The Prince of Wales spoke of his shock and concern over the war in Ukraine as he met a woman who fled Kyiv with her two children.
Maryna Opanasenko, who arrived in Northern Ireland earlier this month after having escaped Ukraine via Slovakia, was among the guests at a reception at Titanic Belfast for local organisations involved in helping and supporting refugees.
Ms Opanasenko, who worked as a lawyer in Kyiv, brought her sons Taras, 12, and Bohdan, six, to live with her mother in Co Armagh while her husband, Oleksii, remains in Kyiv to lend support to other residents of the besieged city.
She expressed gratitude to Prince Charles for his words of comfort during their meeting.
“He said that he will pray for Ukraine, that he still does not believe that such awful things are happening, and that Britain is helping Ukraine,” Ms Opanasenko said afterwards.
“Ukrainians really feel this help.
“I am thankful to Britain and Prince Charles, too, that he came and he is interested and he is trying to help us.
“He is really concerned with the situation in Ukraine, he knows a lot about Ukraine, that it’s a beautiful country and the war is an unbelievable situation for Europe.”
The event came at the end of Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall’s second day in Northern Ireland. The couple are on a four-day tour of the island of Ireland and will make a series of public appearances in the Republic of Ireland on Thursday and Friday.
At the event in Titanic Belfast, Prince Charles also met loved ones of police officers killed during the Troubles.
The Prince of Wales, who is patron of the Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross Foundation, spoke to volunteers, parents and members of the “Forgotten Families” RUC GC Widows Group.
While Prince Charles held engagements on the upper floors of Titanic Belfast, Camilla was given a tour of the visitor centre which is preparing to mark its 10th anniversary.
She was given a taste of the Titanic Experience, learning about Belfast’s shipbuilding and industrial history.
Earlier, Prince Charles and Camilla began their day of public engagements with a visit to Belfast’s own version of Narnia.
Hundreds of well-wishers welcomed the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall to CS Lewis Square, which is named after the author who was born in the city.
The popular community park in the east of the city is dotted with statues inspired by the fantasy world created by Lewis in his famous Chronicles Of Narnia, the most striking of which is a towering metal sculpture of Aslan the lion.
People dressed as central characters in Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, with Mr Tumnus and the White Witch guiding the royal couple around the square.
During the visit, they heard about the work of EastSide Partnership to regenerate that part of Belfast.
The couple concluded the visit to the literary-themed square by posing for a photo alongside a statue of Lewis and the wardrobe.
Michelle Bryans, chief executive of EastSide Partnership, said it was a significant day for the organisation.
“This was huge for us,” she said. “EastSide Partnership has been around for 25 years so we’re celebrating our 25th anniversary today also.
“We’re so delighted to be recognised in this way.”
After the tour of CS Lewis Square, the couple went their separate ways for several other engagements in Belfast.
The duchess walked a short distance to the Holywood Arches Library as part of her long-standing commitment to encouraging literacy and reading.
She then travelled to BBC Broadcasting House in the city centre where she met presenters and staff at BBC Radio Ulster and toured the television news studio.
Elsewhere in the city, the Prince of Wales officially reopened the Grand Opera House following its recent restoration, meeting architects, conservators and interior designers involved in the project.
He then watched a short performance in the main auditorium by young people before unveiling a plaque.
During his visit, he shared a joke with veteran panto dame May McFettridge and comedian Tim McGarry.
Afterwards, the chairman of the Grand Opera House Trust, Colin Loughran, said: “We know the Prince of Wales has a keen interest in the preservation of historic buildings so for him to see the fantastic results of our recent restoration up close, and to meet the expert team who delivered it, was very fitting.”
Prince Charles also took time to visit the Marie Curie Hospice in Belfast to hear about their work.
He met patients, families and staff at the hospice run by the end-of-life charity and added a personal message on a special Wall of Reflection.
During the visit, he paid tribute to all those involved with Marie Curie.
“I know only full well what an enormous difference you make to so many people’s lives both here and obviously within the community,” he said.
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
Most%20polluted%20cities%20in%20the%20Middle%20East
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Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
((Disclaimer))
The Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG (“Bank”) assumes no liability or guarantee for the accuracy, balance, or completeness of the information in this publication. The content may change at any time due to given circumstances, and the Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG is under no obligation to update information once it has been published. This publication is intended for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer, a recommendation or an invitation by, or on behalf of, Liechtensteinische Landesbank (DIFC Branch), Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG, or any of its group affiliates to make any investments or obtain services. This publication has not been reviewed, disapproved or approved by the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”) Central Bank, Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”) or any other relevant licensing authorities in the UAE. It may not be relied upon by or distributed to retail clients. Liechtensteinische Landesbank (DIFC Branch) is regulated by the DFSA and this advertorial is intended for Professional Clients (as defined by the DFSA) who have sufficient financial experience and understanding of financial markets, products or transactions and any associated risks.
SRI LANKA SQUAD
Upul Tharanga (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella
Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana
Chamara Kapugedara, Thisara Perera, Seekuge Prasanna
Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera
Vishwa Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
Saturday 15 January: v Canada
Thursday 20 January: v England
Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly, Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya Shetty, Kai Smith
The Good Liar
Starring: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen
Directed by: Bill Condon
Three out of five stars
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 0
Wolves 2 (Traore 80', 90 4')
At a glance
Fixtures All matches start at 9.30am, at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free
Thursday UAE v Ireland; Saturday UAE v Ireland; Jan 21 UAE v Scotland; Jan 23 UAE v Scotland
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (c), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
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Multitasking pays off for money goals
Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.
That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.
"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.
Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."
People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.
"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
