Author: afp

  • Biden has ‘no confidence’ in Gaza death toll: What do we know about day 20

    Biden has ‘no confidence’ in Gaza death toll

    In his latest statement, US President Joe Biden has said that he has “no confidence in the number that Palestinians are using” to report on the death toll in the Gaza Strip, which, according to the Palestinian health ministry, is over 6,500.

    “I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed. I’m sure innocents have been killed, and it’s the price of waging a war,” Biden said.

    Previously, US intelligence officials also doubted the reported killings of 471 people in Gaza’s Al-Ahli Arab Hospital bombing on October 17. While the official number was provided by the Gazan authorities, the US believed the number fell between 100 and 300.

    According to the latest update by Al jazeera, the health ministry in the besieged enclave has claimed that killings in Gaza have crossed 7,000 as a result of Israeli air strikes including 2,913 children, 1,709 women and 397 elderly, the health ministry in the besieged enclave reported.

    West Bank

    Israel continues to raid Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, arresting more than 1,450 since October 7 and killing more than 100.

    Netanyahu talks about ground attacks on Gaza

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel is getting ready for a ground operation in Gaza, however, he has not said when it is to start.

    “We are in a war for our sovereignty, for our existence, and we have set ourselves two fundamental objectives: to eradicate Hamas’s military and governmental capabilities and to do everything possible to bring the hostages … back home,” Netanyahu said on Wednesday.

    Another failed UN Security Council resolution on Gaza

    A US-led resolution calling for “humanitarian pauses” ended up in vain as Russia and China vetoed whereas the United Arab Emirates voted against it.

    Albania, France, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States voted in favour while Brazil and Mozambique abstained.

    China’s UN Ambassador Zhang Jun told the council after the vote that, “The draft does not reflect the world’s strongest calls for a ceasefire, an end to the fighting, and it does not help resolve the issue,

    “At this moment, ceasefire is not just a diplomatic term. It means the life and death of many civilians.”

    Previously, a Russia-led resolution urging for “humanitarian ceasefire” also failed to get enough votes in favour as only Russia, China, UAE, and Gabon voted in favour while UK and the US opposed it.

    Countries that abstained included Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, France, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Switzerland

    12 aid trucks sent but no fuel

    The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported to have received 12 trucks with food, medicine and medical supplies.

    Only 74 trucks have been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip since October 7 while fuel is yet to be supplied.

    Credit: Al Jazeera

  • Instagram influencers to follow for updates on Gaza

    Instagram influencers to follow for updates on Gaza

    Here is a list of people you can follow on Instagram to stay updated on what is happening in Gaza:

    Here is how can make sure you are able to keep up with all the posts of other similar accounts that are being censored:

  • Pakistan’s World Cup woe — what’s gone wrong?

    Pakistan’s World Cup woe — what’s gone wrong?

    Pakistan’s chances of making the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup are on a knife-edge after their eight-wicket defeat to Afghanistan.

    AFP Sport looks at three problem areas for Babar Azam’s falterinordinary

    World class bowling looks ordinary

    Pakistan’s bowling was touted as world class before the Asia Cup and when they restricted a strong India side to 266 all out in a washed out game at Pallekele, commentators saw it as a major warning to World Cup rivals.

    But two weeks before the showpiece event, key fast bowler Naseem Shah was ruled out with a shoulder injury.

    Spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi has 10 wickets in five games in India but has failed to make an early impact — his 2-36 against India and 5-54 facing Australia came in losing causes. In the opening wins over Netherlands and Sri Lanka, he managed two wickets at a combined cost of 103 runs.

    Haris Rauf has leaked runs, conceding 286 in five games for eight wickets while the spinners have lacked bite on the slow and turning pitches of India. Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz and Iftikhar Ahmed have just six wickets in five matches between them, conceding 502 runs.

    Captaincy in question

    Babar Azam is one of the top batsmen in white ball cricket — he has two fifties at the World Cup — but his captaincy has been questioned and he has faced accusations of lacking aggression in field settings.

    Pakistan media have consistently accused him of favouring his friends in selection.

    “As far as captaincy is concerned, I don’t have much pressure on me or on my batting. I try to give my best in batting,” Babar said after Monday’s loss to Afghanistan.

    “During fielding, I think about captaincy and during batting I just think about the batting.”

    Babar has won some sympathy in India for his team having to play in front of crowds where Pakistan fans have been effectively banned.

    Tight security has also meant that the squad is virtually confined to their hotels once their playing and training commitments are completed.

    Lack of planning

    There have been frequent, unsettling changes in the the Pakistan Cricket Board set-up — three chairmen in the past year — which hurt planning for the World Cup.

    Former chairman Najam Sethi brought in Mickey Arthur as team director but he also kept his Derbyshire county job in England.

    Directing the team from the UK, he was criticised in some media as a “Zoom coach.”

    Pakistan officials have also been accused of failing to manage the workload of their fast bowlers with Naseem and Shaheen playing all three formats.

    Naseem’s most obvious replacements, Ihsanullah and Mohammad Hasnain were also unfit, forcing Pakistan to recall Hasan Ali.

    “You were not able to find a coach and since you liked foreign ones you hired an online coach. We change our system frequently and that is showing in our performance in the World Cup,” said former Pakistan great Wasim Akram.

  • ‘Til trash do us part: Taiwan couple embraces garbage wedding shoot

    ‘Til trash do us part: Taiwan couple embraces garbage wedding shoot

    A Taiwanese couple decked out in a tux and gown embrace in front of a mountain of trash in an unorthodox wedding photo – one the environment-conscious bride hopes will discourage her guests from generating unnecessary garbage.

    Greenpeace campaigner Iris Hsueh and her fiance are having their “environmentally friendly wedding” in January, and have asked guests to bring their own containers for taking home leftovers.

    Deciding that showing – not telling – was a more effective communication method, the Taipei-based couple travelled three hours south for a photo shoot in Nantou county’s Puli township, where the amount of trash brought to a local dump has steadily risen over the years.

    “If any guests are not willing to bring along a container, I would show them the photograph and say, ‘would you reconsider?’” the 33-year-old told AFP, adding that the photos ended up drawing local media attention.

    “I didn’t think it would create such a big sensation.”

    Self-ruled Taiwan, an island of 23 million people, has had a recycling programme since 1987, with over 50 per cent of household trash processed through the system – among the highest rates in the world.

    But Puli township’s sanitation crew chief Chen Chun-hung said the amount of garbage there has mushroomed – back in the 1980s, it was about 20 tonnes a day; now, its about 50.

  • Scotland willing to take in Palestinian refugees

    Scotland willing to take in Palestinian refugees

    Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf posted a video message on X (formerly Twitter), saying that the U.K. is willing to take Gaza refugees in, following Israel’s bombardment of Palestine.

    “So, many of them don’t want to leave and neither they should have to leave but for the million that have been displaced just in this current conflict, for those that want to leave, there should be a worldwide refugee scheme,

    “Because of the numbers, the world should be involved.”

    Yousaf also urged other countries to open their borders to refugees from Gaza.

    “Let’s say that Scotland will be a place of sanctuary for them as we have shown that kindness and compassion for others. Let us show it once again and this time for the people of Gaza,” Yousaf said, adding that Scotland is willing to lead the way for the rest of the U.K.

    “And Scotland is willing to be the first country in the U.K. to take those refugees,” he said.

    In another video, the First Minister stated that Scotland’s hospitals will care for the Gazans injured in the escalation and requested the U.K. government to “begin work on the creation of a refugee resettlement scheme for those in Gaza who want to, and of course are able to, leave.”

  • One million displaced in Gaza till now: What do we know about day 13

    One million displaced in Gaza till now: What do we know about day 13

    PM Sunak visits Israel

    British prime minister Rishi Sunak landed in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Thursday morning to meet his counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu and President Herzog.

    During his meeting with Herzog, he said that it is vital to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, stating, “Palestinians are victims of what Hamas has done. It’s important that we continue to provide humanitarian access,”

    He, nonetheless, stressed on his full support to Israel to “defend” itself, “to bring security back” in the country to its people, and “to ensure the safe return of the hostages that have been taken”.

    Read more: ‘I grieve with you and stand with you’; British PM visits Israel

    One million displaced in Gaza till now

    The United Nations has reported that one million people have fled their homes in Gaza, including about 352,000 people who are currently residing in UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

    The conditions of these shelters are described as “increasingly dire“.

    121 people killed since yesterday

    Al Jazeera spoke to a medical source who reported that 121 had been killed and 540 injured in the Gaza Strip since last night.

    Additionally, WAFA has reported that a Palestinian man has been killed by Israeli forces while a child was killed in a refugee camp — both in the occupied West Bank .

    The child was reportedly 14-year-old Ahmed Munis Sadouq who was shot in the head.

    Others have been injured.

    Gaza’s only cancer hospital closed

    Al Jazeera reports that Dr Sukeyk, the director of the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, has issued an alert that the fuel required to keep essential services running is extremely low and so are the medicines needed during chemotherapy treatment for cancer patients.

    There are reportedly more than 9,000 cancer patients in the Gaza Strip with no other hospital to go to.

    Doctors using vinegar to treat wound infections

    Surgeon Ghassan Abu Sitta says he has resorted to using “vinegar from the corner shop to treat pseudomonas bacterial wound infections.”

    “It’s come to that,” he said on X.

    Hundreds of Hamas sites destroyed

    The Israeli army has claimed to have targeted and destroyed hundreds of Hamas’s points in Gaza including anti-tank missile launch sites, tunnel shafts intelligence positions, and more.

    They have reportedly also killed the fighters involved in October 7 attacks.

    Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, confirmed the killings of three of its fighters on Wednesday.

    US vetoes UNSC resolution calling for humanitarian halt

    US President Biden has announced a pact with Egypt’s el-Sisi which will allow 20 trucks of humanitarian aid into Gaza through the Rafah border crossing.

    Earlier, on Wednesday, US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that, while condemning Hamas’s attack on Israel, called for a pause in the Israel-Palestine escalation and allow aid into Gaza.

    The US was the only opponent in the resolution amongst the 12 members who voted in favour whereas Russia and the UK abstained.

    US reasoning was that the Brazil-drafted text did not assert enough on Israel’s right to self-defence.

    Israel police boss threatens to send anti-war protesters to Gaza

    While people across the globe protest against Israeli atrocities in Gaza, some Israelis too, have taken to streets of Haifa to hold pro-Palestine demonstration.

    Israel’s police chief responded by saying that there will be “zero tolerance” for pro-Palestinian protests in Israel and threatened the protesters with sending them to Gaza.

    Six people have been reportedly arrested

    “Whoever wants to become an Israeli citizen, welcome,” Shabtai said. “Anyone who wants to identify with Gaza is welcome. I will put him on the buses heading there now.”

    Anti-war stance not allowed

    A left-wing Israeli parliament member, Ofer Cassif has been suspended for 45 daya by the ethics panel of the Israeli parliament whose statements were deemed as anti-Israel.

    In an interview, he compared Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza to the Nazis’ ‘Final Solution’ against Jews in Europe.

    Referring to the Hamas attack he claimed that “Israel wanted this violence”.

    Cassif called the suspension “another nail in the coffin of freedom of political expression”.

    Credits: Al Jazeera

  • 500 Jewish protesters arrested after demanding ceasefire inside Capitol Hill

    Protesters in the US entered the Cannon House office building on Wednesday, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

    The demonstrations, however, were intervened by the police who made several arrests.

    “Demonstrations are not allowed inside Congressional Buildings,” Capitol Police posted on X.

    “We warned the protesters to stop demonstrating and when they did not comply we began arresting them.”

    The protest was organised by the Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and IfNotNow. The protesters demanded Congress to push for a ceasefire in Gaza.

    The Biden administration is openly siding with Israel in its increased attacks on Palestinians following the October 7 attacks by Hamas. It has, so far, resulted in the killings of more than 3,300 Palestinians and injury of more than 10,000.

    “The root of violence is oppression, and we’re here to say no in our names,” Jewish Voice for Peace posted on X. “We have the power to stop the ongoing atrocities against Palestinians. We refuse to standby as the Israeli government commits genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.”

    JVP has reported that around 10,000 protesters gathered outside the Capitol building and 500 more went inside “to demand an end to the Israeli and U.S. government’s genocide in Gaza.”

    “I wish all the Palestinian people would see this. I wish they could see that not all of America want them to die. That they are not disposable, that they have a right to live,” said Rashida Tlaib, the only current Palestinian-American member of Congress.

    On the other hand, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene asked the U.S. Capitol Police to maintain surveillance footage and photos, police reports and arrest records from the protest.

    In a series of posts on X, Greene disapproved of the demonstrations.

  • ‘When you have your crowd then you get the support’: Saud Shakeel

    ‘When you have your crowd then you get the support’: Saud Shakeel

    Pakistan paid a heavy price for being “under extra pressure” in their World Cup defeat by arch-rivals India, said batsman Saud Shakeel, who Wednesday lamented the absence of the team’s passionate supporters from the tournament.

    Pakistan were thrashed by seven wickets on Saturday at Ahmedabad’s 132,000-capacity stadium where there was only a handful of Pakistani supporters.

    Babar Azam’s team slumped from a solid 155-2 in the 30th over to be dismissed for a paltry 191.

    “I think we were under extra pressure so we tried to get out of that and wanted to play shots,” Shakeel told AFP on Wednesday.

    The smattering of Pakistani fans at the game were expatriates from the United Kingdon and United States.

    Supporters from across the border are effectively banned after a failure to gain visas.

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday lodged an official complaint with the world governing body over the visa delays which have also kept many members of the country’s media at home.

    The PCB also complained over what they described as the “inappropriate behaviour” of Indian fans towards the Pakistan squad at the Ahmedabad game.

    “When you have your crowd then you get the support. We did not get that and it was not in our hands,” added Shakeel.

    Despite an eighth loss in eight World Cup meetings with their arch-rivals, Pakistan are still well-placed in the tournament after wins over the Netherlands and Sri Lanka.

    Middle-order batsman Shakeel scored 68 against the Netherlands before making 31 in the game with Sri Lanka. He was out for just six against India.

    Next up for Pakistan is another high-profile duel, this time with five-time champions Australia in Bengaluru on Friday.

    “The mistakes we committed in the last game, we must overcome them. That match is gone. If we win against Australia then our position will get better,” added Shakeel.

    “Australia are always good in the World Cup. They are a very good side. We know our strong areas and we must play good cricket.”

    “We had a good start to the tournament with two wins. We want to go match by match and not commit the mistakes we did against India.”

    On Wednesday, all the Pakistan players with the exception of Mohammad Haris trained in Bengaluru.

    Haris is still suffering from a fever which laid low many of the squad when they arrived from Ahmedabad.

    Star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi and opener Abdullah Shafique were the worst hit but were present in the nets at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

  • Egyptian comedian combats Piers Morgan with satire

    Egyptian comedian combats Piers Morgan with satire

    Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef is being hailed all over social media after a recent interview on Piers Morgan show.

    Bassem, an Egyptian comedian, political satirist, and television host, replied to the British television host with a satirical tone throughout his 26-minute conversation with the controversial and outspoken presenter.

    The interview was centred on the current Israel-Palestine escalation and, like any other Western news show, there was a sense of undermining of the Palestinian suffering, to which Bassem responded with sheer brilliance.

    Piers quoted the October 7 attacks, which he believes “supersedes anything else” in the Israel-Palestine “conflict”, adding that “the question then becomes again about proportion” and that October 7 was “on a different level altogether, quite deliberately by Hamas, designed to provoke “.

    He asked Youssef, “If you were Israel and that had happened to you, what would you think would be the appropriate way for the country to respond”.

    “I would do exactly like Israel did: Kill as many people as possible since the world is letting me do it,” Bassem responded. “I mean, I can do it because I can,” he said.

    “Let’s for a minute imagine a world without Hamas. What will this world look like? Let’s give this world a name and let’s name this word the West Bank. Hamas has absolutely no control in the West Bank… Only through August, 37 Palestinian kids were killed. No music festival, no paragliding, no Hamas. Since the occupation of the West Bank, 7,000 Palestinians were killed; no music festival, no paragliding, no Hamas. I can go on and on and on and on.”

    At this point Morgan interrupted, saying that “You’re preaching to the choir” to which Youssef responded, “Don’t interrupt me and interrupt my points. Because this has to be fair because if you want to only hear your opinion, I can just condemn Hamas and go home. I can do that… Do you want to do that or do you want to have a much more nuanced conversation?”

    When asked, “How do we get from where we are now to peace,” Youssef said, “You need to change the perception.”

    “If you have already decided someone is good, he can do no evil and if you decide that someone is evil, it’s good to kill them.
    killing them is good… it is not like something new.”

    He added that the West first treats people “like savages”, giving examples of the native americans:

    “They’re savages, kill all the savages and when they are almost extinct you start feeling sorry for them like animals.

    So, maybe the solution is we kill as many Palestinians as possible so the few of them who remain do not bother you.”

    When Pier Morgan asked Youssef to leave since he gave “half of the show” to Bassam Yousef, Yousef left after making another dig.

    “By the way, my wife’s family’s alright and they sent us a house, its bombed, it beautiful , it’s going to be a good halloween theme,” he said of his in-laws who are in Gaza.

    Morgan: “I’m very sorry for what your family is going through in Gaza.”

    Youssef: “I haven’t actually met them. They didn’t come to my wedding. They couldn’t because they are stuck in Gaza and she never saw them because, you know, Gaza is not a destination. We hear their voices, they die, it’s fine.”

    Morgan said, “Bassam, I wish your family all the very best, thank you for joining me. I appreciate it.”

    Youssef replied, “I don’t, thank you.”

    You can watch the entire interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4idQbwsvtUo

  • Israel tries deflecting blame for hospital attack; evidence proves otherwise

    Israel tries deflecting blame for hospital attack; evidence proves otherwise

    On Tuesday night, Israel targeted Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza in an air-strike that killed more than 1000 civilians.

    Media reports state that thousands of Palestinians were present in the hospital for treatment and refuge when it was attacked.

    As the world recoiled in horror, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Intelligence from multiple sources we have in our hands indicates that Islamic Jihad is responsible for the failed rocket launch which hit the hospital in Gaza.”

    However, fact-checking organisations and journalists are proving otherwise. Evidence show that the former digital media officer of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, shared a post announcing that “the Israeli Air Force has hit a hospital in Gaza”.

    “It was determined that Naftali, who deleted the post after a short time, tried to manipulate the world public opinion by sharing posts claiming that “the missile that hit the hospital was fired from Gaza””

    Additonally, the official Israeli state account posted a video blaming Hamas for the bombing of the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital but later removed it on realizing it was filmed after the attack and had a time stamp proving so.

    The Palestinian Ambassador to the UN also rebutted the claims being made by Israel.

    Busting false information

    Communications Directorate’s Center for Combating Disinformation, a Turkish fact checking body, said on X:

    “The claim that ‘(Palestinian group) Hamas, not Israel, carried out the attack’ on the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza’s al-Zaytoun neighbourhood is false,”

    After analysis of widely circulated media posts it was deducted that the “images shared by Israeli propaganda accounts claiming that a ‘Hamas missile hit the hospital’ were from 2022,” not 2023.

    The Anadolu Agency quotes the centre in which it has been pointed out “the Israeli army demanded the immediate evacuation of hospitals, alleging that they were being used as shelters,” reinforcing that Israeli forces were “deliberately” carrying out the deadly attacks.

    “The claim shared on some social media accounts that ‘Gaza’s official account admits that Hamas carried out the hospital attack’ is not true,

    “’Gaza Report’ account cited as the basis for the claim is not the official account of Gaza or any Palestinian institution,”

    “It has been determined that the account was used for manipulation purposes.”