Inside a makeshift tent in the heart of the besieged Gaza Strip, Israel’s genocidal war, which has destroyed neighbourhoods, schools and hospitals, decimated families and shattered lives for more than two years, no longer exists.
Virtual reality technology is taking Palestinian children struggling with physical and psychological wounds to a world away, where they can feel safe again.
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“After I was injured in the head, I try to forget the pain,” Salah Abu Rukba, a Palestinian child taking part in the sessions, told Al Jazeera at the VR Tent in az-Zawayda, central Gaza.
“When I put on the headset, I forget the injury. I feel comfort as I forget the destruction, the war, and even the sound of the drones disappears.”
Salah Abu Rukba sustained an injury to his head during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza [Screen grab/ Al Jazeera]
Lama Abu Dalal, communication officer at Gaza MedTech – the technology initiative spearheading the project – said Abu Rukba and the others have constant reminders of the war etched in their bodies.
But the VR headset makes them forget their life-changing wounds and simply be children again, if only for a few moments.
Gaza MedTech was launched by Palestinian innovator Mosab Ali, who used VR to comfort his injured son. Ali was later killed in an Israeli attack.
Studies have confirmed that VR can have beneficial effects in the treatment of mental disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Offering this service in Gaza is hard to sustain, as spare parts of the equipment are barred from entry into Gaza by Israel’s ongoing punishing blockade.
Gaza MedTech was launched by Palestinian innovator Mosab Ali, who used VR to comfort his injured son [Screen grab/Al Jazeera]
Since a ceasefire formally went into effect on October 10, Israel has allowed slightly more aid in, although far less than Gaza’s needs and what the agreement clearly stipulated. Israel continues to restrict the free flow of humanitarian aid and medical supplies.
Authorities in Gaza say the truce has been violated by Israel at least 738 times since taking effect.
The United Nations estimates that more than 90 percent of children in Gaza are showing signs of severe stress driven by the loss of safety and stability, and will require long-term support to heal from the psychological effect of the conflict.
Libya’s National Museum in Tripoli has reopened for the first time in more than a decade, bringing thousands of years of the country’s history back into public view after years of conflict. Al Jazeera’s Malik Traina was at the reopening ceremony.
Singer Matt Goss couldn’t contain his happiness when he spoke to the Mirror about his new fiancée Chantal Brown, after the loved-up pair got engaged earlier this year
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Matt Goss and Chantal Brown recently got engaged(Image: Getty Images)
Matt Goss has given a rare insight into his romance fiancée Chantal Brown and appears to be on cloud nine.
Former Bros singer Matt, 57, got engaged to jewellery designer Chantal and the couple are planning their wedding together. Their engagement was revealed in September this year but Matt has remained tight-lipped on their nuptials ever since.
However, Matt, who has been with Chantal since 2021, couldn’t help but give a rare insight into his romance with Chantal when chatting with the Mirror at the Nordoff and Robbins Christmas Carol Concert earlier this week. When asked about his recent engagement, Matt teased: “Watch this space. I’m very excited.“
He then gushed about his romance with Chantal, telling us: “She’s wonderful, she’s my best friend – incredible human just kind, funny, feisty and we are completely childlike together. We’re mischievous and that’s the best thing.”
It comes after Matt revealed his engagement in September and the he was planning a London wedding. However, despite his happiness, the star revealed the news was tinged with sadness, as he is still estranged from his brother Luke, who also featured in the hit 1980s band Bros.
Matt told the Daily Mail in September: “I hope the coming year is a year when me and my brother can put our differences aside as he’s the love of my life, my best mate, so I would like to bind up my void.”
Singer Matt hasn’t gone into detail about his and Luke’s estrangement, but said: “I think discretion is everything, but I would say we’re born on the same day, were brought up together, went to school together, so maybe he just needs space from me.
“But nobody knows me better than him and I believe nobody knows him better than me, so I hope we find a way to make an amends.” The ups and downs between the brothers began when Luke quit the band, famed for hits including, When Will I Be Famous?, in 1992. The pair then briefly reunited to play the O2 in 2016, but last year Matt revealed they are “completely estranged”.
He told The Guardian last year: “I don’t want to go into detail, but I also don’t want to lie any more. We are completely estranged.”
He added: “When you do your best, that is enough. And I’ve done my best. I really have. Listen, I want to be on the stage with him, I want to be touring with the band, I want to be having a pint, I want him to meet my girl, I want to meet his. I want to live with him. But I’m not going to make myself unwell. I’m not.”
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When quizzed over what the feud is about, Matt revealed: “It’s a tough one. I don’t want to say too much, out of respect for him. But I’m not going to say it’s kumbaya, because it certainly isn’t.”
The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to tender a public apology to Dubai-based businessman, Alhaji Rabiu Tijjani, for unlawfully declaring him wanted.
The court also awarded ₦5 million in damages against the Commission.
Delivering judgment, Justice H. Buhari held that the EFCC acted “outside the ambit of the law” when it published Tijjani’s photograph and details on its official website without first securing a valid court order authorising such a declaration.
“The action of the first respondent in declaring the applicant wanted without following due process is unlawful, unconstitutional, and a violation of his fundamental rights,” the judge ruled in the certified true copy of the judgment released on Thursday. “A mere arrest warrant issued by a Magistrate’s Court does not empower the EFCC to publicly brand a citizen as wanted.”
Case Background
Tijjani, a Kano-born gold merchant based in Dubai, filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the EFCC and businessman Mr. Ifeanyi Ezeokoli. The matter arose from a disputed multimillion-dollar gold transaction dating back to 2022.
According to court filings, both parties had reconciled an initial overpayment of ₦26 million.
However, a later audit allegedly uncovered an additional discrepancy of over $2 million in Tijjani’s favour.
He subsequently reported the matter to the Department of State Services (DSS), where both sides submitted documents and engaged independent auditors during an ongoing investigation.
While the DSS inquiry was still active, Ezeokoli petitioned the EFCC. Tijjani said the Commission contacted him only once via WhatsApp, after which he sent a representative. “At no time after that single communication was I invited again,” he told the court. “Yet the EFCC proceeded to publish me as a wanted person, damaging my reputation internationally.”
Court Faults EFCC’s Actions
Justice Buhari emphasised that although the EFCC has statutory authority to declare suspects wanted, such powers must be exercised strictly in accordance with the law.
“The Commission cannot unilaterally declare a person wanted over a commercial dispute, especially when another security agency is already seized of the matter,” the judge stated. He further warned that investigative agencies must not be used “as tools for the settlement of purely civil or commercial disagreements.”
Citing multiple appellate decisions, the court reaffirmed that law-enforcement bodies must not be deployed to enforce debt recovery or exert pressure in business disputes.
READ ALSO: Kano Govt Proscribes ‘Independent Hisbah Fisabilillahi’ Group
Reliefs Granted
The court granted several declarations and orders in Tijjani’s favour, including:
* That the EFCC’s publication was unconstitutional and a violation of his rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement.
* That the publication must be immediately removed from the Commission’s website.
* That the EFCC must issue a public apology to Tijjani.
* That the Commission must pay ₦5 million in damages.
Although the applicant initially sought ₦1.5 billion and other extensive reliefs, the court granted only a portion of his requests.
Speaking through his counsel after the judgment, Tijjani described the ruling as “a victory for justice and a reminder that agencies must not misuse their powers.” He added, “My name and reputation were dragged unfairly. Today, the court has corrected that wrong.”
Line Of Duty star Vicky McClure and her Dementia Choir are making a bid for a Christmas number one as they team up with social media stars, SpudBros
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Vicky McClure’s Dementia Choir created a Christmas single
It sounds like a Christmas movie – two brothers, who sell potatoes on the market, capture the hearts of the nation, make a song with beloved actress Vicky McClure and now have a shot at being the number one artists this festive period. But this isn’t a film plot; it’s exactly what happened to Jacob and Harley Nelson.
The brothers – known as viral stars SpudBros – sell jacket potatoes and have become one of the UK’s most popular food content creators online, attracting over 4.8 million followers on TikTok. One such follower is Vicky, 42. And from there, Christmas single, Brighter Than The Night, was born.
Neither Jacob nor Harley could believe it when they got the notification that she had followed them. Jacob, 30, tells The Mirror, “We messaged her to ask, ‘Have you done this by mistake? And she was like, ‘No, I’m a fan of you’.”
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The brothers got talking to Vicky and her team, and they agreed they should collaborate on something together and they . The brothers have previously teamed up with Mr Beast and the YouTube group, Sidemen.
Vicky is no stranger to making music having founded Our Dementia Choir, a charity supporting people living with Dementia and helping them to meet regularly to share their love of music.
Meanwhile, Jacob and Harley, 22, made headlines after they shared a touching video of them interacting with an elderly couple, one of whom had Alzheimer’s, whilst working on their stall in Flag Market in their home town of Preston. But there’s also another personal connection.
“We just had this idea, can we do something together?” Jacob continued. “She does Our Dementia Choir. It’s like a match made in heaven with us as well, because Alzheimer’s is close to us, with our grandma having it.”
And thus Brighter Than The Night was born. The brothers helped sing it, taking part in the background of the chorus. “To be honest, we’re not very good at singing, so we were just buzzing to be there, chilling with them, it’s just amazing,” Harley said. “It was an honour to work with them.
“Obviously, it’s a bit emotional, seeing your family member go through dementia, but I feel like we knew how to interact with the choir. We knew how to from personal experience, so it made it much easier for us. It’s just amazing to see that music, when it comes alive and they’re all dancing around and cheering.”
The friendship with Vicky goes way beyond making music and when the boys turned on the Christmas lights in Preston, they FaceTimed her to share in the fun. Jacob said, “We’ve got a little Christmas party going on, so, it’ll be good to see her there.”
But the duo stayed tight lipped when asked about spoilers for season seven of Line of Duty – which was announced last month and will see Vicky reprise her iconic role of DC Kate Flemming.
Their song, which is accompanied by an animated music video, has already been named a contender for number one by the Official Charts Company. But this is not the main goal for SpudBros. “It would feel amazing,” Harley said. “But I think the most important thing for us is spreading that awareness of dementia and Alzheimer’s and raising money for the charities.”
“We always wanted to give back to our community,” Jacob added. As such, they will also be selling Christmas jacket potatoes – with a three cheese blend, chicken, cranberry gravy, stuffing crumb and cranberry Wensleydale cheese on top – and for every spud sold, £1 will be donated to Our Dementia Choir.
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And what about 2026, do the brothers have grand plans following what is sure to be a chart topper? Jacob said, “We’re just going to try and maintain in Preston, look after Preston and keep the people of Preston fed.”
SpudBros & Vicky McClure’s Our Dementia Choir’s Brighter Than The Night is released Friday December 12. Remember – spread joy with every spud!
