The international community must not forget Yemen’s humanitarian crisis as its people are "on their knees”, a senior official at the International Committee of the Red Cross told The National.
Yemen’s conflict has caused a collapse in basic services, such as health care and education, with millions of people displaced and 80 per cent of the population dependent on aid.
However, in recent weeks, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has taken the spotlight off continuing crises occurring in the region.
“I understand why the focus is on Ukraine but we need to have the capacity to integrate all these crises and not exclude one,” said Fabrizio Carboni, the ICRC’s Mena regional director.
“There is a serious concern that with time we should not forget what is still one of the major humanitarian crises which is Yemen,” Mr Carboni said, adding that “Yemen unfortunately keeps on being unstable where the same people are paying the price.”
The ICRC has said that nearly 51 per cent of Yemen’s healthcare centres are operating after eight years of war. In 2021, more than 157,000 were displaced with more than 3.3 million remaining displaced across the country.
Yemen has one of the world’s biggest humanitarian crises which is frustrating for humanitarian actors, Mr Carboni said.
“We are only patching the walls, we are not giving them some quality of life, just the bare minimum,” he said.
Mr Carboni’s comments come before the annual pledging meeting for Yemen on March 16.
Humanitarian actors worry that donor fatigue will impact the event, as governments shift allocations to Ukraine, Afghanistan and other crises.
“Donating states have to understand that it’s really life saving, it’s not about fancy humanitarian assistance, it’s literally life saving, to keep people alive,” Mr Carboni said.
“I understand that some states are frustrated because it's been years they are supporting humanitarian efforts in Yemen, but we are worried that states will divert their attention and finances to other issues,” he said.
No end in sight for political situation
Mr Carboni said the ICRC cannot ignore the political environments in which they operate.
“Today we don’t see the right condition or the will of many sides,” Mr Carboni said, adding that trust must be built because it is clear parties to the conflict do not trust each other.
The Iran-backed rebels stormed Yemen’s capital Sanaa in 2014, ousting the government and triggering a civil war that has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
The fighting has continued despite several rounds of talks and peace initiatives by the UN and international community, with the rebels currently waging a major offensive on Marib, the government's only stronghold in the north.
“I don’t think that Yemen has two sides, it’s many sides. It’s complicated,” he said.
Mr Carboni said that “conflict is not an option and is not a solution for people."
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What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
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Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
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ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
more from Janine di Giovanni
Race results:
1. Thani Al Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi: 46.44 min
2. Peter Morin (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team: 0.91sec
3. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team: 31.43sec
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Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
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Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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Scores
New Zealand 266 for 9 in 50 overs
Pakistan 219 all out in 47.2 overs
New Zealand win by 47 runs
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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