Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine
The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to denounce Russia’s military assault on Ukraine — the latest major diplomatic setback to President Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch an “unprovoked” war in Eastern Europe.
In all, 141 countries supported the resolution, five nations voted against and 35 nations abstained. The resolution required support from two-thirds of the assembly to pass. Diplomats stood and applauded after the vote.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said members had spoken “loud and clear".
“The world wants an end to the tremendous human suffering in Ukraine,” he said. “End hostilities in Ukraine — now. Silence the guns — now. Open the door to dialogue and diplomacy — now.”
Before the vote, US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield blamed Mr Putin for an “unprovoked, unjustified, unconscionable war” and widespread suffering in Ukraine, where hundreds have died and millions are being uprooted.
“The truth is that this war was one man’s choice and one man alone: President Putin,” she said under the UN assembly hall's golden-domed roof.
“It was his choice to force hundreds of thousands of people to stuff their lives into backpacks and flee the country. To send newborn babies into makeshift bomb shelters. To make children with cancer huddle in hospital basements, interrupting their treatment, essentially sentencing them to death.”
Ukraine's UN ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya received a round of applause after addressing the chamber, holding up a copy of the UN Charter and saying members had a “duty” to vote for the resolution.
Russia's UN ambassador Vasily Nebenzya accused western states of “unprecedented pressure” and “cynical threats” to influence the vote, saying it would not deter Russia from what he called a necessary military operation.
The resolution, a copy of which was obtained by The National, "condemns the 24 February 2022 declaration by the Russian Federation of a 'special military operation' in Ukraine," as well as the "decision of the Russian Federation to increase the readiness of its nuclear forces."
It also deplores Russia's recognition of pro-Kremlin breakaway regions and calls on Moscow to immediately halt aggression and withdraw its troops.
The UN assembly voted against a backdrop of spiralling chaos in Ukraine, with street fighting breaking out in its second city, Kharkiv, after Russian paratroopers landed amid a barrage of air strikes and shelling.
All 193 UN member states had a chance to speak at the three-day debate — making the event a barometer of global attitudes towards the invasion of Ukraine and the worst fighting Europe has seen in years.
It is only the 11th time in the UN's history that such an emergency session has been held following a Security Council veto. The last time involved Israel in 1982.
The session began with diplomats standing for one minute of silence to honour the victims of fighting in Ukraine, a country of about 44 million people, before assembly president Abdulla Shahid spoke, calling for “an immediate ceasefire”.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson before the vote called Mr Putin a war criminal for dropping bombs on “innocent civilians” and urged the UN’s wider membership to roundly condemn the invasion.
“We call on every nation to join us in condemning Russia and demanding that Putin turns his tanks around,” said Mr Johnson.
The meeting was the latest in a flurry of diplomacy at the UN. Russia on Friday vetoed a draft Security Council resolution that would have condemned Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
China, the UAE and India abstained and the remaining 11 members voted yes.
The UAE on Wednesday voted to support the General Assembly resolution.
Lana Nusseibeh, the UN ambassador for the UAE, said Ukraine's conflict had reached a “dangerous inflection point”, that the vote result sent an important “signal” and called for more “dialogue and effective diplomacy” to end the crisis.
On Tuesday, Ms Nusseibeh said the UAE would be “flexible” in its diplomacy.
“This is not a one-position approach,” she said in regard to the Ukraine crisis.
Security Council resolutions are legally binding, but the body’s permanent members — Russia, the US, France, Britain and China — can quash them with a veto. Resolutions of the General Assembly are non-binding, but carry moral force and cannot be vetoed.
Mr Putin on February 24 launched a large-scale military assault into neighbouring Ukraine, deploying tens of thousands of troops across the country, backed by tanks, fighter jets and ships.
More than 836,000 people have fled Ukraine since Russia began what it called a “special military operation”, the UN's refugee agency says, and the number is growing steadily.
Russia has since become a global pariah as ordinary Ukrainians take up arms to defend their country. Moscow has been hit by a barrage of sanctions including a ban from western airspace and key financial networks.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
The specs
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
NBA FINALS SO FAR
(Toronto lead 3-2 in best-of-seven series)
Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109
Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109
Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123
Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105
Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106
Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland
Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)
UAE rugby in numbers
5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons
700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams
Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams
Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season
Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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match info
Southampton 0
Arsenal 2 (Nketiah 20', Willock 87')
Red card: Jack Stephens (Southampton)
Man of the match: Rob Holding (Arsenal)
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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RESULTS
Manchester United 2
Anthony Martial 30'
Scott McTominay 90 6'
Manchester City 0
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
