Many of Syria's diaspora are not yet ready to go home
'I will sell all of this gold and move back to Syria by the spring,' Ousama Sabbagh enthused in his jewellery shop in a majority-Syrian district in the Turkish city of Bursa, south of Istanbul. That was five months ago. Today his shop looks little different than it did then. Mr Sabbagh now wants to move in September, cheered by President Donald Trump's recent pledge to lift America's sanctions against Syria. That decision has given new hope to Syrians abroad, says Dr Haytham Alhamwi of the Syrian British Consortium, a lobby. Business folk in the diaspora think sanctions relief and international aid are vital for rebuilding the country and making it safe.
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The National
11 hours ago
- The National
Freedom Flotilla gives statement as Israel 'illegally seizes' Madleen
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition spoke through its Telegram channel after its ship the Madleen was captured by Israel. The 12 people on board – including Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan and Al Jazeera correspondent Omar Faiad – have been imprisoned. The Madleen had been sailing under a UK red ensign, meaning it was under UK jurisdiction in international waters, when Israel attacked it. The move has been described as a 'clear breach' of international law by the Turkish government, while the UK's has remained silent. READ MORE: UK Government sends spy plane over Gaza as Freedom Flotilla ship threatened by Israel The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said: 'It's time for our governments to do their jobs and sanction Israel. Its illegal attack on 'Madleen' while sailing in international waters is a small extension of their war crimes in Gaza. 'Governments, institutions, media, and corporations must stop protecting Israel, now. They must stop prioritising profit over human lives, now. 'Protect our volunteers while protecting Palestinians in Gaza and wider Palestine.' On the abduction of MEP Hassan, the group said it was 'not only an attack on civilians, but a direct assault on international law, parliamentary immunity, and the principle of free humanitarian access'. It went on: 'Israel must be held accountable. The European Parliament must formally demand her immediate release and Israel's legal accountability. 'This interception is a direct result of the international community's ongoing failure to hold Israel accountable for its war crimes. Activists pictured on the Madleen, which was sailing under a UK flag (Image: Freedom Flotilla) 'A state currently on trial for genocide must not be allowed to dictate whether life-saving aid reaches the very people it stands accused of trying to destroy.' The Freedom Flotilla Coalition pointed to the 2010 raid on their ships by the Israeli military, which also occurred in international waters and left 10 volunteers dead. The group said: 'No state has the authority to enforce an unlawful blockade, especially one whose primary purpose is to starve civilians and obstruct humanitarian relief. 'Israel's threats and attacks against peaceful ships like 'Madleen', carrying essential aid and international human rights defenders, are part of its broader pattern of impunity and disregard for international norms.' The unlawful seizure of the Madleen The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said of the boat seizure: 'At 3:02AM EEST, 110 nautical miles from Gaza, the 'Madleen' was illegally boarded by the IOF [Israel Occupation Forces] in international waters. 'Prior to their abduction, quadcopter drones flew in close range before attacking the 'Madleen' with a white chemical-like substance, harming their eyes. Signals were jammed, and disturbing audio was broadcast to interfere with communication over the radio system as the IOF boarded. 'Our volunteers were attacked and taken against their will while sailing lawfully toward Palestinian territorial waters, where Israel has no right to control. 'The 'Madleen' has reportedly been seized, and our aid, including baby formula, food, and medical supplies, has also been taken.' CCTV image shared by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (Image: FFC) Sharing security footage timestamped 2:02AM, the group added: 'This is the last moment that the Freedom Flotilla Coalition ground team saw their friends, comrades and family members while they were being illegally intercepted, boarded and abducted by the Israeli military. Their whereabouts remain unknown. 'At this time, we are urgently working to locate the 11 international volunteers and one journalist abducted from 'Madleen'. 'According to the Israeli Immigration Authority, they are not yet in its custody. FFC lawyers in occupied Palestine have repeatedly contacted Israeli military officials, but are yet to receive any response to inquiries since the early hours of the morning.' Who is on board the Madleen? There are twelve civilian crew members on board the ship, which is flying the UK flag. The crew members are: Greta Thunberg, Swedish climate and social justice activist Baptise Andre, French physician Omar Faiad, French journalist with Al Jazeera Reva Viard, French climate activist Rima Hassan, French member of the European parliament, representing La France Insoumise party Yanis Mhamdi, French journalist with independent media outlet Blast Pascal Maurieras, French activist Suayb Ordu, Turkish activist Marco van Rennes, Dutch marine engineering student Sergio Toribio, Spanish crew member, a member of marine conservation NGO Sea Shepherd Thiago Avila, Brazilian journalist, social activist and politician Yasemin Acar, German activist of Kurdish descent Israel's statements Israel's defence minister Israel Katz said the Madleen was being taken to the port of Ashdod, which is around 17 miles north of Gaza. Katz said: "I congratulate the IDF for the quick and safe takeover of the 'Madleen' flotilla to prevent them from breaking the blockade and reaching the shores of Gaza. "I instructed the IDF to show the flotilla passengers the video of the horrors of the October 7 massacre when they arrive at the port of Ashdod. "It is appropriate that the antisemitic Greta and her fellow Hamas supporters see exactly who the Hamas terrorist organisation they came to support and for whom they work is, what atrocities they committed against women, the elderly, and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself. "The IDF will continue its war against the Hamas murderers with all its moral righteousness until they are subdued, all the hostages are released, and the security of the State of Israel is ensured." Separately, Israel's foreign ministry called the boat a "selfie yacht' and claimed the "show is over". All the passengers of the 'selfie yacht' are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over. — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025 It went on: "While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity — and which included less than a single truckload of aid — more than 1200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks, and in addition, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed close to 11 million meals directly to civilians in Gaza. "There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies. Israel is preparing to hold the 12 unlawfully detained activists in separate cells in Givon Prison in Ramla, media in the country is reporting. The far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is said to have ordered officials to block the detainees from having any pro-Palestine symbols or access to any electronic communications equipment.
Edinburgh Reporter
12 hours ago
- Edinburgh Reporter
More flights from Edinburgh to Istanbul this summer
Turkish Airlines will increase the number of weekly flights from Edinburgh Airport to Istanbul from 10 to 14. This is part of a UK wide programme of increasing the number of flights to the Turkish capital from several British airports. Harun Basturk, SVP Sales at Turkish Airlines, said: 'Demand from holidaymakers in the UK and Ireland to visit Türkiye – with its rich culture, history, cuisine, hospitality, and stunning coastal resorts, remains strong year-round and peaks during the summer. We're increasing capacity to meet this demand and offer more flexibility for travellers.' He added that growing interest in destinations beyond Istanbul also contributed to the expansion: 'As the airline that flies to more destinations than any other, our global network spans the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Oceania – all popular destinations for leisure travellers. Istanbul Airport's status as the world's most connected hub allows seamless onward connections from the UK and Ireland to Türkiye and beyond.' Ephesus in Turkey is an hour or so from Izmir and worth seeing PHOTO ©2022 The Edinburgh Reporter Like this: Like Related
NBC News
14 hours ago
- NBC News
Live updates: Trump administration travel ban on 12 countries has taken effect
What to know: Starting today, nationals of 12 countries — including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen — will be barred from entering the United States after a Trump administration executive order went into effect at 12:01 a.m. ET. Seven more countries will face significant visa restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. President Donald Trump said the ban, which primarily targets countries in Africa and the Middle East, is necessary to preserve national security and prevent terrorism in the U.S. A similar policy in Trump's first term, which barred foreigners from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the country, was reversed by then-President Joe Biden. On the campaign trail, Trump promised he would revive the ban.
