Armed boys ride in the back of a pick-up truck at a Houthi rally in Sanaa, Yemen's rebel-held capital, in March 2015. Reuters
Armed boys ride in the back of a pick-up truck at a Houthi rally in Sanaa, Yemen's rebel-held capital, in March 2015. Reuters
Armed boys ride in the back of a pick-up truck at a Houthi rally in Sanaa, Yemen's rebel-held capital, in March 2015. Reuters
Armed boys ride in the back of a pick-up truck at a Houthi rally in Sanaa, Yemen's rebel-held capital, in March 2015. Reuters

Parents in Yemen alarmed as Houthis force weapons training on students


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The Houthi rebels in Yemen have introduced a disputed weapons-training programme for high school and university students in areas under their control, alarming parents and educators about its implications.

The initiative is called Al Aqsa Flood, the name used by Palestinian militants in Gaza for their attack on southern Israel in October last year, and includes lectures and practicals on the use of weapons. It has been introduced by the rebel group, also known as Ansar Allah, across the provinces it holds, ostensibly to prepare youth for a potential military confrontation.

"I lost control of my son," said the mother of Yaman, 14, who joined the programme despite his parents' objections.

A high school pupil at a private school, Yaman first brought home a letter seeking parental approval for his participation. "We wrote that we did not agree, but they influenced him and convinced his friends, and Yaman went with them," his mother said.

She said school officials assured parents that the training was purely defensive, but she fears there is a deeper agenda.

The Houthis have been repeatedly accused of recruiting child soldiers throughout the civil war that broke out in 2015, either through financial incentives or coercion. Large-scale clashes have largely subsided, with the conflict appearing to have settled into a stalemate in recent years, the Houthis control provinces in the north of Yemen and along the Red Sea coast, while the internationally recognised government holds the south.

"We told him the end of this training is the fronts. But he doesn’t listen to us anymore," Yaman's mother said. "We’re afraid if we pressure him, he’ll leave us and join them."

University freshman Ayman, 19, said participation in the weapons-training sessions was being tied to academic grades. "They told us if we didn’t attend, we’d fail basic subjects," he said.

The course, which is being introduced in private and government institutions alike, comprises 12 lecture sessions followed by practical training at a camp, running from morning until early afternoon.

Yemeni students sit their final secondary school exams in Sanaa, Ye,men's rebel-held capital. AFP
Yemeni students sit their final secondary school exams in Sanaa, Ye,men's rebel-held capital. AFP

Teachers are also caught in the crossfire. Moaz, a 24-year-old teacher, described the mounting pressure on students to participate.

"At first, they used incentives like financial rewards or weapons. Then they resorted to intimidation, accusing those who refused of disloyalty," he said.

While some school principals insist on parental consent, the overarching influence of the Houthis limits their ability to shield students.

Amira, a mother of a high school student, spoke of her struggle to counter the persuasive tactics used in the programme.

"Every Saturday, a man in military uniform lectures the students, convincing them to attend weapons-training. He tells them that studying will be useless if the enemy comes. I’m terrified he’ll believe them and join," she said.

Female university students are also being told to attend the lectures, or face academic penalties. Amira’s nieces, enrolled in a private university, said they were threatened with being barred from their courses if they did not.

Al Aqsa Flood marks a shift from previous Houthi-led initiatives, which focused on ideological lectures and sermons by its leader Abdul Malek Al Houthi. Now, the training includes hands-on training with weapons, armoured vehicles and tanks, targeting youths mostly aged 15 to 20.

Armed tribesmen ride attend an anti-US and anti-Israel gathering to mobilise more Houthi fighters, on the outskirts of Sanaa on December 24, 2024. EPA
Armed tribesmen ride attend an anti-US and anti-Israel gathering to mobilise more Houthi fighters, on the outskirts of Sanaa on December 24, 2024. EPA

It comes as the Houthis carry out a campaign of missile and drone attacks on Israel and commercial vessels in the Red Sea allegedly linked to Israel and the US, its main ally. The attacks, which the Houthis say are in support of Gaza in the face of a devastating Israeli military retaliation to the attacks last October, have led to several rounds of air strikes on Houthi-linked targets by the US, UK and Israel.

Some areas, such as Hajjah and Ibb, report widespread participation in the training course. At the launch of the programme’s third phase in Hajjah, a coastal province on the Red Sea, Governor Hilal Al Sufi described it as preparation for a broader battle. "This is about confronting the American, Israeli and British enemy," he declared, emphasising the need for a "jihadist and Quranic culture" to defend Yemen and the Palestinian cause.

Mr Al Sufi praised the progress achieved in earlier phases, which reportedly had tens of thousands of participants. He called on Yemenis to align with revolutionary leadership and prepare for what he termed a "holy jihad and the promised conquest".

As the programme expands, so do concerns about its impact on Yemen’s youths. Parents worry about losing their children to a militarised future, educators fear retaliation for non-compliance, and students are conflicted by coercion disguised as patriotism.

Families such as Yaman’s and Amira’s are left grappling with impossible choices. "We just want our children to focus on their studies, not on war," Amira said. "But how can we protect them when even schools have become battlefields of influence?"

KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
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WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS

England v New Zealand

(Saturday, 12pm UAE)

Wales v South Africa

(Sunday, 12pm, UAE)

 

Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo 

 Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua

 Based: Dubai, UAE

 Number of employees: 28

 Sector: Financial services

 Investment: $9.5m

 Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. 

 

Russia's Muslim Heartlands

Dominic Rubin, Oxford

Avatar%20(2009)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJames%20Cameron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Worthington%2C%20Zoe%20Saldana%2C%20Sigourney%20Weaver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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

Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side

8 There are eight players per team

There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.

5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls

Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs

B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run

Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs

Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

Why are you, you?

Why are you, you?
From this question, a new beginning.
From this question, a new destiny.
For you are a world, and a meeting of worlds.
Our dream is to unite that which has been
separated by history.
To return the many to the one.
A great story unites us all,
beyond colour and creed and gender.
The lightning flash of art
And the music of the heart.
We reflect all cultures, all ways.
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Universal ideals, visions of art and truth.
Now is the turning point of cultures and hopes.
Come with questions, leave with visions.
We are the link between the past and the future.
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new answers are given wings.

Why are you, you?
Because we are mirrors of each other.
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Together we are more powerful than we know.
We connect, we inspire, we multiply illuminations
with the unique light of art.

 Ben Okri,

Infobox

Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman

The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August

Results

UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets

Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets

Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets

Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs

Monday fixtures

UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain

THE BIO

Favourite author - Paulo Coelho 

Favourite holiday destination - Cuba 

New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field

Role model - My Grandfather 

Dream interviewee - Che Guevara

Fund-raising tips for start-ups

Develop an innovative business concept

Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors

Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19

Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.) 

Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months

Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses

Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business

* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Updated: December 25, 2024, 7:28 AM