Latest news with #Othman
Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
128 Turkish strikes on Duhok in one week
Shafaq News/ The Turkish military carried out 128 artillery attacks over the past week in the border areas of Al-Amediya (Amedi) district in Iraq's Kurdistan region, a member of the Community Peace Builders Team said on Friday. In a statement, Kamiran Othman explained that since May 24, the Turkish army launched 83 strikes on Mount Nizarki, within the boundaries of the Shiladze sub-district. 'All the attacks targeted a specific area that has been subjected to daily shelling,' Othman said, adding that 45 strikes in the past week hit villages in the Bire Gari area within the Deraluk sub-district. He confirmed that while no civilian casualties have been reported, the ongoing bombardment has sparked widespread fear and unrest among residents in the affected border regions. Earlier this month, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) announced its dissolution and an end to its four-decade armed conflict with Turkiye. PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been serving a life sentence in a Turkish prison since 1999, reportedly instructed all armed groups to lay down their weapons and disband, through messages delivered by Turkish lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party during a prison visit.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Wildlife expert makes bold move to protect elephants using unconventional method: 'We need to create a consortium'
Dr. Farina Othman's unconventional plan to save the world's smallest elephants in Malaysia is also benefiting the farming communities experiencing increased conflicts with the creatures. As detailed by CNN, Dr. Othman founded the conservation organization Seratu Aatai in 2018 to raise awareness about the plight of the Bornean elephant, an endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List. Extensive habitat loss — primarily due to logging and palm oil plantations — has led to more human-elephant interactions, resulting in damaged crops and buildings along with the deaths of more than 100 elephants from retribution killings and accidental poisonings. Dr. Othman told CNN that many farmers held a "not in my backyard" attitude when it came to dealing with the creatures. However, they also understood that elephants play a vital role in the natural world, acting as ecosystem engineers as they spread seeds through their droppings. That common ground served as a launching point for wildlife corridors, which can help wildlife move safely from Point A to Point B while also reducing the possibility of human-animal conflict. "As planters, they actually know the need of preserving biodiversity and also the health of the soil, because this is all contributing back to the trees that they're planting," Dr. Othman said. Now, a number of farmers are planting native trees alongside their oil palms, and they are incorporating plants elephants like to eat on the preferred corridor routes. Othman and her team also plan to educate larger plantations on sustainable farming and pest control as they eye reducing the number of unintentional poisonings. This spring, the Whitley Fund for Nature honored Dr. Othman for her "elephant-friendly" approach to fostering coexistence, which may inspire a new generation of companies and individuals to take action and invest in supporting and protecting endangered animals like the Bornean elephant. Dr. Othman hopes her efforts will ultimately result in a protected corridor network. "If only one plantation wants to do this, it won't work. We need to create a consortium of several plantations so that we can connect this corridor back to the wildlife sanctuary," she told CNN. Do you think people should be allowed to keep exotic animals as pets? Yes No It depends on the animal It depends on the person Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. In a video for the Whitley Award's April 30 event, she also shared she is "super optimistic" about the future of the Bornean elephants — and the communities near where they reside. "The road ahead is long and bumpy, but something is changing," Dr. Othman said in a letter dedicated to the elephants at the awards ceremony, where she was presented with the £50,000 prize (around $56,705). "Many people are opening their mind and most importantly their heart." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Borneo Post
23-05-2025
- General
- Borneo Post
Elephant death prompts wildlife protection plea for Pan Borneo Highway
An elephant standing besides the truck that killed its baby on May 11 in Peninsular Malaysia. KOTA KINABALU (May 23): A heart-wrenching incident on May 11 has brought renewed attention to the dangers Malaysia's road networks pose to wildlife. A five-year-old male elephant calf was fatally struck by a 10-tonne lorry while attempting to cross the East-West Highway in the Belum-Temenggor Forest Reserve. The calf's mother remained by its side for five hours, desperately trying to rescue her offspring, in a scene that has since gone viral and sparked public outcry. Professor Benoit Goossens from Danau Girang Field Centre and Dr Nurzhafarina Othman from Seratu Aatai express their concerns and implore the government to consider mitigation measures for the Tawai Forest Reserve alignment in Telupid, Sabah. 'This tragedy underscores the broader issue of human-wildlife conflict exacerbated by infrastructure development,' said Goossens, also from Cardiff University. 'In response, the Malaysian government has announced plans to incorporate dedicated wildlife crossings into future highway designs to prevent similar incidents. Why not acting now for the Pan Borneo Highway? I sincerely hope that it is not too late to do this for the proposed alignment in Telupid for which construction will start soon,' added Goossens. 'With Coalition Humans, Habitats, Highways (3H), we have emphasized for many years that road construction through wildlife habitats not only leads to fatal accidents but also increases the risk of poaching and habitat fragmentation,' said Othman, also from Universiti Malaysia Sabah. The proposed Pan Borneo Highway alignment, which cuts through the Tawai Forest Reserve, would endanger the elephant population in the reserve as well as other protected species such as the Bornean orangutan, the Sunda clouded leopard, the Malayan sun bear and the Bornean peacock pheasant. Events like the May 11 one will definitely happen in Telupid if nothing is done,' added Othman. 'This incident in Peninsular serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need to balance infrastructure development with wildlife conservation. It would be a shame if that poor baby elephant died in vain. We sincerely hope that mitigation measures could be implemented immediately, such as building dedicated wildlife crossings or even better, viaducts at the two elephant hotspots that our research has identified. There is also a need to enforce speed limits and install warning signage and lighting to alert drivers of potential wildlife crossings. Finally, preventing heavy lorries to use the stretch crossing the forest reserve at night, and force them to use the existing Telupid road, would limit the chance of dramatic accidents leading to human and wildlife casualties,' concluded Goossens and Othman.
The Star
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Myanmar mess for Asean
SHOULD Asean's special envoy on Myanmar be made a permanent post? That is the discussion that is taking place in Asean diplomatic circles, and the idea is gaining traction. The position currently rotates every year with the Chair of Asean. The special envoy is tasked with finding a peaceful solution to the ongoing human rights violations and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar sparked by the 2021 military coup. Myanmar's participation at Asean meetings has been restricted to non-political representatives. Asean has been struggling to get Myanmar's military junta to come on board and adhere to the five-point consensus (5PC) plan drawn up in 2021 by the regional grouping. The 5PC calls for an immediate end to violence, the delivery of humanitarian assistance, dialogue among all parties, the appointment of a special envoy to Myanmar, and the envoy's direct engagement with all stakeholders. Several special envoys later, their work has come to nought. 'If the post is rotated every year, certainly there is no continuity. Myanmar is a complicated issue, there are so many stakeholders involved. 'It is a difficult job, and I think people are seeing that one year is not enough for the envoy. For example, under Indonesia's chair [in 2023], they did many things, publicised them, and Myanmar did not like it,' said an Asean official. A diplomat familiar with Myanmar issues said the stakeholders don't see eye-to-eye among themselves. 'Some even refuse to be in the same room. Negotiations have to be conducted behind closed doors, in confidence. That is why much of these negotiations taking place cannot be revealed. 'A permanent special envoy would be more effective, with more continuity in the work. It takes time to build rapport, confidence, and trust, all of which are vital in this kind of work,' he said. Malaysia, as the Asean Chair this year, has appointed Tan Sri Othman Hashim as its special envoy. Not much is known of how much work and stakeholder engagements have been done by the former secretary-general of the Foreign Ministry. Othman, Asean's current special envoy to Myanmar, has been engaging various stakeholders on the crisis. — ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Hasan said Othman has met with many stakeholders but refused to give more details. Mohamad said he would be holding the troika meeting on Myanmar and the extended troika meeting next weekend just before the 46th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur. 'We can't just meet one side, there are so many sides – the National Unity Government, the State Administration Council [the junta administering Myanmar] – we need to meet all.' The troika mechanism was established by Asean leaders in 2023 to ensure continuity in the work on handling the crisis in Myanmar. The troika consists of the previous, current, and incoming Asean Chairs. The current members of the troika are Laos, Malaysia, and the Philippines; the extended troika comprises other member states. 'It is a slow and challenging process because we have to deal with not just one but many stakeholders.' How different is Malaysia's approach compared with that of the previous chair? 'Not much. We continue what has been done so far. But the earthquakes that hit Myanmar have allowed for humanitarian aid to be sent to the devastated country. 'So far we have managed to get a temporary ceasefire and send humanitarian relief to areas that previously were hard to access,' Mohamad said. The Foreign Minister felt that a permanent special envoy would be able to gain the confidence of the stakeholders. 'If there is a new one, we are not sure of the level of acceptance. The important thing is that the work continues and builds more confidence among the conflicting parties. 'There are many positive developments. Release of political prisoners and the ceasefire, although temporary, is a good start. 'If possible we want it to be permanent.' News agencies reported in April that the military government granted amnesty to nearly 4,900 prisoners, including a small portion of political detainees. Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar, chair of the Malaysian Advisory Group on Myanmar, said it is possible to have a permanent special envoy but wondered whether there would be the political willingness among Asean member states to appoint one. 'Myanmar has supporters among member states that may prefer the rotational status quo because there is still that feeling that this is an internal matter in which we should not interfere. 'The 5PC consensus is a non-starter because there was hardly any movement in the last few years. But following the recent earthquake, Malaysia has taken the opportunity to get the junta to allow humanitarian aid to go in. 'I have a feeling that during Malaysia's term, there has been greater success because of the natural disaster, it allowed for the stakeholders to be more willing to cooperate. 'But whether Malaysia can turn into a more permanent appointment beyond the chairmanship, that is something else. 'I feel that since we have made some progress, we should push for that. At least there will be a record of some success and movement. 'We always talk about aiming for the low-lying fruit. The access to humanitarian aid is the less contentious approach, and we should work on that basis,' Syed Hamid said. Syed Hamid says it is possible to have a permanent special envoy but the decision depends on Asean member states' political will. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star An Asean official said one year is too short for an envoy to do effective work. 'By the time he is just getting into the groove, getting all his connections, he finishes his term. 'The drawback is that when somebody else takes over, there is no follow up done on what the previous envoy did. Then again, it depends on the personality, how much he wants to do. 'So it goes back to the question, will Asean members agree to a permanent envoy? And if so, how long should the term be?' Will this year's Asean Chair put forward the proposal for the rest to consider? Will Othman show something concrete in his report to the leaders at this coming summit? If he has achieved some success, perhaps it is time for the Chair to throw up the idea of him continuing. But for how long? That is for Asean members to agree to by consensus. There is also the question of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's role as an informal adviser to the Asean Chair in tackling the Myanmar conflict. It is a messy situation that Asean can only hope will go away one day.
Sydney Morning Herald
14-05-2025
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
This pop-up CBD stall might just serve Brisbane's best felafel
You'll need to pick your day and time to experience this Egyptian take on the vegetarian favourite. But, boy is it worth it. Look for the sandwich board on Felix Street in the CBD, hang a left into Spencer Lane and you've found it. Ta'ameya pops up in this relatively obscure laneway (which, to give you your bearings, leads to the back entrance of Doughcraft on Mary Street) Tuesday through Thursday. Don't expect anything fancy. It's a simple market-style marquee with a straightforward menu that centres on Egyptian felafel. But if you like sandwiches and variations thereof, you need to seek this place out. Wait, what is Ta'ameya? Ta'ameya the business is the creation of Ramay Othman, Dan Henalla and Lewis Hayes. Othman and Hayes are engineers by trade, Henalla a doctor. At first, it was very much a passion project, making intermittent appearances on the market circuit while the trio tested the waters for its cornerstone product: ta'ameya the felafel. Depending on the text you consult, ta'ameya is generally thought to have been created by Coptic Christians about 1000 years ago as a hearty meal to get them through the fasting period of Lent. Its point of difference to other types of felafel that you find throughout the Levant? It's made from fava beans (or broad beans) rather than chickpeas. 'This makes a huge difference in the texture,' Othman says. 'But also the kind of nutrition you derive from it. Also, there's heaps of it grown in Australia, so we're utilising an easily grown crop. 'It has these starches that allow it to get a fluffier product, and it's higher in protein.' Othman would also like to say it has a better flavour, but then that might just be what's also mixed into the felafel – in Ta'ameya's case, parsley, coriander, spring onion and leeks. The Ta'ameya felafel pita pocket Ta'ameya punches out some of the best felafel we've had in this city, and you suspect it comes down to years of testing the product, as well as Othman and Henalla's half-Egyptian backgrounds. It probably also helps that Othman's father worked in restaurants. At first, Ta'ameya's pita pocket perhaps looks like any other you can get around town. But the devil is in the detail. Ta'ameya's pita bread comes from Papa Pita and is delivered twice-weekly, which Othman reckons makes a big difference to the overall quality of the pocket. 'It's bread you can just eat on its own,' he says, 'and it's in line with our mission of trying to create meal that you can eat every day.' Ta'ameya heats the pitas in a grill, which toasts them slightly while steaming them on the inside. Then comes the first smear of a house-made tahini that's been given extra love with garlic, lemon juice and cumin. It's a lovely, tangy, viscous creation that creates the throughline for the whole pocket. 'It's almost like a pate in a banh mi,' Othman says. 'You don't notice it until you do. And then when you do, you can't help but notice it.' Next comes what Othman describes as a classic chopped Egyptian salad, with tomatoes, onions, continental parsley, crunchy sweet and sour pickles and plenty of mint. Then it's the felafel itself, which are fried disc-shaped, and coated in sesame seeds and cracked coriander seeds, adding extra crunch. Finally, the pocket is finished with slices of pickled turnips and a few dashes of tahini, this time mixed a little thinner than the initial layer in the pocket. Optional is a Ta'ameya's own hot sauce, made with Turkish olive oil, pickled cayenne, baby peppers and an Arabian spice mix. It adds a nice kick, although we recommend trying the pocket nude first to wrap your head around what makes this thing so good. Felafel is easy to make but hard to make exceptional, and Ta'ameya has achieved the kind of balance you'd usually associate with a trained chef. It's a lesson in doing one (well, almost one – the food menu is filled out with a felafel salad and a felafel snack pack) thing very, very well. There's the crisp saltiness and fluffy texture of the felafel, the almost syrupy mouthfeel of the tahini, the crunch of the brightly coloured turnip, and the generous amounts of mint, that lend it a lovely extra pop of freshness. There are two sizes available – order the larger because you'll still destroy the thing and have no regrets. Where to get it Ta'ameya pops up in Spencer Lane in the CBD every week Tuesday to Thursday. One of its pita pockets costs $13.90, although we reckon go for the larger size, which is priced $16.90. Just try to get there before midday, after which the queue gets long, fast. And if you don't have any luck in the city, you can catch it on Saturdays at the Powerhouse Markets in New Farm, 6am to noon.
