Nadia Murad listens as Amal Clooney speaks at the United Nations Security Council during a meeting about sexual violence in conflict. Carlo Allegri / Reuters
Nadia Murad listens as Amal Clooney speaks at the United Nations Security Council during a meeting about sexual violence in conflict. Carlo Allegri / Reuters
Nadia Murad listens as Amal Clooney speaks at the United Nations Security Council during a meeting about sexual violence in conflict. Carlo Allegri / Reuters
Nadia Murad listens as Amal Clooney speaks at the United Nations Security Council during a meeting about sexual violence in conflict. Carlo Allegri / Reuters

A sad indictment of global failure to protect women


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In a conflict zone, women are often vulnerable and in the first line of attack – whether they are raped, kidnapped, enslaved or tortured. The shocking experiences of the Yazidi women in Iraq at the hands of ISIS, in Sierra Leone and in Bosnia have been well-documented, to name just a few examples.

In the light of those horrors, a firm and robust stance against rape in war ought to be a given. However, when Resolution 2467 denouncing the use of rape as a weapon of war came before the United Nations Security Council this week, the US threatened to veto it, adamant that references to “sexual or reproductive health” were cyphers for abortion.

Following fierce negotiations and entreaties from Yazidi Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad, the council passed a heavily diluted resolution, while China and Russia abstained. Britain and Belgium expressed disbelief at the Trump administration’s uncompromising stance. The French ambassador to the UN, Francois Delattre, accused Washington of “going against 25 years of gains for women’s rights in situations of armed conflict”.

The watered-down version has some limited value. For the first time, it calls for greater support for children conceived during rape and their often-stigmatised mothers. It also gives rare prominence to male victims. However, this document is a shadow of the original and a sad indictment of our international system, used by powerful nations to stymie progress.

In the words of Ms Murad, herself a former ISIS sex slave: “We give speeches at the UN but no real measures have been taken and nothing has been done.” Does it not matter that the world is experiencing, in her words, “an epidemic of sexual violence”? Resolution 2467 also provides a window into the priorities of US President Donald Trump, whose administration seems willing to disregard the most vulnerable to appease its core supporters.

Perhaps the original document would have had little effect in practice, had it passed. But that is not really the point. This will go down as another failure of the international community – one that is as dispiriting as it is cynical.

What's in the deal?

Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024

India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.

India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.

Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments

India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery

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'Nightmare Alley'

Director:Guillermo del Toro

Stars:Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara

Rating: 3/5

Greatest Royal Rumble results

John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match

Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto

Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus

Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal

Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos

Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe

AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out

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Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match

Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last

THE LOWDOWN

Photograph

Rating: 4/5

Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies

Director: Ritesh Batra

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz

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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In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

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Sarfira

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Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal 

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The specs

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Transmission: seven-speed

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