The US on Thursday pledged more than $1 billion for humanitarian purposes in Syria, Africa’s Sahel region and South Sudan.
This includes more than $720 million for Syria, nearly $152m for the Sahel and almost $108m for South Sudan.
Deputy secretary of state Stephen Biegun announced the Syria aid at a sideline event at 75th UN General Assembly in New York.
Mr Biegun said funds would go to “both for Syrians inside the country and for those in desperate need across the region".
Including this latest aid, the US has supported Syria with more than $12bn since its civil war started in March 2011.
The war started after Syrian President Bashar Al Assad cracked down on anti-government protests, leading to a conflict where Russia and Iran have been supporting the government and the US has backed opposition forces.
Millions are either internally displaced or have fled Syria as refugees.
The fighting continues to be particularly intense in the north-western Idlib province.
The conflict has led to the country’s health infrastructure being woefully under-prepared for the coronavirus pandemic, with a lack of personal protective and medical.
There has also been a steady rise in cases of Covid-19 among UN staff and aid workers in Syria.
"The international community must remain committed to meeting the increasing needs of the Syrian people," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.
Mr Pompeo also called for holding the Assad regime "accountable for its devastating military campaign and brutal disregard for human rights, including the arbitrary detention of over 100,000 Syrian civilians, the vast majority of whose whereabouts are currently unknown".
At the same UN event on Thursday, acting USAid administrator John Barsa announced nearly $108m for the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan.
Mr Barsa said the US would also provide $152m in humanitarian assistance for Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Mauritania to help them cope with population displacement and food insecurity caused by conflict in the Sahel region.
At the General Assembly on Thursday, African nations called for $300bn in fiscal measures to help economies survive the coronavirus pandemic.
There have been more than 1.4 million confirmed cases on the continent of 1.3 billion people.
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Mainz 0
RB Leipzig 5 (Werner 11', 48', 75', Poulsen 23', Sabitzer 36')
Man of the Match: Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
The specs
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Scores
New Zealand 266 for 9 in 50 overs
Pakistan 219 all out in 47.2 overs
New Zealand win by 47 runs
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Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
Top goalscorers in Europe
34 goals - Robert Lewandowski (68 points)
34 - Ciro Immobile (68)
31 - Cristiano Ronaldo (62)
28 - Timo Werner (56)
25 - Lionel Messi (50)
*29 - Erling Haaland (50)
23 - Romelu Lukaku (46)
23 - Jamie Vardy (46)
*NOTE: Haaland's goals for Salzburg count for 1.5 points per goal. Goals for Dortmund count for two points per goal.
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