Yemen received its first shipment of Covid-19 vaccines on Wednesday, the UN children's agency said, as the country tries to deal with a second wave of the virus.
A delivery of AstraZeneca vaccines arrived in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen's de facto capital. The internationally recognised government has been based since it was driven out of Sanaa in the north by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in 2014.
"The 360,000 doses arrived, together with 13,000 safety boxes and 1,300,000 syringes that are critical for the safe and effective roll out of the vaccination campaign," Unicef said.
This consignment is the first part of 1.9 million doses that Yemen is scheduled to receive this year. The country has a population of 29 million.
Vaccines will be free of charge and distributed across the country, a spokesman for the government's health ministry said last week, confirming more doses would arrive in May.
The shipment comes as the country's coronavirus committee is urging authorities to declare a public health state of emergency, as cases have increased over the last few weeks.
It has called for the implementation of a partial curfew and the closure of wedding halls, shopping centres and mosques, outside of prayer times.
The total number of Covid-19 cases recorded in Yemen has now risen to 4,247. It has reported 864 deaths.
Infection numbers are likely to be far higher, because the level of testing remains low, with healthcare infrastructure badly hit by six years of conflict.
The arrival of the vaccine doses is a critical moment for Yemen, Unicef representative Philippe Duamelle said.
“As Covid-19 continues to claim lives around the world, Yemen now has the capacity to protect those most at risk, including health workers, so that they can safely continue to provide life-saving interventions for children and families,” he said.
Adham Ismail, World Health Organisation representative in Yemen, said the vaccine shipment was a significant step forward.
"It will help save lives, including those at the highest risk of serious disease, and will help protect the health system," Mr Ismail said.
"These safe and effective vaccines will be a game changer, but for the foreseeable future, we must continue wearing masks, physically distance and avoid crowds," he said.
Senior figures in Aden encouraged the public to take the vaccine, after misinformation had made some people hesitant.
"People must take the vaccine as soon as the vaccination campaign begins," Mohammed Abbas, chairman of Save My Life Foundation, a civil medical organisation active in Aden and neighbouring provinces, told The National.
"I encourage everybody to take it because the pandemic has drastically hit the country. It will stop it from spreading," he said.
Dr Abbas said people all over the world have taken the vaccine, "so why should Yemenis fear it?"
Mariam Mohammed, a journalist from Aden, told The National she would take the vaccine to prevent the number of cases increasing.
"The pandemic is spreading in Yemen very fast this time. We hear horrific numbers recorded every day, so taking the vaccine is very important as it is the best solution to stop the second wave of Covid-19," she said.
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Wolves 3
Neves 28', Doherty 37', Jota 45' 2
Arsenal 1
Papastathopoulos 80'
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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.
The biog
Age: 32
Qualifications: Diploma in engineering from TSI Technical Institute, bachelor’s degree in accounting from Dubai’s Al Ghurair University, master’s degree in human resources from Abu Dhabi University, currently third years PHD in strategy of human resources.
Favourite mountain range: The Himalayas
Favourite experience: Two months trekking in Alaska
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
