Tens of thousands of malnourished children risk dying in hard-to-reach areas of Ethiopia's conflict-racked Tigray region, which is now facing famine, the UN said on Friday.
"Without humanitarian access to scale up our response, an estimated 30,000-plus severely malnourished children in those highly inaccessible areas are at high risk of death," the UN children's fund spokesman James Elder said in Geneva.
His comments came after the UN on Thursday said about 350,000 people in Tigray were facing famine, while two million more were a step away from those extreme conditions.
"There is famine now in Tigray," UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said.,"Every expert you speak to will tell you this is going to get a lot worse."
Mr Lowcock said recent data showed that the number of people classified as being in famine conditions was "higher than anywhere in the world at any moment since a quarter of a million Somalis lost their lives in 2011".
The UN said that more than 90 per cent of the more than five million people in the Tigray region need emergency food aid and urgently appealed for more than $200 million to scale up the organisation's response.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, sent troops into the northern region in November to detain and disarm leaders of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the area's former ruling party.
He said the move was in response to attacks on federal army camps.
Although he promised that the conflict would be brief, fighting continues seven months later and reports of atrocities, including the widespread use of rape, are proliferating. Many leaders are concerned that a major catastrophe is looming.
The US and the EU on Thursday issued a plea for greater international efforts to tackle famine in the region.
International aid organisations repeatedly say they are being denied access to the region by Ethiopian forces and troops from neighbouring Eritrea.
A UN report released this week says the Eritrean military has committed “deliberate attacks against civilians and summary executions, indiscriminate attacks, sexual and gender-based violence, arbitrary detention, destruction and looting of civilian property and displacement and abduction of Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers".
On Wednesday, the US Agency for International Development announced that it is providing more than $181m in aid to more than three million people in Tigray.
The US is also attempting to increase pressure within the UN Security Council to end the fighting.
US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield expressed her frustration at the paralysis within the UN Security Council and its failure to end the suffering caused by the fighting.
“The humanitarian situation in Tigray is a moment of truth for the international community. Thousands have been killed or horrifically abused during this crisis. When will the UN Security Council or [the African Union] Peace and Security Council speak up and act?” she asked on Twitter.
Richard Gowan, UN director at the International Crisis Group, pointed to several elements, including Russian and Chinese support for Ethiopia, that have stalled UN action on the issue.
"Other crises, like Myanmar, have overshadowed Tigray at the UN this year, but it is proving a hugely divisive issue. African members of the council have only offered tepid support for council statements, and China and Russia are taking Ethiopia's side," Mr Gowan told The National.
On Thursday, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Demeke Hassen held a phone conversation with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.
“We affirmed our mutual commitment for co-operation and respect for each other’s sovereignty to handle internal matters resisting undue interferences,” Mr Hassen tweeted.
Though China and Russia seem to have sided with Ethiopia, Mr Gowan pointed to the US and Ireland as main proponents of UN action.
“Tigray is facing famine, but diplomats are still bickering about whether to even have a public meeting on the crisis. This is turning into a moral failure for the UN,” he said.
The UN Security Council statement issued in April on Tigray refrained from calling for a ceasefire, a US and EU demand that Ethiopia has resisted.
The only possible turning point would be if African Union states were to lose patience with Ethiopia, Mr Gowan said.
“But for now, the council is limping towards a catastrophe.”
The conflict has already displaced about two million civilians, and about 5.5 million people are facing food insecurity in the Tigray and Amhara regions, the UN said in a report released this week.
Human rights organisations such as Doctors Without Borders and Amnesty International have documented several incidents of sexual violence, extrajudicial killings, massacres and other grave abuses committed during the conflict.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
BRIEF SCORES:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Stage 3 results
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 4:42:33
2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:03
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:30
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:56
General Classification after Stage 3:
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 12:30:02
2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:07
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:35
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:40
5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Wilco Kelderman (NED) Team Sunweb) 0:02:06
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Lupita%20Nyong'o%2C%20Joseph%20Quinn%2C%20Djimon%20Hounsou%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMichael%20Sarnoski%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.
In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.
The bio
His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell
His favourite quote - 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance' by Derek Bok, Former President of Harvard
Favourite place to travel to - Peloponnese, Southern Greece
Favourite movie - The Last Emperor
Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great
Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
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.