On Monday, the US announced that it will increase its aid contribution to Yemen by $165 million – a sum of money that ought to go very far in a nation where nearly three quarters of the population are thought to live in poverty.
But with Yemen's currency and economy in a state of collapse, the value of an aid dollar diminishes by the month. Millions of dollars of humanitarian assistance have been looted and squandered over the course of its seven-year civil war. Food, most of which is imported, has become cripplingly expensive, even for aid agencies.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebel group, which controls large parts of the country, regularly confiscates donations intended to sustain the civilian population, and has attempted to impose a "tax" on aid. Its forces, which include a sizeable contingent of child soldiers, frequently extort bribes from hauliers on the road, driving up the cost of transporting basic supplies.
Even so, 80 per cent of Yemenis are dependent on aid for their survival. Five million are now on the brink of starvation, and tens of thousands are already living in famine conditions. The US contribution, which is intended to assist the World Food Programme with emergency food delivery, is sorely needed. As are those of other international donors. This year, the EU has allocated 95m euros ($111m) to assistance in Yemen, and in February the UAE pledged a further $230m.
But until there is a comprehensive political settlement or, at the very least, a lasting ceasefire, the cycle of aid being donated, misappropriated and devalued will continue. This is unlikely to happen as long as the Houthis remain confident in their ability to maintain control over much of the country militarily.
The Houthis were emboldened at the start of the year, when US President Joe Biden's administration announced it would discontinue its support for the Saudi-led coalition that backs Yemen's internationally recognised government. The rebels received a second wind shortly thereafter, when Mr Biden's State Department removed them from a list of sanctioned terrorist groups.
Editorials from The National
The conciliatory moves were apparently intended to entice the Houthis to the negotiating table, and to increase the flow of aid to ordinary Yemenis, even with the knowledge that some of it would fall into rebel hands. Instead, the Houthis have charged forward in their military campaign with renewed vigour. The message they received was that they have a free hand to act in Yemen. Since February, their focus has been the capture of Marib, a hydrocarbon-rich city that is now the government's last stronghold in the otherwise Houthi-dominated north.
"Single-minded" is the term Tim Lenderking, the US envoy to Yemen, used in a call with journalists to describe the Houthi focus on the Marib offensive. It is an appropriate descriptor. Few in Marib want to live under Houthi rule. Fighting continues, and hundreds of thousands of civilians are being displaced in the process. But none of this has persuaded the rebels to rethink their strategy, or to consider the well-being of their fellow countrymen and women. None of it has brought them any closer to the negotiating table, despite offers from the Saudi-led coalition and attempts by neighbouring Oman to mediate.
Last week, it was announced that veteran Swedish diplomat Hans Grundberg will succeed Martin Griffiths as the UN's Yemen envoy, pending a vote in the UN Security Council to confirm his appointment. Many are hoping that Mr Grundberg finally will be able to succeed in driving a political settlement, even though realities on the ground remain incredibly difficult. A combination of political and economic support for his efforts and the Yemeni people is vital.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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The years Ramadan fell in May
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
New schools in Dubai
Results
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m; Winner: Ghaiyyath, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Cliffs Of Capri, Tadhg O’Shea, Jamie Osborne.
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Zakouski, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
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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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
South Africa World Cup squad
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (w), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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