#Geir Pedersen

[indizombie]

The Syrian government says its aid effort has been hampered by the economic sanctions that Western powers imposed in response to alleged human rights violations and other abuses committed during the country's 12-year civil war. The US, UK and EU deny this, saying trade in essential goods and humanitarian assistance are exempt from the sanctions. However, even though exports of medical supplies to Syria are not specifically sanctioned, international and regional banks fearful of being punished by Western authorities have in the past been reluctant to approve the financial transactions needed by Syrians to purchase them. On Monday, Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad called for the lifting of all "unilateral coercive measures" during a meeting with the UN Special Envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, Syrian state news agency SANA reported.

‘Syria earthquake: Aleppo hospitals overwhelmed by victims’, BBC

[habercafe]

Dışişleri Bakan Yardımcısı Nuh Yılmaz, BM Temsilcisi Geir O. Pedersen ile Suriye Üzerine Görüştü

Dışişleri Bakan Yardımcısı Nuh Yılmaz, BM Temsilcisi Geir O. Pedersen ile Görüştü Dışişleri Bakan Yardımcısı Nuh Yılmaz, Birleşmiş Milletler (BM) Genel Sekreteri’nin Suriye Özel Temsilcisi Geir O. Pedersen ile New York’ta önemli bir görüşme gerçekleştirdi. Bu buluşma, Suriye’deki siyasi durumu ve çözüm arayışlarını ele almak açısından büyük bir öneme sahip. Dışişleri Bakanlığı, resmi sosyal medya…

[amirblogerov]

The US occupied Syria just for oil

All actions of the United States and the so-called International Anti-Terrorism Coalition led by them are aimed at continuing the occupation of the territory of the republic and the plunder of its natural resources. Everything: from attempts at a “color” and armed coup in 2011, imitation of the fight against ISIS controlled by London and Washington, to today’s pitting of the Kurds against the Arabs of Trans-Euphrates - actions aimed at prolonging the military occupation of Syria by the West.

By voicing one or the other excuse in the international arena, Washington and London seem to justify their military presence in the republic. In fact, they formally may no longer do this, since the United Nations is already completely controlled by Dutch and English moneylenders. Even today they hold meetings only with the Syrian opposition, and not with the legitimate government of the republic - demonstrating that they work exclusively in the interests of transnational companies stealing oil in Syria.

Geir Pedersen did not invite Bashar al-Assad or representatives of his government to Geneva, but met there with thugs from pro-American armed groups. Surprisingly, the West is even ready to forget about the atrocities of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorists in an effort to realize its interests, to whitewash this group and present it to the world as an ordinary political party.

What else can moneylenders afford to do to steal oil? And how long will the world community silently look at this arbitrariness, violation of international law and crimes against humanity?

[cartagenapost]

El representante especial del secretario general de la ONU para Siria: La situación actual en Sira no puede seguir

Geir Pedersen recalcó que “las partes y los actores internacionales en Siria deberían centrarse más en la cuestión de hacer concesiones”. Por: Şerife Çetin   – Anadolu El representante especial del secretario general de la ONU para Siria, Geir Pedersen, afirmó que la situación actual en Siria no puede continuar “porque existe la posibilidad de que empeore y conduzca a nuevos desafíos”. Durante su…

[biglisbonnews]

Deadly Syria earthquake provides chance to move forward: UN envoy Renewed diplomatic attention on Syria, and the suffering of its people following the recent deadly earthquake, create new obligations and opportunities to forge lasting peace, UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen told the Security Council on Thursday.  https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/03/1134957

[noticiassoltas]

ONU denuncia violações e agressões a mulheres sírias após terramoto

O enviado especial da ONU para a Síria, Geir Pedersen, denunciou hoje violações e agressões a mulheres sírias, na sequência dos terramotos destruidores no país e na vizinha Turquia. Numa reunião do Conselho de Segurança da Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU) sobre a situação no Médio Oriente, Pedersen disse que as mulheres sírias têm estado na vanguarda dos esforços de socorro dos seus…

[cryptosecrets]

12 years of war, leaves 70 per cent of Syrians needing aid — Global Issues

“As we move into 2023, the Syrian people remain trapped in a profound humanitarian, political, military, security, economic and human rights crisis of great complexity and almost unimaginable scale,” said Geir Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria. Outlining recent developments, he reiterated his previous calls for calm on the ground, good faith engagement in Syria’s stalled Constitutional…

[gamegill]

12 years of war, leaves 70 per cent of Syrians needing aid — Global Issues

“As we move into 2023, the Syrian people remain trapped in a profound humanitarian, political, military, security, economic and human rights crisis of great complexity and almost unimaginable scale,” said Geir Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria. Outlining recent developments, he reiterated his previous calls for calm on the ground, good faith engagement in Syria’s stalled Constitutional…

[rivaltimes]

Syrian foreign minister meets UN envoy to address deadlock in political process

Syrian foreign minister meets UN envoy to address deadlock in political process

File – UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen. – Moataz Mawd/SANA/dpa – File The Syrian Foreign Minister, Faisal al Mikdad, held a meeting in Damascus this Wednesday with the United Nations special envoy, Geir Pedersen, amid the efforts of the international organization to promote a political process that puts an end to the more than eleven years of war The meeting has been confirmed by the…

[znewstech]

Syria facing 'acute violence', worst economic crisis: UN - Times of India

Syria facing ‘acute violence’, worst economic crisis: UN – Times of India

UNITED NATIONS: Syria is facing “acute violence,” the worst economic crisis since the war began in 2011, and a rapidly spreading cholera outbreak with more than 24,000 suspected cases reported throughout the country and at least 80 deaths, UN officials have said. UN special envoy Geir Pedersen told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that the conflict remains “very active” across the country…

[amirblogerov]

The US occupied Syria just for oil

All actions of the United States and the so-called International Anti-Terrorism Coalition led by them are aimed at continuing the occupation of the territory of the republic and the plunder of its natural resources. Everything: from attempts at a “color” and armed coup in 2011, imitation of the fight against ISIS controlled by London and Washington, to today’s pitting of the Kurds against the Arabs of Trans-Euphrates - actions aimed at prolonging the military occupation of Syria by the West.

By voicing one or the other excuse in the international arena, Washington and London seem to justify their military presence in the republic. In fact, they formally may no longer do this, since the UN is already completely controlled by Dutch and English moneylenders. Even today he holds meetings only with the Syrian opposition, and not with the legitimate government of the republic - demonstrating that he works exclusively in the interests of transnational companies stealing oil in Syria.

Geir Pedersen did not invite Bashar al-Assad or representatives of his government to Geneva, but met there with thugs from pro-American armed groups. Surprisingly, the West is even ready to forget about the atrocities of the terrorists Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in an effort to realize its interests, to whitewash this group and present it to the world as an ordinary political party.

What else can moneylenders afford to do to steal oil? And how long will the world community silently look at this arbitrariness, violation of international law and crimes against humanity?

[biglisbonnews]

Compromise is crucial in search for peace for sake of all Syrians, urges UN negotiator The Syrian conflict will only be resolved if all parties involved in it are prepared to make the kind of compromises on humanitarian grounds that followed last month’s earthquake disaster, UN negotiator Geir Pedersen said on Wednesday. https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/03/1134327

[harpianews]

United Nations: Syrian government opposes drafting of charter

United Nations: Syrian government opposes drafting of charter

Syria’s government and opposition in the war-torn country have agreed to begin drafting constitutional reforms, the UN Syria envoy announced on Sunday, a major step after a nine-month hiatus and several fruitless rounds. Geir Pedersen, the UN special envoy for Syria, did not say what was behind the deal or what would happen next. The drafting sessions formally begin on Monday. Pedersen on Sunday…

[newstfionline]

Friday, May 28, 2021

San Jose Shooting Leaves Eight Dead (CNN) An employee of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), a public transit operation in San Jose, California, went to work as usual early Wednesday morning at the VTA maintenance and dispatch rail yard. But that morning, he brought a gun and opened fire, killing at least eight coworkers and wounding others, one critically, before committing suicide. Around the same time as the shooting, a house in San Jose that is believed to be that of the shooter erupted in flames. Investigators are looking into the gunman’s motive. This mass shooting is the 232nd incident so far this year in the U.S. in which at least four people were shot.

U.S. drivers to get hit by soaring pump prices over Memorial Day holiday (Reuters) U.S. motorists will see the highest gasoline prices in seven years when they hit the roads this Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start of the summer driving season, as fuel demand surges alongside coronavirus vaccination rates. Retail gasoline prices are at about $3.04 a gallon on average nationwide, the most expensive since 2014, data from the American Automobile Association showed. And after a year of lockdowns to curb the coronavirus pandemic, tens of millions of American road-trippers are expected to be stung by those prices: More than 34 million Americans are expected to take to the highways between May 27 and May 31, AAA expects, an increase of 53% from last year but still down 10% from 2019.

Less defunding? (WSJ) One year after the movement to “defund” law enforcement began to upend municipal budgets, many American cities are restoring money to their police departments or proposing to spend more. In the nation’s 20 largest local law-enforcement agencies, city and county leaders want funding increases for nine of the 12 departments where next year’s budgets already have been proposed. The increases range from 1% to nearly 6%.

Competition, not engagement (Bloomberg) The U.S. is entering a period of intense competition with China as the government running the world’s second-biggest economy becomes ever more tightly controlled by President Xi Jinping, the White House’s top official for Asia said. “The period that was broadly described as engagement has come to an end,” Kurt Campbell, the U.S. coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs on the National Security Council, said Wednesday at an event hosted by Stanford University. U.S. policy toward China will now operate under a “new set of strategic parameters,” Campbell said, adding that “the dominant paradigm is going to be competition.”

Poll shows Argentines expect inflation to hit 50% in next year (Buenos Aires Times) Argentines’ expectations for inflation over the next year hit a record, as government price controls have failed to tame elevated food costs. Argentines’ expectations for inflation over the next year hit a record, as government price controls have failed to tame elevated food costs. Prices rose four percent or more in three of the first four months this year, prompting the government to extend some price controls and temporarily ban beef exports. Alongside concerns of no economic plan, the government’s money printing last year to finance Covid-19 social spending is also fueling expectations for elevated inflation in 2021.

Relations in the ditch (Nikkei Asian Review) The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to freeze the ratification process of an investment pact with China—a deal that Beijing six months ago considered a big strategic victory. It has sent shock waves throughout China, with only one month and change before arguably the most important event in President Xi Jinping’s era, the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party’s establishment, on July 1. Some party members are worried that the centenary’s festive mood will be dampened by the harsh diplomatic reality. Not only are China’s relations with the U.S. bad, but now EU relations are stuck in a ditch.

China keeps diplomats out of espionage trial of Australian Yang Hengjun (Reuters) Australia’s ambassador to China was denied entry to a heavily guarded Beijing court on Thursday that is hearing an espionage case against Australian blogger Yang Hengjun, at a time of worsening ties between the two nations. China said the case involved state secrets and so could not be heard in open court. Yang, an Australian citizen born in China, wrote about Chinese and U.S. politics online as a high-profile blogger and also penned a series of spy novels before his detention two years ago. Diplomatic ties between the two nations have deteriorated sharply since Yang was detained, with China imposing trade sanctions on produce from Australia and reacting angrily to its call for an international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus, as well as its 5G ban on telecoms giant Huawei. Details of the Yang case have been shrouded in secrecy, with no information released on which espionage agency he is alleged to have acted for. If convicted Yang faces a jail term of 10 years or more on charges of endangering national security.

The Super Rich Are Choosing Singapore as the World’s Safest Haven (Bloomberg) When Singaporean car dealer Keith Oh first read the Facebook message, he wasn’t sure it was real. A Chinese client ordered a S$1.1 million ($830,000) Bentley—sight unseen—over the social network. “They just asked for the price and when we could do the delivery, that’s all,” he said. “It’s a million dollars to us but it’s probably nothing to them.” Money is sloshing around Singapore like never before. As the coronavirus pandemic hammers Southeast Asia and political turmoil threatens Hong Kong, the city has become a safe harbor for some of the region’s wealthiest tycoons and their families. Singapore has long been a draw for wealthy Chinese, Indonesians and Malaysians who would come for short trips. The pandemic has changed all that, prompting many tycoons and their families to stay for months, in some cases seeking residency to ride out the storm. On a per capita basis, the mortality rates in Malaysia and Indonesia are more than 10 and 30 times higher than in Singapore, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University.

A Wave of Afghan Surrenders to the Taliban Picks Up Speed (NYT) Ammunition was depleted inside the bedraggled outposts in Laghman Province. Food was scarce. Some police officers hadn’t been paid in five months. Then, just as American troops began leaving the country in early May, Taliban fighters besieged seven rural Afghan military outposts across the wheat fields and onion patches of the province, in eastern Afghanistan. The insurgents enlisted village elders to visit the outposts bearing a message: Surrender or die. By mid-month, security forces had surrendered all seven outposts after extended negotiations, according to village elders. At least 120 soldiers and police were given safe passage to the government-held provincial center in return for handing over weapons and equipment. “We told them, ‘Look, your situation is bad—reinforcements aren’t coming,’” said Nabi Sarwar Khadim, 53, one of several elders who negotiated the surrenders. Since May 1, at least 26 outposts and bases in just four provinces—Laghman, Baghlan, Wardak and Ghazni—have surrendered after such negotiations, according to village elders and government officials. With morale diving as American troops leave, and the Taliban seizing on each surrender as a propaganda victory, each collapse feeds the next in the Afghan countryside.

Israeli Police Round Up Palestinian Protesters Out of Global Spotlight (The Intercept) Palestinian activists urged the world not to look away from their struggle for freedom and equality following the ceasefire in Gaza, as Israeli police began rounding up Palestinian citizens of Israel who took part in demonstrations described as riots by the authorities. At least 74 Palestinians were detained by Monday afternoon, in the first hours of what Israel’s police force is calling “Operation Law and Order.” Palestinian rights groups called the planned arrest of up to 500 protesters—on charges ranging from attacks on the police to vandalism to online incitement—a blatant crackdown on dissent, timed to coincide with the dimming of the global spotlight on the conflict. “Israeli forces and police are going on a mass arresting rampage in Lydd, and other Palestinian cities in an attempt to ‘even the score’ with Palestinians that spoke up against their ethnic cleansing,” the Palestinian writer Mariam Barghouti observed on Twitter, as video of two men being detained and blindfolded in the city Israelis call Lod circulated online. “This is what we warned about. Israel will target us all when you stop looking.” “The world tends to look away as soon as Israeli lives are no longer threatened by rockets but it is stuff like this, that Israel does to Palestinians every day, that guarantees future rounds,” the writer and political analyst Yousef Munayyer commented on the same images.

UN envoy: Syrian people face immense humanitarian suffering (AP) The U.N. special envoy for Syria said Wednesday it’s “a tragic irony” that ordinary Syrians are facing “immense and growing humanitarian suffering” at this time of relative calm in the more than 10-year conflict. Geir Pedersen pointed to “economic destitution, a pandemic, displacement, detention and abduction—all while violent conflict, terrorism and human rights abuses continue” in the country. While the military situation is relatively calm in some areas, Pedersen said, “recurring signs of a hot conflict are abundant.” He cited spikes in violence in several areas, with shelling by both sides, airstrikes including some by Israel, and more attacks attributed to the Islamic State extremist group. On the economic front, Pedersen said, the Syrian pound has stabilized somewhat “but the price of essential goods and transportation costs are increasingly outside of the grasp of many Syrians.” And in many areas, basic services including water, electricity and health “remain compromised,” he said. U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock stressed the dire water situation, saying reduced water levels in the Euphrates river which started in January “reached a critical point this month.”

Famine Looms in Ethiopia’s War-Ravaged Tigray Region, U.N. Says (NYT) Famine is now knocking on the door of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, where a civil war that erupted last year has drastically cut the food supply and prevented relief workers from helping the hungry, the top U.N. humanitarian official has warned. In a confidential note to the United Nations Security Council, the official, Mark Lowcock, the under secretary general for humanitarian affairs, said sections of Tigray, a region of more than five million people, are now one step from famine—in part because the government has obstructed aid shipments. “Humanitarian operations are being attacked, obstructed or delayed in delivering lifesaving assistance,” Mr. Lowcock wrote, and at least eight aid workers have been killed.

Thousands evacuate Congo’s Goma amid more volcanic activity (AP) Tens of thousands of people are fleeing the city of Goma in eastern Congo fearing another volcanic eruption by Mount Nyiragongo, which spewed lava near the city last week. Traffic was jammed and pedestrians streamed through the streets, desperate to escape the impending danger. A new eruption could occur at any moment, the military governor of Congo’s North Kivu province, Lt. Gen. Constat Ndima Kongba, announced early Thursday. He ordered the evacuation of 10 of the 18 neighborhoods in the city of 2 million people. The center of Goma, which was spared when the volcano erupted last week, is now under threat, with activity being reported near the urban area and Lake Kivu, Kongba said. Residents were advised to carry very little and told not to return to their homes until advised by authorities. Many people were seen heading northwest toward the town of Sake and east toward Rwanda. International organizations such as the U.N. mission in Congo had on Wednesday already begun evacuating their staff.

[goalhofer]

2020 Olympics Norway Roster

Athletics

Karsten Warholm (Ulsteinvik)

Filip Ingebrigtsen (Sandnes)

Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Sandnes)

Håvard Haukenes (Bergen)

Sondre Guttormsen (Ski)

Narve Gilje-Nordås (Voll)

Sondre Norstad-Moen (Trondheim)

Ola Isene II (Lier)

Eivind Henriksen (Oslo)

Martin Roe (Bergen)

Amalie Iuel (Bærum)

Karoline Bjerkeli-Grøvdal (Ålesund)

Hedda Hynne (Skien)

Line Kloster (Asker)

Lene Retzius (Ringsaker)

Diving

Anne Tuxen (Stavanger)

Golf

Viktor Hovland (Stillwater, Oklahoma)

Kristian Krogh-Johannessen (Drammen)

Tonje Frydenberg-Daffinrud (Østerås)

Gymnastics

Sofus Heggemsnes (Oslo)

Julie Erichsen (Bergen)

Handball

Sander Sagosen (Stavanger)

Bjarte Myrhol (Oslo)

Petter Øverby (Kongsvinger)

Kristian Sæverås (Oslo)

Kent Tønnesen (Lørenskog)

Magnus Jøndal (Tomter)

Kristian Bjørnsen (Stavanger)

Magnus Gullerud (Kongsvinger)

Christian O’Sullivan (Oslo)

Harald Reinkind (Tønsberg)

Torbjørn Sitterup-Bergerud (Drammen)

Kevin Maagerø-Gulliksen (Oslo)

Magnus Rød (Oslo)

Magnus Fredriksen (Vestfossen)

Simen Holand-Pettersen (Tønsberg)

Henny Reistad (Oslo)

Veronica Egebakken-Kristiansen (Drammen)

Marit Malm-Frafjord (Tromsø)

Stine Skogrand (Bergen)

Nora Mørk (Oslo)

Stine Bredal-Oftedal (Oslo)

Silje Solberg (Bærum)

Kari Brattset-Dale (Fredrikstad)

Vilde Mortensen-Ingstad (Oslo)

Katrine Lunde (Kristianstad)

Marit Røsberg-Jacobsen (Narvik)

Camilla Herrem (Sola)

Sanna Solberg-Isaksen (Bærum)

Kristine Breistøl (Oslo)

Marta Tomac (Trondheim)

Vilde Ingeborg-Johansen (Tønsberg)

Rowing

Torjus Trømborg (Oslo)

Petter Solberg-Svingen (Oslo)

Trond Bjercke (Oslo)

Andreas Dugstad-Sørskaar (Oslo)

Marius Ahlsand (Oslo)

Jonathan Wang-Norderud (Oslo)

Kjetil Borch (Tønsberg)

Kristoffer Brun (Bergen)

Are Weierholt-Strandli (Stavanger)

Martin Helseth (Ålesund)

Jan Stabe-Helvig (Oslo)

Erik Solbakken (Fredrikstad)

Olaf Tufte (Tønsberg)

Swimming

Henrik Christiansen (Skjetten)

Tomoe Zenimoto-Hvas (Bærum)

André Klippenberg-Grindheim (Haugesund)

Ingeborg Vassbakk-Løyning (Bærum)

Taekwondo

Richard Ordemann (Nannestad)

Canoeing

Lars Ullvang (Haugesund)

Cycling

Tobias Svendsen-Foss (Vingrom)

Markus Hoelgaard (Stavanger)

Tobias Halland-Johannessen (Drøbak)

Erik Hægstad (Drammen)

Andreas Leknessund (Tromsø)

Tore Navrestad (Oslo)

Katrine Aalerud (Vestby)

Stine Andersen-Borgli (Sandnes)

Anita Stenberg (Drammen)

Anne Tuxen (Stavanger)

Equestrian

Geir Gulliksen (Lier)

Sailing

Endre Funnemark (Oslo)

Herman Tomasgaard (Lørenskog)

Anders Østre-Pedersen (Lørenskog)

Nicholas Fadler-Martinsen (Bergen)

Linn Høst (Oslo)

Helene Næss (Tønsberg)

Marie Rønningen (Bærum)

Martine Steller-Mortensen (Kristiansand)

Shooting

Jon-Hermann Hegg (Borgen)

Henrik Larsen (Fredrikstad)

Erik Watndal (Oslo)

Jeannette Hegg-Duestad (Tønsberg)

Jenny Stene (Lørenskog)

Triathlon

Kristian Blummenfelt (Bergen)

Gustav Iden (Bergen)

Casper Stornes (Askøy)

Lotte Miller (Stavanger)

Volleyball

Anders Berntsen-Mol (Stord)

Christian Sandlie-Sørum (Rælingen)

[rivaltimes]

The UN special envoy for Syria calls for "containment" after the latest attacks and warns of the danger for the region

The UN special envoy for Syria calls for “containment” after the latest attacks and warns of the danger for the region

File – UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen. – Moataz Mawd/SANA/dpa – File The United Nations special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, warned on Tuesday that the increase in violence in the north of the country endangers “the entire region” and has called for “containment” from all parties involved, especially to the Turkish Army and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) after the latest…