Latest news with #Bagdad
ABC News
25-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
Tasmanian community helps family after dad's sudden death
Cally Spangler had not expected things could get worse. Her family had leaned on each other and their community in rural Bagdad in southern Tasmania after her 21-year-old brother Connor suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm that left him in a coma for a month. Then, while her brother was still in hospital, their 47-year-old father died suddenly in an accident. Ms Spangler, 23, had to step into a co-caring role for her siblings, aged eight to 25, and face potentially complex legal and financial challenges because her father had died without a will. "First off, when Connor was in the coma, Dad was in there every day for about three hours," the wool grader told ABC Hobart. "It didn't matter whether he had the kids or he was at work five days a week. "He'd go finish the day at work, go into the hospital, come home, [and] cook tea for the rest of the kids on repeat." Her father, Shawn, had shared custody of five of the eight children after her parents separated five years earlier. The three eldest had lived solely with their dad. "[In six months, we've experienced] everything that you could possibly imagine in life: love, happiness, sadness, remorse." The Bagdad community has rallied to support the family during Connor's months-long hospitalisation and ongoing rehabilitation, and since their dad's death. A fundraiser run at Rhonda's on Midlands, formerly Bagdad Community Club, has raised more than $13,000. Ms Spangler's employer, Adrian Lovell, a shearer, said the family had shown resilience in the face of hardship. "It was a terribly sad story right from the start," Mr Lovell said. "To be on the way up and see what they'd gone through with Connor, then to get a call just after Christmas about her father was, Jesus, I thought, 'How are they going to handle this?'" Bagdad resident Michelle Visser, of Rhonda's on Midlands, said rural communities were adept at rallying when things were tough. "We recently had a big fundraiser up here which started out really small, but the donations got that big that we had to make room in another area to put the donations,'' Ms Visser said. Ms Spangler said she felt immense gratitude for the community's kindness. "The support's been insane," she said. "When Connor first was in a coma, everyone was bringing around the food then. "And then when Dad passed away, we said, 'No, you can help us with lending us an ear, no food', because the freezer just got so full the first time." While there had also been offers of household help, Ms Spangler said the rhythm of daily chores had provided a sense of purpose. "We don't want our life to stop in any way," she said. Beyond community support, Legal Aid Tasmania, some community legal centres and the Public Trustee can provide help in such situations. Tasmania Legal Aid offers general advice and information including referrals through its Legal Help service and has a general civil lawyer available for more intensive casework. But that lawyer is unable to assist with administration of an estate or estate planning. "It's difficult because the services are quite fragmented," Legal Aid Tasmania director Kristen Wylie said. "We are funded to provide some general civil assistance, but only one person covers the whole state so we are limited in what we can do. "We will be able to give advice on navigating the system and make targeted referrals." She said things were more complex if, as in Ms Spangler's case, the deceased person had not left a will. She said it was called dying "intestate". "In this case TLA would refer a young person to a private lawyer specialising in wills and estate work to help apply and administer the estate," Ms Wylie said. "This would involve a fee for those services. "Similarly, the Public Trustee can assist and also charge fees. "If meeting those fees is an issue, we would try and assist the young person with a referral to a pro-bono lawyer through the schedule run by the Law Society of Tasmania." Tasmania Public Trustee chief executive Todd Kennedy said the trustee could perform the role of administrator when someone died without a valid will, but it could be a "complicated process". "This leaves behind a burden for grieving family members during what is already an emotional time. "Also, without a valid will your assets may not be distributed in line with your wishes." According to the Tasmanian Intestacy Act 2010, the surviving spouse will inherit the whole estate unless there are children from another relationship of the deceased. Where there are, the surviving spouse is entitled to a statutory spousal legacy of $350,000. "Making a will is easier than you think," Mr Kennedy said. Ms Spangler said she was "overcome with emotion" by the community's financial gift. "It was not what I was expecting at all," she said. "You're going through these times, and you don't know anything for certain. "It's just a feeling I've never felt before."
Zawya
20-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Tunisia calls for redefining development priorities in Arab world, boosting inter-Arab trade
Tunis - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad, Mohamed Ali Nafti, headed the Tunisian delegation participating in the 5th Arab Economic and Social Development Summit held in Baghdad on Saturday. He delivered a speech on behalf of President Kais Saied, emphasising Tunisia's commitment to addressing development challenges as the most effective means to counter security and social threats. According to a Foreign Ministry statement, Tunisia called for redefining development priorities in the Arab world through a shared, innovative vision centered on the Arab citizen and aimed at meeting their economic and social needs. It stressed the need to bridge developmental, knowledge, and technological gaps among Arab nations and boost intra-Arab trade, which remains below potential at just 13% of total Arab foreign trade. Tunisia also underscored the importance of developing effective strategies to enhance food security, mitigate water scarcity, and address environmental risks. It also urged support for infrastructure, transport, electricity, and smart city projects, alongside advancing the Greater Arab Free Trade Area and transitioning to an Arab Customs Union to strengthen national economies. Highlighting the importance of reform, governance, and equitable wealth distribution, Tunisia asserted that true development requires social justice, including economic empowerment and social protection for vulnerable groups. The country reaffirmed its commitment to regional programmes for women's economic and social empowerment, enhancing women's participation in labour markets and decision-making and creating legislative environments that promote equality. Tunisia also said it was looking forward to active Arab participation in the preparatory regional meeting for the 2nd World Summit for Social Development, hosted in Tunis on June 30 and July 1, 2025. It pledged support for initiatives serving Arab peoples' interests and called for stronger partnerships between Arab states and regional/international blocs. It urged the practical implementation of summit recommendations to ensure tangible progress. Minister Nafti also led Tunisia's delegation at the 34th Ordinary Arab Summit, held concurrently in Baghdad. © Tap 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Al Arabiya
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Spain PM calls for ‘pressure on Israel to halt the massacre in Gaza'
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called on Saturday for pressure to stop Israel's 'massacre in Gaza' and said Madrid plans a UN resolution requesting a world court ruling on aid access to the Palestinian territory. Sánchez told an Arab League summit in Baghdad that the war triggered by Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel has led to 'unacceptable numbers' of victims in Gaza, violating the 'principle of humanity.' 'The extremely grave humanitarian crisis Gaza has endured since October 2023 has caused more than 50,000 dead, 100,000 wounded and two million displaced,' said Sánchez, who has sharply criticized the Israeli offensive. World leaders should 'intensify our pressure on Israel to halt the massacre in Gaza, particularly through the channels afforded to us by international law,' he said. The Socialist prime minister said Spain will 'submit to the United Nations General Assembly a proposal to ask the International Court of Justice to rule on Israel's compliance with its international obligations on humanitarian aid access to Gaza,' under a complete aid blockade since March 2. Sánchez said Spain would also back another draft UN resolution calling on Israel to 'end the humanitarian blockade' and guarantee 'full and unrestricted access for humanitarian aid' to enter Gaza. On May 7, Sánchez told the Spanish parliament that Madrid would present a draft resolution at the UN General Assembly aimed at 'proposing urgent measures to stop the killing of innocent civilians and ensure humanitarian aid' in Gaza. Speaking in Baghdad on Saturday, he said that promoting 'a political solution' to the conflict was a priority. 'The only path toward peace in the region' is 'the implementation of the two-state solution' to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, he said. 'I wish once again to urge other countries to recognize the State of Palestine.' He expressed hope for progress in an international conference on the two-state solution planned for June in Saudi Arabia, which represents 'a historic opportunity.' But Sánchez said that 'it will only succeed if there is broad Arab and European consensus that leads to firm action by the entire international community.'
