UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash is seen posing for a family picture at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at the Bayan palace in Kuwait City on December 5, 2017. Guiseppe Cacace / AFP
UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash is seen posing for a family picture at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at the Bayan palace in Kuwait City on December 5, 2017. Guiseppe Cacace / AFP
UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash is seen posing for a family picture at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at the Bayan palace in Kuwait City on December 5, 2017. Guiseppe Cacace / AFP
UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash is seen posing for a family picture at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at the Bayan palace in Kuwait City on December 5, 2017. Guiseppe Cac

Gargash says Houthi rebels looting up to $5bn from Yemen


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  • Arabic

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash said on Saturday that Houthi rebels in Yemen are looting up to $5 billion (Dh18.4bn) from the state to support their terrorist militias.

"The Houthi, with his grip on power in Sanaa, is holding on to control of the country's income, which is estimated at between $3.5bn and $5bn a year, money that is spent on his supporters only and on supporting terrorist militias," said Dr Gargash on Twitter.

“Studies show that despite the war, the importation of vehicles into Houthi-controlled areas and the building of residences for their supporters are witnessing a major boom, no doubt from finances from the looted state treasury.”

Dr Gargash said the “the manifestations of major looting” will soon become clear as the “cover” has been lifted, in reference to Houthis’ former alliance with forces loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh. He was killed by the Iran-backed rebels earlier this month and his party members in the General People's Congress part are being targeted.

“With the ongoing liquidation of the General People’s Congress and its members in regions controlled by the Houthis, the manifestations of major looting from the state will become clear, and the cover of the previous partnership has been lifted, and the cost of the terrorist militia coup will be revealed,” Dr Gargash said.

On Friday, the United Nations special envoy to Yemen said that the Houthis' behaviour is unacceptable, adding that he had met with Dr Gargash and other UAE officials to discuss the situation.

“What is happening in Sanaa is unacceptable and against humanitarian international law. We need to put an end to the targeting of GPC [General People’s Congress] leaders, activists and their families,” said Dr Ismail Ahmed on Twitter.

He said that he held “productive and constructive” meetings with UAE officials, with whom he discussed “the best way to advance a political solution”.

A Saudi-led coalition, which includes the UAE, is fighting in Yemen on behalf of the internationally-recognised government against the Houthi forces, which control Sanaa and much of the impoverished country. Three years of war have killed more than 10,000 people and taken the country to the brink of famine.

UAE's humanitarian assistance 

In an effort to alleviate suffering, the UAE continues to provide relief and development assistance, which has reached more than $2bn. The Emirates Red Crescent has also treated many wounded Yemenis and dispatched several medical convoys in support.

Twenty-three Yemenis returned to their home country on Saturday as part of the UAE's humanitarian assistance. They were flown to India eight months ago for treatment paid for by the ERC.

The National was at the scene in Aden International Airport, where emotions were running high as Yemenis expressed their gratitude towards the UAE leadership.

“We cannot describe our feelings towards the UAE, its leaders and its people,” said Yemeni Abdulmalik Mansoor. “Our words will not be enough to show our appreciation to our second homeland, the UAE, because they put smiles back on our faces.”

Mr Masoor was shot in the leg during fighting for Bab Al Mandeb on the west coast. He was sent to India for surgery after the condition of his leg worsened despite treatment in Aden.

For Nasser Anis, going back to Yemen and being able to walk again was nothing short of a miracle. The fighter from Lahj was also wounded in fighting on the west coast and unable to walk after being hit in the leg and back by mortar fragments.

"I feel like I was born again, and today is a very special day for me," he said. "When I got on a plane months ago, I was on a stretcher unable to move.

“Today, I am back at the same airport, but — thank God — I am standing on my feet, and the UAE is behind the joy I feel.”

Mr Anis said he and his countrymen received excellent medical treatment and psychological support, adding that he would do anything to protect "the country of charity and giving, the UAE".

Read more: Yemeni forces retake last rebel outpost in Shabwa province

Dr Ishraq Al Subaei, assistant undersecretary of the ministry of public health and population, said that this was the fifth group of Yemenis whose treatment in India was paid for by the UAE.

“This is not strange at all that the UAE would pay for this. It shares our suffering, and it works hard to alleviate the harsh consequences of war,” she said.

The UAE has sent hundreds of Yemenis to receive medical treatment in Jordan, India and Sudan.

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

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

CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Washmen Profile

Date Started: May 2015

Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Laundry

Employees: 170

Funding: about $8m

Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

MATCH DETAILS

Manchester United 3

Greenwood (21), Martial (33), Rashford (49)

Partizan Belgrade 0

If you go

The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road. 

The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
 

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Switching%20sides
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Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Scores

Rajasthan Royals 160-8 (20 ov)

Kolkata Knight Riders 163-3 (18.5 ov)

The%20Boy%20and%20the%20Heron
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EHayao%20Miyazaki%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Soma%20Santoki%2C%20Masaki%20Suda%2C%20Ko%20Shibasaki%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20WallyGPT%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2014%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaeid%20and%20Sami%20Hejazi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%247.1%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%20round%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Star%20Wars%3A%20Ahsoka%20
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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

MATCH INFO

Rajasthan Royals 158-8 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 143/7 (20 ovs)

Rajasthan Royals won by 15 runs

RESULTS

Tottenham 1

Jan Vertonghen 13'

Norwich 1

Josip Drmic 78'

2-3 on penalties

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company

The Bio

Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”

Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”

Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”

Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”

The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder

Transmission: CVT auto

Power: 181bhp

Torque: 244Nm

Price: Dh122,900 

In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff

Key recommendations
  • Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
  • Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
  • Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
  • More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

Third Test

Result: India won by 203 runs

Series: England lead five-match series 2-1

MATCH INFO

Manchester City 3
Danilo (16'), Bernardo Silva (34'), Fernandinho (72')

Brighton & Hove Albion 1
Ulloa (20')

The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet

Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder

Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km