No milk, no diapers: US aid cuts hit Syrian refugees in Lebanon

No milk, no diapers: US aid cuts hit Syrian refugees in Lebanon
Syrian refugees in Lebanon, among millions of people around the world, are affected by US President Donald Trump's decision to freeze USAID funding to humanitarian programs. (Reuters/File)
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Updated 09 May 2025
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No milk, no diapers: US aid cuts hit Syrian refugees in Lebanon

No milk, no diapers: US aid cuts hit Syrian refugees in Lebanon
  • Merhi and her family are among the millions of people affected by Trump’s decision to freeze USAID funding to humanitarian programs
  • Since the freeze, the UNHCR and WFP have had to limit the amount of aid they provide

BEIRUT: Amal Al-Merhi’s twin 10-month-old daughters often go without milk or diapers.

She feeds them a mix of cornstarch and water, because milk is too expensive. Instead of diapers, Merhi ties plastic bags around her babies’ waists.

The effect of their poverty is clear, she said.

“If you see one of the twins, you would not believe she is 10-months-old,” Merhi said in a phone interview. “She is so small and soft.”

The 20-year-old Syrian mother lives in a tent with her family of five in an informal camp in Bar Elias in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley.

She fled Syria’s civil war in 2013 and has been relying on cash assistance from the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR to get by.

But that has ended.

Merhi and her family are among the millions of people affected by US President Donald Trump’s decision to freeze USAID funding to humanitarian programs.

Since the freeze, the UNHCR and the World Food Program (WFP) have had to limit the amount of aid they provide to some of the world’s most vulnerable people in countries from Lebanon to Chad and Ukraine.

In February, the WFP was forced to cut the number of Syrian refugees receiving cash assistance to 660,000 from 830,000, meaning the organization is reaching 76 percent of the people it planned to target, a spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the WFP’s shock responsive safety net that supports Lebanese citizens cut its beneficiaries to 40,000 from 162,000 people, the spokesperson added.

The UNHCR has been forced to reduce all aspects of its operations in Lebanon, said Ivo Freijsen, UNHCR’s country representative, in an interview.

The agency cut 347,000 people from the UNHCR component of a WFP-UNHCR joint program as of April, a spokesperson said. Every family had been receiving $45 monthly from UNHCR, they added.

The group can support 206,000 Syrian refugees until June, when funds will dry up, they also said.

“We need to be very honest to everyone that the UNHCR of the past that could be totally on top of issues in a very expedient manner with lots of quality and resources — that is no longer the case,” Freijsen said. “We regret that sincerely.”

BAD TO WORSE

By the end of March, the UNHCR had enough money to cover only 17 percent of its planned global operations, and the budget for Lebanon is only 14 percent funded.

Lebanon is home to the largest refugee population per capita in the world.

Roughly 1.5 million Syrians, half of whom are formally registered with the UNHCR, live alongside some 4 million Lebanese.

Islamist-led rebels ousted former Syrian leader Bashar Assad in December, installing their own government and security forces. Since then there have been outbreaks of deadly sectarian violence, and fears among minorities are rising.

In March, hundreds of Syrians fled to Lebanon after killings targeted the minority Alawite sect.

Lebanon has been in the grips of unyielding crises since its economy imploded in 2019. The war between Israel and armed group Hezbollah is expected to wipe billions of dollars from the national wealth as well, the United Nations has said.

Economic malaise has meant fewer jobs for everyone, including Syrian refugees.

“My husband works one day and then sits at home for 10,” Merhi said. “We need help. I just want milk and diapers for my kids.”

DANGEROUS CHOICES

The UNHCR has been struggling with funding cuts for years, but the current cuts are “much more rapid and sizeable” and uncertainty prevails, said Freijsen.

“A lot of other questions are still to be answered, like, what will be the priorities? What will still be funded?” Freijsen asked.

Syrian refugees and vulnerable communities in Lebanon might be forced to make risky or dangerous choices, he said.

Some may take out loans. Already about 80 percent of Syrian refugees are in debt to pay for rent, groceries and medical bills, Freijsen said. Children may also be forced to work.

“Women may be forced into commercial sex work,” he added.

Issa Idris, a 50-year-old father of three, has not received any cash assistance from UNHCR since February and has been forced to take on debt to buy food.

“They cut us off with no warning,” he said.

He now owes a total of $3,750, used to pay for food, rent and medicine, and he has no idea how he will pay it back.

He cannot work because of an injury, but his 18-year-old son sometimes finds work as a day laborer.

“We are lucky. We have someone who can work. Many do not,” he said.

Merhi too has fallen into debt. The local grocer is refusing to lend her any more money, and last month power was cut until the family paid the utility bill

She and her husband collect and sell scrap metal to buy food.

“We are adults. We can eat anything,” she said, her voice breaking. “The kids cannot. It is not their fault.”


Foreign ministers of Middle Eastern countries affirm support for Syria’s security, stability, and sovereignty

The Kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. (File/SPA)
The Kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. (File/SPA)
Updated 31 sec ago
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Foreign ministers of Middle Eastern countries affirm support for Syria’s security, stability, and sovereignty

The Kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. (File/SPA)
  • The foreign ministers welcomed Syrian president’s commitment to hold accountable all those responsible for violations against Syrian citizens in Sweida Governorate

RIYADH: The foreign ministers of Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, affirmed their support for Syria’s security, unity, stability, and sovereignty in a joint statement issued on Thursday.

The Kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his counterparts from Jordan, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt, and Turkiye held intensive talks on developments in Syria during the last two days.

The talks aimed to come up with a unified position and coordinate efforts to support the Syrian government in its efforts to rebuild Syria on foundations that guarantee its security, stability, unity, sovereignty, and the rights of all its citizens.

The foreign ministers welcomed the ceasefire reached to end the crisis in Sweida Governorate, and stressed the necessity of its implementation to protect Syria, its unity, and its citizens, prevent the shedding of Syrian blood, and ensure the protection of civilians and the rule of law.

They also welcomed Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s commitment to hold accountable all those responsible for violations against Syrian citizens in Sweida Governorate.

The ministers expressed support for all efforts to establish security and the rule of law in Sweida Governorate and throughout Syria.

They also condemned and rejected repeated Israeli attacks on Syria and said they are flagrant violations of international law and a blatant assault on Syria’s sovereignty which destabilizes its security, stability, and unity and undermines the government’s efforts to build a new Syria that achieves the aspirations and choices of its people.

They added that Syria’s security and stability are a pillar of regional security and stability and a shared priority.

The ministers called on the international community to support the Syrian government in its reconstruction process and called on the Security Council to assume its legal and moral responsibilities to ensure Israel’s full withdrawal from occupied Syrian territories, the cessation of all Israeli hostilities against Syria and interference in its affairs, and the implementation of Resolution 2766 and the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.


UK MP Jeremy Corbyn announces ‘independent Gaza tribunal’

UK MP Jeremy Corbyn announces ‘independent Gaza tribunal’
Updated 35 min 14 sec ago
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UK MP Jeremy Corbyn announces ‘independent Gaza tribunal’

UK MP Jeremy Corbyn announces ‘independent Gaza tribunal’
  • Veteran left-wing politician says inquiry will take place in September and probe British involvement in Israel’s military campaign
  • Corbyn previously failed to get support in parliament for an official public inquiry

LONDON: British MP Jeremy Corbyn has announced an independent “Gaza tribunal” to investigate the UK’s involvement in Israel’s military operation in the territory.

The former Labour Party leader, who now sits in parliament as an independent, has been one of the most prominent voices in the UK against Israel’s war.

He previously called for the government to set up an inquiry into British involvement in the conflict, but his bill was rejected at its second reading earlier this month.

Corbyn said on Thursday he would hold a Gaza tribunal in September because “the public deserves to know the full scale of their government’s complicity in genocide.

“Just like Iraq, the government is doing everything it can to protect itself from scrutiny,” he said, referring to the UK’s ill-fated decision to join the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. “Just like Iraq, it will not succeed in its attempts to suffocate the truth.”

The left-wing politician added: “We will bring about justice for the people of Palestine.”

The UK suspended 30 arms export licenses to Israel in September last year in response to its Gaza operations.

But Corbyn and pressure groups say the UK is still supplying other weapons, including parts for F-35 fighter jets.

The Royal Air Force is also accused of flying surveillance flights over Gaza and supplying Israel with intelligence.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy told the International Development Committee on Wednesday that he was “very certain” no weapons were being used against civilians and aid workers in Gaza.

Corbyn said the tribunal would hear from expert witnesses including Palestinians in Gaza, journalists, and health and aid workers who have worked in the territory.

Legal experts and UN officials will also be called upon to provide evidence.

The tribunal will begin by outlining the scale of human suffering in Gaza, where more than 58,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023.

It will go on to outline Britain’s legal responsibilities under domestic and international law, and then probe Britain’s role in the campaign.

The British government has come under increasing pressure from MPs, including many from its own Labour Party, to take a tougher line against Israel.

Last week, almost 60 Labour MPs sent a letter to Lammy demanding the UK immediately recognize Palestine as a state.


South Sudan’s main opposition party rejects president’s call for dialogue to avoid civil war

South Sudan’s main opposition party rejects president’s call for dialogue to avoid civil war
Updated 36 min 7 sec ago
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South Sudan’s main opposition party rejects president’s call for dialogue to avoid civil war

South Sudan’s main opposition party rejects president’s call for dialogue to avoid civil war
  • Kiir said: “The suffering of our people must not be prolonged by the continued rejection of dialogue”
  • Deng said Kiir’s appeal was “paradoxical and insincere” due to the arrests of opposition officials

JUBA: South Sudan ‘s main opposition party on Thursday dismissed a presidential call for dialogue to avoid the country slipping back into a civil war due to stalled peace talks.

Pal Mai Deng, a spokesperson for the opposition SPLM-IO, said President Salva Kiir “must release political and military leaders of the SPLM-IO who are in detention to show his seriousness about the dialogue.”

During the reopening of parliament on Wednesday, Kiir said there was a need for unity and national reconciliation, adding that the “doors of peace remain open.”

“The suffering of our people must not be prolonged by the continued rejection of dialogue,” he said.

The situation in South Sudan remains tense after Vice President Riek Machar — Kiir’s former rival — was placed under house arrest following an attack on army bases in March. Several members of the SPLM-IO opposition party have gone into exile fearing arrests.

South Sudan signed a peace agreement in 2018, ending a five-year civil war in which nearly 400,000 people died as forces loyal to Kiir and Machar clashed.

Deng told The Associated Press that Kiir’s appeal was “paradoxical and insincere” due to the arrests of opposition officials and army attacks on opposition forces.

“Before he (Kiir) urged the parties to resume dialogue, he needed to stop military campaigns against SPLM-IO forces and indiscriminate killing of Nuer civilians he considered anti-government,” said the exiled spokesperson.

The CEPO civil society group has warned that Machar’s detention has made the continuation of talks impractical.

“The absence of Machar in the function of the government in day-to-day business of the government is making the government of national unity unbalanced,” Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO, said.

The United Nation warned last month that a 2018 peace agreement was on the verge of collapse due to escalating violence, political repression, and foreign military involvement.

Yasmin Sooka, chairperson of the UN’s Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, described the situation as a “crisis” adding that the peace agreement was at the “brink of irrelevance, threatening a total collapse.”


Kuwait incorporates Bayraktar TB2 combat drone into armed forces

Kuwait incorporates Bayraktar TB2 combat drone into armed forces
Updated 44 min 31 sec ago
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Kuwait incorporates Bayraktar TB2 combat drone into armed forces

Kuwait incorporates Bayraktar TB2 combat drone into armed forces
  • Drone was unveiled during a ceremony attended by Minister of Defense Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Sabah and top army generals
  • In 2023, Kuwait signed a $367-million contract with Turkish defense firm Baykar to purchase its TB2 war drones

LONDON: Kuwaiti armed forces incorporated the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drone into their air combat fleet during a ceremony at Salem Al-Sabah Air Base on Thursday.

Minister of Defense Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Sabah was joined by Major General Sabah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, deputy chief of staff of the Kuwaiti Army, Brig. Gen. Mohammad Al-Hamdan, the Air Force commander, as well as the commander of the Salem Al-Sabah Air Base and several air force officers.

In 2023, Kuwait signed a $367-million contract with Turkish defense firm Baykar to purchase its TB2 drones, which have been used in conflicts in Ukraine, Syria, Libya and Azerbaijan.

Sheikh Abdullah said that integrating drones aligned with Kuwait’s leadership vision to enhance military readiness and adopt cutting-edge defense technologies, according to the Kuwait News Agency. The ceremony featured a comprehensive technical presentation showcasing TB2 drone’s surveillance, reconnaissance and air-support capabilities.

In February, pilots and shooters from the Kuwaiti air force trained and tested the Bayraktar TB2 at the Baykar company training center in the Kisah region of Turkiye.

The defense minister emphasized the need to invest in local expertise and train personnel to operate advanced systems for protecting Kuwait’s airspace, borders and resources. The incorporation of TB2 marked a significant step in Kuwait’s defense modernization efforts, he added.


Turkish court postpones hearing over hotel fire

Turkish court postpones hearing over hotel fire
Updated 17 July 2025
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Turkish court postpones hearing over hotel fire

Turkish court postpones hearing over hotel fire
  • The court is considering allegations that poor safety measures at the hotel contributed to the disaster
  • The different organizations under scrutiny denied responsibility

ISTANBUL: A Turkish court on Thursday adjourned the trial of 32 people over a fire January at a luxury ski resort hotel that killed 78 people, after 10 days of harrowing testimony.

Since the trial opened on July 7, survivors, many of them in tears, have told the court how they escaped the deadly blaze, whose victims included 36 children.

The fire swept through the Grand Kartal Hotel in the northern mountain resort of Kartalkaya on January 21.

As well as the 78 people killed in the fire, another 130 people were injured.

The court is considering allegations that poor safety measures at the hotel contributed to the disaster.

Among the defendants facing manslaughter charges are the hotel’s owner, managers, the deputy mayor of Bolu city and two fire department officials.

“Everyone including the employees and bosses lied in their initial statements,” said Yusuf Yaman, the private DHA news agency reported. Yaman lost his daughter and grand-daughter in the fire.

“We lost 78 lives. They’re all my children. If they (the suspects) had shown courage, if they had confessed everything, they would have had a clearer conscience,” he added.

After the fire, the different organizations under scrutiny denied responsibility, the tourism ministry and the local municipality run by the main opposition CHP party blaming each other.

At the end of the 10-day hearing, the hotel’s director and owner Emir Aras expressed regret. He told the judge he did not want to be released from detention, DHA reported.

The court postponed the hearing to September 22.