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In a significant expansion of its humanitarian operations, Ras Al Khaimah has launched its inaugural maritime aid mission to Gaza, deploying a vessel carrying 4,000 tonnes of critical supplies destined for displaced Palestinian families ahead of Ramadan. The Saqr Humanitarian Ship departed from Ras Al Khaimah Port on January 22, embarking on a strategic journey to Egypt’s Port of Al Arish with an anticipated arrival date of February 5.

The comprehensive cargo aboard represents a meticulously coordinated response to urgent needs in Gaza, containing food provisions for bakeries and communal kitchens, specialized Ramadan food parcels, clothing, blankets, shelter materials, and essential medical supplies to reinforce overwhelmed healthcare facilities. This shipment marks the 23rd humanitarian vessel dispatched under the UAE’s coordinated Gaza relief efforts.

Hamoud Saeed Al Afari, Relief Operations Coordinator for Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, emphasized the strategic nature of this assistance: ‘This vessel carries essential supplies carefully selected based on urgent humanitarian needs, particularly in preparation for Ramadan. Our goal is to ensure aid reaches families, hospitals, and relief centers as quickly and efficiently as possible.’

The UAE’s humanitarian infrastructure extends beyond maritime deliveries, encompassing a field hospital in Gaza, an operational eye hospital in Al Arish, and six constructed water desalination plants. These efforts are supplemented by daily water deliveries, sustained support for food production facilities, and comprehensive medical assistance that has facilitated treatment for 1,000 Palestinian children and 1,000 cancer patients within UAE facilities.

Notably, this mission represents Ras Al Khaimah Port’s inaugural participation in humanitarian maritime operations, joining other UAE ports including Fujairah, Al Hamriyah in Dubai, and Khalifa Port in this coordinated effort. To date, the UAE has delivered more than 737 humanitarian flights and over 10,000 aid trucks into Gaza, accounting for more than 46% of total international assistance.

The Saqr Mohammed Al Qasimi Foundation for Charity and Humanitarian Work fully funded and loaded this historic shipment, marking the foundation’s first complete humanitarian ship contribution. Mohammed Al Shareef, official spokesperson for Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, confirmed that aid selection was based on real-time assessments by UAE field teams to ensure alignment with the most pressing civilian needs.

With total aid volume under Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 reaching 110,000 tonnes valued at over $2.6 billion, the UAE continues to dominate international relief efforts for Gaza. A subsequent humanitarian vessel carrying more than 7,000 tonnes of aid is already scheduled for loading and dispatch in early February, reinforcing the sustained pipeline of assistance.

A 60-year-old Nigerian woman identified as Sarah Peter has described her miraculous escape from armed kidnappers who attacked her church in Kurmin Wali village, approximately 135km north of Abuja. The assault occurred during Sunday morning worship services when gunmen stormed multiple churches in the region.

Sarah, whose name has been changed for security reasons, sustained a severe head injury when attackers struck her with a rifle butt to force compliance. ‘Blood was all over,’ she recounted, visibly traumatized days after the incident. Despite her injuries and physical limitations, she managed to hide from her captors during the forced march and crawled back to safety.

The coordinated attacks targeted branches of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church and two other congregations, resulting in what local Christian Association of Nigeria officials describe as over 160 missing persons. While 11 worshippers including Sarah successfully escaped, the majority remain unaccounted for three days after the incident.

Kurmin Wali’s proximity to Rijana forest in Kaduna state presents particular security challenges, as the area serves as a known hideout for criminal gangs locally referred to as ‘bandits.’ These groups have increasingly engaged in ransom-driven abductions across Nigeria’s northwestern region, creating a widespread security crisis.

Authorities initially denied the attacks occurred despite eyewitness accounts, only confirming the incidents after 48 hours of confusion. Local residents have accused officials of attempting to suppress information about the kidnappings, with reports of journalists being blocked from accessing the village.

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani eventually visited the traumatized community, promising to establish a military base between the village and Rijana forest, construct a hospital and road infrastructure, and provide medical support to affected residents. ‘We cannot relocate them because they have to farm… but to ensure that we protect them going forward, we need to have a military base,’ Governor Sani told the BBC.

The attack reflects Nigeria’s escalating security challenges, with kidnapping for ransom becoming increasingly commonplace despite official prohibitions on payments to captors. While international attention has grown regarding religious targeting in Nigeria, officials maintain that Muslims, Christians, and non-religious individuals have all been affected by the insecurity.

Survivor Christopher Yohanna, who escaped with his two-year-old daughter but lost two wives and other children, encapsulated the community’s despair: ‘If my family is not with me then my life is worthless and free of any joy.’ As families await news of their missing relatives, they hope the governor’s security promises will materialize before further attacks occur.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A catastrophic weather system has unleashed severe flooding across southern Africa, resulting in a confirmed death toll exceeding 100 individuals and triggering widespread devastation in Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The region has been subjected to unusually intense rainfall since late last year, culminating in what authorities describe as the worst flooding incident in years, with fatalities anticipated to rise as emergency operations persist.

The human impact is profound. South Africa reports over 30 fatalities, while neighboring Zimbabwe has suffered at least 70 deaths from the relentless downpours. Mozambique has officially attributed 13 deaths directly to the floods over a two-week period, though the actual number is believed to be significantly higher. Central and southern Mozambique are among the hardest-hit areas, with the government estimating over half a million citizens have been affected. In the southern Gaza province alone, more than 300,000 people have been displaced, prompting official evacuation orders for several towns. The provincial capital, Xai-Xai, and the agricultural hub of Chokwe have been completely submerged, with only building rooftops visible in satellite imagery. The tourist destination of Marracuene, north of the capital Maputo, is now encircled by water and effectively isolated.

Beyond the humanitarian crisis, the environmental and economic toll is staggering. South Africa’s renowned Kruger National Park, a premier wildlife sanctuary and major tourist destination, has sustained infrastructural damage estimated in the tens of millions of dollars. Environment Minister Willie Aucamp confirmed that sections of the vast, 20,000-square-kilometer park are entirely cut off after roads and bridges were washed away. Staff accommodations and tourist facilities have been destroyed, with a full recovery expected to take several years. A special reconstruction fund has been established. Park officials noted that wildlife, including critically endangered black rhinos, typically migrates to higher ground during floods, though the full impact on animal populations remains unclear. Hundreds of tourists and staff were successfully evacuated, with no reported fatalities within the park.

Cross-border rescue missions are underway to mitigate the disaster. The South African Air Force has deployed helicopters to conduct lifesaving operations in its northern provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, rescuing citizens stranded on rooftops and in trees. The military has extended these efforts into Mozambique, where it has airlifted nearly 500 stranded individuals to safety. The scale of destruction is immense, with thousands of homes obliterated, leading South Africa to declare a national disaster. Engineers are also assessing the structural integrity of a dam in the northeast under severe pressure from the floodwaters, with preemptive evacuations ordered in case of a potential breach.

Humanitarian agencies are raising alarms over secondary crises. The flooding has decimated crops relied upon by millions of subsistence farmers, drastically increasing the threat of widespread hunger. Furthermore, the standing water creates a fertile ground for waterborne diseases, with cholera posing a significant risk. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has highlighted the extreme vulnerability of children among the affected populations in Mozambique, where access to essentials like clean water, food, and healthcare has been severely compromised.

ABUJA, Nigeria — In a brazen assault highlighting Nigeria’s escalating security crisis, armed militants have demanded 17 motorcycles as ransom payment for over 150 Christian worshippers abducted during coordinated church attacks in northwestern Kaduna state. The mass kidnapping occurred Sunday when gunmen raided three separate churches in Kajuru district, initially seizing 177 congregants before 11 managed to escape during the operation.

Local authorities confirmed tactical security teams have been deployed to track the kidnappers, believed to be part of rogue criminal gangs exploiting limited state presence in remote communities. The motorcycle ransom demand—estimated at approximately $17,000 total—represents both a practical and symbolic request, as these vehicles serve as primary transportation for militants operating throughout Nigeria’s conflict zones.

Village head Ishaku Dan’azumi reported the captors explicitly requested motorcycle replacements rather than monetary compensation, a detail corroborated by Sebastine Barde of the Adara Development Association. The abduction methodology reflects broader patterns in regional violence, where attackers utilize forest reserves as hideouts and motorcycles for rapid movement between communities.

Kaduna Governor Uba Sani visited affected communities Wednesday, pledging coordinated efforts between state and security agencies to secure hostage release. “Our administration will continue to pursue peace, security, and inclusive development,” Sani stated during his assessment of the crisis.

The incident occurs amid deteriorating diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the United States, following U.S. accusations that Nigerian authorities have failed to protect Christian communities during the nation’s prolonged security emergency. While attacks affect both religious groups, the targeting of worship centers has drawn international concern and complicated bilateral counterterrorism cooperation.