UN spokesman voices concern over closure of Al Jazeera office in West Bank

China

UN spokesman voices concern over closure of Al Jazeera office in West Bank

2024-09-23 04:24 Last Updated At：07:17

U.N. Secretary-General's spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said on Sunday that the United Nations is deeply concerned about Israel's closure of the Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera's offices in the occupied West Bank.

Dujarric made the statement in response to a question from a reporter from China Media Group (CMG).

"We're very concerned anytime, anywhere in the world, media offices get closed, especially in conflict areas. The journalists are the eyes and ears of the world, and they need to be able to do their job free from harassment or any other type of impediment," the spokesman said.

Israeli troops raided the offices of the satellite news network in Ramallah, the West Bank early Sunday, ordering the staff to vacate the premises and imposing a 45-day closure.

Al Jazeera aired footage on its Arabic-language channel showing armed troops, some masked, entering the offices and delivering the closure decree.

Israel's military stated that the Ramallah office was closed because it was "used to incite terror" and "support terrorist activities."

Al Jazeera issued a statement denying the allegations and condemned Israel's criminal act of breaking into its office, demanding that the Israeli government be held responsible for the safety of its journalists.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate issued a statement on Sunday, condemning Israel's actions as a gross infringement on local journalism and media organizations.

NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake elected as president of Sri Lanka

2024-09-23 02:39 Last Updated At：05:17

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the National People's Power candidate, emerged as the winner of Sri Lanka's presidential election, the Election Commission confirmed on Sunday.

Dissanayake received 42.31 percent of the vote in the first round of counting, while Sajith Premadasa, the candidate from the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya, received 32.76 percent of the vote.

As no candidate secured more than 50 percent of the vote, the Election Commission, for the first time in Sri Lankan presidential election history, counted the second and third preferences of the two leading candidates. Dissanayake ultimately emerged as the winner after the second count.

Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe did not advance to the second count.

The presidential election took place on Saturday, with a total of 38 candidates competing.