Qatar’s Emir condemned on Tuesday the “horrific atrocities” committed in the city of El Fasher in Sudan’s Darfur region, as famine tightens its grip on the country with civilians trapped and aid blocked.
Following the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces' (RSF) takeover of El Fasher last week after more than 500 days of siege, the UN said hundreds of civilians – including humanitarian workers – have been killed, and many others are trapped behind barricades.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a global hunger monitor, issued an alert on Monday, saying that famine is occurring in parts of Sudan for the second time in less than a year. It said that more than 21 million people, or 45 per cent of the population, were experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity.
The IPC report found that famine was occurring in El Fasher and the besieged town of Kadugli in the South Kordofan region.
Sheikh Tamim, addressing the Second World Summit for Social development in Doha, expressed shock at the scale of the violence.
“I cannot conclude this statement without expressing our collective shock at the horrific atrocities committed in the city of El Fasher, in Sudan’s Darfur region, and our unequivocal condemnation of them,” said Sheikh Tamim.
The war in Sudan, which is midway through its third year, has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly 13 million people. The fighting began in April 2023 when tension between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Gen Mohamed Dagalo, erupted into open conflict.
“Sudan has endured the horrors of this war for two and a half years. The time has come to end it and reach a political solution that guarantees Sudan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said Sheikh Tamim.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that since the RSF entered El Fasher last weekend, the situation was growing worse by the day.
The RSF’s takeover of El Fasher has led to widespread concern as reports and footage of attacks against civilians have emerged.
Mr Guterres called on both rival generals to “come to the negotiation table and bring an end to this nightmare of violence, now”.
“I call on both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to work with my Personal Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, towards a negotiated settlement,” he told journalists in a press briefing on the sidelines of the summit.
Breaches of Gaza ceasefire
Mr Guterres also voiced concern about the continued breaches of the ceasefire in Gaza. “They must stop and all parties must abide by the decisions of the first phase of the peace agreement,” he said.
While the Gaza ceasefire has ended most fighting, the violence has not completely stopped. Both sides have accused each other of breaching the US-brokered truce. Israeli fighter jets launched air strikes in Gaza city on Monday night, official Palestinian media reported.
There has been little sign of progress towards the next phase. Major obstacles lie ahead, including the disarmament of Hamas and a timeline for complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
World leaders gathered in Qatar on Tuesday adopted the Doha Political Declaration, signalling a renewed global commitment to building more just and inclusive societies.
The declaration reflects a shared pledge by governments to combat poverty, create jobs, promote equality and protect human rights, emphasising that social development is not only a moral imperative but also essential for peace, stability and sustainable growth.
Sheikh Tamim told the summit that the Palestinian people need all possible support to address the “catastrophic effects of the brutal Israeli aggression and to confront the establishment of an apartheid system in Palestine”.
“We call on the international community to intensify efforts and provide support to the Palestinian people for reconstruction and to secure their basic needs,” he said.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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.
England Test squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan, Jamie Porter, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes.
In 2018, the ICRC received 27,756 trace requests in the Middle East alone. The global total was 45,507.
There are 139,018 global trace requests that have not been resolved yet, 55,672 of these are in the Middle East region.
More than 540,000 individuals approached the ICRC in the Middle East asking to be reunited with missing loved ones in 2018.
The total figure for the entire world was 654,000 in 2018.
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UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
Predictions
Predicted winners for final round of games before play-offs:
- Friday: Delhi v Chennai - Chennai
- Saturday: Rajasthan v Bangalore - Bangalore
- Saturday: Hyderabad v Kolkata - Hyderabad
- Sunday: Delhi v Mumbai - Mumbai
- Sunday - Chennai v Punjab - Chennai
Final top-four (who will make play-offs): Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore
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Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
The Rub of Time: Bellow, Nabokov, Hitchens, Travolta, Trump and Other Pieces 1986-2016
Martin Amis,
Jonathan Cape
SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: N2 Technology
Founded: 2018
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Startups
Size: 14
Funding: $1.7m from HNIs
The specs: 2019 Cadillac XT4
Price, base: Dh145,000
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged in-line four-cylinder engine
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 237hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others
Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.
As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.
Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.
“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”
Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.
“Now she wants to be a maxillofacial doctor,” Khulood said. “She said to me ‘it is because a maxillofacial doctor returned your face, mama’. Now she wants to help people see themselves in the mirror again.”
Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.
