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Lead: In a stark warning to Moscow, the Tuareg‑led Azawad Liberation Front told French officials in Paris that its primary objective is the permanent withdrawal of Russian mercenaries supporting Mali’s military junta. The statement follows a multi‑city assault that killed Defence Minister Sadio Camara and saw rebels seize key northern towns. The Rebels’ Call for a Permanent Russian Exit Spokesperson Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane of the FLA told AFP that the movement’s “objective” is for Russia’s Africa Corps to “withdraw permanently” from Mali. He framed the demand as a response to the junta’s reliance on Russian forces, which he said “supported people who committed serious crimes and massacres.” The rebels emphasized that their grievance is with the regime in Bamako, not with any foreign nation. Casualties and Territorial Shifts Since the Saturday Offensive Defence Minister Sadio Camara killed by a car‑bomb in Kati. Rebel alliance (FLA, JNIM, Fulani and Arab groups) captured Kidal, Sevare, and reported advances toward Gao, Timbuktu and Menaka. Russian fighters were observed leaving Kidal in trucks after a negotiated corridor to Anefis. Malian forces reclaimed Menaka and reported presence in Mopti and Gao. Regional Power Dynamics: France, Algeria, and the Sahel The appeal to France underscores the lingering influence of the former colonial power, which has urged its citizens to evacuate Mali. Algeria’s mediation reportedly facilitated the Russian pull‑out from Kidal, highlighting its role as a regional broker. Meanwhile, the continued presence of Russian mercenaries keeps the Sahel’s security calculus volatile, affecting EU and UN counter‑terrorism initiatives. What the Next Weeks Could Hold for Mali’s Security Landscape If the rebels maintain momentum, they may consolidate control over northern hubs and impose a “moderate form of Sharia law” as outlined by the FLA. A failure to secure a Russian exit could provoke further escalation, prompting renewed French or UN intervention. Analysts anticipate that the junta’s next move will be a decisive military push to “neutralise” armed groups, while diplomatic pressure on Moscow may intensify through Algeria and Western partners.

The Al‑Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem reopened after a 40‑day closure imposed by Israeli authorities.Verified video footage released by Al Jazeera shows crowds streaming through the gates early Thursday, with approximately 3,000 worshippers attending the morning prayers.The ban had been total—or limited to a few dozen faithful—at Christian, Jewish and Muslim sites since the US‑Israeli war on Iran began on February 28. Israel frequently imposes restrictions, especially on Palestinian worshippers.The Islamic Waqf Department in occupied Jerusalem confirmed that the doors of Al‑Aqsa would be opened to all worshippers from dawn; the Jordanian‑affiliated authority managing the site offered no further details.Volunteers and caretakers were seen preparing courtyards and prayer areas to receive the faithful, while Israeli officials announced the simultaneous opening of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Wednesday evening.Israeli police attributed the decision to “updated instructions from the Israeli Home Front Command” and highlighted a massive security deployment, with hundreds of police officers and border guards stationed throughout the Old City and surrounding roads to “secure visitors.”Jerusalem’s holy sites have endured strict security measures and repeated closures during the six‑week regional war, curtailing celebrations of Lent, Passover, Ramadan and, for the first time since Israel’s 1967 occupation, Eid al‑Fitr prayers at Al‑Aqsa.The lifting of the ban arrives just in time for Orthodox Christians, who observe Easter on Sunday, a week after Catholic and Protestant celebrations.Continued Raids in the Occupied West BankIsraeli forces continued operations across the occupied West Bank. In Nablus, a woman was detained and a man assaulted during an early‑morning raid, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.The Ramallah‑based Palestinian Health Ministry reported that Israeli forces fatally shot 28‑year‑old Alaa Khaled Mohammed Sbeih near the village of Tayasir on Wednesday night; the Israeli military said an off‑duty soldier fired at a stone‑thrower.Wafa added that six young men were detained in Tayasir, while troops stormed homes in Ya’bad, south of Jenin, destroying the contents of three houses. Additional raids hit the villages of Qusra and Awarta, though no arrests were reported there.The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank since 2023, with at least 10,000 people forcibly displaced.

Occupied East Jerusalem – While Holy Week traditionally fills the Old City’s Christian Quarter with pilgrims and worshippers, the streets are now eerily quiet and storefronts remain shuttered.Palestinian shopkeeper Boulos, a man in his mid‑30s who asked to remain anonymous, still drags himself to his modest stall a few times a week, selling religious garments behind a half‑closed door to avoid Israeli orders that mandate closure of businesses in the quarter amid the ongoing US‑Israel conflict with Iran.After six years of pandemic‑related setbacks and successive wars, his business had only begun to recover when the October Gaza ceasefire was followed by a new wave of restrictions. “Before the war with Iran, we barely made enough to survive,” he said. “Now there is no income at all.”His only customer that day was an Ethiopian Christian woman buying a kilo of prayer candles for 35 shekels (about $11.20). “What can 35 shekels do for me?” Boulos lamented, underscoring the stark economic squeeze.Unlike many West Jerusalem shops, which have been allowed to stay open because of nearby bomb shelters, the Old City lacks such protection, leaving Palestinian businesses in the Christian Quarter effectively forced to shut. The area, heavily dependent on tourism, shows the least sign of life.Brother Daoud Kassabry, principal of the College des Frères school, described the scene as “the saddest Jerusalem I have ever seen.” Classes have been suspended for over a month, and the community feels the weight of an unprecedentedly difficult period.For the first time in centuries, Israeli police barred Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and other senior clergy from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Palm Sunday Mass. The Latin Patriarchate called the incident “unprecedented in centuries.”At a press conference, Cardinal Pizzaballa emphasized that while “all celebrations” have been cancelled for security reasons, “no one, not even the Pope, can cancel the liturgy of Easter.”Following the incident, leaders from Italy, France and the United States condemned the police action. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later defended the measure as a safety precaution, citing the absence of bomb shelters near the holy site, despite the cardinal’s residence being only metres away.Netanyahu’s justification raises questions about the long‑standing “status‑quo” arrangement that places custodianship of Christian and Muslim holy sites under the heads of their respective religious institutions and Jordan’s Waqf. Palestinian Christians interpret the rhetoric as evidence of an increasingly hostile environment under Israeli control.Bishop Emeritus Munib Younan recounted being spat on by Jewish yeshiva students in the Old City without any legal consequences. He now prefers to attend services in Bethlehem or a small church outside Jerusalem, where he feels “no one is pointing a gun at you.”“They want to show the world that this country is only meant for them – not Christians, not Muslims,” Younan said, reflecting a sentiment shared by many locals.Netanyahu later announced that religious ceremonies at the Holy Sepulchre would be permitted during Holy Week, but only for clergy, keeping the general public out. Observers noted the inconsistency, pointing out that Muslim worshippers have been barred from the Al‑Aqsa compound since late February, including during Ramadan, with only minimal international rebuke.The cumulative restrictions have crippled the already dwindling Palestinian Christian community, which now makes up less than 2 % of the population in Israel and the occupied territories. Traditional events such as the Way of the Cross procession and Holy Fire Saturday have been cancelled, eroding communal cohesion.Father Faris Abedrabbo of the Annunciation Latin Parish linked the current hardships to the Passion narrative, urging congregants to view their suffering through the lens of “steadfastness” – an active, spiritual resistance rather than passive endurance.Economic despair is prompting a new wave of emigration. Bishop Younan reported that many young Christians ask for help obtaining visas to the United States, Canada or Australia, fearing there is “no future” in Jerusalem. Boulos, the shopkeeper, admits he has considered leaving, noting that “they try to make us lose hope and abandon this land.”Despite the bleak outlook, Boulos continues to visit his shop, saying, “I come here to prove to myself that I still have hope, even if it feels endless.”

Pakistan and Afghanistan have confirmed they are holding talks in China aimed at ending the worst conflict between the South Asian neighbours since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021.Senior officials from both countries are holding preliminary talks in the northwestern Chinese city of Urumqi to try to secure a ceasefire to end months of cross-border attacks, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Thursday.The fighting has killed dozens of people on both sides and disrupted trade and cross-border travel since it started in October.Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harbouring fighters who carry out attacks inside Pakistan, especially the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The group is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, which took over Afghanistan in 2021 following the chaotic withdrawal of United States-led troops.Andrabi told reporters in Beijing that the government hoped for a “durable solution”.“Our participation [in talks] is a reiteration of our core concerns,” he said.“The burden of real process, however, lies with Afghanistan, which must demonstrate visible and verifiable actions against terrorist groups using [its] soil against Pakistan.”Following China’s request for talks, Afghanistan’s Taliban government said it had sent a “mid-level delegation” to Urumqi.The Afghan side “intends to hold comprehensive and responsible talks with the other side on good neighbourliness, strengthening trade relations, and effective management of security issues”, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said.Pakistan described the negotiations as “working-level talks”.“Our delegation has not returned yet,” Islamabad’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said.China, which also borders both countries, has been trying to mediate a negotiated settlement to the conflict.Beijing deployed a special envoy to try to broker a deal last month, but the diplomatic effort was followed by Pakistani strikes on a Kabul rehab centre that prompted international condemnation.More than 400 people were killed in the attack, according to Afghan officials. Islamabad said the strike targeted military installations and “terrorist support infrastructure”.The two sides then announced a pause in fighting to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye.But sporadic attacks have been reported in border areas since the temporary truce ended.

The Foreign Press Association (FPA) has strongly condemned a violent assault by Israeli soldiers on a CNN crew in the occupied West Bank. The incident occurred while the crew was reporting on the aftermath of an assault by Israeli settlers and the establishment of an illegal outpost near the Palestinian village of Tayasir.The CNN team, which included photojournalist Cyril Theophilos, was detained by Israeli soldiers who aggressively targeted the crew and Palestinian civilians, pointing their rifles at them despite the journalists identifying themselves. The soldiers attempted to infringe the crew's right to film, ordering them to stop and threatening to confiscate their camera.In a disturbing escalation, an IDF soldier approached Theophilos from behind, placed him in a chokehold, slammed him to the ground, and damaged his camera. The FPA described the incident as a direct attack on press freedom, emphasizing that the use of force was excessive and dangerous.The association has called for an investigation into the incident, asserting that such behavior reflects a deeply alarming pattern of hostility toward the media and cannot be tolerated. The military has announced that the incident will be looked into, with Lt Col Nadav Shoshani stating that the soldiers' conduct does not represent the IDF and that an apology has been made.This incident is the second such event involving CNN this month, following an unprovoked assault on a CNN producer by Israeli police officers during Ramadan, which resulted in a fractured wrist. The ongoing violence in the West Bank and the surge in deadly attacks by Israeli settlers have raised concerns about the safety of journalists and the protection of press freedom in the region.

Ali Ahmed experienced goose bumps watching Canada walk out at the last World Cup, a surreal moment for the winger who had never witnessed his nation compete on football's biggest stage. This time around, he'll not only be at home but at the heart of the action in two cities that hold special significance for him.Jesse Marsch's Canadian side faces Qatar and Switzerland in Vancouver after an opener against a potential European playoff winner in Toronto. An encounter with Italy in Ahmed's hometown would carry particular weight, given the city's substantial Italian population and his parents' Ethiopian heritage with their love for Italian football. Football has been ingrained in his family since childhood, a passion that has guided his remarkable journey.On the outskirts of Toronto, a teenage Ahmed used to sneak onto Toronto FC's training pitches before dawn for kickabouts with friends. His persistence and determination eventually led him to professional football, though not through the conventional path. At 17, he turned down a Toronto FC academy spot to pursue opportunities in Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands, facing numerous challenges along the way.Now at Norwich City since January, the 25-year-old has established himself as a key player on the left wing, contributing significantly to the team's improved form in the Championship. Ahmed started all seven Norwich matches during Ramadan, waking before 4am for Suhoor, the pre-dawn meal. His experience fasting during a crucial period of the English season has been a learning curve, though he's noted the exceptional support he's received in England.Ahmed candidly discusses his upbringing in Toronto's Lawrence Heights neighborhood, an area experiencing significant gun violence. Despite the challenges, he describes a close-knit community where people supported each other. Football provided an escape route, leading him to opportunities he never anticipated.His career has seen remarkable highs, including playing against Lionel Messi's Argentina at the Copa América and scoring in the MLS Cup final defeat to Inter Miami. After being knocked unconscious during a Canadian Championship match in 2023, Ahmed's determination only grew.As Canada prepares to host the World Cup, Ahmed sets ambitious goals: "I want to win our group. And then from there, into the knockout rounds. It's important to have that belief that we can play with anybody. Why not?" With home advantage in two cities that mean the world to him, Ahmed sees the perfect setup for both himself and the Canadian team.

As Israeli settlers intensify violent attacks against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, often while Israeli forces stand by, a notable shift is occurring in US political circles. Even staunch supporters of Israel within the Democratic party are now publicly denouncing the escalating violence.In recent days, dozens of settlers have engaged in apparently coordinated attacks, torching homes and vehicles while targeting Palestinian civilians. Since the beginning of the month, Israeli settlers and police have killed at least 10 Palestinian civilians in the occupied territory, including two young brothers and their parents who were returning from a Ramadan shopping trip.Among the voices breaking ranks is Ritchie Torres, a New York Democratic representative and one of Israel's most ardent supporters in Congress. In a statement this week, he declared that "the crisis of extremist settler violence in the West Bank must be confronted, and the perpetrators must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." He called for "zero tolerance for violent extremism, no matter what form it takes."Another pro-Israel Democrat, Daniel Goldman of New York, condemned the violence as an "outrage" and urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring to vote proposed legislation seeking to impose sanctions against those "undermining prospects for a two-state solution by committing illegal violent acts." He also criticized the Trump administration for rescinding sanctions against violent settlers that had been issued under the Biden administration.Several other Aipac-backed politicians have joined the condemnation, including Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego, who called on the Israeli government to "stop being complicit," and Arizona Congressman Greg Stanton, who labeled the attacks "acts of terrorism." Ohio Democratic Congresswoman Shontel Brown accused Trump of "green-lighting settler violence," while Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen stated that "violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank is a national security threat to Israel and must be treated as such."The political shift comes as US public support for Israel has plummeted. An NBC News poll found that two-thirds of Democrats now say their sympathies lie with Palestinians over Israelis—a dramatic reversal with significant implications for upcoming elections. Meanwhile, 68% of Republicans continue to express stronger support for Israel.A Guardian analysis revealed that Israel has not prosecuted any of its citizens for killing Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank since the start of the decade. The UN has warned that the Israeli government has accelerated illegal settlement expansion, forcibly displacing approximately 36,000 Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem over the past year.Political analysts suggest these pro-Israel Democrats are "trapped between the money they've relied on to make their campaigns work and the voters they actually need to win," with condemnation of settler violence offering a way to express discontent without challenging the Israeli state itself.

Eid al-Fitr, typically a time of joy and celebration at the end of Ramadan, has taken on a somber tone in Gaza this year. The day, usually filled with prayer, feasting, and visits to loved ones, has become a procession through loss as families grapple with the aftermath of the war.The rituals of Eid remain, but the feeling of joy has gone. People exchange greetings of 'Eid Mubarak,' but the words feel hollow. The streets are filled with people observing Eid, but the lightness and celebration are missing. Instead, it feels like a somber procession through grief.Families visit one another, but the visits are tinged with sorrow. Homes that were once filled with laughter and warmth now bear the weight of loss. Many have lost loved ones, and the pain of their absence is palpable. The Eid celebrations have become an act of protection, a way to hold on to tradition and community in the face of devastation.The author's own family has not been immune to the suffering. They visit relatives, each house bearing witness to the devastating impact of the war. They see the faces of surviving children, their first Eid without a parent, and the pain is overwhelming. The author's mother has lost her brother, grandchildren, sons-in-law, and daughter, and the weight of her grief is shared by all who visit.In the end, the Eid celebrations in Gaza have become a testimony to the enduring power of love and kinship in the face of unimaginable loss. The day is a long walk through love, kinship, and ruin, a day that begins with blessings and ends as a somber reminder of what has been lost.

Muslim communities around the globe observed Eid al-Fitr on Friday, signifying the conclusion of the sacred month of Ramadan, during which devotees abstain from food and drink from dawn till dusk. The culmination of Ramadan is marked by the sighting of the new moon, heralding the onset of Shawwal. However, variations in moon sighting practices lead to discrepancies in the timing of Eid celebrations across different countries. In several nations, including Mali, Niger, and Afghanistan, Eid al-Fitr was observed on Thursday, whereas in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, it was celebrated on Friday. This joyous occasion, which extends over two days, is distinct from Eid al-Adha, which occurs during the Hajj pilgrimage. Traditionally, Eid al-Fitr commences with congregational prayers in open spaces, providing an opportunity for families and friends to unite for collective prayers and festivities. The celebrations this year are overshadowed by conflicts and instability in numerous Muslim-majority countries. In Iran, the ongoing war has resulted in widespread disruptions, while regions in the Gulf have experienced repercussions from escalating tensions. The United Nations reported that over one million people have been displaced in Lebanon due to Israeli attacks. Furthermore, Sudan has evolved into the world's largest humanitarian crisis as the conflict enters its third year.