French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he hoped that tensions with Algeria could ease after a row over visas and critical comments by Paris towards Algiers..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Days after row over visas, France wants to ease tensions with Algeria
Singapore: Foreign interference law is a tool for crushing dissent
Responding to Singapore lawmakers passing legislation that seeks to prevent foreign interference in domestic affairs, Emerlynne Gil, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Research, said: “The passing of Singapore’s foreign interference law constitutes a brutal attack on the rights to freedom of expression and association, creating yet another tool that can be used arbitrarily by ..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Singapore: Foreign interference law is a tool for crushing dissent
US lawmakers demand Facebook probes as whistleblower testifies children harmed
"I'm here today because I believe Facebook's products harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy."
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: US lawmakers demand Facebook probes as whistleblower testifies children harmed
After Facebook, big tech outages may be doomsday scenario in future conflict – analysis
Let enough people rely on just one or two tech giants for everything they do and you create a Pearl Harbor-like vulnerability.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: After Facebook, big tech outages may be doomsday scenario in future conflict - analysis
Israeli scientist aims to replace human organs like car parts – on demand
'Aging is being considered a disease that can be cured rather than something that is inevitable and normal,' said Dr. Shahar Cohen, a bioengineer working on a project called 'organs on demand.'
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Israeli scientist aims to replace human organs like car parts - on demand
Austria leads 47 nations in pledge at UNHRC to combat antisemitism
"This fight is between antisemites and anyone who believes in the values of equality, justice and liberty," Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Austria leads 47 nations in pledge at UNHRC to combat antisemitism
Sir John Chilcot obituary
Civil servant who chaired the Iraq war inquiry and gave a damning verdict on Tony Blair..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Sir John Chilcot obituary
Panama police apologize over Arab target practice controversy
Panama’s police force apologized Friday for participating in an Israeli-run training course that showed officers shooting at targets that appeared to depict people dressed in traditional Arab clothing.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The controversy arose after photos emerged from the training, one of which showed a man pointing a gun at an image of an armed person wearing what appeared to be an Arab headdress.The images were published on Twitter by the National Police and the local Israeli chamber of commerce, but were later deleted.“We are respectful of cultural, religious and ethnic differences,” the police force said in a statement. “We regret that... a situation arose outside the nature of our mission and duty.”The deleted Twitter posts had said the training was organized by the Israeli embassy in Panama.The controversy drew a rebuke from the Panamanian Committee of Solidarity with Palestine, which said the course promoted “violence and racism, so that anyone who wears a hijab or something similar can be classified as a terrorist.”Read more: EU set to remove Seychelles from tax haven blacklist: DocumentsIsrael investigating after Hezbollah says it shot down Israeli drone in South LebanonIsrael’s IDF Chief: We have plans in place for when we decide to attack Iran
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Panama police apologize over Arab target practice controversy
Police: Air ambulance crashes in the UAE, killing four
An Abu Dhabi air ambulance flown by the emirate’s police crashed Saturday, killing four people, Abu Dhabi Police said via Twitter.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Abu Dhabi police named the deceased as pilots Khamis Saeed al-Houli, Muhammed al-Rashidi, doctor Shahid Farouk Gholam, and nurse Joel Qiui Sakara Minto, in an announcement on Twitter.The force extended its sympathies to the families of the deceased.The Abu Dhabi police gave no details on the location or cause of the crash.With The Associated PressRead more: UAE officially launches Expo 2020 Dubai, world’s biggest cultural gatheringUAE authorities call on public to avoid COVID-19 ‘rumors and misinformation’New COVID-19 cases fall to just 0.2 pct in UAE capital
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Police: Air ambulance crashes in the UAE, killing four
UN agency for Palestinian refugees has urgent budget crisis
The UN agency helping Palestinian refugees is facing an “existential” budget crisis and appealing for urgent funding of $120 million to keep essential education, healthcare and other services running, the agency’s chief said Friday.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“We keep struggling, running after cash,” Philippe Lazzarini told a small group of reporters.“The financial situation is a real existential threat on the organization, and we should not underestimate this because it might force the organization to decrease services,” he added, and if that happens “we risk to collapse very quickly.”At stake is the agency’s ability to keep 550,000 children in school, provide health care for thousands, and pay the salaries for its 28,000 staffers in November and December, Lazzarini explained.The UN Relief and Works Agency known as UNRWA was established to provide education, health care, food and other services to the 700,000 Palestinians who fled or were forced from their homes during the war surrounding Israel’s establishment in 1948.Lazzarini added that it wasn’t clear for agency officials “if yes or no we will be able to keep our activities in November and December.”He emphasized the importance of the US returning as a major donor to UNRWA this year after former president Donald Trump stopped all funding in 2018. The Biden administration announced in April it would provide a total of $235 million to projects in the West Bank and Gaza as well as to UNRWA.But Lazzarini said the US funding has been offset by decreased funding from other donors as a result of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and no information from potential donors in the Middle East.He pointed to the United Kingdom’s decrease in its overseas aid budget from 0.7 percent to 0.5 percent of GDP, and the decline in Arab support to UNRWA from $200 million in 2018 to about $89 million in 2019 and $37 million in 2020.He said UNRWA’s uncertain funding has generated anxiety among Palestinian refugees that the “lifeline” provided by the agency could be weakened, and a feeling of being abandoned by the international community.In an effort to reverse this trend, Lazzarini said Sweden and Jordan will be co-hosting a conference in mid-November in Brussels whose main aim is to ensure more predictable multi-year funding for the agency.He said UNRWA is seeking $800 million a year for three years for its “core” activities — education, health care, and social protection and safety nets.UNRWA also has a separate emergency budget which provides humanitarian aid to Gaza and Syria, he said. This year that budget was around $500 million, and he said it will probably be similar in 2022.There are now 5.7 million Palestinian refugees, including their children and grandchildren, but Lazzarini said UNRWA only helps the 550,000 in school and 2.8 million who have health benefits.Read more: Israeli police capture two more Palestinians who escaped high-security prisonWhite House delegation heading to Egypt for talks on Horn of Africa, PalestineSaudi Arabia’s FM heads Arab Ministerial meeting to stop Israeli actions in Jerusalem
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: UN agency for Palestinian refugees has urgent budget crisis