Author: ALJAZEERA

The UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process discusses Gaza ceasefire efforts.Since Israel’s inception in 1948, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has centred on the occupied Palestinian territory, human rights violations and Palestinian self-determination, leading to cycles of violence and failed peace efforts. The Oslo Accords in 1993 led to the appointment of a United Nations special coordinator to oversee regional peace initiatives. Amid Israel’s continuing war on Gaza, with severe humanitarian crises and escalating violence, the coordinator faces the challenging task of navigating this complex and volatile landscape. Find out more as the UN special coordinator for the Middle…

Two countries warn of ‘potentially devastating consequences’ if Israel pushes ahead with ground offensive in Rafah.Australia and the United Kingdom have called for an “immediate cessation of fighting” in Gaza, warning of “potentially devastating consequences” if Israel goes ahead with a planned ground assault on the southern city of Rafah. The two countries issued a joint statement on Friday, expressing “deep concern at the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza” after Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles hosted their British counterparts, David Cameron and Grant Shapps, for talks in Adelaide. The ministers noted “the large number of…

The Israeli military says it is continuing to conduct ‘precise operations’ at al-Shifa Hospital.Here’s how things stand on Friday, March 22, 2024: Fighting and humanitarian crisis The Israeli military says it is continuing to conduct “precise operations” at Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital on Friday. Its forces have killed 150 fighters and apprehended “hundreds of suspects” in or around the facility in the past day, it claims. Israel faced heavy criticism last November when troops first raided the hospital. Israeli forces said they had uncovered tunnels, which they claimed had been used as command-and-control centres by Hamas. Hamas and medical staff deny…

NewsFeedA building made of food aid cans stands out among the makeshift shelters at a refugee camp in northern Gaza. Built with the help of children in the camp, this structure aims to raise awareness about starvation across Gaza in order to encourage an international demand for a ceasefire with Israel.Published On 21 Mar 202421 Mar 2024 Source link

Sub-Saharan Africa to account for one in every two children born in 2100, Lancet study says.Fertility rates in nearly every country will be too low to sustain their populations by the end of this century, a major study has warned. By 2100, populations in 198 of 204 countries will be shrinking, with most births taking place in poor countries, the study published in the Lancet showed on Monday. Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to account for one in every two children born in 2100, with only Somalia, Tonga, Niger, Chad, Samoa and Tajikistan able to sustain their populations, according to the…

Washington, DC – Congressional leaders in the United States have proposed a spending bill that would avert a government shutdown but ban funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Endorsed by the top Republican and Democratic legislators in the House and the Senate, the $1.2 trillion bill released Thursday morning would ensure continuous funding for large swaths of the US federal government, including the Departments of State and Defense. It is not uncommon for US legislators to use so-called “must pass” bills to advance their policy priorities and UNRWA has been in the crosshairs…

Video introduces 29-year-old man as first patient to use start-up’s brain-chip technology.Elon Musk’s brain-chip start-up, Neuralink, has livestreamed a patient appearing to play online chess using only his mind. In a video posted on the X social media platform on Wednesday, Neuralink introduced Noland Arbaugh, 29, as the first human patient to be implanted with its brain-computer interface technology. Arbaugh, who described becoming paralysed from the shoulders down in a diving accident, said that using Neuralink had become “intuitive” after practising imagining moving the cursor on the screen. “Basically, it was like using ‘the Force’ on the cursor, and I…

blinking-dotLive updatesLive updates, Top US diplomat Antony Blinken calls for ‘an enduring end’ to the war on Gaza with Israel’s regional integration and an independent Palestinian state. Source link

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Chinese tourists are returning to Malaysia en masse after the COVID-19 pandemic slump, industry figures say, amid expectations arrivals could reach pre-pandemic levels this year following the introduction of visa-free entry. Mint Leong, president of the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association, estimated that arrivals rose to 60,000 in January, up from about 45,000 last year, and as high as 120,000 in February during the Lunar New Year period. “Chinese New Year will be the best arrivals post-COVID-19,” Leong told Al Jazeera. Leong said he expects Chinese arrivals to reach 3.5-4.5 million this year, with the average tourist…

Security Council expected to vote on Friday on US-drafted ceasefire resolution with talks to continue in Qatar.The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote as soon as Friday on a United States-drafted resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza as the European Union called for a “humanitarian pause”, adding to the pressure on Israel to end its five-month-long bombardment of the Palestinian territory. Washington, Israel’s staunchest ally, has been gradually hardening its tone following its early solid support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war in Gaza. The latest draft resolution marks a further toughening of Washington’s…