Latest news with #Mahmoud
19 hours ago
- Politics
Sudanese Canadians say barriers to filing federal paperwork are harming efforts to get loved ones safe refuge
Some Sudanese Canadians are calling out Ottawa for rejecting their applications to privately sponsor loved ones fleeing conflict without making it clear what's missing in their paperwork or how they can fix any errors. Samah Mahmoud is a London, Ont., immigration consultant whose own application for her sister was rejected. Mahmoud said Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has told over 50 sponsors across the country that their submissions won't be processed because they're incomplete and resubmitting missing documents isn't allowed. "I applied for some of my clients who have also received the similar rejection of incomplete and we have checked these applications; there's nothing incomplete as per the guidelines posted on the website. They just sent this general message to everyone without specifying what was missing so people can know why they were rejected. And I cannot reply to the email or do anything about it. CBC News has seen the email that IRCC sent Mahmoud and other applicants. Tens of thousands of people have already died in Sudan since the civil war started in April 2023. Over 12 million people have been displaced and half the population is in acute hunger, according to the United Nations, which calls it the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Earlier this year, Canada announced it will accept 160 new applications to resettle approximately 350 Sudanese refugees privately sponsored by either groups of five or community sponsors. WATCH | Why a Canadian program for refugees from Sudan is under criticism: In February, it reopened a family-based pathway it first launched in 2024 and Ottawa committed to resettling 4,700 refugees by the end of 2026. Of that total, 4,000 refugees would receive government assistance and 700 would arrive through private sponsorship. IRCC is required to provide applicants with a procedural fairness letter — a formal ministry communication outlining specific concerns or discrepancies in an application that can influence its decision-making process — before a decision is made. The letter is meant to give applicants an opportunity to correct mistakes or offer further explanation on specific issues. IRCC's website states (new window) the requirement for procedural fairness applies to all types of immigration applications and all aspects of decision-making. An IRCC spokesperson told CBC in an email that its program guide specifies a complete sponsorship application is required during submission for an application to be processed. Submissions that have been identified to be incomplete, or that were received over the program cap, have been returned and will not be accepted into processing under the temporary public policy, wrote Mary Rose Sabater. IRCC said the Sudanese private sponsorship program has reached capacity and the ministry is reviewing applications, but no decisions have yet been rendered. The ministry's program guide mentions applicants will not be contacted for missing documents or information, and a decision will be made based on the evidence submitted and on a case-by-case basis. Asked if procedural fairness applies to this program as mentioned on its website, Sabater said that in cases of incomplete applications, a letter will be sent to the applicants directing them to access the PR [Permanent Residence) Portal for details on which parts of their application were incomplete. Enlarge image (new window) Sudanese refugees displaced by the conflict in Sudan gather to receive food staples from aid agencies at the Metche Camp in eastern Chad on March 5, 2024. Photo: Associated Press / Jsarh Ngarndey Ulrish Mahmoud said IRCC's portal doesn't specify what's missing and it wouldn't allow applications to be submitted in the first place if certain documents were lacking. She explained that for incomplete paperwork in other humanitarian programs, IRCC lists the information it needs and asks applicants to resubmit them. She has shown CBC examples of that. But in this one [among the over 50 Sudanese applications], they didn't even explain what was missing, which makes us doubt that there's anything missing, Mahmoud added. Sudanese Canadians have long criticized Ottawa's humanitarian programs for Sudanese nationals for their relatively small capacity compared to humanitarian programs for other countries, lengthy and vague processing times for applications, and the high financial burden placed on them. IRCC said comparisons between Sudan and other crises can oversimplify complex realities, adding that in all humanitarian programs, there's also provincial capacity to support newcomers, ease of movement out of conflict zones and immigration targets set for the next two years. Families urge Ottawa to keep promises Mahmoud applied for her dad, her two siblings and their kids using community sponsorship organizations in Toronto that specialize in private refugee sponsorship programs. She said they've also received similar rejections without any rationale. I could make mistakes too, but I've reviewed this application with community sponsorship organizations and this is their job, so it's not the first time they've applied for people, she said. I can accept there could be one or two rejections, but so far it's over 50 rejections. Edmonton resident Razan Nour said seven out of her eight applications to bring 12 of her cousins to Canada were denied. Their parents had died in the Sudan conflict. Nour believes IRCC isn't acting with urgency and the delays are costing lives. I just feel the level of compassion or empathy is not there, and it's disheartening. It's a complete disregard to the lives of our loved ones, said Nour. It's almost like we have to pick and choose who we want to throw a lifeline to and save. Basically, this leaves us nowhere to help bring them here. Many in the Sudanese diaspora face financial constraints, trying to sustain their lives here and pay for displaced loved ones, putting money away for almost two years so it can be used to support family members when they arrive in Canada. They believe the goalposts are constantly shifting and question why that's the case for the private sponsorship program. They're [Ottawa] not doing this for free; we paid money for these applications and we're taking care of our families. The government is not going to do anything for them, said Mahmoud. We just want the government to deliver what was promised. Isha Bhargava (new window) · CBC News · Reporter Isha Bhargava is a multiplatform reporter for CBC News and has worked for its Ontario newsrooms in Toronto and London. She loves telling current affairs and human interest stories. You can reach her at
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Major city risks becoming the first modern capital to run out of water, NGO warns
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The city of Kabul in Afghanistan is at risk of becoming the first modern capital to run out of water, according to a recent report. Kabul is drying up due to a combination of different factors, including climate change, poor water resource management, rapid urbanization and a swelling population that stands at roughly 5 to 6 million people. Mercy Corps, a humanitarian NGO, published a report in April that found Kabul's water crisis has reached a tipping point, with aquifers draining faster than they can be replenished, as well as issues surrounding water affordability, contamination and infrastructure. In June, one Kabul resident told The Guardian that there isn't any good quality well water available, while last week, another resident told CNN that they didn't know how their family would survive if things got worse. Kabul's water problem isn't new and has been growing steadily worse for decades. The report highlighted that it had been exacerbated by the decline in humanitarian funding for Afghanistan since August 2021 — when the Taliban returned to power as U.S. and allied forces withdrew from the country. "Without large-scale changes to Kabul's water management dynamics, the city faces an unprecedented humanitarian disaster within the coming decade, and likely much sooner," Mercy Corps representatives wrote in the conclusion of the report. Related: 'An existential threat affecting billions': Three-quarters of Earth's land became permanently drier in last 3 decades The new report draws on previous work by the United Nations (U.N.), which has found that Kabul's groundwater is at risk of running out by 2030, with around half of the boreholes in Kabul Province already dry. Currently, each year, extraction exceeds natural replenishment by about 1.5 billion cubic feet (44 million cubic meters), according to the report. Mohammed Mahmoud, a water security expert who was not involved in the report, told Live Science that Kabul is clearly in the midst of a worsening water crisis. "The fact that water extraction now exceeds natural recharge by tens of millions of cubic meters each year, and that up to half of the city's groundwater wells have already dried up, is an indication of a system in collapse," Mahmoud said in an email. Mahmoud is the chief executive officer of the Climate and Water Initiative NGO, and the lead for Middle East climate and water policy at the U.N. University's Institute of Water, Environment, and Health. He described the report's findings as "quite alarming" and noted that he was also concerned by the steep drop in Kabul's water table and the growing number of residents forced to spend a significant share of their income on accessing water. Mercy Corps reported that Kabul's aquifer levels have dropped by around 100 feet (30 m) within the last decade and that some households are spending up to 30% of their income just on water. "This is not just an environmental issue, it is a public health emergency, a livelihood crisis, and a looming trigger for potential large-scale human displacement," Mahmoud said. A global problem Water shortage is a global problem affecting many different regions. Water resources have been stretched in recent decades, with environmental factors like climate change increasing the frequency and severity of droughts, and human factors like population growth increasing water demand. A 2016 study published in the journal Scientific Reports found that between the 1900s and the 2000s, the number of people facing water scarcity increased from 240 million to 3.8 billion, or from 14% to 58% of the global population. Areas at particularly high risk of shortages include North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. "What is happening in Kabul reflects a broader trend we're seeing across water-stressed regions globally, especially in the Middle East and North Africa," Mahmoud said. "Groundwater overuse is rampant in many parts of the region, leading to groundwater recharge rates not keeping up with aquifer extraction. Climate change is also reducing and shifting rainfall patterns, further limiting freshwater generation and groundwater recharge, while increasing the frequency and severity of droughts." The new report highlighted that Kabul is on the brink of becoming the first modern capital to run out of water, but it isn't the first major city to face such an existential water-related threat, and based on current trends, it won't be the last. RELATED STORIES —Mexico City could be just months away from running out of drinking water —The worst droughts in US history —Amazon's 'flying rivers' of vapor are drying up in an unprecedented drought. Here's how to save them. In 2018, Cape Town — the legislative capital of South Africa — nearly ran out of water during a drought, and only narrowly avoided having to turn off the taps thanks to tight water restrictions and a water-saving campaign. The situation was even worse for India's city of Chennai in 2019, when all four of its major reservoirs dried up, severely limiting water supplies and plunging the city into crisis. Mahmoud noted that water shortages have severe socioeconomic impacts, affecting agricultural and food security, increasing living costs and, in extreme cases, causing mass migration and displacement of people. "We need stronger investment in sustainable water management, robust water infrastructure, and better governance to begin to address issues of water shortages," Mahmoud said.
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Transport for NSW threatens to deregister Sydney driver's car over numberplate
A Lebanese-Australian has been forced to hand in a set of number plates after Transport for NSW said they 'may give rise to controversy or public disagreement'. Mahmoud, who lives in Greenacre in Sydney 's south-west, was told by Transport for NSW last month that it would deregister his 'FU2IDF' number plates if he didn't turn them in. Mahmoud registered the plates in 2024 as 'my silent protest' in response to the Gaza War between Hamas and its allies and Israel. The war is the deadliest for Palestinians in the unresolved Israeli–Palestinian and Gaza–Israel conflicts dating back to the 20th century. 'My wife is Palestinian. Her family has had people killed since the start of the occupation in 1948. They've been displaced, they can't go home. So this is raw for us,' he told the publication Deepcut. Mahmoud received a letter from Transport for NSW on June 30 telling him to return his plates within 18 days or risk losing his registration. 'Transport for NSW has policies that prevent particular number plate content being displayed,' the letter read. 'This is related, but not limited to, content that has a religious theme, is discriminatory, is political, promotes violence, has a sexual reference, promotes drug taking/drinking or may be deemed to give rise to controversy or public disagreement. Mahmoud shows off the letter he was sent by Transport for NSW on June 30 'Transport for NSW has determined that these number plates may give rise to controversy or public disagreement and must be returned.' Mahmoud claimed his free speech rights were being taken away as he protests the war in the Middle East and Israel's treatment of Palestinians. 'I thought this was a free country where people can express themselves and their opinions,' he said. 'Some people find my number plate offensive, but the murder of tens of thousands of women and children isn't offensive to them.' Mahmoud even told a story of how a NSW police officer pulled him over before asking about the number plates. 'He was adamant that he wanted me to disclose what the plates meant. Once I disclosed what it meant, he actually shook my hand,' Mahmoud said. Mahmoud will turn the plates in, but has no plans to stop speaking out about the situation in Gaza. His other vehicle - a Toyota LandCruiser - has information about the Israel-Palestine war printed on the back. 'People see my car and give me the thumbs-up all the time. I want to spread that awareness so people understand the reality of what's been going on in Palestine for decades.'
New York Post
14-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
The left is a cult — and parents can fight it, with Supreme Court's blessing
Photo by John McDonnell/For The Washington Post via Getty Images In a landmark ruling last month, the Supreme Court slapped down a public-school district's mandatory lessons on sexual topics for young children — and gave parents the power to push back against leftist indoctrination in school. In Mahmoud v. Taylor, parents in Montgomery County, Md., argued that mandatory teaching of LGBT-themed books violated their families' religious beliefs. They didn't seek to remove the books — only the right to opt their children out of lessons that used them. The court backed them. Advertisement The district's instruction promoted the idea that gender is fluid and interchangeable, a notion that runs against the teachings of every major monotheistic religion: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Its LGBT teachings are part of a secular belief system that deliberately aims to supplant those traditional faiths with a new one. Leftism today increasingly functions not merely as a political ideology but as a full-fledged secular religion, complete with its own moral code, dogmas, rituals and rules of excommunication. Advertisement Like traditional religion, it offers a comprehensive worldview, one centered not on God or transcendent truth but on the sacredness of personal autonomy, identity and self-expression. Its doctrines — absolute tolerance, sexual liberation and equity over equality — are treated as unquestionable axioms, enforced with the fervor of religious orthodoxy. Public rituals like pronoun declarations, land acknowledgments and DEI trainings serve as liturgical acts of belonging and penance. Advertisement Sacred symbols like the pride flag or protest slogans function as talismans of moral clarity, and dissent from the liberal consensus results in a kind of modern heresy trial: cancellation, professional ruin or public shaming. The leftist 'priesthood' comprises media elites, academics and HR professionals, who act as interpreters and enforcers of the faith. Even its eschatology is religious in tone, offering visions of a utopian future once all bigotry is eradicated. By giving its adherents meaning, identity and moral purpose, leftism fulfills the role organized religion once did. Advertisement And the progressive religion isn't just a belief system — it's a doomsday cult. Consider any discussion of climate change. Suddenly, leftists become apocalyptic preachers warning of imminent destruction: rising seas, burning forests, uninhabitable cities — all brought on by sinful human consumption. The rhetoric is absolutist: Salvation can only be achieved through strict adherence to new commandments — no meat, no plastic, no air travel and total obedience to technocratic elites. Like all cults, dissent is forbidden and skepticism is blasphemy. Climate anxiety drives the young to speak about the future with a mix of fatalism and fanaticism. It's not science but a deeply moral narrative of sin and penance driving this hysteria, dressed in the language of reason but pulsing with religious fervor. Advertisement The Montgomery County parents fought for the freedom to protect their children from the gender-ideology components of this progressive belief system, but that's just one facet of this new secular faith. They were right: The public-school system has become a vehicle for all kinds of indoctrination, preaching a broad secular orthodoxy that runs counter to the beliefs of families of faith. The LGBT content at issue in Mahmoud is just one chapter in that gospel. In his majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that Montgomery County school board 'requires teachers to instruct young children using storybooks that explicitly contradict their parents' religious views, and it encourages the teachers to correct the children . . . when they express a degree of religious confusion.' Advertisement That same dynamic is at play across the curriculum, as public schools push all forms of progressivism on impressionable kids. It's time to fight back against the whole of the leftist religion, not just its more outrageous tenets — by confronting the cult's fire-and-brimstone, end-of-days theology too. That means demanding that science education in our schools must be grounded in reason, not fear. Public schools have no business sermonizing to children about the apocalypse. Leave that to the actual religions. Advertisement Armed with the Mahmoud ruling, public-school parents now have a legal foundation to resist when schools impose teachings that violate their most deeply held beliefs. They don't have to accept every lesson as mandatory — they can demand opt-outs, request transparency and challenge curriculum choices that cross the line from education into ideology. Parents can start by asserting their right to review lesson plans, attending school-board meetings and organizing locally to resist a broader secular agenda dressed up as neutral instruction. Advertisement The Supreme Court made it clear: The state can't force kids to absorb beliefs that conflict with their family's faith. Now it's up to parents to make their schools abide by that principle. Bethany Mandel writes and podcasts at The Mom Wars.
Qatar Tribune
12-07-2025
- Health
- Qatar Tribune
87 killed in Israel raids at aid site, children dying of malnutrition
Agencies At least 87 Palestinians have been killed since dawn in Israeli attacks across Gaza, with dozens of children dying from malnutrition during Israel's punishing months-long blockade. Among the victims on Saturday, 14 were killed in Gaza City, four of them in an Israeli strike on a residence on Jaffa Street in the Tuffah area, which injured 10 others. At least 30 aid seekers were killed by Israeli army fire north of Rafah, southern Gaza, near the one operating GHF site, which rights groups and the United Nations have slammed as 'human slaughterhouses' and 'death traps'. According to Al Jazeera Mubasher, Israeli forces fired directly at Palestinians in front of the aid distribution centre in the al-Shakoush area of Rafah. Reporting from Deir el-Balah, Al Jazeera's Hani Mahmoud said the Israeli army opened fire indiscriminately on a large crowd during one of the attacks. 'Many desperate families in the north have been making dangerous journeys all the way to the south to reach the only operating distribution centre in Rafah,' he said. 'Many of the bodies are still on the ground,' Mahmoud said, adding that those who were wounded in the attack have been transferred to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Amid relentless daily carnage rained upon starving aid seekers and the ongoing Israeli blockade, Gaza's Government Media Office said 67 children have now died due to malnutrition, and 650,000 children under the age of five are at 'real and immediate risk of acute malnutrition in the coming weeks'. 'Over the past three days, we have recorded dozens of deaths due to shortages of food and essential medical supplies, in an extremely cruel humanitarian situation,' the statement read. 'This shocking reality reflects the scale of the unprecedented humanitarian tragedy in Gaza,' the statement added. Israel is engineering a 'cruel and Machiavellian scheme to kill' in Gaza, the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Friday, as the world body reported that since May, when GHF began its operations, some 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid. 'Under our watch, Gaza has become the graveyard of children [and] starving people,' UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said. Mass displacement As the Israeli military announced on Saturday that its forces attacked Gaza 250 times in the last 48 hours, Israeli officials have continued to push a plan to forcibly displace and eventually expel Palestinians. Earlier this week, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced a plan to build a so-called 'humanitarian city' which will house 2.1 million Palestinians on the rubble of parts of the city of Rafah, which has been razed to the ground. But Palestinians in Gaza have rejected the plan and reiterated that they would not leave the enclave. Rights groups, international organisations and several nations have slammed it as laying the ground for 'ethnic cleansing', the forcible removal of a population from its homeland. Israeli political analyst Akiva Eldar told Al Jazeera on Saturday that the majority of Israelis are 'really appalled' by Katz's plan, which would be 'illegal and immoral'. 'Anybody who will participate in this disgusting project will be involved in war crimes,' Elder said. The message underlying the plan, he said, is that 'there can't be two people between the river and the sea, and those who deserve to have a state are only the Jewish people.' As Israel announces its intention to force the population of Gaza into Rafah, Middle East professor at the University of Turin, Lorenzo Kamel, told Al Jazeera that the expulsion of Palestinians from their land and their concentration in restricted areas is nothing new. In 1948, 77 years ago to this day, 70,000 Palestinians were expelled from the village of Lydda during what became known as the 'march of death'.
