Latest news with #rebuilding
New York Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- New York Times
A Long, Overdue Reporting Trip Through Syria
Times Insider explains who we are and what we do and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. For more than a decade, I lived in Lebanon as a New York Times correspondent and bureau chief, and much of my work focused on the Syrian civil war, which began in 2011 and tore the country apart for 13 years. During that time, I visited areas in northern and eastern Syria where the government had lost control. But I had no access to most of the country, including its largest cities and the sites of major battles, because the regime of President Bashar al-Assad refused to let me visit the areas it controlled. So after rebels toppled Mr. al-Assad in December, effectively ending the war, the whole country suddenly opened up. My colleagues and I could not only enter Syria but drive around, see the locations of events we had covered from afar and meet with Syrians we had previously known only through online chats over Skype and WhatsApp. The scale of loss — more than half a million people were killed — was hard to comprehend, and nearly everyone we met spoke of loved ones who were dead or missing. The destruction of Syria's cities and villages felt postapocalyptic. Rebuilding is expected to take decades and cost tens of billions of dollars that Syria doesn't have. To capture Syria's new reality, I set off with the photographer David Guttenfelder and other colleagues in February to drive across the country, interviewing dozens of Syrians along the way about their hopes and fears for the future and documenting their lives. The resulting article was published last month. Executing the journey required a lot of research and planning, but once we were on the road three things were essential: cash, gas and the right team. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CBC
9 hours ago
- General
- CBC
One year on: Jasper residents still waiting to rebuild after wildfire
Social Sharing One year after a devastating wildfire swept through Jasper National Park, destroying a third of the structures in the townsite and forcing thousands to evacuate, many residents are still grappling with a slow and arduous rebuilding process. Kim Stark watched her home burn down last year while working as a volunteer firefighter for the town. She's currently living in a condo with her young family, while she waits for her new home. She said she has just finished rebuilding her two businesses, the Bear's Paw Bakery and Lostlands Cafe, and now have all the equipment they need to be fully operational. "We were just muddling through the best we could with what we had available, so it's really nice to have that all up and running," she said. She said Jasper is starting to look the way it did pre-wildfire, with tourism seemingly on track. But when it comes to her rebuilding her home, things have not gone as smoothly She's still in the process of getting her soil tests approved before she can get a permit to build a new home. While she originally wanted to break ground on a basement structure before the first frost, she thinks she won't be able to start on construction until next May at the earliest. Jasper residents gathered at Commemoration Park on Tuesday morning to hear from speakers like Mayor Richard Ireland, Ron Hallman, president & CEO of Parks Canada and Elder Bruce Cutknife of Samson Cree Nation. Brian McCleary was one of those residents who made the journey to Jasper to attend the event. His home was among the 358 structures destroyed by wildfire. "It's been a year and nothing's happened. Parks [Canada] is dragging their feet on this, the rebuild is yet to be seen," he said. Currently, McCleary is living on a campsite, and has not made any significant progress in rebuilding his home. He said for him, there's an additional stressor to not having access to stable housing. Around 520 residents are currently set up in interim housing, according to the municipality. Heidi Perren, interim director of the Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre for Parks Canada, said that only one per cent of demolition work is left to do in the townsite. "This means that properties have been cleared, tested, and confirmed to be safe to rebuild on," she said at a news conference on Monday. Janet Woods, 72, is waiting for her opportunity to return to the community she has lived in for almost her entire life. She said was reluctant to make the trip out to Jasper for the anniversary, but spending time with the community for the anniversary lifted her spirits. "There's little bits of progress, but they're not very big yet, so it's a long road," she said. Woods still visits Jasper often, although she's staying at a place just outside Banff, Alta. Recently, she's made some progress submitting permits to rebuild her home, but like McCleary, it's been a slow progress. This week, she met with a potential builder who could work on her new home. She said she would rather wait the extra year it would take to rebuild a new hom, than live somewhere else. "I'm just at the beginning of it really," she said.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Barcelona sporting director reflects on his tenure at Barça – 'There were stressful nights'
Barcelona have never been strangers to turmoil, but the 2021–2023 period was one of the most fragile and defining chapters in the club's modern history. Amid the financial chaos, tactical overhauls and emotional exits. Jordi Cruyff served as Barcelona's sporting director. Now, a year after stepping away, he's opened up in an interview with Diario SPORT about the behind-the-scenes reality of rebuilding a broken giant. Cryuff on rebuilding Barça and key exits For Cruyff, the mission was always clear: Modernise the club while respecting its soul. 'The challenge was to evolve without losing Barça's essence: attacking football, La Masia, and smart signings.' He admitted the club had no financial muscle and had to adapt their recruitment model. 'Without fair play, you look for players who are affordable and ready. Premier League loans helped because they bring rhythm and personality.' Cruyff played a key role in shaping the team that won La Liga under Xavi. He underlined how the team had to shift gears after Messi's exit. 'Before, you gave Leo the ball. Without him, transitions hurt us more. The game got more physical and vertical.' The exits forced Barcelona to target new profiles. 'That's why we brought in Raphinha, Christensen, Kounde, and Kessie. They were ready to compete instantly.' Letting go of legends was one of the toughest parts. 'It was hard talking to legends who had won everything. But they were elegant and generous. People don't know the financial sacrifices they made.' Lionel Messi's exit was a huge sentimental blow for Barcelona (Photo by) One of the most emotional goodbyes was Aubameyang. 'He brought goals, joy, and connected with the fans. That goodbye hurt.' Cruyff on Xabi, Yamal and Cubarsi Cruyff also touched on some strategic decisions, including the timing of Xavi's appointment. 'We needed someone with conviction. Xavi had it. He didn't hesitate.' He praised the coach for his belief in youth. 'We didn't expect a league title so soon. But the team played like veterans.' The youth generation, Cruyff believes, holds the key to the club's future. 'What Cubarsí does at 17. It's outrageous.' He added, 'Yamal has magic, and Fermin grew rapidly. That generation gives you goosebumps. 'You don't buy talent like this. You raise it.' Not every decision went to plan, and Cruyff acknowledges that. 'Not everything is a success. You plan well, but football has its own logic.' Still, he is confident that the work done was for the club's long-term benefit. 'We always tried to do what was best for Barça, even if it wasn't popular.' Among the quiet but important signings, Inigo Martínez stood out. 'In the locker room, he lifts you when you're down and grounds you when your head's too high. That's leadership.' On Lewandowski, he said: 'He made life easier. It was his dream to play for Barça, and he gave us goals and example.' Jordi Cruyff hails Lewandowski's impact (Photo by) Cruyff also spoke candidly about leaving Barcelona after winning the league. 'When the title was won, I told myself: 'That's it, I'm happy.' My dream was to help Barça during a transition.' Cruyff also reflected on the transition of sporting duties, as he stepped away and Deco took full charge. 'I was happy with Deco coming in. He has experience, connections, and sees football clearly.' He insisted that his own departure was not sudden or forced. 'It was the plan. We won the league, and I felt I had done my part.' The job wasn't without its toll. 'There were stressful nights, last-minute calls, doubts. But when you win the league and see the team grow, it's all worth it.' As Barcelona begins a new chapter under Hansi Flick, Jordi Cruyff's influence was key and serves as the DNA of the squad as it looks to now conquer Europe heading into the new season.
RNZ News
a day ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Foodstuffs commits to rebuilding New World Victoria Park after fire
Fire engulfed the supermarket in June. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi Foodstuffs says it's "100 percent committed to rebuilding" New World Victoria Park at the same site as its fire-damaged predecessor . A massive blaze broke out at the central Auckland supermarket in June, taking more than 10 hours to extinguish and significantly damaging the building. The announcement of a new store was made on the supermarket's social media. "Work is well under way to make our fire-damaged site safe for entry. "Right now, it's still too dangerous for anyone to go inside, but specialist crews and structural engineers are on-site, carefully stabilising the building so we can begin the recovery." "We're 100 percent committed to rebuilding a new supermarket on the same site. Our focus is on getting back up and running as quickly as we can, but safety comes first." The statement went on to say it has brought forward the opening of the store in Point Chevalier to 19 August, which is 5km away. The New World store in Victoria Park had employed more than 180 people . Foodstuffs said it continues to work with affected staff. "To our amazing team, we're continuing to work one-on-one with each of you and are so grateful for your patience and resilience. "Being part of the Foodstuffs North Island co-operative means Foodstuffs have been able to off over 100 roles across 23 Auckland stores, and we're doing everything we can to help our people find the right next step," the statement on social media said.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Better disaster recovery needed as frequency grows: insurance bureau
Workers continue to assess, repair and rebuild as some residents return to Jasper, Alberta on Monday August 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken TORONTO — The Insurance Bureau of Canada is calling for national discussions about how to better manage rebuilding after disasters as their cost and frequency grow. The bureau is asking the federal government to lead talks with provinces on disaster recovery as efforts to rebuild Jasper, Alta., encounter delays a year after a wildfire destroyed about a third of the town's buildings. The calls come as July 22 marks one year of the Jasper wildfire, which caused an estimated $1.2 billion in insured damage. It was just one of several disasters last year that caused about $8.5 billion in combined insured damage to make it by far the costliest year on record. Costs have climbed as climate change has helped make extreme weather events more frequent and damaging, while the cost of building materials and other factors have also contributed to the increase. The higher costs of rebuilding also comes as it's taking longer to get repairs going. Almost a year after the Jasper wildfire, IBC says officials have only issued rebuilding permits for 56 of the 358 buildings that burned down. The rebuild is going much slower than it did after the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire, which saw much of the reconstruction start within the first year, despite it being the most costly wildfire event in Canadian history with some 2,400 structures destroyed. 'Delays that prolong the rebuilding process, like we are seeing in Jasper, are occurring more frequently in Canada after large catastrophic events,' said Craig Stewart, vice-president of climate change and federal issues at IBC, in a release issued ahead of the one-year anniversary. As delays in Jasper continue, the bureau is warning that some residents could run out of additional living expenses coverage and many businesses could use up their business interruption coverage. Part of the issue on delays is the added regulation from the town being in a national park and the extra remediation rules, but Stewart said a lack of co-ordinated and standardized response is also an issue. 'Canada needs a federal co-ordinating agency to guide emergency preparedness and recovery," he said. "Every other G7 country has an agency operating in this capacity – it's time for Canada to follow suit and take on a proactive approach to emergency management.' The insurance association also called for government to better support community wildfire protection initiatives such as firebreaks and limits to new buildings in unprotected high-risk areas. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2025. The Canadian Press
