President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday unveiled Turkey's long-awaited Human Rights Action Plan, saying that the plan is expected to be executed within the upcoming two years and that "broad-based consultations were a part of every activity in the plan prepared according to our nation's expectations."

"It has 11 principles, the first one of which is the fact that human rights are under the protection of the law," he stated, speaking at the introductory meeting of the Human Rights Action Plan.

Around the 11 main principles that constitute the backbone of the plan, a total of nine aims, 50 goals and 393 activities are set herein. The activities envisioned within the framework of each goal under the relevant aims are organized as tangible "measurable and monitorable" actions.

"The ultimate aim of Turkey's action plan is a new civilian constitution," the president highlighted.

Initially mentioned during the announcement of the first Judicial Reform Package, the plan is based on the vision of "Free Individuals, Strong Society: More Democratic Turkey." Its motto, however, is the following: "Let people live so the state will live!" The plan originates from the state's "obligation to protect, in all of its affairs and acts and with all of the state institutions and organizations, the physical and moral integrity and the honor and dignity of individuals."

There's yet more significant escalation in Iraq as it appears pro-Iranian militia forces may have 'hit back' in a potential retaliation strike against US forces, as the Pentagon has confirmed at least ten rockets were fired on the the Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq's Anbar province Wednesday morning.

There were initial reports of no casualties and Iraq's military reported "no significant losses". A US Coalition statement said that according to its initial assessment "10 IDF rockets targeted an Iraqi military base, Al Asad Airbase, hosting Coalition troops, on March 03, 2021 at approx 7:20 a.m. (Iraqi time)."

However, the AFP in the hours afterward reported the following death related to the security threat:

"A civilian contractor with the US-led coalition in Iraq died of a heart attack during a rocket attack on the sprawling Ain al-Assad air base, Iraqi and Western security sources say."

It's the first such rocket fire on US facilities and assets in the region since the major US strike on Eastern Syria on Feb.25. Biden controversially authorized that attack which may have killed multiple 'Iranian militia' operating in the country in response to the prior rocket volley attack on Erbil Air Base last month.

Today, five attorneys general from Indiana, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma sent a joint letter to President Joe Biden urging him to withdraw his nomination of Vanita Gupta to be associate attorney general. It states:

"As the chief legal officers of Indiana, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, we write today to urge you to withdraw the nomination of Vanita Gupta for Associate Attorney General. Ms. Gupta's past comments and track record have demonstrated her disinterest in meaningful police reform in favor of destructive policies that would defund the police. Her nomination will further divide our nation instead of implementing policies to protect our communities and support law enforcement."

The letter alludes to Gupta's poor stance on law and order, given her support for defunding the police and for the openly Marxist organization Black Lives Matter. The five attorneys general, Todd Rokita of Indiana, Leslie Rutledge of Arkansas, Mike Hunter of Oklahoma, Jeff Landry of Louisiana, and Ken Paxton of Texas note:

"Endorsing such a radical nominee is no way to bring about unity. Our local law enforcement officers protect our families, our neighborhoods, and our cities, often at great risk to themselves. Policies to limit their ability to do their job will not make us safer but will instead put us — and them — at an increased risk of violence. Meanwhile criminals who have no respect for the law or human life will be given more freedom to wreak havoc on our streets."

Iraq has ruled out the possibility of the United States withdrawing its forces from the Middle East region, the country's ambassador to Amman, Haidar al-Azari, told Sputnik, adding that the regional states, including Jordan and Iraq, have strategic agreements with Washington.

"I do not subscribe to the view that the United States may withdraw from the region", al-Azari said.

A number of the Middle East nations, with Jordan and Iraq among them, consider Washington a partner, the Iraqi diplomat added, noting that the regional states have "strategic agreements" with the US. Al-Azari, who served as Iraq's ambassador to Moscow from 2016-2019, went on to highlight the importance of Russia's ties with the regional countries:

"Iraq is an important partner for Russia, as well as for the United States. A balance needs to be created between the major powers concerned with the Middle East. I believe that the US and Russia should be represented in the region. Most of the regional countries have solid relations with them. As for our role, we should know how to deal with [these] two states."

White House officials have previously said that the White House has not yet reached a decision on US force posture in Iraq and other countries going forward.

Senior Palestinian politicians, their bodyguards and the national football team received Covid jabs meant for healthcare workers, the Palestinian Authority (PA) said. It also gave the Jordanian royal court another 200 doses.

In all, the PA admitted on Tuesday it gave some 10 percent of 12,000 Covid vaccines to a coterie of government ministers, members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's executive members, security personnel and soccer players as well as fulfilling a request from Amman for doses.

But it said the other 90 percent went to health workers treating Covid-19 patients in intensive care units and emergency departments and to other health ministry workers.

Germany's domestic intelligence agency is investigating the far-right Alternative for Germany — the largest opposition party in parliament — according to national media. The move comes ahead of national elections.

Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) have placed the Alternative for Germany (AfD) under surveillance, according to local media.

That designation gives state agents more powers for surveillance in certain circumstances, including potentially tapping the party's communications.

The BfV refused to comment on media reports from Der Spiegel magazine, the DPA news agency and public broadcaster ARD. The Interior Ministry, which oversees the BfV, said it would neither confirm nor deny them.

Why has there been no official statement?

The BfV is apparently unable to announce the decision officially because of an ongoing legal dispute.

Ten rockets landed on Wednesday at Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base, which hosts U.S., coalition and Iraqi forces, the Iraqi military said.

There were no reports of injuries among U.S. service personnel but an American civilian contractor died after suffering a "cardiac episode" while sheltering from the rockets, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.

"We cannot attribute responsibility at this time, and we do not have a complete picture of the extent of the damage," Kirby added. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Emmanuel Macron has admitted French soldiers tortured and killed a well-known Algerian lawyer and activist during the country's independence war.

Ali Boumendjel, 37, died after falling from a sixth-floor window in 1957 during the Battle of Algiers. Until now, his death has been recorded as suicide.

"At the heart of the Battle of Algiers, he was arrested by the French army, hidden, tortured then assassinated on 23 March 1957," the Elysée said in a statement.

"I just wonder what it would be like to be reincarnated in an animal whose species had been so reduced in numbers than it was in danger of extinction. What would be its feelings toward the human species whose population explosion had denied it somewhere to exist.... I must confess that I am tempted to ask for reincarnation as a particularly deadly virus." ~ Prince Philip, in his Foreward to "If I Were an Animal" - United Kingdom, Robin Clark Ltd., 1986.

"The world today has 6.8 billion people...that's headed up to about 9 billion. If we do a really great job on vaccines, health care, reproductive health services, we could lower that by perhaps 10 to 15 percent." ~ Bill Gates

"Depopulation should be the highest priority of foreign policy towards the third world, because the US economy will require large and increasing amounts of minerals from abroad, especially from less developed countries" ~ Henry A. Kissinger

"A total population of 250-300 million people, a 95% decline from present levels, would be ideal." ~ Ted Turner

"The most merciful thing that the large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it." ~ Margaret Sanger, Woman and the New Race, Chapter 5, "The Wickedness of Creating Large Families." (1920)

"That it is now far easier to manipulate with precision the human genome within viable embryos means that we are likely to see the advent of designer babies in the future who possess particular traits or who are resistant to a specific disease".

~ Klaus Schwab, Shaping the Future of the Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Guide to Building a Better World

"Eugenics is a social (and 'scientific') movement based on the belief that the genetic quality of the human race can be improved by the use of selective breeding, as well as other often morally criticized means to eliminate groups of people considered genetically inferior, while encouraging the growth of groups judged to be genetically superior."

While much of the world is focused on Covid-related issues, Ukraine's seven-year war on the people of Donbass continues. In recent weeks, Kiev's shelling of civilians has intensified, met by the predictable Western media silence.

Ostensibly, following the Minsk agreements, there was a ceasefire. In reality, Donbass residents in villages bordering peace lines are incessantly subject to Ukrainian shelling.

Ukraine uses heavy weapons in violation of the agreement, including 82mm and 120mm mortar shells, routinely shelling at night when Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) observers are not patrolling the area.