NEW YORK // The expulsion of relief workers from Sudan's western province of Darfur could spawn outbreaks of killer diseases and see water supplies dry up within days, the UN's aid director says.
Sir John Holmes said Darfur's humanitarian crisis was poised to deteriorate rapidly following the government's "unexpected" decision to throw out 13 foreign agencies that ran life-saving aid projects.
The expulsion of aid workers by the Sudanese president, Omar al Bashir, is widely seen as a politically motivated response to an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC), although this is denied by Khartoum.
"This decision is likely to have a major impact on millions of people in Darfur who need a daily basis of life-saving humanitarian assistance," Sir John, the UN's undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs, said on Monday.
"Our major concerns are in the field of water, where water installations have been managed by international non-governmental organisations ? If they disappear, how is that job going to be taken up? It may not affect water delivery today, but it certainly will in a few days if the maintenance is not done and fuel is not provided."
A spokesman for one of the aid groups forced to vacate Darfur said some tanks in Darfur's refugee camps "will only provide water for a week or 10 days" before supplies dry up and refuges are left thirsty.
"After that, it is a question mark, and we are just trying to figure that out because we have no international staff remaining," the spokesman said. "The logisticians, the engineers and the co-ordinators of these operations have already left te country."
Food stockpiles are expected to sustain Darfur's 4.7 million aid-dependent people over coming weeks. Additionally, the expulsion of foreign specialists could lead to outbreaks of meningitis in refugee camps, Sir John said.
One of the targeted aid groups, Médecins Sans Frontières-Netherlands, had been responding to a meningitis outbreak by vaccinating people in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, when aid workers were ordered to leave. Sudanese officials told a dozen other aid groups and three charities last week that their operating licences had been revoked amid allegations they had collaborated with ICC prosecutors.
The expelled groups include Oxfam GB, Care International, Médecins Sans Frontières, Mercy Corps and Save the Children.
Mr al Bashir, who seized control of Africa's biggest country in a coup in 1989, has accused the UN and aid organisations of conspiring to destabilise his power base as part of a new "colonialism".
Khartoum announced expulsions only hours after ICC judges issued a warrant for Mr al Bashir's arrest based on allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. About 300,000 people have been killed and at least 2.7 million forced from their homes since fighting erupted in 2003, with most of the displaced now holed up in refugee camps in the vast, arid region.
In inhospitable terrain and tackling what has been dubbed "the world's worst humanitarian disaster", aid workers distribute sorghum and other staples and provide medical care, clean water and sanitation.
Sudanese officials have confiscated aid workers' vehicles, mobile telephones and computers, and threatened the remaining staff by their "intimidating behaviour", the humanitarian chief said.
Sudan's UN ambassador, Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem, said the government would have no problem filling in any gaps in aid distribution created by the expulsion of aid workers.
But Mr Holmes said neither the Sudanese government nor the UN - nor Darfur's remaining aid groups - "have the capacity to replace all the activities that have been going on".
Government allegations that charity workers provided witnesses and helped ICC prosecutors build their case were "far fetched and implausible", Mr Holmes said.
A coalition of forces, including the Arab League and the African Union, has urged the Security Council to invoke an article of the ICC rules and delay proceedings against Mr al Bashir for one year. Critics say the court's first arrest warrant against a sitting head of state will deepen the Darfur crisis and destabilise a peace process between Khartoum and the country's Christian-dominated south.
jreinl@thenational.ae
Specs
Price, base: Dhs850,000
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 591bhp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.3L / 100km
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
Sunday's games
Liverpool v West Ham United, 4.30pm (UAE)
Southampton v Burnley, 4.30pm
Arsenal v Manchester City, 7pm
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The biog
DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister
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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
57%20Seconds
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rusty%20Cundieff%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJosh%20Hutcherson%2C%20Morgan%20Freeman%2C%20Greg%20Germann%2C%20Lovie%20Simone%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Walls
Louis Tomlinson
3 out of 5 stars
(Syco Music/Arista Records)
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
FIGHT%20CARD
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If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The Bloomberg Billionaire Index in full
1 Jeff Bezos $140 billion
2 Bill Gates $98.3 billion
3 Bernard Arnault $83.1 billion
4 Warren Buffett $83 billion
5 Amancio Ortega $67.9 billion
6 Mark Zuckerberg $67.3 billion
7 Larry Page $56.8 billion
8 Larry Ellison $56.1 billion
9 Sergey Brin $55.2 billion
10 Carlos Slim $55.2 billion
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RESULT
Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2
Arsenal: Aubameyang (13')
Chelsea: Jorginho (83'), Abraham (87')
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The%20specs
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