MADRID: Moroccan rescue services have recovered the bodies of around 20 migrants in the Mediterranean, a spokeswoman for the Spanish enclave of Melilla said Sunday.
The bodies of the migrants, from sub-Saharan Africa, were spotted Saturday by a Spanish ship, which alerted the rescue services of both countries, the spokeswoman said.
She added that “about 20” bodies were then recovered in Moroccan territorial waters. Moroccan authorities have yet to issue a figure.
Late Saturday, a Spanish police patrol boat found one more body, which was taken to Melilla, a Spanish enclave bordering Morocco.
Migrants are increasingly favoring the so-called western Mediterranean route to reach Europe, which involves making the sea crossing between north Africa and southern mainland Spain.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Spain has been the second most popular point of entry for migrants coming to Europe so far this year, with 1,279 arrivals, after Italy with 4,256.
It said 243 people have died or are missing in the Mediterranean after trying to cross the Mediterranean this year, not including those recovered this weekend.
Spain was last year the third point of entry for Europe-bound migrants, after Italy and Greece. Arrivals by sea tripled in 2017 compared to the previous year, reaching a total of 22,900 migrants, according to the EU border agency Frontex.
Bodies of around 20 migrants recovered from sea
Bodies of around 20 migrants recovered from sea
Sabalenka, Zverev in the spotlight as Australian Open begins
- Sabalenka is aiming to become the first woman since Martina Hingis (1997-99) to win three consecutive Australian Opens
- Germany’s Zverev, at a career-high number two ranking, has eyes on Jannik Sinner and a first Grand Slam title after losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the final at Roland Garros last year
MELBOURNE: Aryna Sabalenka will begin her quest for a historic third consecutive Australian Open crown when the first Grand Slam of the year begins on Sunday.
The Belarusian world number one headlines the evening session on the main Rod Laver Arena in a potentially tricky encounter with 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens at 7:00 p.m. (0800 GMT).
Men’s second seed Alexander Zverev rounds off the first night against the dangerous Lucas Pouille of France, who made the semifinals at Melbourne Park in 2019 before losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen of China has the honor of playing the first point of the tournament on center court when the fifth seed faces Romania’s 110th-ranked Anca Todoni at 11:30am (0030 GMT).
Sabalenka is aiming to become the first woman since Martina Hingis (1997-99) to win three consecutive Australian Opens.
If she lifts the winner’s Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup again, Sabalenka will join a select group of Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Hingis as the only women to complete a Melbourne three-peat.
“I know that I have the possibility of joining legends by winning three times in a row,” Sabalenka said.
“Hopefully by the end of this tournament I’ll be able to put my name into history.”
The Belarusian won the Brisbane International last week and accepts she is the woman to beat after the best season of her career in 2024, where she also won a maiden US Open.
“I like that feeling. That’s what drives me and helps me to stay motivated because I know that I have a target on my back and I really like to have it,” she said.
Germany’s Zverev, at a career-high number two ranking, has eyes on Jannik Sinner and a first Grand Slam title after losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the final at Roland Garros last year.
“I think everybody knows what I’m chasing,” he said.
“Going into a Grand Slam as the world number two, you have to have the mindset of, I want to win the tournament.”
The 22-year-old Zheng lost to Sabalenka in the Australian Open final a year ago.
But it heralded a breakthrough 2024 during which she beat Swiatek on her way to winning Paris Olympic gold and claimed three WTA titles.
Zheng believes she is closing the gap on Sabalenka, who also beat the Chinese player at the US Open and in front of her home crowd in the final at Wuhan in October.
“I think each time I play against her, the results are getting closer and closer, which is a positive thing,” said Zheng, who did not play any warm-up events before Melbourne.
“I need to have this mentality to be a better player. I’m right now top five, but still far away from my goal.”
Men’s sixth seed Casper Ruud of Norway begins his challenge against Spain’s world number 61 Jaume Munar in the second match on Rod Laver.
Dubai Capitals edge MI Emirates in last-ball thriller to open DP World ILT20 account
- The thrilling encounter marked the narrowest win margin in the tournament’s history
DUBAI: The third season of the DP World ILT20 got underway on Saturday with a nail-biting contest as the Dubai Capitals secured a one-run victory over MI Emirates at the Dubai International Stadium.
Stellar bowling performances from Gulbadin Naib and Olly Stone turned the tide in a match that saw Nicholas Pooran’s impressive 61-run innings go in vain.
The thrilling encounter marked the narrowest win margin in the tournament’s history, with MI Emirates falling short despite needing just 16 runs in 15 balls. Gulbadin Naib, who finished with figures of three wickets for 13 runs, and Olly Stone, who claimed two for 14, led the Capitals’ spirited defense.
Sent in to bat, the Dubai Capitals posted 133 for 8, recovering from a slow start thanks to Brandon McMullen’s crucial half-century of 58 runs off 42 balls.
Rovman Powell chipped in with a valuable 25 runs, while Fazalhaq Farooqi was the standout bowler for MI Emirates, delivering a stunning spell of five for 15.
In response, MI Emirates’ chase began disastrously, with Muhammad Waseem and Andre Fletcher falling for ducks to Olly Stone. The team was reeling at 23/4 in just 4.3 overs. Captain Nicholas Pooran then mounted a rescue mission, supported by Akeal Hosein, as the duo stitched a 79-run partnership.
Pooran’s intent was clear as he smashed Sikandar Raza for six over mid-wicket and reached his half-century in 36 balls. However, his efforts were undone when Gulbadin Naib dismissed him with a clever slower ball, followed by the wicket of Alzarri Joseph in the same over.
With 13 runs needed off the final over, Kieron Pollard took charge but could only manage 11, handing the Capitals a dramatic last-ball victory.
Reflecting on the match, Player of the Match Gulbadin Naib said: “That is the beauty of cricket and T20. Not a good total on the board, but we defended it, with the guys giving 100 percent. The pitch was helping the bowlers a lot. Not easy for the batters. We just tried to keep it stump to stump, and we did it.”
Four Daesh members, including two leaders, killed in eastern Iraq
- The caliphate collapsed in 2017 in Iraq, where it once had a base just a 30-minute drive from Baghdad, and in Syria in 2019, after a sustained military campaign by a US-led coalition
BAGHDAD: Four members of the Daesh, including two senior leaders, were killed in an airstrike carried out by Iraqi aircraft in the Hamrin Mountains in eastern Iraq, security officials said on Saturday.
The Iraqi Security Media Cell, an official body responsible for disseminating security information, said in a statement four bodies of Daesh militants were found in the area where Iraqi F-16 fighter jets carried out the strike on Friday.
Talib Al-Mousawi, an official at Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) — a grouping of armed factions originally set up to fight Daesh in 2014 that was subsequently recognized as an official security force, told Reuters the dead included two top Daesh leaders in the Diyala province in eastern Iraq.
The identity of another militant will be determined following an examination, the Security Media Cell said.
At the height of its power from 2014-2017, the Daesh “caliphate” imposed death and torture on communities in vast swathes of Iraq and Syria and had influence across the Middle East.
The caliphate collapsed in 2017 in Iraq, where it once had a base just a 30-minute drive from Baghdad, and in Syria in 2019, after a sustained military campaign by a US-led coalition.
Daesh responded by scattering in autonomous cells; its leadership is clandestine and its overall size is hard to quantify. The UN estimates it at 10,000 in its heartlands.
Biden honors Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Biden is preparing to leave office Jan. 20 and has doled out honors to prominent individuals, including supporters and allies, in recent weeks
WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden on Saturday honored Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction, the highest civilian award given by the president, saying the pontiff was “a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world.”
Biden had been scheduled to present the medal to the pope in person on Saturday in Rome on what was to be the final overseas trip of his presidency, but Biden canceled his travel plans so he could monitor the wildfires in California.
The White House said Biden bestowed the award to the pope during a phone call in which they also discussed efforts to promote peace and alleviate suffering around the world.
It’s the only time Biden has presented the honor with distinction during his presidency. Biden himself is a recipient of the award with distinction, recognized when he was vice president by then-President Barack Obama in a surprise ceremony eight years ago. That was the only time in Obama’s two terms when he awarded that version of the medal.
The citation for the pope says “his mission of serving the poor has never ceased. A loving pastor, he joyfully answers children’s questions about God. A challenging teacher, he commands us to fight for peace and protect the planet. A welcoming leader, he reaches out to different faiths.”
Biden is preparing to leave office Jan. 20 and has doled out honors to prominent individuals, including supporters and allies, in recent weeks.
Who is Joseph Aoun, Lebanon’s army chief elected to the presidency?
- After 12 failed attempts, Lebanon finally has a new president, ending two-year power vacuum in crisis-wracked nation
- World and regional leaders, including Saudi Arabia, US, and EU, applaud election of “stabilizing” Aoun
DUBAI: A turning point was reached in Lebanon on Thursday when General Joseph Aoun was elected the country’s 14th president, ending a more than two-year power vacuum and restoring a glimmer of hope in the crisis-wracked nation.
Aoun’s election comes at a critical time as Lebanon grapples with its long political deadlock, economic crisis, and the devastating aftermath of Hezbollah’s 14-month war with Israel, which left vast areas of Lebanon in ruins and killed more than 4,000.
Since late November, Aoun, 61, has been a key player in implementing the fragile ceasefire by overseeing the gradual mobilization of the armed forces in south Lebanon.
Under the terms of the truce, the Lebanese Army has been gradually deployed alongside UN peacekeepers in the south as Israeli forces withdraw — a process they must complete by January 26.
In a decisive second parliamentary session, Aoun secured 99 votes — enough to secure him the presidency. He became the fifth army commander to serve as Lebanon’s president — a post he will hold for the next six years.
His election reflects a critical compromise among Lebanon’s political blocs, which made notable concessions to ensure a resolution to the deadlock, after a failed first session brought Aoun 71 votes.
Over the past 26 months, 12 previous attempts to choose a president failed amid tensions between Hezbollah and its allies on one side and opposition parties on the other, which accused the Iran-backed Shiite militia of seeking to impose its preferred candidate.
Aoun, who like all of his predecessors comes from the Maronite Christian community, as required by Lebanon’s National Pact, replaced Michel Aoun, whose term formally ended in October 2022.
In his inaugural address before the parliament, Aoun vowed to strengthen the position of the armed forces to secure Lebanon’s borders, particularly in the south, fight terrorism, and end Hezbollah’s war with Israel.
He also pledged to lead postwar reconstruction efforts, reaffirming Lebanon’s unity.
Aoun arrives at the presidency having built an impressive military career. He steered the military through one of Lebanon’s most tumultuous periods since taking office as Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces in 2017, a tenure that was later extended.
Fluent in Arabic, French, and English, Aoun began his military career in 1983 when he volunteered for the army as an officer cadet before enrolling in the Military College.
His leadership was lauded during the army’s “Dawn of the Outskirts” operation that successfully expelled Syrian militants affiliated with Daesh and Jabhat Al-Nusra in Arsal from Lebanon’s borders.
By shielding the army from political conflicts, including Hezbollah’s war with Israel, Aoun maintained his forces’ neutrality and ensured its role as a unifying force in a country of political and sectarian divides.
Additionally, he has worked to rid the military of corruption and has collaborated with other states to secure aid for army personnel after their monthly salaries dropped to less than $50.
Even before entering the Lebanese parliament’s main chamber and securing the necessary votes, Aoun was floated as an ideal candidate, garnering broad support on domestic, regional, and international fronts.
Washington is the main financial backer of the Lebanese Army, which also receives support from other countries including Qatar.
Underlining Arab and international backing for Aoun, Thursday’s parliamentary session saw notable attendees, including the Saudi Ambassador Walid Bukhari, US Ambassador Lisa Johnson, and French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian.
The push for consensus, marked by successive high-level visits to Lebanon by Saudi, Qatari, French, and US officials before the election, was mirrored domestically, where Lebanese opposition forces and other parliamentary blocs lined up behind Aoun’s candidacy.
Lebanon’s Forces of Change was among the factions that supported Aoun, praising his record of restoring order when thousands of Lebanese protesters took to the streets following the country’s economic collapse in 2019.
Notably, the Shiite duo — Hezbollah and the Amal Movement — backed his candidacy, solidifying the support needed to elect Aoun in the second round of voting.
However, the Free Patriotic Movement and other independent MPs opposed Aoun’s nomination, arguing that his election was the result of international and regional dictates over a sovereign Lebanese decision.
Aoun’s presidency was welcomed regionally and internationally.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomed Aoun’s success, wishing the Lebanese people further progress and prosperity.
Qatar likewise praised Aoun’s election, calling for “stability,” while Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Al-Budaiwi wished him luck in achieving prosperity for Lebanon and stronger ties with the Gulf bloc.
Al-Budaiwi reiterated the GCC’s support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, security, and stability, as well as its armed forces.
The leaders of Jordan and the UAE pledged to work with the new president to boost ties and support reforms, while Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Lebanon would overcome the “repercussions of Israeli aggression” under the new leadership.
French President Emmanuel Macron was among the first Western leaders to congratulate Aoun on Thursday.
“(The election) paves the way for reform and the restoration of Lebanon’s sovereignty and prosperity,” Macron posted on X. In a phone call with Aoun later, he said France “will continue to be at the side of Lebanon and its people,” vowing to visit the country soon.
In a statement, US President Joe Biden said Aoun “has my confidence. I strongly believe he is the right leader for this time.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the swift formation of a new government, to preserve the country’s security and stability, strengthen state authority, and advance much-needed reforms.
The UN Security Council also congratulated Aoun and affirmed “strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political independence of Lebanon,” while calling for a full implementation of Resolution 1701.
UNSC members also emphasized the importance of the election in ensuring fully functional state institutions to address the “pressing economic political and security challenges” of the country.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the election of Aoun as a “moment of hope” for the country. “The way is now open to stability and reforms. Europe supports this path,” she posted on X.
Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Lebanon’s new president was a chance for “reforms and change.”
“After many years of crisis and stagnation, this is a moment of opportunity to bring about reforms and change,” Baerbock posted on X. “Germany stands by the side of the people of Lebanon on the way forward.”
Russia also welcomed the election of a new president of Lebanon, which it hopes will bring political stability to the country.
Aoun’s election “opened up the prospect of strengthening internal political stability in Lebanon and righting the country’s complex social and economic position,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The UK welcomed Aoun’s election, saying it was looking forward to working with him to support stability.
“I congratulate General Joseph Aoun on his election as president of Lebanon,” Foreign Secretary David Lammy wrote on X. “I look forward to working with his government to support Lebanon’s stability and prosperity.”
Aoun faces the daunting task of restoring stability and naming a prime minister able to lead reforms demanded by international creditors to save the country from its economic crisis, described by the World Bank as one of the worst in modern history.
The challenge lies in whether Lebanon’s diverse political forces can unite around Aoun’s leadership and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to form a consensus government.
Even if shaped by the traditional “quota-sharing,” such a government must demonstrate the capacity to address Lebanon’s pressing challenges with a comprehensive and shared national vision.
The success of Aoun’s cabinet hinges on prioritizing the Lebanese people’s interests and leveraging parliamentary cooperation to ensure the nation’s recovery, navigating the nation out of the turmoil that has long overshadowed its potential.
