News

These teens created a website matching Ukrainian refugees with hosts offering shelter

Published

3 years ago

March 20, 2022

These teens created a website matching Ukrainian refugees with hosts offering shelter

The concept was born when Avi Schiffmann attended a pro-Ukraine demonstration whereas visiting San Diego, the place he got here nose to nose with tons of of Ukrainian Individuals sharing distressing tales and pleading for assist.

“I keep in mind pondering, ‘I understand how to design web sites with large platforms,’ so how may I not do something to assist?” Schiffmann, 19, instructed CNN. “They want help, instantly and on a very large scale, and I needed to discover a option to make that occur as quickly as attainable.”

Schiffmann, who resides in Seattle whereas he takes a semester off faculty, reached out to fellow classmate and pal Marco Burstein to share his concept.

Though Burstein was in Massachusetts and entangled in the course of a busy semester, the 18-year-old pc science main signed up for the trouble.

For 3 days — and just a few meals in between, in accordance with Schiffmann — the pair spent each waking second designing, enhancing and perfecting a web site devoted to helping refugees.

Ukraine Take Shelter launched on March 3. Inside every week greater than 4,000 individuals had created listings providing shelter to Ukrainian refugees.

“For me, I am behind a pc internationally, which is what I am good at, but it surely’s very disconnected generally,” Schiffmann mentioned. “To see so many individuals from nations in each nook of the world doing one thing to assist these refugees, who want and deserve security, is actually inspiring.”

This is not the primary time Schiffmann has used his ardour for internet design to assist strangers.

Through the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, he constructed a web site to trace the affect of Covid-19. That very same 12 months, he additionally designed a web site that tracked Black Lives Matter protests going down throughout america.

“I see it like this: Virtually all people has a wise cellphone and web connection,” Schiffmann mentioned. “There’s all the time one thing occurring all over the world, an earthquake, a warfare, a pandemic, and there’s all the time a method to make use of know-how to enhance the lives of individuals in these humanitarian crises.”

Up to now, there have been multiple million customers on Ukraine Take Shelter and over 25,000 listings. Quick- and long-term hosts internationally have supplied no matter they’ll, from front room couches and spare bedrooms, to complete properties and residences.

Schiffmann and Burstein are actually engaged on a option to enable the web site to additionally mixture listings from main rental platforms, similar to Airbnb and Vrbo, in addition to listings posted by nonprofit and authorities organizations.

The web site has caught the eye of many, together with the Ukrainian authorities, which responded to considered one of Schiffmann’s tweets.

“Pricey Avi Schiffmann, many thanks to your vital work,” Ukrain’e official government Twitter account wrote.

‘This places energy again into the arms of refugees’

Whereas designing Ukraine Take Shelter, Schiffmann’s and Burstein’s precedence was making it as straightforward to make use of as attainable.

“Once I researched what instruments Ukrainian refugees needed to get linked to hosts, they weren’t very environment friendly,” Schiffmann mentioned. “This web site permits refugees to not have to take a seat on a curb in some European nation in the course of the winter whereas they look forward to one overwhelmed group or one other to attach them.”

“Now they’ll see tens of 1000’s of listings all over the world prepared for them to match with, and all they must do is name or textual content them instantly,” he mentioned.

The web site design is easy. Refugees enter the closest metropolis the place they hope to flee. Then they’ll undergo obtainable listings, every with an outline of the lodging.

More than 2.5 million Ukrainians have fled their country since Russia's invasion. Here's where they are now

Lastly, the refugee can click on on the cellphone or e mail button to get the non-public contact data of the itemizing holder.

The location has been translated into dozens of languages, together with Ukrainian, German and Polish.

“This places energy again into the arms of refugees by permitting them to take the initiative, go straight to the web site, enter their metropolis and instantly discover listings,” Schiffmann mentioned. “They need not depend on anybody else to assist them discover a protected place. There’s thousands and thousands of refugees, and it may be thousands and thousands extra, so balancing effectivity and safety in addition to security is vital.”

In fact, there are security considerations. UN Below-Secretary-Normal for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths instructed CNN that human traffickers may benefit from refugees.

“There could also be predatory individuals who will likely be taking a few of these girls and ladies away,” he mentioned. “That is an added, indecent a part of this horrible battle.”

To mitigate the danger, Ukraine Take Shelter consists of warnings on every itemizing to information refugees on the way to safely contact a number, request a video name, and acknowledge attainable crimson flags. The location additionally offers examples of inquiries to ask.

Schiffmann and Burstein mentioned they labored with consultants to ensure the location was constructed with sturdy cybersecurity.

“It will probably’t get hacked into, and even when somebody tries. There may be nothing harmful that may geolocate the refugees or put their lives in danger,” Schiffmann mentioned. “There are security options to ensure the refugees are in fixed contact with the hosts till they arrive.”

The pair are at the moment partnering with main firms, which they cannot reveal but, to work on ensuring all of the listings are verified to higher assure refugee security.

‘We need to provide help to discover peace once more’

When a refugee searches the web site for a number within the nearest metropolis to them, they’re met with dozens if not tons of of choices.

Some are younger {couples} who haven’t got a lot to supply however a mattress on the ground. Others are large households providing no matter area they’ll.

“We need to provide help to discover peace once more,” one host from the US wrote in an inventory.

Many additionally supply to assist refugees with primary requirements like meals and garments. Others supply babysitting assist. Those that cannot supply their properties may be discovered offering varied types of help, from donating cash to pet sitting for many who want it.

“I’ve a spot for one individual…I do know it is not a lot, however I can present a roof and meals till he/she will discover a job or a secure state of affairs,” one other host providing to share their condominium in Paris mentioned on the web site.

One of the host listings on Ukraine Take Shelter.

One other host, in Poland, mentioned: “We want to supply a double room in our residence. We do not have an enormous home however you may be protected, heat and fed. We have now a younger baby so really feel we may greatest assist somebody with additionally a younger baby or child.”

Among the many 1000’s of interactions going down by Ukraine Take Shelter was one story Schiffmann mentioned would follow him for the remainder of his life.

A household in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest metropolis, had been seeking to escape the nation.

After matching with a number providing their French countryside residence, the household fled. Solely three days later, they found their complete residence, together with the basement the place they’d been sheltering, was fully destroyed.

“That is what made me notice how actual this was, that this web site is not simply serving to individuals discover housing, it is saving their lives,” he mentioned.

After the warfare ends and the web site is now not wanted, the pair hope to broaden their efforts to assist asylum seekers discover a place to name residence — if even for a quick second.

“I’ve plans to broaden to all refugees typically, refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, any victims of pure disasters or wars,” Schiffmann mentioned. “It’s simply as vital they’ll discover obtainable housing, too, and we will make that occur.”

Related Topics:Featured These teens created a website matching Ukrainian refugees with hosts offering shelter - CNN us

Click to comment

News

New Orleans Attacker Visited City Twice and Made Trips to Egypt and Canada

Published

3 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Press Room

New Orleans Attacker Visited City Twice and Made Trips to Egypt and Canada

Months before the man behind the New Orleans terror attack plowed a truck into a New Year’s Day crowd, he rode through the area on a bicycle, recording videos of his target using eyeglasses with a built-in camera, investigators said on Sunday. He was back again a few weeks later, they said, probably to continue his plotting.

Those details emerged as investigators revealed more about the driver and the extensive planning behind the attack, which killed 14 people, injured many others and left New Orleans starting 2025 grappling with a cascade of anguish and alarm.

Investigators have been pushing to piece together a clear timeline of the attacker’s actions. The investigation has entailed establishing a beat-by-beat accounting of his movements in the hours immediately before the attack, which included loading guns in his rented pickup truck and planting explosive devices in coolers near the site of the attack, Bourbon Street in the city’s French Quarter.

A far more sprawling search is looking back years to try to understand how a 42-year-old Army veteran with a lucrative job at an international accounting firm came to be radicalized, claiming alignment with the Islamic State terrorist group, better known as ISIS.

Investigators found that the attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, had made trips to Egypt and Canada in 2023. But they said on Sunday that they had yet to determine what role, if any, those travels might have played in his evolving beliefs or his planning for the New Orleans attack.

“Our agents are getting answers as to where he went, who he met with and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions here in our city,” Lyonel Myrthil, the special agent in charge for the F.B.I. in New Orleans, said at a news conference.

New Orleans has been immersed in grief since the attack, but also marching forward, reopening Bourbon Street to the public and preparing to host the Super Bowl next month, as well as the season of celebration that precedes Mardi Gras. A crowd gathered on Bourbon Street on Saturday evening for a vigil that included a traditional second line. President Biden is scheduled to visit New Orleans on Monday.

”I believe only the power of prayer and faith in God can pull them and us through this time,” Gov. Jeff Landry, Republican of Louisiana, said on Sunday, referring to the pain the families of the victims and the community as a whole were navigating.

The attack ended when Mr. Jabbar, was killed in a shootout with the police that left two officers wounded. Officials praised the police for a swift response that they credited with sparing the city from more carnage.

Mr. Jabbar expressed allegiance to ISIS after a transformation that perplexed and troubled those who knew him. He had the group’s flag on the rented Ford F-150 pickup truck that he used in the attack. In a video that he recorded for his family, he said, “I wanted you to know that I joined ISIS earlier this year.”

Officials said on Sunday that they continue to believe Mr. Jabbar acted alone in carrying out the attack, and that they were still trying to determine whether he had deeper ties to ISIS. It remained unclear why he chose New Orleans as his target, officials said.

Christopher Raia, an F.B.I. counterterrorism official, said that individuals like Mr. Jabbar — who typically are radicalized online, use easily accessible weapons and act alone or in small clusters — were perhaps the “greatest terror threat” the country faces.

“They are difficult to identify, investigate and disrupt,” he said at the news conference on Sunday.

Investigators were also trying to find out where Mr. Jabbar went and what he did when he visited New Orleans in November, the second pre-attack visit that officials are aware of. The first visit, when he recorded the video images from a bicycle, took place in October.

Investigators discovered that he had left two improvised explosive devices in coolers at nearby locations shortly before ramming his truck into the Bourbon Street crowd early on New Year’s morning. They said he appeared to have had limited experience in building and using explosives, and the devices he created were crude, but they believed some of them could have been effective.

Mr. Jabbar had a transmitter in the rented pickup. “We believe that the transmitter would have functioned,” Mr. Myrthil said.

One of the coolers had been moved from where Mr. Jabbar had placed it, officials said, but the people who moved it were “unknowing Bourbon Street visitors” who had no connection to Mr. Jabbar.

Both devices were deactivated by the authorities shortly after the ramming attack.

Investigators said Mr. Jabbar had rented the pickup weeks before the attack, and drove it to New Orleans from his home in Texas, arriving on the afternoon of Dec. 31. Investigators found bomb-making materials at a residence he had rented in New Orleans, where he had set a fire just before setting off for the French Quarter. Officials said the fire burned itself out within a few hours and was already extinguished by the time firefighters arrived at the home.

News

Joe Biden prepares to bow out

Published

5 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Press Room

This article is an on-site version of our The Week Ahead newsletter. Subscribers can sign up here to get the newsletter delivered every Sunday. Explore all of our newsletters here

Hello and welcome to the working week.

On Monday, the US Congress will preside over the electoral college vote count, which will certify Donald Trump’s election victory. Although this is typically no more than a small formality, the last occurrence four years ago was tarnished by the attack on the US Capitol building.

The Biden administration’s days are numbered. The FT’s Washington team will be keeping a close eye on any last-minute initiatives from the White House over the coming days, especially on Ukraine and the climate, as the outgoing president looks to consolidate his legacy.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet South Korean foreign minister Cho Tae-yul on Monday, the first high-level diplomatic talks since President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment. (Last week’s Lunch with the FT is an illuminating guide to Blinken’s foreign policy thinking.) Over the coming days, South Korea’s main opposition, the Democratic party, plans to summon Yoon to a parliamentary hearing and appoint special counsels to investigate his failed bid to impose martial law.

On Friday, Trump is set to appear for sentencing in the New York “hush money” criminal case. Justice Juan Merchan, who has presided over the trial, signalled in last week’s order that the president-elect could attend the hearing virtually and would not face jail time over the conviction.

That same day, the US Supreme Court will hear arguments on a law that would outlaw TikTok in the country if it is not sold to an American company. The ban is set to come into effect on January 19, a day before Trump’s inauguration. However, the president-elect has urged the court to delay the ban, saying he would prefer “to pursue a political resolution” instead.

Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro is set to be sworn in for a third term following his disputed election victory in July. Since the vote, Maduro has clamped down on his political opponents. Dozens of human rights campaigners and journalists have had their passports cancelled and opposition leader Edmundo González has sought political asylum in Spain. Expect a tightly choreographed show of power as his government remains on high alert.

There are a raft of trading updates from UK retailers this week, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencer. Anticipate analysis on what the reports reveal about consumer strength this Christmas season. Moreover, analysts will study the reports for clues on which supermarkets will be able to withstand the headwinds from the Labour party’s Budget in 2025, as increased employers’ national insurance contributions squeeze grocers’ margins.

One more thing . . .

It’s a big week for film and TV. Movie buffs can binge-watch the Critics Choice Awards, the National Board of Review gala, the AARP awards and the Golden Globes over the coming days. I won’t be joining them. I haven’t watched much of anything this year. And shamefully, I missed all 10 of our film critic’s best films of 2024.

What must-see film of the last 12 months did I miss? Let me know at harvey.nriapia@ft.com.

Key economic and company reports

Here is a more complete list of what to expect in terms of company reports and economic data this week.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Greggs Q4 trading update, B&M Q3 trading statement, Marks and Spencer Christmas trading update, Tesco Q3 and Christmas trading statement
Peru interest rate
Bank of Mexico monetary policy minutes

Friday

World events

Finally, here is a rundown of other events and milestones this week.

Monday

US Congress meets to certify Trump’s election
Antony Blinken to meet South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul
Golden Globe Awards
Malaysia’s court of appeal to hear jailed former prime minister Najib Razak’s bid for house arrest
Epiphany

Tuesday

Friday

US Supreme Court to hear arguments on a law that would ban TikTok if it is not sold to an American company
Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro to be sworn in for a third term following his disputed election victory
President Joe Biden to meet Pope Francis and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome
Donald Trump to be sentenced in ‘hush money’ trial

Saturday

Sunday

Recommended newsletters for you

Inside Politics — What you need to know in UK politics. Sign up here

US Election countdown — Money and politics in the race for the White House. Sign up here

News

FBI says suspect in New Orleans attack twice visited the city to conduct surveillance

Published

5 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Press Room

FBI says suspect in New Orleans attack twice visited the city to conduct surveillance

Nathan Williams, a University of New Orleans student, lights a candle at a memorial on Bourbon Street on Friday for the victims of a deadly truck attack on New Year’s Day in New Orleans.

Gerald Herbert/AP

hide caption

toggle caption

Gerald Herbert/AP

The FBI has revealed that the man who allegedly carried out the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans had recently visited the city twice beforehand, and used “smart glasses” to record video of the area he later targeted.

In a press conference on Sunday, Lyonel Myrthil, the FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office, said that Shamsud-Din Jabbar had traveled to New Orleans just weeks ahead of the attack that killed 14 people and injured many more.

One trip took place in October, while the other was in November. Myrthil also said Jabbar had ridden through the city’s French Quarter on a bicycle wearing smart glasses made by Ray-Ban that are capable of recording video and are connected to a user’s Facebook account.

Crowds return to a reopened Bourbon Street on Jan. 2, 2025, the day after the deadly truck attack in New Orleans.

Myrthil also said Jabbar traveled to Cairo, Egypt, in 2023 and Ontario, Canada, in the summer of 2024, although it is not clear whether those trips were connected to the attack. Jabbar was a former U.S. Army soldier who became inspired by ISIS, according to investigators.

The FBI said it is pursuing leads in Houston, where Jabbar lived, as well as Tampa, Fla.

“Our agents are getting answers to where he went, who he went with and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions here,” Myrthil said.

Sunday’s press conference offered a more detailed timeline of Jabbar’s actions in the moments leading up to the attack, when he allegedly drove a truck into a crowd celebrating the New Year on New Orleans’ storied Bourbon Street.

FBI agents showed video of Jabbar planting improvised bombs before the attack. Jabbar’s rental truck contained a transmitter that was meant to trigger the devices, according to investigators, but they did not explode. Two of the bombs were left in coolers, one of which was said to have been dragged around by unsuspecting revelers on New Year’s Eve.

Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies work the scene on Bourbon Street after a person drove a truck into the crowd.

After his truck crashed at the end of the attack, Jabbar exited the vehicle and fired at police, wounding at least two officers, before he was fatally shot.

The FBI said it had recovered two semi-automatic guns that Jabbar had with him in the truck: a 9mm pistol and a 308-caliber rifle. The rifle had a “privately-made silencer,” which was purchased during a private sale in Texas, investigators said.

On leaving the house he was staying in before the attack, Jabbar also set a small fire in a hallway, but the flames burned out before firefighters arrived, the FBI said.

The FBI still believes Jabbar carried out the attack by himself.

“All investigative details and evidence that we have now still support that Jabbar acted alone here in New Orleans,” said FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia. “We have not seen any indications of an accomplice in the United States, but we are still looking into potential associates in the U.S. and outside of our borders.”

Officials said they are still unsure what the motive was for the attack, or why he chose New Orleans.

Also at the press conference, New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell said the city is working to improve safety, bringing in a tactical expert to assess security across the region. Mardi Gras parades begin Monday, and the city is hosting the Super Bowl next month. Police have used multiple vehicles and barricades to block traffic at Bourbon and Canal streets since the attack.

Cantrell also spoke of preparations for the visit of President Biden, who is planning to travel to New Orleans with first lady Jill Biden on Monday to grieve with the families of victims.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry also spoke at the start of the press conference, saying the innocent lives lost will never be forgotten. Landry has declared a period of mourning for the victims, beginning on Monday, with a different victim to be remembered each day.

On Saturday, the last of the 14 victims of the attack were identified: LaTasha Polk, a nursing assistant in her 40s, and a British man, Edward Pettifer. Pettifer was the stepson of a former nanny to the Royal Family, which led Prince William, son of King Charles, to express his shock and sadness at the death.

The coroner’s office said all the victims died from blunt force injuries. Most victims were in their 20s, with the youngest victim 18 years old and the oldest 63. About 30 people were injured, and 16 remained hospitalized as of Friday.

Later on Saturday night, New Orleans residents held a vigil on Bourbon Street, tearfully carrying memorial crosses and pictures of victims.