Hopes are running high that a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza might finally be reached. Negotiators in Doha, Qatar appear to be on the brink of breaking a deadlock in ceasefire talks to end 15 months of Israel’s war on Gaza. In his final foreign policy speech, the outgoing US President Joe … Read more
Japan’s Coming of Age Day is a sure sign of winter, arriving after New Year celebrations and before the cherry blossom parties of early spring. The national holiday is held on the second Monday of January. People turn out to admire the elaborate outfits young people don to celebrate the transition from childhood to adulthood. … Read more
The remains of charred homes form rows across the Los Angeles landscape, as flames continue to engulf entire neighbourhoods in the Southern California city. But among the crumbling walls on Monday, some homes stand untouched. Through a mixture of luck and building design, a handful of houses in neighbourhoods otherwise reduced to ash withstood the … Read more
Millions of Hindu devotees, mystics and holy men and women from all across India are flocking to the northern city of Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh Mela festival, touted as the world’s largest religious gathering. At least 400 million people are expected at the confluence of the three holy rivers – the Ganges, Yamuna, and … Read more
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has been sworn in for a third six-year term, despite an outpouring of international condemnation following July’s contested presidential election. Standing before the National Assembly in the capital Caracas on Friday, Maduro took the oath of office with a pledge that his next term would be a “period of peace”. But … Read more
DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY, The appointment breaks a deadlock that has left the country without a head of state since October 2022. Lebanon’s army chief Joseph Aoun has been elected as the country’s president after a second round of parliamentary voting, breaking a deadlock that has left the country without a head of state since October … Read more
Israeli attacks have killed more than 200 Palestinians across Gaza over the last three days as the military continues to hit residential buildings, people gathering in the streets, marketplaces, and shelters. Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Deir el-Balah, said although Israel claims it is targeting Hamas fighters, most of the victims are innocent people. … Read more
Crowds have returned to Bourbon Street in New Orleans, as the city recovers after a deadly New Year’s Day attack that left 14 victims dead and 35 more injured. On Friday, visitors paid their respects at a pavement memorial on Bourbon Street, close to where a suspect drove his rented pick-up truck into a late-night … Read more
Days of heavy rains have flooded hundreds of makeshift shelters across Gaza, piling more misery on displaced Palestinians as Israel continues to restrict the entry of humanitarian aid amid its genocide. Forcibly displaced families across Gaza are struggling to keep their children warm and save what few belongings they are left with. While the weather … Read more
Auckland was the first major city to welcome 2025 with thousands of revellers counting down to the New Year and cheering at colourful fireworks launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, the Sky Tower, and a spectacular downtown light show. Countries in the South Pacific are the first to ring in the New Year with midnight … Read more