Urgent action is needed in Somalia with the threat of famine looming large amid the country's worst drought in 40 years, a World Food Programme official has said.
Nearly eight million people have been impacted — and more than a million of those displaced — during a crisis worsened by the effects of the war in Ukraine.
Ahead of World Food Day on Sunday, Mageed Yahia, WFP representative to the GCC region, said support from the internationally community was desperately needed.
“This drought is serious. Somalia is the hardest hit country in the Horn of Africa,” he said during a WFP event in Dubai.
“We have a good response so far from our partners, but we now need urgently to avert a famine.
“In the past, with the help of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, we averted a famine in Yemen in 2018. Today, we need to do the same thing before it’s too late.”
Famine is an extreme scarcity of food that leads to starvation or malnutrition, combined with diseases.
The region has experienced several climate-fuelled droughts over the years, but the situation is worse this time because of the effects from the war in Ukraine.
Somalia sourced at least 90 per cent of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine before the war.
And the country is also suffering from a shortage of humanitarian aid as international donors focus on Europe.
United Nations humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said last month that he was “shocked” to see the situation in Somalia.
“Ukraine has occupied the narrative,” he said.
Food insecurity due to conflicts and climate change
Mr Yahia said food insecurity in many different parts of the world was worsening due to conflicts and climate change.
He said that about 345 million people globally are suffering from hunger.
The world is also seeing a significant food price increase because of the pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Russia and Ukraine together used to import more than a quarter of the world’s wheat supply, feeding billions of people.
“I wish we could really celebrate Food Day and a world that had enough and easy access to food, but, unfortunately, the situation has continued to deteriorate,” said Mr Yahia.
“Two main factors, of course, are driving the food insecurity around the world. One of them is complex armed conflicts, which continue to drive people out of their livelihood and their homes.
“Climate shock is becoming equally important factor in the food security sector… It’s driving millions of people out of their homes like we are seeing now in the Horn of Africa, the floods in Pakistan and the hurricanes in Latin and Central America and Cuba.”
These past few months, Pakistan experienced its worst floods in history from a catastrophic monsoon season.
More than 33 million people were affected and more than 1,500 killed across the country.
In Cuba, Florida and South Carolina, there were power outages and severe flooding caused by Hurricane Ian.
Mr Yahia said there is enough food in the world, but the problem was “lack of access”. He said there needs to be political will by leaders around the world to help the needy.
He said that the UAE continues to a play an important role in helping the WFP's initiatives in different countries.
“UAE is one of the largest donors of the programme for years now with contribution coming from the government and the Mohammed bin Rashid Global Initiatives, which has helped us this year in six to eight countries in Africa and Asia,” he said.
“This year alone, we have received $60 million for our production in Ethiopia, and we are receiving now $40 million dollars from the Mohammed bin Rashid Global Initiatives.”
UAE's food security drive
The UAE has sought to bolster its food and water security in recent years by prioritising local produce and embracing technology to address challenges posed by the country's dry climate.
Essa Alhashmi, head at the UAE Food Security Office, said the country is being pro-active over the key issue.
“We had several discussions with international stakeholders and had some bilateral treaties including the comprehensive economic agreement, for example with India,” he said.
“This enabled us to access some of those commodities that were difficult to either access or saw price hikes, such as wheat.”
He said that the UAE has also seen an impact from climate change, including in food production and sustaining natural resources like water.
“60 per cent of water consumed here in the UAE is driven by agriculture, yet the contribution of that to the food security and economical growth is very limited,” said Mr Alhashmi.
“So, the first thing we looked in the agenda for combating food insecurity is the fact that this food system needs to be modernised and it needs also to be sustainable.
“We are looking at aspects of enhancing as well as reducing water usage and where we can reuse the waste generated from the agriculture industry.”
He said the UAE has made many strides in increasing food security, with many bio farms that are set up across the country and significantly reducing its food waste.
He said the food waste figures used to be 137 kilograms per capita, which is now reduced to about 95 kgs per capita.
“I would say that Covid-19 played a significant role in that because people became more cautious, and we need to build on that,” said Mr Alhashmi.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
Can NRIs vote in the election?
Indians residing overseas cannot cast their ballot abroad
Non-resident Indians or NRIs can vote only by going to a polling booth in their home constituency
There are about 3.1 million NRIs living overseas
Indians have urged political parties to extend the right to vote to citizens residing overseas
A committee of the Election Commission of India approved of proxy voting for non-resident Indians
Proxy voting means that a person can authorise someone residing in the same polling booth area to cast a vote on his behalf.
This option is currently available for the armed forces, police and government officials posted outside India
A bill was passed in the lower house of India’s parliament or the Lok Sabha to extend proxy voting to non-resident Indians
However, this did not come before the upper house or Rajya Sabha and has lapsed
The issue of NRI voting draws a huge amount of interest in India and overseas
Over the past few months, Indians have received messages on mobile phones and on social media claiming that NRIs can cast their votes online
The Election Commission of India then clarified that NRIs could not vote online
The Election Commission lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police asking it to clamp down on the people spreading misinformation
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
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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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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Stamp duty timeline
December 2014: Former UK finance minister George Osbourne reforms stamp duty, replacing the slab system with a blended rate scheme, with the top rate increasing to 12 per cent from 10 per cent:
Up to £125,000 - 0%; £125,000 to £250,000 – 2%; £250,000 to £925,000 – 5%; £925,000 to £1.5m: 10%; Over £1.5m – 12%
April 2016: New 3% surcharge applied to any buy-to-let properties or additional homes purchased.
July 2020: Rishi Sunak unveils SDLT holiday, with no tax to pay on the first £500,000, with buyers saving up to £15,000.
March 2021: Mr Sunak decides the fate of SDLT holiday at his March 3 budget, with expectations he will extend the perk unti June.
April 2021: 2% SDLT surcharge added to property transactions made by overseas buyers.
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Red flags
- 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
