Podcasts about syria's idlib

Health officials warn that a coronavirus outbreak could add to the devastation in Syria's Idlib province. What impact could COVID-19 have on an already vulnerable refugee population? Plus, since the coronavirus outbreak, people all over the world have come to grips with a new reality: life under lockdown. We ask a sociologist about the long-term implications social distancing and self-isolation could have on our societies. Yakzan Shishakly CEO of Maram Foundation Mahmoud Daher WHO Gaziantep Field Presence Lead Michiel Hofman Senior Humanitarian Specialist at Doctors Without Borders Sam Richards Professor at Pennsylvania State University

*)Global Covid-19 death toll surpasses 16,500 Over 380,000 Covid-19 infections have now been reported in 195 countries and territories worldwide. The global death toll has risen past 16,500, with Italy recording the highest number of deaths, over 6,000. Syria has reported its first case, raising concerns about an outbreak in a country where war has devastated all systems, including health care. *)UK implements stricter measures In Europe, Britain is the latest country to announce drastic measures to contain the virus. The UK government is instructing all its citizens to stay at home or face hefty police fines. The order follows strict actions taken by Italy and Spain, which remain the worst affected in the region. *)US cuts $1B in aid to Afghanistan US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a $1 billion cut in US aid to Afghanistan. It comes after Pompeo failed to convince Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his political foe to end a feud that has jeopardised US-led peace efforts with the Taliban. The US is also conducting a review to implement additional reductions. *)Second Turkish-Russian joint patrol in Syria’s Idlib Turkish and Russian forces conducted their second joint patrol on the M4 highway in Syria's Idlib. Turkey and Russia agreed in a deal that all parties must cease military action in Idlib’s de-escalation zone. The deal also stressed preventing further deterioration of the humanitarian situation, protection of civilians and ensuring humanitarian assistance to all Syrians in need. And finally... *)Olympic Games could get postponed to next year The US and New Zealand joined a growing list of countries calling for the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo to be postponed. Japan, which has invested $12 billion, will meet with International Olympic Committee officials today to negotiate a postponement of the games to next year. The Olympics have never been delayed, though they were cancelled during the two world wars and disrupted during major Cold War boycotts.

Mona Yacoubian, Senior Advisor to the Vice President of Middle East and Africa at the US Institute of Peace and Hussein Ibish, Senior Resident Scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington discuss the current political and humanitarian crisis in Syria, including the fragile ceasefire deal in Syria's Idlib region between Russia and Turkey, with host Carol Castiel. 

We take a look at the humanitarian crisis fast unravelling in Syria's northwestern Idlib province. According to the United Nations, over the past three months, almost one million people have been displaced by a Russia-backed regime offensive. NGOs say camps are overcrowded, while water and sanitation facilities are inadequate. We talk to Gwen Young, Managing Director of the Global Emergency Response Coalition, about the situation on the ground - including the challenges faced by medical workers.

*)Air strikes kill two Turkish soldiers in Syria’s Idlib At least two Turkish soldiers were killed and five others were wounded in air strikes in Syria's Idlib. Retaliatory Turkish military action killed at least 50 regime fighters, the defence ministry said. The Turkish Directorate of Communications said the Syrian regime was behind the attack. *)China reports 889 new coronavirus cases in mainland Mainland China has 889 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections on Thursday, the National Health Commission said on Friday, up from 394 cases a day earlier. That brings the total accumulated number of confirmed cases in mainland China so far to 75,465. The death toll from the outbreak in mainland China reached 2,236 as of the end of Thursday, up by 118 from the previous day. Voting under way in Iran parliamentary election Iranians have begun voting in a parliamentary election that conservatives are expected to dominate. State television showed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei casting the first ballot in Tehran. Khamenei called on all Iranians to take part in the election "as soon as possible", saying that doing so would "guarantee the country's national interests". *)Saudi intercepts Yemen rebel missiles targeting cities Yemeni rebel missiles targeting cities in Saudi Arabia have been intercepted, the region's Riyadh-led military coalition said. The missiles were fired by the Iran-aligned Houthi militant group, the coalition said in a statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly accused Iran of supplying sophisticated weapons to the Houthis, a charge Tehran denies. And finally, *)Trump blasts best-picture Oscar for South Korean film "Parasite" President Donald Trump ridiculed the best-picture Oscar win for South Korean film "Parasite" during a campaign rally in Colorado. Imitating an Academy Awards presenter, Trump said: "And the winner is … a movie from South Korea". Trump said he wished for the return of Hollywood classics like 1939's "Gone with the Wind".

An update on Syria this week; Turkey is lashing out at a Syrian government offensive across the border in the Idlib province, a key Syrian territory of which Turkey has controlled parts of for several years - territory that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is looking to now regain. Why is Turkey so interested in this land, and what’s been the humanitarian cost of these battles over it? Phil and Cooper speak with Turkey Pulse contributor Diego Cupolo from Istanbul, and receive first-hand accounts from Syria Pulse contributor Mohammad al-Khateib from Idlib. Waves of displacement continue amid Idlib escalation (Mohammed al-Khatieb) Turkey, Syrian regime at last exit before all-out confrontation (Metin Gurcan) Turkey's hands tied as Syrian army makes gains in Idlib (Fehim Tastekin) Erdogan vies for leverage in Syria's Idlib as Turkish troops reinforce positions (Diego Cupolo) Extra Listening: Episode #67,   Deep Cuts (8/30/2018): Tensions rise in the Idlib province of Syria due to Turkey’s plan to invade. Episode #110,   The Not-So-Safe Zone (8/22/2019): The US and Turkey agree to a buffer zone along the Turkey-Syria border to prevent any military operations against the Kurds. Music: Bu Kolthoum - “Jouwana” ( Spotify |  Apple Music)

Wednesday, September 25, 2019 US House launches impeachment inquiry into President Trump, and UEFA commits planting hundreds of thousands of trees to make up for Euro 2020 pollution. This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, September 25th. Time for US President Trump to go? US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the start of an official impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. The Democrat-controlled House will examine whether Trump abused presidential powers and sought Ukraine's help against former vice president Biden. Trump responded with his usual scorn and tweeted from the UNGA calling the inquiry, “PRESIDENTIAL HARASSMENT!” and “witch hunt garbage.” Erdogan pitches for peace at UNGA Turkey's President Erdogan drew attention to the ongoing Syria, Palestine and Kashmir conflicts during his speech at the 74th UNGA in New York. Erdogan called on the UN to back Turkey in ensuring security in Syria's Idlib and criticised the global body for not paying attention to Kashmir. The leader requested the UN to designate March 15, the date of the Christchurch attack, as an international day against Islamophobia. Quake shakes Pakistan An earthquake in Pakistan killed at least 25 people, injuring nearly 300 others. The 5.8 magnitude quake struck Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s Mirpur area, causing property and infrastructure damage. There were no reports of damage and casualties from adjoining India-administered Kashmir where a communications blackout continues. UK PM Johnson faces pressure to quit UK's Supreme Court ruled Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament for five weeks was unlawful. The court said Johnson acted to limit debate by lawmakers on Britain's impending Brexit deadline in violation of Parliament's constitutional role. Johnson, who is facing calls to step down, said he disagreed with but would respect the ruling. Europe football body plans to go green And finally, The UEFA said it will plant 600,000 trees as part of its commitment to offset carbon emissions from travel to next year's pan-European Championships. Instead of hosting matches in one or two countries, the European football governing body is holding the championship in 12 countries. UEFA will plant 50,000 trees in each of the host countries for the 60th-anniversary of the tournament. And that’s your daily news brief from TRT World ... for more, head to TRTWorld.com.

Daily News Brief for Thursday, August 29th: *) UK PM faces backlash over parliament suspension UK PM Boris Johnson's suspension of parliament as part of his no-deal Brexit plan is drawing furious backlash. Brits are protesting across the country and over a million signed an e-petition on the government’s website to oppose Johnson’s move. The suspension is meant to thwart attempts by anti-Brexit MPs to prevent UK from leaving the EU without a deal. *) Hurricane Dorian aims for US, causes limited damage in Caribbean Hurricane Dorian is expected to strengthen to a Category 3 storm as it moves toward the US. Meteorologists say it could become the strongest hurricane to hit in over 30 years. Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and other Caribbean islands escaped with minor damage. *) China rotates its troops ahead of Hong Kong protests China rotates its troops in its Hong Kong barracks with air, land and maritime forces entering the semi-autonomous territory. The move comes ahead of weekend protests calling for more democratic rights in Hong Kong. Up to two million people have been protesting over the past few months at demonstrations marked with clashes with the police. *) Fighting continues in Syria Fighting in Syria's Idlib and Hama continues with r egime and Russian air strikes killing civilians. In the latest attack, at least 16 civilians, including children, were killed in Idlib province. Turkey has repeatedly called for a complete end to hostilities, warning of a humanitarian crisis if the bombings continue. *) Apple to stop listening to private conversations via Siri And finally, Apple says it will stop storing private conversations people have with its virtual assistant, Siri. The tech giant made the decision after increased scrutiny by US and Europe regulators. Apple was found to have been listening to private conversations of its customers without their knowledge.

*)Dozens killed as roadside bomb targets Afghan bus At least 34 passengers travelling on a bus were killed, and many others wounded by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. The victims included women and children. Although there was no immediate claim of responsibility, a provincial official blamed the Taliban for the attack. But the Taliban has categorically denied any responsibility. *)UN warns Syria onslaught may spark humanitarian disaster The UN humanitarian chief urged the Security Council to take action to end the "carnage" in Syria's Idlib province. Mark Lowcock told council members they’ve ignored previous pleas and done nothing for 90 days as the massacre continues. He warned that continued violence could create the worst humanitarian disaster of the 21st century. *)Hong Kong protesters appear in court to face riot charge More than 40 protesters appeared in a Hong Kong court after being charged with rioting. A wave of protests began in late April over a now-suspended extradition bill that would’ve allowed Hong Kong residents to be sent to mainland China for trial. The protests have now evolved into a wider backlash against the city’s government and its political masters in Beijing. *)India's parliament outlaws Muslim practice of instant divorce India’s parliament passed a law against the Muslim practice of Talaaq or instant divorce, making it a criminal offence punishable by being jailed for three years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist government pushed through the bill, despite stiff resistance from several opposition parties. Instant divorce is when a Muslim man ends his marriage by simply saying the word “talaaq” three times, which means “divorce” in Arabic. *)Rhinoceros conceived artificially at California zoo And finally, There’s hope for rhinos, after a southern white rhino conceived through artificial insemination, was born at the San Diego Zoo. The birth is seen as a milestone that could help save the sub-species from extinction. It marks the first successful artificial insemination birth of a southern white rhino in North America.

Over recent days, Syrian and Russian forces continued their bombing campaign against civilians in Syria's Idlib province — this time conducting airstrikes on a market, killing dozens. Other examples of the Assad regime's assault on the Syrian people include the recent targeting of the hospitals that treat injured survivors. Russia and the Islamic Republic of Iran are aiding and abetting this barbarism. Also underway: efforts by Iran’s rulers to colonize Syria. The so-called international community is mostly turning a blind eye and, in some cases, actually facilitating the continuing carnage, occupation and population displacements. To better understand who is committing these war crimes and why, host Clifford D. May is joined by Mouaz Moustafa, executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force; and David Adesnik, FDD’s director of research.

Austria has sworn in its first female chancellor but Brigitte Bierlein is unlikely to be there for long. She heads a caretaker government appointed because the previous Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz lost a confidence vote after his far- right coalition partner was caught in a video sting scandal. Bethany Bell reports from Vienna on the current political turmoil. As fighting continues in Syria's Idlib province, author Diana Darke who knows Syria well, has been to the Korean Peninsular and discovers how close the ties are between President Bashar al_Assad and North Korea's Kim Jong-un . Chris Haslam meets the Nicaraguan university rector with a price on his head - but it's not enough for his would-be assassin. Sarah Raynsford sees both sides of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan when the football fans were in town. And in Ireland thousands of visitors flock to towns and villages every summer as the music festival season gets underway. Kieran Cooke goes along too and reflects on how the country has held onto its traditions of music and dance.

Friday, May 10, 2019 Turkey calls on Russia to halt air strikes in Syria's Idlib, and a fake heiress is behind bars. This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Friday, May 10th. *) Turkey calls on Russia to halt air strikes in Syria's Idlib Turkey is calling on Russia to halt air strikes in Syria’s Idlib province. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu asked his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov to stop the bombardments. More than 80 civilians have been killed there in the past two weeks. Idlib is meant to be a de-escalation zone Moscow agreed with Ankara. *) Trump's tariff hike on Chinese goods takes effect The US has raised tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. Trump's attack on imports from China comes as officials from the two countries are trying to find a solution to his trade war. Analysts say US consumers will pay the price for the president's move. The IMF says the showdown is a "threat to the global economy." *) South Africa’s ANC looks set to remain in power South Africa's governing African National Congress looks set to stay in power for at least another five years. The party has 57% percent of the vote from Wednesday's election with most votes counted. President Cyril Ramaphosa is promising reforms to boost the economy. *) All-English finals in Europe English football is the best in Europe. Only English clubs will feature in the finals of Europe’s two top club competitions for the first time. Chelsea will play Arsenal in the Europa League final in Baku on May 29. And Liverpool will play Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League final in Madrid on June 1. *) Fake heiress goes to prison And finally, Convicted fraudster Anna Sorokin will spend up to 12 years in prison. The 28-year-old stole over $270,000 from New York's elite after conning them. Her cover... a wealthy heiress! Netflix and HBO are already looking at a movie or TV series. OUTRO: And that’s your daily news brief from TRT World ... For more, head to TRTWorld.com.

Elijah Magnier returns to the show for an update and insight on the political situation in Iraq where the prime minister selection process (also a proxy battle of sorts between the US and Iran) is still ongoing. See Around the Empire Episode 56 for our first conversation on this topic. We also talk about the stalled operation in Idlib and the power players involved. Elijah is a veteran war correspondent, a terrorism/counterterrorism analyst specializing in the Europe and the Middle East, especially Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Sudan and Libya. He recently left Iraq and is speaking to us today from Lebanon. Follow Elijah at @ejmalrai and find his work at ejmagnier.com. Support him by using the Paypal link at the bottom of every page on his website. We are independent media and we rely on your contributions. Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire Donations: aroundtheempire.com. FOLLOW @aroundtheempire. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook. Recorded on September 14, 2018. Music by Fluorescent Grey. Reference Links: A Weak and Divided Iraq is Stumbling Towards an Unbalanced Future (6/8/18), Elijah Magnier The US Forces in Al-Tanf are Beleaguered on both the Syrian and Iraqi Sides. Tehran is Challenging Washington in Iraq Abadi is No Longer the Agreed Favourite Candidate (7/23/18), Elijah Magnier Which War for Mesopotamia? Iraq Must Choose Between Iran and the US (8/21/18) , Elijah Magnier Faleh Al-Fayyad is the Official Anti-US PM Candidate in Iraq, While the US is Trying to Hit Iran Below the Belt (8/31/18), Elijah Magnier The US Horse Fell at the First Jump in Iraq (9/4/18), Elijah Magnier The USA Oblivious to the Rise of a Resistance Movement in Response to Its Interference in Iraqi Elections (9/5/18), Elijah Magnier A Wake-Up Call to the US in Baghdad: Will Haidar Abadi Become the Mohammad Morsi of Iraq? (9/7/18), Elijah Magnier Haidar Abadi Has Fallen With the Burned Walls of the Iranian Consulate in Basra (9/10/18), Elijah Magnier The Liberation of Idlib: Turkey is in the Way, With Russia Slowing Down (9/14/18), Elijah Magnier Syria - The Rationale Behind The Delay Of Idleb's Liberation, Moon of Alabama Can Erdogan intimidate Assad into backing off Idlib?, Amberin Zaman, Al Monitor “Turkey reinforces military in Syria's Idlib after ceasefire call fails”, Orhan Coskun, Reuters Turkish Strategy in Northern Syria Military Operations, Turkish-Backed Groups and Idlib Issue, SouthFront “Notorious Terrorist Commander Eliminated By Syrian Troops In Idlib”, Muraselon/The Syria Reporters

Joanne Liu is the the International President of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), a non-governmental organization that administers humanitarian medical aid and assistance to war- and disaster-ridden areas. They don't just treat victims of bomb blasts or famine; MSF also makes public pronouncements about the political forces exacerbating oppressive conditions for innocent civilians. MSF's resolve to work in the world's most dangerous places has been tested lately. Last October, a U.S.-led airstrike in Kunduz, Afghanistan, devastated a non-partisan hospital run by the organization, and killed dozens of people. And this February, at least seven people were killed after another airstrike hit an MSF-supported hospital in Syria's Idlib province. Despite the blows her organization has incurred over the last year, Liu tells host Alec Baldwin she still believes that wars have rules about the treatment of non-combatants and civilians, and articulates MSF's role in addressing protracted political conflicts that compound injury to innocent people.