Author: ALJAZEERA

Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza have been forced to flee again towards the south after Israel intensified assaults in the centre of the besieged enclave killing more than 180 people in the past 24 hours. The Israeli army on Friday said in a post on X that it was “expanding the operation in the Khan Younis area” of Gaza, previously sheltering hundreds of thousands of people displaced from the north – initially the focus of Israel’s ground assault. Israeli shelling near El Amal hospital in Khan Younis killed 41 people over the past two days, the Palestinian…

Medan, Indonesia – As far as local ranger Ajo is concerned, no one should have been trekking on Mount Marapi, one of Indonesia’s most famous volcanoes, on December 3. For almost a year, the 25-year-old guide, who led tours on the mountain from 2020 to 2022, had been warning authorities about increased volcanic activity at the peak, and his fears that climbers would die if the active volcano erupted. Unfortunately, his prediction about the volatility of Mount Marapi proved to be correct. About 75 hikers were on the mountain when it erupted earlier this month, sending a 2,000-foot-high (600-metre) ash…

South Africa has filed an application instituting proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing it of crimes of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza after nearly three months of relentless Israeli bombardment has killed more than 21,500 people and caused widespread destruction in the besieged enclave. In an application to the court on Friday, South Africa described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group”. “The acts in question include killing Palestinians in Gaza, causing them…

Lagos, Nigeria – Chinenye Ikechukwu’s Decembers are usually dotted with concerts, parties, and restaurant and beach outings with friends. But this year, the 27-year-old resident of Yaba in Lagos has stayed mostly at home due to the economic downturn plaguing Africa’s largest economy. The rising cost of living and soaring inflation, which stands at 28 percent, forced her to draw up a preference list. What was most painful to strike out was Detty December, as Nigeria’s end-of-year celebrations are known. They feature a rolling succession of concerts, parties and other festivities. “The point is that Detty December this year is…

When Sudan’s second largest city, Wad Madani, fell to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on December 18, Afnan Hind and her family fled to a nearby town to stay with relatives. But the paramilitary group came there too and prevented residents from leaving. Hind and her family were trapped by a group that kills civilians, rapes women and girls, and loots citizens of their wealth. Days later, she said, RSF fighters stormed their apartment to steal a car parked outside. “My uncle just gave them the keys without resistance. He feared for [the girls in the house],” Hind, 21, told…

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Penang, Malaysia – For foreigners hoping to relocate to Malaysia or extend their stay, the announcement of new terms for one of the most coveted residential and retirement visas prompted mixed emotions. Many expats drawn to the Southeast Asian country, which offers a sunny climate, famed cuisine and a mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Indigenous influences, breathed a sigh of relief at the rollout of “relaxed” requirements for Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H). But after nearly a year of anxious waiting for clarity about changes to the scheme, some prospective applicants were disappointed to see key details left unmentioned…

Guided missile destroyers to ‘maintain deterrent presence’ after Israel-linked vessel hit off Indian coast.The Indian Navy has dispatched guided missile destroyers to the Arabian Sea after an attack on an Israel-linked chemical tanker off its coast, the Ministry of Defence said. Three stealth-guided destroyers were deployed “in various areas of the sea” to “maintain a deterrent presence” considering the “recent spate of attacks in the Arabian Sea”, the ministry said in a statement late on Monday. It was also using long-range maritime patrol aircraft for “domain awareness”, it said. The United States claimed that the December 23 strike on MV…

Residents of Gaza’s Maghazi refugee camp have returned to their neighbourhood to find only blocks of concrete lying where their homes had stood. “These houses are destroyed. Our house was bombed,” Abu Rami Abu al-Ais said on Monday, standing in the debris. “There’s no safe place in the Gaza Strip.” Late on Sunday, at least three houses in the camp were hit by Israeli air strikes, which killed more than 100 people, according to Al Jazeera correspondents. Officials in Gaza said seven families were among the casualties. Israel says it issues evacuation orders and warnings so civilians can get to…

More than 100 people have been killed in an Israeli strike on the Maghazi refugee camp with families still trapped in rubble.Israel has intensified its assault on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 100 people at the Maghazi refugee camp, with Palestinian authorities reporting that 250 people have been killed in a wave of strikes over 24 hours. “My entire family is gone. All five of my brothers are gone. They didn’t leave me any brothers. … All of them!” a wailing woman said on Monday at the Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. Palestinians lined up to…