ADEN // Yemenis reacted with little enthusiasm to the new peace initiative proposed by American secretary of state John Kerry.
After a meeting with GCC foreign ministers in Jeddah, Mr Kerry said a unity government, including members from the Houthi rebels should be formed “swiftly” to work towards an end to the civil war which has torn the country apart for 18 months. The Houthis — Shiite rebels who oppose the elected government of President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi — must also withdraw from the capital, Sanaa and “other key areas” and hand over all heavy weapons, including missiles and; aunchers, to a third party.
However, policy experts said the proposal amounted to little more than what Yemen had been told in the past.
“This is not a new step to end the war in Yemen. Rather it is a repetition of former initiatives but with a new shape,” said Fadhi Al Rabei, head of the Madar Strategic Studies Centre in Aden. He said that many would find it too difficult to share power with the rebels who have wrought such disaster on the country.
“Yemenis feel vengeful towards the Houthis. They will not be able to accept them as partners in the future,” Mr Rabei told The National. “There have been other similar initiatives over the past 18 months but any and all solutions which include the Houthis in the future regime will not end the war. “
He added that Yemenis wanted to see the implementation of UN resolution 2216, which calls on the rebels to give up arms. “Without it, it is difficult for Yemenis to accept the Houthis as partners in the government. Even if the political sides accept this step, the fighters on the ground will not because they re fighting to liberate the country from the Houthis. No one can persuade the fighters to accept such a solution,” said Mr Rabei.
In Taez, the scene of bitter fighting between rebels and government forces, teacher Sameer Abdulkareem, a supporter of the internationally-recognised Hadi government, said America’s peace proposal would “reward” killers.
“The Houthis are killing civilians in Taez and other provinces and Kerry wants to reward killers by making them partners of the future regime. As far as I know, killers have to be killed in their turn or go for trial,” he told The National.
Taez resident Mohammed Taher said, “A peaceful solution is always preferable but the UN must come up with a fair solution for Yemen, not a solution that turns a coup into an official regime.”
The rebels have so far not responded to Mr Kerry’s announcement but have previously declared they cannot comply with the demand to surrender their weaponry.
during his meeting in Saudi Arabia, Mr Kerry said he was “deeply troubled” by Saudi photographs showing missiles supplied by Iran being positioned along the Saudi-Yemeni border — a claim which the Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dismissed as “baseless accusations.”
Meanwhile in Geneva, the UN’s human rights chief insisted that a domestic panel charged with investigating human rights abuses and violence in Yemen’s civil war was not up to the job and called for an international investigation.
The call from Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein came as his Geneva office released a 22-page report chronicling abuses on both sides in the conflict, which pits the internationally recognised Yemeni government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, against Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, and their allies.
In a statement, Zeid’s office said he “called on the international community to establish an international, independent body to carry out comprehensive investigations in Yemen,” noting in particular “challenges” faced by the national panel set up under President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi — notably, security concerns. Mr Zeid, who is also a member of the Jordanian royal family, did not specify who would set up the international body, but he is expected to present the report’s findings to the UN Human Rights Council at its session next month.
Last year, the council passed a resolution — brought by Saudi Arabia and its allies — that deferred to national investigators to report on rights abuses.
with additional reporting by Associated Press
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The Lowdown
Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseqph, Evan Alex and Elisabeth Moss
Rating: 4/5
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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ENGLAND TEAM
England (15-1)
George Furbank; Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (capt), Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Courtney Lawes; Charlie Ewels, Maro Itoje; Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Joe Marler
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, Ollie Devoto, Jonathan Joseph
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
Buy farm-fresh food
The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.
In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.
In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.
In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra.
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
'Nope'
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