On August 4, at least 2700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a chemical fertiliser also used to make bombs, exploded in the Beirut seaport, killing more than 150 people and wounding thousands. It was impounded in 2014 from an unseaworthy ship and unsafely stored at the port. Many Lebanese officials were informed of the fact that the explosive chemical had been stored at the port, yet they did nothing to dispose of it safely.
Nearly 3,000 kilometres to the south, in Yemen, another ticking time bomb sits in another seaport. In Hodeidah, an oil tanker has been in the hands of the Houthi rebels since the beginning of the conflict, in 2015. The FSO Safer has had almost no maintenance work or repairs, although it carries 1.1 million barrels of oil. The risk of oil spilling from the vessel, into which seawater is seeping, increases by the day. A spill would be catastrophic for the region's marine life. It would disrupt trade and deprive thousands of fishermen of their livelihoods. The oil could also explode, putting lives at risk.
Although the ship belongs to the Yemeni government, the Houthis wish to sell the oil, which was valued as high as $40 million before prices took a nosedive. The Iran-backed rebel militia long prevented the UN from inspecting the ship in order to assess the damage and make small repairs, despite repeated requests to do so since 2015. Last month, the Houthis agreed in principle to let the UN inspect the ship, but such permission has been granted in the past only to be revoked at the very last minute. And in all cases, access should have been granted years ago.
In Aden, reports have emerged of nearly 5,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate lying abandoned in the city's port for the past three years. The government has denied the existence of this highly hazardous material, but concerns are high among residents of the city. Yemen's attorney general Ali Ahmed Al Awash has ordered prosecutors to launch a swift investigation into these claims, but as the tragedy in Beirut shows, time is of the essence. Authorities must act to either secure any such materials, or end rumours about them so that the people of Yemen have one less danger to worry about.
In a region that has long been rife with war and corruption, the Beirut blasts should serve as a wake-up call for leaders of conflict-stricken nations
In Iraq, meanwhile, authorities appear to be taking stock of Lebanon’s devastating blasts to better protect the population. Baghdad announced on Thursday that an emergency committee had been set up to create an inventory of hazardous materials stockpiled in airports and ports, to prevent a repeat of the Beirut explosions.
In a region that has long been rife with wars and corruption, the Beirut blasts should serve as a wake-up call for leaders of conflict-stricken nations. It is not only armed conflict that can destroy cities and lead to a mass loss of life. Incompetence and negligence can also wreak havoc on the region’s people.
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
Orlando Crowcroft
Zed Books
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Celtic Prince, David Liska (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer).
7.05pm: Conditions Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Commanding, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
7.40pm: Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Grand Argentier, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 2,200m
Winner: Arch Gold, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed Dh265,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Ibn Malik, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.
