British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday defended his government's plan to halve humanitarian aid for war-torn Yemen.
An international aid conference on Yemen this week pledged less than half of the funds needed to prevent what the UN warns is a looming famine.
"Cutting aid is a death sentence," UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, in remarks echoed in the UK Parliament by opposition leaders grilling Mr Johnson at the weekly prime minister's questions.
Britain pledged £87 million ($122m), about half the amount it offered at last year's Yemen conference, and only 40 per cent of the total funding it provided to the country during 2020.
Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour party, said Mr Johnson could not justify cutting the aid, and questioned continued sales of weapons to Saudi Arabia.
He spoke of last month's decision by the new administration of President Joe Biden to pause US arms sales to Saudi Arabia pending a revew.
The kingdom, at the request of the internationally recognised government of Yemen, is leading a coalition against Iran-backed Houthi rebels who overthrew it in 2015.
"It is true that current straightened circumstances, which I'm sure the people of this country understand, mean that temporarily we must reduce aid spending," Mr Johnson said, noting the Covid-19 pandemic's impact on UK finances.
"But that does not obscure the fact that when it comes to our duty to the people of Yemen, we continue to step up to the plate."
He said Britain had given about £1 billion in the past five years.
"It's a record of which this country can be proud," Mr Johnson said.
"Given the difficulties that this country faces, I think the people of this country will think we've got our priorities right."
He said the government continued "scrupulously to follow the humanitarian guidance, which are among the toughest measures anywhere in the world in respect of all arms sales".
The UK government is planning to scrap a legally enshrined target for its aid budget this year, leading to accusations even from its own ranks that it is abandoning some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people.
Former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell said cutting the UK's overall aid commitment was a "strategic mistake with deadly consequences".
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
WHAT ARE NFTs?
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are tokens that represent ownership of unique items. They allow the tokenisation of things such as art, collectibles and even real estate.
An NFT can have only one official owner at one time. And since they're minted and secured on the Ethereum blockchain, no one can modify the record of ownership, not even copy-paste it into a new one.
This means NFTs are not interchangeable and cannot be exchanged with other items. In contrast, fungible items, such as fiat currencies, can be exchanged because their value defines them rather than their unique properties.
The five pillars of Islam
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
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First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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