Author: ALJAZEERA

The arrests were made across 37 provinces amid drive by Turkey’s security forces ahead of New Year celebrations.Turkey has announced it has arrested 189 people suspected of having ties to the ISIL (ISIS) armed group as the government continues to detain people across the country. Turkey’s interior minister, Ali Yerlikaya, said on social media platform X on Saturday that the suspects were arrested as part of “Operation Heroes-38”, which took place simultaneously in 37 provinces. The detentions come amid a drive by Turkey’s security forces ahead of New Year festivities, although some also view it as part of a political…

Istanbul rival teams Galatasaray and Fenerbahce were scheduled to play in Riyadh on Friday.The Turkish Super Cup final between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce scheduled to be played in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh was called off over an apparent disagreement about the players’ jerseys. The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) and the two teams – who returned to Istanbul on Saturday after Friday’s postponed match – said the decision was made because of “some problems” in the event’s organisation. Haberturk television and other Turkish media said players from both Istanbul football teams wanted to wear T-shirts that featured an image of Mustafa Kemal…

The administration of United States President Joe Biden has once again bypassed Congress to greenlight an emergency weapons sale to Israel, which has only intensified and broadened its attacks on the Gaza Strip despite growing international outrage. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Congress that he had made a second emergency determination in less than a month, covering a $147.5m sale of equipment to Israel, the State Department said on Friday. “Given the urgency of Israel’s defensive needs, the secretary notified Congress that he had exercised his delegated authority to determine an emergency existed necessitating the immediate approval of…

South Africa files case of genocide against Israel, as attacks on Gaza, occupied West Bank and southern Lebanon continue – here is the latest.Here’s how things stand on Saturday, December 30, 2023: Latest updates and human impact Israeli ground forces and tanks are pushing into the eastern, southern and northern outskirts of the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. But they have not yet reached the western side and Hamas fighters are resisting the incursion. Israel’s bombardment of southern Gaza has intensified with the Israeli army, navy and air force targeting multiple locations in Khan Younis and Rafah. Israel has…

As Israeli military pounds Gaza and conducts raids in occupied West Bank, Hamas says no deal on captives until ‘aggression’ stops.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces growing pressure from his right-wing coalition government amid sharp disagreements over the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is nearing its 90th day with no end in sight to the war or a deal for a pause in hostilities. Netanyahu cancelled a meeting of Israel’s war cabinet on Thursday night that was meant to discuss the plan for the “day after” the war after fierce opposition to the meeting from far-right members of the coalition. National…

It’s the end of the year, and you know what that means: lots of hubbub about Time magazine’s annual “Person of the Year,” a tradition that began in 1928 as “Man of the Year” but that now honours a “man, woman, group or concept.” Given the ghastly course of 2023, it seems one obvious choice for “Person of the Year” would be the Palestinian doctors and medical personnel currently risking their lives to save others from Israel’s genocidal endeavours in the Gaza Strip. Since October 7, the Israeli military has slaughtered more than 21,000 Palestinians in Gaza, among them at…

Theophylline Mulbah has had a long journey to Tunisia, but he’s found hope — and music — along the way.Theophylline Mulbah is in no rush. “I have things to do here,” he says from a rain-soaked alleyway in central Tunis. “I am seriously pursuing my musical career. I am a rapper.” Two years ago, Mulbah left his home in Liberia in West Africa and took his time travelling before arriving in Tunis in August. Mulbah moved through Sierra Leone, Guinea, Mali and Algeria on foot, spending some time in each country as he raised funds for the next stage of…

UNRWA says Israeli forces fired on aid convoy travelling on designated route; attacks on civilians continue across Gaza. Source link

Israeli authorities barred Palestinians from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem for the 12th consecutive Friday. According to Anadolu Agency, the Israeli police set up barriers at the entrances to the Old City and allowed only the elderly to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Israeli police also set up checkpoints at the outer gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound – Islam’s third holiest site. Hundreds of people performed Friday prayers in the streets near the Old City, after they were prevented from reaching the mosque. A large number of Israeli forces were also deployed in the Wadi al-Joz neighbourhood near the Old…

The artificial intelligence (AI) industry began 2023 with a bang as schools and universities struggled with students using OpenAI’s ChatGPT to help them with homework and essay writing. Less than a week into the year, New York City Public Schools banned ChatGPT – released weeks earlier to enormous fanfare – a move that would set the stage for much of the discussion around generative AI in 2023. As the buzz grew around Microsoft-backed ChatGPT and rivals like Google’s Bard AI, Baidu’s Ernie Chatbot and Meta’s LLaMA, so did questions about how to handle a powerful new technology that had become…