Struggling against odds: Humanitarian aid battles obstacles in Sudan

Humanitarian aid in Sudan faces mounting challenges. (FILE/AFP)
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Updated 03 July 2023
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Struggling against odds: Humanitarian aid battles obstacles in Sudan

  • Humanitarian aid in Sudan faces mounting challenges
  • Aid delivery hampered by looters, indiscriminate attacks

JUBA: The dire humanitarian crisis in Sudan, stemming from the prolonged conflict, has left millions of people in desperate need of assistance. However, relief efforts face significant challenges.

Funding shortages, security constraints, and bureaucratic obstacles imposed by local authorities have hindered the delivery of essential aid. And gaining access to conflict-affected areas has posed additional difficulties due to the disregard for humanitarian laws.

According to the UN, more than $3 billion is urgently required from international donors to support the humanitarian response in Sudan and the neighboring countries hosting large numbers of refugees.

However, during a pledging conference held in Geneva last week, donors only committed half of the required amount.

Kate Phillips-Barrasso, vice president of global policy and advocacy at Mercy Corps, said the significant funding gap presented a major obstacle to scaling up the response.

She noted her frustration with the international and regional communities for not providing adequate support and highlighted the need for self-reliance.

Aid groups are currently facing difficulties in distributing the limited resources available. While nearly 3 million people have received aid since April, the absence of safe humanitarian corridors to conflict-affected areas has forced individuals to heavily rely on neighbors and mutual aid networks.

In addition to funding shortages, relief organizations face bureaucratic hurdles imposed by local authorities. Visa complications, supply import restrictions, and withheld permits have hampered the timely delivery of aid.

These measures, ostensibly for security purposes, have been seen as attempts to tighten control over humanitarian operations. Such bureaucratic obstacles have further exacerbated the suffering of those in need and limited the involvement of international agencies with the expertise and resources to address the crisis effectively.

Mukesh Kapila, a former UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for the Sudan, highlighted the unique challenges of delivering aid.

He told Arab News: “The nature of the conflict renders fighters on both sides indifferent to the rules of humanitarian law, making aid delivery dangerous and unpredictable. Foreign workers evacuated swiftly when violence erupted, and regaining access is difficult.

“Implementing smuggling operations on a larger scale might help, by strategically transporting aid to conflict areas to prevent targeting by looters and fighters. Local individuals, such as activists familiar with the ground realities, should take the lead in these efforts.”

The Sudanese Red Crescent Society, described as the country’s largest humanitarian responder, has also found security to be the main obstacle to its operations.

Barakat Faris Badri, the organization’s operations director, said that although they recently delivered supplies from the World Food Programme to the residents of Khartoum, the demand for assistance was far greater. The distribution of more food and increased action was urgently needed, he added.

The looting of humanitarian warehouses and offices has further compounded the challenges faced by aid agencies. To ensure the safety of their operations, organizations have been forced to close their Khartoum headquarters and relocate to the eastern city of Port Sudan, situated along the Red Sea.

Both the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army have been accused of involvement in the looting and diversion of aid, undermining their earlier commitments to facilitate humanitarian assistance following recent mediation efforts in Saudi Arabia.

William Carter, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council in Sudan, told Arab News: “To improve the situation, we are considering engaging with Chadian authorities to establish an operating base in Chad. This would facilitate the delivery of aid to Darfur.

“Additionally, obtaining consent from the Sudanese government and the Rapid Support Forces for cross-border assistance would be crucial.”

Carter pointed out the organization’s efforts in initiating an education and protection program, with a special emphasis on traumatized children.

He said: “The NRC is actively working with collective shelters for displaced people from Khartoum, and by supporting these locally led initiatives, we can ensure that the assistance provided is tailored to the specific needs of the communities.

“As we continue our work in Sudan, we are looking into expanding our relief efforts and exploring the possibility of implementing cash-based programs. This approach can provide affected individuals with the flexibility to get the items they need the most.”


Shai scores 34 as Thunder down Celtics, seal playoff berth

Updated 2 min 19 sec ago
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Shai scores 34 as Thunder down Celtics, seal playoff berth

  • Gilgeous-Alexander enhanced his credentials as favorite for the Most Valuable Player award with a superb performance to silence Boston’s TD Garden home crowd
  • The Memphis Grizzlies improved to 42-24 and are third in the West after downing the hapless Utah Jazz (15-51) 122-115

LOS ANGELES: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder punched their ticket to the playoffs with an impressive 118-112 victory over the reigning champion Boston Celtics in a potential NBA Finals sneak preview on Wednesday.

Gilgeous-Alexander enhanced his credentials as favorite for the Most Valuable Player award with a superb performance to silence Boston’s TD Garden home crowd in an absorbing duel settled by a burst of fourth-quarter Thunder scoring.

The Canadian point guard shot 11-of-20 from the field to finish with five rebounds, seven assists and 34 points, including 10-of-11 from the free throw line.

The win lifted Western Conference leaders Oklahoma City to 54-12 and guaranteed their place in next month’s playoffs.

Wednesday’s win over a vastly more experienced Boston lineup marked another mature display from a Thunder side that is the youngest in the league.

Oklahoma City effectively sealed victory late in the fourth, pulling away to open up a double-digit lead with just under two minutes remaining after Cason Wallace nailed a superb 24-foot three-pointer followed by a driving reverse layup.

Gilgeous-Alexander said the Thunder’s defensive solidity amid a barrage of 63 attempted threes from Boston had provided the foundation for the win.

“We were able to get stops, and that’s been the trend for us recently,” he told ESPN.

“When you’re coming down the stretch against a good basketball team with good players, you’ve got to find a way, and we did so tonight and gave ourselves a chance.”

While Gilgeous-Alexander grabbed the scoring headlines, the towering Chet Holmgren caught the eye with a double-double of 23 points with 15 rebounds.

“We all know the player Chet Holmgren is,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of his 22-year-old teammate. “He’s a stud, and he’s going to be a stud for a very long time. He’ll continue to grow and continue to be special.”

Oklahoma City’s balanced offense meanwhile suggests that they are well-equipped to make a deep run in the postseason as they pursue the franchise’s first NBA title since 1979, when the club was the Seattle SuperSonics.

Despite missing Jaylin Williams from the lineup, the Thunder finished with seven players in double figures.

Boston’s scoring was led by Jayson Tatum with 33 points, while Derrick White had 22.

Jaylen Brown though had an off-night, shooting 5-of-15 from the field before fouling out in the fourth quarter with 3min 36 remaining.

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said his team had failed to deal with Oklahoma City’s physicality.

“There were a lot of moments where we matched that and there were a few where we didn’t, and I think stuff like that’s the difference in the game,” he said.

In other games on Wednesday, the Phoenix Suns’ slipped further away from play-in contention after losing 111-104 to the Houston Rockets. The Suns are 11th in the West on 30-36 with the Dallas Mavericks 10th on 33-34. The Mavericks lost 126-116 in San Antonio.

The Memphis Grizzlies improved to 42-24 and are third in the West after downing the hapless Utah Jazz (15-51) 122-115.

In Denver, Nikola Jokic finished with 34 points but could not prevent the Nuggets crashing to a 115-95 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who romped to a wire-to-wire victory on the back of 29 points from Anthony Edwards and 25 points from Julius Randle.


Oil Updates — crude slips amid macroeconomic concerns despite firm demand expectations

Updated 7 min 29 sec ago
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Oil Updates — crude slips amid macroeconomic concerns despite firm demand expectations

LONDON: Oil prices slipped on Thursday after a surge in the previous session on a larger-than-expected draw in US gasoline stocks, as markets weighed macroeconomic concerns against firm near-term demand.

Brent futures fell 5 cents to $70.9 a barrel by 7:26 a.m. Saudi time, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures shed 10 cents to $67.58 a barrel.

Both benchmarks rallied about 2 percent on Wednesday as US government data showed tighter-than-expected oil and fuel inventories.

US gasoline inventories fell by 5.7 million barrels, more than the 1.9 million-barrel draw expected by analysts, while distillate stocks also dropped more than anticipated — despite gains in crude stocks.

“Declining US gasoline inventories raised expectations for a seasonal demand increase in spring, but concerns about the global economic impact of tariff wars weighed on the market,” said Hiroyuki Kikukawa, chief strategist of Nissan Securities Investment.

“With strong and weak factors progressing simultaneously, it has become difficult for the market to lean decisively in one direction or the other,” he added.

Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday to escalate a global trade war with further tariffs on EU goods, as major US trading partners said they would retaliate for trade barriers already erected by the US president.

Trump’s hyper-focus on tariffs has rattled investors, consumers and business confidence and raised US recession fears.

Meanwhile, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said on Wednesday that Kazakhstan led a sizeable jump in February crude output by the wider OPEC+, highlighting a challenge for the producer group in enforcing adherence to agreed output targets.

Worries about fumbling jet fuel demand weighed further on markets, JP Morgan analysts said, adding that US Transportation Security Administration data showed passenger volumes for March have decreased by 5 percent year-over-year, following stagnant traffic in February.

However, firm demand expectations limited overall market weakness.

Signs of robust US demand and Ukraine’s deployment of 377 drones targeting Russian energy infrastructure and military installations supported prices, said JP Morgan analysts in a client note.

“As of March 11, global oil demand averaged 102.2 million barrels per day, expanding 1.7 million barrels per day year-over-year and exceeding our projected increase for the month by 60,000 barrels per day,” they added.

 


Alcaraz blows past Dimitrov into Indian Wells quarters, Keys battles through

Updated 9 min 15 sec ago
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Alcaraz blows past Dimitrov into Indian Wells quarters, Keys battles through

  • Britain’s Jack Draper delivered a masterclass to stun 2022 champion Taylor Fritz 7-5, 6-4
  • World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus got past an early hiccup, dropping her serve in the opening game before rolling to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over British lucky loser Sonay Kartal

INDIAN WELLS, California: Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz blew past Grigor Dimitrov 6-1, 6-1 on Wednesday to reach the Indian Wells quarterfinals, keeping his bid for a rare three-peat on course.

The world No. 3 from Spain defied the difficult windy conditions on Stadium Court to deliver a dominant performance against a player who had won their past two encounters — including in the quarterfinals at the Miami Open last year.

Alcaraz took another step in his bid to join Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the only men to win three straight Indian Wells titles.

Alcaraz appeared largely untroubled by the gusty winds that had ball kids scampering after blowing trash and changed the trajectories of some shots.

“Today with the conditions, it was really tough for both,” he said. “I had to survive. I always say in these conditions, you have to survive no matter what. I’m very happy that I was able to play long rallies. I got a good rhythm, even with the conditions.”

Alcaraz didn’t face a break point until the fifth game of the second set, and worked his way out of that jam with an ace on Dimitrov’s third break chance.

Alcaraz polished it off in style, giving himself a match point with his sixth ace of the match and sealing the win with a forehand winner.

He will play Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo for a place in the semifinals. Cerundolo beat world No. 10 Alex de Minaur of Australia 7-5, 6-3.

Britain’s Jack Draper delivered a masterclass to stun 2022 champion Taylor Fritz 7-5, 6-4.

Draper won seven straight games to seize a 7-5, 4-0 lead over the world number four. Fritz gave him some tense moments with a late break of serve before Draper served it out on his second opportunity.

“It is the best match I have played here so far in the three years I have been here,” Draper said.

Draper next faces Ben Shelton, who became the only American man in the quarterfinals with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-1 victory over compatriot Brandon Nakashima.

The only US woman in the last eight is Australian Open champion Madison Keys, who battled past Donna Vekic 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-3 to book a meeting with resurgent Belinda Bencic, who ousted third-ranked American Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

On the back foot early, Keys failed to convert a set point in the 10th game of the second set and was two points from defeat in the tiebreaker when Vekic took a 5-3 lead.

Keys gutted out the breaker and gave herself some breathing room when she broke the Croatian to open the third.

“At some point, I just felt like it was ‘do or die,’ probably five-all in the second-set tiebreaker,” Keys said.

“I kind of just decided that I was going to go for a little bit more, and (I’m) really happy to be able to get that match and get that win and play another match here.”

Bencic also had to rally to reach her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal since becoming a mother last year.

She dominated Gauff to avenge a fourth-round loss to the American at the Australian Open this year.

Bencic, who was unranked when she returned to the tour in October, claimed her ninth career title in Abu Dhabi last month and has risen to 58th in the world.

She said her improving fitness was a factor in her ability to best Gauff in three sets this time, when she couldn’t back in January.

“What changed is that I just kept on working also on the physical side,” Bencic said. “The body is holding up much better, almost like it was before.”

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus got past an early hiccup, dropping her serve in the opening game before rolling to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over British lucky loser Sonay Kartal.

Sabalenka will next face 24th-ranked Russian Liudmila Samsonova, who surprised world No. 6 Jasmine Paolini of Italy 6-0, 6-4.


KML: Creating a new identity for Saudi menswear 

Updated 18 min 33 sec ago
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KML: Creating a new identity for Saudi menswear 

  • Siblings Razan and Ahmed Hassan’s brand is only just over a year old, but has already gained global attention

DUBAI: Siblings Razan and Ahmed Hassan are on a roll. Since the launch of their menswear label KML in 2022, the Saudi brand has rapidly gained recognition, most recently as a semi-finalist for the prestigious LVMH Prize — an annual award for young fashion designers run by the eponymous fashion conglomerate — placing them among global fashion’s most promising new voices. And, in November, celebrity stylist Law Roach opted for a KML creation to wear to the “1001 Seasons of Elie Saab” event in Riyadh.  

Through creative director Ahmed’s minimalist designs and sharp tailoring, KML, of which Razan is the owner, is reshaping Saudi menswear by reimagining traditional garments from the Kingdom’s history through a contemporary lens: jackets with shawls, large leather belts of the type seen on Bedouin men, and skirts reminiscent of the ones historically worn by men in the Eastern Province, Jazan and Hijaz.  

Ahmed says that their grandmother was a huge influence when he and his sister were growing up in Riyadh. He fondly recalls both her progressive nature and inimitable style. As a young boy, Ahmed would often accompany her to fabric shops so she could get her designs stitched by a local tailor. That exposure to craftsmanship left an impression, though fashion was not initially an obvious career path.  

“The family would oppose my trips to the fabric stores,” he tells Arab News. “My uncles would tell her she was ruining me, and her reply would be: ‘Ahmed has taste, so why not?’”  

When he decided to venture into fashion, his grandmother wholeheartedly supported him when other family members expressed their concerns — concerns they had despite the fact that the family were progressive, with writers and poets among them, he says. With time, he realized their hesitation stemmed not from disapproval but from societal perceptions of men in the industry. “They wanted to protect me from the stigma associated with men in fashion,” he explains.  

With no formal fashion education programs for men in Saudi, Ahmed instead studied architecture, later interning at Zaha Hadid Architects, where he developed an appreciation for structure and form. Razan, meanwhile, pursued law at Prince Sultan University and she went on to practice it full-time.  

“One summer, we both realized we weren’t doing what we truly wanted to do, so I decided to go to the UK to study creative writing, and Ahmed went to Central Saint Martins (in London) for a few courses,” Razan explains.  

The pair often discussed starting a brand together, and they frequently talked about fashion, delving into historical research, while Ahmed continuously sketched — though he kept his drawings private.  

“It struck us that we have so much that we can bring to the realm of reality from our imagination. We wanted to do something meaningful. Tradition and intention were very important to us,” Ahmed says. “Razan looked at me sketching, and was, like, ‘You better do something with these. You better make them a reality.’”  

That was the catalyst for the launch of KML. In August 2023, they launched their debut capsule collection. “We just did three shirts and two pairs of pants, and filled the studio walls with references, research and development sketches,” explains Ahmed.  

Towards the end of that year, they applied to the Saudi 100 Brands program. “When we presented our sample pieces to (Saudi Fashion Commission CEO) Burak Cakmak, we didn’t even talk about the brand. Instead, we discussed what fashion can and should be, and how people are going back to their roots and want to (express) their culture more.”  

The Fashion Commission recognized their potential, providing support that led to KML showcasing its collections at fashion weeks in Paris, Riyadh and Milan.  

“Paris was a wonderful experience. People found our clothes rebellious—especially the skirts for men,” says Ahmed. “But it was rebellious to wear pants in Saudi Arabia 200 years ago! Men everywhere here wore skirts — there were different names for them.”  

However, the historical relevance of the clothes was not immediately apparent to many online commentators.  

“We’re on a high right now, so we tend to forget the lows,” Ahmed says. “We were slaughtered on social media — people told us we were ruining the culture and how men look. It became toxic, so we quit social media temporarily to focus on our work.”  

Neither KLM’s skirts nor its wrap shirts with circular cut-outs at the back were intended to be controversial. Ahmed stresses that throughout the Kingdom’s history, men’s garments have been layered and draped, creating freedom of movement. KLM was simply offering a fresh perspective on them. “People forget: 70 years ago, wearing jeans and a T-shirt in Saudi would have been considered controversial,” he says. “The intention is not for it to be provocative. If anything, we are bringing back dying traditions.”  

Ahmed Hassan. (Supplied)

Despite the social-media furor, the skirts sold out.  

Much of Ahmed’s design philosophy is rooted in cultural reinterpretation. The idea for cinched waists — or highlighting the waist in some way — was inspired by how Bedouin men would wrap a leather belt or fabric round their waists. He has also designed a long coat with hidden zippers that can be turned into a cropped jacket, highlighting that, traditionally, there have been multiple ways of styling a single garment.  

Another key piece is the one-shoulder tunic. During their research, the siblings discovered that the one-shoulder silhouette was shared across ancient civilizations, from Greece to India — highlighting a universal connection.  

Last year, celebrity stylist Roach discovered their designs. What started as a casual Instagram message turned into a studio visit, during which Roach spent hours trying on their pieces.  

“We thought he would just send someone to pick up a few items,” Ahmed says. “Instead, he showed up himself, spent time with us, and repeatedly told us how this is a cultural product.”  

Then came recognition from the LVMH Prize — one of the most prestigious awards in the industry. “Thousands of designers apply, and only 20 make the cut. We were one of them. It still feels surreal,” says Ahmed. 

Despite their success, one of the siblings’ biggest challenges is production. Currently, KML’s garments are manufactured in Europe, but the ultimate goal is to bring everything back to Saudi Arabia.  

“The fashion ecosystem here is still developing, but we want everything — design, development and runway presentations — to be fully Saudi,” Ahmed says. “Being a Saudi designer is great, but contributing to the bigger ecosystem? That’s even more meaningful.” 


At least 25 bodies retrieved from Pakistan train siege

Updated 39 min 27 sec ago
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At least 25 bodies retrieved from Pakistan train siege

  • The assault was claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) one of a number of separatist groups
  • Security forces said they freed more than 340 train passengers in a two-day rescue operation that ended late on Wednesday

Mach: The bodies of at least 25 people, including 21 hostages, killed in a train siege by separatist gunmen in Pakistan were retrieved from the site on Thursday ahead of the first funerals, officials said.
Security forces said they freed more than 340 train passengers in a two-day rescue operation that ended late on Wednesday after a separatist group bombed a remote railway track in mountainous southwest Balochistan and stormed a train with around 450 passengers on board.
The assault was claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), one of a number of separatist groups that accuse outsiders of plundering natural resources in Balochistan near the borders with Afghanistan and Iran.
Death tolls have varied, with the military saying in an official statement that “21 innocent hostages” were killed by the militants as well as four soldiers in the rescue operation.
A railway official in Balochistan said the bodies of 25 people were transported by train away from the hostage site to the nearby town of Mach on Thursday morning.
“Deceased were identified as 19 military passengers, one police and one railway official, while four bodies are yet to be identified,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.
A senior local military official overseeing operations confirmed the details.
An army official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, earlier put the military toll at 28, including 27 off-duty soldiers taken hostage.
Passengers who escaped from the siege said after walking for hours through rugged mountains to reach safety that they saw people being shot dead by militants.
The first funerals are expected to take place on Thursday.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was also expected to visit Balochistan, his office said.
“The Prime Minister expressed grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of security personnel and train passengers during the operation,” it said in a statement.
'Our women pleaded'
The BLA released a video of an explosion on the track followed by dozens of militants emerging from hiding places in the mountains to attack the train.
Attacks by separatist groups have soared in the past few years, mostly targeting security forces and ethnic groups from outside the province.
Muhammad Naveed, who managed to escape, told AFP: “They asked us to come out of the train one by one. They separated women and asked them to leave. They also spared elders.”
“They asked us to come outside, saying we will not be harmed. When around 185 people came outside, they chose people and shot them down.”
Babar Masih, a 38-year-old Christian laborer, told AFP on Wednesday he and his family walked for hours through rugged mountains to reach a train that could take them to a makeshift hospital on a railway platform.
“Our women pleaded with them and they spared us,” he said.
“They told us to get out and not look back. As we ran, I noticed many others running alongside us.”
Security forces have been battling a decades-long insurgency in impoverished Balochistan but last year saw a surge in violence in the province compared with 2023, according to the independent Center for Research and Security Studies.