Terror attack will not deter UAE’s aid mission to Somalia



DUBAI // A convoy from the Emirates Red Crescent was hit by a terrorist bomb while trying to deliver aid in drought-stricken Somalia on Wednesday.

The convoy was travelling in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, when the attack occurred, with the charity’s workers lucky to avoid injury.

After the blast, the UAE was quick to reaffirm its commitment to help the people of Somalia, hundreds of thousands of whom are facing famine.

“Such terrorist acts will not deter us from extending help and assistance to Somalia while it is undergoing a critical humanitarian situation,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said.

“We reiterate the UAE’s support for the government and people of Somalia.”

The drought has worsened in recent weeks, leading to 110 deaths last month alone, Somalia’s ambassador to the UAE said.

Abdulkadir Al Hatimi urged the international community to act fast to save lives.

“The drought has been really bad and everyone in Somalia is suffering,” Mr Al Hatimi said.

“We would like to thank those who have helped the people for everything they have done and their efforts for the past 26 years since the civil war. But the situation is terrible now.”

Staff at the UN World Food Programme’s Humanitarian Response Depot in Dubai on Wednesday packed 45 tonnes of food and medical supplies on to six lorries.

They are expected to be shipped from Sharjah to Mogadishu on Friday, from where the aid will be flown to cities across Somalia to avoid areas controlled by Al Shabab extremists.

“Somalia is facing a severe food crisis at the moment,” said Stefano Peveri, senior logistics officer at the UN depot.

“It is the effect of El Nino and El Nina weather systems in most of eastern and southern Africa. The complication in Somalia, in Sudan and in north-east Nigeria is the fact that the population is already food insecure.”

Of the 12.5 million people living in Somalia, about 6.5 million have unreliable access to food and 3.2 million do not have income needed for daily minimum food requirements.

The UAE is playing a leading role in Somalia, launching a Dh500 million mission of mercy last week to save hundreds of thousands of children and their families from starving to death.

The month-long For You, Somalia campaign was launched under the directives of President Sheikh Khalifa to provide food, water, medicine and other necessities.

Fahad bin Sultan, deputy secretary general of Emirates Red Crescent charity, said financial support was urgently needed.

“We’re starting with a budget of Dh100m and we expect a minimum Dh400m in donations as soon as possible, before Ramadan,” Mr bin Sultan said.

The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development on Wednesday announced a contribution of Dh330m.

That amount will go to development projects in Somalia, particularly in infrastructure and transport.

Mr Peveri said: “We want to prevent what happened in 2011 when we had the last big famine in Somalia, and to do so we need to use all the tools and systems we have in place.

“We keep food security under control in Somalia through a safety net of information, from the quantity of crops and the possibility of having storage for crops to access to micronutrients, because food is not enough.

“They also need access to clean water and the health of livestock.”

The drought has forced the UN to scale up its operations in Somalia.

“At the beginning of the year, we had a target population of about 1.2 million people,” Mr Peveri said. ‘Today we want to reach 3.5 million. The problem is getting more serious.”

With no grazing area and dry riverbeds, the country has no possibility to grow food.

“This is why we have to intervene,” Mr Peveri added. “Most of our efforts at the moment are to prevent the most food insecure areas entering the famine stage with chronic and severe malnutrition.”

cmalek@thenational.ae

THE BIO

Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.

Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.

Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.

Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.

 

 

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
The specs: 2018 Maxus T60

Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000

Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder

Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm

Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm

Transmission: Five-speed manual

Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

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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.
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  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
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Notable Yas events in 2017/18

October 13-14 KartZone (complimentary trials)

December 14-16 The Gulf 12 Hours Endurance race

March 5 Yas Marina Circuit Karting Enduro event

March 8-9 UAE Rotax Max Challenge

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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.

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How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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

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The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen

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This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen

A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB

The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free

Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards

Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser

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More than 90 per cent live in developing countries

The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device

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Number of staff: 210 
 
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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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What is blockchain?

Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.

The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.

Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.

However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.

Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.