Author: ALJAZEERA

Move comes after meeting between Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini.Japan is planning to resume funding to the United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees after suspending assistance over Israeli claims that some of its staff participated in Hamas’s October 7 attacks. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa met UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini in Tokyo on Thursday to discuss ways the agency could enhance its transparency and governance, including ensuring the traceability of funds and the neutrality of staff. “Japan and the UNRWA confirmed that they will advance final coordination about necessary efforts to resume Japan’s contribution,”…

Brazil’s embattled former President Jair Bolsonaro has requested the return of his passport in order to visit Israel, fuelling speculation that he could be seeking respite abroad from his domestic legal troubles. Defence lawyer and Bolsonaro spokesperson Fabio Wajngarten addressed his request in a social media post on Thursday. “The defence team of President [Jair Bolsonaro] petitioned the Supreme Court last Monday, on March 25, to request the return of the president’s passport, albeit for a fixed period, with a view to accept an invitation to visit Israel next month,” Wajngarten wrote. “As is publicly known, international relations are a…

Magazine known for photography of major 20th century events ceased print publication in 2007.Life magazine, the American magazine known for its iconic photography capturing major events of the 20th century, is set to be revived under a deal struck by fashion model Karlie Kloss’s media company. Bedford Media, which Kloss owns with her venture capitalist husband Joshua Kushner, said in a statement on Thursday that the magazine would be relaunched in print and digital form after it secured publishing rights in an agreement with Dotdash Meredith. The financial details of the deal and the relaunch date were not immediately disclosed.…

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Taipei, Taiwan – “​​The American Dream. They say it’s for all, but is it really?” So begins a 65-second, AI-generated animated video that touches on hot-button issues in the United States ranging from drug addiction and imprisonment rates to growing wealth inequality. As storm clouds gather over an urban landscape resembling New York City, the words “AMERICAN DREAM” hang in a darkening sky as the video ends. The message is clear: Despite its promises of a better life for all, the United States is in terminal decline. The video, titled American Dream or American Mirage, is one of a number…

Melbourne, Australia – Israel’s continued assault on Gaza has highlighted a hidden yet crucial component of the world’s weapons manufacturing industry – suburban Australia. Tucked away in Melbourne’s industrial north, Heat Treatment Australia (HTA) is an Australian company that plays a vital role in the production of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters; the same model that Israel is using to bomb Gaza. Weekly protests of about 200 people have been taking place for months outside the nondescript factory, where heat treatment is applied to strengthen components for the fighter jet a product of US military giant Lockheed Martin. While protesters have…

The 32-year-old illegally used money from depositors of one of the world’s most popular platforms for trading digital currency to cover his expenses.Former crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried is due to be sentenced for his role in the 2022 collapse of FTX, once one of the world’s most popular platforms for trading digital currency. Bankman-Fried, 32, was convicted last November of fraud and conspiracy by a jury that found that he illegally used money from FTX depositors to cover his expenses, which included purchasing luxury properties in the Caribbean, alleged bribes to Chinese officials and private planes. He will return to…

Advocates for Arab Americans routinely use one word to describe how diverse communities from the Middle East and North Africa have for decades been categorised in the United States Census: “Invisible”. But that is set to change when the next federal census is conducted in 2030, with the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announcing Thursday new federal standards on collecting race and ethnicity data. For the first time, Americans who trace their ancestral roots to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) will have their own category on the decennial survey. “It’s transformative,” said Maya Berry, the executive…

Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram are addictive and have ‘rewired’ the way children learn, educators say.Four major school boards in Canada have filed lawsuits against some of the world’s largest social media companies, alleging that the platforms have disrupted students’ learning and are highly addictive for children. The school boards, which are seeking about $2.9bn (four billion Canadian dollars) in damages, said the social media platforms have been “negligently designed for compulsive use, [and] have rewired the way children think, behave and learn”. Students are experiencing “an attention, learning, and mental health crisis because of prolific and compulsive use of…

In a new set of provisional measures, the World Court ordered Israel to open more land crossings to allow aid into Gaza.Judges at the International Court of Justice have unanimously ordered Israel to take all the necessary and effective action to ensure basic food supplies arrive without delay to the Palestinian population in Gaza. The ICJ judges said in an order on Thursday that Palestinians in Gaza face worsening conditions of life and famine and starvation are spreading. “The court observes that Palestinians in Gaza are no longer facing only a risk of famine … but that famine is setting…