Hanoi, Vietnam – At a private venue tucked away in a narrow alley in Hanoi’s city centre, a group of more than 20 people listened attentively to Saleem Hammad, a charismatic, 30-year-old Palestinian man, as he spoke in fluent Vietnamese.
Hammad, who runs a business in Vietnam, shared an incident from his childhood in Jenin in the occupied West Bank.
Those present listened as he recounted a vivid memory of being awoken one night as Israeli soldiers surrounded and raided his family home.
Earlier, he had told those attending the discussion that Vietnam’s history of fighting for liberation against the United States had inspired Palestinians in their struggle against Israel’s occupation of their lands.
“Vietnamese people, with their painful and glorious history, have always been the source of inspiration for the Palestinians in our struggle for justice,” Hammad told his audience.
“We always look up to you as the role model.”
Horrified by Israel’s war on Gaza and the spiralling death toll, primarily young Vietnamese people have begun to raise their voices in support of Palestinians. In the process, they are discovering historical ties between Vietnam and Palestine and their shared fights for national liberation.
But the decades-old relationship between the two nations has been overshadowed by more recent promotion of Israel’s business culture to a younger generation of Vietnamese.
Focused on achieving success in Vietnam’s fast-growing free market economy, many have been inspired by Israel’s startup business culture while knowing little about the darker side of Israel’s success in terms of its long occupation of Palestinian land.
Organised late last year by pro-Palestinian activists Trinh* and Vuong*, the gathering where Hammad spoke was inspired by the student activism the pair encountered while studying in the US.
Trinh and Vuong are part of a burgeoning grassroots movement among Vietnamese youth who have been drawn to the Palestinian cause since the war on Gaza started in October.
But Vietnam’s strict policies against public assemblies and political activism means pro-Palestinian campaigners have to come up with low-key and creative ways of organising events without attracting the unwanted attention of Vietnamese authorities.
In Ho Chi Minh City, Trinh and some friends have organised discussions on Palestine and drawing classes with a Palestinian theme. A designer by training, Trinh has also worked with fellow creatives to design pro-Palestine merchandise, political art and fanzines.
Vietnamese youth create art in support of Palestine [Courtesy of Tu Ly]
In November, a screening of documentaries and films on Palestine, the Nakba and the history of Israel’s occupation of Palestine took place under the title Films for Liberation: Palestine Forever with the aim, according to the organisers, of undoing “the demonising descriptions of the Palestinians” by “Western and imperialist” actors.
On social media, a host of Vietnamese-language fan pages has sprung up featuring translated Palestinian poems, pro-Palestine artwork and analyses on the history of the conflict while the embassy of Palestine in Vietnam invited former veterans of the war against the US, academics, activists and members of the public to a commemoration for those killed in Gaza.
On November 29, which is the United Nations-designated International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Vietnam’s government also published a message from then-President Vo Van Thuong in which he spoke of the long history of fraternity between Vietnam and Palestine and “Vietnam’s strong support and solidarity with the Palestinians in their struggle for justice”.
But the relationship between Vietnam and Palestine is not as it once was.
As we mark Women’s History Month, what does feminism look like when we recentre sidelined voices from the Global South?
From women’s suffrage of the 1920s to the #MeToo movement, feminism in the West has driven demands for greater gender equality. However, the movement has often overlooked the struggles and perspectives of women from the Global South. This year, women across the world are, once again, calling on those who identify as feminists to engage in conversations about solidarity with marginalized women, who are frequently left out of mainstream conversations about feminism.
Presenter: Myriam Francois
Guests: Yasmina Benslimane – Politics4Her founder Lina Abirafeh – feminist activist and academic Jaimee Swift – Black Women Radicals founder
Islamabad, Pakistan: In the 10 days between March 16 and March 26, Pakistan witnessed five different attacks, three in its northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and two in its southwestern Balochistan province, resulting in the deaths of at least 18 people.
All five attacks were suicide bombings, in which at least 12 military personnel, five Chinese nationals and one Pakistani citizen died.
While the country has experienced a dramatic surge in violence during the last year, the latest series of attacks, their targets, and the audacity with which they were carried out could signal a new chapter in Pakistan’s fight against armed groups, say analysts.
The last three attacks, coming so quickly in succession, appear to target Chinese interests in Pakistan. First, armed fighters attacked Pakistan’s Gwadar port in Balochistan, which was built with Chinese help. Then, an armed group attacked one of Pakistan’s largest naval bases, also in Balochistan, citing Chinese investment in the region as their motivation. And finally, fighters targeted Chinese engineers working on a Chinese-funded hydropower project in the country’s north, near Besham city.
That pattern has prompted concerns within Pakistan’s security establishment, which believes that attacks on the Chinese in Pakistan is part of a “larger plan” to hurt the economic interests of the country, as well as sabotage ties between the countries, said Iftikhar Firdous, a security analyst and researcher on armed groups.
(Al Jazeera)
‘Iron brothers’
China is one of Pakistan’s closest allies and has invested $62bn in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an infrastructure project that spans a series of highways linking southwestern China to Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea.
The attack on Chinese workers triggered a sharp response from Beijing. “China asks Pakistan to thoroughly investigate the incident as soon as possible, hunt down the perpetrators and bring them to justice. Meanwhile, we ask Pakistan to take effective measures to protect the safety and security of Chinese nationals, institutions, and projects in Pakistan,” its Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on March 27.
In response, the Pakistani government said it would bring “terrorists, and their facilitators and abettors to justice”, and announced the formation of an investigation team to further examine the attacks.
“Pakistan and China are close friends and iron brothers. We have no doubt that the Besham terror attack was orchestrated by the enemies of Pakistan-China friendship. Together, we will resolutely act against all such forces and defeat them,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued a day later.
Chinese interests have also been attacked repeatedly in the past. Two gunmen targeted a convoy of 23 Chinese engineers in Gwadar in August last year, but their attack was foiled by security officials.
In July 2021, at least nine Chinese engineers working on a hydropower project were killed when a suicide bomber rammed into their bus, in an attack that was eerily similar to what unfolded on March 26.
But what differentiates the two attacks is that while incidents in Balochistan were readily claimed by rebel secessionist groups, the attack in the north was not claimed by any group.
Broader pattern of armed attacks
The attacks in Balochistan were claimed by the military wing of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), one of the many hardline armed groups seeking to secede from Pakistan.
Balochistan is the country’s largest province by area but also its poorest, despite being rich in natural resources, including oil, coal, gold, copper and gas reserves. This has bred accusations from many in Balochistan that successive Pakistani governments have neglected their concerns while exploiting the province and benefitting “foreigners”. The province has witnessed at least five rebellion movements since the formation of Pakistan in 1947. The government has been accused of initiating a violent crackdown and allegedly killing and disappearing thousands of ethnic Baloch who are suspected of either being rebels or supporting the rebellion.
However, the significant increase in violent incidents in the country in the past two years has coincided with the return of the Afghan Taliban to power in August 2021. In 2023, more than 650 attacks killed nearly 1,000 people, mostly those associated with the security forces.
The groups carrying out attacks include the regional affiliate of the Islamic State, called the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K), and other, more obscure organisations such as Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP) among others.
The biggest challenge to the the Pakistani state, however, has come from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an armed group formed in 2007 which has targeted civilians as well as law enforcement personnel, resulting in thousands of deaths.
The TTP threat
Ideologically aligned with the Afghan Taliban, the TTP demands the reversal of the merger of Pakistan’s northwestern tribal regions with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and a stricter imposition of their interpretation of Islamic laws in the region.
But the TTP – which unilaterally ended a ceasefire in November 2022 and has since then accelerated its attacks on Pakistan’s security forces – issued a statement after the Besham attack, saying it had no part in it.
This, Firdous said, could point to the involvement of religiously inspired armed groups and individuals who do not declare affiliation with any established armed groups.
“The jihadist freelancers, the Pakistani military believe, are handled by hostile intelligence agencies, a term usually applied to allude to neighbouring India,” Firdous, who is also the founding editor of The Khorasan Diary, a non-partisan research platform, told Al Jazeera.
The security analyst also says that while almost all “jihadist armed factions” in Afghanistan and Pakistan have been anti-China due to its crackdown on its Uighur minority, the rulers of Afghanistan, the Afghan Taliban, have been quiet.
“The Afghan Taliban, after they took charge of the country, have remained silent on the subject, but the groups operating under the Taliban umbrella don’t agree, and they see China as an oppressor of Muslims,” Firdous said. “Thus, if individuals associated with larger groups have attacked the Chinese, there are no official claims, which can perhaps explain why TTP denied its involvement in the attack.”
Fahd Humayun, an assistant professor of political science at Tufts University in the United States, said he believes that the Besham attack was carried out by either a “TTP affiliate or ISKP” and was clearly designed to target the Pakistan-China relationship to raise the costs for foreign governments and private companies to invest in Pakistan.
“While the TTP has issued a statement denying its involvement in the attack, it is worth remembering it has incentives to maintain plausible deniability on account of its relationship with the Afghan Taliban, which would be opposed to targeting the Chinese,” Humayun told Al Jazeera. “This aligns with the goals of such armed organisations of challenging the writ of the state and fostering internal destabilisation.”
Baloch anti-Chinese sentiments
At the same time, Firdous said Baloch insurgent groups see China as a superpower with an expansionist agenda, which is taking away their resources without their consent.
“The groups indiscriminately threaten Pakistani military as well as foreign investors, particularly Chinese nationals, that have been attacked quite a few times over the years now,” he added.
With increasing activity seen in Balochistan by the rebel groups, Firdous said the suicide squads of the BLA’s armed wing have carried out “three major attacks using more than 24 suicide bombers” this year alone, which he says signals a shift in strategy.
“They have moved from hit and run to direct assaults on bases of Pakistani security forces. This trend indicates increasing recruitment within the ranks of the Baloch insurgent groups,” Firdous said.
He says it is “crucial” for the government to prioritise the development and welfare of Balochistan, ensuring that the province benefits from its own resources and that the local population is given an opportunity to participate in the decision-making processes that affect their lives.
“Until these issues are addressed, the Baloch insurgency is likely to continue and pose a significant challenge to the economic stability and security of Balochistan and the rest of the country,” Firdous said.
Move comes after meeting between Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini.
Japan is planning to resume funding to the United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees after suspending assistance over Israeli claims that some of its staff participated in Hamas’s October 7 attacks.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa met UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini in Tokyo on Thursday to discuss ways the agency could enhance its transparency and governance, including ensuring the traceability of funds and the neutrality of staff.
“Japan and the UNRWA confirmed that they will advance final coordination about necessary efforts to resume Japan’s contribution,” Japan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Tokyo’s move follows the lifting of similar funding pauses by the European Commission, Canada, Australia, Sweden and Finland in recent weeks.
Lazzarini told Switzerland’s Keystone-ATS news agency on Tuesday that UNRWA had secured funding until the end of May after previously warning the agency could be forced to halt operations in March.
More than one dozen countries suspended funding to UNRWA in January after Israeli authorities alleged that 12 of its staff were involved in Hamas’s attacks on southern Israel.
Israeli authorities subsequently claimed that more than 450 UNRWA employees are “military operatives in terror groups in Gaza.”
The UN, which is probing the claims, has said Israel has not provided it with evidence to support the allegations.
Founded in 1949, UNRWA provides food, healthcare and education to some 5.9 million Palestinian refugees.
The agency was pledged funding worth $1.2bn in 2022, with the biggest contributions coming from the United States, Germany and the European Union.
Sanctions, in force since 2006, will remain in place, but mandate of panel will come to an end on April 30.
Russia has vetoed the United Nations’ renewal of a panel of UN experts monitoring North Korea’s compliance with international sanctions.
The Russian move follows accusations from the United States, South Korea and others that Pyongyang is supplying Moscow with weapons to use in its war in Ukraine.
The panel, which monitors compliance with UN sanctions imposed over North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes nearly 20 years ago, said in its most recent update this month that it was investigating reports of the arms transfers.
“This is almost comparable to destroying a CCTV to avoid being caught red-handed,” South Korea’s UN ambassador, Joonkook Hwang, said of Russia’s veto.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, writing on social media after the veto, described the move as “a guilty plea”.
China abstained from Thursday’s vote, while the remaining 13 UN Security Council members voted in favour.
“Russia’s actions today have cynically undermined international peace and security, all to advance the corrupt bargain that Moscow has struck with the DPRK,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The panel reports twice a year to the Security Council and recommends action to improve the implementation of the sanctions that were first imposed in 2006 and have been gradually strengthened. Its mandate expires at the end of April.
During negotiations on the draft text, Russia and China unsuccessfully pushed for it to include a requirement that the sanctions regime be renewed annually.
Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told the council before the vote that Western nations were trying to “strangle” North Korea and that sanctions were losing their “relevance” and becoming “detached from reality” in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the country.
He accused the panel of experts of “increasingly being reduced to playing into the hands of Western approaches, reprinting biased information and analysing newspaper headlines and poor quality photos”. Therefore, he said, it was “essentially conceding its inability to come up with sober assessments of the status of the sanctions regime”.
The panel’s most recent report was made public earlier this month and claimed that North Korea “continued to flout” sanctions, including by launching ballistic missiles and breaching oil import limits. As well as alleged arms shipments to Russia, the panel said it was also investigating dozens of suspected cyberattacks by North Korea that raked in $3bn for its weapons programmes.
US’s deputy UN ambassador, Robert Wood, called the panel’s work essential and accused Russia of attempting to silence its “independent objective investigations” because it “began reporting in the last year on Russia’s blatant violations of the UN Security Council resolutions”.
He warned that Russia’s veto would embolden North Korea to continue jeopardising global security through the development “of long-range ballistic missiles and sanctions evasion efforts”.
Pyongyang has continued to develop new weaponry despite the sanctions, carrying out numerous tests in recent months, including last week when it tested a solid-fuel engine for a “new-type intermediate-range hypersonic missile“.
Ahead of the vote, the US and South Korea launched a task force aimed at stopping North Korea from procuring illicit oil. Under UN sanctions, Pyongyang is limited to importing 4 million barrels of crude and 500,000 barrels of refined products a year.
“The panel, through its work to expose sanctions non-compliance, was an inconvenience for Russia,” said Britain’s UN ambassador, Barbara Woodward. “But let me be clear to Russia: The sanctions regime remains in place, and the UK remains committed to holding DPRK to account for its compliance.”
Kobayashi Pharma has recalled cholesterol-lowering supplements with red yeast rice over possible link to kidney disease.
A Japanese drugmaker whose dietary supplements are at the centre of a growing health scare has reported two more deaths potentially linked to a pill that lowers cholesterol.
Thursday’s announcement by Kobayashi Pharmaceuticals brings the total number of deaths under investigation by the company and health ministry to four, with more than 100 people hospitalised.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told parliament on Thursday that “we need to make clear the cause [of the illnesses] and consider various responses if necessary”.
He was responding to an opposition politician who urged him to revise safety frameworks that were relaxed under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Last week, Kobayashi recalled three of its supplements, including Beni Koji Choleste Help, after about 106 customers were hospitalised because of kidney problems.
The over-the-counter products contain an ingredient called red yeast rice, or “beni koji”, which is supposed to help lower bad cholesterol.
The company said on Thursday that it was in the “process of confirming the facts and causal relationships” in the two additional fatalities and “decided to make this report public from the viewpoint of prompt disclosure”.
“Beni koji” contains Monascus purpureus, a red mould that is also used as food colouring.
Public concern
Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a media conference that the government has urged the pharma company to take “swift and serious action toward determining the cause” and disclose relevant information as “concern among the public is spreading”, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported.
The Osaka-based drugmaker has yet to pinpoint a specific cause but said there was a possibility that the products contained “ingredients we had not intended to include”.
The fermentation process can produce a toxin called citrinin which can damage the kidneys, however, the company said its analysis did not detect any citrinin.
Medical studies describe red yeast rice as an alternative to statins for lowering high cholesterol, but also warn of a risk of organ damage depending on its chemical makeup.
In addition to the supplements, more than 40 products from other companies containing “beni koji”, including miso paste, crackers and a vinegar dressing, have been recalled, the health ministry said.
Hayashi said Japan was sharing information with the World Health Organization and relevant countries after online sales of products subject to the drugmaker’s voluntary recalls were suspended in China, while products have also been removed from circulation in Taiwan.
The company supplies red yeast rice to some 50 firms in Japan and two in Taiwan.
A Kobayashi executive said last week that the company first received complaints about kidney problems in January.
President says country will respond to South China Sea confrontations with proportionate measures after Filipino soldiers injured.
President Ferdinand Marcos says the Philippines will take countermeasures against China after confrontations in the South China Sea last week injured Filipino soldiers and damaged vessels.
“We seek no conflict with any nation, more so nations that purport and claim to be our friends but we will not be cowed into silence, submission, or subservience,” Marcos said in a statement on Thursday.
He said the Philippines would respond with a “countermeasure package that is proportionate, deliberate, and reasonable in the face of the open, unabating, and illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous attacks by agents of the China Coast Guard and the Chinese Maritime Militia”.
He added: “Filipinos do not yield.”
Marcos’s remarks came as China blamed Philippine actions for recent rising tensions between the countries in the hotly contested waterway, which Beijing claims almost entirely.
The two countries have a long history of maritime territorial disputes in the South China Sea, and there have been repeated confrontations between their vessels near disputed reefs in recent months.
Chinese envoy summoned
The latest incident near Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands occurred on Saturday during a regular Philippine mission to resupply Filipino troops garrisoned on the BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded navy ship.
The Philippines said the Chinese coastguard blocked its supply vessel and damaged it with water cannon, injuring three soldiers. It summoned a Chinese envoy in response.
China’s coastguard has defended its actions, describing them as “lawful regulation, interception and expulsion” of a foreign vessel that “tried to forcefully intrude” into Chinese waters.
China has urged Manila to “pull back from the brink” and stop “provoking trouble at sea”.
In a statement on Thursday titled China Will Not Allow the Philippines to Act Wilfully, Beijing’s Ministry of National Defence blamed “the provocations by the Philippine side” for the increased tensions over the South China Sea.
“Relying on the backing of external forces … the Philippine side has frequently infringed on rights and provoked and created trouble at sea, as well as spreading false information to mislead the international community’s perception of the issue, which is, so to speak, going further and further down a dangerous road,” the statement added.
US support
The United States, a treaty ally of the Philippines, has led a chorus of support for the Southeast Asian country in response to Chinese actions.
Marcos said the international community had “offered to help us on what the Philippines requires to protect and secure our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction while ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific”.
“I have given them our requirements and we have been assured that they will be addressed,” he said without providing details.
His statement also came after US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin repeated the “ironclad” US commitment to its longtime ally in a call with his Filipino counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro, on Wednesday.
Beijing imposed tariffs on Australian wine in 2020 during a diplomatic feud, raising duties from zero to above 200 percent.
China says it will lift steep tariffs on Australian wine imposed more than three years ago in the latest sign of improving relations between the two countries.
The anti-subsidy and anti-dumping levies were first imposed in 2020 along with a host of other trade barriers during a diplomatic feud over Australia’s support for a global inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. China had been Australia’s top wine export market, and Australian wine producers took a heavy hit from the duties, which were above 200 percent.
Ties have improved significantly since last year, leading China to steadily lift trade hurdles on Australian goods ranging from barley to coal and raising hopes the punishing tariffs on wine shipments would soon be removed.
“Given the situation in China’s wine market has changed, the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariff imposed on wine imported from Australia is no longer necessary,” the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Thursday, adding that the decision will take effect on Friday.
Previously, Australian wines imported into China were subject to zero tariffs after the signing of a free trade agreement in 2015, giving them a 14 percent tariff advantage over wines produced in other nations.
Australian wine accounted for 27.5 percent of Chinese wine imports before the duties were imposed. In the first six months of last year, they accounted for 0.14 percent as estimates put the cost of the tariffs for Australia’s economy at 20 billion Australian dollars ($13bn).
“We welcome this outcome, which comes at a critical time for the Australian wine industry,” the Australian government said in a statement.
“Since 2020, China’s duties on Australian wine effectively made it unviable for Australian producers to export bottled wine to that market. Australia’s wine exports to China were worth $1.1 billion in 2019.”
The imposition of the tariffs had prompted the Australian government to lodge a complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The removal of the Chinese duties means Australia will end its legal proceedings at the WTO, the Australian statement said.
“We are willing to work with Australia to resolve each other’s concerns through dialogue and consultation,” said He Yadong, spokesperson for the Chinese Commerce Ministry.
Australia’s top publicly listed winemaker, Treasury Wine Estates, also welcomed the announcement and said it will start partnering with customers in China to expand sales and marketing as well as brand management.
“Today’s announcement is a significant positive not only for Treasury Wine Estates, but also for the Australian wine industry and wine consumers in China,” CEO Tim Ford said in a statement.
“This is a medium-term growth opportunity that we will pursue in a deliberate and sustainable manner, focused on growing our portfolio in China.”
As the sun sets during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Muslims from around the world gather to break their fast with dates and water followed by a meal known as iftar.
There are some 1.9 billion Muslims around the world, approximately 25 percent of the global population. For many however, rising food prices have meant that households have had to consider cutting back on some of their favourite Ramadan dishes.
To see just how much the prices of various ingredients have increased over the past year, Al Jazeera compared the prices of dozens of ingredients from a variety of supermarket chains from 14 countries around the world. Below are pictures of these traditional meals along with their corresponding prices, listed alphabetically.
Argentina
From South America, we have a locally inspired main dish with beef asado, featuring various cuts of grilled meat with chimichurri – a tangy parsley dipping sauce.
As a side, we have empanadas, a popular savoury pastry consisting of ground beef or vegetables, and for dessert, dulce de leche pancakes with a sweet and creamy caramel sauce, topped with fresh fruit.
To drink, Argentinians will often enjoy a traditional herbal tea made from the yerba mate plant.
Argentina has experienced one of the world’s highest levels of inflation, with the cost of food increasing 303 percent in February 2024 compared with February of the previous year.
To prepare this particular iftar meal, Al Jazeera calculated that a single serving would cost about 7,200 pesos ($8.4) today, compared with about 1,782 pesos ($2) in 2023, reflecting an increase of more than four times.
(Al Jazeera)
Australia
For the world’s largest island, Australia’s iftar experience is a reflection of the country’s multicultural landscape, blending flavours from across the globe.
At the heart of the meal is a “halal snack pack”, a popular street food turned staple dish of shaved lamb over a bed of hot chips and topped with garlic and barbeque sauce.
For the side, a hearty lentil soup with vegetables is often enjoyed and for those with a sweet tooth, there are lamingtons – sponge cake coated in chocolate, filled with jam and blanketed with desiccated coconut.
Best served chilled, cordial is a sweet and refreshing fruit concentrate to rehydrate after a summer day of fasting.
Similar to other Western countries, Australia has also struggled to curb inflation. Al Jazeera calculated that it costs about 12.5 Australian dollars ($8.1) to have this meal in 2024, up from about 11 Australian dollars ($7) the year before.
The biggest price increases came from key ingredients including meat and eggs.
(Al Jazeera)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Among the highest Muslim populations in Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina has a variety of traditional foods reflecting its multicultural heritage. A solid choice on a Bosnian iftar table is pita krompiruša, a baked dish consisting of layers of thin phyllo dough filled with a savoury mixture of mashed potatoes, onions and spices.
Following the hearty start, the meal transitions to topa, a slow-cooked side of melted cheese and butter. The transition to sweetness is marked by hurmašica, a syrup-soaked dessert that is both sweet and comforting.
Concluding the iftar is a glass of sok od drenjina, a popular beverage made from the fruit of the Cornelian cherry tree.
Combining all meals, Al Jazeera calculated that it costs about 2.9 BAM ($1.6) for a single serving of this meal this Ramadan. In 2023 the same meal cost 2.7 BAM ($1.5), a 7 percent increase.
The higher cost of potatoes, sugar and butter was mainly responsible for a more expensive Bosnian iftar meal in 2024.
Egypt
A country steeped in centuries-old traditions and culinary heritage, an Egyptian iftar table may include a local delicacy of grape leaves stuffed with a mixture of rice, minced meat and spices.
For a nutritious and comforting soup, chopped molokhiya (jute leaves) prepared with garlic and coriander is always a good choice, followed by kunafa, a sweet and cheesy dessert staple eaten across the Middle East and North Africa.
To quench one’s thirst, qamar al-din, a traditional apricot drink, is a crowd favourite.
Egypt is currently experiencing record levels of inflation and a depreciating currency. This has meant that the prices of many ingredients, most notably ghee and sugar, are nearly three times more expensive than they were last Ramadan.
Al Jazeera calculated that this Ramadan, it will cost roughly 68 Egyptian pounds ($1.4) to prepare a single serving of the meal above. In 2023, the same meal cost 39 Egyptian pounds ($0.8), an increase of 74 percent.
India
India has a great variety of iftar meals to choose from. Among one of the favourites is ghugni, a vegetarian curry made of peas or chickpeas and cooked with onions, tomatoes and various spices.
For sides, there’s pakora, a deep-fried vegetable fritter made with onions and green chillies. For dessert, we have suji halwa, a semolina pudding cooked with ghee and sugar and topped with nuts.
To cleanse the palate, one can reach for a glass of refreshing rose drink made from rose syrup, water and often a splash of lime or mint.
In combining these ingredients, Al Jazeera calculated that it costs roughly 149 rupees ($1.8) to prepare a serving of this meal this Ramadan. The same meal last year actually cost 162 rupees ($1.9), a decrease of 9 percent.
The main reason for this was the drop in the price of onions which were used widely in this dish. The price of all other other ingredients either increased or stayed the same.
India is the world’s largest exporter of onions. In December, the country imposed a ban on all onion exports to increase domestic availability and drive down prices which have more than halved since the ban took effect. On March 23, the ban, which was due to expire on March 31, was extended indefinitely.
(Al Jazeera)
Indonesia
In the world’s largest Muslim nation, spanning six thousand inhabited islands, Indonesia’s iftar traditions are locally inspired by the unique flavour of bubur – a traditional rice porridge topped with shredded chicken, peanuts, greens and an array of spices.
A favourite side dish is, bakwan, a crispy vegetable fritter containing a variety of vegetables such as shredded carrots, cabbage and bean sprouts. For those with a sweet tooth, there is kolak pisang, a sweet dessert made with bananas cooked in coconut milk, sugar and pandan leaves.
And to wrap up the flavourful meal, wash it down with a glass of es timun suri, a refreshing melon and coconut-infused drink.
To prepare the meal, Al Jazeera calculated that it costs about 66,600 rupiah ($4.2) for a serving this year. The cost last year was 62,600 rupiah ($3.9), about 6 percent lower.
(Al Jazeera)
Malaysia
A predominantly Muslim nation, Malaysian cuisine is locally inspired with beef rendang, a rich and spicy coconut milk-based beef dish.
As a side, Malaysians often enjoy sayur lodeh, a fragrant vegetable stew made of coconut milk, with eggplant, beans and nuts.
To complement the rich flavours, many Malaysians will reach for a glass of sirap bandung, a sweet rose syrup-infused milk.
And to top things off, a popular dessert is seri muka, a two-layered rice and pandan custard.
Combining all the necessary ingredients, Al Jazeera calculated that it costs roughly 6.9 ringgits ($1.5) to prepare a single serving of this meal in 2024. In 2023 the same meal cost about 6.4 ringgits ($1.3), an increase of 7 percent.
For Malaysia’s iftar, the largest price increases over the past year were in fresh food items, including eggs and coconut milk.
(Al Jazeera)
Nigeria
Nigerian cuisine is known for its diverse ingredients and vibrant spices. For the main course, Nigerians, like many across West Africa, will often enjoy jollof rice, a red aromatic rice, served with chicken.
To enhance the flavours, one could enjoy moi moi – a savoury pudding made from black-eyed peas or beans.
And for dessert, a good choice is a fresh fruit salad.
To top things off, a Nigerian iftar is best served with zobo, a popular beverage made from dried hibiscus flowers.
Africa’s most populous nation has seen a worsening inflation rate, aggressively increasing the price of poultry and other fresh food items.
Al Jazeera calculated that in 2024 it costs about 6,500 naira ($4.4) to prepare a serving of this meal, compared with about 3,860 naira ($2.6) the year before – an increase of about 68 percent.
(Al Jazeera)
Pakistan
Nearing Iftar time in Pakistan, the atmosphere is imbued with anticipation and warmth starting with dahi baray – lentil fritters, doused in yoghurt and topped with sweet and spicy chutneys.
On the side, we have fruit chaat, a sweet and savoury fruit salad sprinkled with chaat masala. For dessert is jalebi – a popular street food made with flour and sugar with a gooey centre.
A beautiful round-off for iftar is a rose-flavoured drink.
Totalling up the grocery cost, Al Jazeera calculated a serving of this iftar meal to be 172 rupees ($0.6). In 2023 the same meal cost 141 rupees ($0.5), about an 18 percent increase.
Pakistan’s inflation levels have remained high with food inflation reaching a record high of 48.65 percent in May 2023. Looking at our list of ingredients, we found that the largest price hikes were seen in vegetables, sugar and ghee.
Palestine
One of the most widely eaten dishes across Palestine and the Levant region is maklouba, which translates from Arabic to “upside-down”. It is a flavourful rice dish with layers of sliced eggplants, meat and other vegetables cooked together in a pot, then flipped upside-down onto a serving platter before eating.
Complementing the maklouba is dagga – a traditional spicy tomato and cucumber salad covered in olive oil.
For dessert, a great Ramadan choice is katayif, a type of semi-circular stuffed pancake often filled with walnuts or cheese and then dipped in syrup.
Tamir hindi is a popular drink made with tamarind and sugar.
Totalling up the grocery cost, Al Jazeera calculated that it costs about 31.5 shekels ($9) to prepare a serving of this iftar meal in the occupied West Bank this Ramadan. The same meal cost 28.5 shekels ($8) in 2023, an 11 percent increase.
Olive oil had the most significant price increase, nearly doubling from 30 shekels ($8.2) per litre in 2023 to 55 shekels ($15) this year. The price of meat also saw a 10 percent increase.
Observing Ramadan in Gaza amid Israel’s continuing assault has been a huge challenge for many Palestinians. Preparing a meal is a luxury that many can’t afford. According to people on the ground, a single egg now costs 6 shekels ($1.64).
Despite this, families are trying to keep their spirits and traditions alive by preparing whatever meals they can. Al Jazeera spoke to some of these displaced families who are now living in tents in Rafah.
(Al Jazeera)
South Africa
The Rainbow Nation has a variety of racial and ethnic groups. Preparing a traditional meal means bringing together various foods. For the main course, South Africans can enjoy a classic combo of pap en vleis, also known as shisa nyama – a maize meal porridge eaten with barbecued meat.
Accompanying this is chakalaka, a spicy vegetable relish made with onions, tomatoes, carrots, beans and spices. For dessert, koeksisters – braided deep-fried dough drenched in syrup – provide a crunchy treat.
To round off the meal, a “Stoney” – carbonated ginger beer – offers a refreshing end to the iftar.
Like many countries, South Africa is battling rising inflation. Al Jazeera calculated that it costs about 77 rand ($4.0) to prepare a serving of the iftar meal above. In 2023 the same meal cost 68 rand ($3.6), about a 13 percent increase.
The biggest price increases came from the price of store-bought chakalaka and pantry items such as cake flour and sugar.
Turkey
As the sun sets in Turkey, many families will feast on dolma – stuffed vegetables with a mixture of rice, meat and herbs.
On the side, is a bowl of cacik, a creamy yoghurt and cucumber dip. For dessert, one of the many choices might be a bowl of muhallebi, a milk pudding flavoured with cinnamon and nuts.
And to support digestion, salgam, a fermented turnip beverage is a good choice.
Turkey has also seen soaring levels of inflation. Setting out the table for iftar, Al Jazeera calculated that a serving of this meal costs about 60.5 lira ($1.9), compared with about 50.6 lira ($1.6) a year ago – an increase of about 20 percent.
Among the biggest price hikes came in the form of dairy products including milk and yoghurt.
(Al Jazeera)
United Kingdom
There are roughly four million Muslims in the UK. Like many other non-Muslim majority countries, the choice of iftar meals depends largely on a household’s ethnic background. A hearty British seafood iftar could comprise a slice of salmon fillet served with a side of greens and a bowl of rice.
Served after the main course could be a bowl of fruit yoghurt.
Packed with antioxidants, and aiding digestion could be a hot cup of green tea.
For this year’s iftar, Al Jazeera calculated that it costs roughly 2.2 pounds ($2.7) for a single serving of the meal above. That’s a marginal increase of about 4 percent from the previous year of 2.1 pounds ($2.6).
In 2022, the UK experienced seven months of double-digit inflation peaking at 11.1 percent in October. The rate has since settled at about 4 percent during the first few months of 2024.
(Al Jazeera)
United States
The United States has a diverse Muslim community with about three to four million members – or about one percent of the population. A popular main dish enjoyed across many American households is the culinary classic oven-roasted chicken infused with herbs and spices.
Complementing the roast, one might find the traditional Middle Eastern green salad topped with crispy pieces of toasted bread known as fattoush.
For dessert, one can’t go wrong with a piece of kunafa, a sweet and cheesy dessert topped with nuts.
To round off the evening, one can reach for a flavoured milk of your choice.
To prepare this year’s meal, Al Jazeera estimated costs are roughly $7.1 per serving this Ramadan. Last year the same meal cost about $6.7, an increase of about 5 percent.
For the most part, the prices of the ingredients needed to prepare this meal have held firm with slight increases in the price of poultry and dairy.
Coup leader told troops at annual parade that young people were being ‘tricked’ into joining resistance and claimed foreign interference.
Myanmar’s army chief Min Aung Hlaing has claimed young people are being tricked into supporting the resistance against the military, as anti-coup forces chalk up unprecedented advances.
Three years after seizing power in a coup, the military regime has suffered a series of major losses to an alliance of ethnic minority armed groups and anti-coup forces that launched a surprise offensive at the end of October last year.
Min Aung Hlaing was speaking to thousands of troops who had assembled for Armed Forces Day, the military’s annual show of force.
He said it was “disheartening to witness youths becoming scapegoats of insurgents, misled by false narrative propaganda through media sabotage” and accused unnamed ethnic armed groups of “destroying the path towards forming a union based on democratic values and federalism”.
Min Aung Hlaing claimed the military was “working to restore peace and stability” and there needed to be unity.
The parade, in the remote and purpose-built capital of Naypyidaw, took place at sunset for the first time since it started being held there in 2006. Officials blamed the hot weather associated with an El Nino weather pattern.
Women soldiers taking part in the parade. Myanmar has activated a conscription law for young men and women to boost depleted ranks [AFP]
Military helicopters and fighter jets took part in aerial displays, and Min Aung Hlaing’s wife was seen placing garlands of flowers on soldiers.
Alexander Fomin, Russia’s deputy minister for defence was again guest of honour with the two countries deepening ties since the coup.
More than two dozen Russian military commanders and defence officials were also given honorary titles for their “excellent performances in international military cooperation measures in order to build a modern Tatmadaw” including Navy chief Nikolai Yevmenov, who was removed from his post this month, the Commander of the Pacific Fleet Viktor Liina, and those involved in shipbuilding and the supply of ammunition and artillery.
The Tatmadaw is the official name of the Myanmar military.
‘Ongoing atrocities’
Min Aung Hlaing led a coup against the government of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 claiming without evidence that there had been election fraud.
The power grab triggered mass protests and a nationwide civil disobedience movement, but the military’s brutal response fuelled armed resistance, as thousands of people formed People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) and others fled to jungles and mountains in remote border areas to make common cause with ethnic armed groups who had spent decades fighting for autonomy.
Since anti-coup forces launched Operation 1027 last year, they have made gains in northern Shan and eastern Kayah states and are also taking territory in western Rakhine state. Other regions have also seen renewed conflict.
More than 2 million people have been displaced by the conflict, according to the United Nations, while monitoring group the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners says 4,791 civilians have been confirmed dead.
A Myanmar Air Force Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet took part in an aerial display, releasing flares in the skies above Naypyidaw [AFP]
The military last month announced that it would activate a long-dormant conscription law, which will require all men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27 to undertake two years of military service.
In a statement to mark Armed Forces Day, Britain’s Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan said people were suffering “horrendous acts of violence at the military regime’s hands”, while Canada’s embassy said it condemned “in the strongest possible terms the ongoing atrocities” perpetrated by the military, and it called for an arms and aviation fuel embargo.
In his speech, Min Aung Hlaing said the military was being targeted with “fake news” from international journalists and social media users, and accused “some powerful nations,” of trying to interfere with Myanmar’s internal affairs by helping armed anti-coup groups. He did not cite evidence.
The army chief also touched on the often talked about but still unscheduled elections.
Without offering a timeline, he said efforts to conduct new elections were under way, but claimed ethnic armed groups and PDF fighters were “deliberately engaging in disruptive actions to sabotage and delay” the process.
A state of emergency, in place since the coup, was extended in February for a further six months.
Armed Forces Day marks the day in 1945 when the army of Myanmar, then known as Burma, began its fight against the Japanese who had taken control of the country after driving out the British, the former colonial rulers.
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