Latest News from Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera English named Broadcaster of the Year at the 2025 New York Festivals TV & Film Awards for 9th year running
Al Jazeera English was named Broadcaster of the Year at the 2025 New York Festivals TV and Film Awards for the ninth consecutive year. The Broadcaster of the Year accolade, considered the premier prize by the organisers, goes to the media organisation providing consistent excellence in covering international issues and a diverse array of themes. This is reflected in the channel's seven gold, nine silver and eight bronze awards for its news and programmes screened during the festival's virtual ceremony on 22 May. Commenting on the recognition, Issa Ali, Acting Managing Director of Al Jazeera English, stated: "This accolade serves as a profound affirmation from our industry peers of the professionalism and significance of the work we do at Al Jazeera English. Our journalists work tirelessly around the world to inform and empower audiences with in-depth and accurate reporting. This is no easy task, especially given the rising challenges posed by increasing attacks on journalists and media organisations. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all our journalists for their unwavering commitment, particularly our colleagues in Gaza, whose efforts have been crucial in helping the world grasp the realities of the war on Gaza and its devastating effects on civilian populations." Fault Lines' harrowing and powerful documentary The Night Won't End which looks at the human cost of war won two gold awards in the International Affairs and Investigative Journalism programme categories. This brings the film's international awards tally to six thus far this year. The Fault Lines' investigative team won another two golds with All that Remains (Human Concerns) and Children of the Darien Gap (Human Rights), which has also won two other international awards. Al Jazeera English's other gold winners are 101 East's India's Disappearing Mountains (Social Issues), the Dying Earth's series documentary Beyond the Oil Age (Environment and Ecology), and People and Power's Myanmar Army on the Ropes. In addition, Al Jazeera Digital won a number of awards, showcasing its commitment to outstanding journalism and storytelling. This includes 'True Crime Reports' securing a Gold in the Mystery Podcast category in the Narrative/Documentary Podcast section, two Silver Awards for 'Mexico's Migrant Crackdown – Start Here' in the categories of Streaming Documentary and Documentary: Current Affairs, as well as bronze awards for 'Start Here', 'The Take', and 'Sports Social Justice' coverage. The Al Jazeera Arabic channel was also recognised for its outstanding programmes. The awards featured entries from over 50 countries, covering content screened on US and international broadcasters, including ITV, BBC, NBC and CBC. All content was screened and judged by the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards Grand Jury of over 200 producers, directors, writers, and other creative media professionals from around the globe. For over 60 years, New York Festivals TV & Film Awards have honoured exceptional and innovative content created on all continents and seen across all platforms. Since launching in 2006, Al Jazeera English has garnered international praise for its impartial and fact-based reporting, winning prestigious awards from journalism's most respected institutions. Today, the Al Jazeera Media Network with 70 bureaus around the world, it reaches more than 440 million households in over 150 countries.
Al Jazeera
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Jazeera
Peabody awards two exclusive Al Jazeera documentaries on Gaza war carnage
Al Jazeera Media Network has been honoured with two prestigious Peabody Awards, one of the most esteemed accolades in broadcast storytelling. The awards recognise the Al Jazeera English Fault Lines documentary ' The Night Won't End ' in the News & Documentary category, and the Al Jazeera English Digital film ' One Day in Gaza ' from the series Close Up, in the Interactive & Immersive category. The Peabody announcement was made on 1 May 2025, ahead of its 85th annual ceremony in Los Angeles, on 1 June 2025. Al Jazeera English Fault Lines documentary 'The Night Won't End' uncovers the tragic human cost of war. It depicts the realities of the unrelenting Israeli bombing campaign, the unsafe 'safe zones,' and arbitrary executions through the eyes of three families during the initial 15 months of the war. The film investigates the death of five-year-old Hind Rajab, who was waiting to be rescued from a car where her family members had already been gunned down. Two medics dispatched to rescue her were also killed, as verified by a forensic watchdog agency. Laila Al-Arian, Executive Producer of Fault Lines, stated, 'No single piece can fully capture the scale of the atrocities in Gaza, but we aimed through investigative journalism and on the ground storytelling to offer a glimpse of what life has been like. We are honoured by this recognition because it helps bring more attention to a continuing story the world needs to see. Though we filmed this over a year ago, the horrors we documented remain a daily reality for more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza.' To date, The Night Won't End has garnered multiple awards, including the coveted International Current Affairs category at the Royal Television Society Awards in the United Kingdom, the Overseas Press Club prize for best TV, video or documentary about international affairs, and the long-form award from the Centre for Information Resilience Open-Source Film Awards. The 'One Day in Gaza' from the series Close Up is a compilation of videos recorded by ten individuals in Gaza, who were asked to document moments throughout their day, thereby helping viewers understand the immense hardships and constant dangers faced by everyday Palestinians living under the constant bombardment in Gaza. Juan Carlos Van Meek, Director of Digital Innovation and Programming, expressed his gratitude for the team winning the Peabody Award stating, 'I am immensely proud of our team's relentless efforts in amplifying the humanity of Palestinians living in Gaza under constant bombardment. Through the brave voices of ordinary people on the ground, we have captivated millions of viewers and helped sustain global attention on the ongoing genocide, ensuring their stories are not forgotten.' The recognition of these documentaries underscores Al Jazeera's commitment to highlighting the profound human experiences amidst conflict. As the situation in Gaza continues to unfold, The Network remains dedicated to shedding light on the stories that matter, ensuring that the voices of those affected are heard on a global platform. The George Foster Peabody Award is given annually by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia to honor "distinguished achievement and meritorious service" by individuals, networks, stations, and organizations in the media industry.
Al Jazeera
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera English's Fault Lines Investigates Israeli Military Shootings of Children in Gaza
Al Jazeera English's award-winning documentary programme, Fault Lines, releases a harrowing investigation on 27 March 2025 called Kids Under Fire. It documents the systematic shooting of children in Gaza by Israeli forces. Since Israel's war on Gaza began in October 2023, foreign journalists have been barred from independent access. However, only doctors have been granted repeated entry. Over several months, Fault Lines spoke with 20 American physicians who volunteered in Gaza's hospitals. They describe an unmistakable pattern—children arriving at emergency rooms with gunshot wounds, often to the head and chest. Many of them did not survive. Kids Under Fire provides overwhelming evidence of different cases of children being intentionally shot. Physicians who served at different hospitals, at different times, recount treating dozens of children with nearly identical injuries. The documentary also explores how the U.S. is complicit in this violence. Doctors who witnessed these killings firsthand say that when they met with American lawmakers, they were met with indifference—if not outright skepticism. Under the Leahy Law, U.S. military aid is prohibited from reaching foreign military units accused of human rights violations. Former State Department official Charles Blaha, who oversaw human rights vetting, admits in the film that he signed off on a process that never once held Israel accountable. Tim Rieser, a senior foreign policy advisor who helped draft the Leahy Law, says: 'There's probably not a unit in the Israeli army that either hasn't been trained and or received equipment from the United States. But It is the only country that we are aware of that the law has been so consistently not applied to.'
Al Jazeera
19-03-2025
- Business
- Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera Arabic's channel on YouTube surpasses 20 million subscribers
hannel on YouTube has exceeded 20 million subscribers, establishing itself as the foremost channel in the Arab world and the Middle East, and ranking among the top international news channels on the platform, surpassing numerous global channels and news agencies. In 2024, the channel experienced a significant increase in interaction with its YouTube content. Al Jazeera News accumulated over 4.5 billion views, with the channel's live broadcast achieving more than 1.5 billion views within the year, a record figure for an international news channel. The channel implemented innovative strategies to enhance Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and develop content formats that align with YouTube's algorithms, thereby attracting millions of viewers globally. This involved a focus on adapting content for the growing use of smartphones by producing news tailored for small screens and translating videos into English to expand its global reach. Ahmed Al-Yafei, the managing director of Al Jazeera Arabic Channel, remarked: "While we are proud of this achievement, it places a greater responsibility upon us towards our audience, who have trusted us for nearly 29 years. They consider Al Jazeera as the primary and reliable source for news, knowledge content, and matters of global importance, despite the proliferation of competing channels. This success is attributable to the collective efforts of various departments within the network, particularly the Digital Newsroom team." Ahmed Ashour, the head of the Digital Newsroom, commented: "This unprecedented accomplishment is the result of the team's exceptional efforts, driven by passion and a commitment to the mission of journalism. At Al Jazeera, we consistently set new objectives to engage broader audience segments and reinforce the network's digital dominance, aiming to continue reshaping the digital media landscape and solidify its position as the leading global news platform on YouTube." Notably, the Digital Newsroom team within the network successfully broadened the YouTube audience base by targeting diverse age groups and geographical regions, achieving over 100 million views in India and Bangladesh alone.
Al Jazeera
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
The Sudanese army on the battlefield: Strategic context and possible trajectories
In what could be a pivotal turning point in the war in Sudan, the Sudanese army recaptured Wad Madani, the capital of the Gezira state, in early January 2025. The army surrounded the city from the south, west and east, to close in on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), using a combination of weapons, most notably air strikes, to target RSF sites, infrastructure and supply depots, thus weakening RSF morale, preventing it from gathering its forces, and paving the way for army's ground operations. The recapture of Wad Madani will disrupt RSF supply lines to its forces in the capital, thereby alleviating pressure on the Sudanese army in Khartoum, as well as giving the army control of roads connecting southern and eastern Sudan. The failure of the RSF to hold Wad Madani is attributable to successive strikes by the Sudanese army that wore down the RSF. Moreover, in November 2024, Sudanese armed factions in Darfur announced they would join the Sudanese army in the fight against the RSF. This joint force was able to thwart RSF attempts to take al-Fasher, the capital of Darfur, as well as strategic areas in North Darfur, disrupting RSF supply lines and hampering their operational capabilities. The regional and international environment is also tilting slightly in favour of the Sudanese army, as demonstrated by the shift in the position of the Kenyan government, which in early January 2025 refused to allow Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known as Hemedti), Head of the RSF, to hold a press conference. This will further isolate Hemedti in East Africa and enhance the legitimacy of the government of Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council and the de facto ruler of Sudan, perhaps spurring other countries to follow Kenya's example. Turkey's offer of mediation has also been welcomed by the Sudanese government and Abu Dhabi. The Trump presidency may further tip the balance in favour of the Sudanese army. In addition to Trump's expressed desire to end wars, the US administration may act to curtail the influence of rivals like Russia, which is aiding Hemedti's forces. All of these developments could enable the Sudanese army to gradually encircle the RSF. The first RSF positions to be affected will likely be in Khartoum and its suburbs, where the RSF will face increasing difficulties in obtaining support personnel, equipment and supplies. The army may also use its position in Wadi Madani to prevent RSF deployments on the Ethiopian border, cutting off supplies and hindering RSF efforts to obtain recognition from the Ethiopian leadership. These partial pressures may ultimately weaken the cohesion of Hemedti's forces in Darfur and exacerbate, or create, cracks in the RSF's support structure. The RSF maintains rear bases in Chadian territory near the Sudanese border but the relationship between the RSF and the Chadian government is fragile and could be undercut by tribal differences and rising tensions between Chad and the Burhan government. The Sudanese army and allied militias will also seek to cut off RSF supply lines in the Central African Republic, which relies on Russia's African Corps to maintain the current government. The Sudanese government could offer Russia incentives—gold concessions or facilities on the Red Sea—to withdraw its support for the RSF. Given these conditions, the likelihood of the Sudanese army retaking full control of the capital seems high, but other developments, such as the defeat of the RSF in Darfur, depend on too many unknown variables to predict with any certainty. Chad may alternately intensify its cooperation with the RSF, and influential regional actors could act to ease international pressure on Hemedti's forces. If Hemedti consolidates his control over Darfur, the two warring parties may end up in a stalemate similar to the one in Libya. Historically, the Sudanese army has not ended internal wars with a decisive military victory, but through political settlements. This war, however, has distinct features and so may diverge from this pattern. The RSF does not have a large base in Sudan, being limited to some areas of Darfur. It also depends on the leadership of Hemedti and his relatives. If the Sudanese army manages to overthrow the leadership, the forces may disintegrate. Moreover, the length of the war, the scale of atrocities committed, and widespread popular support for the Sudanese army has prompted several countries to reevaluate their support for the RSF and may lead others to do so. If the Sudanese army is able to exploit these weaknesses to dismantle the RSF, it will still face many challenges. RSF remnants may turn to organised crime, spreading terror across Sudan. And while the political forces currently rallied around the Sudanese army have put aside their differences to confront the RSF threat, once the threat is removed, their differences may resurface, making it difficult to reach a consensus on a political system that can succeed military rule.
