Lancement de « Falcon’s Beyond Global », une entreprise de développement entièrement intégrée pour les parcs, complexes hôteliers, médias et produits dérivés axés sur la propriété intellectuelle (PI)

La nouvelle entreprise fait accéder « Katmandu » et les PI partenaires aux marchés mondiaux par le biais de parcs à thème, de complexes hôteliers, de films, de séries épisodiques, de produits de consommation et davantage.

La coentreprise avec Meliá Hotels International permet un accès à l’immobilier haut de gamme et une présence  opérationnelle mondiale dans les principales destinations touristiques de 40 pays.

ORLANDO, Floride, 09 juill. 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Forte de la réussite de ses parcs à thème en Europe, de son équipe créative primée, de ses technologies brevetées et de son accès à l’immobilier mondial dans des destinations touristiques de premier ordre, Falcon’s Beyond Global, LLC a été lancée en tant qu’entreprise entièrement intégrée pour promouvoir le divertissement expérientiel à travers le monde.

Jusqu’à présent, il s’est avéré presque impossible pour la plupart des franchises à PI de se déployer rapidement et en même temps sur l’ensemble des médias, des produits de consommation et surtout des parcs/lieux de divertissement à thèmes.

Boostée par la collaboration avec Meliá Hotels International, il s’agira de la seule entreprise de divertissement verticalement intégrée capable d’activer simultanément une propriété intellectuelle sur l’ensemble du spectre transmédia. Cela pourrait transformer le secteur de l’hôtellerie et du divertissement, qui représente 440 milliards de dollars.

Meliá, premier groupe hôtelier de loisirs au monde avec plus de 390 établissements dans 40 pays – dont un grand nombre dans des destinations balnéaires de premier choix – développe conjointement avec Falcon’s Beyond des combinaisons de parcs à thème avec complexe hôtelier dans des établissements phares sur plusieurs continents.

Falcon’s Beyond a été officialisé en mai dernier lorsque la société Falcon’s Creative Group, leader dans le domaine de la conception et de la planification d’attractions, s’est associée à Katmandu Group, société de divertissement à thème.

Cette puissante combinaison a permis de créer instantanément la seule source entièrement intégrée d’activations simultanées de propriété intellectuelle dans le domaine du divertissement, depuis le développement de médias en streaming jusqu’à l’acquisition de sites de parcs à thème, en passant par la planification générale, les projets brick and mortar, la conception d’attractions et de circuits immersifs, la création de produits dérivés et l’exploitation de parcs et de complexes touristiques de classe mondiale.

Expansion et évolution de la PI de Katmandu

Un premier objectif majeur de Falcon’s Beyond sera d’appliquer son modèle IP Expander™ à l’évolution rapide de sa propriété intellectuelle originale et exclusive « Katmandu », déjà populaire auprès des millions d’Européens qui ont visité le Sol Katmandu Park & Resort à Majorque en Espagne, ainsi qu’une liste croissante de camps pour enfants Katmandu dans les hôtels Sol de Meliá.

Le public est séduit par les récits intemporels de l’univers de Katmandou, où des personnages mythiques sont mis en scène dans des aventures captivantes, qui suscitent l’émerveillement à travers des royaumes imaginatifs et immersifs, des yétis insaisissables et un groupe d’aventuriers multiculturels.

Outre de nouveaux personnages, une série de vidéos en streaming et des produits dérivés, la PI de Katmandu déjà bien établie fera l’objet d’une expansion brick and mortar. Grâce à des capacités technologiques uniques, Falcon’s Beyond fera de Katmandu le premier parc à thème de classe mondiale dont toutes les attractions sont rattachées à une même histoire, « comme les chapitres d’une même légende », et liées numériquement aux expériences individuelles des visiteurs.

Le développement se poursuit sur d’autres parcs Katmandu situés sur les complexes hôteliers Meliá à Punta Cana, en République dominicaine, à Tenerife, en Espagne et dans d’autres destinations touristiques clés.

Permettre l’impossible

« Falcon’s Beyond Global représente la combinaison ultime d’un potentiel de narration illimité, d’une évolutivité immobilière agile et flexible et d’une expansion imaginative dans une multitude de catégories », a déclaré Cecil D. Magpuri, PDG de Falcon’s Beyond Global et fondateur du Falcon’s Creative Group. « Nous développons des expériences inclusives, axées sur la création d’histoires, que nous pouvons lancer sur le marché à une vitesse inédite, en éliminant les énormes difficultés auxquelles les franchises à PI et les développeurs sont confrontés lorsqu’ils essaient de réaliser cet exploit seuls. »

« Nous permettons réellement l’impossible », a déclaré Scott Demerau, président exécutif de Falcon’s Beyond Global et co-fondateur du groupe Katmandu. « Grâce à notre partenariat avec Meliá, nous avons créé un nouveau guide pour construire des parcs à thème rentables “grande expérience et petite empreinte”, allant des communautés de stations balnéaires aux espaces de divertissement à usage mixte. Falcon’s Beyond Global apporte à l’équation un complément complet d’expertise en matière de technologie, de conception et de médias. Ensemble, nous proposons quelque chose qui n’a tout simplement jamais été accessible aux entreprises auparavant. C’est un avantage considérable pour les développeurs, les PI émergentes et même les géants du divertissement. »

Création de parcs « grande expérience et petite empreinte »

Meliá Hotels et Katmandu Group se sont initialement associés en 2012 pour lancer à Majorque le Sol Katmandu Park & Resort à thème et compléter l’expérience des vacances à la plage en proposant du « divertissement avec des chambres ». Leur preuve de concept s’est hissée au sommet du portefeuille de Meliá Sol et a été désignée par les European Hospitality Awards comme le premier hôtel d’Europe pour l’innovation dans le service, parmi plus de 100 000 hôtels. Trivago Global a élu le complexe parc + resort n°1 en Espagne dans la catégorie « Voyage avec des enfants ». TripAdvisor a classé le Katmandu Park dans le top 3 des parcs d’Espagne trois années de suite, et dans le Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best 2020.

Falcon’s Beyond renforcera ce modèle unique et éprouvé de parcs à thème “grande expérience, petite empreinte” pour Katmandu et d’autres PI dans le monde, en tirant parti de la coentreprise avec Meliá, dont la présence opérationnelle mondiale permet le développement dans n’importe quelle destination touristique en Amérique, en Europe, en Asie et au-delà.Les droits sur d’autres PI importantes ont déjà été obtenus, et Falcon’s Beyond est en pourparlers avec d’autres pour déployer des expressions transmédia complètes à des vitesses inouïes. La société a travaillé sur des projets de planification générale et de conception totalisant plus de 100 milliards de dollars et a remporté de nombreux prix de conception pour ses attractions et expériences de classe mondiale.

Une alternative révolutionnaire aux méga-parcs

Les « méga-parcs à thème » traditionnels nécessitent au moins 6 à 8 ans de planification, des milliards d’investissements, des acquisitions immobilières difficiles, de nouvelles infrastructures de transport, une planification urbaine et 5 à 7 ans de construction.

Falcon’s Beyond offre une alternative révolutionnaire.

Les attractions et circuits exclusifs de Falcon sont des attractions innovantes de classe mondiale, axées sur la création d’histoires, et sont les premiers de leur genre. Ses technologies brevetées sont les seules à pouvoir créer des méga-parcs dans des parcs « grande expérience, petite empreinte », qui mettent à profit des terrains sous-utilisés sur des complexes existants dans des sites touristiques denses. Les parcs Falcon’s Beyond peuvent être déployés dans un délai de 24 à 36 mois pour une fraction minime du coût d’un méga-parc, avec l’expertise et le suivi de Falcon.

Un véritable disrupteur

« Meliá s’engage à proposer des expériences extraordinaires à ses clients dans le monde entier », a déclaré André Gerondeau, directeur de l’exploitation de Meliá Hotels International. « Les parcs à thème et complexes hôteliers Katmandu seront un élément essentiel de notre histoire à l’avenir, et nous pensons que cette initiative nous donne cinq ans d’avance sur le reste de l’industrie hôtelière en matière de “divertissement avec chambres”. Tout le monde chez Meliá est ravi de travailler avec les esprits créatifs et les experts en développement expérimentés de Falcon’s Beyond .»

« Falcon’s Beyond et son modèle d’activation de la PI sans précédent, imaginatif et déjà déployé, bouleversent complètement le paradigme établi de l’industrie du divertissement »  , a déclaré Ken Faier, leader du secteur, fondateur d’Epic Story Media, une société de divertissement pour enfants axée sur les créateurs et offrant un service complet. « Nous avons vu directement ce que crée Falcon et nous sommes vraiment enthousiastes à l’idée d’entamer une collaboration de grande envergure. Il y a une forte demande de la part des familles qui recherchent des expériences excitantes appuyées sur une PI de haute qualité. »

Grâce à son expertise en matière d’expansion de la propriété intellectuelle, d’octroi de licences et d’expériences immersives, Falcon’s Beyond Global dispose d’un pouvoir sans précédent pour transformer des mondes imaginaires en réalité, en suscitant l’émerveillement du public et des visiteurs et en leur laissant des souvenirs inoubliables.

À propos de Falcon’s Beyond Global LLC
Basée à Orlando, en Floride, Falcon’s Beyond Global, LLC est une entreprise de développement de divertissement expérientiel de premier plan entièrement intégrée spécialisée dans l’expansion de la propriété intellectuelle. La société commercialise sa propre propriété intellectuelle et celles de ses partenaires sur les marchés mondiaux par le biais de parcs à thème, de complexes hôteliers, d’attractions, de technologies brevetées, de films, de séries épisodiques, de produits de consommation, de licences, etc. qu’elle possède et exploite. La société a remporté de nombreux prix de conception et fourni des services de conception dans 39 pays à travers le monde. Elle se compose de quatre divisions principales : Falcon’s Treehouse (planification et conception), Falcon’s Digital Media, Falcon’s Licensing, et Falcon’s Parks & Resorts. La création d’histoires est la force motrice de tous les projets Falcon’s Beyond, qui transforment des mondes imaginaires en réalité. Pour plus d’informations, rendez-vous sur www.falconsbeyondglobal.com

À propos de Meliá Hotels International
Fondée en 1956 à Palma de Majorque, en Espagne, Meliá Hotels International (MHI) compte plus de 390 hôtels ouverts, ou en cours d’ouverture, dans plus de 40 pays. Ils opèrent sous les marques Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts, Paradisus by Meliá, ME by Meliá, Meliá Hotels & Resorts, INNSiDE by Meliá, Sol by Meliá et TRYP by Wyndham. La société est un leader mondial des complexes hôteliers, et son expérience dans ce domaine lui a permis de devenir un leader sur le marché en pleine croissance des hôtels urbains inspirés par les loisirs. Le Sustainability Yearbook 2020, publié par S&P Global, a désigné Meliá comme l’une des entreprises hôtelières les plus durables au monde (médaille d’argent), et le Financial Times et Statista l’ont inscrite parmi les leaders européens du climat en 2021. Meliá Hotels International est également membre de l’IBEX 35 et il s’agit de la société hôtelière espagnole ayant la meilleure réputation d’entreprise, selon le classement Merco. Pour plus d’informations, rendez-vous sur www.meliahotelsinternational.com

CONTACT :

Joel Moore
Praytell Strategy
joel@praytellagency.com

María Umbert
Meliá Hotels International
maria.umbert@melia.com

Une photo accompagnant ce communiqué de presse est disponible à l’adresse https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/77a4b0cf-859f-4c92-b5c4-8e95f66ea4f6

‘Falcon‘s Beyond Global’ lançada como uma empresa de desenvolvimento totalmente integrada para parques, resorts, mídia e mercadorias orientados por IP

Nova empresa leva ‘Katmandu’ proprietário e parceiros de IP para mercados globais por meio de parques temáticos, resorts, longas-metragens, séries episódicas, produtos de consumo e muito mais.

A joint venture com o Meliá Hotels International proporciona acesso a imóveis de primeira linha e presença operacional global nos principais destinos turísticos em 40 países.

ORLANDO Flórida, July 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Com sucesso comprovado em parques temáticos na Europa, uma equipe criativa premiada, tecnologias patenteadas e acesso a imóveis globais em destinos turísticos privilegiados, a Falcon’s Beyond Global, LLC foi lançada como uma empresa totalmente integrada para impulsionar o entretenimento experiencial e baseado em histórias em todo o mundo.

Até hoje era quase impossível para a maioria das franquias de IP realizar implantações rápidas em conteúdo de mídia, produtos de consumo e, o mais difícil de todos, em entretenimento temático com base em localização, de uma só vez.

A nova empresa, super apoiada por uma joint venture com o Meliá Hotels International, será a única potência de entretenimento verticalmente integrada capaz de ativar simultaneamente uma propriedade intelectual em todo o espectro de transmídia — com o potencial de transformar a categoria de hospitalidade e entretenimento de US$440 bilhões.

O Meliá, o grupo de hotéis de lazer número1 do mundo, com mais de 390 propriedades em 40 países, muitos em destinos de praia privilegiados, está desenvolvendo em conjunto combinações de parques temáticos + resorts com a Falcon’s Beyond em propriedades emblemáticas em vários continentes.

A Falcon’s Beyond foi formalizada em maio, quando a empresa líder em design e planejamento de atrações Falcon’s Creative Group se uniu à empresa de entretenimento temático Katmandu Group.

Esta união potente criou imediatamente a única fonte totalmente integrada de ativações de IP de entretenimento simultâneo – desde o desenvolvimento de mídia de streaming até a aquisição de sites de parques temáticos; planejamento mestre de projetos físicos; design imersivo de diversões e atrações para criação de mercadorias; através de operações de parques e resorts de classe mundial.

Expansão e Evolução do IP Katmandu

Um primeiro grande foco da Falcon’s Beyond será aplicar seu modelo IP Expander™ à rápida evolução do seu IP “Katmandu” original e de propriedade integral – já popular entre os milhões de europeus que visitaram o Sol Katmandu Park & Resort em Maiorca, Espanha, e uma lista crescente de acampamentos infantis da marca Katmandu nos hotéis Sol de Meliá.

O público vibra com os contos atemporais e entrelaçados do universo Katmandu – onde personagens míticos ganham vida em aventuras incríveis, inspirando maravilhas com reinos imaginativos, imersivos, criaturas míticas evasivas e um elenco multicultural de aventureiros.

Juntamente com os novos personagens, uma série de vídeos em streaming e as mercadorias, o comprovado IP do Katmandu passará por uma expansão física. Com sua capacidade tecnológica única, a Falcon’s Beyond irá estabelecer o Katmandu como o primeiro parque temático de classe mundial a ter cada passeio e atração personalizados com uma história centralizada “como capítulos na mesma lenda” e digitalmente vinculados a experiências individuais dos hóspedes.

O desenvolvimento está avançando nos parques Katmandu adicionais nos terrenos dos resorts do Meliá em Punta Cana, República Dominicana, Tenerife, Espanha e outros destinos turísticos importantes.

Tornando Possível o Impossível

“A Falcon’s Beyond Global representa a combinação definitiva do potencial ilimitado de contar histórias, da escalabilidade imobiliária ágil e flexível, e da expansão imaginativa em uma infinidade de categorias”, disse Cecil D. Magpuri, CEO da Falcon’s Beyond Global e fundador do original Falcon’s Creative Group. “Desenvolvemos experiências inclusivas com base em histórias que podemos levar ao mercado com uma rapidez sem precedentes, removendo todos os enormes desafios que as franquias e os desenvolvedores de IP enfrentam ao tentar esse feito por conta própria.”

“Estamos realmente tornando possível o impossível”, disse Scott Demerau, Presidente Executivo da Falcon’s Beyond Global e cofundador do Katmandu Group. “Através da nossa parceria com o Meliá, criamos um novo manual de “Grande Experiência, Pequena Pegada” para a construção de parques temáticos econômicos em comunidades de resorts de praia até espaços de entretenimento de uso misto. A Falcon’s Beyond Global traz um complemento completo de tecnologia, design e expertise em mídia para o mix. Juntos, oferecemos algo que nunca foi acessível antes para as empresas. Este é um enorme benefício para desenvolvedores, IPs emergentes e até mesmo os gigantes do entretenimento.”

Criação de Parques de “Grande Experiência, Pequena Pegada”

O Meliá Hotels e o Katmandu Group originalmente se uniram em uma joint venture em 2012 para lançar o temático Sol Katmandu Park & Resort em Maiorca e complementar a experiência de férias na praia, fornecendo “entretenimento com quartos”. Sua prova de conceito subiu ao topo do portfólio do Meliá Sol, sendo nomeado no European Hospitality Awards como o hotel número1 na Europa em inovação de serviço, dentre mais de 100.000 hotéis. A Trivago Global nomeou o parque + resort como o #1 Hotel na Espanha para Viagem com Crianças. O TripAdvisor nomeou o Katmandu Park dentre os 3 melhores parques da Espanha três anos seguidos e como o Melhor dos Melhores de 2020 da Travelers’ Choice.

A Falcon’s Beyond elevará esse modelo de “Grande Experiência, Pequena Pegada” único e comprovado de parques temáticos para o Katmandu e outros IPs em todo o mundo, alavancando a joint venture com o Meliá, cuja presença operacional global permite o crescimento em qualquer destino turístico nas Américas, Europa, Ásia e outros locais. Os direitos a IPs adicionais importantes já foram garantidos, e a Falcon’s Beyond está em negociações com outros para implantar expressões transmídia completas com uma rapidez inédita. A empresa trabalhou em projetos de planejamento e design mestre com um total de mais de US100 bilhões e conquistou inúmeros prêmios de design por suas atrações e experiências de classe mundial.

Alternativa Revolucionária aos Mega Parques

Os “megaparques temáticos” tradicionais exigem pelo menos 6-8 anos de planejamento, bilhões em investimento, difícil aquisição imobiliária, novas infraestruturas de transporte, planejamento urbano e 5-7 anos de construção.

A Falcon’s Beyond oferece uma alternativa revolucionária.

Os passeios e atrações exclusivos da Falcon são de classe mundial, de ponta, orientados para a história e os primeiros do seu tipo. Suas tecnologias patenteadas são exclusivamente capazes de criar experiências de megaparques no formato “Grande Experiência, Pequena Pegada” — que aproveitam terrenos subutilizadas em resorts existentes em pontos turísticos densos. Os parques da Falcon’s Beyond podem ser implantados em apenas 24 a 36 meses por uma pequena fração do custo de um megaparque, com a Falcon fornecendo operações especializadas e contínuas.

Um Verdadeiro Disruptor

“O Meliá está empenhado em levar experiências extraordinárias aos nossos hóspedes em todo o mundo”, disse André Gerondeau, Diretor de Operações do Meliá Hotels International. “Os parques e resorts temáticos Katmandu serão uma parte vital da nossa história no futuro, e esta iniciativa nos coloca cinco anos à frente do resto da indústria hoteleira em termos de fornecimento de ‘entretenimento com quartos’. Todos no Meliá estão entusiasmados em trabalhar com as mentes criativas e especialistas em desenvolvimento experientes da Falcon’s Beyond.”

“A Falcon’s Beyond e seu modelo de ativação de IP sem precedentes, imaginativo e já implantado mudam completamente o paradigma estabelecido da indústria do entretenimento”, disse o líder da indústria, Ken Faier, fundador da Epic Story Media, uma empresa de entretenimento infantil de serviço completo e orientada por criadores.  “Testemunhamos em primeira mão o que a Falcon’s está criando e estamos realmente empolgados em poder explorar uma colaboração épica. Há uma grande demanda por parte das famílias que procuram experiências emocionantes em torno de um ótimo IP.”

Com sua experiência em expansão de propriedade intelectual, licenciamento e experiências imersivas, a Falcon’s Beyond Global tem um poder sem precedentes de transformar mundos imaginados em realidade — uma maravilha inspiradora para o público e para os hóspedes, com memórias que duram a vida toda.

Sobre a Falcon’s Beyond Global LLC
Com sede em Orlando, Flórida, a Falcon’s Beyond Global, LLC é uma empresa de desenvolvimento de entretenimento experiencial de propriedade intelectual de alto nível, totalmente integrada e especializada em expansão. A empresa leva seus próprios IPs proprietários e parceiros para mercados globais por meio de parques temáticos, resorts, atrações, tecnologias patenteadas, longas-metragens, séries episódicas, produtos de consumo, licenciamento e muito mais. A empresa conquistou inúmeros prêmios de design e forneceu serviços de design em 39 países do mundo. Ela é composta por quatro divisões principais: Falcon’s Treehouse (planejamento e design mestre), Falcon’s Digital Media, Falcon’s Licensing e Falcon’s Parks & Resorts. Contar histórias é a força que guia todos os projetos da Falcon’s Beyond – e que transforma mundos imaginados em realidade. Para mais informação, visite www.falconsbeyondglobal.com

Sobre o Meliá Hotels International
Fundado em 1956 em Palma de Maiorca, Espanha, o Meliá Hotels International (MHI) tem mais de 390 hotéis em funcionamento ou em processo de abertura em mais de 40 países. Eles são operados sob as marcas Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts, Paradisus by Meliá, ME by Meliá, Meliá Hotels & Resorts, INNSiDE by Meliá, Sol by Meliá e TRYP by Wyndham. A empresa é líder global em hotéis resort, e sua experiência em resort permitiu que ela se tornasse líder no crescente mercado de hotéis urbanos inspirados no lazer. O Sustainability Yearbook 2020, publicado pela S&P Global, nomeou o Meliá entre as Empresas Hoteleiras Mais Sustentáveis do Mundo (Medalha de Prata), e ele foi incluído entre os Líderes Climáticos da Europa 2021 pelo Financial Times & Statista. O Meliá Hotels International também é membro do IBEX 35 e é a empresa hoteleira espanhola com a melhor reputação corporativa, de acordo com a Ranking Merco. Para mais informação, visite www.meliahotelsinternational.com

CONTATO:

Joel Moore
Praytell Strategy
joel@praytellagency.com

María Umbert
Meliá Hotels International
maria.umbert@melia.com

Foto deste comunicado disponível em https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/77a4b0cf-859f-4c92-b5c4-8e95f66ea4f6

New Research Highlights Need for Health-Systems Approach to Vision Care

Study in The Gambia underscores success of local approach and policymaking.

DALLAS, July 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — A recent study of OneSight Vision Centers in The Gambia offers new insight into the importance of implementing a strengthening program for services that address poor vision through a health system lens.

Vision Impact Institute logo

The study, supported by the Vision Impact Institute and conducted by Brandeis University in coordination with OneSight, examines how seven OneSight Vision Centers and the glasses manufacturing lab, now open there, are increasing access to vision care and awareness of uncorrected vision among the local population.

“We are proud to partner with The Gambia Ministry of Health to provide vision care access to the country’s entire population of 1.9 million people,” said K-T Overbey, President & Executive Director, OneSight. “Clear sight has a direct impact on education, work productivity and driving safety.”

In The Gambia, according to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), only four optometrists served the country in 2014. Although one in three Gambians needs refractive error correction, only half are aware they have a vision problem.

“This research highlights the power of individual countries committed to improving the vision of their population, blending local expertise with the technical leadership of organizations in the sector to create new models for care,” says Kristan Gross, Global Executive Director, Vision Impact Institute. “Several best practices stand out including the importance of strong local policymaking, public-private partnership, empowering and developing human resources, and innovative financing.”

Collaborations, like those in The Gambia, create crucial investments in a promising future for generations, while creating awareness, reducing the prevalence of poor vision and contributing to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

About the Vision Impact Institute
The Vision Impact Institute’s mission is to raise awareness of the importance of vision correction and protection to make good vision a global priority. Its Advisory Board is comprised of four independent international experts: Pr. Clare Gilbert (United Kingdom), Mr. Allyala Nandakumar (United States),   Dr. Serge Resnikoff (Switzerland), and Dr. Wang Wei (China).

The Vision Impact Institute is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which receives support from the Vision for Life Fund from Essilor, the world leader in ophthalmic optics. The Vision Impact Institute hosts a unique database of research at  visionimpactinstitute.org .

Contact:
Andrea Kirsten-Coleman
Global Communications Manager
andrea.kirsten@visionimpactinstitute.org

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UN?Security Council Extends Cross-border Aid to Syria for 1 Year

The United States and Russia reached a last-minute compromise Friday to keep humanitarian aid flowing for another year from Turkey to millions of people in northwestern Syria.

In a unanimous vote, the U.N. Security Council?approved a draft resolution extending the cross-border aid operation. In a rare twist, the U.S. and Russia came together to put forward the compromise resolution, supported by Ireland and Norway, which hold the file on Syria’s humanitarian situation in the council and have guided months of negotiations.

The resolution reauthorizes the use of the Bab al-Hawa crossing point for another six months. It had been due to expire Saturday. It will then automatically be renewed for six more months – until July 2022. The U.N. secretary-general also is instructed to report to the council on the aid operation in January.

“Thanks to this resolution, millions of Syrians can breathe a sigh of relief tonight, knowing that vital humanitarian aid will continue to flow into Idlib through the Bab al-Hawa?border crossing after tomorrow,” U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council. “And parents can sleep tonight knowing that for the next 12 months their children will be fed. The?humanitarian?agreement we’ve reached here will literally save lives.”

More than 3.4 million people live in the area outside government control serviced by the 1,000 aid trucks that cross through Bab al-Hawa each month.

Western countries also had sought to reopen the al-Yarubiyah crossing from Iraq to Syria, which had been used to bring medical supplies to 1.4 million people in the northeast, but that was lost in negotiations.

“Of course, like every political agreement, we continue to believe we could have done more, that more should be done, and we will continue work to make sure that humanitarian needs in Syria remain in focus,” Ireland’s Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason told reporters after the vote.

Al-Yarubiyah and two other crossing points have been closed over the past two years under pressure from Moscow, which would like to see the entire cross-border aid operation shut down and all supplies flow through Damascus across conflict frontlines.?The United Nations and aid groups say crossline operations are plagued with problems and cannot meet the soaring demand.

Turning point?

Syria’s decadelong war has deepened divisions among the Security Council’s five permanent powers. Russia and China have sought to protect the regime of Bashar al-Assad, while Britain, France and the United States have tried to rally council action to hold the regime accountable for chemical weapons attacks on civilians, military sieges and other atrocities.

Those divisions have spilled over into the humanitarian dossier, making it one of the council’s most contentious. The seven-year-old aid operation regularly faces nail-biting questions of whether the humanitarian lifeline will be severed by a veto. So, it was all the more surprising to see the U.S. and Russia come together Friday to hammer out a compromise minutes before the vote.

“It’s important?that the United States and Russia were able to come together on a humanitarian initiative that serves the interests of the Syrian people,” Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said. “And it’s an important moment for the U.N. and the Security Council?–?which today showed we can do more than just talk. We can work together to find solutions and deliver actions on the world’s most?pressing challenges.”

Friday’s vote was the first time since 2016 that the council was able to unanimously reach a decision on extending the cross-border aid operation.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said he was grateful to his American colleagues, who he said “worked in the spirit of the Geneva summit” between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden.

“Today, we are witnessing a historical moment,” Nebenzia said. “For the first time, Russia and the United States not only managed to find an agreement, but to present a joint text supported by all our colleagues in the council. We expect that this kind of day would become a turning point, that not only Syria will win from this, but the whole Middle Eastern region and the world as a whole.”

The White House has said that Biden raised the issue of the cross-border aid operation with Putin when they met on June 16, and Biden told him he sees it as an important issue. The two leaders spoke Friday by telephone and the White House said they commended the joint work of their teams following the summit, which led to the unanimous renewal of the Syrian aid operation.

The U.N. secretary-general’s spokesman said Antonio Guterres welcomed the council’s extension but noted that “needs continue to outstrip the response,” and that with additional crossings and more funding, the United Nations could do more to assist the rising number of Syrians in need.

Source: Voice Of America

More Raids on Independent News Outlets as Belarus Steps up Crackdown

Belarusian authorities on Friday raided the offices of several media outlets outside Minsk and searched the homes of independent journalists, in the second straight day of the country’s latest crackdown on independent press critical of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

The?raids, most of which took place in the western city of Brest, came a day after the website of the country’s oldest newspaper, Nasha Niva, was blocked and its chief editor was detained and reportedly beaten while security forces searched the offices of several regional newspapers.

Offices of news outlets were also raided in Baranovichi in the Brest region. Journalist Ruslan Ravyaka of the Baranovichi news portal Intex-Press was taken in for questioning by the KGB, the Belarusian state security agency, and was later released.

Journalist Tatsiana Smotkina’s home was raided in the northern city of Hlybokaye, as was the apartment of the administrator of the Virtual Brest news portal, Andrey Kukharchyk. The Onliner Telegram channel reported that security forces also searched the home of its journalist, Anastasia Zenko.

Search for ‘radicals’

Konstantin Bychek, the chief of the KGB’s investigative department, told state television that a “large-scale operation” was under way to root out “radicals.”

The Belarusian Association of Journalists reported that 32 media representatives have been detained since July 8.

Nasha Niva’s editor in chief, Yahor Martsinovich, was beaten and suffered head injuries while being detained in a raid, the publication reported Friday.

It said that the raids on the outlet were carried out as part of a probe into actions that grossly violated public order.

The latest crackdown came after authorities in May hit top independent news portal Tut.by, whose website was blocked. Twelve of its journalists were arrested. Also in May, authorities intercepted a Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius and forced it to land in Minsk where they detained dissident blogger Raman Pratasevich and his girlfriend, who were on board.

Both Nasha Niva and Tut.by extensively covered months of protests against Lukashenko, which were triggered by his reelection to a sixth term on August 9 in a vote that was widely seen as rigged.

Since the election, security forces have cracked down hard on journalists, rights defenders and pro-democracy demonstrators, arresting more than 35,000 people and pushing many activists and most of the top opposition figures out of the country.

Killings, possible torture

Several protesters have been killed in the violence, and some rights organizations say there is credible evidence of torture being used by security officials against some of those detained.

Leading opposition figures have been either jailed or forced to leave the country.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the main opposition candidate in the election, who says she actually won the poll, condemned the latest raids.

“Our independent journalists suffer violence, torture in prison because they do their work,” she wrote Friday on Twitter.

Western nations have imposed a wide range of sanctions on Lukashenko and his regime over the crackdown, but they appear to have had limited effect as he retains support from key ally and financial backer Russia.

Source: Voice Of America