Author: ALJAZEERA

Harare, Zimbabwe – At a shopping centre in Glenview, a busy working-class suburb of Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, carpenter Arnold Mutiri stopped to buy a 2-litre (half-gallon) Mazoe Raspberry drink. The price tag said US$3.70. With Zimbabwe’s volatile currency and years of economic crisis, most goods are priced in more stable United States dollar amounts with customers receiving their small change in local currency. Mutiri handed the shopkeeper four US$1 bills and waited for his change. But the shop had none available. The 37-year-old then tried to pay the full amount in ZWL, Zimbabwe’s outgoing currency, which locals call bond notes,…

Marc Lamont Hill discusses US policy in the Middle East and the risks of escalation with renowned scholar Jeffrey Sachs.Six months into Israel’s war on Gaza, fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East are mounting. On April 13, Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles towards Israel in an unprecedented attack. The strike came after Israel’s April 1 bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria that killed two top generals. Israel vowed retaliation and, less than a week later, reportedly launched a drone strike on Isfahan, in central Iran. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the…

Quito, Ecuador – He was elected president at a time of crisis, as Ecuador’s murder rate skyrocketed and gang violence seeped across the country. Now, Ecuadorian leader Daniel Noboa is taking a plan of action to the voters, with an 11-part referendum on Sunday. The referendum includes a wide range of proposals, from the militarisation of Ecuador’s police to tougher punishments for crimes like drug trafficking, murder and money laundering. But Sunday’s vote is set to go beyond beefed-up security practices. One question, for example, aims to reform the judiciary system. Another considers whether arbitration should be the default approach…

Early on Friday, Iran activated its air defence systems after reports of explosions in Isfahan province. According to Iranian state media, three small drones were shot down over the city of Isfahan. And while no one has officially claimed responsibility for the aerial attack and the Iranian government has not assigned blame, it is not difficult to hazard a guess as to its origins, given Iran’s recent launching of hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel. This, mind you, took place purely in retaliation for the lethal April 1 Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria. United States…

​​What’s your money worth? A series from the front lines of the cost-of-living crisis, where people who have been hit hard share their monthly expenses. Name: Manisha Santosh Kadam Age: 42 Born: Manchar, in the Indian state of Maharashtra Occupation: Cook Lives with: Her husband, Santosh, 48, their daughter, Rithuja, 21, and son, Sujal, 17. Lives in: A 37sq-metre (400sq-foot) house in Diva, located in Maharashtra’s Thane district, which is about an hour’s drive from Mumbai, India’s financial capital. The house, which is located on a busy street, has two small rooms – a medium-sized hall where all of them…

Of the more than 300 Iranian projectiles launched Israel’s way last week, the vast majority were shot down by Israel and its allies. Israel’s response on Friday against military targets in Isfahan also had more to do with spectacle than substance. Whatever comes next, Iran’s attack – and the way it was characterised in the Western media – may have garnered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government some more support in this global battle of perceptions. Contributors: Laleh Khalili – Professor of Gulf studies, University of ExeterGideon Levy – Columnist, HaaretzMohammad Ali Shabani – Editor, Amwaj.mediaAli Vaez – Iran Project director…

Western car makers, already bruised by the scramble among themselves for a share of the electric vehicle (EV) market, are facing a much more fearsome foe – China and its aggressive investment into the sector. Tesla, perhaps the best-known of the EV manufacturers in Western markets, saw first-quarter sales down by 20 percent this year, compared with the same period in 2023, and its share price has slumped by more than 25 percent since the beginning of this year. According to experts, this is at least partially due to the emergence of a much more competitive landscape, with Xiaomi, originally…

On Friday morning, Iranian air defences shot down three drones above its central province of Isfahan. Iran has yet to announce the results of its investigation into the incident, but the US said early on that Israel launched the attack. Israel has not commented despite speculation that it was behind it. Observers have, however, been anticipating an Israeli attack on Iran as the next link in a chain of escalation that began with an April 1 attack on the Iranian mission in Damascus that Iran blamed on Israel. The second was Iran launching 331 drones and missiles towards Israel on…

Blast hitting Popular Mobilisation Forces comes amid ongoing attacks on Iran-linked groups as regional tensions soar.At least one person has been killed and 20 injured after a blast at a military base in Iraq used by the Iran-aligned Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), according to security sources. The PMF said “the attack” late on Friday targeted the Kalsu military base, located some 50km (31 miles) south of the capital Baghdad in the province of Babil (Babylon). Videos and images from the scene showed a huge explosion, which also set fire to trees in the surrounding areas, spreading the blaze. Footage from…

NewsFeedUS police arrested more than 100 protesters who had set up camp to demonstrate against Israel’s war on Gaza from Columbia University’s campus in New York.Published On 19 Apr 202419 Apr 2024 Source link