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A30 world news
Diaranson 17 augustus 2022

Palestinian President Abbas skirts apology for Munich attack

5, 1972. At the time of the at- many has long argued the let's build trust between us
tack, the group was linked to term should only be used to and you. This is better than
Abbas' Fatah party. describe the Nazis' singu- other kinds of talking."
Asked whether as Palestinian lar crime of killing six mil-
leader he planned to apolo- lion Jews before and during Weeks before a planned som-
gize to Israel and Germany World War II. ber commemoration mark-
for the attack ahead of the ing the 50th anniversary of
50th anniversary next month, While Scholz did not pub- the Munich attack, Germany
Abbas responded instead by licly rebuke Abbas for using has also found itself em-
citing allegations of atroci- the term "Holocaust," he ear- broiled in controversy in its
ties committed by Israel since lier rejected the Palestinian dealings with the relatives of
1947. leader's description of Israel's the Israelis who were killed.
treatment of Palestinians as
"If we want to go over the "apartheid." Scholz also said Victims' families announced
past, go ahead," Abbas told he did not believe the time last week that they planned
reporters after a meeting had come to recognize Pales- to boycott the ceremony after
with German Chancellor tinian statehood, which Ab- failing to reach agreement on
(AP) — Palestinian Presi- "Holocausts" against Pal- Olaf Scholz in Berlin. "I have bas repeatedly called for. bigger compensation from
dent Mahmoud Abbas estinians over the years. 50 slaughters that Israel com- the German government.
expressed no regret Tues- mitted." The Palestinian president Relatives of the athletes have
day for the deadly attack Eleven Israeli athletes and a did say he was committed to long accused Germany of
by Palestinian militants German police officer died Standing next to Scholz, Ab- building trust and achieving a failing to secure the Olympic
against Israeli athletes at after members of the Pales- bas explicitly used the word peaceful solution to the con- Village, refusing Israeli help
the Munich Olympics half tinian militant group Black "Holocausts" in his reply, flict with Israel. and botching a rescue opera-
a century ago, countering September took hostages at drawing a grimace from the "Please come to peace," he tion in which five of the at-
that Israel had committed the Olympic Village on Sept. German chancellor. Ger- said. "Please come to security, tackers also died.

French backpacker missing in Egypt for a year back in Paris

(AP) — A French back- mittee for Justice that had perate family decided to go
packer who had gone pressed the Egyptian and public, and used Egyptian
missing in Egypt a year French authorities to inves- President Abdel Fattah el-
ago has safely returned tigate the 27-year-old's disap- Sissi's official visit to Paris on
home to Paris, a lawyer pearance, said Bourdon flew July 22 to press for an inves-
representing his family from Cairo to Paris on Aug. tigation.
said on Tuesday. 10.
They stood on a Paris side-
It's not clear what happened A day before, Bourdon had walk and raised placards ask-
over the past year to Yann phoned his sister in Paris ing, "Where is Yann Bour-
Bourdon, whose family had from the French Consulate don, President Sissi?" before
speculated that he might have in Cairo, Sakouti told The a motorcade drove past carry-
been detained by Egyptian Associated Press. The same ing el-Sissi to a meeting with
security services. The gradu- day, Egyptian state security French President Emmanuel
ate student at the Sorbonne, services had announced they Macron.
who vanished while on a would facilitate Bourdon's
year-long backpacking jour- return to Paris. International rights groups of demands for an end to po- voked. The government has
ney, declined to discuss his have in recent years docu- lice brutality and extrajudicial carried out a wide-reaching
disappearance with the media Before that, his family and mented a growing number practices. crackdown on dissent, jailing
and to share details of his re- friends had last heard from of forced disappearances by thousands of people — many
turn to France. Bourdon in August 2021. Egyptian authorities. Egypt's Since el-Sissi ascended to of them without a trial.
After months of silence and 2011 popular uprising against power in 2014, most of the The vast majority of those
Sarah Sakouti, a legal counsel stonewalling from Egyptian Hosni Mubarak, the former freedoms gained after the detained have been Egyptian
for the Geneva-based Com- authorities, Bourdon's des- longtime president, grew out 2011 uprising have been re- citizens.

New Scottish law makes period products free for all

(AP) — A law has taken said it became the first in Under the new law, schools, troduced by Scottish Parlia-
effect in Scotland to en- the world to legally protect colleges and universities as "Providing access to free pe- ment lawmaker Monica Len-
sure period products are the right to access free peri- well as local government riod products is fundamental non, who had campaigned
available free of charge to od products when its Period bodies must make a range of to equality and dignity, and against "period poverty" —
anyone who needs them. Products Act came into force period products such as tam- removes the financial barri- when someone who needs
Monday. pons and sanitary pads avail- ers to accessing them," Scot- sanitary products can't afford
The Scottish government able for free in their bath- tish Social Justice Secretary them.
rooms. The Scottish govern- Shona Robison said.
ment already invested mil- "Proud of what we have
lions of pounds since 2017 to "This is more important than achieved in Scotland," Len-
fund free period products in ever at a time when people non tweeted Monday. "We
educational institutions, but are making difficult choices are the first but won't be the
the law makes it a legal re- due to the cost of living crisis last."
quirement. and we never want anyone to
A mobile phone app also be in a position where they The Scottish government
helps people find the near- cannot access period prod- said its move was world-
est place — such as the local ucts," she added. leading, with countries in-
library or community center cluding South Korea and
— where they can pick up The bill, which was passed New Zealand taking similar
period products. unanimously in 2020, was in- approaches.