The UN’s World Food Programme has renewed its appeal for aid to Afghanistan, saying one million mothers and their children now face malnutrition.
After struggling through Covid-19 and heavy fighting during the Taliban takeover in August 2021, poverty has surged in the landlocked, rugged nation of 42 million that has endured decades of war.
John Aylieff, WFP’s regional director for Asia and the Pacific, made the appeal on Sunday, speaking in a video from Kunduz, a northern Afghan city of about 300,000 people.
He said the WFP was distributing cash aid to help the local economy, an increasingly common form of humanitarian assistance to uphold local markets.
“People have very little means to buy and employment opportunities are very few. People have depleted their savings already. Many have sold their assets, the cash we distributed today is a lifeline for these most vulnerable families, many rely on it,” he said.
“Two months ago, we told 85 per cent of [Afghans] that we were cutting them from the programme because our funding was running out. Those who are here today, some 4,700 households will be told in two months. There is also nothing left for them as winter is approaching here in Afghanistan, and it will be brutal. WFP faces an unprecedented funding crisis. We need a billion dollars to sustain 15 million people through this winter,” he warned.
“We must not walk away from Afghanistan; donors must step up for the sake of humanity. We must invest in Afghanistan's future.”
Aid has been lacklustre since the US and Europe froze around $7 billion worth of central bank funds amassed under the former regime. The US unfroze around half of that amount last year as humanitarian conditions deteriorated, through a US-Swiss-managed fund that seeks to ensure money is spent on aid.
Even still, aid funding has fallen away as NGOs, many of them contracting with US and European government agencies, halted work, citing security fears following the Taliban takeover, while Western governments cut assistance in protest at Kabul’s policies on human rights.
Compounding the problem, the Taliban has also prevented women from working on UN projects throughout the country, creating a standoff between Kabul and the UN over the future of aid projects.
Washington has been holding talks with the Taliban in Doha this year, focused on building co-operation on key sectors, including women’s rights, and the rights of minorities in the diverse country, after the Taliban stopped girls over the age of 10 from attending primary school.
But progress has been slow. The US insists co-operation is contingent on the Taliban ensuring that terrorist groups cannot use Afghan territory. The UN in June said the Taliban maintains its relationship with Al Qaeda, 23 years after the country was used as a base by the group for the September 11 attacks.
“In Afghanistan, so far this year, we've provided fortified school snacks to 1 million children – half of them are girls,” the WFP said on Friday on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
International NGO World Vision, which focuses on children’s rights, says that while food insecurity has reached around 36 per cent of the population, “over 29.2 million Afghans will require humanitarian assistance in 2023”. That represents almost 80 per cent of households, World Vision said, adding that many families are falling into debt.
“Over three million children face acute malnutrition,” the organisation warned earlier this month.
Aid is trickling in, but sums remain far short of the growing need. Earlier this month, the EU said it would send €140 million ($149.4 million).
The EU said the funds would go to the “basic needs and livelihoods assistance in the fields of education, health, agriculture and women's economic empowerment in Afghanistan”.
The funds came from a one billion dollar support package, most of which has now been dispersed, said the EU.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
WHAT%20IS%20THE%20LICENSING%20PROCESS%20FOR%20VARA%3F
%3Cp%3EVara%20will%20cater%20to%20three%20categories%20of%20companies%20in%20Dubai%20(except%20the%20DIFC)%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECategory%20A%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Minimum%20viable%20product%20(MVP)%20applicants%20that%20are%20currently%20in%20the%20process%20of%20securing%20an%20MVP%20licence%3A%20This%20is%20a%20three-stage%20process%20starting%20with%20%5B1%5D%20a%20provisional%20permit%2C%20graduating%20to%20%5B2%5D%20preparatory%20licence%20and%20concluding%20with%20%5B3%5D%20operational%20licence.%20Applicants%20that%20are%20already%20in%20the%20MVP%20process%20will%20be%20advised%20by%20Vara%20to%20either%20continue%20within%20the%20MVP%20framework%20or%20be%20transitioned%20to%20the%20full%20market%20product%20licensing%20process.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECategory%20B%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Existing%20legacy%20virtual%20asset%20service%20providers%20prior%20to%20February%207%2C%202023%2C%20which%20are%20required%20to%20come%20under%20Vara%20supervision.%20All%20operating%20service%20proviers%20in%20Dubai%20(excluding%20the%20DIFC)%20fall%20under%20Vara%E2%80%99s%20supervision.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECategory%20C%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20New%20applicants%20seeking%20a%20Vara%20licence%20or%20existing%20applicants%20adding%20new%20activities.%20All%20applicants%20that%20do%20not%20fall%20under%20Category%20A%20or%20B%20can%20begin%20the%20application%20process%20through%20their%20current%20or%20prospective%20commercial%20licensor%20%E2%80%94%20the%20DET%20or%20Free%20Zone%20Authority%20%E2%80%94%20or%20directly%20through%20Vara%20in%20the%20instance%20that%20they%20have%20yet%20to%20determine%20the%20commercial%20operating%20zone%20in%20Dubai.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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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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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Stars: 3
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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MO
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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
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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Three stars
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
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