Kuwait's emir Tuesday pledged half a billion dollars at the start of a major do**r conference for Syria, describing the crisis unfolding as the "biggest humanitarian catastrophe in modern history". "I am pleased to an**unce the pledging of 0 million (464 million euros) from Kuwait's government and private sectors to support the humanitarian efforts in Syria," Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah said. "The Syrian people are victims of the worst humanitarian crisis of our time," Ban told the conference, which the UN hopes will raise billions of dollars in aid.