World

Eleven killed as Pakistanis scramble for scarce donations of food, cash

Seven-year-old Saad Umer joined a crowd in a poor neighbor-hood in the Pakistani city of Karachi rushing to get a handout of flour and a little cash from a charity trying to help the most vulnerable cope with runaway prices.
But in the surge, a melee broke out and some people fell.

For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Saad and 10 others, all women and children, were killed in the latest in a series of deadly scrambles for food as Pakistan struggles with its most serious economic crisis in years.
“He was a beautiful kid. I’ll never get over his death as long as I live,” his father, Umer Zada, told Reuters.
Zada said the distribution of aid should have been better organized, with police supervision of the hungry and desperate seeking help.
“There were no rules or regulations as my son got trampled.”
Last week, in another incident, police fired tear gas in a bid to control a frenzied crowd trying to get their hands on food supplies at a site in Kyber Paktunkwa province.
In all, 16 people have been killed in chaos at charity distributions, shocking Pakistan, especially during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, a time for giving and spiritual reflection.
But this year, economic malaise seems to be eroding society’s ability to cope.
Global factors have compounded consumer inflation as the country of 220 million people tries to finalize a bail-out agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
Prices have been pushed higher by a weakening currency, energy tariff increases and a usual Ramadan spike.
Pakistan’s inflation soared to a record 35 percent last month. Food inflation in March was at 47.1 percent and 50.2 percent for urban and rural areas respectively.
The turmoil as charities try to help the poorest lays bare the des-peration that is likely to get worse as the impact of inflation is compounded by smaller donations of the traditional zakat alms for the poor, according to five aid groups that Reuters spoke to.
“People that would donate small amounts are now showing up asking for help while people that used to donate large amounts are saying they’re struggling and scaling back,” Ansar Burney, head of the Ansar Burney Trust told Reuters.
“There has been a 50 percent reduction in donations this year, while there has been a 50 percent increase in people seeking help.”

‘Donor fatigue’

With prices rising, the funds that donors are giving are not stretching as far as they did.
“Charities are struggling to deal with rising inflation and costs the same way households are. There has also been a rise in the number of people heading our way for help,” said Ramzan Chhipa, founder of the Chhipa welfare association.
Higher fuel prices make providing an ambulance service ever more difficult, says Faisal Edhi, a philanthropist and chief of
Pakistan’s largest charity operation the Edhi Foundation. The group’s ambulances took away the injured and the bodies of Saad and the others killed in the Karachi crush.
“Our services are becoming costly and we aren’t always able to reach the people … We’ve already spent a substantial amount from our reserves,” Edhi said.
Edhi said there had also been an increasing number of men committing suicide because they could not support their families, including one man who was a friend of his.
The Saylani Welfare Trust runs soup kitchens in Karachi’s poorest neighborhoods where surging numbers of people are hoping for a meal but donations to fund the service are falling.
Trustee Arif Lakhani said where in the past up to 500 people would turn up, now it is up to 1,000 while donations have fallen by about half.
“In fact, I’d say donations are 40 percent of what they were,” he said.
Sikander Bizenjo, co-founder of the Balochistan Youth Action Committee, which helps out in the remotest villages, said after a year in which floods devastated huge areas, it was not surprising people felt they could not help as much as before.
“There is some form of donor fatigue,” he said.
Like everyone, Zada is struggling with inflation but he also has to contend with grief and questions that torment him.
“I’m totally devastated. There are other people like me whose children were killed, martyred,” he said.
“The women who had nothing to eat went there. Can’t the government see that people are dying of hunger?”

Police arrest 8 in Pakistan after deadly Ramadan food stampede
Pakistani professionals struggle with higher costs as economy on edge of collapse

World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM