Species like the Arabian oryx reflect the riches of nature that are put at risk by the illegal wildlife trade. Sarah Dea / The National
Species like the Arabian oryx reflect the riches of nature that are put at risk by the illegal wildlife trade. Sarah Dea / The National

Wildlife crime denies our children their inheritance



The illegal trade in wildlife is slowly stealing the world around us and selling it to the highest bidder. It is an activity done without remorse that cares only for the quick profits of today and ignores the terrible losses of tomorrow.  
Every day, animals are being senselessly slaughtered for their body parts or stolen from their natural habitats and trafficked to satisfy the exotic pet trade and vast swaths of forest are being destroyed to make expensive furniture or other wood products.
The damage that this worldwide predation has had on our environment and global biodiversity is staggering. An estimated 1,215 rhinos were poached in South Africa in 2014. In the past decade, 1,000 rangers have been killed in the global struggle to protect wildlife. The fate of the pangolin, the most trafficked animal in the world, hangs in the balance. Like the rhino and its horn, it is thought to have mystical powers that can cure everything from acne to cancer.
Up to 30 per cent of the global timber trade is also estimated to be illicit and tropical deforestation now adds up to 10-15 per cent to global emissions. Like the damage done to conservation and the environment, the human cost is prohibitive.
Wildlife crime and its attendant corruption removes funds from social and economic development and threatens people's livelihoods, as well as national security.
To confront this crime, which generates billions of dollars in profits each year and uses many of the same smuggling routes as drug and human traffickers, the risk of detection needs to increase. Greater cooperation and coordination is needed, and policymakers and law enforcement agencies must prioritise this crime as a matter of urgency.
Last year's London conference on the illegal wildlife trade was the most recent of a series of international meetings on this issue and world leaders and representatives of international organisations called for greater political commitment and additional action. The steps considered by the conference participants included eliminating the demand for wildlife products, eradicating the markets for these goods, destruction of the seized products and enforcement of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites), which regulates the international trade in wildlife.    
But delegates also called for the criminalisation of poaching and wildlife trafficking and for these criminal offences to be termed "serious crimes". It was also proposed that money laundering and connected offences be closely reviewed, an acknowledgement that these were helping to further wildlife crimes.
Confronting wrongly-held beliefs about the efficacy and medicinal benefits of animal products is part of the work that can be undertaken in raising awareness about the illegal wildlife trade. Creating better understanding and dispelling widely-held myths through advocacy campaigns are crucial to reducing consumer demand.
To turn the tide against this cruel crime, there is also a need for sustainable wildlife areas that can return revenues to local communities and that are in harmony with local ecosystems. The supply chain for these illicit goods also has to be forcefully targeted, with both the private and public sectors checking the provenance of any purchases to prevent ivory and timber being delivered to legitimate marketplaces.
The narrative on wildlife also needs to change. Once considered to be an environmental issue most of all, there is a need for a change of mindset in order that policymakers prioritise this issue as a deeply damaging crime that has a huge effect on societies and communities.  
On World Wildlife Day today, I call on the international community to recognise that wildlife crime is a crime under the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and that it continues to grow in size and scope. Any sanctions must reflect this.  
I also urge the international community to acknowledge that this is an intergenerational crime and that the offences committed today will deny future generations their heritage. Everyone is impoverished by wildlife crime. To confront it we need a global partnership united in the belief that it's time to get serious about wildlife crime.
Yury Fedotov is executive director at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime 

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

A Prayer Before Dawn

Director: Jean-Stephane Sauvaire

Starring: Joe Cole, Somluck Kamsing, Panya Yimmumphai

Three stars

How being social media savvy can improve your well being

Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.

As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.

Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.

Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.

Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.

However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.

“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.

People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.

Going grey? A stylist's advice

If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Fringe@Four Line-up

October 1 - Phil Nichol (stand-up comedy)

October 29 - Mandy Knight (stand-up comedy)

November 5 - Sinatra Raw (Fringe theatre)

November 8 - Imah Dumagay & Sundeep Fernandes (stand-up comedy)

November 13 - Gordon Southern (stand-up comedy)

November 22 - In Loyal Company (Fringe theatre)

November 29 - Peter Searles (comedy / theatre)

December 5 - Sinatra’s Christmas Under The Stars (music / dinner show)

The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy

Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

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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

Maestro
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Company%20profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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.

Gorillaz 
The Now Now 

STAGE%201%20RESULTS
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Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

Match info:

Leicester City 1
Ghezzal (63')

Liverpool 2
Mane (10'), Firmino (45')

Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Rating: 4/5

Rashid & Rajab

Director: Mohammed Saeed Harib

Stars: Shadi Alfons,  Marwan Abdullah, Doaa Mostafa Ragab 

Two stars out of five 

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE

Price, base / as tested Dh274,000 (estimate)

Engine 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder

Gearbox  Nine-speed automatic

Power 245hp @ 4,200rpm

Torque 500Nm @ 1,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km

Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers