#Visit Amer

[akajustmerry]

anyways, instead of focusing all your energy on calling out Succession and the Last of Us for being anti-palestinian, here's some of my favourite media made by Palestinians 🇵🇸 and their allies...

Salt of this Sea (2008). Dir. Annemarie Jacir. Heist film set in Palestine about 2 Palestinians who help a Palestinian American woman rob a British bank who refused to give her the money her grandfather left her.

Netflix original series, Mo, created by Mo Amer. Dramedy about Mo, a Palestinian American without papers, trying to stay out of trouble until his US citizenship is approved (he's already been waiting for 12 years). This just got renewed for a second season!!!!

Farha (2021). Dir. Darin J. Sallam. Coming of age story about a 14 year old girl trying to survive the Nakba in 1948. Tw: settler colonial violence.

In Between (2016). Dir. Maysaloun Hamoud. A film about 3 Palestinian women, one of whom is queer, in their 20s living under occupation. Heart-warming story about friendship, solidarity and revenge. Tw: sexual assault.

In Vitro (2019). Dir. Larissa Sansour. Breathtaking short scifi film set in a future where Bethlehem has been destroyed by an ecological disaster and two scientists from different generations are trying to remember what happened. This film is pure poetry and I think about it constantly.

It Must Be Heaven (2019). Dir. Elia Sulieman. A charmingly absurdist film about Elia Sulieman seeing parallels to Palestine everywhere he goes as he tries to make a film about his homeland.

The Crossing (2017). Dir. Ameen Nayfeh. Short film about Palestinian siblings trying to cross an Israeli checkpoint to visit their grandparents.

Ramy. Episode 3 of season 3: 'American Cigarettes'. Far and away the best episode of TV of 2022, and also directed by Annemarie Jacir. Ramy goes to occupied Palestine to make a diamond deal with some Israeli brokers, but his horniness takes him to The Other Side. I think about this episode almost everyday, it's unlike anything I've ever seen.

Freedom Is A Constant Struggle by Angela Davis. A book of interviews and essays conducted by Angela Davis on how systems of racism and colonial violence are all connected, and how solidarity between communities of colour are vital, using the long-standing allyship between Palestinians, Aboriginal peoples and Black Americans as case studies.

As fine and good as it is to call out Zionism in media, rmr to also support Palestinians, their work and their art. Feel free to suggest more ❤️

[the-austrian-candidate]

Hetalia Cars Headcanons

Germany: Ludwig is a big fan of cars. For him, it is a hobby; he likes getting his hands dirty, repairing, checking, etc. On a daily basis, as in my head, he is environmentally conscious; he drives a nice electric Mercedes or uses public transport in Berlin. But, give this boy a few free hours, and he will take his Ferrari (yes, Ferrari; Feliciano chose it) to the Autobahn (Highways), which in Germany are mostly with no speed limits, and he will show you all his talents. He still drives safely and is careful, but he is a speed devil.

Prussia: Gilbert drives well; he is not as into cars as Lutz is, though he still knows what he is doing. He also drives something German, maybe a BMW or Audi. Classic one, with manual gearbox, black, because black cars are awesome. Prussia actually sticks to the rules on the road, although he still, after all these years, tends to forget about seatbelts. He is also in possession of a Trabant, a car produced in Eastern Germany. It is one of the oldest models from the late 1950s, in a light blue colour. It is well maintained, and you can still drive it, which Prussia does from time to time to let the old boy breathe a little. He won't admit it, but he kept his Trabi out of pure sentiment. 

Austria: Roderich can drive, sort of. He learned how to do it very quickly, but he dislikes it. Austria always had someone to drive him around, and nowadays he usually uses taxis or someone else like Ludwig or Gilbert is driving him. In the early days of cars, it wasn't that bad; there were just a few machines around, but in the 21st century, he is simply slightly afraid (he won't admit it aloud, of course). of the number of people on the roads, it is way too fast for him, and with him being easily distracted, it is just hard to drive. He has a car; Ludwig chose it, it is sensible, comfortable, and German. Roderich spearly uses it, but if Germany, Prussia, or anyone else visits by plane, they usually take the car. 

Bonus headcanon: Alfred once made a comment about Ludwig driving rather slowly in the city and having a boring town car. Germany took Al for a drive in the Ferrari. Americ's life was never the same.

[busaddablog]

Guide to Popular Travel Destinations Accessible by Bus with BusAdda in India

Travelling by bus is a convenient and economical way to explore the diverse and culturally rich destinations across India. With BusAdda, an online platform for booking bus tickets, you can easily plan your next adventure to some of the country's most sought-after destinations. Here's a detailed guide to a few of these popular travel spots, highlighting the attractions, activities, and transportation options available, while emphasising the ease of booking bus tickets online.

1. Goa: Sun, Sand, and Serenity

Attractions: Explore the golden beaches of Goa, including Calangute, Baga, and Anjuna. Visit historic landmarks like Aguada Fort and Basilica of Bom Jesus. Experience the vibrant nightlife at clubs and beach shacks.

Activities: Indulge in water sports such as parasailing, jet skiing, and banana boating. Take a cruise along the Mandovi River or venture into the lush greenery of Dudhsagar Waterfalls.

Transportation: BusAdda offers a range of bus services to Goa from major cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Bangalore. With flexible timings and comfortable seating options, booking your bus tickets online is hassle-free, allowing you to focus on enjoying your holiday.

2. Manali: Gateway to the Himalayas

Attractions: Marvel at the breathtaking landscapes of Manali, including snow-capped mountains, lush valleys, and pristine rivers. Explore Rohtang Pass, Solang Valley, and Hadimba Temple.

Activities: Engage in adventure activities such as trekking, paragliding, and river rafting. Relax in natural hot springs or go on scenic drives to nearby attractions like Kullu and Kasol.

Transportation: BusAdda provides convenient bus services to Manali from cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, and Shimla. Booking your bus tickets online ensures a smooth journey amidst the stunning vistas of the Himalayas.

3. Jaipur: The Pink City

Attractions: Discover the rich history and culture of Jaipur by visiting iconic landmarks such as Amber Fort, City Palace, and Hawa Mahal. Explore the colourful markets of Johari Bazaar and Bapu Bazaar.

Activities: Experience the royal heritage with elephant rides at Amer Fort, attend cultural performances at Chokhi Dhani, and indulge in traditional Rajasthani cuisine.

Transportation: BusAdda offers reliable bus services to Jaipur from cities like Delhi, Agra, and Ahmedabad. Booking your bus tickets online allows you to explore the vibrant streets of Jaipur with ease and convenience.

4. Munnar: Paradise in the Western Ghats

Attractions: Immerse yourself in the lush tea plantations, misty mountains, and cascading waterfalls of Munnar. Visit attractions like Mattupetty Dam, Eravikulam National Park, and Tea Museum.

Activities: Go trekking to Echo Point or Top Station for panoramic views. Enjoy boating in Kundala Lake or explore the local flora and fauna at Blossom International Park.

Transportation: BusAdda facilitates seamless bus travel to Munnar from cities like Kochi, Coimbatore, and Bangalore. By booking your bus tickets online, you can embark on a scenic journey through the Western Ghats without any hassle.

Whether you're seeking sun-soaked beaches, snow-clad mountains, royal heritage, or verdant landscapes, BusAdda offers convenient bus services to help you reach your desired destination in India. With easy online booking options, you can secure your bus tickets in advance, ensuring a stress-free and enjoyable travel experience.

[silicacid]

List of healthcare workers killed by Israel attacks on Gaza since October 7, 2023

Physicians:

Dr. Omar Ferwana, a Professor and former Dean of the Islamic University of Gaza Medical School and an andrologist, Gaza

Dr. Aya Ferwana (Dr Omar Ferwana’s daughter), a family medicine specialist, Gaza

Dr. Medhat Saidam, a senior burn and plastic surgeon, Shifa Hospital, Gaza and MSc in Burn Care alumnus from Queen Mary University of London

Dr. Mohammed Dabour, a consultant pathologist and dean of pre-clinical medicine at the Islamic University of Gaza Medical School

Dr. Tamer Al-Khayyat, an anesthesiologist and intensivist, European Gaza Hosptial, Rafah

Dr. Mahmoud Al-Khayyat, an internist in Rafah and Dr Tamer Al-Khayyat’s father

Dr. Razan Al-Rakhawi (Dr Tamer Al-Khayyat’s wife), an obstetric and gynecologist, Emirati Women’s Hospital, Rafah

Dr. Sereen Al-Attar a consultant obstetric and gynecologist at Nasser Hospital, Khan Younis and an Assistant Professor at the Islamic University of Gaza Medical school

Dr. Saeed Drabieh, a urology resident, Shifa Hospital

Dr. Mohammed Al-Samarai, Iraqi volunteer intern physician

Dr. Rafat Abou Foul, radiologist, Beit Hanoun Hospital

Dr. Amal Al-Maqadma, family medicine specialist, Rafah

Dr. Ibtihal Al-Astal, intern doctor, Khan Younis

Dr. Duaa Awad, emergency medicine doctor, Al-Aqsa Hospital

Dr. Moath Nabaheen, emergency medicine doctor, Al-Aqsa Hospital

Dr. Youssef Jadallah, intensivist and anesthesiologist (based in Germany, from Gaza but was visiting his family)

Dr. Inas Yousef, emergency medicine doctor, Al-Aqsa Hospital

Dr. Israa Al-Ashqar, anesthesiology resident, Shifa Hospital, Gaza

Dr. Abdallah Ashour, emergency medicine doctor, Nasser Hospital, Khan Younis

Dr. Hamam El-Deeb, orthopaedic surgery resident, Shifa Hospital, Gaza

Dr. Munther Abu Sariya, consultant pediatrician, Mohammed Al-Durra Pediatric Hospital

Dr. Doaa Shammout, pediatric resident, Rantisi Hospital, Gaza

Dr. Baraa Abu Elaish, intern doctor, Gaza

Dr. Abdlallah El-Helou, general practitioner/internal medicine doctor, Indonesian/Beit Hanoun Hospital

Dr. Muhannad Ezzo Afana, general practitioner, Gaza

Dr. Mohammed Refaat Mekki,

 

Dentists:

Dr. Ahmed Al-Hourani

Dr. Nada Mahdi

Dr. Ibrahim Al-Dali

Dr. Bilal Lubbad

Dr. Marwa Swelim

Dr Areej Eid

Dr. Tawfiq Al-Farra

Dr. Abdallah Baghdadi

Dr. Jameel Tarazi

Dr. Maysoon Al-Nuweiri

Dr. Mona Dughmush

Dr. Noha Dughmush

Dr. Mamoun Afana

Dr. Mohammed Afana

Dr. Anis Mekki

Dr. Tasneem Abdulnabi

 

Medical/dental students:

Bisan Halasa

Shaimaa Saydam

Abedelrahman Abu Shammala

Nour Al-Ashqar

Yaseen Al-Akhras

Osama Abu Safia

Duha Dughmush

Haneen Al-Shannat

Abdallah Abu Jayab

Zainab Azzam

Mohammed Abu Jiadan

 

Medical Scientists:

Prof. Salah El-Din Zanoun

Prof. Ahmed Al-Dalo

Prof. Ameed Mushtaha (Head of laboratories department and blood banks

Nurses:

Mohammed Lubbad  

Mohammed Al-Azzaiza  

Ahmed Moshtaha  

Rami Lubbad  

Somaya Temraz  

Mohammed Rafat Gomaa  

Osama A'eed Abu Safiya  

Saber Al-Nimnim  

Mohammed Hamad  

Mohammed Al-Baz  

Suleiman Abu Zour  

Badr Mohammed Abu Daqah  

Shaimaa Rayan (Midwife)

Maryam Abou Daher

Kefah San’allah

Walaa Adwan (Midwife)

Rawaa Al-Thalathini (Midwife)

Samah Rasheed (Midwife)

Rida Al-Masri (Midwife)

Ibrahim Abou Isaac

Amjad Abou Ouda

Ibrahim Al-Farra

Aya Al-Shrafi

Tamer Al Efesh

Momen Mansour

Asmaa Al-Asar

Feras Ftaiha

Diaa Bardaweel

Rana Shalaby

Itemad Miqdad

Zainab Al-Sharafi

Hamdan Malaka

Suheer Jbara

Hassan Al-Hennawi

Sabha Al-Sherafi

Azmi Al-Jamal

Yousef Al-Shareef

Hadeel Fanqa

Emad Esleem

Enas Al-Zeen

Heba Salamah

Nuha Esleem

Amro Masoud

Hanya Qudaih

Mohammed Al-Moqayyed

Ali Nasrallah

Tariq Abu Obaid (cardiac perfusion specialist)

Ahmed Al-Nuweiri

Abdulrahman Shaheen (Ziada) 

Ahmed Mahmoud Alrann

Dr. Yahya Abduljawad Juda (Public Health, nurse) 

Haytham Tawfiq Alnabih 

Loai Alzuhairi (Nursing student) 

Saleem Abu Zour

Waleed ElMahalawi

Rola Althalathini (Midwife)

Duaa Ashour

Amer Elramlawi

Safa Zeino

Saja Doghmosh

Moayad Ezzo Afana

Ramadan Doghmosh

Moemen Arab (Nursing student)

Oun Nofal Ashour (Nursing student)

 

Paramedics (EMS providers):

Marwan Abou Raida

Hatem Awad

Khalil Al-Sharif

Ahmed Al-Dahman

Yousri Al-Masri

Ahmed Abdel Rahman

Mohammed Al-Ghaliz

Mohammed Ali

Iyad Salim

Abdelrahim Abou Baid

Alaa Abou Ghanima

Naji Al Fayoumi

Mohammed Qateet

Tareq Ashour

Mahmoud Abou Mashayekh

Nafeth Al-Natour

Mahmoud Othman

Mohammed ElOmour

Ibrahim Matar

Yasser Alnaseri

 

Physiotherapists:

Ahmed Al-Masri

Ahmed Sameh Abou Herbeed

Shaimaa Sbaih

Mayar Al-Wahidi

Ahmed Ashraf

Shahrazad Al-Akhras

Nour Ibrahim

 

Pharmacists:

Ahmed Al-Jerjawi

Aziz Elfarra

Afnan Al-Astal

Shereen Abou Jazar

Eman Abu Al-Jalil

Safaa Hasouna

Ibraheem Meqdad

Mohammed Ali

Maysaa Khader

Nisreen Al-Dammagh

Sally Al-Aydi (Pharmacy student at AlAzhar University)

Mohammed Al-Shannat

Lina Abu Mualaileq

Noor Ibean

Haneen Albasyouni

Amira Dahman

Rawand Albanna

Khaled Abu Ma’ala

Amal Mekki

Abdullah Altartori (Pharmacy student at AlAzhar University)

Asmaa Abu Salah (Pharmacy student at AlAzhar University)

Mohammad Alshami

 

Lab technicians/clinical microbiologists:

Natheer Shaban

Asmaa Hijazi

Rawan Yassin

Alia Al Hinnawi

Maryam Kabaja

Nahid Abdullatef

Mohammed Abu Karsh

Mohammed Shabaan

Riham Elkahlout

Ismail Sharaf

Taiseer Alghouti

Abdulmohsin Abu Alrous

Duaa Jad Allah  

Optometrists:

Omar Khorsheed

[historyinposters]

Visit Palestine poster by Amer Shomali, 2009, referencing the actual tourism poster by Franz Krausz from 1936 we posted earlier.

[soon-palestine]

The wounded child, Abd al-Rahman Amer al-Zaghal, 14, is lying in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital. Regarding the health condition of the wounded boy, Firas Al-Jabrini, the lawyer of the Wadi Hilweh Information Center - Jerusalem, explained that the boy's health condition is stable after undergoing head surgery, pointing out that he and the lawyer, Siraj Abu Arafeh, were able to visit the boy after the end of the operation. He said: "The boy was hit by a bullet in the middle of the forehead, which penetrated his head and exited from the left side "above the eye". Currently, he is under anesthesia and connected to respirators, and suffers from skull fractures. He was transferred from the "resuscitation" department to the "intensive care" department. Lawyer Al-Jabrini pointed out that an extension session in absentia will be held for the wounded boy, Al-Zaghal, this evening in the Magistrate Court. Nabil Sharha - the uncle of the child Zaghal - denied what was reported in the police statement, "that Abd al-Rahman had a Molotov cocktail in his hand and threw it." He said: "He had 10 shekels in his hand, and he was going to buy bread for the family. My sister's children support the family after the death of their father."

[darklydeliciousdesires]

The Dream - Chapter Twenty One.

Huge thanks to everyone for their continued support :)

Previous chapters - Prologue  One  Two  Three  Four  Five  Six  Seven  Eight  Nine  Ten  Eleven  Twelve  Thirteen  Fourteen  Fifteen  Sixteen  Seventeen  Eighteen  Nineteen  Twenty

Tag list - In the comments, please DM to be added/removed (note: those not engaging will be automatically removed from the tag list, FYI)

Words - 3,294 

Warnings - 18+ content throughout, minors DNI!

“Hello, Keri, my love! I am so sorry, a thousand apologies for calling you on a Saturday morning when I know you’ve likely been out last night getting very, very drunk!”

Those warm tones of a mostly Indian accent, punctuated every so often with little American twangs, were the last she expected to hear at 10am that morning, getting out of bed and heading into the bathroom so as not to wake Angel.  

“Uncle Sunni!” she gushed excitedly, softly clicking the door shut and closing the toilet lid to take a seat.

“The one and only!” he chirped, Keri grinning widely. She swore, for every year that she’d known him, his accent had gotten stronger for returning to his parent’s homeland. “How are you, darling?”

“I’m really good! How are you and aunt Bee? And my cousins?”  

“We are all very well, thank you for asking. Saanvi has decided she is a Miley Cyrus girl now, so this is all we have playing in the house, Sita is doing well with her dance classes, and Sanjay is awful. Please come and take him away!” His joke about their youngest had her in soft fits, Sunni continuing. “Listen, I was calling to get a hold of my brother-in-law, is he around? I cannot get through to his cell, your mother’s neither,” he spoke, hoping that all was okay with the family.  

“Well, mom is in at work today doing some overtime, and I think David might be working on his truck. I don’t know, I’m not at home right now,” she revealed, finger combing her messy hair.  

“Ahh, I shall keep trying him, then. He is probably listening to that bloody god-awful Rainbow music. Since you’ve been gone? Since I wish you would go, more like!” he exclaimed, snorting with laughter.  

“That’s a classic!” she exclaimed.

“Oh, classic nothing!” Sunni yelled, his volume making her laugh. He always got louder by about twenty decibels whenever excited or trying to make a point. “That and his Boomtown Rats! I don’t like Monday’s? Nobody does, Bob Geldof! Bloody sit down and be quiet!”

She sat there in hysterics at his usual comic observations. Sunni was one of very few people who could legitimately make her cry laugh, her sides hurting. Usually from the hilarious banter he and Bee got into together, or the berating of her stepdad’s taste in music.  

“So where are you, then? You say you’re not at home, are you in work? Did I disturb? I am sorry if I’m getting you into trouble,” he then asked, courteous as always.  

“No, I quit my job recently. I needed more time at the weekends, plus with leaving college approaching and not wanting to have anything to tie me down so I can travel a little, I needed to do it soon anyway,” she began in explanation. “I’m at a hotel right now, my boyfriend is up visiting from Southern Cali.”

The noise of interest Sunni made had her in fits once more. “Oh! There is a new boyfriend on the scene! Have you been with him for long? Would I approve? What is he like?” She sat and gave him a brief outline of Angel to pacify his multiple questions, Sunni making little ‘umhm’ noises as she spoke.

“It sounds like you are very happy with this man, early days or not! I would fetch your auntie for you to have your obligatory girl’s talk, but it is her turn currently trying to get Sanjay to bed, and he is being an absolute horror about it!” Her youngest cousin Sanjay had just turned two and was most definitely living up to the term terrible two’s. “Anyway, I might as well tell you why I was trying to call David, share with you our news. I have been accepted for a post at Utah Valley Speciality Hospital, so good news, darling. We are returning to America.”  

“Oh my god!” she screamed, suddenly clasping a hand over her mouth. “Oh my god, that’s amazing!” she then added much more quietly, drumming her feet softly against the tiled floor. “I can’t wait! When do you come back?”

“Not for another three months, just while we finish getting everything sorted at this end, selling the house, etcetera. We didn’t tell anybody, just in case it didn’t come through, but now that it has and there is also a chance that your aunt could have a job also opening up at the same hospital, now that Sanjay is of preschool age and she can return to work, we felt confident in sharing the news.” he explained, delighted at his niece’s reaction.  

They chatted for a short time longer before ending their call, Keri absolutely ecstatic to have some of her favourite family members returning. Tying her hair up, she brushed her teeth and took a quick shower, coming out to find Angel checking his phone.

“What was all the excitement for? I heard a squeal of ‘oh my god’,” he grumbled, still sounding half asleep as he placed his phone back down, a hand sliding into her towel to stroke her hip.  

“That was my uncle on the phone. He was trying to get a hold of my parents, but they’re not picking up. Anyway, he told me he and Bee are moving back over here, he’s got a job at a local hospital, so I’m over the moon that I’ll be able to see them regularly instead of once a year,” she shared.

“Yeah? That’s great, baby. I know you hated that they lived halfway around the world,” he replied brightly, just as his stomach began to growl. She raised an eyebrow, shaking her head as she leaned to kiss his abdomen. “I think I need feeding.”  

An hour later and they were sitting inside a small restaurant, hard wood surfaces, Edison light bulbs and plants strewn over the large shelves that flanked the black walls, Keri bouncing in her seat with excitement at one particular dish on the menu.

Angel looked over at her with a smile. “You just saw the peanut butter pancakes, didn’t you?”

“I did!” she squeaked. How well he knew her. Anything with peanut butter, and Keri was on it in an instant.  

Reaching for her hand, he squeezed it gently, thinking how adorable she was. “Y’all a hundred percent too cute, mamacita.” Her beamed smile made his heart skip a beat, sitting there feeling like he was the luckiest guy in the world. While the waited for their food, they sat and discussed her ever nearing departure from college, meaning that for the following three weeks they wouldn’t be able to meet with her workload going into overdrive in preparation to finish, but when she did, she had some plans.  

“I’m going to book going over to Galway, but not for as long as I originally wanted to. If you could come then that’d be great, I think Aaron and Rachel are down, Frankie too. Jaime won’t be because of work. So yeah, we’re planning on that to be for two weeks. Then I was thinking of driving down to Santo Padre, maybe basing myself there for a while, travelling around Cali. If you don’t mind, that is?”

He put on a thoughtful face, scratching his chin. “Hmm, do I mind having my beautiful, sexy, funny, amazing girlfriend around more often? Hmm, lemme think on that.” She began laughing softly through her nose, leaning over to kiss him. “Of course, I don’t mind.” Despite the joviality of his statement, he felt a pit in his stomach at hearing her plans to travel. He pushed it down, though, reasoning that she wanted to stay with him in her time between.

“Good, because you’re stuck with me now.” There was truly nobody he’d rather be stuck with. Their weekend went by in a blur, Keri holding him tightly before he departed, crying in his arms at how much she anticipated she was going to miss him. He hated leaving her behind whenever he had to go home again, but the buzz inside of knowing he’d get so much more time with her over the spring and summer alleviated the sadness of being separated from her.

While they were parted, he took his mind off it by putting in some serious time around the yard, taking on extra shifts, deciding to re-decorate his bedroom and make it look a little better than the mismatching bare essentials vibe, seeking some advice from a certain lady.

“You need a theme!” Sharise exclaimed, taking a cart from the front of the local homeware store, buzzing already. If Mrs Reyes thrived on anything, it was a decoration project.  

He viewed her with mild disgust, his nose crinkling. “A theme? Nope. I saw a picture online and I want that. Dark green walls, white ceiling. I got new furniture on the way, too. I just need things to make it look less empty.”

“Rug, lamps, artwork, candles,” Sharise began to list.

“No candles!”

“Yes, candles!” she stated emphatically. “Keri likes them, she told me which is her favourite. Black coconut by Yankee, and they sell them here.”  

He took a pause for a moment, his brow creasing. “Are you two making plans behind my back? Is this a little scheme you’ve cooked up to get some damned chick litter all up in my space?”

Sharise threw her head back, entertained at the chick litter term. “No! We were chatting the other night, she replied to one of my stories I put up with my candle collection all burning, and she mentioned she liked Yankee candles about as much as I do. Us girls talk about things like that, you know.”  

“Hmph.” His mutter was then followed by a speedy swerve around the cart, Sharise attempting to put some large cushions into it. ”No cushions! My couch is fine as it is!”

“These are for the bed,” she clarified, gently slapping his arms, grabbing two more that were slightly darker.  

“I got pillows, I don’t need ‘em!”

“They’ll finish the bed nicely, add a little depth of comfort.”

His face was a picture of confusion. “They add... what?”

“And when you’re having sex, you can pop a couple underneath your lady and they’ll tilt her hips in a way that means you get to hit a whole other host of different angles.”

He nodded, gesturing to the previously frowned upon items. “Alright, they can stay.” She grinned, tossing her braids over her shoulder as they continued, smug that she knew exactly what to say in order to get around his protests. He was, as she expected, still difficult, though.

“Sharise! Put it back,” he ordered, pointing as she wrestled with a giant, white sheepskin rug from the rolls gathered at the back of the store.

“You’re going for bare floorboards, right?”

He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I am.”

“Then you need a nice rug to tie the room together!”

Depth of comfort and tying the room together. Her chosen language was completely lost on him. “But then I gotta vacuum the damned thing!” His complaint was accompanied by a little show of drama, folding his arms over the cart handle, resting his head down and regretting his decision to involve his sister-in-law.

“No, because the fleece is too long, it’ll get caught in the rollers. You just go shake it outside, et voila! Done.” Into the cart it went, Angel muttering in mild despair. Fluffy rugs. Was this what his life had become?  

The rest of the store was browsed rapidly, Angel actually being able to make his own choices, loading up on photo frames he planned to put some of Keri’s photographs into after he’d had them blown up, a set of white plaster skulls that looked remarkably like the real thing, Sharise adding bits and pieces as she went for both him and herself. The large, black and grey vase with black birch twigs was not one of his choices, but he allowed it. Begrudgingly.  

“So, you seem to be very content with Keri, then, with this talk of her coming to stay for a while,” Sharise observed, finishing the large mouthful of Cuban sandwich she’d just taken at a bar she’d driven them to, telling Angel she’d at least buy him lunch in apology for terrorising him in the home décor stakes.

He smiled, thinking of her. “I really am, she’s cool. Can’t wait to have her come kinda live with me, even though I think it’ll only be temporary.”

She noticed he sounded a little dejected by that. “Because of her travelling? You two are so sillily in love with one another, I can see her making Santo Padre her base when she isn’t, you know. I know it’s still early days, but you two fit together so well.”

He scratched the back of his neck, his brow furrowing. “I sometimes wonder if I’m the one who’ll be temporary. She’s so ambitious, and young still, too. Makes me wonder if we’ll last.”  

“Well, just see how it goes, but don’t write off a future with her just because she has ambitions!” she gently suggested, reaching to squeeze his hand. “She doesn’t have to be around you all the time to be in a committed relationship with you.”

He snorted softly, looking uncomfortable, clamming up as she predicted he would. She would press, though. She’d heard of this before. “I did wonder, when you’d have your wobble.” His frown prompted her to continue. “Lucy told me, that back when you guys got together, you had a little bit of a freak out over whether she’d meet anyone else, and I suppose that’s rearing its ugly head again, with talk of Keri going off travelling around. You think she’s going to meet someone you assume to be better, don’t you?”  

He grunted.  

“Angel,” she spoke softly, reaching to stroke his face, tilting his head up. “You need to start putting to bed these feelings that you aren’t good enough. You are. Did Lucy find anyone else? Nope. So, there’s no saying Keri is going to. She’s crazy about you, for heaven’s sake! And I know what you’re gonna say, that other women in the past have only seen you as a short-term fling, but my love, that’s because it’s all you’ve offered to them, whether consciously or not.”  

“Yeah, yeah I guess you’re right," he finally admitted, realising that it was his self-sabotage coming back to haunt him. As soon as he fell in love, it was only a matter of time before it came bubbling up to the surface, his fears of loss, of not being good enough.  

He’d been pushing it down into his darkest depths for the last two weeks, ever since they’d confessed their love. It had been festering a little closer to the surface since her talk of travelling over breakfast the last time he’d seen her, though. The little pit in his stomach he’d felt? It had predictably taken root, no matter how much he didn’t want it to.  

Looking over at Sharise, he felt his little padlocked gate begin to strain. If there was one woman he always opened up to, it was her. “I don’t want to wreck it all, but I’m kinda scared I will. I can’t just be happy. My fucking brain has to freak out and cause drama. Which I usually then fuckin’ thrive on.”  

It suddenly clicked with Sharise, the sprucing up of his home. He wanted to hopefully make Keri feel as if it was hers, too. He wanted to find more ways to entice her return, hence doing away with the bachelor pad look, albeit with slight reluctance. Oh, he was too adorable, in such a beautifully, partially broken way. From what Keri had told her in exchanges messages, chatting online in order to get to know each other more, he had no reason to feel insecure. Of course, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t. People were rarely so simple.  

“Angel, the only way you’re going to wreck it is by listening to that toxic little voice in the back of your head instead of Keri. Have faith. She came into your life for a reason. There’s no way that dreaming of her before you even met her is anything less than destiny. Believe in it. You were doing great until you let the panic creep in.” Taking another bite of her sandwich, she winked, Angel determined to take her advice on board.  

It didn’t help that he was only a week into a three-week separation from her, but he did work hard to keep Sharise’s advice in mind. As if the universe had heard his doubts, he received a notification one night, painting well into the small hours after returning from dealing with club affairs, wiping his hand on a spare piece of cloth as he crawled over the painting sheets to grab his phone. Keri had tagged him in an Instagram post.  

‘I don’t even know how one man can be so amazing. He’s the sexiest, the funniest, the loveliest, the best. I miss you, gorgeous. Can’t wait until this is us again.’

He smiled at viewing the image, one Keri had taken in the hotel room on the bed as she’d sat astride him, her hand reached out cupping his cheek, Angel smiling up at her as the sun shone in through the window and bathed him in bright light. He remembered just how happy he’d felt, when she’d taken it, his heart fluttering at the memory, scrolling to his call list and tapping her name.  

“Hey, you free to talk?”

“I am, I have a few spare minutes,” she replied, waiting for her coffee to pour, prepared to work right on through until the morning and then sleep for a few hours before she started again. “How are you? I hate that tomorrow is Saturday and I won’t have you here. Sucks.”

He was surprised to hear she was still up doing her work, since she’d mentioned earlier when they’d messaged that she’d be spending the entire day doing such. “You got some serious dedication there, for it to be 1am and you’re still working. As for me, yeah, I’m alright. Missing you like fuck, though.”  

She made a soft noise in her throat, picking up her large mug of coffee (a two-pod creation) and turning the machine off. “I miss you too! Two weeks and I’ll be free, though, get to come and spend ten days with you before Galway. Did you ask Bish, if you can swing that kind of time away?”

“I did,” he sighed, “and I can’t. I could come for a week, but he can’t lose me for two.”

She was bright in her reply, all optimism. “Well, that’s better than nothing! Come out with us for the week, then head home. How about that? I’d rather at least have you there for a short time rather than not at all. These places I want to travel to, having you there by my side would mean so much. I know it’s corny, but the whole making memories thing is important, you know?”

Her words made him smile, the more rational side of him seeing clearly how stupid his self-doubt was. He knew he wouldn’t likely overcome it immediately, but what she told him had helped. “Yeah, querida, I know. I love you.”

“And I love you too. Listen, I have to hit the laptop again, but I’ll call you tomorrow, after I’ve had some sleep. Night, gorgeous.”

“Night baby.” Ending the call, he looked around at the half-painted walls. They weren’t the only work in progress.  

[catdotjpeg]

Visit Palestine - Des affiches pour Gaza (2014) by Matias-Roland Decraene

This poster is a remix. In 2015, Catherine Baker included context in an article for Mondoweiss on posters from the 2014 war on Gaza:

The original intent of the iconic 1936 Franz Krausz poster... was to promote tourism to the land that was only redesignated as “Israel” in 1948. A 1995 reprint by Israeli artist David Tartakover has been immensely popular among Palestinians, internationals, and, to some degree, Israelis. “Visit Palestine” has generated so many remixes that it has become a subgenre of posters unto itself. (For more on the iconographic history of this poster, read “‘Visit Palestine’: A Brief Study of Palestine Posters” by Rochelle Davis and Dan Walsh; a gallery of remixes is available at the Palestine Poster Project Archives).

In 2009, the Ramallah-based artist Amer Shomali created a version... that relocates the Apartheid Wall into this setting. The poster was selected in a call for posters by Imaging Apartheid and was distributed internationally by the artists’ cooperative, Justseeds.  In Decraene’s Gaza-inspired remix, the Apartheid Wall remains but Jerusalem and the Dome of the Rock are visible behind it, with the bombing of Gaza as backdrop.

In the foreground Decraene places several tableaus: Israelis who have set up couches on the hillside to be entertained by the spectacle of war; an Israeli-trained attack dog in action; Palestinians resisting with flag and slingshot; and an individual kneeling in prayer. At least one of these images is adapted from a photograph (see Slide 5 in “Sderot Cinema: Bombing of Gaza”); possibly all of them are. The geographic placements are not literally accurate; the juxtaposition suggests that the Wall, the Holy City, Gaza, and interactions with Zionist oppressors form a unified reality for Palestinians.

[girlactionfigure]

Victor Epstein had a heart attack and collapsed in a parking lot. Thankfully, Amer Awad was there to save his life. Awad visited Epstein while he was in the hospital. "I want to thank you for saving my life. We are all brothers, whether Arabs or Jews," Epstein told Awad. This is life in Israel: Jews and Arabs shop at the same stores and work in and get treated in the same hospitals...and sometimes even save each others' lives.

Bassem Eid

[fatehbaz]

In Arabic, generous people are referred to as people of the soil -- ahl al thra. The language has other references to soil as the mother of us all, but the most telling is zareea’, which means “plant” and “seed,” but is also the word for “children.” Hanan is one of the zareea’ whose life was cut short in April 2022.

Hanan, whose name means “tenderness” in Arabic, didn’t have a cell phone when I met her. She was barely eight years old. Wide-eyed and mischievous [...] she would often take my phone and snap pictures of flowers and people around the courtyard of her house in the village of Faqua. [...] Hanan was often my foraging guide [...]. From green almonds to wild thistle, her relationship to the land inspired me [...]. I could never have imagined that only ten years later I would share her photograph in an insufficient eulogy of her short life [...]. While claiming to have made the desert bloom, Israel [...] destroys their ecological systems -- one seed, one aquifer, and one human life at a time.

-------

I first met Hanan when I started visiting my colleague Mahmoud in his family’s village of Faqua. Hanan was Mahmoud’s daughter. Faqua sits atop a solitary hill in the heart of Marj Ibn Amer, the largest plain in Palestine, and is one of many Palestinian villages that has kept its indigenous and ecological features. [...] I met Hanan on the first day I visited Faqua. That spring morning, the rugged road up to the village was filled with cacti on both sides. It carved through green terraces sprinkled with wild red poppies and yellow and purple wildflowers. The vegetation was lush and gentle at the same time, as if testifying to the deeds of the birds and winds that scattered the seeds across breathtaking terrains. “Don’t be dazzled by the flowers,” said the driver, noticing my eyes glued to the window [...]. “Wait till you see Faqua’s wild mushrooms.”

Wild mushrooms? This guy must be exaggerating. But before I challenged his claims he asked, “Why do you think the village is called Fuqua?” I lowered my head and in a smirking apology said, “Of course, from faqua, Arabic for mushrooms.” Then he pointed to a fence running alongside a pine forest and explained, “All of this was for our foraging. We were famous for our mushrooms because we had an abundance of them, but in recent years an Israeli settler came and fenced us off from our lands and started a cow farm.”

After getting off at the center of the village, I walked closer to the fence and was startled by a herd of Holstein cows, with the black-and-white irregular maps drawn across their skins. They were as foreign to the landscape as the barbed wire, dividing the earth and declaring autonomy over what should never be owned: seed, soil, and people’s freedom to be part of the world of trees. [...]

-------

In over a decade working in seed conservation, I have come across many speeches, programs, projects, and publications declaring a commitment to the earth, to farmers, and to Indigenous knowledge. But what is this world we activists for the planet say we want to create? What is this new way of being with the land that we say we must reinvent? The truth is that we don’t have to invent that other world because it already exists. It may seem very remote because, at best, it’s portrayed as pastoral fiction, and at worst, it’s being destroyed. Yet we can find that world in villages like Faqua. We find it in young people like Hanan, who are seeds being murdered and discarded along with their communities. We find it in the wild mushrooms and the forests, which are being replaced by commercial cows subsidized by settler militias that are supported by US taxpayers. [...]

The same powers that claim to fight for food justice through US- and European-funded organizations are in fact contributing to the demise of our agro-biodiversity through their cultural and economic hegemony. They destroy our communities and then accuse us of being broken and underdeveloped, whether in Iraq, where war has destroyed the ancient marshes, in Mexico, where the government has sold the rivers, or even in places like Italy, where some farmers have been banned from farming for refusing to follow big-business standards. [...]

-------

The question of who gets to live from, and who must die for, our food is one that our movement can no longer deny. [...] There is no new green movement without the acknowledgment of the multitudes of genocides that are happening across the globe. From Palestine to Haiti, to Brazil, to India, and to the prairies of America that have been brutally contaminated and emptied of their peoples, our food embodies massive amounts of pain.

Hanan was someone I knew and loved, yet sadly she is not the only example of a young seedling defying the harsh world by choosing to love the poppies and wild mushrooms of her village. [...] Hanan was shot in the belly by an Israeli soldier as she was riding in a taxi back to her village, taking the same route I took more than ten years ago when I embarked on my seed journey and first visited her family in Faqua. She was also taking the same path of persevering -- the one many Palestinian farmers have taken, with little acknowledgement or support from a food movement that refuses to take a political stand yet insists on claiming social justice as a pillar of its sustainability goals.

-------

Text by: Vivien Sansour. “Hanan and the People of the Soil.” e-flux journal #128. June 2022.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Palestinian mission in Brazil seeks direct trade

A delegation of 11 Palestinian companies had appointments in São Paulo this Monday (15) with a meeting at the Arab Brazilian Chamber headquarters. The group wants direct tourism and business without passing through Israel.

A mission of Palestinian businesspeople in Brazil aims to make trade and tourism business between the two countries more direct. The group started its activities in São Paulo this Monday (15), with a meeting at the headquarters of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), and will stay until Friday (19), concurrently with the period of the APAS supermarket Show, which the delegation will visit.

Palestine trades with Brazil, but most of the flow passes through Israel. The same happens in tourism. Palestine receives Brazilian visitors, but many people go to the region through Israeli travel agencies, which do not favor using Palestinian tourist structures such as hotels. The lack of a direct sea route also hampers logistics.

Regarding this reality and the desire to build a trade flow without intermediaries in the Brazil-Palestine relations, the businesspeople spoke with the secretary-general & CEO of the ABCC, Tamer Mansour, and other organization executives this Friday morning. The Palestinian mission to Brazil is promoted by the Palestinian Businessmen Forum, whose president, Amer Osaily (opening picture), leads the delegation in São Paulo.

According to Osaily, the goal is to expand business with Brazil in six sectors in which the entity he presides operates; industry, commerce, construction, services, agriculture, and medical. The institution also has sound connections with the education sector and works on tourism to establish a direct flow of Brazilian visitors. “We have the capacity and infrastructure for that,” said Osaily to ANBA.

Continue reading.

[itscolossal]

Cranbrook Academy of Art Announces Public Lecture Series With Artists, Architects, Curators, and Designers (Sponsor)

The 2023–2024 public lecture series at Cranbrook Academy of Art brings together an innovative group of artists, architects, curators, and designers to address some of the most urgent issues of our time through performance, object making, curation, and critical writing. Together, they encourage us to think expansively about the role of creativity in building community and in shaping the world around us.

The visiting artists include:

October 19, 2023, 6 p.m. Risa Puleo, Independent Curator

November 9, 2023, 6 p.m. Norman Teague, Designer and Educator

November 30, 2023, 6 p.m. Hamza Walker, Director of LAXART

December 14, 2023, 6 p.m. Cannupa Hanska Luger, Multidisciplinary Artist

January 11, 2024, 6 p.m. Yolande Daniels, Associate Professor in Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and co-founder of studioSUMO 

February 1, 2024, 6 p.m. Ghada Amer, Artist

February 22, 2024, 6 p.m. Andrianna Campbell-LaFleur, Art Critic, Curator, and Historian

March 21, 2024, 6 p.m. Yuri Suzuki, Sound Artist, Designer, Electronic Musician

April 4, 2024, 6 p.m. Roberto Lugo, Artist, Social Activist, Poet, and Educator

[trascapades]

🎨🇵🇸 #ArtIsAWeapon

Reposted from @hyperallergic Every May 15 for the last 76 years, Palestinians around the world commemorate the #Nakba (Arabic for "the catastrophe”), during which 750,000 Palestinians were permanently displaced from their homelands as a result of the establishment of the State of Isr@el. During this mass exodus, the ancient embroidery practice known as taṭrīz or tatreez became an invaluable way for Palestinians to preserve their history and culture.

In the last seven months, amid Israel’s relentless attacks on G@za, many have engaged in and revived the shared practice. In November, artist Maya Amer used the embroidery as a way to visualize the more than 8,000 Palestinians who had been killed by Israeli airstrikes at that time. Others led the collaborative project Tatriz for Palestine to honor the civilians killed by the Israeli military in G@za. Today, the death toll in the G@za Strip has risen to more than 34,904.

Zain Masri was first introduced to the practice as a child while visiting her grandmother in Jordan. Decades later, when she reconnected with the art form during the pandemic, she quickly realized that there was an urgent need for accessible, high-resolution, and simple taṭrīz patterns in the international embroidery community and Palestinian diaspora.

To address this issue, Masri launched the Tirazain Initiative — a free online searchable library available in English and Arabic containing digitized patterns for more than one thousand taṭrīz motifs.

Masri told Hyperallergic that she hoped the digital library would help provide “a platform for Palestinian women to share their work and to connect with other taṭrīz enthusiasts,” as well as promote the art form across cultures and communities.

Read more through the link in bio

🔗https://hyperallergic.com/915145/preserving-the-art-of-palestinian-tatriz-76-years-after-the-nakba/https://hyperallergic.com/915145/preserving-the-art-of-palestinian-tatriz-76-years-after-the-nakba/

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1-3, 5, 6 - Images via Tirazain Initiative, courtesy Zain Masri

4 - Photo by Philippe Lissac/Getty Images

#Embroidery #Tatriz #Tatreez

[steff-02]

Quelle journée ! Je ne sais même par où commencer tellement que j’ai envie de vous dire pleins de choses ! 😂 veuillez m’excuser si je m’éparpille un peu…

La journée commence un peu plus tôt que toutes les précédentes. À 7h20 nous partons chercher la voiture. Arrivé à la voiture, je me rends compte que je n’ai pas pris mon permis de conduire. Je remonte en vitesse à l’appart, prend mon permis (et celui à maman au passage, au cas où..), je redescends et hop cette fois-ci on est parti. Nous avons environ 140km à faire pour rejoindre San Fransisco de Macoris. Google Map nous prévoit un temps de trajet de 2h40 ! 😱 bon,…il prend déjà en compte le trafic intense pour sortir de la capitale 😅. Il y a tellement de circulation qu’il nous faut plus d’une heure pour faire les premiers 25km…il faut que j’oublie un peu mes règles de conduite suisses…comme dit l’expression, « à Rome, fait comme les Romains ». Alors on s’impose, on force le passage et on avance 😂. On a traversé des paysages sublimes, aux pieds des montagnes couvertent de forêts tropicales verdoyantes 🥰 Malgré que je ne me suis pas arrêté faire de photos, il y a quand même eu plus d’embouteillages que ce que prévoyait Google, alors la marge de 30 minutes que j’avais pris à déjà été entièrement grignotée…mais quand je me rends compte, à quelques mètre du point d’arrivée, que je me suis trompé pour entrer l’adresse; j’ai commencé à perdre patience 😅 on fait encore un petit détour d’une demi heure, on arrive en catastrophe, on s’excuse beaucoup à notre arrivée, on fait pipi et voilà, il est 11h et on peut enfin commencer la visite 😂💪🏼

Nous visitons aujourd’hui une plantation de cacao 🍫🍫 ! Nous rejoignons deux français, qui patiente déjà depuis un moment… On commence la visite par apprendre comment faire pousser le cacao. Soit on fait germer les graines et on les fait pousser (il faudra 3 ans avant que cet arbre produise du cacao), soit après avoir planté la graine et 3 mois de pousse, on y greffe une branche d’un arbre qui produit du cacao de très bonne qualité, l’arbre commencera à faire des fruits après un an seulement et de très bonne qualité 😉 Ensuite, la guide nous présente les différentes cabosses, et en ouvre une. Nous avons pu goûter les fèves de cacao fraîches. Seul la pulpe blanche se mange et elle est très sucrée et ici avec un léger goût de mangue 🤣. Toutes ces fèves sont récoltées puis fermentées durant 5 jours avant d’être séchées durant environ 8 jours (ça dépendra aussi de la météo ⛈️🤷🏽‍♂️). Quand elles sont bien sèches, elles sont torréfiées durant une quinzaine de minutes, avant d’être concassées puis l’enveloppe de la fève doit être séparée du grain de cacao. Autrefois, chaque fève était écrasée à la main lorsqu’elle était encore chaude puis toutes les écorces devaient être triées…sacré boulot ! Le cacao doit alors être broyé, et très vite, grâce à l’huile contenue dans les graines, une pâte se forme. Nos guides y ajoute un peu de sucre et en forme une boule ( on a pu goûter et c’est déjà délicieux ! 🥰). Ils vont laisser sécher totalement cette boule. Elle sera ensuite moulue et ils auront un nouveau stock de chocolat en poudre pour faire des gâteaux ou des chocolats chaud ;) Les machines à l’usine, elles, sont un peu plus performantes et peuvent rendre le chocolat extrêmement lisse, puis le tempèrent et moulent de belles tablettes de chocolat brillantes et croquantes ! 🍫 Nous avons ensuite dégusté plusieurs type de chocolats avec des teneurs en cacao différentes. Étonnement, même le chocolat noir 80% n’était pas très amer, comparé aux tablettes que nous trouvons dans le commerce en Europe.

Après la visite, nous avons eu droit à un copieux repas dominicain. Pour accompagné le riz et une sorte de ragoût de poulet, nous avons eu droit à des bananes plantains. C’est une variété de banane qui se mange uniquement cuite. Grillée, frite ou bouille ! C’est très bon mais assez bourratif 😅

Après avoir fait un dernier tour dans la plantation, nous prenons la route direction Santo Domingo. Nous faisons taxi pour les deux français avec qui nous avons partagé la visite. Ils n’ont pas de voiture alors nous les avons avancé jusqu’au prochain village afin qu’ils prennent un bus pour rejoindre Puerto Plata, tout au nord de l’île.

Il est presque 18h lorsque nous arrivons à l’hôtel. L’entrée à Saint Domingue était de nouveau assez sportive mais plus fluide que ce matin. On avait pas vraiment la force de retourner souper en ville, alors après s’être posé un moment, on est retourné souper dans le resto en bas de l’appartement, comme le premier soir ;)

PS: ci-dessus, la deuxième image représente les différentes étapes pour obtenir la pâte de cacao.

[roshanrajbhagat]

Top 5 Visiting Places in Jaipur

Jaipur is a cool city in India with lots of neat stuff to see. It's known as Pink City because most of the buildings are painted in pink color. If you're planning a trip there, here are the top 5 visiting places in Jaipur you have to check out:

Amber Fort (Amer Fort):

This place is super cool! It's like a big castle on a hill with a lake nearby. You can go inside and see fancy rooms with mirrors all over the walls. Plus, you can ride an elephant up to the fort, which is fun!

Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds):

Imagine a building with lots of tiny windows that look like honeycombs. That's Hawa Mahal! It's tall and made of pink stone. People used to sit in those windows and watch parades and stuff without being seen. You can get amazing views of the city from there.

Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds):

This is where kings used to live, and it's huge! There are gardens, fancy buildings, and even a museum with old clothes and things from the kings. The best part is the Peacock Courtyard, which is so pretty with all its colors.

Jantar Mantar:

It's like a big outdoor science museum! There are these giant instruments that were used to study the stars and time. You can see the biggest sundial in the world there, and it's cool to learn how people figured out time way back then.

Jaigarh Fort:

This fort is on top of a hill and has amazing views of the city. There's a huge cannon there called Jaivana, and it's famous for being the biggest cannon on wheels! You can explore the fort and pretend you're a king or queen.

So, if you're going to Jaipur, make sure to visit these awesome places. They're full of history, fun, and great views!

[ukrainenews]

Daily Wrap Up February 25-26, 2023

Under the cut:

Ukrainian troops are standing their ground around Bakhmut despite a significant concentration of Russian forces near the eastern town, a Ukrainian commander said Saturday.

For the first time since the two countries established diplomatic relations 30 years ago, a Saudi foreign minister has visited Ukraine. "Ukraine will receive real help from Saudi Arabia," the Ukrainian official said. "The Presidential Office signed two documents formalizing a $400 million aid package to Ukraine: $100 million in humanitarian aid and $300 million in oil products."

The delivery of 12 Mi-8 MTV-1 and two Mi-8 T helicopters from Croatia to Ukraine is underway, Croatian newspaper Jutarnji said it had learned, without citing its sources.

Poland’s largest oil company, PKN Orlen, has stopped receiving oil via the Druzhba pipeline from Russia, its chief executive officer, Daniel Obajtek, has said.

Explosions have reportedly been heard in the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine, according to Petro Andriushchenko, an adviser to the exiled city’s mayor. The explosions were reported in the location of a large Russian military personnel cluster, he said.

“Ukrainian troops are standing their ground around Bakhmut despite a significant concentration of Russian forces near the eastern town, a Ukrainian commander said Saturday.

Cmdr. Yuriy Fedorovych Madyar, a colonel in Ukraine's military, published a video message on his Telegram channel about the state of the fighting around Bakhmut, which remains one of the most fiercely contested territories in the war.

"Ukrainian troops have retained their positions on all three suburbs of Bakhmut — the northern, eastern and southern-southwestern. The enemy had no territorial successes," Madyar said. "Enemy assault operations were unsuccessful." The colonel said Ukrainian forces "don't see any additional accumulation" of Russian troops in these areas. Still, the concentration of Russian forces in Bakhmut is "already considerable," allowing the Russians "to launch assault operations several times a day."  

Madyar said the situation in the southern suburbs of Bakhut is stable, and that it's the northern suburbs that are proving "the most difficult part of the front lines to hold on to."

"There is a large number of enemy troops and high intensity of enemy assault operations," Madyar said, describing the situation in the northern suburbs. "Appropriate forces were sent there to prevent the enemy from implementing its plan to surround the city and its outskirts."   Madyar said that over the past week, the number of remaining civilians seen in the streets of Bakhmut "has fallen to zero."

What Russia is saying: Russia state news agency RIA Novosti carried a report this week showing a Russian soldier walking through the outskirts of Bakhmut, saying that Ukrainian forces have been holding on to their lines but retreating "occasionally."

And the Russian private military company Wagner has claimed that it now controls the village of Yahidne. The village is in the northern suburbs of Bakhmut — the same area that Madyar, the Ukrainian colonel, said was proving the most difficult to hold.

CNN has not been able to independently verify either side's claims on recent troop movements around Bakhmut.”-via CNN

~

“For the first time since the two countries established diplomatic relations 30 years ago, a Saudi foreign minister has visited Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky's office released a video of him meeting Saudi Arabia's Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on Sunday.

Zelensky said he expected the meeting would "provide a new impetus to further intensification of our mutually beneficial dialogue."

"Thank you for supporting peace in Ukraine, our sovereignty, and territorial integrity," he continued. "This is very important for us and our society."

Saudi Arabia has steered a neutral course in the conflict. The Kingdom mediated a prisoner exchange last year, in which two American and five British citizens were released from Russian detention.

Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential office, called the meeting successful in a message on Telegram.

"Ukraine will receive real help from Saudi Arabia," the Ukrainian official said. "The Presidential Office signed two documents formalizing a $400 million aid package to Ukraine: $100 million in humanitarian aid and $300 million in oil products."

"Ukraine and Saudi Arabia have common challenges and experiences in dealing with them. We are talking about Iranian UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones) that were supplied to certain 'rebels' and attacked Saudi oil facilities," Yermak said, in a reference to the use of Iranian drones by Houthi forces in Yemen.

"Since last year, the same Iranian UAVs have been in possession of Russian terrorists and have been attacking Ukraine's energy infrastructure."”-via CNN

~

“The delivery of 12 Mi-8 MTV-1 and two Mi-8 T helicopters from Croatia to Ukraine is underway, Croatian newspaper Jutarnji said it had learned, without citing its sources.

As the Croatian government keeps all information on military aid confidential, the news outlet said obtaining official confirmation of the delivery was impossible.

Reports that Croatia's Defense Ministry would donate some of its Soviet-made Mi-8 helicopters to Ukraine emerged last year in November.

According to the outlet's sources, however, the helicopters are currently being disassembled and prepared for delivery and will be ready for transport in about ten days.

While Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic has publicly voiced support for Ukraine, the country's president, Zoran Milanovic has repeatedly spoken out against providing military support to Ukraine as it defends against full-scale Russian invasion.

Jutarnji reported that Milanovic was angered by the announcement that Croatia would deliver helicopters to Ukraine last November, saying at the time that Croatia's Defense Ministry did not inform him how these helicopters would be replaced.

On Jan. 30, Milanovic criticized the West's decision to send tanks to Ukraine and said that the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula would "never again be part of Ukraine," prompting a response from Ukrainian officials.”-via Kyiv Independent

~

“Poland’s largest oil company, PKN Orlen, has stopped receiving oil via the Druzhba pipeline from Russia, its chief executive officer, Daniel Obajtek, has said.

Posting to Twitter, Obajtek said:

We’re effectively securing supplies. Russia has halted supplies to Poland, for which we are prepared.

Orlen said it could fully supply its refineries via sea and that consumers would not be affected by the halt.

The Druzhba pipeline, which supplies oil to Poland and Germany, as well as to Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, was exempted from EU sanctions to help countries with limited options for alternative deliveries.

Russian oil accounts for about 10% of Polish supply after Warsaw cut imports after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.”-via The Guardian

~

“Explosions have reportedly been heard in the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine, according to Petro Andriushchenko, an adviser to the exiled city’s mayor.

The explosions were reported in the location of a large Russian military personnel cluster, he said.

Andriushchenko, posting on Telegram, wrote:

The sounds of explosions along the line of Yalta village / Yuryivka village (location of a large concentration of occupiers) in Mariupol district are reported. We verify the reports. Air raid alert was announced in Ukraine, but occupiers are struck.

“It’s a good trend,” he added.

Ukraine’s armed forces have in recent days claimed strikes on Mariupol, previously thought to be outside the effective range of Ukrainian missiles, Kyiv Post has reported.

Nataliya Humeniuk, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s armed forces, on Thursay said:

At this stage, we can only state that inaccessibility is a very relative concept. What is considered so remote that it is unreachable, is not always so. The direction of Mariupol is no longer completely unreachable for us.”-via The Guardian