Workers unload sacks of wheat flour as people gather outside an aid distribution centre in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, in 2018. Reuters
Workers unload sacks of wheat flour as people gather outside an aid distribution centre in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, in 2018. Reuters
Workers unload sacks of wheat flour as people gather outside an aid distribution centre in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, in 2018. Reuters
Workers unload sacks of wheat flour as people gather outside an aid distribution centre in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, in 2018. Reuters

UNGA 2021: Millions of Yemenis ‘marching towards starvation,’ UN warns at fund-raiser


James Reinl
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UN food chief David Beasley on Wednesday said that 16 million Yemenis were “marching towards starvation” at the start of a fund-raising conference for the country, as rebels made gains in an oil-rich region and celebrated their past victories.

Mr Beasley, director of the UN’s World Food Programme, described a worsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where a Houthi rebel offensive is making gains in a strategic oil-rich region as the group celebrates the seventh anniversary of their seizure of the capital, Sanaa.

“We're literally looking at 16 million people marching towards starvation,” Mr Beasley told the virtual gathering of aid and development ministers aimed at raising much-needed funds for providing Yemenis with food, fuel and medicine.

“We need this war to end, number one. If donors are getting fatigued, well, end the war. The world leaders need to put pressure on all parties involved in this conflict because the people in Yemen have suffered enough.”

UN figures show that some five million Yemenis are on the edge of starvation as war and drought push the country towards its worst famine in 40 years. Some 21 million people — about three quarters of the country’s population — rely on aid.

Muhsin Siddiquey, the Yemen director for the Oxfam charity, said 99 per cent of Yemenis had not been vaccinated against Covid-19 as the country battled a deadly third wave of infections.

“Vaccination is a simple solution that would save lives, but the international community is failing the people of Yemen who need doses now,” Mr Siddiquey said before the meeting.

“We need the vaccines that have been promised but it is also shameful that having bought up all the vaccines for themselves, rich countries like the UK and Germany are blocking the solutions.”

The meeting came during the annual UN General Assembly, where US President Joe Biden and dozens of other leaders made speeches and met for talks on fighting the pandemic, climate change and hotspots such as Yemen and Afghanistan.

In Yemen on Tuesday, thousands of Houthi supporters rallied in the capital Sanaa to celebrate the seventh anniversary of the removal of the government, as the group's fighters pushed through front lines in oil-producing regions of the country.

A vast crowd of supporters thronged Sanaa's central public squares waving the red, white and black national colours, and chanting slogans against Saudi Arabia, Israel and the US. Some carried signs that read “Death to America".

Houthi leader Khaled Al Madani told the cheering crowd that it was the anniversary of “freedom and independence”. Other pro-Houthi rallies were held in northern strongholds, including Saada, Hodeidah and Emran.

Meanwhile, Houthi forces gained ground in the Marib region, the official government’s last stronghold in north Yemen, and the southern area of Shabwa, military officials told Reuters. Both areas are crucial to the country’s oil and gas industry.

The Iran-aligned movement swept into Sanaa and much of north Yemen in 2014 when they toppled the internationally recognised government of President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi, who is now living in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia and other nations intervened in the war in 2015 to try to restore Mr Hadi's government but the conflict has dragged on, killing tens of thousands and causing the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

The escalation came as the UN and US envoys for Yemen, Hans Grundberg and Tim Lenderking, visited Saudi Arabia and Oman to try to revive stalled peace talks, which are focused on lifting blockades and enacting a ceasefire.

T20 World Cup Qualifier fixtures

Tuesday, October 29

Qualifier one, 2.10pm – Netherlands v UAE

Qualifier two, 7.30pm – Namibia v Oman

Wednesday, October 30

Qualifier three, 2.10pm – Scotland v loser of qualifier one

Qualifier four, 7.30pm – Hong Kong v loser of qualifier two

Thursday, October 31

Fifth-place playoff, 2.10pm – winner of qualifier three v winner of qualifier four

Friday, November 1

Semi-final one, 2.10pm – Ireland v winner of qualifier one

Semi-final two, 7.30pm – PNG v winner of qualifier two

Saturday, November 2

Third-place playoff, 2.10pm

Final, 7.30pm

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1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

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3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

Fines for littering

In Dubai:

Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro

Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle. 
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle

In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches 

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

Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East

Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

What are the influencer academy modules?
  1. Mastery of audio-visual content creation. 
  2. Cinematography, shots and movement.
  3. All aspects of post-production.
  4. Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
  5. Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
  6. Tourism industry knowledge.
  7. Professional ethics.
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UAE rugby season

FIXTURES

West Asia Premiership

Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Knights Eagles

Dubai Tigers v Bahrain

Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Division 1

Dubai Sharks v Dubai Hurricanes II

Al Ain Amblers v Dubai Knights Eagles II

Dubai Tigers II v Abu Dhabi Saracens

Jebel Ali Dragons II v Abu Dhabi Harlequins II

Sharjah Wanderers v Dubai Exiles II

 

LAST SEASON

West Asia Premiership

Winners – Bahrain

Runners-up – Dubai Exiles

UAE Premiership

Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins

Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons

Dubai Rugby Sevens

Winners – Dubai Hurricanes

Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Conference

Winners – Dubai Tigers

Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
WORLD RECORD FEES FOR GOALKEEPERS

1) Kepa Arrizabalaga, Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea (£72m)

2) Alisson, Roma to Liverpool (£67m)

3) Ederson, Benfica to Manchester City (£35m)

4) Gianluigi Buffon, Parma to Juventus (£33m)

5) Angelo Peruzzi, Inter Milan to Lazio (£15.7m

MATCH INFO

Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium, Malayisa
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD

* Second leg in Australia on October 10

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Updated: September 23, 2021, 3:53 PM`