US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers a speech to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. EPA
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers a speech to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. EPA
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers a speech to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. EPA
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers a speech to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. EPA

US condemns 'crimes' in Ukraine as Russia is isolated further


James Reinl
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Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Tuesday told the UN’s human rights body that Russian “crimes” were mounting in Ukraine, with strikes claiming civilian lives and devastating homes and public buildings.

“Russian strikes are hitting schools, hospitals and residential buildings,” Mr Blinken said in a video message to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council.

“Reports of Russia's human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law mount by the hour.”

His comments were the latest in a chorus of international condemnation of Russia — coupled with biting economic sanctions — over its assault on Ukraine, which Moscow says is aimed at ousting a “Nazi” government from the capital Kiev.

Earlier, more than 100 diplomats from about 40 countries walked out of the UN chamber during a speech by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in protest over the escalating conflict.

Still, President Vladimir Putin is pressing ahead with his assault on Ukraine, where fierce fighting and a Russian bombardment have claimed dozens of lives and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

An urgent UN Human Rights Council debate on Ukraine is scheduled for Thursday, where a resolution brought by Kiev and its allies would establish an international probe into abuses committed during the advance of Russian forces.

Mr Blinken urged council members to “send a resolute and unified message that President Putin should unconditionally stop this”.

“We must reject Russia's attempts to falsely justify this attack as a defence of human rights — misappropriating terms that we reserve for the worst atrocities and disrespecting every victim of those crimes,” he added.

At UN headquarters in New York, the 193-nation General Assembly was holding a two-day debate on Ukraine, which was expected to lead to a vote on a draft resolution condemning the invasion on Wednesday morning.

Almost 100 UN members have co-sponsored the resolution. The draft document, a copy of which was obtained by The National, condemns Russia’s invasion and its decision to “increase the readiness of its nuclear forces” and calls on Moscow to pull its troops out of Ukraine.

The draft also “deplores the involvement of Belarus in this unlawful use of force against Ukraine and calls on it to abide by its international obligations".

International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan on Monday announced plans to launch an investigation into the Russian assault, saying there was a “reasonable basis” to believe war crimes were being committed.

UN agencies on Tuesday launched an appeal for $1.7 billion appeal to respond to the escalating humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

At a press conference in Geneva, UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said Russia’s assault on its smaller neighbour had “turned very ugly very fast” and urged donors to give generously.

“Families with small children are hunkered down in basements and subway stations or running for their lives to the terrifying sound of explosions and wailing sirens,” said Mr Griffiths.

“This is the darkest hour for the people of Ukraine. We need to ramp up our response now to protect the lives and dignity of ordinary Ukrainians. We must respond with compassion and solidarity.”

The UNHCR reported that as many as 150,000 people have fled Ukraine in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of refugees to about 677,000.

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2. Dmitry Strakhov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:04

3. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 00:00:06

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5. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates 00:00:12

Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Director: Venkat Prabhu
Rating: 2/5
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 one: how cars came to the UAE

 

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Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

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Du Plessis plans his retirement

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said on Friday the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in two years' time will be his last.

Du Plessis, 34, who has led his country in two World T20 campaigns, in 2014 and 2016, is keen to play a third but will then step aside.

"The T20 World Cup in 2020 is something I'm really looking forward to. I think right now that will probably be the last tournament for me," he said in Brisbane ahead of a one-off T20 against Australia on Saturday. 

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The more serious side of specialty coffee

While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.

The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.

Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”

One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.

Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms. 

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Sinopharm vaccine explained

The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades. 

“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.

"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."

This is then injected into the body.

"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.

"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."

The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.

Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.

“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.

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Founder/CEO name(s): Tarek Kabrit, co-founder and chief executive, and Andrew Kabrit, co-founder and chief operating officer

Based in: Dubai, with operations also in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon 

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Investors: Wamda Capital, B&Y and Phoenician Funds 

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg

Rating: 4/5

Updated: March 01, 2022, 7:11 PM`