Civilians are still dying under regime bombs in Syria, despite UN ceasefire agreement
"The epic failure of our age: how the west let down Syria"
By Middle East correspondent Sophie McNeill
Updated about 9 hours ago
Just a few hours after a unanimous vote demanding a ceasefire "without delay" across Syria, a rescue worker pulled a bloodied baby from a destroyed building in the besieged rebel-held enclave of eastern Ghouta.
More than 200,000 civilians 'have fled Afrin' since Turkey's offensive
"The epic failure of our age: how the west let down Syria"
VIDEO - Thousands have fled Afrin since the offensive against Assad-backed YPG began [Getty]
17 March, 2018
Turkey denies targeting civilian infrastructure during its offensive, which has left hundreds of thousands residents of Afrin displaced.
More than 200,000 civilians have fled the city of Afrin in northern Syria since Wednesday evening to escape a Turkish-led military offensive against a Kurdish militia, a war monitor said.
"There was fierce fighting throughout the night on the northern outskirts of the city as the Turkish forces and their Syrian allies tried to break into the city," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Saturday.
Turkey and its Syrian Arab rebel allies, who are also fighting brutal dictator Bashar al-Assad, have waged a nearly two-month offensive on the Afrin enclave, which is held by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).
The Syrian regime has sided with the YPG against Turkey's offensive in Afrin.
Salvini: Italy to spend ‘at least €1 billion’ in North Africa
"The epic failure of our age: how the west let down Syria"
Salvini told Sky TG24 that the investments would focus on agriculture, fishing and trade | Daniel Kopatsch
Plan is part of push to curb migration to Italy and tackle security issues, according to interior minister.
By Gabriela Galindo 8/3/18, 4:30 PM CET
Italy plans to invest “at least €1 billion” in Northern African countries in an effort to stem migration flows from the region, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Friday.
“Our aim is to control the southern borders … And, to reply to all of those who see me as Satan, we are preparing a project that provides for at least a €1 billion in investments to support the economy and the work of hundreds of thousands of people in hardship,” Salvini told Sky TG24 .. http://video.sky.it/news/politica?zoneid=menued-video_news_politica_null , explaining that these investments would focus on agriculture, fishing and trade.
“It is not enough to close [ports] and send [migrants] back home,” Salvini said. “It is also necessary to create prospects of growth and work in these countries,” he said, adding that the ruling coalition between his far-right League and the anti-establishment 5Star Movement would “probably succeed in doing what the left has never done.”
The initiative is a part of a wider push to tackle a number of security issues including the mafia, drug trafficking, terrorism and immigration, according to Salvini.
The interior minister also said he will push for legislation that revokes a migrant’s right to demand asylum if he or she commits “any sort of crime,” saying he’d pursue “serious and stable agreements” with African countries on sending back people who do not qualify for asylum.
Italy should become “a main actor” on migration policy in Europe, Salvini tweeted, adding that he would “soon” travel to Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria.
In the interview, Salvini also called on the EU to help Italy in its efforts, saying Italy has asked Brussels to include a “repatriation clause” in any future trade agreements with African countries.
“No one has done it in the past, but I’m not here complaining about the past — I’m working for the future,” he said.
Salvini also confirmed the government’s intention to introduce tax cuts and move ahead on pension reform, moves that risk breaching EU fiscal rules.
Italy has been under pressure from the EU to reduce its massive public debt, and Economy Minister Giovanni Tria has previously said the Italian government will take a cautious approach to spending.
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