White Helmets

Seven paramedics were killed in their operation center in Idlib

Idlib - Noura Khowam

Seven paramedics of the Syrian Civil Defense Organization, "White Helmets", operating in areas controlled by the opposition, were killed during an attack by unidentified gunmen in Idlib province. The attack triggered an investigation into the incident at the base of the volunteer group in the village of Sarmin in Idlib province, which is controlled by the Syrian army. Seven memberRead more

UK Russian Embassy chides Syria’s White Helmets’ Oscar win with cartoon post

Riyadh - Arab Today

Russia’s embassy in the United Kingdom took to twitter immediately after the Oscars awards to call to doubt the work done by the Syrian White Helmet workers after winning an academy award for a documentary that highlighted their work. “Russia welcomes Oscars award for “White Helmets” film. Indeed, they are actors serving an agenda, not rescuers,” the embassy tweeted. TheRead more

Alternative facts come to the Oscars

Los Angeles - Arab Today

The Oscars, famously, are attended by people who would go to the opening of an envelope. This year the organisers couldn’t even get that right. Hollywood legends Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway announced that the favourite La La Land had won the award for best picture, only to perform a swift U-turn when it emerged that Beatty had been handedRead more

Netflix 'thrilled' with Oscar win for Syria documentary

Barcelona - AFP

Netflix is "thrilled" that the documentary "The White Helmets" which it distributes about rescue workers in war-torn Syria picked up an Oscar, the head of the US video streaming service said Monday. "One of the great things about entertainment is just being able to connect people to stories," Reed Hastings said at the Mobile World Congress, the phone industry's largestRead more

Oscar elation from afar for Syria's White Helmets

Istanbul - AFP

It was shortly after 6:00 am in Turkey, and Khaled Khatib and his cousin Fadi had dozed off while staying up all night to watch the Oscars. But then they got a phone call from Hollywood from their colleagues in the White Helmets, the Syrian rescue workers who were the subject of a documentary in competition at the Academy Awards.Read more

Film on Syria's White Helmets wins Oscar

Damascus - Arab today

A film about Syria's White Helmets -- rescuers who risk their lives to help save civilians caught in the country's devastating war -- took home the Oscar for best documentary short on Sunday. The Netflix-produced film, called simply "The White Helmets," was directed by Orlando von Einsiedel, and bested another short about the Syrian conflict, "Watani: My Homeland." ButRead more

Syria's White Helmets rescuers will not attend Oscars

Syria - Arab today

Rescue workers from Syria's White Helmets group - the subject of an Oscar-nominated documentary - will not attend this weekend's Academy Awards ceremony because of intensified regime bombing and a rejected passport. Raed Saleh and fellow White Helmet member Khaled Khatib had been set to attend Sunday's ceremony in Hollywood, where "The White Helmets" is shortlisted for best shortRead more

Syria's White Helmets to travel to US for Oscars

Beirut - AFP

Rescue workers from Syria's White Helmets -- the subjects of an Oscar-nominated documentary -- said on Saturday they have received US visas to attend next week's prestigious Academy Awards ceremony. For weeks, the rescuers and the film's staff had been nervously watching the fallout from US President Donald Trump's now-suspended travel ban for seven countries, including Syria. "We got ourRead more

‘White Helmets’ makers get visas for Oscar

Los Angeles - Arab Today

Two Syrian rescue workers said on Friday they plan to travel to next week’s Oscar ceremony, where their documentary “White Helmets” is nominated for an award, after weeks of uncertainty caused by US President Donald Trump’s travel ban. Raed Saleh, the leader of the White Helmets, and cinematographer Khaled Khatib have both obtained visas to travel to the United StatesRead more

In solidarity with Syria: Clooney to make White Helmets film

Los Angeles - Arab Today

George Clooney is making a film about the White Helmets — the Syria Civil Defense whose approximate 3,000 volunteers act as first responders in the war-torn country. The actor is said to be in the early development on a feature version of Netflix’s “The White Helmets” documentary, reported Variety. Clooney and producing partner Grant Heslov are seeking a writer throughRead more