
Beyond borders: Turkmenistan's global fight for children's rights
On this episode, Riz Khan travels to Turkmenistan, the Central Asian nation with a population of 7 million and borders that include Iran and Afghanistan. At a time when the world is struggling to resolve conflicts from Europe to Africa to the Middle East, Turkmenistan is marking the 30th anniversary of its Principle of Neutrality, a status reaffirmed by the United Nations for three decades. It's a principle that's enabled the government in Ashgabat to maintain friendly relations with both East and West, and is a central pillar of Turkmenistan's foreign policy.
With one of the world's largest reserves of gas, the country is developing pipelines to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, as well as China, furthering its ambitions as a major player in global energy. And the country has been reaching out to the world in other ways, as part of the International Year of Peace and Trust, supporting peace initiatives and supplying medical and humanitarian aid to women and children in need across the region and beyond, including Palestinian families.
At the center of those programs is the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Charitable Foundation, focused on children. On this episode, Riz Khan sits down with the foundation's Vice President for Medical Activities, Oguljahan Atabayeva.
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Leaders
4 hours ago
- Leaders
Israel Targets Palestinians Heading to Aid Distribution Site
The Israeli military on Tuesday opened fire on Palestinians while they were trying to reach an aid distribution site in southern Gaza, for the third time in three days. Meanwhile, the UN has called for an independent investigation into the targeting of Palestinians near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution site in Gaza's southern city of Rafah. Killing Aid Seekers On early Tuesday, June 3, 2025, the Israeli military killed at least 27 people, including two women and three children, and injured others while they were heading to the GHF's aid distribution site, the Associated Press (AP) reported citing the head of Gaza's Health Ministry's records department, Zaher al-Waheidi. This marked the third incident in three days. According to the AP, all the shooting incidents took place at the Flag Roundabout, located one kilometer away from one of the GHF's distribution sites in the southern city of Rafah, an area that has been turned into an Israeli military zone. Israeli Denial The Israeli military said that its troops opened fire at several suspects who did not adhere to the designated access routes, according to CNN. It said that its forces do not prevent Gazan civilians from reaching the humanitarian aid distribution sites. 'The troops carried out warning fire, and after the suspects failed to retreat, additional shots were directed near a few individual suspects who advanced toward the troops,' the Israeli military said in a statement, adding it was looking into reports of casualties. Multiple Incidents The Tuesday shooting occurred near the same location where previous shooting incidents took place over the past two days. On Monday morning, Israeli troops killed three Palestinians and injured dozens while they were on their way to the GHF aid distribution site in Rafah, according to Palestinian and hospital officials. Similarly, the Israeli military shot dead dozens of Palestinians in the same area on Sunday, according to Palestinian officials and eyewitnesses. The Palestinian officials said that the incident claimed the lives of 31 people and wounded dozens. However, the Israeli military denied firing 'within or near' the aid distribution site. GHF Response On its part, the GHF denied any violence in or around its site. In a statement, it said that aid distribution occurred 'safely and without incident.' It added that the Israeli military was investigating whether civilians were injured 'after moving beyond the designated safe corridor and into a closed military zone.' 'This was an area well beyond our secure distribution site and operations area. We recognize the difficult nature of the situation and advise all civilians to remain in the safe corridor when traveling to our distribution sites,' the statement noted. Aid Delivery Mechanism The GHF is an Israeli and US-backed organization which operates a new aid distribution mechanism. It involves establishing a number of distribution hubs in southern and central Gaza, where Palestinian civilians will head once a week to receive one aid package per family. The GHF cooperates with private American contractors to secure aid trucks until their arrival at the distribution sites. However, the GHF has faced mounting criticism from the UN and other humanitarian organizations, which refused to work with the organization amid fears that its distribution model will force the displacement of Palestinians. Moreover, the GHF head resigned, citing concerns over 'humanitarian principles,' including neutrality and independence. UN Calls for Investigation After the Sunday shooting incident, the UN called for an independent investigation. The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, expressed concern over the reports of shooting Gazan civilians seeking aid. 'I am appalled by the reports of Palestinians killed and injured while seeking aid in Gaza yesterday,' he said in a statement on Monday. 'I call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for perpetrators to be held accountable,' the UN head said. Dehumanization of Gazans On the same day, the UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, sharply criticized the current aid delivery mechanism as 'unacceptable' and 'dehumanizing.' In an interview with the BBC, he said: 'It's heartbreaking. I cannot believe that humanitarian aid is delivered in such circumstances. It's unacceptable, it's dehumanizing and I really hope there is a rethinking of the whole absolute need to get humanitarian aid in quickly and not through the current system.' 'I think what it shows is utter disregard for civilians. Can you imagine people that have been absolutely desperate for food, for medicine, for almost three months and then they have to run for it or try to get it in the most desperate circumstances? It does show a huge dehumanization of the people who are desperately in need,' he noted. Short link : Post Views: 50


Saudi Gazette
9 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Dozens of Palestinians killed near Gaza aid distribution point in third day of shooting
JERUSALEM — Palestinians on their way to receive aid from a distribution site in southern Gaza have come under fire for a third consecutive day, with nearly 30 people killed and dozens wounded, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health and Nasser hospital. The ministry said Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians as they made their way to the distribution site in Tel al-Sultan in Rafah early Tuesday. The Israeli military said its forces opened fire multiple times after identifying 'several suspects moving toward them, deviating from the designated access routes.' 'The troops carried out warning fire, and after the suspects failed to retreat, additional shots were directed near a few individual suspects who advanced toward the troops,' the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement, which also said they are looking into reports of casualties. At least 27 people were killed and dozens injured, according to the Palestinian health ministry and the director of Nasser hospital in Gaza. Footage obtained by CNN showed people arriving at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, many on Marwan al-Hams, the head of field hospitals in Gaza, said Nasser has been overwhelmed by the number of casualties coming in.'Only if someone dies inside the intensive care units, only then can we make availability for the next patient,' he told CNN. Al-Hams said the injuries he was seeing were primarily the result of gunfire and concentrated in patients' upper hospital called for urgent blood gunfire on Tuesday occurred west of Rafah in the area surrounding the Al-Alam roundabout, according to paramedics from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, near the same location as shooting incidents the last two area is part of an Israeli military operation across Khan Younis, according to a diplomat who monitors developments in Gaza, who said Israeli forces fired toward a large group of Palestinians they perceived as 'an imminent threat' as the Palestinians tried to reach the aid distribution Tuesday morning, a Facebook page which the controversial US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has used to publicize information about the opening of distribution sites said one location would be open in southern Gaza and warned residents to adhere to a designated corridor starting at 5 a.m.'The IDF will be in the area to secure the safe passage,' the statement approximately one hour later, the page said the site will be site ultimately opened and distributed 21 truckloads of food boxes, according to GHF. The aid was distributed 'safely and without incident at our site today,' the organization said, adding that the area beyond its security perimeter is 'well beyond our secure distribution site and control.'The incident marks the third day in a row that people have been killed on their way to the GHF distribution point west of Rafah while attempting to secure food as famine conditions worsen in Gaza following an 11-week blockade by Palestinians were shot dead and dozens wounded as they were on their way to access aid from the site on Monday morning, Palestinian and hospital authorities said. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that Israeli forces fired warning shots approximately a kilometer from the aid distribution site and that it was looking into the details of the Sunday, dozens of Palestinians were shot dead by the Israeli military in the same area, according to Palestinian officials and eyewitnesses. Israel's military denied that its troops fired 'within or near' the aid distribution officials said 31 people had been killed and scores wounded in Sunday's incident. An Israeli military source acknowledged that Israeli forces fired toward individuals about one kilometer (1093 yards) away before the aid site United Nations' human rights chief, Volker Turk, said in a statement on Tuesday that 'deadly attacks on distraught civilians trying to access the paltry amounts of food aid in Gaza, are unconscionable... There must be a prompt and impartial investigation into each of these attacks, and those responsible held to account.'Turk added that Palestinians have been given 'the grimmest of choices: die from starvation or risk being killed while trying to access the meager food that is being made available through Israel's militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism.' — CNN


Leaders
a day ago
- Leaders
Aid Ship Sails to Gaza with Greta Thunberg on Board
Climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and 11 other activists are on their own way to Gaza Strip aboard a ship carrying humanitarian aid, according to Associated Press. The aid ship seeks to break 'Israel's siege' of the devastated territory, organizers said. Operated by activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the ship headed on Sunday from the Sicilian port of Catania, in southern Italy. Greta Thunberg The activists said that they will try to reach the shores of Gaza and deliver some aids to Palestinians who are starving due to Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid. 'We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying,' Thunberg said. Greta Thunberg and other activists The mission also seeks to raise 'international awareness' over the ongoing humanitarian crisis. 'Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. And no matter how dangerous this mission is, it's not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the live-streamed genocide,' she added. Interestingly, 'Game of Thrones' actor Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent joined the crew. Israel has previously banned Hassan from entering due to her obvious opposition to the Israeli war on Gaza. If the ship is not stopped, the activists will arrive in Gaza within 7 days. 'We are breaking the siege of Gaza by sea, but that's part of a broader strategy of mobilizations that will also attempt to break the siege by land,' said activist Thiago Avila. Related Topics: Italian Puglia Region Cuts Ties with Israel over Gaza Genocide Barcelona Severs Twin-City Ties with Tel Aviv over Gaza War Saudi FM Arrives in Jordan for Gaza Meeting Short link : Post Views: 131