JERUSALEM: Israel says the Palestinian self-rule government in the West Bank informed it on Thursday that it will stop paying for the electricity Israel sells to the Gaza Strip as tensions between the territory’s Hamas rulers and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas intensify.
Abbas has threatened to exert financial pressure on political rival Hamas to cede control of Gaza, a territory it seized in 2007 from him in bloody street battles. Reconciliation attempts since then between rival governments in the West Bank and Gaza have failed.
Palestinian officials in the West Bank had no immediate comment.
Hamas official Ismail Radwan condemned the move by Abbas.
“It’s illogical that Gaza is besieged and deprived of electricity, water and basic needs for the sake of political prices,” he said.
Gaza has suffered through increasing hardship since the Hamas takeover, which triggered a border blockade by Israel and Egypt. Gazans have endured power cuts, with electricity now available for only six hours a day.
Abbas halts payments for Israeli electricity to Gaza Strip
Abbas halts payments for Israeli electricity to Gaza Strip
AI and satellites help aid workers respond to Myanmar earthquake damage
“There’s no way to see through clouds with this technology”
MANDALAY, Myanmar: Just after sunrise on Saturday, a satellite set its long-range camera on the city of Mandalay in Myanmar, not far from the epicenter of Friday’s 7.7 magnitude earthquake that devastated the Southeast Asian country’s second-largest city.
The mission was to capture images that, combined with artificial intelligence technology, could help relief organizations quickly assess how many buildings had collapsed or were heavily damaged and where helpers most needed to go.
At first, the high-tech computer vision approach wasn’t working.
“The biggest challenge in this particular case was the clouds,” said Microsoft’s chief data scientist, Juan Lavista Ferres. “There’s no way to see through clouds with this technology.”
The clouds eventually moved and it took a few more hours for another satellite from San Francisco-based Planet Labs to capture the aerial pictures and send them to Microsoft’s philanthropic AI for Good Lab. By then it was already about 11 p.m. Friday at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington. A group of Microsoft workers was ready and waiting for the data.
The AI for Good lab has done this kind of AI-assisted damage assessment before, tracking Libya’s catastrophic flooding in 2023 or this year’s wildfires in Los Angeles. But rather than rely on a standard AI computer vision model that could run any visual data, they had to build a customized version specific to Mandalay.
“The Earth is too different, the natural disasters are too different and the imagery we get from satellites is just too different to work in every situation,” Lavista Ferres said. For instance, he said, while fires spread in fairly predictable ways, “an earthquake touches the whole city” and it can be harder to know in the immediate aftermath where help is needed.
Once the AI analysis was complete, it showed 515 buildings in Mandalay with 80 percent to 100 percent damage and another 1,524 with between 20 percent and 80 percent damage. That showed the widespread gravity of the disaster, but, just as important, it helps pinpoint specific locations of damage.
“This is critical information for teams on the ground,” Lavista Ferres said.
Microsoft cautioned that it “should serve as a preliminary guide and will require on-the-ground verification for a complete understanding.” But in the meantime, the tech company has shared the analysis with aid groups such as the Red Cross.
Planet Labs says its satellites — it has 15 of them orbiting the Earth — have now photographed roughly a dozen locations in Myanmar and Thailand since Friday’s quake.
Pakistan extends deadline for expulsion of Afghans
- The deadline has been shifted to next week due to Eid holidays in the country
- Authorities in Kabul have urged countries hosting Afghans not to force them out
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has postponed a deadline for hundreds of thousands of Afghans to return to their country due to Eid Al-Fitr holidays marking the end of Ramadan, a government official told AFP on Tuesday.
In early March, Islamabad announced a deadline of the end of the month for Afghans holding certain documentation to leave the country, ramping up a campaign to send Afghans back to their homeland.
“The deadline has been extended until the beginning of next week due to Eid holidays,” the official said on the condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Afghans holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) — issued by Pakistan authorities and held by 800,000 people, according to the United Nations — face deportation to Afghanistan after the deadline.
More than 1.3 million Afghans who hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, are also to be moved outside the capital Islamabad and neighboring city Rawalpindi.
The UN says nearly three million Afghans live in Pakistan, many having fled there over decades of war in their country and after the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan.
“Many have been living in the country for years and going back means going back to nothing,” Pakistani human rights lawyer Moniza Kakar told AFP.
Ties between the neighboring countries have frayed since the Taliban takeover, with Pakistan accusing Kabul’s rulers of failing to root out militants sheltering on Afghan soil, a charge the Taliban government denies.
A delegation from Islamabad met with officials in Kabul in March, with Pakistan emphasizing the importance of security in Afghanistan for the region.
The Taliban government has repeatedly called for the “dignified” return of Afghans to their country, with Prime Minister Hassan Akhund urging countries hosting Afghans not to force out them out.
“We ask that instead of forced deportation, Afghans should be supported and provided with facilities,” he said in an Eid message the day before Pakistan’s original deadline.
Rights groups have condemned Pakistan’s campaign.
Human Rights Watch slammed “abusive tactics” used to pressure Afghans to return to their country “where they risk persecution by the Taliban and face dire economic conditions.”
Afghan girls and young women would lose rights to education if returned to Afghanistan, as per Taliban authority bans.
Amnesty International condemned the removal of Afghans in Islamabad awaiting resettlement in other countries, saying they would be “far from foreign missions who had promised visas and travel documents, and risk deportation due to the increased difficulty in coordinating their relocation with missions such as the United States.”
Following an ultimatum from Islamabad in late 2023 for undocumented Afghans to leave Pakistan, more than 800,000 Afghans returned between September 2023 and the end of 2024, according UN figures.
Amnesty International calls on Hungary to arrest Netanyahu
- Israeli PM due to fly to International Criminal Court member state this week
- Visit ‘must not become a bellwether for the future of human rights in Europe’
LONDON: Amnesty International has called on Hungary to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following reports that he will visit the EU member state on Wednesday at the invitation of his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban.
Netanyahu is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in November over Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
Orban, a close ally of Netanyahu, has said he would not enforce the warrant. As a member state, Hungary is required to enforce any arrest warrant issued by the ICC.
Erika Guevara-Rosas, head of global research, advocacy and policy at Amnesty International, said Netanyahu “is an alleged war criminal, who is accused of using starvation as a method of warfare, intentionally attacking civilians and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.”
As an ICC member, “Hungary must arrest him if he travels to the country and hand him over to the Court. Any trip he takes to an ICC member state that does not end in his arrest would embolden Israel to commit further crimes against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
“Netanyahu’s reported visit should be seen as a cynical effort to undermine the ICC and its work, and is an insult to the victims of these crimes who are looking to the Court for justice. Hungary’s invitation shows contempt for international law and confirms that alleged war criminals wanted by the ICC are welcome on the streets of an EU member state.”
Guevara-Rosas said: “Netanyahu’s visit to Hungary must not become a bellwether for the future of human rights in Europe.
“European and global leaders must end their shameful silence and inaction, and call on Hungary to arrest Netanyahu during a visit which would make a mockery of the suffering of Palestinian victims of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, its war crimes in other parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and its entrenched system of apartheid against all Palestinians whose rights it controls.
“Amnesty International calls on the ICC Prosecutor to investigate and prosecute all Israel’s crimes.”
Guevara-Rosas added: “Hungary should equally do so by applying universal jurisdiction principles. Powerful leaders, like Netanyahu, accused by the ICC of war crimes and crimes against humanity, must no longer enjoy the prospect of perpetual impunity.”
Southeast Asian countries send rescue teams as Myanmar quake death toll tops 2,700
- Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore have also sent teams to assist Myanmar
- Rescuers struggle due to lack of heavy machinery, damage to critical infrastructure
JAKARTA/MANILA: Indonesia and the Philippines on Tuesday sent rescue teams to assist Myanmar, where the death toll from a huge earthquake has passed 2,700.
Rescuers and aid workers have been struggling to reach victims and find survivors after the 7.7-magnitude quake struck at midday on Friday near Myanmar’s second-largest city, Mandalay, destroying scores of buildings and ancient cultural sites.
In the wake of the disaster, neighboring Southeast Asian countries have rallied to send humanitarian assistance to Myanmar.
Indonesia dispatched a 53-member search and rescue team on Tuesday, after on Monday sending a smaller group and 12 tonnes of humanitarian aid comprising tents, food and logistical supplies.
“The earthquake has caused massive suffering. As of today the death toll stands at around (2,700), but there are still plenty of people who must be saved,” Suharyanto, the head of Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said during a send-off ceremony in Jakarta.
The strongest earthquake to hit Myanmar in more than a century damaged critical infrastructure and communication, further hampering relief efforts in a country that was already facing a humanitarian crisis from an ongoing civil war.
Death toll from the quake has reached 2,719 and is expected to rise, Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing said in a televised address on Tuesday, adding that about 4,500 people were injured and more than 400 were missing.
Friday’s earthquake was also felt in Thailand, where the death toll stands at 21.
The Philippines has dispatched the first batch of a 91-member emergency team, which includes members of the Philippine Air Force, the Department of Health, and the Bureau of Fire Protection, to help with search and rescue efforts.
The remainder of the group will depart on Wednesday for a two-week deployment to Myanmar, the Philippine Air Force said in a statement.
“Bringing with them essential search and rescue equipment and medical supplies, these personnel are ready to perform life-saving operations, provide medical assistance, and deliver critical aid throughout the mission,” the PAF said.
Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos and Singapore have sent their own teams to Myanmar to assist with the ongoing search and rescue operations, which have reportedly been slowed because of a lack of heavy machinery, forcing many to search for survivors by hand in daily temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius.
Malaysia, which chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year, said that countries from the region are working closely to support Myanmar.
“These deployments reflect ASEAN’s united response and commitment to standing together in times of hardship,” Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Saudi Jameel Motors to enter South African market by distributing China’s Changan vehicles
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Jameel Motors has entered the South African market, securing exclusive rights to distribute vehicles from Chinese company Changan.
The firm, owned by Saudi Arabia's Abdul Latif Jameel Group, has signed a deal to distribute SUVs, sedans, pickups, and electric vehicles in the African country, according to a statement.
South Africa, the continent’s largest automotive market, presents a strong long-term investment opportunity, driven by growing demand for affordable, tech-enabled vehicles.
The country saw a 18.3 percent year-on-year increase in new passenger car sales in the country in January.
In a statement, Jasmmine Wong, CEO — Mobility at Abdul Latif Jameel, said: “We are thrilled to announce Jameel Motors’ market entry to South Africa, especially as we do so with Changan Automobile, a forward-thinking automotive player with exceptional products.”
Wong added: “We are looking forward to driving long-term growth in the market and empowering drivers across South Africa with expanded and superior personal mobility choices.”
Jameel Motors’ commitment includes creating jobs and developing local dealerships, contributing to the country’s economic growth.
Under the terms of the newly signed agreement, Jameel Motors will initially focus on the distribution of Changan and Deepal products.
Changan offers sedans, SUVs, and pickup combustion engine models, while Deepal focuses on new energy cars.
Building on its strong track record, Jameel Motors is well-positioned to meet local customer preferences, with vehicles expected to be available for purchase in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Xiao Feng, general manager at Changan Automobile Middle East and Africa business unit, said: “This is a new milestone for our business in South Africa. Changan Automobile, as a leading Chinese automotive company, has been committed to building a world-class automotive brand.”
Feng added: “We are confident that, through the strategic cooperation with Jameel Motors, we will be a key player in the South African market.”
Jameel Motors in South Africa will be led by Marinus Venter, an expert with 18 years of experience in leading automotive brands.
“I am honored to join a business that is building on 70 years of automotive excellence, as we introduce Changan and Deepal vehicles to South Africa,” Venter said.
“By leveraging Jameel Motors’ extensive experience and Changan Automobile’s renowned focus on safety, quality, and technology, I believe we can effectively meet the diverse automotive demands of South African drivers and deliver a positive market experience,” the country manager at Jameel Motors South Africa added.
