Israeli minister meets Palestinian PM for peace talks
Jerusalem: Israel's Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon met with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in the Palestine's West Bank city on Monday, and called on to renew the long-stalled peace talks.
The rare meeting was attended also by the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) Major General Yoav Mordechai, and Deputy Finance Minister Itzik Cohen, Xinhua reported.
The meeting was focused on security and financial issues, including the activity of Palestinian banks, building new industrial zones in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and creating new jobs in the unemployment-stricken area.
Kahlon urged the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table with the United States as a mediator.
"The Americans are the only honest broker in the region," he said, adding that the talks should be restarted through the involvement of US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Jason Greenblatt.
The Palestinians denounced the White House as a biased broker following Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on December 6.
The meeting marked a rare talk between Israeli and Palestinian officials, after the last round of peace talks reached an impasse in 2014.
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Tree planting now mandatory for arms licence in UP's Mathura, says DM
Mathura (UP), Apr 9 (PTI): In a novel step towards environmental conservation, the administration in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district has made planting trees a mandatory requirement for obtaining, renewing or transferring arms licences.
According to an official release issued by the District Information Department, applicants will now be required to plant 10 trees either on private land or on public land anywhere within the district. The application must be submitted along with geo-tagged proof of the plantation, the release said.
District Magistrate Chandraprakash Singh, who introduced the measure, said the new condition will be applicable in addition to all previously-existing conditions for acquiring arms licences.
"This move is aimed at encouraging citizens to contribute meaningfully towards environmental protection while fulfilling their personal needs," he said.
"The responsibility for maintaining and protecting these trees will also lie with the applicants themselves," Singh added, emphasising that public participation is key to ensuring the survival of the planted saplings.
District Information Officer Prashant Suchari shared the details of the initiative on Wednesday and called it an important step in raising awareness about environmental preservation.
"This initiative not only aligns with administrative responsibilities but also reinforces the collective duty of citizens toward sustaining the environment," he said.
