December, 2023

• 22 December

  New COVID strain JN.1 is spreading fast. How worried should we be?

  

  The new variant has spread across 41 countries as the WHO categorises it as a ‘variant of interest’. JN.1 has been detected in the US, India, China, France, Canada and many other countries [File: Petr David Josek/AP Photo] By Areesha Lodhi Published On 22 Dec 202322 Dec 2023   A new strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that caused the coronavirus pandemic four years …

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• 22 December

  Former Chief Minister – Najeeb Abdul Majeed passes away at 73

  

  A L. ASHRAFF  KINNIYA  : Former Chief Minister – Najeeb Abdul Majeed, 73,passed away at a Leading private hospital around 6.30 am in Colombo on Friday, Dec 22 .  Janaza will take place in his hometown Kinniya at 10 pm same day. Najeeb was the son of former parliamentarian A L Abdul Majeed from Kinniya.  Najeeb was the first Muslim …

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• 22 December

  Price Israel pays for its war crimes

  

  By Latheef Farook Settler colonial state of Israel,planted by US-European imperialism in the heart of Middle East to destabilize the region, seems to be paying a heavy price for its war crimes and ethnic cleansing of Palestinian civilians in  Gaza . To begin with  Hamas’  surprise  attack on October 7 pricked the arrogance of Israel    since the US-European backed  June …

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• 22 December

  ‘Without work and hope’: Bethlehem’s Christmas economy bleeds from Gaza war

  

  The West Bank city loses Christmas tourism amid daily Israeli raids and the continuing assault on the Gaza Strip. There are no tourists on Bethlehem’s streets and churches have announced the cancellation of all Christmas festivities amid the continuing Israeli assault on Gaza [Mosab Shawer/Al Jazeera] By Mosab Shawer Published On 22 Dec 202322 Dec 2023   Bethlehem, occupied West Bank …

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• 22 December

  Malaysia bans Israel-flagged ships from its ports in response to Gaza war

  

  PM says Israel’s actions ‘violate international law through the ongoing massacre and brutality against Palestinians’. ZIM, Israel’s biggest shipping company, has been singled out in Malaysia’s ban on shipping to and from Israel [Amir Cohen/ Reuters] Malaysia has banned all Israeli-flagged cargo ships from docking at its ports in what it said was a response to the war in Gaza, …

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• 19 December

  Protest demands ceasefire and humanitarian support for Palestine

  

  A group organized a protest at Lipton Circus in Colombo today demanding a ceasefire, humanitarian access and an end to occupation, in support of Palestine. Pix by Kithsiri De Mel

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• 16 December

  Palestinian artist killed in Gaza air strike was a ‘one in a million talent’

  

  Heba Zagout, a Palestinian artist and educator, was killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza along with two of her children Heba Zagout was a devoted mother of four who found happiness putting paint to canvas (supplied) By Azad Essa 18 October 2023 14:46 BST | Last update: 1 month 1 week agoHeba Zagout dreamed of freedom whenever she put paint on canvas. As …

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