The head of the UN on Monday called for $3.85 billion for Yemen in response to the world's worst humanitarian crisis, as a new rebel offensive added to the misery from a six-year conflict.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told a meeting of major donors that more than 20 million Yemenis need help, with 16 million of them expected to go hungry this year and about 50,000 facing famine-like conditions.
“It is impossible to overstate the severity of the suffering in Yemen,” Mr Guterres said.
“We must end this senseless conflict now, and start dealing with its enormous consequences immediately.”
The UN pledging meeting hosted by Switzerland and Sweden took place as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebel group advanced on government-held Marib – the latest chapter in a struggle that has pushed the country to the brink of famine.
“Four million people across Yemen have been forced from their homes,” said Mr Guterres.
“The recent Houthi offensive in Marib threatens to displace hundreds of thousands more.”
The UN chief said that funding fell for Yemen's crisis last year, with the UN receiving $1.9 billion, which was "just half of what we needed, and half of what we received the year before".
Before the talks, the UAE on Friday said it would provide $230 million in assistance to Yemen, focusing on medicines as well as food for six million Yemenis, including one million children.
Saudi Arabia on Tuesday agreed to fund World Food Programme projects in Yemen with $40 million.
UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock has warned that lacklustre funding forced the UN to reduce the number of Yemenis receiving free meals from nearly 14 million in 2019 to nine million last year.
The four million Yemenis who lost their handouts last year faced the “long, slow, brutal, painful, agonising process of starving to death”, Mr Lowcock told reporters in an online briefing on Wednesday.
Donors met against a backdrop of renewed fighting in Yemen’s civil war, with a Houthi offensive on Marib, some 120 kilometres east of Yemen’s rebel-held capital, Sanaa, the government’s last northern stronghold and a centre for oil production.
It also comes amid hopes that the administration of US President Joe Biden’s efforts to put pressure on its ally Saudi Arabia could revive a stalled peace process and hasten an end to the conflict.
Fighting erupted in the Arab world's poorest nation in 2014, when the Houthis seized Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and much of the country's population centres in the north.
An Arab military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and backed by the US and Britain intervened in 2015 in a bid to restore the internationally-recognised government of Yemeni President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi to power.
The war has killed about 130,000 people and displaced millions, according to international monitors, creating what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
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All Blacks line-up for third Test
J Barrett; I Dagg, A Lienert-Brown, N Laumape, J Savea; B Barrett, A Smith; J Moody, C Taylor, O Franks, B Retallick, S Whitelock, J Kaino, S Cane, K Read (capt).
Replacements: N Harris, W Crockett, C Faumuina, S Barrett, A Savea, TJ Perenara, A Cruden, M Fekitoa.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
PAST 10 BRITISH GRAND PRIX WINNERS
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2012 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2011 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
2010 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2008 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2007 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 760Nm
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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
RESULTS
5pm: Rated Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: AF Mouthirah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Alajaj, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Hawafez, Connor Beasley, Abubakar Daud
6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Tair, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Wakeel W’Rsan, Richard Mullen, Jaci Wickham
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
Winner: Son Of Normandy, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash
Final scores
18 under: Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)
- 14: Jason Scrivener (AUS)
-13: Rory McIlroy (NIR)
-12: Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP)
-11: David Lipsky (USA), Marc Warren (SCO)
-10: Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Chris Paisley (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)
Malcolm & Marie
Directed by: Sam Levinson
Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya
Three stars
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
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Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
UAE cricketers abroad
Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.
Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.
Yodhin Punja The seam bowler was named in the UAE’s extended World Cup squad in 2015 despite being just 15 at the time. He made his senior UAE debut aged 16, and subsequently took up a scholarship at Claremont High School in the south of England.
Francesco Totti's bio
Born September 27, 1976
Position Attacking midifelder
Clubs played for (1) - Roma
Total seasons 24
First season 1992/93
Last season 2016/17
Appearances 786
Goals 307
Titles (5) - Serie A 1; Italian Cup 2; Italian Supercup 2
