The UAE has sent its 23rd aircraft full of aid to Lebanon, carrying 35 tonnes of medical supplies as part of its "UAE stands with Lebanon” campaign.
The vital aid includes medical devices and equipment and essentials needed in hospitals and health centres across Lebanon. The $100 million aid initiative was launched by President Sheikh Mohamed in response to Israel's invasion and persistent air strikes, which caused thousands of deaths, the displacement of more than one million people and widespread destruction of buildings.
Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi, vice chairman of the UAE Aid Agency, stressed the country's commitment to support embattled civilians in the country. "The need for medical essentials, devices and equipment ... [is] greater than ever before," he said. The UAE, he added, is "providing aid to the people who are in dire need of it, after consulting concerned local and international authorities and relief agencies in Lebanon".
The Emirates sent an aid ship loaded with 3,000 tonnes of crucial relief supplies to the Beirut port on January 12. A UAE humanitarian drive in support of Lebanon raised nearly Dh200 million and led to 6,000 tonnes of crucial aid being delivered to citizens bearing the brunt of the deadly conflict, it was announced on Monday.
Under the initiative, which concluded in the first week of January, members of the public made financial pledges through the website of the Emirates Red Crescent, the charitable arm of the government, and a number of UAE banks affiliated with the campaign.
UAE to open embassy in Beirut
The ceasefire agreement in November last year ended more than a year of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, which culminated in a war. The truce was followed by Lebanon's former army chief Gen Joseph Aoun being elected as president. Soon after, the UAE announced it is taking steps to reopen its embassy in Beirut, three years after it closed.
During a call with the new Lebanese leader, President Sheikh Mohamed congratulated and wished him success in leading the country and fulfilling the aspirations of its people. Sheikh Mohamed stressed the UAE's commitment to supporting efforts to ensure Lebanon's security and stability.
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Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place play-off
