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Ravaged by four years of civil war, Myanmar is ill-prepared to cope with the destruction brought by Friday’s massive earthquake.The 7.7-magnitude quake that struck central Myanmar has killed more than 1,600 people and destroyed thousands of homes.But the bloody conflict sparked by the 2021 military coup has brought the country’s infrastructure, healthcare system and power network to their knees.Here are some of the challenges facing relief efforts in Myanmar:- Humanitarian crisis -The United Nations and aid agencies have warned that millions were already facing a dire humanitarian crisis before the quake, and are now in urgent need of yet more aid.Much of the country was already plagued by a punishing mix of conflict, poverty and instability after the civil war that left 3.5 million people displaced and smashed the economy.”We have estimated that 19.9 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, and this is just before the earthquake,” said UN humanitarian coordinator in Myanmar Marcoluigi Corsi.”The situation will be further aggravated.”Before the quake, the World Food Programme (WFP) said more than 15 million out of a population of 51 million were unable to meet their daily food needs.Just two days after the quake, the UN said the aid effort was being hampered by a severe lack of medical supplies, while rescuers on the ground have pleaded for more equipment to comb ruined buildings for survivors.The quake also struck Myanmar at a time when US President Donald Trump has slashed jobs and funding to Washington’s foreign aid agency.Trump has promised US help but one million civilians in Myanmar face WFP aid cuts after he took an axe to the US Agency for International Development.Countries around the world have begun sending rescue teams and aid shipments.- Junta rule -The junta, led by General Min Aung Hlaing, has lost control of large parts of Myanmar throughout the conflict, though it remains in charge of major cities including Mandalay — the closest to the quake epicentre and worst hit. But many civil servants chose to switch sides following the military coup and join resistance to the junta.This loss of personnel has further weakened an already antiquated civil administration, making the management and distribution of relief efforts harder.In a sign of the enormity of the disaster — and perhaps in a tacit admission of the state’s inability to respond — Min Aung Hlaing issued a rare appeal for foreign aid on Friday.This marked a major shift from previous military rulers who shunned all international assistance. Poverty is rampant, the economy shattered, and international sanctions combined with the expense of fighting the civil war have drained the junta’s coffers.- Splintered control -Much of Myanmar is controlled by a shifting patchwork of junta forces, ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy partisans.The complex mosaic of control on the ground, often involving competing groups with different agendas, may further frustrate efforts to move relief resources to where they are needed around the country.Sagaing city — near the quake’s epicentre — has seen some of the heaviest fighting between junta forces and armed resistance groups.Ethnic armed groups, border militias and the military have all been vying for control of local resources, spurring fears there will be a similar tussle for aid.- Poor infrastructure -Myanmar’s infrastructure and medical system have been ravaged by the civil war.The junta has bombed hospitals in rebel-held areas and many doctors have abandoned government medical facilities to join the rebellion.The UN has said hospitals in Mandalay, Magway and the capital Naypyidaw “are struggling to cope with the influx of people injured”.The country was already beset by phone and internet blackouts but the quake has further hurt communications and the ability to direct aid to the most in need.Internet communications in Mandalay were patchy and land and air routes severely disrupted after the quake buckled roads.With many houses collapsed, the UN and other NGOs say solutions are needed for the many left homeless.

An American woman freed by the Taliban in Afghanistan celebrated her release, in a video shared Saturday by US President Donald Trump, in which she thanked him for helping secure her freedom.In a video shared on Trump’s Truth Social account, Faye Hall is seen smiling and in apparently good health, saying: “Thank you for bringing me home.”Hall, a British couple and their Afghan translator were detained on February 1 as they traveled to central Bamiyan province.Washington’s former envoy to Kabul, Zalmay Khalilzad, said Hall was in the care of the Qatari delegation in Kabul. “American citizen Faye Hall, just released by the Taliban, is now in the care of our friends, the Qataris in Kabul, and will soon be on her way home,” Khalilzad, who has been part of a US delegation working on Taliban hostage releases, wrote on X.While at the Qatari embassy, Hall “has been confirmed in good health after undergoing a series of medical checks,” according to a source with knowledge of the release.She was released on Thursday following a court order and with logistical support from Qatar, the source added.In the video promoted by Trump’s account, Hall said she was proud to be a US citizen and urged support for Afghan women held in Taliban jails.”Thank you, Mr President,” she said. “And I just want you to know, all the women in the Afghan jail, they always ask me, ‘When is Trump coming?’ You, truly, they just treat you like their savior. They’re waiting for you to come and set them free.”In the post accompanying the video, Trump said: “Thank you Faye — So honored with your words!”Hall, identified by the Taliban’s interior ministry as Chinese-American, was detained along with Peter and Barbie Reynolds, who are in their 70s, as they travelled to the British couple’s home in central Bamiyan province. Their Afghan translator was also arrested.Taliban officials have refused to detail the reasons for their arrest, but one report said Hall had been detained on charges of using a drone without authorization.- Hopes for ‘new chapter’ -Khalilzad had been in the Afghan capital earlier this month on a rare visit by US officials to meet Taliban authorities, accompanying US hostage envoy Adam Boehler. Following their visit, the Taliban government announced the release of US citizen George Glezmann after more than two years of detention, in a deal brokered by Qatar.He and Hall are among several Americans to be released from Taliban custody this year. In January, two Americans detained in Afghanistan — Ryan Corbett and William McKenty — were freed in exchange for an Afghan fighter, Khan Mohammed, who was convicted of narco-terrorism in the United States. At least one other US citizen, Mahmood Habibi, is still held in Afghanistan.The British couple detained with Hall remain in Taliban custody.Their daughter has expressed grave fears for her father’s health and appealed to the Taliban authorities to free them. The Reynolds, who married in Kabul in 1970, have run school training programs in the country for 18 years.They remained in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021 when the British embassy withdrew its staff. The government in Kabul is not recognized by any country, but several, including Russia, China and Turkey, have kept their embassies open in the Afghan capital. Qatar, too, has maintained diplomatic channels with the Taliban and has facilitated negotiations for the release of US hostages.Since Trump’s reelection, the Kabul government has expressed hopes for a “new chapter” with Washington.

Fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna took two wickets each as Gujarat Titans thrashed IPL powerhouse Mumbai Indians by 36 runs for their first win this season on Saturday.Gujarat rode on Sai Sudharsan’s 63 off 41 balls to post 196-8 after being invited to bat first at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.Siraj then led the bowling charge to limit the opposition to 160-6 as five-time winners Mumbai went down to their second straight loss in the 18th edition of the T20 tournament.Siraj removed the Mumbai openers to dent the chase and Krishna hurt the middle-order to return figures of 2-18.Krishna, a fast-medium bowler who has played three Tests, 17 ODIs and five T20s for India, was named player of the match.”I was itching to bowl. We were sitting and watching how the first innings went. So we understood that cutters into the wicket were working well,” he said.Mumbai’s former captain Rohit Sharma started on the front foot with two successive boundaries but Siraj had the last laugh as he bowled the opener for eight on the fourth ball.Siraj was on fire when he bowled South African wicketkeeper-batsman Ryan Rickelton for six as the left-hander got an inside edge on to his stumps.Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav attempted to rebuild in a third-wicket stand of 62 until Krishna struck to remove Varma for 39.Suryakumar hit 48 and smashed four sixes in an attempt to keep up with the ever-increasing scoring rate and along with skipper Hardik Pandya looked to pull things back.But the bowling remained disciplined and Krishna got his reward with Suryakumar’s wicket and South African quick Kagiso Rabada dismissed Pandya, for 11, as the chase fizzled out.- ‘Not professional’ -“Tough to put it together, I think in batting and bowling we were 15-20 runs short in both places,” said Pandya.”We were not professional in the field, we made basic errors and that cost us 20-25 runs and in a T20 game that is quite a lot.”Earlier, Gujarat openers Sudharsan and Shubman Gill started cautiously before the two hammered 35 runs across overs five and six.Returning Pandya cut short skipper Gill’s knock on 38 when he had the attacking opener caught at deep square leg to end a 78-run opening stand.Pandya missed his team’s opening loss due a suspension from the previous edition when he was charged for a slow-over rate offence. He returned figures of 2-29 with his pace bowling. The left-handed Sudharsan built another key stand with England’s Jos Buttler, who kept up the charge with regular boundaries as he hit 39 off 24 balls.Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman dismissed Buttler, caught behind as the Gujarat bowlers hit back.Pandya dismissed the big-hitting Shahrukh Khan for nine and West Indies left-hander Sherfane Rutherford fell to seam bowler Deepak Chahar for 18.Sudharsan held firm in a middle-order stutter and reached his fifty before New Zealand left-arm quick Trent Boult trapped the batsman lbw.Disciplined bowling denied Gujarat a big finish in the final few overs but the total proved enough for the team’s first win in two matches.

French tourist Augustin Gus was shopping for a t-shirt in one of Bangkok’s many malls when a massive quake began shaking the building in the Thai capital.”Just when I left the elevator, the earth starts moving. I thought it was me… it was not me,” the 23-year-old told AFP.”Everyone was screaming and running, so I started screaming as well.”The powerful 7.7-magnitude quake struck Friday afternoon in neighbouring Myanmar, where over 1,000 people have been killed and several cities face large-scale destruction.The damage and toll was far smaller in Bangkok, with 10 people confirmed dead so far, most in the collapse of an under-construction skyscraper.For many tourists who flocked to the popular destination, the quake was a disconcerting experience.Some were lazing in rooftop pools when the powerful shaking began to slop the water off the edge of high-rise buildings.Others were left stranded in the streets with their luggage when the city’s metro and light-rail system shut down for safety checks after the quake.The city’s residents, unused to earthquakes, were not able to offer much guidance, said one business traveller from the Solomon Islands, who asked not to be named.”Unfortunately there were no procedures in place” during his evacuation from the 21st floor of a Bangkok skyscraper on Friday.”So everyone was getting confused,” he said. “I just wanted to get out.” Cristina Mangion, 31, from Malta, was in her hotel bed when the shaking began.”I thought I was feeling dizzy from the heat,” she told AFP.Hotel staff came to knock at the doors of each room to offer help, and Mangion’s father quickly messaged to check she was okay.- Soldiering on -Despite the experience Mangion and Gus were among the tourists out on Saturday at the sprawling Chatuchak market.The popular tourist draw is not far from the scene of the deadly building collapse, and market security guard Yim Songtakob said crowds were thinner than usual.”That’s normal… people are scared,” said the 55-year-old, who has worked at the market for a decade.Still, Mangion said she would not be deterred by the tremors.”I feel bad for what happened,” she said. “I think the best thing is to actually come here and… really help the locals with their business anyway because this weekend will probably be harder than usual for business.”Gus also said he was not worried about enjoying the rest of his three-week trip.”I’ll still have great memories, it’s just an experience and that’s why I’m travelling,” he said.Frenchman Gilles Franke, a regular visitor to Thailand who hopes to one day retire in the country, was equally sanguine about the risk of aftershocks.”When it’s your time, it’s your time,” the 59-year-old told AFP.”You can die when you cross the road, you can die at any time in your life.”

Beneath basketball hoops and beside football goals, hospital beds line a sports hall — patients evacuated from a hospital in the Thai capital for fear of damage by a devastating earthquake.The shallow 7.7-magnitude quake struck central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock — with powerful tremors shaking Bangkok, more than 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) to the south.When the earthquake struck, patients at Rajavithi Hospital were rushed out of the building, some helped down stairs to nearby makeshift shelters, including to the hospital’s canteen and sports hall.The worst impact was in Myanmar, where the junta said at least 1,002 people were killed and nearly 2,400 injured.Around 10 more deaths have been confirmed in Bangkok, where the Friday lunchtime tremors shook buildings and created panic on the streets.The construction site of a new 30-storey government building quickly turned into a disaster scene, with people jumping into cars to escape or shrieking as they fled on foot.Dramatic video footage showed the tremor rocking a high-rise hotel, with water from its rooftop pool whipping over the building’s edge.- Fear -At the hospital, staff rushed to take the patients outside.One patient, being treated for leukaemia, told AFP that she was moved from her private room to a hall in Rajavithi Hospital, walking down multiple flights of stairs aided by nurses.”I need to receive my blood platelets soon, and the hospital is currently checking which other hospital can provide the treatment,” she said, asking not to be named.Some were later moved back inside, while others were transferred to different hospitals this morning, a hospital staff member said.On Saturday, around 30 patients were in the hall, where hospital staff provided basic medical care including blood transfusions.Many Bangkok residents were terrified, remaining fearful about aftershocks.Some chose to sleep outside under trees in open spaces in Bangkok, or popped up tents in the park for the night. Others came out to help.Panadda Wongphudee, an actor and a former Miss Thailand who often takes part in volunteer activities, handed out refreshments to rescue workers.

Experts say that the devastating earthquake in Myanmar on Friday was likely the strongest to hit the country in decades, with disaster modelling suggesting thousands could be dead.Automatic assessments from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the shallow 7.7-magnitude quake northwest of the central Myanmar city of Sagaing triggered a red alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses.”High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread,” it said, locating the epicentre near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay, home to more than a million people.Myanmar’s ruling junta said on Saturday morning that the number killed had passed 1,000, with more than 2,000 injured.However, the USGS analysis said there was a 35 percent chance that possible fatalities could be in the range of 10,000-100,000 people.The USGS offered a similar likelihood that the financial damage could total tens of thousands of millions of dollars, warning that it might exceed the GDP of Myanmar.Weak infrastructure will complicate relief efforts in the isolated, military-ruled state, where rescue services and the healthcare system have already been ravaged by four years of civil war sparked by a military coup in 2021.- Dangerous fault -Bill McGuire, emeritus professor of geophysical and climate hazards at University College London (UCL), said it was “probably the biggest earthquake on the Myanmar mainland in three-quarters of a century”.A 6.7-magnitude aftershock struck minutes after the first and McGuire warned that “more can be expected”.Rebecca Bell, a tectonics expert at Imperial College London (ICL), suggested it was a side-to-side “strike-slip” of the Sagaing Fault.This is where the Indian tectonic plate, to the west, meets the Sunda plate that forms much of Southeast Asia — a fault similar in scale and movement to the San Andreas Fault in California.”The Sagaing fault is very long, 1,200 kilometres (745 miles), and very straight,” Bell said. “The straight nature means earthquakes can rupture over large areas — and the larger the area of the fault that slips, the larger the earthquake.”Earthquakes in such cases can be “particularly destructive”, Bell added, explaining that since the quake takes place at a shallow depth, its seismic energy has dissipated little by the time it reaches populated areas above.That causes “a lot of shaking at the surface”, Bell said.- Building boom -Myanmar has been hit by powerful quakes in the past.There have been more than 14 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 or above in the past century, including a magnitude 6.8 earthquake near Mandalay in 1956, said Brian Baptie, a seismologist with the British Geological Survey.Ian Watkinson, from the department of earth sciences at Royal Holloway University of London, said what had changed in recent decades was the “boom in high-rise buildings constructed from reinforced concrete”.Myanmar has been riven by years of conflict and there is a low level of building design enforcement. “Critically, during all previous magnitude 7 or larger earthquakes along the Sagaing Fault, Myanmar was relatively undeveloped, with mostly low-rise timber-framed buildings and brick-built religious monuments,” Watkinson said. “Today’s earthquake is the first test of modern Myanmar’s infrastructure against a large, shallow-focus earthquake close to its major cities.”Baptie said that at least 2.8 million people in Myanmar were in hard-hit areas where most lived in buildings “constructed from timber and unreinforced brick masonry” that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking.”The usual mantra is that ‘earthquakes don’t kill people; collapsing infrastructure does’,” said Ilan Kelman, an expert in disaster reduction at UCL.”Governments are responsible for planning regulations and building codes. This disaster exposes what governments of Burma/Myanmar failed to do long before the earthquake, which would have saved lives during the shaking.”- Skyscraper checks -Strong tremors also rocked neighbouring Thailand, where a 30-storey skyscraper under construction was reduced to a pile of dusty concrete, trapping workers in the debris.Christian Malaga-Chuquitaype, from ICL’s civil and environmental engineering department, said the nature of the ground in Bangkok contributed to the impact on the city, despite being some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from the epicentre in Myanmar. “Even though Bangkok is far from active faults, its soft soil amplifies the shaking,” he said. “This affects especially tall buildings during distant earthquakes.” Malaga-Chuquitaype said the construction techniques in Bangkok favouring “flat slabs” — where floors are held only by columns without using strengthening beams, like a table supported only by legs — were a “problematic design”.He said that initial video analysis of the collapsed tower block in Bangkok suggested this type of construction technique had been used.”It performs poorly during earthquakes, often failing in a brittle and sudden (almost explosive) manner,” he said.Roberto Gentile, a catastrophe risk modelling expert from UCL, said the “dramatic collapse” of the Bangkok tower block meant that “other tall buildings in the city may require a thorough assessment”.Bangkok city authorities said they will deploy more than 100 engineers to inspect buildings for safety after receiving more than 2,000 reports of damage.

Mark Chapman struck a sublime century and Nathan Smith claimed four wickets Saturday as New Zealand eased to a 73-run win over Pakistan in the first one-day international in Napier.Chapman’s career-best 132 formed the foundation of an imposing 344-9 at McLean Park before Pakistan’s promising chase capitulated, to be all out for 271 in the 45th over.The tourists looked on track at 249-3, at that point needing 96 runs to win, with more than 11 overs remaining.However, seamer Smith (4-60) helped to spark a late collapse, with the last seven wickets falling for 22 runs.Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan lamented a lack of contribution from his lower order, with the bottom six batsmen scoring just three runs between them.”We started the innings with good intent,” Rizwan said.”Obviously, at the end, the pressure increases because you’re getting nearer to the chase. We lost wickets and it changed the momentum.”- ‘Rode our luck’ -Earlier, the recalled Babar Azam top-scored for Pakistan with 78 off 83 balls, but it was his dismissal that started the rot.Salman Agha struck a defiant 58 off 48, but he was let down by a series of loose shots from lower order teammates as New Zealand moved one-up in the three-match series.Chapman’s 111-ball innings featured 13 fours and four sixes, lifting New Zealand out of early trouble after they were asked to bat and stuttered to 50-3.The left-hander put on 199 for the fourth wicket with Daryl Mitchell (76 off 84) before the home side’s innings was finished off in record-breaking fashion by debut all-rounder Muhammad Abbas.Pakistan-born Abbas struck 52, setting a world record for the fastest half-century on debut when he reached 50 off the 24th ball he faced.Player of the match Chapman said he and Mitchell needed to apply themselves in the early stages.”It was certainly pretty tricky early on, the ball was moving a lot. We were probably aiming for a total a little bit lower than what we got in the end,” he said.”But it’s something we pride ourselves on, being able to adapt to the conditions and then stay in the game and just keep scrapping.”We rode our luck at times and then Muh (Abbas) put the icing on the cake. It was outstanding to see.”Pakistan left-arm quick Akif Javed claimed 2-55 on his international debut, but the best figures were recorded by part-time seamer Irfan Khan, who took 3-51 off five expensive overs at the death.Both teams feature numerous changes to those who played out a five-match T20 series, won 4-1 by New Zealand.The second match of the series is in Hamilton on Wednesday.Chapman is in doubt after injuring his hamstring in the field and exiting the game.

Mark Chapman struck a sublime century and Nathan Smith claimed four wickets Saturday as New Zealand eased to a 73-run win over Pakistan in the first one-day international in Napier.Chapman’s career-best 132 formed the foundation of an imposing 344-9 at McLean Park before Pakistan’s promising chase capitulated to be all out for 271 in the 45th over.The tourists looked on track at 249-3, at that point needing 96 runs to win, with more than 11 overs remaining.However, seamer Smith (4-60) helped to spark a late collapse, with the last seven wickets falling for 22 runs.Earlier, the recalled Babar Azam top-scored for Pakistan with 78 off 83 balls but it was his dismissal that started the rot.Salman Agha struck a defiant 58 off 48 but he was let down by a series of loose shots from lower order teammates as New Zealand moved one-up in the three-match series.Chapman’s 111-ball innings featured 13 fours and four sixes, lifting New Zealand out of early trouble after they were asked to bat and stuttered to 50-3.The left-hander put on 199 for the fourth wicket with Daryl Mitchell (76 off 84) before the home side’s innings was finished off in record-breaking fashion by debut allrounder Muhammad Abbas.Pakista-born Abbas struck 52, setting a world record for the fastest half-century on debut when he reached 50 off the 24th ball he faced.Pakistan’s seam-heavy attack capitalised on lively bounce but they were punished later.Left-arm quick Akif Javed claimed 2-55 on his international debut, but the best figures were recorded by part-time seamer Irfan Khan, who took 3-51 off five expensive overs at the death.Both teams feature numerous changes to those who played out a five-match T20 series, won 4-1 by New Zealand.The second match of the series is in Hamilton on Wednesday.

Mark Chapman struck a sublime century and Muhammad Abbas provided record-breaking late fireworks as New Zealand posted 344-9 on Saturday in the first one-day international against Pakistan in Napier.Chapman’s career-best 132 formed the foundation of the imposing team score at McLean Park, after New Zealand had slumped to 50-3 in the 13th over, having been asked to bat.Pakistan-born allrounder Abbas ignited the end of the innings with his 52, setting a world record for the fastest half-century on debut when he reached 50 off the 24th ball he faced.Pakistan’s seam-heavy attack capitalised on lively bounce and movement early on, but their hold on the game slipped when Chapman was joined by Daryl Mitchell (76 off 84 balls), with the pair putting on 199 for the fourth wicket.Left-hander Chapman was the more aggressive of the pair, facing just 111 balls and striking 13 fours and six sixes.The 30-year-old was fortunate to survive a dropped catch in the slips by Salman Agha when on just five.Mitchell’s dismissal in the 42nd over sparked a mini-collapse before 21-year-old Abbas launched his spectacular innings, featuring three fours and three sixes.All four specialist Pakistan seamers were effective early on but were punished late.Left-arm quick Akif Javed claimed 2-55 on his international debut, but the best figures were recorded by part-time seamer Irfan Khan, who took 3-51 off five expensive overs at the death.Both teams feature numerous changes to those who played out a five-match T20 series, won 4-1 by New Zealand.The tourists have welcomed back captain Mohammad Rizwan and batsman Babar Azam after the key veterans were omitted for the T20 series.Along with Javed’s debut, opening batsman Usman Khan and seamer Mohammed Ali are both playing their first ODI for Pakistan.New Zealand handed international debuts to Abbas and opening batsman Nick Kelly, who scored 15.

Marwa fled Taliban rule in Afghanistan because she wanted to study, work, wear jeans and go to the park without a male chaperone. Now she is under lock and key in Costa Rica, along with hundreds of other migrants expelled by the United States to third countries in Central America.Costa Rica is one of three Central American countries, along with Panama and Guatemala, that have agreed to receive migrants from other countries and to detain them until they are sent to their home nations or other host countries. A fourth country — El Salvador — took a group of Venezuelans and jailed them in a maximum-security prison after the United States claimed, without providing evidence, that they are gang members.AFP spoke to several migrants from a group of about 200 people, including around 80 children, detained at a facility near Costa Rica’s border with Panama.All said they feared for their lives in their homeland. Marwa, 27, said she was terrified at the thought that she, her husband and two-year-old daughter could be sent back to Afghanistan.Her husband Mohammad Asadi, 31, who ran a construction company back home, was threatened by the Taliban for selling materials to American companies.”I know if I go back I will die there. I will be killed by the Taliban,” Marwa told AFP in English, in an interview conducted through the center’s perimeter fence.Alireza Salimivir, a 35-year-old Iranian Christian, said he and his wife face a similar fate.”Due to our conversion from Islam to Christianity… it’s jail or the death penalty for us,” he said.- Tropical limbo -On his return to office in January, US President Donald Trump launched what he vowed would be the biggest migrant deportation wave in American history and signed an order suspending asylum claims at the southern border.Citing pressure from “our economically powerful brother to the north,” Costa Rica said it had agreed to collaborate in the “repatriation of 200 illegal immigrants to their country.”But only 74 of the migrants have been repatriated so far, with another 10 set to follow, according to the authorities.The rest are in limbo.They refuse to be deported to their homelands, but no other country — including Costa Rica itself, which has a long tradition of offering asylum — has offered to take them in.”We can’t go back, nor can we stay here. We don’t know the culture and don’t speak Spanish,” said Marwa, who said she wanted to be close to relatives “in Canada, the United States or Europe.”- Prison or war -German Smirnov, a 36-year-old Russian former election official, said he fled to the United States with his wife and six-year-old son after flagging up fraud in last year’s presidential election.He said his request for asylum in the United States was “totally ignored, like it had never existed.”If returned to Vladimir Putin’s Russia, he said: “They will give me two options, sit in prison or go to war (in Ukraine).”Marwa and her husband also said they wanted to seek asylum in the United States when they arrived at the US-Mexican border earlier this year after a grueling overland journey through 10 countries, starting in Brazil.But they were never given the chance to file an asylum claim. Instead, they were detained and flown to Costa Rica 18 days later.Asadi said an immigration official verbally abused Marwa for wearing a hijab and singled her out to pick up trash, alone.Smirnov said they treated the migrants, including women and children, “like scum.”- Costa Rica policy change -At the Costa Rican facility, the group said they were well fed and allowed to use their cell phones, but their passports had been seized by the police.”There is a systematic pattern of human rights violations in a country that has always prided itself on defending them,” said former Costa Rican diplomat Mauricio Herrera, who has filed a legal challenge to the migrants’ detention.”This is a very serious setback for Costa Rica,” he told AFP.Michael Garcia Bochenek, children’s rights counsel at Human Rights Watch, warned Costa Rica in a statement against being “complicit in flagrant US abuses.”