As Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 41,000 people, nears one year, assaults in the occupied West Bank continue, with at least 703 people killed by Israeli forces since October 7. Despite Gaza and the West Bank being just 33km (21 miles) apart at their closest points, Israeli restrictions have long prevented travel and interaction between the two Palestinian territories, even before the recent conflict. To better understand the effect of these restrictions and the situation on the ground, here is a visual overview of the geography, history and living conditions of the millions of Palestinians in…
Author: THE CONNECTING NEWSPAPER
The number of homeless youth who were denied shelter in the city shot up this year, with more than 1,100 young people sent back to the streets between January and July of 2024 — a historically high number driven by the asylum-seeker crisis, advocates say. New data, released Thursday by the Department of Youth and Community Development, shows a steady increase in “youth not placed,” meaning shelters and drop-in centers operating under city-funded contracts couldn’t locate a bed for runaway and homeless youth between the ages of 16 and 24.The statistics have grown steadily more dire.In the first six months of…
LONDON, England – The Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda is making decisive strides in elevating national agricultural data infrastructure, using its convening power to bring together stakeholders who can deliver a step-change in the sector. In June, a multi-stakeholder regional dialogue in the Caribbean, hosted by the government of Barbados, interrogated the idea of reinforcing existing individual data systems at the country level to enhance engagement with more complex regional and global data infrastructure for better decision-making. The dialogue in Barbados was the last in a series of four consultations. These national dialogues started with Malawi in September 2023, Ghana in November 2023, and…
Working towards a food-secure future for Africa is possible if we produce more with less and simultaneously rebuild the land. This was the main message of the Regenerative Revolution: Building more sustainable solutions for smallholder farmers panel discussion ahead of the official opening of the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, Rwanda. Tapping into the expertise of leaders from Bayer, Opportunity International, and the International Potato Center, this event highlighted new regenerative interventions implemented across the agriculture value chain. “One of the challenges in the transition to regenerative agriculture is to show smallholder farmers the value of these agronomic practices…
Big Xhosa Shares Rave Review On Usimamane’s “20th: Days Before Maud’ Album.” Following the release of his debut album 205h: Days Before Maud, Usimamane has been basking in a wave of accolades from fans. Even with the challenge of launching on the same day as A-Reece, who commands a fervent and dedicated following, Usimamane’s work is shining brightly and earning its spotlight. Big Xhosa Shares Rave Review On Usimamane’s “20th: Days Before Maud’ Album” Big Xhosa is amongst the chorus of voices that have showered Usimamane with praises. The Ninyile hitmaker praised Usimamane’s debut album for its exceptional quality and has been…
Everyone has a bad day at the office, including NFL quarterbacks. But for some, Sunday was a nightmare.From another horrific Bryce Young outing to dual problematic games from last year’s two NFC Championship Game quarterbacks, here are the five worst quarterback performances from Week 2.1. Panthers QB Bryce YoungWatching the second-year Panthers quarterback is a miserable experience. In Sunday’s 26-3 loss to the Chargers, he had arguably his worst NFL game. Young finished 18-of-26 for 84 yards and an interception. But as frustrating as he is to watch, playing with Young must be even harder. Wide receiver Adam Thielen was…
Leaflets dropped on a Lebanon border village urging residents to leave were unsanctioned, the Israeli military has said. The leaflets, which were released on Sunday, were the first evacuation order that residents of south Lebanon have received amid 11 months of cross-border fire between Hezbollah and Israel, sparked by the war on Gaza. However, Israel’s military told the AFP news agency that a brigade had taken the initiative to drop them without approval. “The Israeli enemy dropped leaflets over Wazzani calling on those in the area and its surroundings to evacuate,” Lebanon’s National News Agency reported. The leaflet in Arabic…
When the events company Society 32 decided artificial intelligence represented an area ripe for the kind of conferences it puts on, it held one in Silicon Valley. It tried one in Austin. But then it decided New York was where it had to be.This December, its ninth New York AI Summit, to be held at the Javits Center, is expected to attract 4,000 attendees, up 15% from last year, as technologists and executives from a wide range of industries try to figure out how AI will affect their businesses.“We’ve landed in New York because it’s a tech hub, a major…
By Stuart Mole My first meeting with Sir Shridath ‘Sonny’ Ramphal, in 1984, in his elegant offices in Marlborough House, had been relaxed and enjoyable. His charm and his erudition were immediately apparent. But other elements of the selection process seemed to me far less successful, and I had concluded that my application to work in the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s private office was doomed to fail. I duly heaved all the papers I had accumulated on the appointment into the wastepaper bin and resolved to look elsewhere for my next job. Several weeks later I was both pleased but also considerably…
Under shelling and gunfire, Esraa cradled her newborn son. As the war in Sudan broke out in April 2023, she was trying to reach a health clinic for treatment for her baby, who had been struggling with infections and breathing difficulties. But with the roads blocked by fighting, the young mother never made it to the clinic; her son died in her arms. When she became pregnant again in August last year, she was haunted by the fear of losing another child. “There’s only one functioning maternal hospital left in Khartoum,” said Esraa. “It’s incredibly dangerous to move around the…