PARIS: France on Friday accused Syria of doing nothing to reach a peace agreement after almost seven years of war and said it was “committing mass crimes” in the Eastern Ghouta region where 400,000 people are besieged by government forces.
UN-led peace talks in Geneva ended on Thursday with UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura laying most of the blame for the failure of the round at the feet of the regime side.
“The Assad regime never entered in any negotiation since the beginning of the civil war,” France’s Ambassador to the US Gerard Araud said on Twitter. “They don’t look for a political compromise but for the eradication of their enemies.”
Despite being a leading backer of the Syrian opposition, France has sought a more pragmatic approach to the Syrian conflict since the arrival of President Emmanuel Macron, saying that the departure of Bashar Assad was not a pre-condition for talks.
However, on Friday the lack of progress in Geneva and continuing assault of the besieged rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus brought scathing criticism from Paris.
“There is no alternative to a negotiated political solution agreed by both parties under the auspices of the United Nations,” Deputy Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alexandre Giorgini told reporters in a daily briefing, reiterating Paris’ support for de Mistura and appearing to dismiss a separate Russian initiative planned in Sochi next year.
“We deplore the attitude of the Syrian regime, which has refused to engage in the discussion. The Syrian regime is responsible for the lack of progress in the negotiations,” he said.
He also pointed the finger at Russia and Iran, who both back Assad, over their inability to enforce a cease-fire in Eastern Ghouta, which according to a Sept. 15 accord between Russia, Turkey and Iran, is included among several de-escalation zones.
“It is therefore urgent that Russia and Iran, guarantors of the Astana process and allies of the Damascus regime, take steps for the cessation of the bombings and (enable) humanitarian aid to arrive safely and without those who need it being hindered,” Giorgini said.
The UN says about 400,000 civilians are besieged and face “complete catastrophe” because aid deliveries by the Syrian government were blocked and hundreds of people who need urgent medical evacuation have not been allowed outside the enclave.
“By denying humanitarian access, the Damascus regime is responsible for mass crimes, particularly through the use of the siege as a weapon of war,” Giorgini said.
France: Syria’s Assad not looking for peace, committing mass crimes
France: Syria’s Assad not looking for peace, committing mass crimes
Continued denial of Palestinian statehood is threat to global security, says Arab league chief
- Ahmed Aboul Gheit speaks at UN Security Council meeting on importance of UN-League relations amid rapidly evolving regional security, political and humanitarian challenges
- He warns that the current environment of ‘strategic global competition’ is hampering the council’s engagement on Arab issues
NEW YORK CITY: The secretary-general of the Arab League on Thursday warned that the Arab region is in a critical phase that is underscored by a growing global power rivalry that has complicated the ability of the UN Security Council to effectively address Arab concerns.
Ahmed Aboul Gheit was speaking during a meeting of the council in New York chaired by the Algerian foreign minister, Ahmed Attaf, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the council this month. Algeria convened the meeting to underscore what it described as the urgent need to strengthen the mechanisms for conflict resolution, peace-building and humanitarian assistance in the Arab world.
Several major Arab crises are at the forefront of international diplomacy concerns presently, with particular emphasis on the war between Israel and Hamas, and ongoing instability in Syria, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen. Some of the crises have been on the Security Council agenda for years.
“Our concerns are one and the same,” said Aboul Gheit as he underscored the importance of building on the historical cooperation between the UN and the Arab League, particularly in light of the “strategic global competition” he said was shaping the current geopolitical landscape.
He expressed concern that these global tensions have had a negative effect on the Security Council’s engagement on Arab issues, most notably the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Aboul Gheit strongly reiterated the League’s position on Palestine, framing the struggle for an independent Palestinian state as not only a regional issue but one that poses a significant threat to international peace and security.
He welcomed recent efforts to establish a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after more than a year of violence, which he called “genocide,” against the Gaza Strip. However, he stressed that a ceasefire agreement is merely a temporary measure, and a permanent resolution can only be achieved through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
“The continued denial of Palestinian rights is a direct threat to the stability of the region and, by extension, the world,” Aboul Gheit told council members as he highlighted the urgent need for the international community to support a two-state solution, in line with several Security Council resolutions.
“We have witnessed during the recent months a war that did not stop at the borders of Gaza or Palestine but has spilled over, and its flames have reached the region,” he said.
He called for a greater role for the Security Council in the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, the founding of which was spearheaded by Saudi Arabia, the EU and Norway last September with the aim of expediting the establishment of a Palestinian state.
In Sudan, meanwhile, the brutal conflict between rival military factions, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, has claimed an estimated 150,000 lives and displaced millions since April 2023.
Aboul Gheit called for a return to peace talks there. He warned that the situation in the country has reached catastrophic levels, and urged the Security Council to take stronger action in support of Sudanese sovereignty and unity.
Turning to Syria, he expressed the Arab League’s support for the aspirations of the Syrian people to rebuild after more than a decade of devastating civil war. Acknowledging the complex political dynamics in the country, he called for a transition led by the Syrian people themselves, free from foreign intervention.
He also reiterated the opposition of the League to the continuing Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights, describing it as “illegal and unjustified.” He warned against “the Israeli expansionist greed” in Syria, and the exploitation of this delicate moment. He emphasized the need to remain committed to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement as the basis of the truce between Syria and Israel.
Aboul Gheit also touched on the situations in Lebanon, Libya and Somalia, each of which he said face distinct challenges and will require coordinated international support to achieve stability and progress.
He congratulated Lebanon on the recent election of President Joseph Aoun and praised the formation of a broad consensus government.
“We look forward to a new beginning in Lebanon, one of stability, reconstruction and revival of the economy,” he said.
Aboul Gheit reiterated the League’s support for a political process in Libya free from foreign interference, and acknowledged the continuing instability in Somalia, where he said the League was working to promote national unity.
A particularly pressing issue for the Arab League is the future of the UN Relief and Works Agency, which provides vital humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees. An Israeli ban on the organization is due to take effect next week.
Aboul Gheit expressed alarm at what he described as Israeli plans to undermine the agency, stressing that its work is crucial for stability in the region.
“The role of UNRWA is irreplaceable,” he said, warning that any attempt to dismantle it would have grave consequences for regional peace.
“UNRWA is not only carrying out a humanitarian role but it is a pillar of stability in the Arab region.
“Eliminating its role is a direct threat to this stability, and we look forward to a decisive role from the Security Council in defending this specialized agency, which is performing an irreplaceable and critical role.”
Review: Netflix’s documentary ‘Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey’
It is the unsolved murder that still grips the public imagination almost three decades later. Netflix’s 2024 “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey” reexamines the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old beauty queen.
Directed by Joe Berlinger, the three-part series dives deeper into the investigative missteps, the chaotic media frenzy surrounding the case and the lingering questions that continue to haunt a picturesque mountain town in the US.
The story unfolds the morning after Christmas in Boulder, Colorado, when the pretty 6-year-old goes missing from her slept-in bed.
JonBenet’s disappearance was initially believed to be a kidnapping as the family found a bizarrely worded, lengthy handwritten ransom note in their home. It demanded an odd amount of money — $118,000, which exactly matched the amount of John Ramsey’s Christmas bonus.
Expert examination revealed the handwriting matched nobody’s in the Ramsey household, but it had been ripped out of a notepad found in the house.
Police officers entered the Ramsey home and looked around, but did not find the missing child. Her body was later discovered there; she had been strangled and bludgeoned.
From the outset, the documentary paints a damning picture of the Boulder Police Department’s mishandling of the investigation, from failing to secure the crime scene early on to focusing on the Ramsey family — to not focusing enough on the family.
All while overlooking other potential leads.
Critics argue that it glosses over key elements, leaving viewers with an incomplete picture of the case.
For those unfamiliar with the case, the series offers a look at it from semi-fresh eyes. An unsolved murder never expires.
Now, 28 years later, the passage of time only heightens the frustration.
This cold case serves as a stark reminder of how flawed investigations can destroy lives and how this little girl has been frozen in time forever.
And so far her killer — or killers — got away with their crime.
Son helps Spurs hold off Hoffenheim in Europa League
- Goals from Son and James Maddison lifted Spurs up to provisional fourth
- It also lifted some of the heat off manager Ange Postecoglou with his injury-ravaged team
PARIS: Son Heung-min helped Tottenham gain some respite from their Premier League woes on Thursday with a double in a 3-2 Europa League win at Hoffenheim to put them on course for the knockout rounds.
Goals from Son and James Maddison lifted Spurs up to provisional fourth in the revamped league phase of European club football’s second-tier competition ahead of the night’s later games.
It also lifted some of the heat off manager Ange Postecoglou with his injury-ravaged team arriving in Germany after losing seven of their last Premier League games.
Postecoglou had pledged to win silverware for the first time for the London side since 2008 in his second season as boss.
With Spurs struggling in 15th behind Liverpool at home that leaves the Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup to fulfil his promise.
A win against Swedish outfit Elfsborg in their closing league phase game at home next week will give them an automatic ticket to the next round as one of the top eight finishers.
“I told them to enjoy it,” Postecoglou told TNT Sports.
“Winning away in Europe, it’s a significant victory for us and gives us a good foothold to get into those top eight spots which will give us a week off,” the Australian added.
They charged out of the stalls with Maddison receiving a pinpoint pass from Pedro Porro to fire the ball past keeper Oliver Baumann and into the roof of the net to give Spurs the perfect start after just four minutes.
Richarlison, making only his second start of the campaign, could have doubled the advantage but the Brazilian’s shot went straight to Baumann.
Attacking at will Spurs were looking to put the game to bed against their out of sorts German hosts.
And on 22 minutes Maddison turned provider to set up Son whose shot deflected off a defender, the ball flying over Baumann and into the far corner.
The big problem for Spurs given their leaky defense was to hold onto their superiority.
Brandon Austin started in goal for them, two weeks after making his debut, and was called on to make a full-stretched save to deny Tom Bischof as half-time beckoned.
VAR overturned a penalty decision to Hoffenheim after the hour when Austin collided into Max Moerstedt.
With the wind in their sails Hoffenheim halved their deficit minutes later when Spurs got caught on the counter, Anton Stach toeing the ball past Austin.
But Son’s angled shot with 13 minutes left on the clock settled the issue, although David Mokwa’s goal two minutes from normal time meant another nerve-jangling ending for Tottenham’s long-suffering supporters.
Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce drew 0-0 at third-placed Lyon to lift the Turkish side provisionally 19th and the door open to make the play-offs.
In the 2000 GMT kick-offs Manchester United host Rangers and table toppers Lazio play Real Sociedad.
Two Real Sociedad fans were taken to hospital after their group was apparently attacked by hardcore Lazio supporters ahead of the match at the Olympic stadium in Rome, the Spanish club said.
Saudi ministry signs two agreements to enhance social responsibility in nonprofit sector
Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti, witnessed the signing of two memoranda of understanding between the ministry and the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Foundation for Developmental Housing and Kaaf Strategy, respectively.
The signing ceremony was attended by the ministry’s Undersecretary for Beneficiary Services and Branch Affairs, Ghanem Al-Jadaan.
The signing of the two MoUs aims to enhance the role of the nonprofit sector in fulfilling its social responsibilities and contributing to the development of its operations through community projects and initiatives.
It also seeks to improve the work environment within nonprofit associations and institutions supervised by the Ministry, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
Bayern’s Davies ruled out ‘for time being’ with hamstring tear
- Bayern said scans confirmed the Canada international “sustained a muscle strain in his left hamstring”
- Davies could also miss Bayern’s Champions League playoffs in February
MUNICH: Bayern Munich defender Alphonso Davies is set for a stint on the sidelines after he was diagnosed with a torn muscle, the German club said in a statement on Thursday.
Davies, 24, was subbed out in first-half stoppage time in Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to Feyenoord.
Bayern said scans confirmed the Canada international “sustained a muscle strain in his left hamstring” and “would be absent for the time being.”
The club did not indicate how long Davies will miss but he will be in doubt for the trip to defending champions Bayer Leverkusen on February 15.
Davies could also miss Bayern’s Champions League playoffs in February, should the German giants fail to qualify for the top eight.
Wednesday’s loss to Feyenoord leaves Bayern with 12 points in 15th spot on the Champions League table, one point behind eighth-placed Leverkusen.
In the Bundesliga, Bayern sit four points clear of Leverkusen atop the table.
