Latest news with #IOM
Euronews
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Syria evacuates Bedouins out of Suwayda as shaky ceasefire holds
The Syrian government started evacuating Bedouin families from the city of Suwayda on Monday, where a fragile ceasefire between the Druze minority and Bedouin fighters appears to be holding after a week of clashes. Violence between the Druze militia and Sunni Muslim clans has resulted in the deaths of hundreds and threatened to unravel Syria's already fragile postwar transition. The clashes also led to a series of targeted attacks against the Druze community, followed by revenge attacks against the Bedouins. The UN International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said some 128,571 people were displaced in the hostilities that started with a series of attacks a week ago. Israel also launched dozens of air strikes on the Druze-majority Suwayda province, targeting government forces who had effectively sided with the Bedouins. Syrian state media said on Sunday that the government had coordinated with some officials in Suwayda to bring in buses to evacuate some 1,500 Bedouins from the city. Syrian interim Interior Minister Ahmad al-Dalati told the state-run SANA news agency that the initiative will also enable displaced civilians from Suwayda to return, as the fighting has largely ceased and efforts for a comprehensive ceasefire are ongoing. 'We have imposed a security cordon in the vicinity of Suwayda to keep it secure and to stop the fighting there,' al-Dalati told the Syrian state-run news agency. 'This will preserve the path that will lead to reconciliation and stability in the province." Bedouin families accompanied out of Suwayda Buses filled with Bedouin families were accompanied by Syrian Arab Red Crescent vehicles and ambulances. Some families left on trucks with their belongings. Syrian authorities did not provide further details about the evacuation and how it relates to the broader agreement, following failed talks for a hostage swap deal on Saturday. However, the UK-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said that as part of the agreement, Bedouin fighters would have to release Druze women they were holding captive and leave the province. US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack who has been involved in negotiations between multiple countries, said that the perpetrators of hostilities on both sides need to be held to account and that an agreement should be reached to allow Syria's seven-month-old interim government to exert its authority and function fully after over a decade of conflict. 'What's happened is horrible. It's unthinkable,' Barrack said in Beirut after meeting officials Monday. 'They (Syrian authorities) need to be held accountable, but they also need to be given responsibility' to restore order. Bedouin fighters wait on the edge of the city Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from Suwayda city on Sunday and, alongside others from different parts of the country, stood on the outskirts while security forces cordoned off the area. An aid convoy of some 32 Red Crescent vehicles entered the city, though a government delegation with another aid convoy was turned away. After talks for a hostage swap fell through late on Sunday, the Observatory and activist groups in Suwayda reported hearing what they said were Israeli air strikes and helicopters over villages where some skirmishes took place between the Bedouins and the Druze. The Israeli military said it was 'not aware' of any overnight strikes in Syria. Druze increasingly unsure about new government Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has tried to appeal to the Druze community while slamming the factions loyal to spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, who have been involved in the clashes. He promised to hold accountable perpetrators of targeted attacks and other violations. The country's Druze community largely celebrated the downfall of the al-Assad family that ended decades of tyrannical rule in Syria. While they had concerns about al-Sharaa's possible Islamist rule, a large number wanted to approach matters diplomatically. However, Al-Hijri and his supporters have taken a more confrontational approach with al-Sharaa, unlike most other influential Druze figures. The numerous cases of attacks, which included killing Druze civilians and desecrating photos of religious notables, have made the Druze more sceptical of Al-Sharaa and less optimistic of peaceful coexistence. More than half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria. Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the occupied Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981.
Al-Ahram Weekly
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt to run special train for Sudanese returning home - Foreign Affairs
Egypt's national railway announced on Monday that it will operate a designated train to facilitate the return of Sudanese nationals and their families to their homeland. The move comes 'within the … cooperation and close fraternal relations' between Egypt and Sudan, the Egyptian National Railways Authority said in a statement on Sunday. Train number 1940, a third-class air-conditioned service, will depart Cairo at 11:00 AM on Monday and arrive in Aswan at 11:00 PM. From Aswan, the Sudanese will continue their journey to Sudan via the High Dam Port, a Nile access to the neighbouring nation. Egyptian Minister of Transport Kamel El-Wazir has instructed railway officials to provide all necessary services to ensure the comfort and safe arrival of the Sudanese passengers, the statement added. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has reported a rise in voluntary returns of displaced Sudanese from neighbouring countries since January 2025, citing an improved security situation in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. Egypt, a haven for refugees fleeing conflicts besetting various neighbouring nations in recent years, currently accommodates the largest share of Sudanese who have fled their country since the outbreak of intense conflict. Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating conflict that erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This nearly two-year war has plunged the nation into what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The UN estimates that approximately 13 million people have been displaced either internally or externally, with over 3.5 million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, including Egypt, Chad, and South Sudan. The recent influx of Sudanese refugees has significantly augmented the existing Sudanese population in Egypt. Government officials recently estimated the total number of Sudanese residing in the country at 5.5 million. According to a recent statement from Egypt's Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), the country hosts an estimated nine million refugees in total, including four million from Sudan. In recent months, this influx has ignited a public debate within Egypt regarding the unprecedented pressure it places on the nation's public services and infrastructure. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt to run special train for Sudanese voluntarily returning home - Foreign Affairs
Egypt's national railway announced on Monday that it will operate a designated train to facilitate the voluntary return of Sudanese nationals and their families to their homeland. The move comes 'within the … cooperation and close fraternal relations' between Egypt and Sudan, the Egyptian National Railways Authority said in a statement on Sunday. Train number 1940, a third-class air-conditioned service, will depart Cairo at 11:00 AM on Monday and arrive in Aswan at 11:00 PM. From Aswan, the Sudanese will continue their journey to Sudan via the High Dam Port, a Nile access to the neighbouring nation. Egyptian Minister of Transport Kamel El-Wazir has instructed railway officials to provide all necessary services to ensure the comfort and safe arrival of the Sudanese passengers, the statement added. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has reported a rise in voluntary returns of displaced Sudanese from neighbouring countries since January 2025, citing an improved security situation in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. Egypt, a haven for refugees fleeing conflicts besetting various neighbouring nations in recent years, currently accommodates the largest share of Sudanese who have fled their country since the outbreak of intense conflict. Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating conflict that erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This nearly two-year war has plunged the nation into what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The UN estimates that approximately 13 million people have been displaced either internally or externally, with over 3.5 million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, including Egypt, Chad, and South Sudan. The recent influx of Sudanese refugees has significantly augmented the existing Sudanese population in Egypt. Government officials recently estimated the total number of Sudanese residing in the country at 5.5 million. According to a recent statement from Egypt's Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), the country hosts an estimated nine million refugees in total, including four million from Sudan. In recent months, this influx has ignited a public debate within Egypt regarding the unprecedented pressure it places on the nation's public services and infrastructure. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
See - Sada Elbalad
a day ago
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Over 128,000 Displaced by Surge in Violence in Syria
Israa Farhan More than 128,000 people have been displaced in southern Syria within a week due to escalating violence, according to a statement released on Sunday by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency. The IOM reported a dramatic increase in displacement, particularly on 19 July, when over 43,000 individuals were forced to flee their homes in a single day. The humanitarian crisis is unfolding as clashes intensify in the region, particularly in and around the city of Suwayda. Relative calm returned to Suwayda on Sunday morning following the Syrian government's announcement of a ceasefire. This came after a week of sectarian violence that reportedly left around 1,000 people dead. Eyewitnesses and journalists from Agence France-Presse confirmed the reduced tensions, noting that Druze community groups had regained control of the city. Syrian government forces were also seen repositioning throughout the region. Late Saturday evening, Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour Al-Din Baba confirmed on Telegram that all tribal fighters had withdrawn from Suwayda, bringing an end to active combat within city neighborhoods. Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shara announced the ceasefire earlier that day, pledging to protect minority communities and hold violators from all sides accountable. The government has also begun deploying security forces in Suwayda to restore stability. The UN continues to monitor the situation closely, warning that the humanitarian needs of those displaced remain urgent and are likely to grow if the ceasefire does not hold. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Science
- Business Insider
OpenAI just won gold at the world's most prestigious math competition. Here's why that's a big deal.
OpenAI's latest experimental model is a math whiz, performing so well on an insanely difficult math exam that everyone's now talking about it. "I'm excited to share that our latest @OpenAI experimental reasoning LLM has achieved a longstanding grand challenge in AI: gold medal-level performance on the world's most prestigious math competition — the International Math Olympiad (IMO)," Alexander Wei, a member of OpenAI's technical staff, said on X. The International Math Olympiad is a global competition that began in 1959 in Romania and is now considered one of the hardest in the world. It's divided into two days, during which participants are given a four-and-a-half-hour exam, each with three questions. Some famous winners include Grigori Perelman, who helped advance geometry, and Terence Tao, recipient of the Fields Medal, the highest honor in mathematics. In June, Tao predicted on Lex Fridman's podcast that AI would not score high on the IMO. He suggested researchers shoot a bit lower. "There are smaller competitions. There are competitions where the answer is a number rather than a long-form proof," he said. Yet OpenAI's latest model solved five out of six of the problems correctly, working under the same testing conditions as humans, Wei said. Wei's colleague, Noam Brown, said the model displayed a new level of endurance during the exam. "IMO problems demand a new level of sustained creative thinking compared to past benchmarks," he said. "This model thinks for a long time." Wei said the model is an upgrade in general intelligence. The model's performance is "breaking new ground in general-purpose reinforcement learning," he said. DeepMind's AlphaGeometry, by contrast, is specifically designed just to do math. "This is an LLM doing math and not a specific formal math system; it is part of our main push towards general intelligence," Altman said on X. "When we first started openai, this was a dream but not one that felt very realistic to us; it is a significant marker of how far AI has come over the past decade," Altman wrote, referring to the model's performance at IOM. Altman added that a model with a "gold level of capability" will not be available to the public for "many months." The achievement is an example of how fast the technology is developing. Just last year, "AI labs were using grade school math" to evaluate models, Brown said. And tech billionaire Peter Thiel said last year it would take at least another three years before AI could solve US Math Olympiad problems. Still, there are always skeptics. Gary Marcus, a well-known critic of AI hype, called the model's performance "genuinely impressive" on X. But he also posed several questions about how the model was trained, the scope of its "general intelligence," the utility for the general population, and the cost per problem. Marcus also said that the IMO has not independently verified these results.
