US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visited Jamaica on Monday as Caribbean leaders pushed to solve the crisis in Haiti, where powerful gangs have brought the country to the brink of collapse.
Scores of people have been killed and more than 15,000 people left homeless after fleeing neighbourhoods raided by gangs.
Food and water are dwindling as stands and shops selling to impoverished Haitians run out of goods. The main port in Port-au-Prince remains closed, with dozens of containers carrying critical supplies stranded.
Pressure is mounting on US-backed Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign or agree to the formation of a transitional council.
He has been stuck in Puerto Rico since last week and is unable to return to his own country after being denied entry into the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.
Mr Blinken will attend a summit with a regional trade bloc known as Caricom that wants a transitional government in Haiti.
The country lacks a single democratically elected official and the caretaker government led by Mr Henry has been unable to reach a political settlement with opposition groups on organising elections.
On Sunday, the US said it had airlifted non-essential American staff from its embassy in Port-au-Prince.
“The international community must work together with Haitians towards a peaceful political transition,” US Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Mr Nichols will also attend the meeting.
When the gang attacks began, Mr Henry was in Kenya pushing for the UN-backed deployment of a police force from the East African country that has been delayed by a court ruling.
A growing number of people are demanding the resignation of Mr Henry, who has not issued any public comment since the latest wave of violence began.
Haiti, with a population of about 11 million, suffered a devastating earthquake in 2010 that killed about 220,000 and pushed the impoverished nation closer to breaking point.
Armed with weapons often smuggled from the US, gangs have proliferated, thriving on drug trafficking, racketeering, kidnapping and extortion.
They now exercise control over 80 per cent of capital city Port-au-Prince and their nearly unchecked criminality has led to the collapse of public institutions and the assassination of President Jovenel Moise.
Champion%20v%20Champion%20(PFL%20v%20Bellator)
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
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Fifa Club World Cup quarter-final
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Guadalajara 2 (Zaldivar 03’, Pulido 90')
The specs: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT
Price, base / as tested: Dh259,000
Engine: 6.4-litre V8
Power: 475hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 640Nm @ 4,300rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
Company%20Profile
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
