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Jordanian King receives the first-time call from Syrian Prez since 2011

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made a phone call to Jordanian King Abdullah II for the first time since the Syrian War began in 2011…reports Asian Lite News

According to a statement issued by the Syrian presidential official, Assad and King Abdullah II discussed bilateral relations and ways to boost cooperation to achieve the interest of both peoples during their call on Sunday, reports Xinhua news agency.

The relations between Syria and Jordan deteriorated significantly when the latter chose to support Western-backed rebels in the Syrian civil war.

Jordanian King receives the first-time call from Syrian Prez since 2011

The phone call between the heads of the two states comes as a part of the normalisation of the bilateral relationship, which also led to the re-opening of border crossings and the resumption of commercial flights.

In addition, Syria has agreed to a plan for allowing Egyptian gas to pass through Jordan and Syria to reach Lebanon, which is in dire need of energy supplies.

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The two sides also reached an agreement to jointly develop the water resource on their borders.

Last month, Syrian Defence Minister General Ali Abdullah Ayyoub visited Jordan.

The 22-member Arab League bloc had suspended Syria’s suspension in November 2011, months after the civil war was triggered by the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Supreme head of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church passes away

Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, the supreme head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of India, passed away on Monday at a private hospital at Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district after suffering from post-Covid complications.

He was also suffering from cancer and breathed his last at the hospital of the Church.

The 74-year-old Metropolitan had been heading the Church since 2006 and will be remembered as the one who was instrumental in giving voting rights to women in their home parishes.

Born in Thrissur, he was K.I. Paul and at the very young age of 36, was ordained as a bishop of the Church.

He also shot into fame when he called on Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2013.

The veteran Metropolitan’s closeness with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan surfaced out in the open when he made the statement soon after meeting him in 2016, and said that the ‘Church which was like an orphan, has now someone to look forward to’.

The body has been placed for the faithful to pay their last respects at the famed Parumala Church, near Thiruvalla, and will be taken to the Church headquarters on Monday night.

On Tuesday, the funeral service will start in the morning and the body will be interned at the headquarters of the Church at Devalokham in the evening.

PM condoles death

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of Moran Mor Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, expressing solidarity with the members of the Orthodox Church at their hour of grief.

Saddened by the passing away of His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Paulos II, the Supreme Head of Indian Orthodox Church. He leaves behind a rich legacy of service and compassion. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the members of the Orthodox Church. RIP.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 12, 2021

“Saddened by the passing away of His Holiness Moran Mor Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, the Supreme Head of Indian Orthodox Church. He leaves behind a rich legacy of service and compassion. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the members of the Orthodox Church. RIP,” Modi posted on Twitter from his official handle.

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