Author: ALJAZEERA

Heavy Israeli air raids kill dozens in central Gaza as US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators plan to resume talks.Dozens of Palestinians have been killed in heavy Israeli bombardment of the central Gaza Strip, as US, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators plan to resume talks on a proposed ceasefire and captive release deal. Urban combat and shelling rocked Gaza’s southern city of Rafah near the Egyptian border, as fighting also flared again in central areas, where the Israeli army said “troops have started targeted operational activity in the areas of Bureij and eastern Deir el-Balah, both above and below ground”. A medical…

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is “prepared for a very intense operation” along its border with Lebanon, where Israeli troops have exchanged near daily fire with Hezbollah fighters for almost eight months. The fighting between Israel and the Lebanese armed group, a Hamas ally, has intensified over the past week, with Israel striking deeper into Lebanese territory, raising concerns that an even wider conflict could break out between the heavily armed adversaries. “We are prepared for a very intense operation in the north. One way or another, we will restore security to the north,” Netanyahu said during a visit…

Islamic authorities say more than 1,100 Israelis encroached on Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during provocative annual parade.Thousands of Israelis have joined a march through occupied East Jerusalem, with some attacking Palestinians and shouting racist slogans, as part of an annual demonstration marking Israel’s occupation of the city. Footage shared by local journalists on Wednesday showed young men and teenagers chanting, “Death to the Arabs” and “May your village burn” at the so-called “Flag March” on Wednesday. The parade has come amid heightened tensions as Israel pushes on with its war on Gaza, which has killed more than 36,500 people, mostly women…

Thousands of mostly ultranationalist Israelis have taken part in an annual march through a Palestinian neighbourhood in Jerusalem’s Old City, with some marchers chanting “Death to Arabs.” Jerusalem has been mostly calm throughout Israel’s war on Gaza, but the march could ignite widespread tensions, as it did three years ago, when it helped set off an 11-day war in Gaza. Marchers gathered outside the Damascus Gate, typically a central gathering place for Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem, and chanted anti-Arab and anti-Islamic slogans, danced and waved Israeli flags as the procession kicked off. Just before the march began, crowds scuffled…

After keeping rates at a more than two-decade high of five percent, the BoC said indicators for underlying inflation improved.The Bank of Canada has trimmed its key policy rate by 25 basis points to 4.75 percent, in a widely expected move that marked its first cut in four years, and said more easing was likely if inflation continued to ease. After keeping interest rates at a more than two-decade high of 5 percent for almost a year, on Wednesday the BoC said the indicators for underlying inflation looked increasingly positive. “With further and more sustained evidence underlying inflation is easing,…

Fatmeh Abu Mustafa’s voice strains as she leans heavily on the walking stick in her left hand. “We fled [Khan Younis] to al-Mawasi and stayed there,” the elderly woman says, seated on a pile of rubble, the black khimar framing her face fluttering lightly in the wind. Behind her, sunlight bounces off a cacophony of destroyed concrete pillars and metal. “When the [Israeli] army pulled back, we came back to our homes but they were all destroyed. There’s nothing left at all.” “We sleep on dirt,” Fatmeh says, exasperation dripping from every word. “What are we supposed to do now?…

More than five years after the defeat of ISIL (ISIS) and decades of conflict, Iraq remains scarred by war. A journey through the country is punctuated with checkpoints, with armed soldiers standing watch at every crossroads. In Mosul, the country’s second city and former capital for the ISIL group, children play in the streets, men share tea and the shops are open. In the still-destroyed old town, some ruined buildings bear the inscription “EV” followed by a number, while small red and white flags surround others. They are suspected of containing remnants of war explosives. These are not conventional anti-personnel…

Elon Musk’s social media platform welcomes decision as a victory for freedom of speech.Australia’s internet watchdog has ended a legal battle to force Elon Musk’s X to remove a graphic video of a church stabbing in Sydney. The eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman, said on Wednesday that she had decided to drop the case to “achieve the most positive outcome for the online safety of all Australians, especially children”. “Our sole goal and focus in issuing our removal notice was to prevent this extremely violent footage from going viral, potentially inciting further violence and inflicting more harm on the Australian community.…

Today is the Israeli holiday of Jerusalem Day. It marks the conclusion of the 1967 war and the start of the illegal Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which Israelis claim as the “reunification” of Jerusalem. Official ceremonies and memorials are being staged across Israel to mark the day. Chief among these is the controversial Dance of the Flags, or the Flag March, to use its more modern term. Participation has swollen over the years, from a few students who accompanied Zionist leader Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook in 1967, to 70,000 predominantly young nationalist Israelis who took…

Top executive says AI likely to affect healthcare more than any other area of life.Taipei, Taiwan – Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has already brought about a “healthcare revolution” and is set to transform everything from pharmaceutical research to patient diagnostics and post-operative treatment, a top executive at chip giant Nvidia has said. Kimberly Powell, vice president of healthcare at Nvidia, said on Wednesday while it is still “early days”, healthcare will probably be more affected by AI than any other area of life. “Healthcare is probably the most impactful utility of generative AI that there will be,” Powell said during…