Latest from Al Bawaba
Al Bawaba
33 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
HBO unveils first look at new Harry Potter as J.K. Rowling reignites trans controversy
ALBAWABA - HBO reveals first look at new Harry Potter amid controversy. HBO has made the first official picture of child actor Dominic McLaughlin dressed as the new Harry Potter in the future reboot of the hugely popular wizarding series. The photo was released on Monday along with news that filming for the highly anticipated HBO Original series has started in the U.K., and the show will air in 2027. HBO Instagram profile The new show will be a fresh take on the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling, who is also the show's executive producer. It will be different from the hit movies with Daniel Radcliffe as the boy wizard. The show has also cast new actors as Hermione Granger (Arabella Stanton) and Ron Weasley (Alastair Stout). McLaughlin plays the show's main character. "It's amazing to see how talented these three different actors are, and we can't wait for everyone to see them work their magic together on screen," writer Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod said in May. Professor Dumbledore is played by John Lithgow, Professor McGonagall is played by Janet McTeer, and Hagrid is played by Nick Frost. Radcliffe, who said, "Transgender women are women," was one of the actors from Rowling's wizarding world who spoke out against her statements. It looked like Rowling was mad at Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint in a social media post that asked about stars who ruin movies for her right away. "Take a guess." She wrote on X in March, "Sorry, but that was too good to pass up," along with three smiling emojis.
Al Bawaba
an hour ago
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Degel HaTorah withdraws from Israeli government over Haredi conscription dispute
Published July 14th, 2025 - 06:05 GMT Ultra-Orthodox leaders reject military service, arguing it threatens their religious way of life. Mass protests have since erupted, and senior rabbis are urging followers to refuse enlistment orders. ALBAWABA- Degel HaTorah, a key faction in the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) alliance, has threatened to withdraw from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition unless a bill exempting ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Jews from military service is advanced. Also Read Israeli forces strike Syrian tanks amid clashes in Suwayda The party, which holds four Knesset seats, demands immediate legislative action before the Knesset's summer recess begins on July 27. The dispute centers on a Supreme Court ruling from June 25 that mandates Haredi enlistment and cuts state funding to religious schools that resist compliance. Ultra-Orthodox leaders reject military service, arguing it threatens their religious way of life. Mass protests have since erupted, and senior rabbis are urging followers to refuse enlistment orders. — Anadolu العربية (@aa_arabic) July 14, 2025 Degel HaTorah, along with the Shas party, is pressing for a law that formalizes draft exemptions. Shas reportedly refused to join a dissolution motion that would have required Arab party support, delaying any immediate collapse of the government. Despite the internal rift, Netanyahu's coalition retains 68 of 120 Knesset seats, and a government fall is not imminent. However, Shas may also quit the coalition if the draft law is not brought to a vote before the recess. The Knesset is scheduled to reconvene in October, giving Netanyahu time to maneuver. Critics accuse the prime minister of prioritizing political survival over national unity, warning that the proposed law would deepen inequality and public resentment over conscription. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Al Bawaba
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Over 60 killed in Gaza in one day as Israel escalates strikes on civilians
Published July 14th, 2025 - 05:43 GMT In one of the deadliest incidents, at least 14 Palestinians were killed when Israeli warplanes bombed a five-storey residential building in the Al-Rizqa area, northeast of Gaza City. ALBAWABA- Israeli airstrikes continued relentlessly across the Gaza Strip on Monday, killing more than 60 Palestinians and injuring dozens more, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent. Also Read 82 killed, 247 wounded in Gaza today amid ongoing Israeli assault The day's escalating attacks included multiple deadly strikes on residential buildings, shelters, and public spaces, bringing the total death toll to 53 by midday, with the number rising throughout the afternoon. In one of the deadliest incidents, at least 14 Palestinians were killed when Israeli warplanes bombed a five-storey residential building in the Al-Rizqa area, northeast of Gaza City. Another 10 people lost their lives, and 25 were injured in an airstrike that hit a home south of Gaza City. Elsewhere, at least 10 Palestinians were killed and many others wounded in a strike on a residential building in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood, southwest Gaza City. In Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, an Israeli bombing of the Abu Issa café left at least three civilians dead and several others injured. In Al-Bureij refugee camp, five civilians were killed and four injured in another airstrike. Meanwhile, in Mawasi, Khan Younis, a drone attack on a tent sheltering displaced families killed five Palestinians, including children, and injured at least 17. Graphic footage from the GHF aid center in Rafah circulated online showing American and Israeli forces reportedly opening fire on starving civilians waiting for food parcels in the Al-Shakoush area. Since the U.S.-supported aid operation began in May, over 600 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to access food, according to local sources. American and Israeli forces at the GHF aid center in the Al-Shakoush area of Rafah opened fire on the starved crowds as they waited to receive a single food parcel. Since the American Foundation started operating in May, over 600 Palestinians have been killed in cold blood,… — Quds News Network (@QudsNen) July 14, 2025 Human rights advocates have also condemned what they describe as 'systematic thirst warfare,' with Israeli forces accused of targeting civilians fetching water. Also Read Israeli forces strike Syrian tanks amid clashes in Suwayda These attacks have reportedly killed more than 700 people—most of them children, in 112 separate strikes. Meanwhile, Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen stirred international outrage by declaring that Gaza 'should remain destroyed for decades,' and that Israel has no intention of contributing to the territory's reconstruction following the war. Commenting on the deteriorating situation, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that a ceasefire in Gaza would not be sufficient, calling instead for a long-overdue political solution that grants Palestinians the right to an independent state alongside Israel. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Al Bawaba
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Israeli forces strike Syrian tanks amid clashes in Suwayda
Published July 14th, 2025 - 05:07 GMT The airstrikes came as tensions escalated in Suwayda, where recent violent clashes between Druze residents and Bedouin groups have left over 90 people dead and dozens more wounded. ALBAWABA- The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched airstrikes on targets in southern Syria on Sunday, including several tanks near the village of Sami'a in the Suwayda region. Also Read Syria sends reinforcements to As Suwayda amid deadly clashes The Israeli Defense Minister described the attack as a clear warning to the Syrian regime, vowing that Israel "will not stand idly by" if the Druze community in Syria is threatened. According to an Israeli military spokesperson, the strikes targeted tanks observed earlier moving between Sijin and Sami'a toward Suwayda. The IDF claimed the armored movements posed a potential security threat to Israel. The spokesperson emphasized that the military would act decisively against any emerging threat in southern Syria and will continue monitoring the situation closely. ⚡️⭕️Israeli War Minister Israel Katz: The Israeli military bombed targets in Syria as a clear message and warning to the Syrian regime - we will not allow harm to come to the Druze in Syria. Israel will not stand idly by. — Middle East Observer (@ME_Observer_) July 14, 2025 The airstrikes came as tensions escalated in Suwayda, where recent violent clashes between Druze residents and Bedouin groups have left over 90 people dead and dozens more wounded. The Syrian government has since deployed army units and security forces in the area to restore order, protect civilians, and safeguard property. A Syrian Interior Ministry statement said their forces entered Suwayda as part of a national mission to stop the bloodshed and stabilize the region, clarifying that their role is solely to maintain order and protect civilians, without taking sides. Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported sightings of Israeli warplanes flying over Suwayda Governorate, further signaling Israel's military involvement in the area. Critics argue that Israel's assertion of protecting the Druze community serves as a pretext to justify intervention in Syria's internal affairs through sectarian divide-to-rule leverage. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Al Bawaba
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
Fire postpones George Wassouf concert in Egypt's North Coast
Published July 14th, 2025 - 12:13 GMT ALBAWABA - Syrian singer George Wassouf's concert in Egypt, originally scheduled for July 17, 2025, on the North Coast, has been postponed to the 31st of the same month after a sudden blaze that erupted at the concert venue leaving a significant damage, necessitating its postponement to protect the safety of the audience and staff. Also Read Videoclip or series? Dima Kandalaft joins George Wassouf George Wassouf had promoted his concert in Egypt by posting a poster for the concert on his official Facebook account, commenting: "My beloved ones in Egypt, we will meet on July 17 on the North Coast." The highly anticipated event is part of a series of summer 2025 concerts, and was expected to attract a large audience, especially since it will be George Wassouf's first appearance in Egypt after a long absence from performing there. It is worth noting that George Wassouf, nicknamed Abu Wadee, will be part of Jordan's Amman Summer Nights Festival on Aug. 22 at Business Park Amman. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
