Israeli authorities issue closure orders to UN-run schools in East Jerusalem
Ramallah: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has reported that Israeli municipal officials and security forces forcibly entered six of its schools in East Jerusalem and issued closure orders set to take effect within 30 days.
According to UNRWA, the closures will directly impact approximately 800 students who may not be able to complete the current academic year. The agency stated that its schools operate under the protection of United Nations privileges and immunities, and described the actions of Israeli authorities as violations of these protections and of international legal obligations.
The orders follow recent legislative moves in the Israeli Knesset aimed at limiting the operations of UNRWA. The executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization condemned the closures, characterising them as violations of UN General Assembly resolutions and efforts to diminish the agency’s presence in Jerusalem, particularly in refugee camps.
The Palestinian government has urged the United Nations to intervene and protect UNRWA institutions in East Jerusalem, warning that the closures threaten essential educational and humanitarian infrastructure. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry recalled its commitment to working with international partners to support UNRWA’s mandate and called for increased global efforts to safeguard the rights of Palestinian refugees and uphold international resolutions.
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Andhra to be developed as knowledge, creator economy hub: CM Naidu
New Delhi/Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the state is taking steps to transform itself into a knowledge and creator economy hub with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
He noted that Andhra Pradesh has abundant tech-driven youth and the government is formulating plans to train them in futuristic technologies with support from global technology firms.
"Our goal is to transform Andhra Pradesh into a knowledge hub by focusing on AI, quantum computing, data centres, drone cities and space cities. The youth will remain our biggest asset over the next 25 years, and we seek global partnerships to scale up the creator economy," said Naidu during his interactions at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi.
Naidu, who participated in the summit in the national capital, also held meetings with several global technology leaders and industrialists to explore collaborations in artificial intelligence, clean energy and innovation ecosystems.
He met Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, Autodesk AI Head Mike Haley, Aramco India Director Abdul Rehman AiThukair, LEGO Education Vice President Tom Hall, Aadhaar Founder and CTO Srikanth Nadhamuni, Khosla Ventures Managing Partner Vinod Khosla and others at the AP Pavilion.
The chief minister also held discussions with Saudi Aramco representatives on clean energy projects, including solar initiatives, and invited the company to expand operations in Andhra Pradesh, stating that the state is highly suitable for green energy production.
He sought support from NVIDIA Vice President Callista Redmond for establishing AI Living Labs and proposed partnerships through the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub to promote youth innovation, including collaborations with IIT Tirupati and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati under the Andhra Pradesh Future Innovation and Research for Science and Technology (AP FIRST) initiative.
Naidu urged Autodesk leadership to support the development of Global Capability Centres in design engineering and requested the establishment of an Innovation Academy in Amaravati aligned with quantum technology, besides proposing AI and robotics learning labs in partnership with LEGO Education.
He also discussed AI-driven smart governance solutions with Quantela Inc Chairman Sridhar Gadhi, while World Bank Group Digital AI Regional Director Mahesh Uttamchandani met Naidu on the sidelines of the summit.
Following the meetings, Naidu visited various exhibition stalls at the summit, including those of NVIDIA, Tata, Intel and Microsoft, and reviewed AI applications across agriculture, healthcare and industry.
