Charities have come together to collectively urge Yemen’s factions to put the interests of the struggling population first in “the worst humanitarian crisis in the world”.
The sliver of hope emanating over the ceasefire agreed last month at the crucial port of Hodeidah was largely not felt by the “scared” and “desperate” Yemeni people, a press conference heard. Despite the supposed cessation of hostilities, aid and commercial goods still “are not yet flowing in at the level needed to address the unfolding crisis”, an open letter signed by 14 leading charities also said.
There have been multiple reports of the fighting in and around Hodeidah continuing with both the Houthi rebels and Yemeni government blaming each other. Isabelle Carlsen, operations director at Action Against Hunger, said in a recent two-day visit to the area she heard consistent instances of violence.
More than 14 million people face starvation and some 85,000 children have died from extreme hunger since conflict between Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government escalated in 2015.
According to Ms Carlsen the nutrition situation “continues to be extremely serious and catastrophic with severe limitations on access to potable water and health treatment. She said over two million children are affected by malnutrition, a situation worsened by the destruction of water and medical facilities.
A fire last week exacerbated the already desperate situation by damaging two silos holding food in a tragic incident seemingly started by mortar fire on the outskirts of Hodeidah.
The letter by the charity chiefs said some parents had felt compelled to give their children contaminated food or water, or nothing at all. They also wrote of reports of the elderly having to sell clothes or homes just to get by.
Extreme difficulties facing humanitarian workers in gaining access include the dangers of conflict which often means long journeys over short distances because of the numerous checkpoints and necessary permits.
Awssan Kamal, head of campaigns at Oxfam International, said hunger was stigmatised in a social system where many victims “don’t want to talk about how hungry they are”. The audience also heard that food insecurity was not always linked to frontline conflict – the collapse of the economy and currency were also held responsible. Villages suffering from “acute” malnutrition would often only have bread and tea without milk to survive on.
“We urge all parties to the conflict to remember that the people of Yemen must come first. We urge the public not to look away, not to forget the Yemeni families on the brink of starvation. The people of Yemen cannot wait,” said the letter, which included signatures from the leaders of the British Red Cross, Oxfam GB, Save the Children and Action Against Hunger.
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Read more:
UN envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths extends Sweden deal implementation timeline
Yemen government says UN committed to ensuring Houthis abide by Sweden deal
UN chief Antonio Guterres says there is ‘wind of hope’ for world’s war zones
UN denies Patrick Cammaert has resigned as head of Hodeidah monitoring team
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“Aid workers are reaching hundreds of thousands of people now with lifelines, but we simply must see greater action by all parties to allow us to reach more Yemenis before it is too late.”
The letter by the charity leaders was also signed by ActionAid UK, Age International, CAFOD, Care International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, Islamic Relief UK, Plan International UK, Tearfund and World Vision UK.
JAPANESE GRAND PRIX INFO
Schedule (All times UAE)
First practice: Friday, 5-6.30am
Second practice: Friday, 9-10.30am
Third practice: Saturday, 7-8am
Qualifying: Saturday, 10-11am
Race: Sunday, 9am-midday
Race venue: Suzuka International Racing Course
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Number of Laps: 53
Watch live: beIN Sports HD
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
The%20Sandman
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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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Founder: Ayman Badawi
Date started: Test product September 2016, paid launch January 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software
Size: Seven employees
Funding: $170,000 in angel investment
Funders: friends
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.
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday, February 8 v Kenya; Friday, February 9 v Canada; Sunday, February 11 v Nepal; Monday, February 12 v Oman; Wednesday, February 14 v Namibia; Thursday, February 15 final
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