US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Haiti's Port-au-Prince on Thursday in a show of support for a multinational policing mission that is struggling to combat violent gangs, which have taken over much of the nation.
Mr Blinken’s first trip to Haiti as Secretary of State comes as the transitional council led by interim Prime Minister Garry Conille extended a state of emergency as violence continues to rage.
Mr Blinken is expected to meet Mr Conille, as well as members of the internationally backed police force, led by Kenya.
The force is understaffed and underfunded despite Washington providing more than $300 million.
“That support has already been delivered,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, adding that $200 million of it was in-kind support from the Department of Defence.
“And then of the remaining $109 million, which is State Department funding for things like radios, night-vision goggles, police gear, a very large tranche of that – tens of millions of dollars – has already been deployed, has arrived in Haiti, and more will continue to deploy over the course of the coming weeks and months.”
During his visit, Mr Blinken announced another $45 million in new humanitarian aid for Haiti.
"At this critical moment, you do need more funding. We do need more personnel to sustain and carry out the objectives of this mission," Mr Blinken said during a news conference.
About 400 Kenyan police officers have been in Haiti since June, but the international force is expected to grow to 2,500 – a relatively small number in a place where gangs control 80 per cent of the capital.
Haiti was overrun by gang violence in July 2021, when a group of foreign mercenaries stormed the home of Jovenel Moise, the prime minister at the time, and assassinated him. It remains unknown who planned and ordered the attack.
Mr Blinken is expected to also travel to neighbouring Dominican Republic, where he will meet President Luis Abinader.
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Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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COMPANY PROFILE
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Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
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Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
The specs
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Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Brighton 1
Gross (50' pen)
Tottenham 1
Kane (48)
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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