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Leader new year massage 

The leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in a video message to mark the Persian New Year, has announced the slogan of the new year, as 'inflation control and growth in production'. Ayatollah Khamenei said there were sweet and bitter episodes in relation to economy in the previous Iranian calendar year. The leader said the bitterness mainly had to do with inflation, especially of foodstuff and other essentials, that puts the lower strata of the society under pressure. However, Ayatollah Khamenei noted that there were also positive economic steps. These, the leader said, should lead to improvement in the livelihoods of people, through accurate planning. The leader also called on officials to focus on investment as a serious need. Ayatollah Khamenei said the entire picture calls for attention to production as a key to rescue the country from economic problems, including inflation. 

Palestinian prisoners plight 

A group of Palestinian prisoners have gone on hunger strike in protest against inhumane treatment in Israeli jails. Some 2,000 prisoners are also set to join the hunger strike on Wednesday. The action is aimed at drawing attention to violations of their basic rights in Israeli detention centers. The inmates are denied access to basic medical care and are frequently subjected to systematic torture. A vast majority of Palestinians are held in Israeli jails without charge or trial. The regime uses the policy to hold them behind bars indefinitely, simply under the pretext that they planned to commit an offense. 

Sending arms to Ukraine 

The European Union and the US have announced new shipments of weapons and military equipment for Ukraine. A group of 17 EU members plus Norway say they have agreed on a two-billion-euro plan to deliver artillery rounds and other ammunition to Ukraine over the next year. This comes after the EU foreign policy chief called on member countries to provide Kiev with one million artillery rounds, including from their own stockpiles. The US government has also separately announced a new package of weapons and equipment to Ukraine, worth 350 million dollars. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said these include patrol boats and heavy fuel tankers. The US and the European Union have announced tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine since the start of the war a year ago. This is despite warnings against western intervention in the crisis.

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