The upper house of Russia’s parliament voted unanimously on Thursday to schedule the presidential election for March 17, 2024.
Valentina Matviyenko, the head of the Federation Council, stated that this decision effectively marks the beginning of the election campaign.
Notably, residents of the annexed parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson regions of Ukraine will participate in the vote for the first time.
Matviyenko emphasized that by jointly selecting a head of state, the responsibility and destiny of the fatherland are shared. It’s worth noting that President Vladimir
Putin has not officially declared his candidacy for a new six-year presidential term. The unanimous vote of 162 members in the Federation Council underscores the consensus in setting the election date and initiating the electoral process.
Malala Yousafzai Urges World Not To Normalize Ties With Afghanistan Due To Women’s Rights Abuses
In another development, Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai emphasized the gravity of Afghanistan’s situation, characterizing the regime’s restrictions as virtually criminalizing being a girl.
In urging global nations, she called for refraining from normalizing relations with Afghanistan and emphasized the importance of standing in solidarity with Afghan women.
During her address in Johannesburg, Malala highlighted the numerous prohibitions imposed by the interim Afghan Taliban government, particularly the bans on secondary and university education for girls and women.
Drawing parallels to apartheid, she advocated for the recognition of “gender apartheid” as a crime against humanity, urging its international criminalization.
Malala urged governments, conference organizers, and UN officials to resist the normalization of relations with the Taliban.
She appealed to Pakistan, stating, “I would request Pakistan to stand firmly in support of Afghan women.”
Regarding Pakistan’s stance toward its neighbor, Malala stressed the importance of nations, including Pakistan, refraining from normalizing ties with Afghanistan and not overlooking the gender-based oppression occurring there.
Reflecting on the period of Talibanization and extremism in the Swat valley from 2007-2009, she underscored Pakistan’s role, noting that the situation also poses risks to women within Pakistan.
