Turkey-Syria earthquake: ‘Miracle baby’ born in rubble is adopted by her aunt and uncle – and given a new name
A baby born in the rubble of Syria’s earthquake earlier this month has been adopted by her aunt and uncle.
The little girl’s mother, father and four siblings were all killed in the earthquake on 6 February, and their apartment block in the northern town of Jinderis, in Aleppo province, was destroyed.
She was found by rescuers more than 10 hours after the quake hit, her umbilical cord still connected to her dead mother.
Mr al Sawadi says he and his wife will treasure their niece. Pic: AP
Her uncle, Khalil al Sawadi, helped to rescue her and took her to hospital, where officials named her Aya – meaning “a sign from God” in Arabic.
On Saturday, she was officially adopted by Mr al Sawadi, who buys and sells cars for a living, and his wife Hala.
The couple, who already have four daughters and two sons, have renamed the baby Afraa after her late mother.
Mr al Sawadi told the AP news agency: “She is one of my children now.
“I will not differentiate between her and my children.
“She will be dearer than my children because she will keep the memory alive of her father, mother and siblings.”
Afraa was described as being in very good health when she left the hospital
The home where Mr al Sawadi and his wife live with their children was also destroyed in the earthquake.
But even though their circumstances are difficult, the couple believed that the best place for baby Afraa was with them.
“I will raise her in a way that she will not feel in need for anything,” Mr al Sawadi added.
Afraa was described as “the miracle baby” after photos of her being pulled from the rubble were seen around the world.
People contacted the hospital offering to help her and volunteering to adopt her.
Some even came to the facility claiming they were related to her, despite having different family names.
With concern growing that she could be kidnapped, police were called to guard her and Mr al Sawadi visited her frequently in hospital.
It took nearly two weeks to complete the adoption paperwork, and the hospital conducted a DNA test to make sure she and her aunt were related.
Read more:
Watch moment miracle infant born under the rubble in Syria is rescued
Those who fled to Turkey from war-torn Syria are being forced back after earthquake
Afraa was rescued from the rubble in the Syrian town of Jinderis. Pic: AP
Dr Hani Maarouf said Afraa was in very good health on her release, but added “it was sad and some nurses wept” when she was taken away.
More than 5,800 people have died in Syria as a result of the earthquake, with another 39,000 dead in Turkey – the epicentre of the 7.8 magnitude event.
World
Brazil implores businesses to attend major climate summit, despite ‘second thoughts’ amid Trump backlash
The Brazilian hosts of the biggest climate meeting of the year have implored businesses to attend in November, amid concerns some are backing away from the climate agenda into the shadow of Donald Trump.
In an interview with Sky News, Ana Toni, chief executive of the COP30 climate summit in November, admitted some companies were having “second thoughts” about the global switch to green economies because policymakers were creating uncertainty.
The US President Donald Trump has been attacking wind farms and waging tariff wars that could slow the transition to green energy.
Banks including HSBC and Barclays have ditched a net zero alliance set up just four years ago by Mark Carney, now the Canadian Prime Minister.
Ana Toni, Brazil’s climate secretary, is chief executive of the COP30 climate talks. Pic: Reuters
But even before Trump took office, tech companies were quietly dropping climate targets to prioritise energy-hungry AI, and other businesses were “greenhushing” their climate initiatives for fear of backlash.
In this environment, there are fears fewer business leaders will attend the annual talks, which are also being hosted in a city on the edge of the Amazon that hasn’t enough hotel rooms.
On Friday, the COP30 team wrote to business leaders urging them to “step forward, not back” and travel to Belem, despite “logistical challenges” and the “background of systemic uncertainty”.
Ana Toni told Sky News: “We are very concerned that the enabling conditions must be there so that the private sector can also deliver where they do best, which is bringing in technology, bringing innovation and accelerating the process of decarbonisation.”
In August the share price of Danish wind farm developer plummeted after the US halted its Rhode Island wind farm, while the British Tories and Reform parties are also attacking net zero.
Ana Toni met with King Charles and leaders of other COP summits at Clarence House last year. Pic: Reuters
But Ms Toni there is “nothing to panic [about], because we can see that the transition is inevitable,” citing major progress in China, India and Europe and Brazil.
Referring to the US’s withdrawal from the COP process, she said: “198 countries minus one is not zero. And we will put all our efforts of working with the 197 countries that want to go forward and want to protect their population.”
“Climate action is not only [still] cool, it is necessary,” Ms Toni said.
“We all need to face reality. We are going through a huge climate crisis… If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. Companies understand that.”
World
Thai prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra sacked for ethics violation after leaked phone call
Thailand’s prime minister has been sacked after a leaked phone call with a senior Cambodian politician caused outrage.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was Thailand’s youngest PM, has been dismissed from office by the country’s Constitutional Court after only a year in power.
The court found Ms Shinawatra, 39, violated ethics in a leaked June telephone call, during which she appeared to kowtow to Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen as the bordering countries were on the verge of an armed conflict.
She also criticised a Thai army commander – a taboo move in a country where the military is extremely influential.
Fighting erupted weeks later and lasted five days. At least 35 people were killed and more than 260,000 were displaced.
Ms Shinawatra, who was new to politics when she took office in August last year, apologised over the call and said she was trying to avert a war. She was suspended in July.
Ms Shinawatra arriving at Government House in Bangkok ahead of the verdict on Friday. Pic: Reuters
She is now the fifth Thai PM from, or backed by, the billionaire Shinawatra family to be removed by the military or the judiciary in 17 years, amid a battle for power between the country’s warring elites.
The ruling thrusts Thailand into more political uncertainty at a time of public unease over stalled reforms and a stuttering economy.
Speaking after the court’s decision, the exiting PM said “all sides” in Thai politics now “have to work together to build political stability and to ensure that there won’t be another turning point again”.
The focus will now shift to who will replace Ms Shinawatra.
Her influential, billionaire father, Thaksin Shinawatra, who also once served as Thailand’s PM, is expected to be at the heart of a flurry of bargaining to keep the ruling Pheu Thai party in power.
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The leader of the main opposition People’s Party has called for the next prime minister to dissolve parliament once they are installed.
The deputy PM, Phumtham Wechayachai, and the current cabinet will act as government caretakers until a new leader is elected by parliament. There is no time limit on when that must take place.
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