Four killed in Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine’s Kyiv
Dawn raid on busy Shevchenkivskyi district also damaged water pipeline and forced closure of metro station. At least four people have been killed in a Russian drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian capital. Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, said the attack at dawn on Saturday took place in the city’s centrally located Shevchenkivskyi district. “Stay in shelters,” said Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, in a post on Telegram on Saturday morning. He had warned of a “ballistic missile threat” against the capital hours earlier and said air defences were in operation around the city. Windows were shattered in Shevchenkivskyi district, including those at the entrance of the Lukianivska metro station, which was closed down, according to the mayor. Shevchenkivskyi area is a busy part of Kyiv with universities, bars and restaurants. Also on Saturday, Russian forces “attacked the centre” of Zaporizhzhia, injuring two people, according to local governor Ivan Fedorov. An administrative building of an industrial facility was partially damaged, he said. Firefighters work at the site of the damaged Lukianivska metro station after a Russian missile attack on Kyiv [Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo] Reporting from Kyiv, Al Jazeera’s Jonah Hull said explosions were heard at about 6am (04:00 GMT), “reverberating amid a volley of anti-aircraft fire, with air alerts suggesting both ballistic missile and drone threats”. Advertisement He said that smoke was seen coming out of a residential building. Later that morning, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that it had destroyed 24 drones and two ballistic missiles that were launched as part of the same attack. Ukrainian counterattacks The rare strike on the heart of the Ukrainian capital comes in the middle of intensified Ukrainian aerial attacks on Russian energy and military facilities in recent months. Ukraine’s army has hit several Russian oil depots recently, including two major strikes on a facility near a military airfield in Russia’s Saratov region that triggered days-long blazes. Late on Friday, a Ukrainian drone attack on Lyudinovo in Russia’s Kaluga region sparked a fire at an industrial site, according to regional governor Vladislav Shapsha. Video posted on unofficial Russian social media sites showed firefighting vehicles speeding off in the direction of a large blaze at what they said was an oil storage depot in the city. No casualties were reported. Adblock test (Why?)
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
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?)
Qatari PM details Gaza ceasefire implementation, monitoring
NewsFeed In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, Qatar’s prime minister detailed monitoring mechanisms for the Gaza ceasefire. He also defended his country’s role in negotiating the agreement despite “false accusations” from foreign politicians. Published On 17 Jan 202517 Jan 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
Former CIA employee pleads guilty to leaking files on Israel’s Iran strikes
Asif William Rahman has pled guilty to transmitting classified national defence information, the US Justice Department says. A former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee has pleaded guilty to leaking secret documents about Israel’s plans to strike Iran last year during a period of escalating regional tensions linked to Israel’s war on Gaza and Lebanon. In a statement on Friday, the United States Department of Justice said Asif William Rahman, 34, pleaded guilty to two counts of “willful retention and transmission of classified information” related to national defence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for both counts, according to a plea agreement. “Mr. Rahman betrayed the trust of the American people by unlawfully sharing classified national defense information he swore an oath to protect,” Assistant Attorney General Matthew G Olsen said in the statement. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that the Justice Department will spare no effort to swiftly find and aggressively prosecute those who harm the United States by illegally disclosing our national security secrets.” Advertisement The FBI arrested Rahman — whom the US government said was an employee of the CIA since 2016 and had a Top-Secret security clearance — in Cambodia in November. US media outlets reported at the time that American officials accused him of leaking documents prepared by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), which analyses images and information collected by US spy satellites. The NGA also conducts work in support of secret US military operations. The documents, which appeared in October on a channel of the Telegram messaging app, had noted that Israel was moving military assets in place to conduct a military strike in response to a ballistic missile attack by Iran on October 1. Iran said those launches were carried out in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in the Iranian capital, Tehran, as well as the killing of a senior Iranian military official. Israel carried out its own attack on multiple sites in Iran in late October. Citing court documents, the Justice Department said on Friday that Rahman had accessed and printed two documents marked “Top Secret” that contained national defence information “regarding a US foreign ally and its planned actions against a foreign adversary”. “Rahman removed the documents, photographed them, and transmitted them to individuals he knew were not entitled to receive them,” the department said. Adblock test (Why?)
More than 230,000 displaced in DRC since start of the year, UN says
The UN says the forced displacement is one of ‘the most alarming’ humanitarian crises in the world. More than 230,000 people have been displaced since the beginning of the year amid escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to the United Nations. The UN refugee agency UNHCR on Friday described the displacement as “the most alarming” humanitarian crisis in the world. The resource-rich eastern provinces of North and South Kivu – which are home to more than 4.6 million displaced people according to the agency – have been mired in conflict for three decades, with the M23 rebel group becoming one of the most powerful armed groups in recent years. Designated a “terrorist movement” by the DRC government, M23 has seized large areas of eastern DRC since 2021, and earlier this month, took control of the town of Masisi in North Kivu. Earlier this month, Bertrand Bisimwa, the head of the political wing of M23, told Al Jazeera that the group is fighting a “defensive” war. “Escalating clashes between non-state armed groups and the Congolese army in North and South Kivu provinces are intensifying one of the world’s most alarming yet under-reported humanitarian crises,” said Eujin Byun, spokesperson for UNHCR speaking to reporters in Geneva. Advertisement The conflict, Byun warned, is “marked by widespread human rights violations and massive forced displacement”. Byun noted that intense fighting in the Masisi and Lubero territories forced approximately 150,000 people to flee their homes between January 1 and 6 alone. Many returned briefly during a lull in fighting on January 4, but were forced to flee once more as new fighting erupted, according to the UN. In South Kivu’s Fizi territory, the local government has requested international assistance, noting that 84,000 people have sought refuge there. Byun cautioned that civilians are enduring “indiscriminate bombings and sexual violence,” with children also being targeted. “Already, dire humanitarian conditions are worsening rapidly, and access to these vulnerable populations is severely restricted by insecurity, roadblocks and the presence of violent armed actors,” Byun added. UNHCR has stated it is ready to provide assistance as soon as access is restored, but emphasised that more funding is urgently needed. Adblock test (Why?)
Will Pam Bondi, attorney general pick, retract claims of ‘stolen’ election?
In sometimes fiery exchanges, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi fielded questions during a Senate confirmation hearing for her attorney general nomination about whether she would prosecute President-elect Donald Trump’s declared political enemies. Bondi also refused to deny falsehoods about the 2020 presidential election being “stolen”. In the January 15 hearing, Senator Alex Padilla, for California, asked Bondi whether she would retract her previous statements that Trump won Pennsylvania in 2020. The two spoke over each other as Padilla pushed for a “yes or no” response and Bondi tried to answer differently. Eventually, Bondi told the senator she was “not going to be bullied”. Bondi’s hearing came on the second day of high-profile confirmation hearings for Trump’s second-term nominees. Senator Marco Rubio, for Florida, also had a separate hearing the same day. Rubio called on the United States not to rely on China for supply chains, in line with Trump’s campaign promises to get tough on China. Rubio also said he disagreed with President Joe Biden’s January 14 announcement that Cuba would be removed from the state-sponsors-of-terrorism list. Advertisement Here’s a fact-check of Bondi’s statements. Bondi repeats Trump line that Biden’s Justice Department targets political opponents As Bondi responded to questions about whether she would prosecute Trump’s political opponents – which he promised to do during the 2024 campaign – she claimed that Biden’s Justice Department has done the same. “No one will be prosecuted, investigated because they are a political opponent,” Bondi said. “That’s what we’ve seen for the last four years in this administration.” We’ve rated similar Trump claims false. Trump was charged twice in federal court and separately in Manhattan and Fulton County, Georgia. In the Manhattan case, a unanimous jury found Trump guilty in May 2024 of all 34 counts of falsifying business records in an alleged scheme to cover up a hush money payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. The other three cases were dropped or put on hold after Trump won the 2024 election. Legal experts have told us there was no sign Trump was not given due process or that Biden ordered the prosecutions. Bondi said she had ‘not listened’ to Trump’s call with Georgia officials to ‘find’ him votes in 2020 election Senator Dick Durbin, for Illinois, questioned Bondi about Trump’s January 2, 2021, phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Durbin asked whether Bondi was concerned that Trump called an election official and asked him to find enough votes to change the election results. Advertisement Bondi responded that she has “not listened to the hourlong conversation, but it’s my understanding that is not what he asked him to do”. Except, that is what Trump asked Raffensperger, a Republican, to do, according to the call’s transcript and recording. In the call, Trump asked Georgia officials to investigate his unfounded allegations about 2020 election fraud. Many of his directives involved a quest to “find” enough ballots to put him in the winning column. (President Joe Biden beat Trump in Georgia by 11,779 votes.) Trump framed his requests to state officials as a mission to ferret out criminal wrongdoing. “You can’t let it happen, and you are letting it happen,” Trump said. “You know, I mean, I’m notifying you that you’re letting it happen. So, look. All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have because we won the state.” Bondi wrongly claims a 2021 peaceful transfer of power Durbin asked Bondi, who has repeatedly bolstered Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, whether she was willing to say Trump lost. Bondi first dodged the question then claimed there was a peaceful transfer of power in 2021. “(Biden) was duly sworn in, and he is the president of the United States,” she said. “There was a peaceful transition of power.” Her statement ignores the violent January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol that disrupted the election certification. More than 1,500 people have been charged in federal court related to the riot, with charges including obstruction of law enforcement; violence with a deadly weapon; assault; disorderly conduct; and unlawful possession of firearms. Advertisement Rioters forcibly breached and vandalised the Capitol, attacked police officers and chanted “Hang Mike Pence!” Trump has promised to pardon defendants, but it is unclear how many. Pam Bondi listens during her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 in Washington, DC [Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images] Bondi hits Schiff on California’s robbery statistics As Senator Adam Schiff, California, asked Bondi whether she would investigate Trump’s political enemies, Bondi shot back, saying, “You know what we should be worried about? The crime rate in California right now is through the roof. Your robberies are 87 percent higher than the national average, that’s what I want to be focused on, senator.” Bondi is close on her assessment. For the 12 months of 2023, FBI data shows that the average rate of robbery per 100,000 people was about 89 percent higher in California than it was nationwide. However, California had rates lower than the national average for homicide and rape. The state was above the national average for aggravated assault, the fourth type of crime the FBI categorises as violent. PolitiFact Chief Correspondent Louis Jacobson contributed to this report. Adblock test (Why?)
SpaceX Starship explodes, leaving a trail of fiery debris across the sky
[unable to retrieve full-text content] SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft has exploded only minutes after taking off on a test flight, leaving trails of debris.
LA wildfires day 11: What is the latest, and what do investigations show?
Although the hazardous fire weather conditions that have stoked Los Angeles’s devastating fires have subsided, forecasters caution that another round of Santa Ana Winds is expected early next week. The death toll has risen to 27, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said on Thursday evening. Authorities warn that the number could climb further as search and rescue efforts continue. According to local media reports, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has received more than 150 tips on what may have started the Palisades Fire. Here is what we know: What’s the latest on the ground? Death toll and missing people The fires have killed at least 27 people, with 31 others still missing. Entire neighbourhoods have been destroyed, and authorities said it would take months to clean them up. Ten of the deaths were related to the Palisades Fire, and 17 deaths to the Eaton Fire. About 82,400 people are still under evacuation orders, with another 90,400 under evacuation warnings. Advertisement Active fires Palisades Fire: It has burned nearly 9,596 hectares (23,713 acres) in and around the Pacific Palisades and is 27 percent contained. No growth has been reported over the last 72 hours. Eaton Fire: This fire has burned more than 5,713 hectares (14,117 acres) and is now 55 percent contained, an increase of 10 percent since yesterday. The city of Pasadena has declared a local public health emergency in response to the ongoing effect of the Eaton Fire. “Ash and debris pose a significant potential current and future risk to health, safety, and the environment,” the Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD) said in a press release. “PPHD is declaring a local health emergency to ensure residents take appropriate measures to protect themselves from toxic ash and debris.” Auto Fire: This started in Ventura County and is now contained by 85 percent. Firefighters halted its forward progress, limiting the burn area to 25 hectares (61 acres). According to Cal Fire, more than 5,000 firefighters are fighting the fires, including reinforcements from Israel who arrived on Thursday and crews from Canada and Mexico. Recently contained fires Hurst Fire: The fire that scorched 324 hectares (800 acres) in the San Fernando Valley is now fully contained. Little Mountain Fire: San Bernardino police officers investigating the Little Mountain Fire, which scorched 14 hectares (34 acres), reported the arrest of a man on two felony charges, including reckless burning. According to local media reports, the fire has been fully contained. Advertisement What’s expected on Friday? The Los Angeles area is experiencing improved weather conditions, which are aiding firefighting efforts against the ongoing wildfires. The National Weather Service has indicated that the strong Santa Ana winds, which have significantly contributed to the fires’ rapid spread, are expected to subside by the weekend. This shift is anticipated to bring increased moisture from the Pacific Ocean, creating more favourable conditions for containment. Firefighters are using this window of calmer weather to strengthen containment lines around major fires. However, authorities caution that while progress is being made, the situation remains dynamic, and residents should stay alert for any changes. Looking ahead, meteorologists warn of the potential return of strong winds early next week, which could exacerbate fire conditions. “There’s definitely a high likelihood of critical fire conditions developing sometime next week,” Rich Thompson, an incident meteorologist for the Palisades Fire, said at a news conference on Wednesday evening. Good news: We are expecting a much-needed break from the fire weather concerns to close this week. Bad News: Next week is a concern. While confident that we will NOT see a repeat of last week, dangerous fire weather conditions are expected. #cawx #PalisadesFire #EatonFire pic.twitter.com/zhXmHUWtgp — NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 15, 2025 What do we know about the investigation of what started the fires? Utility equipment under scrutiny Southern California Edison (SCE), Los Angeles’s electrical utility, is under investigation for its potential role in igniting the Eaton Fire. Advertisement At least four lawsuits have been filed alleging that SCE’s equipment may have sparked the blaze. Among the petitioners is Jeremy Gursey, whose home in Altadena, according to CNN, was destroyed by the Eaton Fire. He filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Monday, saying SCE was responsible. Gursey referenced photographs taken by Altadena residents Jennifer Errico and Marcus Errico as evidence. They captured images of a small fire beneath transmission lines in Eaton Canyon. However, Marcus Errico said he wasn’t sure if SCE was responsible for the blaze. “I saw a glow in the hillside right above our house,” Errico told CNN. “And as I got closer, I could see right across from us on the hillside in Eaton Canyon, there are a series of transformer towers with power lines stretching up into the mountains. And at the base of one, there was just a small ring of flames around the whole base,” he added. The company has defended its decision to keep transmission lines operational, stating that wind speeds were just below the threshold required for shutdown. However, safety auditors have raised concerns about SCE’s fire risk modelling, suggesting that their assessments may not adequately account for severe wind events. A fire on New Year’s Day Some Pacific Palisades residents have expressed concerns that the devastating Palisades Fire may be linked to a smaller blaze that occurred on New Year’s Day, potentially ignited by fireworks, in the same area. According to authorities, the earlier fire broke out six days prior in the same vicinity and was reported to have been contained within hours by local firefighters. Advertisement The close timing and location of the two fires have raised questions about whether strong winds could have rekindled smouldering debris from New Year’s Eve fireworks, possibly triggering the Palisades Fire. However, earlier this week, Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley stated there is currently no evidence linking the two incidents. “We do not have any information suggesting there’s a connection, but that’s the benefit of bringing in outside resources to
Who is Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy in the Gaza ceasefire talks?
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Steve Witkoff was little known to the public before he turned out to be a key player in Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks.