Author: ALJAZEERA

City-state’s culture minister says grant given to pop icon ‘not anywhere as high as speculated’.Singapore has downplayed the size of a grant it paid Taylor Swift after the city-state’s efforts to lure the pop icon led to complaints from regional neighbours. Singapore’s Culture Minister Edwin Tong said on Monday that speculation about the size of the grant was “not accurate”. “I can say that it is not accurate and not anywhere as high as speculated, but due to business confidentiality, we cannot reveal the specific size and conditions of the grant,” Tong told Parliament in response to questions from lawmakers.…

A cargo ship that was abandoned in the southern Red Sea after an attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels has sunk after days of taking on water, according to officials. The sinking of the Rubymar on Saturday has prompted concerns of disastrous ecological damage to the Red Sea and its coral reefs. The Belize-flagged, United Kingdom-owned cargo ship, was carrying more than 41,000 tonnes of fertiliser and had leaked oil for several days after it came under attack. Yemen’s internationally recognised government, in a statement on Saturday, said the ship sank “last night, coinciding with weather factors and strong winds at…

Calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza are growing louder.More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed and tens of thousands injured in Israel’s war on Gaza. The United Nations has warned of famine, and says the healthcare system is on its knees. But nearly five months since the start of the devastating war, there is no let up in Israel’s daily attacks. Qatar, the United States and Egypt have been mediating talks for a ceasefire, but there are fears the constant bombardment could threaten those discussions. Israel’s killing of more than 100 Palestinians as they waited to collect food on…

NewsFeedThis Israeli demonstrator believes his country is treating Palestinians like Nazi Germany treated Jews in the 1930s. Thousands protested in Tel Aviv against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government’s war on Gaza.Published On 3 Mar 20243 Mar 2024 Source link

Nikkei 225 gains as much as 1 percent after last month beating 1989 record.Japan’s benchmark stock market index has smashed the 40,000 mark for the first time, continuing its comeback after decades of stagnation. The Nikkei 225 gained 1 percent to 40,308.85 during morning trading on Monday, as investors took an upbeat view of Japanese firms following gains on Wall Street. Tech shares including Tokyo Electron and Advantest were among the biggest gainers. Japanese stocks have become some of the hottest buys over the past year as foreign investors take advantage of the cheap yen and corporate governance reforms that…

Aida, Bethlehem, occupied West Bank – Among the children playing on the street in the Aida refugee camp near Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank is 10-year-old Ahmad Damaseh who dreams of becoming a doctor when he grows up. He belongs to the fourth generation of the Damaseh family to live in this refugee camp since his ancestors fled the Nakba from the Jerusalem neighbourhood of Deir Aban 75 years ago as some 750,000 Palestinians were driven from their homes to make way for the creation of the state of Israel. Central to Damaseh’s dream is a United Nations agency…

The International Rescue Committee president discusses the urgent international responses required for ongoing emergencies.In this episode, we explore the essential role of non-governmental organisations in confronting global emergencies. The International Rescue Committee, initiated by Albert Einstein, is known for its impactful work. The organisation delivers aid and hope to at-risk populations in conflict zones, notably Gaza, marked as the most hazardous area for civilians and aid workers. Amid turmoil in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ukraine, David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee, talks to Al Jazeera. Source link

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At least nine people killed in attack on aid distribution vehicle, according to Palestinian media.At least nine people have been killed and many others were wounded in an Israeli strike on an aid distribution truck in Deir el-Balah, the Wafa news agency reports. A witness who did not give his name told Al Jazeera that he was on his way to a water well on Sunday when the area was “showered with missiles, shrapnel flying around, body parts in the air”. “This truck was carrying relief aid, with civilian volunteers on board. They were carrying food items to displaced Gaza…

The United States has become the latest country to airdrop humanitarian aid into Gaza. Amid growing fears of famine in the besieged Palestinian territory, the US Air Force parachuted in more than 30,000 meals. But some aid agencies have said military airlifts are not the answer. Instead, they want Israel to open more border crossings to allow aid trucks to drive in. Israel is accused of limiting aid deliveries – despite warnings that people were starving. The limited amount of aid that has been delivered is not nearly enough for the 2.3 million Palestinian residents of Gaza. To complicate the…