Latest news with #NGO
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- General
- Al Jazeera
Macron threatens sanctions on Israelis over Gaza aid crisis
French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that his country could 'apply sanctions' against Israelis unless the government in Tel Aviv responds to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Speaking during a visit to Singapore on Friday, Macron said the international community could not remain passive while Palestinians in Gaza face a deepening hunger crisis. The comments raise further the international pressure building on Israel, which has blockaded the Palestinian enclave for close to three months, with aid agencies warning of famine. 'The humanitarian blockade is creating a situation that is untenable on the ground,' Macron said at a joint news conference alongside Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. 'If there is no response in the coming hours and days in line with the humanitarian situation, we will have to harden our collective position,' he added, suggesting that France may consider applying sanctions against Israeli settlers. Israel recently said it was bowing to international pressure and would allow 'minimal' supplies of food and medicine into Gaza, on which it continues to wage an intense military assault. However, the trickle of aid entering the strip under the control of a new NGO backed by Israel and the United States has been accompanied by looting and violence. In his comments, Macron called for an end to assumptions that Israel is respecting human rights. 'But I still hope that the government of Israel will change its stance and that we will finally have a humanitarian response,' he added. The French leader also stressed that recognition of a Palestinian state is 'not only a moral duty, but a political necessity,' although he added that its establishment would need to come under specific conditions. His remarks followed a joint statement earlier in the week with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto condemning any Israeli plans to seize control of Gaza or expel its population. Paris is hoping to rally momentum for a conditional recognition of Palestinian statehood, which would require, among other things, the demilitarisation of Hamas. French officials are weighing up the move ahead of a United Nations conference, which France and Saudi Arabia are co-hosting between June 17-20, to lay out the parameters for a roadmap to a Palestinian state, while ensuring Israel's security. However, some diplomats and experts suggest that such moves would infuriate Israel and deepen Western splits. Despite some aid starting to trickle into Gaza after the Israeli blockade, the humanitarian crisis remains dire. Experts warn that one in five people faces imminent starvation. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private initiative supported by the United States and Israel, expanded its relief operations on Thursday. But the group's efforts have been widely condemned by the United Nations and other agencies as insufficient, poorly managed and not adhering to humanitarian principles. GHF centres have become sites of chaos, violence, and desperation with scenes of disorder running through the week as huge numbers of hungry people have overwhelmed security forces at distribution points. An Al Jazeera correspondent in Gaza reported on Friday that several people were wounded by Israeli army gunfire in the centre of the enclave as they tried to reach an aid distribution point set up by GHF. UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said on Friday that it was prepared to deliver supplies – including food parcels, hygiene kits and medical aid – from its warehouses in Amman, just a few hours' drive from Gaza, if allowed access. Meanwhile, talks over a ceasefire in Israel's war with the Palestinian armed group Hamas continue, with the US having put forward a new proposal. Hamas has said the proposal is 'still under discussion', but in its current form would only result in 'the continuation of killing and famine' in Gaza.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Trash to table: How this Greater Noida waste facility can help decorate your house
Noida: GNIDA has inaugurated a plastic waste processing facility in Ecotech 12 capable of handling five metric tonnes daily. The material recovery facility (MRF) will process local waste into raw materials for manufacturing furniture and decorative items like chairs, tables, lamps, etc, with a monthly segregation capacity of 150 metric tonnes. The facility is being built for Rs 4 crore, which will be borne by HDFC Bank under its CSR fund. The centre will be operated and managed by an NGO, and a campaign will be launched to raise awareness among residents about segregating waste at the household level. MRFs are facilities where non-compostable solid waste is temporarily stored. Here, workers engaged by the local body (like waste pickers or recyclers) sort the waste to recover recyclable materials before the remaining waste is sent for processing or disposal. As per the solid waste management rules, 2016, urban local bodies are mandated to set up MRFs in their areas. Dadri MLA Tejpal Nagar, while inaugurating the facility on Wednesday, highlighted the importance of proper waste management. "The authority's initiative in processing waste and working towards making the city clean is appreciated. Everyone should support and benefit from this facility," he said. ACEO Shrilakshmi VS added that this initiative will only succeed if residents segregate waste at the source. She urged citizens to keep two separate dustbins for wet and dry waste. The centre will initially process five tons of waste daily, and its capacity may be increased in the future. Greater Noida, on average, generates nearly 25 tonnes of plastic waste per day.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Hindustan Times
DU: Mob assaults shopkeeper near North Campus over suspicion he sold beef
A 44-year-old grocery store owner in northwest Delhi's Vijay Nagar was assaulted by a mob on Wednesday night, allegedly after a teenage boy and members of an NGO suspected him of selling cow meat to students, police said. The incident took place near Delhi University's North Campus, an area densely populated with students living in rented accommodations. The shopkeeper, Chaman Kumar—a Nepali national—was allegedly dragged out of his shop and assaulted by over 50 people. Police said the incident stemmed from a tip-off by a 15-year-old boy who claimed to have overheard students discussing cow meat. The boy told HT he posed as a student from Kerala and inquired about beef for a birthday party. He alleged that Kumar initially denied selling meat but later agreed to sell him some the following day. On Wednesday around 8.45pm, the boy returned and claimed to have bought meat for ₹400/kg from Kumar. He said he then contacted members of the NGO 'Pahal Ek Jeevan Ki', located nearby, which describes itself as a cattle protection group. The group allegedly entered the shop to conduct a 'raid' but the situation quickly escalated. 'They slapped and thrashed him. I didn't know it would get violent,' the boy said. 'At one point, I thought they would kill him. I asked the NGO to confine him to the shop to protect him.' A purported video, circulated online, shows Kumar being pulled out of his shop, slapped, abused, and beaten. In the clip, he is seen crying and pleading, saying, 'I only sold buffalo meat, not cow's.' The beating continued as local residents joined the group. Police said they were alerted around 9:30pm, by which time students from the Students' Federation of India (SFI) had also arrived, reportedly attempting to shield Kumar from the mob. The standoff continued until 2am, with locals staging a protest and SFI members intervening to de-escalate tensions. Deputy commissioner of police (Northwest) Bhishm Singh said, 'On suspicion of cow meat being sold, some members of the public manhandled the shopkeeper. A police team brought the situation under control. He has received medical attention.' DCP Singh said police seized meat packets from the spot and have sent it to the forensic science lab for examination. A report is awaited, he said. Kumar did not file a police complaint and returned home that night. On Thursday, he was summoned to the station but did not appear. 'We are verifying the allegations and awaiting a forensic report to determine the nature of the meat seized. Further action will follow,' Singh said. Locals said Kumar primarily sold groceries, fruit beer, and vegetables. He has run the shop since 2022 and, according to neighbours, had no prior complaints against him. Kumar lives in Burari with his wife and two children. His residence was found locked on Thursday, and neighbours said they were unaware of the incident. His landlord, who also owns the shop, declined to comment beyond denying any involvement. A local beat officer said preliminary findings suggested Kumar may have sold buffalo meat to some students. 'The NGO appears to have acted on the belief it was cow meat,' he said. Rakesh Singh, a nearby food vendor, said, 'I didn't see him sell meat. I only noticed grocery items at his shop. I don't know why he was attacked.' A 20-year-old DU student from Manipur, who requested anonymity, said, 'Our landlord accused us of consuming beef after the incident. I've known Kumar for years—nobody here would risk selling cow meat in a residential area. This is targeted discrimination.' On Thursday, SFI issued a statement saying the mob also called for raids on flats of students from the northeast and Kerala, accusing them of consuming beef. 'The mob attacked anyone who supported the shopkeeper,' the statement said, adding that some SFI members were 'profiled, followed, and attacked'. Police said no FIR has been registered yet. 'We're reviewing video footage and await medical and forensic reports. Further action will depend on witness statements and any formal complaint by the victim,' said an officer.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Italian activists face trial for migrant sea rescue in legal first
By Angelo Amante , Reuters Migrants onboard a ship after being rescued in 2018. Photo: KENNY KARPOV / MSF/SOS MEDITERRANEE / AFP A Sicilian judge has ordered six members of an Italian charity ship to stand trial on accusations of aiding illegal immigration, the first time crew members of a rescue vessel have faced such prosecution, the group's lawyer said. The case centres on a 2020 operation where the Mare Jonio charity ship, operated by the Mediterranea NGO, picked up 27 migrants who had been rescued by a giant tanker in the Mediterranean Sea. The activists then brought them to Italy. The defendants include a doctor, the Mare Jonio's commander, and Luca Casarini, co-founder of the charity and a prominent left-wing activist. They all deny wrongdoing. "This is the first indictment of its kind," lawyer Serena Romano told Reuters. "All prior proceedings against NGO crews were shut down at the investigative stage or during preliminary hearings." The charges come as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who took office in 2022, continues her long-running campaign to reduce immigration flows across the Mediterranean. The six defendants, five men and one woman, are accused of facilitating illegal immigration after they agreed to pick up the group of migrants, who had been stranded aboard the Danish tanker Maersk Etienne for more than a month. At the time, neither the Maltese, Italian nor Libyan authorities had let the tanker bring the migrants ashore, according to Maersk Tankers, the operator of Maersk Etienne. The group had been rescued from a sinking wooden dinghy near Malta as they sought to reach Europe. The Mare Jonio took them to Sicily. According to the Ansa news agency, prosecutors allege the rescue was financially motivated. They cite a €125,000 (NZ$237,742) payment from Maersk to Idra Social Shipping, which owns the Mare Jonio. Mediterranea denies the accusation, calling the payment a "transparent donation" to support rescue efforts. Casarini, who was a friend of the late Pope Francis, said the trial, ordered by a court in Ragusa, would offer an opportunity to scrutinise official conduct during the incident. "We will call as witnesses the ministers and authorities who decided to leave 27 human beings adrift in the middle of the sea," he said. Meloni's government, in power since 2022, has enacted policies aimed at reducing sea arrivals and limiting NGO rescue operations, though the case predates her administration. Some members of the ruling coalition have accused the judiciary of looking to sink government efforts to prevent migrant crossings, included repeated rulings that have thwarted attempts to detain irregular migrants in Albania. Earlier this year, several Mediterranea members, including Casarini, were targeted with spyware. The government has denied involvement and called for an inquiry. - Reuters Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Reuters
3 days ago
- General
- Reuters
Italian activists face trial for migrant sea rescue in legal first
ROME, May 29 (Reuters) - A Sicilian judge has ordered six members of an Italian charity ship to stand trial on accusations of aiding illegal immigration, the first time crew members of a rescue vessel have faced such prosecution, the group's lawyer said on Thursday. The case centres on a 2020 operation where the Mare Jonio charity ship, operated by the Mediterranea NGO, picked up 27 migrants who had been rescued by a giant tanker in the Mediterranean Sea. The activists then brought them to Italy. The defendants include a doctor, the Mare Jonio's commander, and Luca Casarini, co-founder of the charity and a prominent left-wing activist. They all deny wrongdoing. "This is the first indictment of its kind," lawyer Serena Romano told Reuters. "All prior proceedings against NGO crews were shut down at the investigative stage or during preliminary hearings." The charges come as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who took office in 2022, continues her long-running campaign to reduce immigration flows across the Mediterranean. The six defendants, five men and one woman, are accused of facilitating illegal immigration after they agreed to pick up the group of migrants, who had been stranded aboard the Danish tanker Maersk Etienne for more than a month. At the time, neither the Maltese, Italian nor Libyan authorities had let the tanker bring the migrants ashore, according to Maersk Tankers, the operator of Maersk Etienne. The group had been rescued from a sinking wooden dinghy near Malta as they sought to reach Europe. The Mare Jonio took them to Sicily. According to the Ansa news agency, prosecutors allege the rescue was financially motivated. They cite a 125,000 euro ($140,000) payment from Maersk to Idra Social Shipping, which owns the Mare Jonio. Mediterranea denies the accusation, calling the payment a "transparent donation" to support rescue efforts. Casarini, who was a friend of the late Pope Francis, said the trial, ordered by a court in Ragusa, would offer an opportunity to scrutinise official conduct during the incident. "We will call as witnesses the ministers and authorities who decided to leave 27 human beings adrift in the middle of the sea," he said. Meloni's government, in power since 2022, has enacted policies aimed at reducing sea arrivals and limiting NGO rescue operations, though the case predates her administration. Some members of the ruling coalition have accused the judiciary of looking to sink government efforts to prevent migrant crossings, included repeated rulings that have thwarted attempts to detain irregular migrants in Albania. Earlier this year, several Mediterranea members, including Casarini, were targeted with spyware. The government has denied involvement and called for an inquiry. ($1 = 0.8868 euros)
