Here are the names of the journalists Israel killed in Gaza
Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif, 28, has been killed along with four of his colleagues in a deliberate Israeli attack on a media tent sheltering journalists outside the main gate of Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital. Al Jazeera reporter Hani al-Shaer said an Israeli drone hit the tent about 11:35pm (20:35 GMT) on Sunday. In total, seven people were killed in the attack, including Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, 33, and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, 25; Mohammed Noufal, 29; and Moamen Aliwa, 23. [Al Jazeera] Israel deliberately kills Al Jazeera journalists This is not the first time Israel has targeted Al Jazeera journalists covering the war in Gaza. Before Sunday night’s attack, at least five Al Jazeera journalists had been killed by Israel. [Al Jazeera] On December 14, 2023, Al Jazeera cameraman Samer Abudaqa was targeted by an Israeli air strike while reporting alongside Gaza bureau chief Wael Dahdouh, who was injured in the same attack. Abudaqa was left to bleed to death at the Farhana school in Khan Younis, where they were filming, as emergency workers were blocked by the Israeli military from reaching the site. On January 7, 2024, Wael’s eldest son and fellow Al Jazeera journalist, Hamza Dahdouh, was killed in a missile strike on the vehicle he was travelling in in Khan Younis. On July 31, 2024, Ismail al-Ghoul and his cameraman Rami al-Rifi were killed in an Israeli attack on the Shati refugee camp despite their vehicle bearing clear media markings and both wearing vests identifying themselves as members of the news media. People inspect a vehicle in which Al Jazeera reporter Ismail al-Ghoul and cameraman Rami al-Rifi were killed by an Israeli strike on July 31, 2024 [Ayman Al Hassi/Reuters] On December 15, Israel killed Al Jazeera journalist Ahmed al-Louh in an air strike in central Gaza’s Nuseirat camp. Mourners attend the funeral of Ahmed al-Louh, a video journalist for Al Jazeera, and members of the Palestinian Civil Defence who were killed in an Israeli strike on a civil emergency centre in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip [Ramadan Abed/Reuters] On March 24, Hossam Shabat, 23, was killed in an Israeli attack in the eastern part of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza. [Al Jazeera] Gaza: The deadliest war for journalists Israel’s war on Gaza has been the single deadliest conflict for journalists. Advertisement According to Brown University’s Costs of War project, more journalists have been killed in Gaza since the war began on October 7, 2023, than in the US Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, the wars in the former Yugoslavia and the post-9/11 war in Afghanistan – combined. [Al Jazeera] According to Reporters Without Borders, known by its French acronym RSF, 2024 was the deadliest year for journalists with more than 120 killed. Since the start of this year, more than 50 journalists and media workers have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza. Targeting journalists is a war crime Al Jazeera has condemned the targeted killing of its correspondents as “yet another blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom”, noting that al-Sharif and his colleagues were among the last voices reporting from inside Gaza as international media remained barred by Israel. The Palestinian mission to the United Nations accused Israel of “deliberately assassinating” al-Sharif and Qreiqeh, saying they “systematically exposed and documented Israel’s genocide and starvation”. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s spokesperson called for an investigation and stressed that journalists everywhere must be allowed to work without fear of being targeted. Amnesty International condemned the killings as a war crime and honoured al-Sharif as a “brave and extraordinary” reporter, noting he received the Human Rights Defender Award in 2024 for his commitment to press freedom. Al Jazeera Media Network condemns the targeted assassination of its correspondents Anas Al Sharif and Mohammeel Qraiqea, along with photographers Ibrahim Al Thaher, and Mohamed Nofal, by Israeli forces.#JournalismIsNotACrime pic.twitter.com/F3p9PbhGZF — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) August 11, 2025 Every month, 13 journalists are killed in Gaza Nearly 270 journalists and media workers have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza in 22 months of war – or about 13 journalists every month – according to a tally by Shireen.ps, a monitoring website named after Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot and killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank in 2022. What makes this statistic even more stark is that Gaza is losing voices on the ground at a time when Israel has banned international media from entering the besieged enclave. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has said the killings of journalists and their detentions since October 7, 2023, have created a news void that will cause potential war crimes to go undocumented. Advertisement In June, the RSF, CPJ and news organisations published an open letter stating that many Palestinian journalists who have been relied on by reporters outside Gaza have faced a plethora of threats and many “face constant threats to their lives for doing their jobs: bearing witness”. The targeting of reporters has continued ever since despite international condemnation of Israel’s actions. In a statement, Amnesty International said: “Israel isn’t just assassinating journalists but attacking journalism itself by preventing the documentation of genocide.” The names of the journalists and media workers killed in Israel’s war on Gaza are listed below: [Al Jazeera] Adblock test (Why?)
Norway wealth fund divests from several Israeli companies due to Gaza war
The world’s largest fund has divested its stakes in 11 Israeli companies and is reviewing more. Norway’s $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund says it is terminating all contracts with asset managers handling its Israeli investments and has divested parts of its portfolio. The announcement on Monday came after an urgent review launched last week after media reports said the fund had built a stake in an Israeli jet engine group that provides services to Israel’s military, including the maintenance of fighter jets, as Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and the Palestinian population rages. The fund, an arm of Norway’s central bank and the world’s largest, held stakes in 61 Israeli companies as of June 30 but in recent days divested stakes in 11 of these, it said in a statement. “We have now completely sold out of these positions,” the fund said, adding that it is continuing to review Israeli companies for potential divestments. “These measures were taken in response to extraordinary circumstances. The situation in Gaza is a serious humanitarian crisis,” Nicolai Tangen, the CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, said in a statement. “We are invested in companies that operate in a country at war, and conditions in the West Bank and Gaza have recently worsened. In response, we will further strengthen our due diligence.” The fund stated that it has “long paid particular attention to companies associated with war and conflict”. “We constantly monitor companies’ risk management related to conflict zones and respect for human rights,” it said. The Norwegian government began its review after Aftenposten, the country’s leading newspaper, revealed that the fund had a stake in Bet Shemesh Engines Ltd (BSEL), which provides parts to Israeli fighter jets that are being deployed in the war on Gaza. Advertisement Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store had said at the time that the investment was “worrying”. The sovereign fund, which owns stakes in 8,700 companies worldwide, has sold its stakes in an Israeli energy company and a telecommunications group in the past year. In June, Norway’s largest pension fund also decided to sever its ties with companies doing business with Israel. That same month, however, Norway’s parliament rejected a proposal for the fund to divest from all companies with activities in occupied Palestinian territory. Several of Europe’s biggest financial firms have cut back their links to Israeli companies or those with ties to the country, according to an analysis of filings by the Reuters news agency, as pressure mounts from activists and governments to end the war in Gaza. Last month, Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, called on countries to cut off all trade and financial ties with Israel, including a full arms embargo, and withdraw international support for what she termed an “economy of genocide”. In a report titled From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide, Albanese detailed “the corporate machinery sustaining Israel’s settler-colonial project of displacement and replacement of the Palestinians in the occupied territory”. The report singled out companies – including arms manufacturers, technology giants, heavy machinery companies and financial institutions – for their “complicity” in Israel’s repression of Palestinians from sustaining Israeli expansions onto occupied land to enabling the surveillance and killings of Palestinians. Adblock test (Why?)
Nagasaki commemorates atomic bombing 80 years on
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Japan has marked 80 years since the US dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki.
Jordan to host meeting with Syria, US on Syrian reconstruction
President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s new government is trying to attract foreign investment as Syria’s economy lies in ruins. Jordan will host a Jordanian-Syrian-American meeting on Tuesday to discuss ways to support the rebuilding of Syria, its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates says, as Damascus seeks investment deals with international companies to revive its war-ravaged economy. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and United States envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack are expected to attend, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s fledgling government has been grappling with the fallout from sectarian violence between Bedouin and Druze fighters in the southern province of Suwayda as well as Israeli strikes on Syrian soldiers and the capital, Damascus. Syria’s economy remains in tatters after nearly 14 years of war and the ouster of longtime President Bashar al-Assad in December. Jordan made its announcement after Damascus signed 12 agreements worth $14bn on Wednesday, including a $4bn agreement with Qatar’s UCC Holding to build a new airport and a $2bn deal to establish a subway in Damascus with the national investment corporation of the United Arab Emirates. The projects “will extend across Syria and represent a qualitative shift in infrastructure and economic life”, Talal al-Hilali, head of the Syrian Investment Authority, said during a ceremony at the presidential palace in Damascus. He described the agreements as “a turning point” for Syria’s future. Al-Sharaa and Barrack were both present at the signing ceremony, according to Syria’s official SANA news agency. Advertisement The United Nations has put Syria’s post-war reconstruction costs at more than $400bn. Syria’s new authorities have worked to attract investment for the reconstruction of infrastructure across the country after the US and the European Union lifted sanctions on Syria in the wake of al-Assad’s ouster. Other major developments on the investment front include the $2bn Damascus Towers project for residential high rises, signed with the Italian-based company UBAKO; a $500m deal for the Baramkeh Towers project, also in Damascus; and another $60m agreement for Baramkeh Mall. Last month, Saudi Arabia said it would invest about $3bn in real estate and infrastructure projects in Syria. In May, Damascus signed a $7bn energy deal with a consortium of Qatari, Turkish and US companies as it seeks to revive its crippled power sector. Adblock test (Why?)
Ukraine says it hit Russian oil refinery in drone exchanges; key talks loom
Ukraine’s military has said it struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Saratov region in an overnight drone attack, causing explosions and destruction, according to an army statement, as daily aerial exchanges intensify with diplomatic momentum to end the war in play. Saratov’s governor said on Sunday that one person was killed and several residential apartments and an industrial facility were damaged, but did not mention the oil refinery being struck. “[Ukrainian] drones are targeting … deeper into Russian territory [than] in the past, where previous attacks have been focused on the line of contact in the south and the western parts of Russia,” said Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Moscow. It is still unclear whether Ukraine’s claims that it hit a refinery are true, he added. Ukraine’s military also said on Sunday that it had taken back a village in the Sumy region from the Russian army, which has made significant recent gains there. Ukrainian troops have “liberated and completely cleared” Russian forces from Bezsalivka, the military general staff said in a Telegram post. It said 18 Russian troops had been “eliminated” in the fighting. Russia’s war in Ukraine is now into its fourth year, as European leaders have welcomed plans by United States President Donald Trump to hold direct talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on ending the conflict. In Ukraine, three swimmers were killed by unexploded objects in the country’s southern Odesa region at two beaches where swimming has been banned, regional officials said on Sunday. The Black Sea region has long been a popular summer destination, but authorities have urged caution since Russia’s full-scale invasion left mines scattered near its coast. Advertisement “All of them were blown up by explosive objects while swimming in prohibited recreational zones,” Regional governor Oleh Kiper said in a statement. On Saturday, Russia launched a drone attack on a bus in Ukraine’s Kherson region, killing at least two people and wounding 16 others, according to Ukrainian officials. Another drone hit the bus as the police were responding to the attack, injuring three officers, the police added. Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Zaporizhia region also killed two people travelling in a car in the Bilenkivska community on Saturday, as well as a 61-year-old woman who was in her home in the Vasylivka district, a local official reported. Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted 16 of the 47 Russian drones launched overnight, while 31 drones hit targets across 15 different locations. Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defences shot down 97 Ukrainian drones over Russia and the Black Sea overnight and 21 more on Saturday morning. Europe stresses support for Ukraine ahead of Trump-Putin talks Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected any suggestion of land concessions to Russia as international efforts to end the war continue. Trump, who had promised to end the war within 24 hours of reentering the White House in January, plans to meet Putin in Alaska on Friday, saying the parties were close to a deal that could resolve the conflict. Trump is reportedly open to inviting Zelenskyy to Alaska, but there has been no confirmation as of yet. Putin has insisted the conditions must be right for him and the Ukrainian leader to meet in person. The leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Finland, together with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, on Sunday issued a joint statement welcoming Trump’s efforts, while stressing the need to maintain support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia. “The emphasis [of the European statement was] … that this is a war that is in Ukraine, but is in Europe too, and has huge potential ramifications for European security,” said Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford, reporting from Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv. The Wall Street Journal also reported that European officials who met US Vice President JD Vance in the UK on Saturday had presented a counterproposal for peace, which included demands that a ceasefire must take place before any other steps are taken. The proposal also said that any territory exchanges must be reciprocal, with firm security guarantees. Adblock test (Why?)
Iran rejects planned transit corridor outlined in Armenia-Azerbaijan pact
Iran has said it will block a corridor planned in the Caucasus under a United States-brokered peace accord between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which has been hailed by other countries in the region as beneficial for achieving lasting peace. Ali Akbar Velayati, a top adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, said on Saturday that Tehran would block the initiative “with or without Russia”, with which Iran has a strategic alliance alongside Armenia. US President Donald Trump “thinks the Caucasus is a piece of real estate he can lease for 99 years”, Velayati told state-affiliated Tasnim News, referring to the transport corridor included in the peace deal. “This passage will not become a gateway for Trump’s mercenaries — it will become their graveyard,” he added, describing the plan as “political treachery” aimed at undermining Armenia’s territorial integrity. The terms of the accord, which was unveiled at a signing ceremony at the White House on Friday, include exclusive US development rights to a route through Armenia that would link Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani enclave that borders Baku’s ally Turkiye. The corridor, which would pass close to the border with Iran, would be named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, or TRIPP, and operate under Armenian law. Velayati argued that it would open the way for NATO to position itself “like a viper” between Iran and Russia. Trump, centre, brokered the deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia [File: Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo] Separately, Iran’s foreign ministry issued a statement expressing concern about the negative consequences of any foreign intervention in the vicinity of its borders. Advertisement While it welcomed the peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the ministry said any project near Iran’s borders should be developed “with respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and without foreign interference”. For its part, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautiously welcomed the deal, saying on Saturday that Moscow supported efforts to promote stability and prosperity in the region, including the Washington meeting. Similarly to Iran, however, it warned against outside intervention, arguing that lasting solutions should be developed by countries in the region. “The involvement of non-regional players should strengthen the peace agenda, not create new divisions,” the ministry said, adding that it hoped to avoid the “unfortunate experience” of Western-led conflict resolution in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Turkiye on Saturday said it hoped the planned transit corridor would boost exports of energy and other resources through the South Caucasus. A NATO member, Turkiye has strongly backed Azerbaijan in its conflicts with Armenia, but has pledged to restore ties with Yerevan after it signs a final peace deal with Baku. The Turkish presidency said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the peace agreement with Ilham Aliyev, his counterpart from Azerbaijan, and offered Ankara’s support in achieving lasting peace in the region. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also addressed the planned corridor during a visit to Egypt, saying it could “link Europe with the depths of Asia via Turkiye” and would be “a very beneficial development”. Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought a series of wars since the late 1980s when Nagorno-Karabakh, a region in Azerbaijan that had a mostly ethnic Armenian population at the time, broke away from Azerbaijan with support from Armenia. Armenia last year agreed to return several villages to Azerbaijan in what Baku described as a “long-awaited historic event”. Ahmad Shahidov, of the Azerbaijan Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, told Al Jazeera that he expected a final peace declaration between Armenia and Azerbaijan to be signed in the coming weeks. Shahidov said Friday’s US-brokered deal constituted a “roadmap” for the final agreement, which appears imminent given there are no unresolved territorial disputes between the two neighbours. Adblock test (Why?)
Can Israel have a ‘normal’ place in the Middle East?
As Israel’s war on Gaza rages, chances of normalising ties with its neighbours are fading. Nearly every state in the Middle East has condemned Israel’s war on Gaza. Saudi Arabia says normalising relations with Israel hinges on a Palestinian state. Jordan, Egypt and some Gulf nations have diplomatic ties with Israel, but have criticised it publicly. In Europe, a growing number of countries are recognising Palestine and the EU is reviewing economic relations with Israel. But are words enough to make Israel stop killing and starving Palestinians? And what would it take for countries to cut ties with Israel? Presenter: James Bays Guests: Daniel Levy – President of the US/Middle East Project and a former Israeli negotiator James Moran – Former European Union ambassador to Egypt and Jordan Jawad Anani – Former deputy prime minister and former foreign minister of Jordan Adblock test (Why?)
Who are Premier League title favourites: Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Utd?
The new Premier League season kicks off on Friday, August 15, when champions Liverpool entertain Bournemouth. Arne Slot’s Reds will be favourites to lift the trophy once more, but can Arsenal improve on three consecutive second-placed finishes? Manchester City are expected to bounce back from an uncharacteristically quiet season under Pep Guardiola, while Chelsea are the FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) champions. Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the likely candidates. Liverpool Slot’s side stormed to a record-equalling 20th Premier League title last season. The Reds finished 10 points clear of Arsenal – and that after taking their foot off the gas in a winless four-game run to finish. Florian Wirtz is the big name summer arrival from Bayer Leverkusen and comes with a hefty price tag of $156m. The German midfielder follows French forward Hugo Ekitike and Dutch wide man Jeremie Frimpong through the Anfield gates. The latter will be utilised both in covering for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has joined Real Madrid, and Mohamed Salah, who will depart midseason to represent Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations. Securing the ongoing services of both Salah and Virgil van Dijk, however, was undoubtedly the biggest piece of business the Reds needed. Egyptian forward Salah was heavily linked with the Saudi Pro League and, having topped the goalscoring charts against last season with 29 goals, would have been a huge loss. Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates with the trophy after winning the Premier League as the now-departed Trent Alexander-Arnold, centre, watches on [Phil Noble/Reuters] Dutch defender and Liverpool captain van Dijk has been the rock upon which the Reds’ fortunes have been built since his arrival from Southampton in 2018. Advertisement The pursuit of Aleksander Isak from Newcastle United has been ongoing for some time. Slot has teased the Reds may return with a second bid, and if one position has been in question, it is an out-and-out striker – Isak’s 23 goals last season proved he is one of the hottest talents in that role. “Every team in the Premier League is spending money,” Slot said in the run-up to the new campaign. “So if we are only favourites because we’ve spent a bit, I would see that as weird because we’ve lost a lot as well. But that we are favourites because we won it last season and we played so well, that’s clear.” The tragic death of Diogo Jota, in a car crash in Spain in July, supersedes all concerns of success. Coming to terms with his loss will be painful in training and in matches, with his absence felt in ways far beyond the gap the Portuguese forward leaves in the starting XI each week. Arsenal Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have been the form team of the last three seasons in the Premier League, but three second-place finishes in a row are starting to burn deeply in north London. Substantial reinforcements have been sought to help the Gunners end their 22-season wait to lift the Premier League title once again. Viktor Gyokeres is the headline news, given Arteta made little secret of his frustration with the club’s lack of striking options last season. Viktor Gyokeres is pictured in the stands during Arsenal’s preseason tour of Singapore [Caroline Chia/Reuters] The signing of the Swedish striker from Sporting Lisbon for 63 million pounds ($85m) will be seen as the best chance to close the gap on Liverpool. Noni Madueke’s capture from Chelsea, meantime, divided Arsenal fans. The England international does, however, bring further depth and additional quality to a forward line, whose top scorer last season was Kai Havertz with a paltry nine goals. The arrival in midfield from Real Sociedad of Martin Zubimendi, a Euro 2024 winner with Spain, can only solidify the already meticulously manufactured system Arteta has arranged. Chelsea Chelsea will surely hit the ground running following their stunning FIFA Club World Cup success against European champions Paris Saint-Germain last month. Enzo Maresca’s side stormed to a 3-0 win against the Parisians, who swept through the UEFA Champions League – culminating in their own 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan – to complete the treble. Joao Pedro’s three goals across the semifinal and final at the CWC have already gone a long way towards validating his 60-million-pound ($80.7m) signing from Brighton before the tournament. That move came on top of the capture of fellow strikers, Liam Delap from Ipswich and Estevao from Palmeiras. Chelsea captain Reece James was presented with the trophy by US President Donald Trump after winning the FIFA Club World Cup [Hannah Mckay/Reuters] Estevao scored against the west London club in his last game with his Brazilian outfit during the quarterfinals of the CWC. Advertisement Disjointed has long been a word associated with Chelsea on and off the pitch, certainly since their last Premier League title win in 2017. Whether Maresca can continue to tie the team together following the CWC triumph, and whether that tournament will test the legs of the Blues players later in the season, could well be deciding factors in Chelsea’s title challenge. Manchester City Will Pep Guardiola’s team bounce back to the form that saw them claim a record fourth consecutive Premier League title only a season ago? Or will the light blues of Manchester continue to feel the heavy burden of a side that conquered all before them, only to seemingly lose control of their own success last season? The injury to Ballon d’Or holder Rodri undoubtedly hit City hard last term, and the news that he will miss the start of the new campaign will also come as a huge concern to Guardiola. For a team that won an unprecedented five trophies in 2023, and the record-setting Premier League title the following year, to fall so far last season came as a huge shock to all, not least their manager. Indeed, many believed last season may well have been Guardiola’s final term. Even with a two-year contract extension signed midway through the last campaign, a slow
Nagasaki marks 80th anniversary of US atomic bomb attack on Japan
Restored bell to ring at Nagasaki’s Immaculate Conception Cathedral for the first time since A-bomb devastated the city in 1945. Twin cathedral bells will ring in unison in Nagasaki for the first time in 80 years, as the Japanese city commemorates the moment the United States decimated it with an atomic bomb eight decades ago. Crowds are set to gather at Nagasaki’s Immaculate Conception Cathedral on Saturday morning, as the church’s two bells will ring together for the first time since 1945. The US dropped an atomic bomb on the southwestern port city of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, at 11:02am local time, three days after it dropped a nuclear weapon on Hiroshima. About 74,000 people were killed in Nagasaki, while 140,000 were killed in Hiroshima. On August 15, 1945, Japan surrendered, marking the end of World War II. The church in Nagasaki, widely known as Urakami Cathedral, was rebuilt in 1959 after it was almost completely destroyed in the monstrous atomic explosion, the hypocentre of which was just a few hundred metres from the religious building. Only one of two church bells was recovered from the rubble. But, funded by Catholics in the US, a new second bell has been constructed and restored to the tower. It will chime on Saturday for the first time in 80 years at the exact moment the bomb was dropped. Nearly 100 countries are set to attend this year’s commemorations in Nagasaki. Among the participants will be a representative from Russia, which has not been invited since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Israel, whose ambassador to Japan was not invited to the memorial last year over the country’s war on Gaza, is also expected to attend. Advertisement “We wanted participants to come and witness directly the reality of the catastrophe that a nuclear weapon can cause,” a Nagasaki official said last week. Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, centre, prepares to lay a wreath during the annual memorial ceremony for the victims of the US atomic bomb attack, at the Peace Park in Nagasaki on Saturday [Philip Fong/AFP] Spearheading the fundraising campaign for the new church bell was James Nolan – a sociology professor at Williams College in Massachusetts, whose grandfather participated in the Manhattan Project, which developed the US’s first nuclear weapons. While doing research in Nagasaki, a Japanese Christian told him he would like to hear the cathedral’s two bells ring together once again. Inspired, Nolan embarked on a yearlong series of lectures about the atomic bomb across the US, primarily in churches, ultimately raising approximately $125,000 to fund a new bell. It was unveiled in Nagasaki earlier this year. “The reactions were magnificent. There were people literally in tears,” Nolan said. The cathedral’s chief priest, Kenichi Yamamura, said the bell’s restoration “shows the greatness of humanity”. “It’s not about forgetting the wounds of the past but recognising them and taking action to repair and rebuild, and in doing so, working together for peace,” Yamamura told the AFP news agency. Adblock test (Why?)
Singapore celebrates success on 60th anniversary but challenges loom ahead
Singapore – As Singapore’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations draw to a close on Saturday night, a huge fireworks display will illuminate the city’s extraordinary skyline. The numerous skyscrapers and futuristic buildings stand as a tribute to the country’s remarkable development after separating from Malaysia in 1965. This tiny Southeast Asian state, with a population of just over six million people, has one of the highest rates of wealth per capita in the world. Its advanced economy also attracts workers from across the globe. The financial hub is famed for its stability, high standard of living, forward-thinking approach and infamous for its centralised style of governance. While Singapore will bask in some success this weekend, once the flags are taken down and the SG60 merchandise is removed from the shelves, the island-nation will get back to work and begin contemplating its future. Plans are already in motion to continue Singapore’s growth, with its most famous landmark – Marina Bay Sands – set to house a new fourth tower of hotel rooms in 2029, while a 15,000-seat indoor arena will also be built at the site. Changi international airport, which was ranked this year as the world’s best for the 13th time, will also gain a fifth terminal by the mid-2030s. Residents of the “Lion City” clearly have plenty to look forward to, but the road ahead may also contain some potholes. Al Jazeera has been taking a look at some of the challenges that Singapore could face in the next 60 years and how they might be tackled. Singapore’s iconic Merlion statue with the business district in the background in 2019 [File: Vincent Thian/AP Photo] Climate change As a low-lying island, sitting just north of the equator, Singapore is particularly vulnerable to the threat of a changing climate. The country’s former prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, once described it as a matter of “life and death”. Advertisement Rising seas and increased rainfall could lead to flooding, with extreme weather events set to be a more common occurrence. While the city-state has so far dodged the kind of weather disruption that plagues many of its neighbours, the government is preparing for the worst. Rising sea levels are of particular concern, with alarming estimates that the waters around Singapore could rise by more than a metre (3.2ft) by 2100. To counter the threat, plans are being considered to build three artificial islands off the country’s east coast. These areas of reclaimed land would be linked by tidal gates and sit higher than the mainland, acting as a barrier. Benjamin Horton, former director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore, said the country could come to a standstill if catastrophic rain were to combine with a high tide. “If it flooded a lot of the infrastructure in Singapore, closing down MRTs [mass rapid transit], shutting down emergency routes, flooding a power station and the electricity went down – Singapore would be crippled,” Horton said. The already-sweltering Southeast Asian financial hub will also have to cope with even hotter conditions. Pedestrians shield from the sun with an umbrella as they walk in front of the parliament building in Singapore in May 2025 [File: Vincent Thian/AP Photo] A 2024 government study found that the daily average temperature could rise by up to 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century. Horton, who is now dean of the School of Energy and Environment at City University of Hong Kong, said this could impact the country’s economic productivity. “Singapore is always developing and is reliant on immigrant labour that works outside during the day. Climate change is going to impact that significantly,” he said. Yet, Singapore, Horton said, has “the potential to be the lead in how you adapt to climate change and to be the leader in coastal protection”. Demographic time bomb Singapore’s population is ageing at a rapid rate. By 2030, it’s estimated that almost one in four citizens will be aged 65 and above. The life expectancy for a Singaporean born today is a little under 84 years, with residents benefitting from a high quality of life and a world-class healthcare system. But this demographic shift is set to challenge the city-state over the next six decades. An ageing population will inevitably require more investment in the medical sector, while the country’s workforce could face shortages of younger workers. Older Singaporean women practice Tai Chi, a Chinese form of meditative exercise, in 2013 [File: Wong Maye-E/AP] “The resulting strain will not only test the resilience of healthcare institutions but also place significant emotional, physical, and financial pressure on family caregivers,” said Chuan De Foo, a research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. Advertisement While the authorities are looking to expand and strengthen healthcare facilities, they are also urging citizens to make better lifestyle choices in order to stay healthier for longer. New marketing campaigns encourage regular health check-ups, allowing for early intervention, while new technology is also being utilised. “AI-driven tools are being developed to support mental wellbeing, detect early signs of clinical deterioration and assist in diagnosis and disease management,” Foo told Al Jazeera. Fewer babies Alongside living longer, Singaporeans – like many advanced Asian economies – are also having fewer babies, adding to the country’s demographic woes. The fertility rate, which measures the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, fell below 1.0 for the first time in 2023 and shows little sign of increasing. That figure is even lower than Japan’s fertility rate of 1.15. This week, Japan reported its 16th consecutive year of population decline, with nearly a million more deaths than births in 2024. Kalpana Vignehsa, a senior research fellow at NUS’s Institute of Policy Studies think tank, said the Singapore government is “swimming against a cultural tide” in its efforts to reverse the decline in births. “Now is the time for expansive action to make parenting less expensive, less stressful, and most