Yemeni pro-government forces advance towards the port city of Hodeidah in November. AFP
Yemeni pro-government forces advance towards the port city of Hodeidah in November. AFP

Yemen PM says government ready to resume peace talks



Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed said the government is ready to resume peace talks, in a sign that direct negotiations between Yemeni officials and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels may soon resume.

Western powers made a push for a de-escalation of the country's civil war last week. The US stressed the need for consultations overseen by the United Nations to begin by the end of the month in Sweden, after previous attempts collapsed in September.

"The government of Yemen has made many concessions in the past aiming to reach peaceful solution but we did not receive any encouragement from the Houthis," Mr Saeed said, according to Yemen's official news agency, Saba. "They are continuing to lengthen the duration of the conflict and suffering of Yemenis."

The premier's comments came during a meeting on Tuesday with the Swedish envoy of foreign affairs to Yemen, Peter Simbi.

In September, the two sides were expected to sit down in Geneva for the first time in two years to discuss measures aimed at ending the three-year war in which more than 10,000 Yemenis have been killed but a Houthi delegation failed to show up.

"The militia has left about one million workers in the areas they control without salaries, which has exacerbated the conflict's humanitarian suffering," Mr Saeed said.

Mr Simbi stressed Sweden's willingness to provide support to Yemen and contribute to ending the suffering of the Yemeni people.

The UN's envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, asked Sweden on Wednesday to host Yemen peace talks.

“I urge all concerned parties to seize this opportunity to engage constructively with our current efforts to swiftly resume political consultations to agree on a framework for political negotiations, and confidence-building measures, in particular enhancing the capacities of the Central Bank of Yemen, the exchange of prisoners and the reopening of Sanaa airport," he said in a statement.

"We remain committed to bringing the Yemeni parties to the negotiations table within a month. Dialogue remains the only path to reach an inclusive agreement.”

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Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said the UN asked if Sweden "could be a place for the UN envoy to gather the parties in this conflict".

Ms Wallstrom told Sweden's news agency TT that Copenhagen would be "happy about it" but that nothing was definite.

On Tuesday, Mr Griffiths said on Tuesday that negotiations are the foundation for building peace in the country, according to a statement seen by The National.

He told tribal leaders and civil society workers from Hadramawt and Marib, that it is crucial to work on peace-building especially in parallel with diplomatic efforts, known as Track I, to end the war.

"The real work in Yemen starts the day after we reach a political deal. We should all work to prepare for that day," he said in Amman.

Mr Griffiths has held unofficial, informal peacemaking initiatives carried out by mediators with various societal groups, including civil society organisations, women and youth organisations, to support the continuing diplomatic efforts.

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Sand storm

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At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

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Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara

He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada

Father of two sons, grandfather of six

Plays golf once a week

Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family

Walks for an hour every morning

Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India

2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business

 

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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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How has net migration to UK changed?

The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.

It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.

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Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC

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Director: Goran Hugo Olsson

Rating: 5/5

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Marital status: Separated with two young daughters

Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo

Favourite book: That Is How They Defeat Despair by Salwa Aladian

Favourite Motto: Their happiness is your happiness

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Countries offering golden visas

UK
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History's medical milestones

1799 - First small pox vaccine administered

1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery

1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases

1895 - Discovery of x-rays

1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time

1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin

1953 - Structure of DNA discovered

1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place 

1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill

1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.

1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out

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