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The Star
16 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Star
Syrian committee reports 1,426 killed in March violence, says commanders did not order it
BEIRUT (Reuters) -A Syrian fact-finding committee said on Tuesday that 1,426 people had died in March in attacks on security forces and subsequent mass killings of Alawites, but concluded that commanders had not given orders for the revenge attacks. The incidents in the coastal region were the worst violence to hit Syria since the downfall of President Bashar al-Assad last year. The fact-finding committee's work is seen as an important test of the new leadership, made up mainly of former anti-Assad rebel fighters, who are facing new unrest this month involving other minority groups in the southwest. The committee concluded that Syrian commanders did not give orders to commit violations and in fact gave orders to halt them. It came up with a list of 298 suspects involved in violations against Alawites and 265 involved in the initial attack on security forces, committee head Jumaa Al-Anzi said. The names are not being released publicly for now and have been referred to courts for further investigations, spokesperson Yasser Farhan said. He added that 31 people who committed violations against civilians had been arrested, as well as six people he referred to as "remnants" of the former regime. A Reuters investigation last month identified 1,479 Syrian Alawites killed and dozens who were missing from 40 distinct sites of revenge killings, and found a chain of command leading from the attackers directly to men who serve alongside Syria's new leaders in Damascus. Syria's new leadership, which has roots in the insurgency led by Sunni Muslim Islamist groups against Assad, a member of the Alawite minority sect, has long sought to reassure minorities that they will be safe. Safety of minorities has become a major issue again this month with hundreds of people killed in clashes between government security forces, Sunni Bedouin fighters and militants from the Druze sect in the southern province of Sweida. The authorities have set up a new fact-finding committee in response. 'WIDESPREAD BUT NOT ORGANISED' The violence in March began on March 6 with attacks on Syrian security forces stationed in the region. It put hospitals and other state institutions out of operation and caused wide areas to fall out of government control, Farhan said. The committee found that 238 members of the security forces were killed in these attacks, perpetrated by forces aligned with the former Assad government, Farhan said. In response, around 200,000 armed men mobilized from across Syria, pouring into the coastal region, he said. This led to violations including killings, theft and sectarian incitement that the committee found were "widespread but not organised," Farhan said. Farhan said the committee members had full cooperation from government forces as they undertook their months of work, and it was now up to President Ahmed al-Sharaa whether to release their report in full. Diana Semaan, Syria researcher at Amnesty International, called for the full findings to be released and for perpetrators to face prosecution. "In terms of the fact-finding committee, acknowledging that atrocities against Alawite civilians happened is an important step towards justice," she told Reuters. "[But] without the proper prosecution of perpetrators, then we have impunity. It won't be the justice and accountability that the victims deserve." (Reporting by Khalil Ashawi in Damascus and Maya Gebeily, Timour Azhari and Laila Bassam in Beirut; Writing by Tala RamadanEditing by Andrew Heavens and Peter Graff)
Reuters
17 minutes ago
- Business
- Reuters
Hershey to raise prices on its chocolates owing to high cocoa costs
July 22 (Reuters) - Hershey (HSY.N), opens new tab said on Tuesday it has told retailers that it would be raising prices on its candies due to a surge in costs of cocoa, the key ingredient for its products. "This change is not related to tariffs or trade policies. It reflects the reality of rising ingredient costs including the unprecedented cost of cocoa," a company spokesperson told Reuters. Hershey did not clarify the extent of price increases and which products will be impacted. Cocoa prices have risen sharply in the last two years due to supply problems in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, touching a record in December. Since then, the price of cocoa has fallen to an eight-month low, though it remains elevated above levels from earlier in the decade. Bloomberg was the first to report the company was implementing a roughly double-digit price increase.
Hindustan Times
31 minutes ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Donald Trump says Xi Jinping invited him to China, hints at possible meeting
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that Chinese President Xi Jinping has invited him to China, and he would probably meet him in the "not too distant future." US President Donald Trump set August 12 as the deadline for the US and China to reach a durable tariff agreement.(REUTERS) Meanwhile, Reuters informed that the aides of both Trump and the Chinese leader have discussed a possible meeting between the two leaders at the time of the US president's visit to Asia later this year. The report follows a senior-level meeting between the US and Chinese officials last week, on July 11, when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Malaysia. Also Read | 'Will crush your economy if…': US Senator Lindsey Graham warns India, China over Russian oil Although details of a meeting have yet to be finalised, both sides in the discussions have considered a potential Trump stopover during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea, said two individuals who are familiar with the situation. Also Read | Trump vs Murdoch: White House boots WSJ reporter from Trump's Scotland trip amid Epstein allegations, $10B lawsuit The proposed diplomatic meeting comes when Trump toned down his rhetoric directed towards China in recent weeks after he suspended a tit-for-tat tariff war that has unsettled global trade and supply chains. China's stance on Washington-Beijing relations Beijing also seems willing to engage in diplomatic channels. China's US embassy confirmed last week that it is inviting foreign dignitaries — some of them American — to a September 3 ceremony in Beijing commemorating the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II. "Diplomacy between heads of state plays an irreplaceable strategic leading role in Sino-U.S. relations," said Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on Monday, declining to comment on a possible Trump-Xi meeting. Also Read | 'Great': Elon Musk on Trump admin's proposal to overhaul H1-B visa lottery system On Friday, China Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said China wants to bring its trade ties with the US back to a stable footing, and that recent talks in Europe showed there was no need for a tariff war. On the other hand, Trump has set a deadline of August 12 for the US and China to reach a durable tariff agreement.
The Star
42 minutes ago
- Sport
- The Star
Athletics-World Athletics releases annual sustainability report for events
FILE PHOTO: Athletics - Diamond League - Monaco - Stade Louis II, Monaco - July 11, 2025 World Athletics president Sebastian Coe during the medal presentations REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel/File Photo (Reuters) -World Athletics on Tuesday released its first annual review assessing meets against its "Athletics for a Better World" standard, designed to minimise environmental impact while enhancing social and local economic benefits. The sustainability report categorised events from 2024 into five achievement levels - platinum, gold, silver, bronze and recognised - based on compliance with the ABW standard. "The World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 and the Oslo Bislett Games achieved platinum, and the Hypo-Meeting combined events meeting in Gotzis, Austria, and the Weltklasse Zurich achieved gold," World Athletics said in a statement. The review, which looked at reports from 102 events from 36 countries, found that 48 meets reached one of the achievement levels. "It's a start our entire sport can be proud of," World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said in a statement. 'We knew from experience and discussions with organisers that sustainability planning and reporting does require an allocation of additional time, resources and expertise. And we know that poses organisational challenges across our events, which will need time to change." The ABW standard evaluated events in six areas, including leadership in sustainability, sustainable production and consumption, climate change and carbon, local environment and air quality, global equality as well as diversity, accessibility and wellbeing. "When fully adopted, the ABW standard will apply to about 500 in-stadium athletics and mass participation road running events, making it the largest sustainability evaluation system in the sport industry," World Athletics added. (Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in BengaluruEditing by Toby Davis)
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Osbourne family's full touching statement as they mourn rock icon Ozzy ‘with more sadness than mere words can convey'
OZZY Osbourne's family have released a touching statement as they mourn the death of the rock icon "with more sadness than mere words can convey". The Advertisement 13 Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76 Credit: Reuters 13 Ozzy took to the stage for the final time on July 5 Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 13 He was also known for his TV antics, including show The Osbournes with wife Sharon and kids Kelly and Jack 13 Bat-munching Ozzy was known as the Prince of Darkness Paying tribute to their "beloved" Ozzy, his family said the music legend was "surrounded by love" when he passed away this morning. In an emotional statement, his family said: "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. "He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. "Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis." Advertisement Read more on News 'If it's end of the road, I can't complain' How Ozzy Osbourne Emotional moment Ozzy, who became known as the Prince of Darkness thanks to his on-stage antics that attracted a legion of heavy rock fans, played a short five-song set reuniting with his bandmates Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward earlier this month. The gig was touted as "the greatest heavy metal show ever," with Ozzy grinning to chanting fans and even watching on after as his The rocker vowed, however, that it would be his final performance due to his deteriorating health, having opened up about his battle with Parkinson's in 2020. Most read in The Sun Born John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham in 1948, the star had a string of jobs including labourer, plumber and abattoir worker after dropping out of school aged 15. Advertisement But Ozzy Osbourne top five greatest moments The singer then pursued his love of music after hearing The Beatles hit She Loves You in 1963. After appearing in a handful of school plays, Ozzy joined Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler in their first group Rare Breed in 1967. When that band split, the pair reunited in Polka Tulk Blues alongside Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward. Advertisement The group later became known as Black Sabbath and went onto shatter the music world with their whining guitar solos, Occult-based lyrics and Ozzy's screeching vocals. In 1970, the group gained a cult following in both the US and UK after releasing their eponymous first album. Black Sabbath saw incredible success with hit tracks such as Paranoid but discord in the group saw most of the original line-up leave. Ozzy himself quit the band in 1978, with a spiral into drug abuse leading to a divorce from first wife Thelma Mayfair, who he had two children with. Advertisement It was then he first met a young Sharon Arden, who Ozzy at first wrote off as he believed she would think he was a "lunatic". But the singer could not be more wrong and the pair married in Hawaii in July 1982 before going on to have three children together, Aimee, 13 His music with Black Sabbath helped define a genre Credit: Getty 13 Ozzy performed his last ever gig in pure heavy metal style Advertisement 13 Sharon and Ozzy married in July 1982 13 The family starred in the reality series The Osbournes Want to Believe With Sharon's encouragement and help from her music manager dad Don, he began to carve out a successful solo career. His seminal first album Blizzard of Ozz in 1980 became a multi-platinum success thanks to Ozzy's howling vocals and macabre laugh on hit Crazy Train. Advertisement Coupled with the Prince of Darkness' insane tour that saw him bite the head off a live bat, a string of successful tracks followed - cementing Ozzy as a rock legend around the world. In 1992, the singer announced his retirement but four years later created the beloved annual music festival Ozzfest with Sharon, which featured heavy metal acts touring the US and some of Europe. Ozzy returned to Black Sabbath in 1999, with the band winning a Grammy for best metal performance for the song Iron Man. They later earned the same award in 2013 after releasing single God Is Dead? from album 13. Advertisement In 2001, Ozzy appealed to a whole new audience after appearing in reality TV show The Osbournes with his family. Its first series was the most-watched show ever on MTV and propelled Jack and Kelly into stardom, with the latter enjoying a music career of her own. Matriarch Sharon also carved out a successful showbiz career for herself - first as an X Factor judge, then host of her own show in the US. With the family's success growing, they hosted the 30th Annual American Music Awards and later the BRIT Awards in London. Advertisement The hugely popular show ran until 2005 and portrayed heartbreaking moments for the family - including Sharon's battle with cancer and the quad bike accident that nearly killed Ozzy. The family later starred in the reality series The Osbournes Want to Believe and special The Osbournes: Night of Terror, which both focused on paranormal investigations. In 2006, Ozzy and the rest of Black Sabbath were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A year later, the star released his first solo studio album in six years, Black Rain followed by Scream in 2010 and Ordinary Man in 2020. Advertisement HEALTH BATTLE Ozzy won another Grammy for Patient Number 9 in 2022 and single Degradation Rules, which featured Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi. But following a spate of nasty injuries, Ozzy was He was later pictured looking frail as he walked in New York with the aid of a stick. Ozzy suffered a spinal injury after an accident at his LA home in 2019 that required him to undergo surgery on his neck. Advertisement He was sadly diagnosed with Parkinson's the same year and revealed the sad news a year later in an The singer told Good Morning America at the time that he couldn't hide his health struggles any longer. Explaining the condition, Sharon said: "It's Parkin 2 which is a form of Parkinson's. There are so many different types of Parkinson's. "It's not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination but it does affect the nerves in your body. Advertisement "It's like you'll have a good day, then a good day and then a really bad day." Ozzy added: "A year ago I was in a terrible state. I'm on a host of medication, mainly for the surgery. "I've got numbness down this arm and my legs are going cold. I don't know if it's the Parkinson's or what. That's the problem." Parkin 2 cannot be cured, but treatments are available to minimise symptoms — although it is steadily degenerative. Advertisement Experts say the variety Ozzy had is one of the slowest developing types — but the long-term prognosis varies significantly between cases. FINAL GIG Not content with being laid up in bed, Ozzy wowed fans with a And this year, he took to the stage for Black Sabbath's final-ever concert on July 5. Ozzy arrived on stage at Villa Park in Birmingham dressed in his trademark black, sitting on a bat throne for the historic gig. Advertisement The crowd were delighted to see the iconic rocker back on stage, and kept chanting his name. Ozzy was equally thrilled to be performing, and repeatedly broke out into a massive grin. It was the first time in 20 years that the original Black Sabbath line-up have performed together. The Sun was there to Advertisement Meanwhile his daughter Kelly revealed that she is engaged to her boyfriend Sid Wilson. She shared a video of the moment Sid popped the question backstage at her father's final ever Black Sabbath gig. It came after Ozzy told how much he Reflecting on how supportive his fans have been since the announcement, he said in February: "My fans. That's the thing that I really miss about not doing gigs. Advertisement "I'm a hands-on guy. I like talking to my fans. I miss them terribly. My goal is to get back on stage as soon as possible." 13 Ozzy revealed his Parkinson's diagnosis in 2020 13 Ozzy pursued his love of music after hearing The Beatles hit She Loves You in 1963 13 Black Sabbath were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 Advertisement 13 The couple, pictured with their children Kelly, Jack and Aimee, created the annual festival Ozzfest 13 Sharon helped Ozzy carve out a successful solo career
