The Palestinian Football Association has welcomed the scrapping of a friendly football match between Spanish giants FC Barcelona and Israel’s Beitar football team, which was scheduled to take place on Aug. 4 in Jerusalem.

"We express our appreciation for the respect of the Catalan club [FC Barcelona] to the feelings of millions of its fans worldwide who were appalled by the idea that the club which appreciates human rights will play with one of the most racist clubs in the world," the association said in a statement.

Jibril Rajoub, the Secretary-General of Fatah group's Central Committee and head of the Palestinian Football Association, described the move by FC Barcelona to cancel the match as "an honest expression of Barcelona's true identity and its respect to millions of its fans worldwide."

On Thursday, Israel’s Beitar football club cancelled a friendly match with FC Barcelona over the latter’s refusal to play in the occupied city of Jerusalem.

The club’s owner, Moshe Hogg, said FC Barcelona refused to play in Jerusalem and therefore he decided to cancel the match.

Palestinians accuse the fans of the Beitar club with racism as they were caught several times chanting racist slogans against Arabs and Islam’s Prophet Muhammad./agencies

Black ‘untouchables’ still fighting for social justice, despite government’s affirmative action

Video of a young man, 20, tied to a tree went viral last week.

He was being brutalized and his private parts were also attacked.

The incident occurred in the rural area of the Kanpur district in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

Attackers are seen asking the boy about his caste.

As soon as he said that he belonged to the Dalit, or underprivileged community, the attacks became more severe.

It is related to a relationship in which the young Dalit man had fallen in love with a girl from another caste. Police have made arrests in this case.

Another attack on Dalits occurred last week in Uttar Pradesh. Bullies created a ruckus in the Chandauli district in Barthara Kala village.

Armed with sticks and poles, assailants attacked the Dalit settlement of Sadar Kotwali police station area.

Young people belonging to the dominant community not only assaulted residents but allegedly assaulted women. When victims protested, their huts were set on fire.

The matter is related to a dispute with the Dalits on the boundary of a farm in the village.

When the dispute escalated, residents of the dominant group stormed the settlement and set fire to homes.

The matter came to light when video of the attack went viral on social media.

These are not isolated incidents.

Dalits are at the bottom of the Hindu caste system and are still subjected to untouchability.

Laws exist to protect Dalits but atrocities against the marginalized community have not decreased.

Dalit is a term used for those who were formerly known as “untouchables.”

They are often ostracized, leading to segregation and persecution by those in a higher caste.

India’s Constitution banned the practice years ago but Dalits are employed in professions considered demeaning to the upper classes, like cleaning sewers and toilets.

There are 200 million Dalits out of a population of 1.3 billion in India, according to one estimate.

Dalit leader Udit Raj said the outlook for Dalits remains bleak and the future is not any better.

“The way the government is privatizing everything, so the possibilities for Dalits are getting reduced. Now it is becoming difficult for Dalits to get jobs,” he told Anadolu Agency.

Raj believes opportunities for Dalits to move forward are being lost as reservation -- reserving seats for lower classes, including Dalits, in government jobs, educational institutes and in legislatures -- is being reduced after the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power.

The objective of reservation was to empower those from lower-class communities by providing jobs and opportunities to move ahead.

But Badri Narayan Tiwari, the author of several books, including The Making of the Dalit Public in North India, said the situation for Dalits is improving.

"Democracy is the only hope for the marginalized sections of society. And democracy means rationally distributing state resources among them and also empowering them. Slowly they are taking the benefit of the democratic state in India,” he told Anadolu Agency.

“Who can improve their condition better except democracy? So democracy is the only hope for them. Dalits are suffering in those places where feudalism still exists," he said./agencies

Just a few months ago, this remote mountainous northern strip of Pakistan-administered Kashmir or Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) called Neelam Valley was blazing with bullets as Indian and Pakistani forces were exchanging fire.

Now the mountains as high as 17,000 feet along the 740 kilometers (460 miles) Line of Control (LoC), that divides Jammu and Kashmir into India and Pakistan are blurring and echoing with sounds of loudspeakers, as electioneering picks up in AJK to elect regional assembly on July 25.

A convoy of over two dozen jeeps and buses is making its way on a narrow and battered hilly road along the gushing waters of Neelam River also known as Kishanganga River.

Their destination is Kail -- a small town of scenic Neelam Valley -- just a few meters away from the highly militarized and world’s most dangerous border.

The 144 km (89 mi) long strip of Neelam Valley is bordered by the Kupwara and Bandipora districts of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir on the southern side across the LoC.

In the picturesque valley perched in Harmukh mountains part of great Himalayas, around noon under clear skies, over 2,000 people have gathered in the sprawling sports ground of a government college in Kail to show support to their candidate, belonging to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of Prime Minister Imran Khan, which is taking part in the upcoming elections as a favorite.

Some youths have their faces painted in the party flag colors.

"Until a few months ago, it was hard to imagine about a public gathering here," Zafar Ali, a participant, said while speaking to Anadolu Agency.

Just a few meters away, right in the middle of the bazaar, large-size banners of the candidates from the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) of the three-time Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of the slain Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, are placed, indicating a tough contest between the three parties.

This rally took more than two hours to cover a 20 km (12 mi) distance from the Sharda town, to reach Kail due to sloppy terrain.

High decibel campaign

After every few miles, the convoy took breaks as cheering youths carrying party flags danced to drum-beating and chanted slogans.

"It is because of the cease-fire, we are sitting here without any fear," Ali, a student of Kail College said while wiping out sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.

"Otherwise, people would not even dare to assemble for a small wedding (until February) as no one knew when and where the shell would hit," he said.

Over 3.2 million voters will elect a 53-member assembly for a five-year term. Out of 53 seats, 45 are general, while eight are reserved for women, technocrats, and religious scholars.

As many as 12 seats are reserved for those who have migrated from Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

At one point, the convoy numbed into a smaller rally of another political party coming from the opposite side. It raised the temperatures, as both of them raised slogans with high pitches. But they passed each other peacefully.

The election euphoria has visibly taken over this famous tourist destination- a rare happening here- following the return of normalcy in the wake of a recent cease-fire agreement between India and Pakistan.

In February, the two militaries agreed to honor the 2003 cease-fire agreement along the LoC, followed by an exchange of letters between the two premiers, which was widely viewed as an outcome of backchannel diplomacy.

"Not only the Neelam Valley but all the districts along the LoC have been overtaken by the festivities of the election," said Safeer Kyani, a jeep driver, who was part of the rally.

Some 16 out of 45 general seats fall in the districts located along the LoC, which, according to analysts, may play a decisive role in the formation of the next government.

"Elections activities in 2011 and 2016 were restricted due to fears of shelling from across the border," Kyani said pointing to nearby trenches resulted due to shelling from across the LoC. The area was witnessing a daily dose of shelling and sniper attacks until February this year, killing hundreds of troops and civilians from both sides.

Banners and flags cover region

Unfazed by the hilly terrain and battered track, many youths sporting party flags zoom past motorbikes and jeeps risking their lives.

Shops and restaurants in the main bazaars of Kail and in Sharda town, which houses the ancient seat of learning like world-famous Taxila and Nalanda are decorated with party flags and banners.

Party songs are blaring at many shops, which have been converted into temporary election offices.

Even in small villages along the Neelam River, party flags are hoisted on the houses and shops, indicating their affiliations.

One of the world's most militarized zones, Jammu and Kashmir have been a bone of contention between the two neighbors since they partitioned and got independence from British Empire in 1947. Since then, the two countries have fought three wars- two of them in Kashmir./aa

After a surge in COVID-19 infections, Greece on Saturday banned music in restaurants and bars on a popular Aegean island, along with a new nighttime curfew.

Mykonos, a popular tourist destination known for its lively nightlife, will be placed on a curfew as of Saturday until July 26 after infections quadrupled in a week’s time, reaching 418 cases on Friday from 65 just nine days earlier.

The curfew lasts from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. – formerly busy hours for the tourist-friendly island – with exceptions only for work and serious health reasons.

Music will also be banned from Saturday 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. on Monday when new data will be evaluated.

"We call on residents, visitors, and professionals of our beautiful island to observe the measures faithfully … so that the spread of the virus is controlled and contained soon and Mykonos returns to normalcy," said Nikos Hardalias, the deputy civil protection minister for crisis management.

On Twitter, Alexis Tsipras, an opposition leader and former premier, blasted the need for the new restrictions, calling them “proof of abject failure.”

Greece registered 2,562 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, the National Public Health Organization said on Saturday.

Since the pandemic began, Greece has confirmed 455,754 infections.

Seven more deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours, bringing the total of pandemic victims to 12,840./aa

Turkey has taken important steps to be part of the European Union Green Deal through its just-released landmark Green Deal Action Plan.

The action plan, released by the Trade Ministry on Friday, includes 32 objectives and 81 actions in nine categories to power Turkey’s transition to a more sustainable, greener economy in line with the goal of making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

In addition to maintaining and improving competitiveness in exports, the locomotive of the economy, Turkey also aims to help deepen its integration with the EU thanks to the existing Customs Union.

Turkey places importance on the Action Plan as part of strengthening the integration it provides to global supply chains and attracting green investments to Turkey.

It set up a European Green Deal Working Group to effectively carry out the objectives and actions under the action plan along with the private sector and all relevant stakeholders.

On Turkey's alignment with the Green Deal, Deputy Foreign Minister Faruk Kaymakci said Friday on Twitter that the establishment of a Turkey-EU high-level dialogue on climate change will advance Turkish-EU cooperation and promote a green European continent.

European Green Deal

The deal, which is a set of policies with the overarching aim of making the continent the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, was initiated by the European Commission in line with the 2015 Paris climate accord. Last Wednesday the European Commission passed the Green Deal package.

The bloc "aims to make the EU's climate, energy, transport, and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels," according to the European Commission.

Cutting emissions, creating jobs and growth, addressing energy poverty, reducing external energy dependency, and improving health and well-being are some key highlights of Europe’s goal.

Since climate change is seen as "the biggest challenge of our times," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in 2019 that the Green Deal would be the continent's "man on the Moon moment," praising its goal to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent.

According to experts, the deal is not about CO2 emissions, but rather is about greening all products so that it does not harm nature.

As the deal has the potential to revolutionize global trade, Turkey's Green Deal Action Plan and establishment of a working group are seen as important steps to adapt to this situation./aa

Parts of Turkey’s Black Sea region hit by flooding and landslides will be officially declared a disaster area, the nation’s president said on Saturday.

Speaking at a hospital opening and inaugurations of other newly completed projects in Turkey’s eastern Erzurum province, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the formal declaration will be announced after the next Cabinet meeting, likely at the start of next week.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority said downpours hit northeastern Rize on Wednesday after landslides caused heavy damage in some areas, with a building destroyed in the village of Muradiye.

At least six people died, with two people missing, in flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rain.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu came to the region to assess the situation along with Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoglu and Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum.

Around 5 million Turkish liras ($582,000) will be sent to the region to help recovery efforts.

‘Investing throughout Turkey’

Also speaking on investments in eastern Turkey, Erdogan said the current market value of today’s inaugurated investments reached a total of 9.5 billion Turkish liras ($1.11 billion).

“We will continue to embrace the full breadth of Turkey, from Erzurum, Diyarbakir, Hatay, and Trabzon to Antalya, Tekirdag, Van, and Bursa, and introduce projects and services to every inch of our homeland," said Erdogan, referring to provinces throughout Turkey.

“We do this because we love this country with all its colors. Because we love this nation with all its people. Because we have taken on the responsibility to build a great and strong Turkey through the bridge we built from the past to the future,” he added.

Erdogan said the determination, unity, and solidarity of the people of Erzurum remained firm and steady despite 40 years of PKK terrorist efforts against it.

“Erzurum is one of our cities that showed the most determined stance against the tricks, hypocrisy, and frauds of FETO” – the terrorist group behind the defeated 2016 coup, whose fifth anniversary was marked this week – Erdogan added.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its US-based leader, Fetullah Gulen, orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in which 251 people were killed and 2,734 wounded.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary./aa

At least 141 people have died and dozens remain missing due to floods in western Germany, officials confirmed Saturday.

At least 98 people lost their lives in the hard-hit Ahrweiler district of the Rhineland-Palatinate state, the Koblenz Police Department said in a statement. It also reported 618 injuries due to floods.

In neighboring North Rhine-Westphalia, officials have confirmed 43 deaths.

The death toll was expected to rise as several villages in the western regions remained flooded after the historic deluge.

Rescue teams continued to search for and evacuate people to safer locations in the worst-hit areas.

Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to visit the flood-hit region of Rhineland-Palatinate on Sunday, according to local media reports.

Germany's worst floods in more than 200 years triggered by midweek heavy rains caused widespread devastation in various towns and villages in the western regions bordering Belgium and France.

There was still no power in many places in the region, and telephone lines were not working while streets remained closed.

Several Turkish NGOs in Germany, including the Turkish-Islamic Union of Religious Affairs (DITIB), appealed for donations to help those hit by the disaster.

Floods in Belgium

The flooding has also killed at least 27 people in Belgium so far, according to local media.

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Friday put the official death toll at 20 and said 19 people were missing, calling the situation "the biggest disaster our country has ever seen."

The country will observe a "day of national mourning" on Tuesday.

The heavy rains stopped on Friday in most of the eastern parts of the country affected by the flooding.

While flooding and overflow risk still prevails for some rivers, municipalities started to inspect areas where the water has receded.

Around 120 municipalities affected by the floods still have difficulty reaching many people stranded in their homes.

De Croo and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Rochefort and Pepinster on Saturday.

Speaking to journalists, von der Leyen expressed sadness and shock, adding: “We must find our way out together.”

“And Europe is helping: there are more than 170 rescue workers deployed with helicopters and boats. We activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism,” she said.

On Twitter, De Croo said von der Leyen’s presence in Rochefort and Pepinster “shows that this solidarity goes well beyond borders.”

​​​​​​​ Pledging to seek support from the European Solidarity Fund at the European Commission, he added: “This should help the affected regions in the heavy reconstruction work that awaits them in the coming weeks.”/agencies