The US on Wednesday sent its first shipment of humanitarian assistance into Libya, more than a week after devastating floods in the port city Derna killed about 4,000 people.
The “13 metric tonnes of humanitarian relief items” included “heavy-duty and durable plastic sheeting for shelter, shelter repair kits, hygiene supplies, blankets and water containers from USAID’s warehouse in Dubai”, the US Agency for International Development said in a statement.
Despite a week-long wait for the delivery, “US partners have been working on the ground since the immediate aftermath of the floods”, a USAID official told The National.
The aid delivery announcement came a day after a representative for the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs told The Washington Post that one of their teams had been blocked from travelling from Benghazi to flood-hit Derna by Libyan authorities.
Eastern Libyan authorities also asked journalists to leave Derna this week, claiming the volume of reporters is hampering rescue teams' work.
“It is an attempt to create better conditions for the rescue teams to carry out the work more smoothly and effectively,” Hichem Abu Chkiouat, Minister of Civil Aviation in the eastern Libyan administration, told Reuters.
Hundreds of protesters have rallied in Derna this week, voicing anger at authorities and demanding accountability for the response to the floods that wiped out entire neighbourhoods.
Last week's Storm Daniel caused two dams inland from Derna to collapse, unleashing deadly flash floods that destroyed as much as a quarter of the city. More than 10,000 people are still missing.
Libya's Attorney General Al Siddiq Al Sour told national outlet Al Ahrar on Wednesday that the people responsible for the dams' collapse “have been identified” and promised the results of an ongoing investigation would be revealed soon.
The US aid delivery follows President Joe Biden's brief statement in response to the floods, in which he announced Washington would increase its aid to Tripoli.
“We join the Libyan people in grieving the loss of too many lives cut short, and send our hope to all those missing loved ones,” Mr Biden said in a statement.
Washington has so far provided $12 million in humanitarian assistance in response to the floods, USAID said.
MWTC
Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Rally schedule:
Saturday: Super Special Spectator Stage – Yas Marina Circuit – start 3.30pm.
Sunday: Yas Marina Circuit Stage 1 (276.01km)
Monday: Nissan Stage 2 (287.92km)
Tuesday: Al Ain Water Stage 3 (281.38km)
Wednesday: ADNOC Stage 4 (244.49km)
Thursday: Abu Dhabi Aviation Stage 5 (218.57km) Finish: Yas Marina Circuit – 4.30pm.
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
