Author: ALJAZEERA

Tunisia’s President Kais Saied has been cracking down on political dissent since his power grab in July 2021. More than 20 politicians and dozens of journalists and critics have been rounded up on charges of “conspiring” against the state. Perhaps the most unusual set of accusations so far has been one that names former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who died recently at the age of 100. The anti-corruption message wears thin At first, Saied enjoyed popular support for his power grab and ensuing crackdown, with people cheering his message of ending corruption, which they assumed would improve their…

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PM Netanyahu’s rejection of Palestinian statehood is attracting pushback.The United Nations and the United Kingdom say a two-state solution is key to bringing peace in the Israel-Palestine conflict as international pushback against Israel’s rejection of Palestinian statehood grows. The UK’s foreign minister said on Wednesday as he set off for a tour of the Middle East that he would highlight Britain’s long-term support for a two-state solution. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday insisted that denying Palestinian statehood would prolong the war in the Gaza Strip. The statements reflect global concern after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week said…

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US military says Houthi antiship missiles destroyed, hit targets in Iraq linked to armed groups aligned with Iran.The United States military launched new strikes in Yemen against Houthi antiship missiles and facilities in Iraq targeting Iran-backed armed groups it says were behind missile and drone attacks on US troops in Iraq and Syria. The strikes in Yemen, which took place at 2:30am on Wednesday (23:30 GMT on Tuesday) are the latest attacks against the Iran-aligned group which has been attacking shipping in the Red Sea and has warned it would not stop. “US forces identified the missiles in Houthi-controlled areas…

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Rohtak, India – It’s a frigid January morning and the sun has not risen yet. A shivering Pramod Sharma queues up outside the main entrance of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) campus in Rohtak, a small town in the northern Indian state of Haryana, about 84km (52 miles) from New Delhi. Sharma, 43, is joined by hundreds of other men appearing for a skill test for the role of a shuttering carpenter in Israel – the first time the Israeli construction sector has opened up to Indians, who had previously found work there primarily as caregivers. Workers queue for construction jobs…

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While most Israelis support the war on Gaza, some teenagers refuse military service and risk their freedom to stand up for their beliefs.In Israel, military service is mandatory for most Jewish Israelis. In a highly militarised society, many consider it a rite of passage and a part of their national identity. But there are some teens who refuse to enlist on moral grounds. The so-called “conscientious objectors” say they do not want to be part of Israel’s war on Gaza or the oppression of Palestinians on occupied land. But the refusal to conscribe comes at a cost – the risk…

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