Latest news with #ERC
Al-Ahram Weekly
11 hours ago
- General
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt 3rd aid convoy heads to Gaza with 1,300 tons of supplies - Foreign Affairs
The Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) announced Tuesday that the third humanitarian aid convoy is on its way to the southern Gaza Strip via the Karm Abu Salem crossing, carrying around 1,300 tons of urgent food, medical, and relief supplies. According to an ERC statement, the convoy includes around 440 tons of food baskets, 450 tons of flour, 150 tons of medical supplies, and roughly 200 tons of personal care items. On Sunday, the ERC, the national coordination body for aid delivery to the Gaza Strip, launched its first aid convoy to Gaza after months of Israeli blockade. The first convoy, named the 'Zad Al-Ezza: From Egypt to Gaza,' consisted of over 100 trucks, carrying over 1,200 tons of food supplies, including around 840 tons of flour and 450 tons of food baskets. On Monday, Egypt dispatched its second convoy to Gaza, comprising 135 trucks loaded with more than 1,500 tons of aid, including 965 tons of food baskets, 350 tons of flour, and 200 tons of personal care items. The ERC's efforts come as part of Egypt's steadfast support for the Palestinian people amid the ongoing famine in Gaza, aiming to alleviate their suffering exacerbated by the Israeli genocidal war and around five months of blockade. The ERC, supported by 35,000 volunteers, is working tirelessly across all logistics hubs to ensure a steady flow of aid into Gaza. Since 7 October 2023, the ERC has delivered 35,000 aid trucks to the Gaza Strip, carrying over 500,000 tons of direly needed humanitarian assistance. These include food, water, medicines, medical equipment, relief supplies, hygiene kits, shelter materials, baby formula and diapers, as well as ambulances and fuel trucks. Although Israel announced on Saturday a "tactical pause" in its military operations in parts of Gaza to allow the deliveries of humanitarian aid convoys to the strip, it bizarrely continued its attacks, killing more civilians. Meanwhile, the Israeli army allowed the resumption of air-dropping aid into the Gaza Strip. "The air-dropping of aid would not end the mass starvation in Gaza, caused by months of Israeli blockade on food and supplies," said Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). According to a previous UN estimation, 600-800 humanitarian aid trucks are needed daily to keep the Gaza population alive. The delivery of aid convoys came after a broad global condemnation of Israel's policies of mass starvation and blockade, which pushed Gaza's 2.3 million population into a catastrophic famine. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt 2nd humanitarian aid convoy enters Gaza with 1,500-ton supplies - Foreign Affairs
Egypt's second convoy passed through the Karm Abu Salem crossing on its way to Gaza, carrying 1,500 tons of food and personal care supplies. The second convoy, organized by the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) and the National Alliance for Civil Development Work (NACDW), was rerouted a few kilometres to the nearby Karm Abu Salem crossing, operated by Israel, to be inspected before being allowed into southern Gaza. According to the ERC, the convoy comprises 135 trucks carrying approximately 1,500 tons of aid. It consists of 965 tons of food packs, around 350 tons of flour, and 200 tons of personal care supplies. An Al-Qahera News reporter, standing in front of the Rafah crossing, quoted ERC officials as confirming that each pack of food can sustain a seven-member family from seven to 10 days. On Sunday, ERC and NACDW launched their first aid convoy to Gaza after months of blockade. The convoy, named Zad Al-Ezza: From Egypt to Gaza, consisted of over 100 trucks, carrying 1,200 tons of food supplies, including approximately 840 tons of flour and 450 tons of food baskets. On Saturday, Israel announced a limited tactical pause in its military operations in parts of Gaza to allow the delivery of aid to starving Palestinians. This came after a joint statement by 25 Western countries and the EU's crisis commissioner on Monday, calling for an immediate end to Israel's genocidal war in Gaza. The joint statement condemned the Israeli army's aid delivery model, which exacerbated the mass starvation in Gaza. It also warned against any further attempts aimed at forced displacement or settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories. The passage of the two convoys follows global outrage over Israel's five-month blockade and the 'flour massacres' committed by the occupation army at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's (GHF) aid distribution centres. Since May, over 1,000 aid-seeking Palestinians have been killed at these US- and Israeli-backed aid hubs. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Marcos wants Siquijor power normalized by year-end
President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. on Monday said he wants the power services in Siquijor province to be normalized before the year ends, as he said refunds should be made to consumers if needed following the rotational brownouts that plagued the province in May. In his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos said the administration will ensure that facilities are established for long-term gains and to avoid a repeat of the power crisis that hit the province in May. 'Ipinag-utos ko sa DOE, NEA, at ERC na pabalikin sa normal ang serbisyo ng kuryente sa Siquijor bago matapos ang taon. Titiyakin namin na maitatatag agad ang mga pasilidad para sa pangmatagalang lunas sa kanilang problema sa kuryente,' he said. 'Hindi na dapat itong maulit muli. limbestigahan ang naging kapabayaan nito, at ang iba pang mga katulad na kaso sa buong bansa. Dapat nilang ayusin ang pamamahala ng mga kumpanya ng kuryente, at ipag-utos ang pag-refund kung kinakailangan. (I have ordered the Department of Energy (DOE), the National Electrification Administration (NEA), and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to restore electricity services in Siquijor to normal before the end of the year. We will ensure that facilities are immediately established to provide a long-term solution to their power problems. This must never happen again. We will investigate the negligence involved in this case, as well as similar incidents across the country. These agencies must fix the management of power companies and mandate refunds if necessary.) To recall, Siquijor had rotational brownouts since May 13, 2025, prompting the Siquijor provincial government to declare a state of calamity. In June, Marcos inspected the Siquijor Island Power Corp. (SIPCOR) power plant in the province, and directed an investigation on its operations amid the power issues. He also said he is open to the possibility of having another power provider in the province. 'Sa ginawa nating imbestigasyon, ano 'yung ating natuklasan? Mga expired na permit. Mga sirang generator na halatang napabayaan, kaya sunod-sunod na bumibigay. Mabagal na aksyon, at kawalan ng maayos na sistema na pagbili ng krudo at mga piyesa,' he said Monday. (With the investigation we conducted, what did we uncover? Expired permits. Broken generators clearly neglected which is why they failed one after another. Slow response and the absence of a proper system for procuring fuel and spare parts.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- General
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Aid trucks from Egypt enter Gaza via Karm Abu Salem crossing - Foreign Affairs
Dozens of Egyptian aid trucks began entering the Gaza Strip on Sunday through the Karm Abu Salem crossing, carrying tonnes of essential humanitarian supplies, Al-Qahera News reported. The convoy set out earlier in the day from the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, "loaded with food, flour, and reconstruction materials," according to Al-Qahera News. Additionally, the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) launched an aid convoy to Gaza on Sunday, named Zad Al-Ezza: From Egypt to Gaza, consisting of over 100 trucks carrying 1,200 tonnes of food supplies, including approximately 840 tonnes of flour and 450 tonnes of food baskets. Trucks cannot enter Gaza directly from the Egyptian side of Rafah; instead, convoys are rerouted a few kilometres to the nearby Karm Abu Salem crossing—operated by Israel—where they undergo inspection before being allowed into southern Gaza. The delivery is part of Egypt's ongoing efforts to ease the deepening humanitarian crisis in the besieged Strip by providing life-saving aid. On Saturday, Israel announced a limited 'tactical pause' in parts of Gaza to facilitate the delivery of aid, designating secure corridors for convoys. The Israeli military said the daily pause—from 10:00am to 8:00pm—applies only to specific areas, including Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah, and parts of Gaza City where it claimed its forces are not currently operating. The Israeli military announced on Saturday via Telegram that it had conducted an airdrop of humanitarian aid 'as part of ongoing efforts to facilitate entry of supplies.' The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, however, warned that such measures fall far short of addressing the crisis. 'Airdrops will not reverse the deepening starvation. They are expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians,' Lazzarini wrote on X. The limited flow of additional aid follows global outrage over Israel's five-month-long blockade and the 'flour massacres' committed by occupation forces at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution centres—US-registered and Israeli-backed—where over 1,000 Palestinian aid-seekers have been killed since May. Israel's deliberate starvation of Gaza's 2.4 million residents has been widely condemned as a form of collective punishment and a war crime. According to the United Nations (UN), 600 to 800 trucks of humanitarian aid are needed daily to sustain the population, an estimate far from being met under current restrictions. Aid organizations continue to warn of a dramatic surge in malnutrition among children as the blockade continues unabated. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Barcelona 'hostile city' for visitors as tourist tax doubles to 15 Euros a night
Barcelona has voted to double the tourist tax to €8 by 2029, and the surcharge, added to the Catalan tourist tax, means some tourists will have to pay up to €15 a night Tourists visiting Barcelona are facing paying up to €15 (£13) a night for overnight stays in a shock new move. The Spanish city has voted to double the controversial tourist tax to €8 (£7) by 2029. The decision was taken yesterday by Barcelona council, with officials agreeing: "The more tourists pay, the less residents will have to." The tourist tax will rise by €1 (£0.87) each year from now on until it reaches the historic high of €8 in 2029. The measure approved will see the surcharge rise to €5 (£4.3) in 2026, €6 (£5.2) in 2027, €7 (£6.1) in 2028, and finally €8 in 2029 - double Barcelona city's current tourist tax surcharge of €4 (£3.50). The surcharge is in addition to the Catalan tourist tax, which varies according to the type of accommodation and stay. The Catalan tourist tax is expected to increase later this year, up to €7 per night for five-star hotels, meaning some tourists could face a total charge of €15 in 2029. "The more tourists pay, the less residents will have to," said Esquerra Republicana (ERC) leader Elisenda Alamany after Friday's council session. Her party proposed the surcharge increase, and the measure passed with support from the ruling Socialists, and Barcelona en Comú. Junts abstained while the People's Party (PP) and Vox voted against. "Managing tourism is common sense in this city," she said ahead of the vote, stressing that the debate wasn't about being for or against tourism, but about shifting perspective: "Recovering that income allows us to ensure balance and build a successful city." Speaking to reporters after the vote, she welcomed the "solid majority" backing the measure, saying the aim was for tourists to contribute more. Deputy Mayor for Economy and Tourism, Jordi Valls, expressed the city government's support for the measure, noting that the tourist surcharge already helps fund key areas such as public transport, safety, and climate initiatives. He said they welcomed the phased approach in ERC's proposal, allowing the sector to adapt gradually as the tax increases. "The city recognises that tourism is a key part of our economy, but there is consensus that it must be properly managed, and that includes the sector itself," he said. The political parties PP and Vox have rejected the increase in the amount of the surcharge and claim tourism is "criminalised". The PP says it will turn Barcelona "into a city hostile to visitors". The measure is conditional on the Parliament approving, foreseeably in October, a modification of the current limit of this rate. Only with that approval, the city council will be able to include the new calendar of increases in the tax ordinances that must be approved before the end of the year. Elisenda Alamany said: "Governing tourism is no longer to be on the right or the left, it is common sense. If we do not govern tourism, the city changes and will change and it will be even more difficult to continue living."
