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Crowds of people turned out in force at an aid collection event in Sharjah on Saturday to pack supplies for people displaced by the deadly conflict in Lebanon.
Volunteers filled the halls of Expo Centre Sharjah by early morning to pack up to 10,000 boxes of goods such as tinned food, blankets, rice, tea, dates, sugar and more.
Organisers said 3,000 volunteers came out to support the initiative and packed 250 tonnes of aid.
The community-spirited initiative, called UAE Stands With Lebanon, began just before 9am and crowds of people of all ages were waiting to play their part.
“I’m half Austrian and half Lebanese, so for me it was quite important to be here,” said Robert Erich Polsterer, who was volunteering with The Big Heart Foundation. “I feel totally powerless so it was a way to help,” he said, adding that he had not expected to see so many people turn up at the event.
“It is fantastic,” he said. “There are people from everywhere. I was not expecting this level of response.”
“The UAE is standing with Lebanon,” said Abdalla Sultan Binkhadim, executive manager at Sharjah Charity International. “Today, we are in Sharjah to get 10,000 packages and we have until 1pm to finish it.”
The aid drive was organised under the supervision of the UAE's "International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council" by the Big Heart Foundation and the Sharjah Charity International along with other Emirati humanitarian institutions and charitable associations.
The Sharjah event and another one at Dubai Expo City comprise a second round of aid collection to support Lebanon. Thousands of people took part in similar events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on October 12 and 13, packing 450 tonnes of supplies for people in Lebanon whose lives have been affected by the war.
So far, the UAE Stands With Lebanon initiative has raised more than Dh110 million ($30 million) since its launch. The two-week campaign, which began on October 8 on the directive of President Sheikh Mohamed, shows solidarity with Lebanon.
The Israeli air strikes and invasion has displaced more than 1.2 million people and killed about 2,000.
The UAE this week has sent three planes loaded with 120 tonnes of aid to assist civilians in Lebanon and Syria. So far, the UAE has sent 12 planes carrying 515 tonnes of aid to Lebanon. And the Sharjah event showed some of the work that can go into a task of such epic scale.
People in Lebanon will feel 'they are not left alone'
“Thank you UAE and to the government of the UAE for this big campaign. It is very beautiful. It is very helpful,” said Consul General of Lebanon in Dubai Assaf Doumit, who said it sends a message that Lebanon is not alone. “It has a big effect on the Lebanese people. They know they have brothers in the Gulf, especially in the UAE and they know they are not left alone.”
Speaking to The National, Steven Anderson, director of the World Food Programme, UAE office and representative to the GCC, highlighted how the “UAE has stepped up in a very big way.”
“We have many volunteers from all walks of life, all here filling boxes of food to be sent to Lebanon.”
Mr Anderson and a team of about 50 people from the WFP, which works closely with the UAE, were also volunteering their time to help those in need.
“All these food items, but also other non-food items, are being collected and packed and then they're going to be shipped as soon as possible to Lebanon, where humanitarian groups will be making sure that they're delivered to the needy.”
He said it was a challenging situation on the ground in Lebanon with the question of getting aid to the displaced people being chiefly about logistics as access was difficult. “It's a very dramatic situation for them,” he said. “Food is one of their most critical priorities, of course, among other needs as well.”
Boxes at the Sharjah centre were being packed and loaded on lorries as soon as they were ready with Mr Anderson stating simply it “could not get there sooner”.
“We're worried actually that there could be a possibility of access being cut off. And we're hoping that all the boxes that we see behind us being filled out will be dispatched as soon as possible,” he said, stating food would largely be shipped by sea and be there in a couple of weeks with certain medical supplies already flown to the country. “We're trying to respond to about one million people in Lebanon.”
Volunteer Caterina Galluzzi said it was important to be there and show solidarity with the people of Lebanon.
“I brought my son here,” she said. “And I think it is a good learning opportunity also for our families to see what we do to inspire the younger generation.”
Lorenzo Tacchella, who was packing boxes of basic food items such as rice, salt and cooking oil, said the aid would bring the people of Lebanon some sense of normality in these difficult times.
“[These are what] basic family needs in order to cook and continue living a normal life even if at the moment it is not their normal life,” he said. “But at least they can have some [continuation] until things get back to normal, hopefully soon.”
Aid donation drive for Lebanon - in pictures
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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From: Wimbledon, London, UK
Education: Medical doctor
Hobbies: Travelling, meeting new people and cultures
Favourite animals: All of them
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Group A
Paraguay
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Switzerland
USA
Group B
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Group C
Belarus
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Group D
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Poacher
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German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
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Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
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The biog
Born: near Sialkot, Pakistan, 1981
Profession: Driver
Family: wife, son (11), daughter (8)
Favourite drink: chai karak
Favourite place in Dubai: The neighbourhood of Khawaneej. “When I see the old houses over there, near the date palms, I can be reminded of my old times. If I don’t go down I cannot recall my old times.”
