Latest news with #Al-Jazeera
Leaders
2 days ago
- Politics
- Leaders
Italian Puglia Region Cuts Ties with Israel over Gaza Genocide
The government of Italy's southern Puglia region has cut relations with Israel over its genocide in Gaza, according to Al-Jazeera. Puglia Governor Michele Emiliano stated that the Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Therefore, Emiliano called for an immediate suspension of all relations with all representatives of Israeli government. Emiliano also urged 'all managers and employees of the region, its agencies and participating companies to sever all relations of any kind with the institutional representatives of the Israeli government and with all those subjects attributable to it who are not openly and declaredly motivated by the desire to organize initiatives to stop the massacre of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,' according to state-run ANSA news agency. Mounting Pressure on Israel Furthermore, Barcelona's city council voted to cut twin-city ties with Israel and suspend its friendship agreement with Tel Aviv over Israel's genocide in Gaza. 'The suffering and death in Gaza over the past year and a half, and recent attacks by the Israeli government, make any relationship unviable,' said Mayor Jaume Collboni during Friday's council session. The move seeks to cut all official relations with the Israeli government until they respect the international law and maintain fundamental rights of the Palestinian people. The city will also suspend a 1998 friendship agreement with Tel Aviv-Jaffa. Therefore, it urged the trade fair organizer Fira de Barcelona not to host any Israeli pavilions or companies which are part of the weapons trade or even profiting from the ongoing war in Gaza. Since the beginning of Hamas-Israel War in Gaza in 2023, the Israeli strikes have killed more than 53,500 Palestinians and wounded more than 118,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Related Topics: Arab Ministers Condemn Israel's Ban on West Bank Visit Israel Accepts Witkoff's New Gaza Ceasefire Proposal: Netanyahu Germany Threatens Israel with Arms Exports Halt Over Gaza Crisis Short link : Post Views: 1
Leaders
2 days ago
- Politics
- Leaders
Irish MMA Fighter McCorry Defeats Israeli Farage, Shouts 'Free Palestine'
Irish mixed martial fighter Paddy McCorry raised the Palestinian flag and shouted 'Free Palestine' after defeating Israeli fighter Shuki Farage in a match held on May 31, according to Al-Jazeera. @aljazeera بادي ماكوري لاعب الفنون القتالية يرفع العلم الفلسطيني #فيديو ♬ original sound – الجزيرة – الجزيرة In 2024, Ireland officially recognized the Palestinian state amid Israel's ongoing devastating war against civilians in Gaza. Consequently, Irish politicians and diplomats started a wide range of criticism against Israel describing its war as barbaric and genocidal. Recently, Irish authorities have announced that they seek to obtain a formal decision to suspend trade ties with Israeli firms in the Palestinian territories, according to Financial Times. Moreover, the government also condemned Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid since March and accused Israel of using food as a weapon of war against Palestinian civilians. Since the beginning of Hamas-Israel War in Gaza in 2023, the Israeli strikes have killed more than 53,500 Palestinians and wounded more than 118,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Related Topics: Irish Politician Hopes Netanyahu 'Burns in Hell' For Burning Children in Gaza Ireland, Spain, Norway to Recognize Palestinian State Irish Authorities Seek to Ban Trade with Israeli Firms in Palestine Short link : Post Views: 92 Related Stories
Leaders
2 days ago
- Politics
- Leaders
Barcelona Severs Twin-City Ties with Tel Aviv over Gaza War
Barcelona's city council voted to cut twin-city ties with Israel and suspend its friendship agreement with Tel Aviv over Israel's genocide in Gaza, according to Al-Jazeera. 'The suffering and death in Gaza over the past year and a half, and recent attacks by the Israeli government, make any relationship unviable,' said Mayor Jaume Collboni during Friday's council session. The move seeks to cut all official relations with the Israeli government until they respect the international law and maintain fundamental rights of the Palestinian people. The city will also suspend a 1998 friendship agreement with Tel Aviv-Jaffa. Therefore, it urged the trade fair organizer Fira de Barcelona not to host any Israeli pavilions or companies which are part of the weapons trade or even profiting from the ongoing war in Gaza. In 2024, Spain, Ireland and Norway officially recognized a Palestinian state amid Israel's ongoing war in Gaza. Catalonia The Government of Catalonia announced on Thursday, May 22, the immediate closure of its trade office in Tel Aviv. This remarkable move comes amid mounting international criticism of Israel's heavy airstrikes and its blockade of humanitarian aid in Gaza. The Catalan government has also criticized Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. It described it as 'double standards' in addressing the genocide in Gaza, where 'basic rights are being violated.' 'We are fully committed to human rights, and this double standard regarding Israel's participation in Eurovision weakens us,' Catalan Government Spokesperson Sílvia Paneque stated during a press conference. Spanish Government During his speech in the parliament, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called Israel a 'genocidal state,' stating that Madrid 'does not do business' with such a country. The PM's remarks came as a response to a provocative comment from an anti-Israel member of parliament who condemned Spain's trade relations with what he called the 'genocide state' of Israel. Sanchez's comments sparked anger in Israel, prompting Israel's Foreign Ministry to summon the Spanish Ambassador, Ana Salomon, for a formal reprimand in Jerusalem. Since the beginning of Hamas-Israel War in Gaza in 2023, the Israeli strikes have killed more than 53,500 Palestinians and wounded more than 118,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Related Topics: Arab Ministers Condemn Israel's Ban on West Bank Visit France May Toughen Stance on Israel Over Gaza Aid Blockage Irish Politician Describes Israel's Military Campaign in Gaza as 'Barbaric' Short link : Post Views: 28
MTV Lebanon
2 days ago
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
Iraq suspends licenses of 10 satellite channels for "fomenting sectarianism and violence"
Iraq suspended the licenses of 10 satellite television channels, including Qatar-based Al-Jazeera, for promoting violence and sectarianism, a senior official at the country's media watchdog said on Sunday. "We took a decision to suspend the license of some satellite channels that adopted language encouraging violence and sectarianism," Mujahid Abu al-Hail of the Communications and Media Commission told AFP. "It means stopping their work in Iraq and their activities, so they cannot cover events in Iraq or move around," Hail said. The suspended channels included pan-Arab network Al-Jazeera and Sharqiya, a leading channel in Iraq. The move comes after a wave of violence that began on Tuesday with clashes between security forces and Sunni Arab protesters in northern Iraq that has killed a total of more than 215 people. The violence is the deadliest so far linked to demonstrations that broke out in Sunni areas of the Shiite-majority country more than four months ago. The Sunni protesters have called for the resignation of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and railed against authorities for allegedly targeting their community, including what they say are wrongful detentions and accusations of involvement in terrorism.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Saudi Arabia confirms Hajj 2025. When does it start? More on spiritual journey for Muslims
The final month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul Hijjah, has begun. Some Muslims will prepare to make their way to Saudi Arabia to perform an obligatory spiritual journey called Hajj, or pilgrimage. The month of Dhul Hijjah began the night of May 28 with the sighting of the waxing crescent moon. So, what is Hajj? When does it start? When is Eid al-Adha? Here is what to know. The period of Hajj is to begin on the eighth day of Dhul Hijjah and end on the thirteenth day, lasting five to six days. According to Al-Jazeera, observatories from Saudi Arabia have determined Hajj will start on June 4. Hajj, or pilgrimage, is one of the basic foundations of Muslim beliefs and is one of the five pillars of Islam, according to Islamic Relief. It takes place at holy sites in and around Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The five pillars of Islam include: Profession of faith (Shahadah) Prayer (Salah) Charity (Zakat) Fasting (Sawm) Pilgrimage (Hajj) The history of Hajj dates back thousands of years to the Prophet Abraham, who built the Kaa'ba. Later, Prophet Muhammad began the pilgrimage in 628 CE during the month of Dhul Hijjah. The Kaa'ba, known as the 'Baitullah' or the House of God, is ultimately a mosque — Muslims do not worship it. It was built by Prophet Abraham and his son Prophet Ishmael. It was later used by polytheistic Pagan Arabs until the founding of Islam. The Prophet Muhammad made it a holy site, initiating the Islamic duty of pilgrimage. Now, as Muslims observe their five daily obligatory prayers, they specifically pray in the direction of the Kaa'ba in any part of the world. Hajj is obligatory and is required to be done once in a lifetime, but only for adult Muslims with the financial capacity to travel and who are healthy enough to perform it, both physically and emotionally. Muslims also have the option to go more than once if they have the means. Approximately 2–3 million Muslims participate in Hajj every year. Anyone performing Hajj is called a pilgrim. Hajj takes place at holy sites in and around Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Hajj is a special, spiritual time for pilgrims; many have spent their lives waiting for this time to come. Some may have spent years saving money to finally attend Hajj, or are waiting for a permit from Saudi authorities. To perform Hajj correctly, pilgrims must follow step-by-step rules to fulfill this journey, according to Islamic Relief. This includes maintaining a state of intention — to please God and fulfill the religious duty — and entering a state of Ihram, or spiritual state, to perform Hajj. To maintain a state of Ihram, pilgrims must refrain from wrongdoings and be mindful of their words and actions. Pilgrims must refrain from smoking, engaging in sexual relations, swearing, shaving hair, and cutting nails. Ihram includes wearing the proper clothing for Hajj. Men wear a two-piece white cloth wrapped around the waist and over the shoulder, and women observe the rules of hijab, which require a head covering (hijab) and loose clothing that covers the body from head to toe. Footwear must be in the form of sandals. Because Hajj brings unity to the Muslim community, rich and poor, all pilgrims must dress simply without any stitching on the garments. Though Ihram is simple, it must be followed and adhered to. So, what happens when pilgrims enter Mecca to begin their pilgrimage? It begins with Tawaf, which is walking around the Kaa'ba counterclockwise seven times. Then, pilgrims will perform S'ai, which is walking or running between the hills of Safa and Marwah, which reenacts the struggle of Prophet Abraham's wife, Hagar, searching for water for her son, Ishmael. Both of these actions take place in Mecca's Grand Mosque, known as Masjid al-Haram. Hajj is a long journey comprising 17 steps. A more detailed description of these steps can be found on Islamic Relief's website, which is verified by Islamic scholars. Eid al-Adha, the second major holiday for Muslims, translates to "Festival of Sacrifice." The day commemorates the Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, for God. But God stopped him and sent him a ram to sacrifice instead. Eid al-Adha will take place during Hajj. It is expected to begin on the night of June 5 and will be celebrated worldwide on June 6. On this day, Muslims will attend a community prayer in the morning, often in a mosque or Islamic center, donate to those in need, and celebrate with friends and family, eating and enjoying each other's company. Pilgrims attending Hajj will offer Qurbani, which is the sacrifice of a permitted animal, to reflect Prophet Abraham sacrificing a ram sent to him by God after his willingness to sacrifice his son. Goats, cows, lambs and camels are some of the animals permitted to be sacrificed. It is mandatory for a portion of the meat to be donated to the needy. Not only does performing Hajj fulfill one of five religious duties, but it also demonstrates the struggles Prophet Abraham and his family went through in Mecca and serves as a reminder to Muslims of Prophet Abraham's devotion to God. The completion of Hajj wipes away a Muslim's sins, builds spirituality, demonstrates submission to God and brings unity to those in attendance. Hajj, the major pilgrimage, can only be done between the eighth and 13th days of Dhul Hijjah and is to be completed in five to six days. However, there is a minor pilgrimage called Umrah, which can usually be completed in a day. Umrah is not obligatory but is highly encouraged for those who have the financial capacity and are in good health. It has fewer steps than Hajj and can be done at any time of the year. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Has Saudi Arabia confirmed Hajj 2025? More on holy Islamic pilgrimage
