugee file was brought back to the spotlight after a Syrian gang was accused of kidnapping and killing Pascal Sleiman, Jbeil coordinator of the Lebanese Forces. Syrians are also behind a spike in crime in Lebanon.

The situation has prompted some partisan forces in some regions to take action against the refugees, such as expelling them from villages and towns and expelling Syrian students from Lebanese schools.

43% of the population

According to acting General Security chief Elias al-Baysari, some 2.1 million Syrian refugees are in Lebanon or around 43 percent of Lebanon’s population.

In December, the General Security directorate received figures from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) showing that it has registered 1.486 million refugees, without specifying when they were registered or when they entered Lebanon.

Sources from the General Security told Asharq Al-Awsat that the UNHCR was asked to hand in new data related to the date of entry of the refugees, specifically if they had entered after 2015, which was when the Lebanese government had decided that it would no longer register more refugees.

New measures

The sources said the General Security was ready to deport 2,000 to 3,000 unregistered Syrians a day if the political authorities take a decision over the issue.

Measures have been adopted in recent weeks to organize this file and push for the refugees’ return to their homes, they added.

Among these measures are refusal to accept bank statements and draft new lease agreements that are needed to renew residency permits, and shutting stores that are creating unfair competition with Lebanese businesses.

Geagea calls for deporting violators

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said on Friday that 40 to 45 percent of Syrian refugees are living in Lebanon illegally, warning that the Syrian crisis probably needs another 13 years to be resolved.

Speaking at a press conference, he added that during that time, the number of Syrians in Lebanon could rise to 4 million and equal the number of Lebanese people.

He said the General Security was the main party to blame for the crisis, then the Internal Security Forces and army.

The crisis must be resolved according to the 1962 law that stipulates that people without residency permits must be deported. Such a move is administrative and decided by the General Security, without resorting to the judiciary, he explained.

This also negates the need for a political decision to implement the law, he went on to say.

An official source refuted Geagea’s claims, saying the law on entering and residing in Lebanon does not include the law that he mentioned.

The law also does not cover Lebanese legal texts on the direct deportation of any Arab or foreign national who violates residency regulations in Lebanon, it added.

It explained that the law referred to by Geagea calls for prosecuting the violator and awaiting a legal ruling on their deportation.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, the source said the General Security requested information from the UNHCR about who entered Lebanon before or after 2015 to determine who needs protection and who can be returned home.

Interior Ministry

It suggested that lawmakers must propose laws and amend others so that the process of returning the refugees home can be sped up, instead of making security agencies shoulder political responsibilities.

The Interior Ministry had in September issued a number of decrees to regulate the presence of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and tasked municipalities and provinces to tally their numbers in their areas of jurisdiction. It also called for extra scrutiny in observing where they reside and work.

It compiled a report every 15 days with its findings in an attempt to crack down on violations.

Caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi recently called on municipal chiefs and governors to strictly implement these regulations.

Security sources said that at the moment, efforts are being made to organize the presence of the refugees and compile a clear database.

Protecting Lebanon and averting strife are the Interior Ministry and security agencies’ top priorities, they told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“We will not allow any fifth column to undermine the security of the country and its citizens,” they vowed.

Syrians poured into Lebanon in 2011 through legal and illegal means, making it hard for authorities to keep track of them and tally their actual numbers.

Lebanon has been in the throes of a severe economic crisis since 2019 that has curtailed the people’s purchasing power and plunged more than half of the population in poverty.

The refugees are now perceived as competing with the Lebanese people for basic and essential goods, such as bread and fuel, as well as job opportunities, creating deep resentment and tensions. The situation came to a head with Sleiman’s killing earlier this month.

World

Russian Defense Ministry to Set Up Drone Development Center

An undated handout image of a Orlan 10 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) published by the Russian Defense Ministry. Russian Defense Ministry/Handout via REUTERS
An undated handout image of a Orlan 10 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) published by the Russian Defense Ministry. Russian Defense Ministry/Handout via REUTERS
TT
TT

Russian Defense Ministry to Set Up Drone Development Center

An undated handout image of a Orlan 10 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) published by the Russian Defense Ministry. Russian Defense Ministry/Handout via REUTERS
An undated handout image of a Orlan 10 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) published by the Russian Defense Ministry. Russian Defense Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

Russia's defense ministry will set up a science and production center for drones and "robotic complexes", Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Saturday, according to the ministry.
Shoigu was inspecting a testing range for firearms and drones in the Moscow military district, the defense ministry said.
The conflict in Ukraine has been characterized by drone deployment of unprecedented scale, with thousands of unmanned aerial vehicles used to track enemy forces, guide artillery and bomb targets, Reuters said.
The tiny, inexpensive FPV (first-person view) drone has proved to be one of the most potent weapons in this war, where conventional warplanes are relatively rare because of a dense concentration of anti-aircraft systems near front lines.
At the testing range, Shoigu was shown firearms for tackling such drones as well as a combat quadcopter designed to set up mines.