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What is ‘Dreams on a Pillow’, the Palestinian game about the Nakba?

What is ‘Dreams on a Pillow’, the Palestinian game about the Nakba?

Can a video game make you feel the weight of history? That’s the ambitious goal of a new pseudo-3D stealth adventure game called “Dreams on a Pillow”, launched by Palestinian game developers. The game is inspired by the events of the 1948 Nakba or “catastrophe”, referring to the ethnic cleansing of 750,000 Palestinians from their homes located in what is now the state of Israel. It is slated to be released in 2026. [embedded content] So what do we know about the game that is launched at a time when Palestinians are hoping this week’s ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel for Gaza, where more than 46,000 people have been killed in the 15-month-long Israeli bombardment of the strip, will actually hold? Who is behind the game and what is its goal? The game is the brainchild of Rasheed Abueideh, a developer based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. “We are trying to make this game a masterpiece,” Abueideh, the game’s director and designer, told Al Jazeera. His last game, Liyla and the Shadows of War, based on the 2014 Israeli offensive in Gaza, was a huge hit. Advertisement “It’s a heavy story. And we want to inject all of these pieces of information through a gameplay that resonates with the players,” he said. Abueideh, who is based in Nablus in the West Bank, says he would like the world to understand that the Israeli war on Gaza is a direct result of previous events and decisions beyond the event of October 7, 2023. Concept art shows images from the new game based on the Nakba [Courtesy of Dreams on a Pillow] The game, he says, is also an attempt to highlight and share the rich history of Palestine. Despite his past success, he has struggled to get funding from conventional sources. So he crowdsourced on LaunchGood, a global crowdfunding platform focused on supporting Muslim communities worldwide. Dreams on a Pillow reached its funding goal of $194,800 on January 7. At the time of writing, the video game project has raised $218,272. The current funding for the game is enough to start development and should cover costs for the first year including salaries, outsourcing and asset creation. According to Abueideh, LaunchGood emerged as one of the few viable options for fundraising efforts, as many mainstream crowdfunding platforms refused to help. Palestine-related content often faces heightened scrutiny and, in some cases, outright prohibition. The censorship or even the shadow banning of pro-Palestine content has been well documented. In May 2023, a YouTube video made by Palestinian officials, which was meant to be presented at a United Nations Human Rights Council meeting, was removed from the platform. The platform has been accused of violating the digital rights of Palestinians. Advertisement Investigations by rights organisations and media outlets have revealed the removal and suppression of pro-Palestinian content from social media platforms such Instagram and Facebook. Netflix removed nearly all 32 films about Palestine on its platform. The streaming giant attributed the removal of the films to the expiration of three-year licensing agreements. However, this sudden deletion prompted an outcry from human rights groups and individuals across social media platforms, according to broadcaster TRT World. Why is @Netflix purging so many of its films and content regarding Palestinians and Palestine? Look at all of the Palestinian stories that are “leaving soon.” Israel is already trying to erase the Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank. Why is @Netflix erasing Palestinian… pic.twitter.com/rXEmcVqvJ8 — Sunjeev Bery (@Sunjeev_Bery) October 13, 2024 What’s the story behind Dreams on a Pillow? The central theme of the game is based on Palestinian folklore around the legend of Omm, a young mother who flees the 1948 Israeli massacre in Tantura, a Palestinian town now part of Israel. While escaping through other Palestinian villages and refugee camps on her way to Lebanon, she witnessed events that unfolded in these communities and cities along the way. According to Abueideh, this journey serves as a lens through which we observe the broader historical context and personal experiences of displacement during this tumultuous period. Omm’s husband falls victim to Israeli invaders. Frantically, she rushes home to save her newborn child. In her haste and terror, she flees the town, only to discover later that she had mistakenly grabbed a pillow instead of her baby. Advertisement The story’s conclusion varies significantly depending on the storyteller and audience. In most renditions, the mother descends into madness. Other versions depict either her murder or her successful evasion of Israeli patrols and military units, leading to her escape from her homeland – a place she might not see again. In a recent Ask Me Anything (AMA) live on Reddit, Abueideh states why Omm was chosen: “The young mother’s experiences highlight how devastating the Nakba was, particularly the psychological impact it had on her. This adds a deeper layer to understanding what happened, shedding light on the emotional and mental toll that is often overlooked when discussing the crimes committed,” explained Abueideh. Zionist militias committed more than 70 massacres that resulted in the killing of more than 15,000 Palestinians leading up to the creation of Israel in 1948. Concept art for the game which is set in historic Palestine [Courtesy of Dreams on a Pillow] What was the theme of Liyla and the Shadows of War? In 2016, Abueideh’s small team of developers in Palestine released Liyla and the Shadows of War for PC and mobile platforms, which was based on Israel’s 2014 Gaza offensive. The Israeli military operation, named Operation Protective Edge, resulted in the killing of 2,300 Palestinians and 73 Israelis. According to Abueideh, Liyla and the Shadows of War was quite successful receiving millions of downloads and was awarded first place for Excellence in Storyboarding for the International Mobile Gaming Awards for Middle East North Africa. Advertisement The game was built around a Palestinian family’s harrowing experience during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, as they fought to stay alive amid the conflict and destruction. “We followed a

Two Iranian Supreme Court justices killed in Tehran shooting attack

Two Iranian Supreme Court justices killed in Tehran shooting attack

Assailant kills himself after shooting senior justices in the centre of the Iranian capital. Two senior justices in the Iranian Supreme Court have been killed in a shooting attack outside the tribunal building in central Tehran, according to the judiciary and state media. The “assassination” was carried out by an armed person, who killed himself after opening fire early on Saturday outside the court, according to a statement by the media centre of the judiciary. The victims were identified as Hojjat al-Islam Razini and Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Moqisseh, each of whom presided over a different branch of the court. “[They] were actively involved in combating crimes against national security, espionage, and terrorism,” the statement added, describing the slain judges as “courageous and experienced”. The identity of the attacker and his motive were not immediately clear. “Preliminary investigations indicate that the perpetrator had no prior cases in the Supreme Court nor was he one of its visitors,” the statement said. According to the state-owned Tehran Times, a bodyguard was also injured in the attack on Saturday, the first working day of the week in the Iranian calendar. Advertisement Iranian media said an investigation was under way to identify and arrest other suspects who may have been involved in the attack. In 1998, Razini was also the subject of an attempted assassination attack while he was serving as head of Tehran’s judiciary. Adblock test (Why?)

Here are the greatest Inauguration Day moments in US history

Here are the greatest Inauguration Day moments in US history

Presidential inaugurations mark some of the most defining moments in U.S. history, allowing presidents to establish traditions and reinvigorate the American people. Some inaugurations make history, while others are remembered for comical blunders and even brawls. Before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office for a second time on Monday, here are some of the most momentous Inauguration Day moments in U.S. history. NANCY PELOSI TO SKIP TRUMP INAUGURATION CEREMONY No tradition’s story is complete without its origin. President George Washington delivered the first-ever inaugural address on April 30, 1789, just two weeks after Congress unanimously elected him to serve as the nation’s leader. His 10-minute speech noted the “divine blessing” of the nation’s founding, expressing gratitude to “the benign parent of the human race” for the deliberations that led to the founding and the unity of the American people. President Andrew Jackson had some 20,000 of his supporters attend a celebration around the White House following his first inauguration in 1829. The mob quickly grew rowdy, however, with fights breaking out and furniture being destroyed. Jackson ultimately fled out a window to the safety of a nearby hotel, according to the National Archives. MICHELLE OBAMA, DICK CHENEY AMONG NOTABLE ABSENCES AT CARTER FUNERAL Staff at the White House then resorted to filling bathtubs with whiskey and orange juice outside the White House in order to get the crowd to leave the building. President William Henry Harrison delivered his inaugural address on a bitterly cold day in March 1841. He refused to wear a coat and traveled to and from the inauguration on open horseback. His address is also the longest in U.S. history, with Harrison speaking for more than two hours. Several weeks after Inauguration Day, Harrison caught a cold, which then developed into pneumonia, and he died on April 4, barely a month after taking office. President Franklin D. Roosevelt first took the oath of office in 1933 in the midst of the Great Depression. It was during his first inaugural address that he delivered a line now known to virtually all Americans, telling the people, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” TRUMP, OBAMA CHATTING AND LAUGHING AT CARTER FUNERAL LIGHTS UP SOCIAL MEDIA Roosevelt’s steadfast leadership would see Americans through both the Great Depression and World War II. President John F. Kennedy assumed office on Jan. 20, 1961, and he too delivered a line that would enter the American pantheon. “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country,” he urged. Kennedy’s words led the country to the moon and back, and to this day, polls rank him as the most beloved recent president. President Barack Obama’s first inauguration is notable not only because he was the first Black American to become president, but also for the historical quirk that he had to be sworn in twice. Obama and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts briefly spoke to one another as Roberts was administering the oath of office. As a result, Roberts misspoke and stated, “That I will execute the office of president to the United States faithfully.” Obama then repeated that phrasing, which is incorrect. The oath’s correct wording in the Constitution is, “That I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States.” While the ceremony moved forward regardless, Obama and Roberts met again the following day at the White House to administer the oath correctly.

As Biden wraps up half-century political career, his failure to turn page on Trump weighs on president

As Biden wraps up half-century political career, his failure to turn page on Trump weighs on president

President Biden’s half-century political career comes to a close on Monday, as President-elect Trump is inaugurated and succeeds Biden in the White House. While the longtime Democratic senator from Delaware, two-term vice president and one-term president can point to a plethora of legislative victories and other achievements during his four years in the White House, Biden leaves office as one of the most unpopular presidents in the nation’s history. And Biden, who successfully defeated Trump in the 2020 election as he pledged to turn a page on his predecessor, is facing a legacy tarnished by his inability to prevent Trump from returning to the presidency. Biden, in an open letter to the American people on Wednesday, appeared to acknowledge that he wasn’t able to follow through on the integral pledge from his 2020 campaign. WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLL SAYS ABOUT PRESIDENT BIDEN “I ran for president because I believed that the soul of America was at stake. The very nature of who we are was at stake,” Biden wrote.  But he lamented “that’s still the case.” “President Biden ran on and was elected on a platform of a return to normalcy in 2020. And while voters appear to have wanted that in principle, history will remember Biden as having been unable to deliver on his promise,” veteran political scientist Wayne Lesperance, the president of New England College, told Fox News. NEW SURVEYS SHOW BIDEN LEAVING OFFICE WITH APPROVAL RATINGS STILL DEEPLY UNDERWATER Biden, in a farewell address to the nation this past week, aimed to cement his legacy as a president who pushed to stabilize politics at home while bolstering America’s leadership abroad, and as a leader who steered the nation out of the COVID-19 pandemic, made historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy, pumped up the economy and made historic gains in job creation, and lowered prescription drug prices for millions of American. But he also used his speech “to warn the country” that “an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy. Our basic rights, freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead.” Biden ends his single term in the White House with approval ratings that remain well underwater. He stood at 42% approval and 57% disapproval in the latest Fox News national poll, which was conducted Jan. 10-13 and released on Thursday. Just 36% of Americans approved of the job Biden has been doing in the White House, according to the latest CNN poll, which matched the president’s previous low mark in the cable news network’s polling during Biden’s White House tenure. WILL HISTORY BE KIND OR UNKIND TO PRESIDENT BIDEN? And Biden’s approval rating stood at 43% – slightly higher but still in negative territory – in national polls by USA Today/Suffolk University and Marist College. All of the polls were conducted in early and mid-January. Biden’s approval rating hovered in the low to mid 50s during his first six months in the White House. However, the president’s numbers started sagging in August 2021 in the wake of Biden’s much-criticized handling of the turbulent U.S. exit from Afghanistan, and following a surge in COVID-19 cases that summer that was mainly among unvaccinated people. The plunge in the president’s approval rating was also fueled by soaring inflation – which started spiking in the summer of 2021 and remains to date a major pocketbook concern with Americans – and the surge of migrants trying to cross into the U.S. along the southern border. Biden’s approval ratings slipped underwater in the autumn of 2021 and never reemerged into positive territory. The latest polls also indicate that many Americans view Biden’s presidency as a failure. Sixty-one percent of adults nationwide questioned in the CNN survey said they see Biden’s presidency overall as a failure, with 38% viewing it as a success.  According to the USA Today/Suffolk University survey, 44% of registered voters said history will assess Biden as a failed president, with 27% saying he will be judged as a fair president. Twenty-one percent of those questioned said history will view Biden as a good president, with only 5% saying he will be seen as a great president. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING RESULTS Just over a third of adults nationwide questioned in the Marist poll said Biden will be remembered as one of the worst presidents in American history, with 19% saying he will be considered a below-average president. Twenty-eight percent of participants offered that Biden’s legacy will be considered average, with 19% saying he would be regarded as above average or one of the best presidents in the nation’s history. Biden, in one of his last interviews in office, told MSNBC in an acknowledgment of regret that “ironically, I almost spent too much time on the policy, not enough time on the politics.” Also weighing on Biden’s legacy – his ill-fated re-election run. In April 2023, the then-80-year old Biden announced his re-election bid. Fourteen months later, Biden was losing ground to Trump in 2024 election polling when he suffered a disastrous debate performance against the former president, which reignited deep concerns among voters over his physical and cognitive ability to handle another four years in the White House. Less than a month later, following an outcry from fellow Democrats, Biden announced he was ending his campaign and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to serve as the party’s 2024 standard-bearer. Two and a half months after Trump’s convincing victory over Harris, Biden is still facing plenty of blame for the Democrats’ electoral setbacks in November. Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville told Fox News that “the Joe Biden story is one of the great tragedies of American politics. I really mean that. He should be having a glorious, well deserved, highly acclaimed retirement. And he’s not.” And Carville, a political mastermind behind former President Bill Clinton’s historic 1992 White House victory, argued that “it’s hard to blame anybody but him.”  But Biden’s friends and supporters

Highlights from President-elect Donald Trump’s 1st Inauguration Day; what to expect from Monday

Highlights from President-elect Donald Trump’s 1st Inauguration Day; what to expect from Monday

President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration is just two days away, and excitement for the celebrations is building throughout Washington, D.C., and across the nation.  Celebrities and top business leaders are rallying around the incoming 47th president of the United States – a stark contrast to the inaugural ceremonies in 2017.  Trump, in November, won the 2024 presidential election in a landslide. He dominated both the Electoral College and the popular vote to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris after a historic campaign cycle.  Since his massive victory, the president-elect has seen support from his traditional allies – including Republicans in Congress and GOP governors across the nation – as he builds out his incoming administration.  TRUMP WINS 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION However, he has also been embraced by top executives in the business world and Silicon Valley – individuals who had not been particularly cozy with Trump or his allies during and after his first administration.  Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and other tech leaders paid visits to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, throughout the transition period.  CARRIE UNDERWOOD TO PERFORM ‘AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL’ AT TRUMP INAUGURATION Leading up to the inauguration, Bezos, Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook and executives from Google, Microsoft, Boeing, Ford Motor Co. and more, committed at least $1 million each to Trump’s inaugural fund – a total about-face from the first Trump inauguration.  Trump will also have union leaders at his inauguration, representing the broad coalition of support he has seen since his victory, including International Brotherhood of Teamsters President Sean O’Brien and members of the Firefighter’s Union.  TRUMP’S INAUGURAL FUND RECEIVES $1 MILLION DONATION FROM MARK ZUCKERBERG’S META Celebrities, too, are showing up for the president-elect. Country music star and “American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood will perform “America the Beautiful,” and will be joined by the Armed Forces Choir and the United States Naval Academy Glee Club.   Underwood’s performance will come just before Trump takes the presidential oath of office for the second time.  Joining Underwood during the swearing-in ceremony will be opera singer Christopher Macchio, who is expected to perform the national anthem.  TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT VICTIMS ‘HONORED’ TO ATTEND 47TH PRESIDENT’S INAUGURATION Reports suggest other top music acts will make their way to Washington, D.C., for performances, including Jason Aldean, Rascall Flatts, Kid Rock, Billy Ray Cyrus, Village People and more.  Last time, Trump struggled to attract big-name support, and even high-profile entertainers for his inauguration in 2017. The entertainment program was tame compared to his predecessor, President Obama’s 2013 inauguration, which included performances by Beyoncé and Kelly Clarkson. Additionally, the 2017 inauguration weekend was also marred by protests across Washington, D.C.  ELON MUSK, AI AND TECH TITANS, VENTURE CAPITALISTS INVITED TO PRE-INAUGURATION DINNER AT DAWN OF TRUMP ERA Protesters created chaos across the city ahead of Inauguration Day in 2017, shattering glass storefronts and torching cars, with police arresting more than 200 people in demonstrations that spanned several days. Trump’s actual swearing-in on Capitol Hill and the parade to the White House happened, however, without any incident. FLASHBACK: HUNDREDS OF PROTESTERS ARRESTED IN INAUGURATION DAY CLASHES Despite the chaos, Trump, in his inaugural address, called for a “new national pride” to heal divisions and asked for unity. However, the day after Trump was sworn into office as the 45th president of the United States, several hundred thousand people from across the country descended on the nation’s capital to protest his presidency in the “Women’s March on Washington.” FLASHBACK: ‘DEPLORABALL’ GUESTS MET BY PROTESTERS IN CHAOTIC SCENE Many of the protesters were indeed women and were largely peaceful compared to the rioters who wreaked havoc in Washington, D.C., days earlier. The march moved from the National Mall to the streets while the newly inaugurated president attended a National Prayer Service after waking up in the White House for the first time. Celebrities like America Ferrera, Madonna, Ashley Judd, Cher, Katy Perry, Amy Schumer, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Michael Moore, Debra Messing, Patricia Arquette and others attended the march. Madonna, during that protest, said she had “thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House.” However, Trump’s second inauguration is expected to be a celebration – the official Inauguration weekend will begin with a large fireworks display Saturday night.  FLASHBACK: DAY AFTER TRUMP SWORN IN, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS PROTEST PRESIDENCY IN CELEB-STUDDED MARCH On Sunday, there will be a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery and a “Make America Great Again” rally, where Trump will deliver remarks, followed by a candlelit dinner.  Monday is Inauguration Day, when Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will participate in the swearing-in ceremony; say “farewell” to President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris; participate in the president’s Signing Room Ceremony on Capitol Hill; and lead the Presidential Parade down Pennsylvania Avenue and to the White House.  The president will then attend three official inaugural balls and is expected to deliver remarks at each.  “President Trump is dedicated to uniting the country through the strength, security, and opportunity of his America First agenda,” Trump Vance Inaugural Committee, Inc. Co-Chairs Steve Witkoff and Kelly Loeffler said. “The 2025 inaugural celebrations will reflect President-elect Trump’s historic return to the White House and the American people’s decisive vote to Make America Great Again.”