Palestinian school girls walk past sacks of flour outside a UN compound at the Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Palestinian school girls walk past sacks of flour outside a UN compound at the Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Palestinian school girls walk past sacks of flour outside a UN compound at the Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Palestinian school girls walk past sacks of flour outside a UN compound at the Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP

US funding cut is 'flagrant assault' on Palestinian people


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The US decision to end all funding for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees drew condemnation from the Palestinian leadership and its own allies on Saturday.

A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the US move was "a flagrant assault against the Palestinian people” while senior PLO leader Hanan Ashrawi said it was “cruel and irresponsible” and would destabilise the region.

The US State Department announced the decision on Friday, saying the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was an "irredeemably flawed operation".

"The administration has carefully reviewed the issue and determined that the United States will not make additional contributions to UNRWA," department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

The UNRWA provides services to more than 5 million Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank and Gaza. Most are descendants of people who fled Palestine in the 1948 war that led to the creation of the state of Israel.

“The Palestinian refugees are already the victims who have lost their homes, livelihoods and security as a result of the creation of the state of Israel,” Ms Ashrawi said in a statement released on behalf of the PLO executive committee. “Once again, they are being victimised by the US administration in support of Israel’s decades-long military occupation and impunity.

“The real outcome of the US administration’s latest unilateral and reckless policy is the destabilisation of the entire region and the creation of unimaginable suffering and hardship for the Palestinian refugees.”

Palestinian children make candy floss in the Shateaa refugee camp in the north west of Gaza City. EPA
Palestinian children make candy floss in the Shateaa refugee camp in the north west of Gaza City. EPA

The US decision on Friday is the second to deeply anger Palestinians under the Donald Trump government. Last December, Mr Trump announced US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a reversal of long-standing policy that led the Palestinian leadership to reject Washington as a broker of Middle East peace.

“Such a punishment will not succeed to change the fact that the United States no longer has a role in the region and that it is not a part of the solution," Mr Abbas's spokesman, Nabil Abu Rdainah, told Reuters.

The UNRWA has faced a cash crisis since January when the US, its biggest single donor, paid out $60 million (Dh220m) but withheld another $65m. The agency, set up in 1949, runs Palestinian refugee camps and provides schooling and health services.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash said the US decision was “regrettable and complicates the file of the refugees with its humanitarian and political dimensions.

“We cannot but emphasise that the historic commitment of the UAE to support UNRWA and its humanitarian work continues," Dr Gargash wrote on Twitter.

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Read more:

Editorial: Trump's decision to halt UNRWA funding wrecks hopes for peace

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Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the US move was “complicating the problems in the Middle East and does not contribute to the stability of the region in any way”.

He said the UNRWA crisis would be at the top of the agenda at the next meeting of league foreign ministers in Cairo.

Jordan has already announced plans to organise a fund-raising conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next month.

The European Union said the US decision was "regrettable" and urged Washington to reconsider.

"The US has always played, and will continue to play, an essential role in any effort to achieve peace in the Middle East," an EU statement said. "The EU will continue to engage with the US and its other regional and international partners to work towards that common goal."

UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness said the agency would try to make up its $217m shortfall.

"If not, some of the most marginalised and vulnerable people on the planet may well suffer," he told Agence France-Presse.

"People are going to become more desperate and marginalised," he said, warning of "dramatic, widespread, profound and unpredictable" consequences.

Ordinary Palestinians also voiced alarm at the US move. Mahmoud Mubarak, director of the community-run committees running the 19 refugee camps that accommodate about 500,000 Palestinians in the West Bank, warned of "very serious repercussions".

Representatives of the committees would be meeting on Tuesday to discuss their options, he told Agence France-Presse.

Palestinian children arrive to their UNRWA school during the first school day at Al Jalazoun refugee camp near the west bank city of Ramallah on August 29, 2018. EPA
Palestinian children arrive to their UNRWA school during the first school day at Al Jalazoun refugee camp near the west bank city of Ramallah on August 29, 2018. EPA

In the impoverished Gaza Strip, where most children attend UNRWA schools, Hisham Saqallah, 55, said the US move was "political blackmail" that would merely increase unrest.

"If they stop aid to schools, this means destroying the futures of a large number of students and throwing them into the street," he said.

"If they stop the aid completely it would have a major effect on our children."

Abu Mohammed Huweila, whose nine children have all attended UNRWA schools, called the US move "an unjust decision".

Before the US decision was announced on Friday, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said his country would increase its contributions to UNRWA because the funding crisis was fuelling uncertainty.

"The loss of this organisation could unleash an uncontrollable chain reaction," he said.

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Your Guide to the Home
  • Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
  • Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
  • Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
     
VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC

Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association
ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

Company%20profile
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The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission: seven-speed

Power: 720hp

Torque: 770Nm

Price: Dh1,100,000

On sale: now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Spain drain

CONVICTED

Lionel Messi Found guilty in 2016 of of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying €4.1m in taxes on income earned from image rights. Sentenced to 21 months in jail and fined more than €2m. But prison sentence has since been replaced by another fine of €252,000.

Javier Mascherano Accepted one-year suspended sentence in January 2016 for tax fraud after found guilty of failing to pay €1.5m in taxes for 2011 and 2012. Unlike Messi he avoided trial by admitting to tax evasion.

Angel di Maria Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Angel di Maria was fined and given a 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time at Real Madrid. But he is unlikely to go to prison as is normal in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying sentence of less than two years.

 

SUSPECTED

Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid's star striker, accused of evading €14.7m in taxes, appears in court on Monday. Portuguese star faces four charges of fraud through offshore companies.

Jose Mourinho Manchester United manager accused of evading €3.3m in tax in 2011 and 2012, during time in charge at Real Madrid. But Gestifute, which represents him, says he has already settled matter with Spanish tax authorities.

Samuel Eto'o In November 2016, Spanish prosecutors sought jail sentence of 10 years and fines totalling €18m for Cameroonian, accused of failing to pay €3.9m in taxes during time at Barcelona from 2004 to 2009.

Radamel Falcao Colombian striker Falcao suspected of failing to correctly declare €7.4m of income earned from image rights between 2012 and 2013 while at Atletico Madrid. He has since paid €8.2m to Spanish tax authorities, a sum that includes interest on the original amount.

Jorge Mendes Portuguese super-agent put under official investigation last month by Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Falcao, a client of his. He defended himself, telling closed-door hearing he "never" advised players in tax matters.

Gully Boy

Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi​​​​​​​
Rating: 4/5 stars

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The alternatives

• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.

2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.

• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases -  but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

If you go...

Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.

Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50