US accuses Syrian regime and ‘other actors’ of diverting quake aid and blocking deliveries

US accuses Syrian regime and ‘other actors’ of diverting quake aid and blocking deliveries
European Union (EU) humanitarian aid arrives on a plane at Damascus International Airport, in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, in Syria February 26, 2023. (Reuters)
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Updated 01 March 2023

US accuses Syrian regime and ‘other actors’ of diverting quake aid and blocking deliveries

US accuses Syrian regime and ‘other actors’ of diverting quake aid and blocking deliveries
  • Geir Pedersen, the UN envoy to Syria, calls for ‘less posturing, less rhetoric and more pragmatism’
  • ‘This means access; this is not the time to play politics with crossings across borders or front lines’

NEW YORK CITY: The US on Tuesday accused the Syrian regime of President Bashar Assad of diverting lifesaving international humanitarian aid intended to help earthquake victims, that is instead being sold in markets or benefiting the Syrian authorities.

Ambassador Robert Wood, the alternate representative of the US for special political affairs in the UN, similarly accused “other actors” of blocking deliveries as he called on all sides to refrain from politicizing aid.

Responding to accusations that US sanctions are hampering the delivery of aid, Wood said that the sanctions only target individuals and entities that have “brutalized the people of Syria for over a decade.”

He added: “These are individuals who have tortured Syrians, dropped chemical weapons on Syrians, or stolen from the Syrian people through rampant corruption. US sanctions do not target humanitarian assistance to those in need and we have made that clear through our actions.”

Wood was speaking at a meeting of the Security Council to discuss the latest international efforts to help Syrians deal with the aftermath of the earthquakes that hit Turkiye and Syria on Feb. 6. They claimed at least 50,000 lives, 6,000 of them in Syria. Thousands more were injured and tens of thousands are missing.

Martin Griffiths, the UN’s humanitarian chief, told the council that even before “this immense tragedy, (about) 15.3 million people, that’s 70 per cent of (Syria’s) population, needed humanitarian assistance.”

Geir Pedersen, the UN’s special envoy for Syria, told council members that the earthquakes struck at a time when the needs of Syrian people were at their greatest, “when services were scarcest, when the economy was lowest, and when their infrastructure was already heavily damaged.”

He added: “It hit many areas where refugees and IDPs (internally displaced people) live, and in areas with heavy war damage or where conflict conditions remain acute.”

Calling for the depoliticization of the humanitarian response, he said: “This means access; this is not the time to play politics with crossings across borders or front lines.

“This means resources; this is the time for everybody to give quickly and generously to Syria and remove all hindrances to relief reaching Syrians in all affected areas. And this means calm; this is not the time for military action or violence.”

As he told the members of the Security Council of the sense of frustration he witnessed in northwestern Syria over the slow pace of the humanitarian response, Pedersen said it has been hampered in part by “challenges that relate directly to the unresolved issues at the heart of the conflict.”

He continued: “I have long said that the situation in Syria is unsustainable, that the status quo is totally unacceptable, and that the Syrian people are acutely vulnerable to issues not solely in their hands. It has taken tragic earthquakes to reveal this clearly. And the Syrian people, again, are the ones who pay a heavy price.”

Although there has been a lull in hostilities across front lines, Pedersen highlighted reports of “concerning incidents” involving shelling and mortar fire in regime and rebel-controlled areas,

Turkish drone strikes, Israeli attacks in Central Damascus, and Daesh attacks in the desert. He called for an immediate end to all violence.

The envoy also warned that the political challenges will increase as Syrians move from the initial emergency response phase of the disaster to recovery efforts.

“It will require navigating through one of the most complex political landscapes on the planet: A territory split into several zones of control; a government under sanctions from key donors; de facto authorities elsewhere; more than one listed terrorist group; five foreign armies; interlocking violent conflicts; mass displacement; systemic human rights violations and abuses; institutions that are degraded, corrupted or absent; destroyed infrastructure; a collapsed economy; growing illicit drug trafficking; grinding poverty; and skyrocketing needs,” he said.

“And it will require navigating these complexities in a context where the international community is itself deeply divided.”

Taking his inspiration from the Syrian people, he called for good leadership and a “cooperative spirit” because the way forward will require “less posturing, less rhetoric and more pragmatism” from stakeholders.

He added: “It will require realism and frankness from the Syrian government and the Syrian opposition, and all key outside actors. It will require firewalling Syria from wider geopolitical disputes among key players.

“Because, let’s be honest, the earthquakes have exposed and aggravated many of the core issues related to Security Council Resolution 2254: Issues of governance, sovereignty, territorial integrity; a nationwide ceasefire; building a safe, calm and neutral environment; the file of the detained, disappeared and missing; the safe, dignified and voluntary return of refugees and IDPs, many of whom have been displaced again by the earthquakes and have nowhere to go; and post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation, for which the earthquakes have only created new needs.”


Nearly 300 killed in one of India’s worst rail disasters in history

Nearly 300 killed in one of India’s worst rail disasters in history
Updated 03 June 2023

Nearly 300 killed in one of India’s worst rail disasters in history

Nearly 300 killed in one of India’s worst rail disasters in history
  • Two trains carrying thousands of passengers collided with a freight train
  • Odisha observes day of mourning after the disaster of ‘unimaginable scale’

NEW DELHI: Nearly 300 people have died and hundreds of others were injured in eastern India when three trains collided in one of the worst rail disasters in the country’s history, authorities said on Saturday.
The accident took place in the Balasore district of Odisha state on Friday when the Coromandel Shalimar Express from Kolkata to Chennai derailed after hitting a parked freight train. Another train, the Howrah Superfast Express, traveling in the opposite from Yesvantpur to Howrah, then hit the overturned carriages.
The Coromandel Shalimar Express had 2,000 people on board and the Howrah Superfast Express at least 1,000, according to their passenger manifests.
The state government of Odisha sent 200 ambulances and hundreds of first responders to the scene as it mobilized dozens of doctors to attend to the injured, saying that the accident was a “disaster of unimaginable scale.”
The South Eastern Railway, which has jurisdiction over the area, confirmed on Saturday afternoon that at least 261 people were killed in the crash.
“Another 650 injured passengers are being treated at various hospitals in Odisha,” SER spokesperson Aditya Chowdhury told reporters.
Rescuers who continued to dig through debris to find survivors feared that the toll might still increase.
Dr. Sudhanshu Sarangi, director-general of the Odisha Fire Service, said the aftermath of the accident was “extremely distressing” and many of the rescued were critically injured.
“So many dead bodies, the smell, the rigor mortis, it’s terrible. We won’t be able to sleep for a few nights. It’s a terrible tragedy,” he told Arab News.
A day of mourning was observed in Odisha on Saturday as top officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, arrived in the crash site.
The accident has caused disruptions in the movement of hundreds of trains from eastern India to the rest of the country.
India has the largest network of railway tracks in the world with over 13 million people traveling 70,000 km of track in over 14,000 trains every day.
Each year, several hundred accidents are recorded on the country’s railways, but the one in Odisha was the worst since August 1999, when two trains collided near Kolkata, killing at least 285 people.
In August 1995, at least 350 people are killed when two trains collided 200 km from Delhi.
The country’s worst train disaster took place in June 1981, when seven of the nine coaches of an overcrowded train fell into a river during a cyclone in the eastern state of Bihar.
 

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Philippines gains halal cred for efforts at Muslim-friendly travel

Philippines gains halal cred for efforts at Muslim-friendly travel
Updated 03 June 2023

Philippines gains halal cred for efforts at Muslim-friendly travel

Philippines gains halal cred for efforts at Muslim-friendly travel
  • Boosting arrivals from the Middle East is among the Philippine government’s priority goals for 2023
  • Philippines becomes Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year at Halal in Travel Global Summit

MANILA: The Philippines is focused on positioning itself as a Muslim-friendly destination, its tourism authorities said on Saturday, after winning an award at this year’s Halal in Travel Global Summit.
Muslim travelers are one of the fastest-growing tourist groups and attracting them is crucial for the Philippines as following the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a slowdown from Europe and China, which traditionally have been the main sources of visitors.
As the Muslim travel market is forecast to reach a value of $225 billion by 2028, the Philippine government announced last year that boosting foreign arrivals from the Middle East and Muslim-majority countries was among its priority goals.
The efforts were recognized with the Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year award during the Halal in Travel Global Summit — a key industry event — held in Singapore from May 30 through June 1 to honor places, groups, businesses, and people who have had a significant influence on the travel market for Muslims this year.
“This award is an affirmation of our collaborative efforts toward positioning the Philippines as a preferred destination for Muslim travelers, and strategically developing our halal tourism portfolio across our regions,” the Philippine Department of Tourism said in a statement quoting Secretary Cristina Frasco.
“This global recognition also opens up enormous opportunities for our country to introduce our rich and diverse culture and heritage evident in our Muslim communities, and our immensely beautiful destinations, including Mindanao,” Frasco said, referring to regions inhabited by the country’s Muslim minority.
In the predominantly Catholic Philippines, Muslims constitute roughly 5 percent of the country’s population of 110 million. Most of them live on the island of Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago in the country’s south, which are known as scenic locations with white sandy beaches and turquoise waters.
While many Muslim travelers look for restaurants serving food that is halal, or permissible under Islamic law, the Philippine Department of Tourism has employed “a wide range of services and amenities” designed to cater to them.
Tourism Undersecretary Myra Paz Valderrosa-Abubakar, who accepted the Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year award, said: “We hope to continue the great stride on tourism promotion and economic boost in our country for our Muslim brothers and sisters who are arriving in the Philippines,” she said, adding that Muslim visitors were welcome to explore the archipelago nation’s hospitality and more than 7,000 islands.


Two killed in shelling of Russian region on Ukraine border

Two killed in shelling of Russian region on Ukraine border
Updated 03 June 2023

Two killed in shelling of Russian region on Ukraine border

Two killed in shelling of Russian region on Ukraine border
  • Belgorod border villages have been hit by unprecedented shelling, and the latest deaths bring the overall toll to seven this week
  • The Shebekino area has been the hardest hit by the shelling

MOSCOW: Ukrainian shelling killed two people on Saturday in Russia’s Belgorod, a border region that has been hit by repeated attacks this week, the local governor said.
Belgorod border villages have been hit by unprecedented shelling, and the latest deaths bring the overall toll to seven this week.
“Since this morning, the district of Shebekino has been under shelling of the Ukrainian armed forces,” said Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
He said an “elderly woman” was killed in the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka and another woman died from her wounds in the village of Bezlyudovka.
Two other people were wounded in the shelling.
The Shebekino area has been the hardest hit by the shelling, and residents from the area have been pouring in to displacement centers in the regional capital of Belgorod.
The Russian army on Thursday said it had used its air force and artillery to repel an attempt from the Ukrainian army to invade Belgorod.


Turkiye to send commando unit to help quell unrest in Kosovo

Turkiye to send commando unit to help quell unrest in Kosovo
Updated 03 June 2023

Turkiye to send commando unit to help quell unrest in Kosovo

Turkiye to send commando unit to help quell unrest in Kosovo
  • The request came from NATO’s Joint Force Command Naples, the ministry said
  • A defense ministry official said around 500 Turkish troops would be going to Kosovo

ANKARA: The Turkish defense ministry announced Saturday it will be sending a commando battalion to northern Kosovo in response to a NATO request for troops to help quell violent unrest.
The request came from NATO’s Joint Force Command Naples, the ministry said in a press statement posted on its official Twitter account, and the battalion will join the alliance’s peacekeeping mission in the region, known as KFOR, as a reserve unit.
A defense ministry official said around 500 Turkish troops would be going to Kosovo. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with ministry regulations.
NATO announced on Tuesday that it would be sending 700 troops to bolster the force in the area. KFOR currently consists of almost 3,800 troops, including some 350 from Turkiye.
Violent clashes with ethnic Serbs on Monday left 30 international soldiers — 11 Italians and 19 Hungarians — wounded, including fractures and burns from improvised explosive incendiary devices.
The clashes grew out of a confrontation that unfolded earlier after ethnic Albanian officials elected in votes overwhelmingly boycotted by Serbs entered municipal buildings to take office and were blocked by Serbs.
“We urge restraint and dialogue to resolve these developments in northern Kosovo which endanger regional security and stability,” the Turkish statement read. The Turkish commando battalion will be deploying to the Sultan Murat Barracks in Kosovo on Sunday and Monday.


Moscow ally Kyrgyzstan says ready to work with EU

Moscow ally Kyrgyzstan says ready to work with EU
Updated 03 June 2023

Moscow ally Kyrgyzstan says ready to work with EU

Moscow ally Kyrgyzstan says ready to work with EU
  • Moscow's invasion of Ukraine has prompted global powers such as China and the European Union to seek a greater role in Central Asia
  • "Kyrgyzstan is ready to work hand in hand with the European Union to resolve shared problems, encourage dialogue and find lasting solutions," said President Sadyr Japarov

CHOLPON-ATA, Kyrgyzstan: The president of Kyrgyzstan said on Saturday his ex-Soviet republic was ready to work with the EU, which hopes to tighten ties with a region Russia sees as its sphere of influence.
Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted global powers such as China and the European Union to seek a greater role in Central Asia.
This comes at a time when many in the region are questioning their long-standing ties with Russia and are seeking economic, diplomatic and strategic assurances elsewhere.
“Kyrgyzstan is ready to work hand in hand with the European Union to resolve shared problems, encourage dialogue and find lasting solutions,” said President Sadyr Japarov, whose country is an ally of Moscow.
He was speaking during a meeting with EU Council President Charles Michel.
Michel on Friday took part in a summit attended by the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
The high-profile gathering in the resort of Cholpon-Ata on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul was the second summit between the former Soviet republics of Central Asia and the EU, the top donor to the region and its main investment partner.
“We offer a sincere partnership” to the region’s five former Soviet republics, Michel told AFP in an interview Friday.
Japarov stressed the potential for solar and hydroelectric power in Kyrgyzstan, a mountainous country of six million inhabitants where Central Asia’s main rivers rise.
Japarov also defended the planned Kambarata-1 dam, a huge project on the Naryn river, which flows through both Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
The dam and other hydroelectric projects have sparked tensions between states in Central Asia, where water shortages are increasingly frequent.
Russia remains the main power in the unstable and tightly controlled region, whose leaders have been criticized for helping Moscow circumvent Western sanctions over the war on Ukraine.
Neighbouring Afghanistan, under control of the Taliban, is also a source of instability.
Japarov and Michel issued a joint statement stressing their commitment to ensuring the Central Asian states remained independent.
On Friday, the Kyrgyz president openly called for the end to the war in Ukraine, another former Soviet republic.
It was a rare declaration from the leader of a country which refrains from publicly criticizing Moscow, on which it is still economically and military dependent.