UN report calls for piracy courts in Somalia



NEW YORK // Security Council members should spend $25 million on special courts and prisons in Somalia's self-governing regions to prosecute and jail sea-borne raiders, according to a UN report.

Jack Lang, the UN's special advisor on legal issues related to Somali piracy, suggested in the report that the autonomous areas of Somaliland and Puntland should each house a UN-backed courthouse and prison for pirates within eight months. A third, Somali-run court, is planned in Arusha, Tanzania.

In the report circulated among Security Council members late on Monday, Mr Lang warned that prosecuting Somali pirates has "reached a standstill" with less than 10 per cent of those captured being brought to justice.

"If the international community does not act with extreme urgency, Somalia's piracy economy will continue to grow, past the point of no return," said the 55-page report. "A very limited window of opportunity remains for the international community to act with determination and attempt to win the race against time."

Piracy reached record levels last year with 53 hijackings and 1,181 kidnappings. Eight sailors were killed by the increasingly heavily armed attackers, the International Maritime Bureau said this month.

Hijackings off the coast of Somalia accounted for 92 per cent of all ship seizures last year, with 49 vessels captured and 1,016 crew members taken hostage, the bureau said. Pirate attacks on ships globally has risen every year for the past four years, with 445 incidents reported in 2010, up 10 per cent from 2009.

An international armada guards shipping lanes off Somalia's coast and into the Gulf of Aden, assisting the 25,000 vessels that pass through the Red Sea and Suez Canal each year as well as tankers carrying 3.3 million barrels of oil each day through the Bab-el Mandeb Strait.

But high unemployment among Somali men and teens creates a steady stream of willing pirates, with Somalia's UN-backed central government struggling to control its own territory and locked in a battle against Islamist militants.

Only about one quarter of pirate raids are successful, the report said, but this has still seen 105 vessels and 1,900 seamen held for ransom since the end of 2008.

Ransoms grew to an average of US$5.4 million (Dh19.8) per vessel last year, with the record-breaking $9.5 million payoff for the South Korean oil tanker, Samho Dream, in November adding to last year's booty of about $238 million, according to the research group One Earth Future.

Although marines have captured more than 2,000 suspected pirates since December 2008, only 738 have been transferred to judicial authorities in 13 countries - mostly to Somalia, Kenya, Yemen, the Seychelles and the Maldives.

Many navies seize and destroy vessels and weapons but only "catch-and-release" the raiders, the report said. The Operation Atlanta force from European countries caught 51 suspects from mid-August to mid-December last year but freed all of them immediately.

Most countries do not try suspect pirates in domestic courts, with the exceptions of the Seychelles and Kenya, which use "universal jurisdiction" to try detainees. More nations should follow suit, said Mr Lang, while also co-operating more on gathering evidence and transferring convicts.

Tackling piracy should take place chiefly in Somalia, he said, with two courts and two prisons opened in Somaliland and Puntland within eight months. Each prison will hold 500 captives and have international monitors, and a third should open in Puntland within two years.

Mr Lang, who became a UN advisor in August, calls for a donor conference and the shipping industry to foot the $25 million bill - which he says is far cheaper than the multi-million dollar costs arising from piracy.

The law professor and former French culture minister has said he wants the Security Council to adopt a resolution based on his recommendations within a month, while also focussing on growing Somalia's economy so that fewer Somalis turn to crime.

The UN's humanitarian co-ordinator in Somalia, Mark Bowden, lamented "one of the world's most intractable crises" this week and urged donors to step up support for the country of 9.4 million, many of whom endure poverty, drought and conflict.

Bronwyn Bruton, an author of reports on Somalia for the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations, said rich nations only pay "lip service" to development in Somalia and criticised Mr Lang's proposals as an "expedient" solution to deep-rooted problems.

"The idea that they're going to be scared off by prisons that meet UN human rights standards is wholly unrealistic. In these jails, they will have food, protection from violence and probably some basic literacy training. For these guys, it's going to sound like a holiday camp."

jreinl@thenational.ae

England v South Africa Test series:

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Third Test: at The Oval, July 27-31

Fourth Test: at Old Trafford, August 4-8

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Getting there

The flights

Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.

The stay

Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net 

Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama

Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com

FIGHT%20CARD
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Max touring range: 620km / 590km
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Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
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SPECS

Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
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The specs

  Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now

The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)

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Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher:  Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5

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Director: Rohit Shetty

Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone

Rating: 3/5

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol

Power: 154bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option 

Price: From Dh79,600

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Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

Sustainable Development Goals

1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation

10. Reduce inequality  within and among countries

11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects

14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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ATP WORLD No 1

2004 Roger Federer

2005 Roger Federer

2006 Roger Federer

2007 Roger Federer

2008 Rafael Nadal

2009 Roger Federer

2010 Rafael Nadal

2011 Novak Djokovic

2012 Novak Djokovic

2013 Rafael Nadal

2014 Novak Djokovic

2015 Novak Djokovic

2016 Andy Murray

2017 Rafael Nadal

2018 Novak Djokovic

2019 Rafael Nadal

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'Morbius'

Director: Daniel Espinosa 

Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona

Rating: 2/5

Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?

Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.

They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.

“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.

He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.

FINAL SCORES

Fujairah 130 for 8 in 20 overs

(Sandy Sandeep 29, Hamdan Tahir 26 no, Umair Ali 2-15)

Sharjah 131 for 8 in 19.3 overs

(Kashif Daud 51, Umair Ali 20, Rohan Mustafa 2-17, Sabir Rao 2-26)

The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

'Worse than a prison sentence'

Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.

“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.

“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.

“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.

“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.

“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”

Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE squad

Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind

Fixtures

Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE

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MATCH INFO

Barcelona 4 (Messi 23' pen, 45 1', 48', Busquets 85')

Celta Vigo 1 (Olaza 42')