Negotiations to find a peaceful solution to the Yemen crisis continued into their second day on Thursday.
Politicians, civil society representatives, military officials and Yemen experts are attending the week-long consultation in Riyadh in the hope of reviving UN-led peace talks to end the war.
The talks are being held under the auspices of the Gulf Co-operation Council.
Representatives of the Houthi militias have not shown up despite being invited by the GCC.
The internationally recognised government, diplomats and the international community have expressed optimism about the renewed effort to unite the country.
“The opening was very successful and big with key speakers from the Gulf states, the US and the UN envoy, we are hopeful and stress the importance of these consultations,” Majed Al Fadhil, Yemen’s deputy human rights minister, told The National.
“These are really important talks as they will come up with solutions to the economic, political, humanitarian and security issues we are facing to unite all political parties together,” he said.
Mr Al Fadhil will be consulting officials in the groups discussing political and humanitarian issues to reach “the best outcome for Yemen”.
The rebels' refusal to join the discussions in Saudi Arabia reflects the “fact that they want the war to continue by serving the Iranians and spreading chaos across the region”, the Yemeni official said.
The second day of discussions focused on several issues including political dynamics, the economic crisis and humanitarian aid. The social and media fields were also being discussed, as well as the overall development of Yemen.
“There will be two sessions for each issue, the duration of each session is two hours which will be separated by a half-hour break,” Mr Fadhil said.
Discussion on these topics will represent a platform for the people of Yemen to understand the difficulties on the ground and to overcome them, he said.
The bid by the GCC is seen as a potentially significant breakthrough in Yemen’s seven-year-old war civil war, which has claimed thousands of lives and left millions of people on the brink of starvation.
The British Ambassador to Yemen, Richard Oppenheim, said it should “encourage all parties to engage in dialogue".
"I thank the GCC for taking the initiative which comes under the auspices of the UN envoy in bringing together the parties to discuss ideas for a truce, which again I think is very positive," he said.
"I hope this will feed ideas in to a wider set of discussions which the UN special envoy Hans Grundberg is leading separately."
The UN and US welcomed a unilateral truce announced by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis.
Mr Grundberg and his US counterpart Tim Lenderking said the move could serve as a first step towards a comprehensive ceasefire.
Mr Grundberg, addressing a gathering of allied Yemeni factions in Riyadh on Wednesday, said he was engaging with the parties to reach this truce by the beginning of Ramadan.
"Yemen needs a truce," said Mr Grundberg. "I am engaging with the parties with a sense of urgency to reach this truce by the beginning of Ramadan. The truce will ease the fuel crisis and facilitate the freedom of movement."
The two envoys have been pressing Riyadh to ease sea and air restrictions imposed by the coalition on areas held by the Houthis, who ousted the government from the capital, Sanaa, in late 2014, prompting the coalition to intervene months later.
They have also urged the Houthis to end an offensive in energy-producing Marib province, the internationally recognised government's last stronghold in northern Yemen.
Mr Lenderking said the UN proposal could serve as a first step towards a comprehensive ceasefire and a "new, more inclusive political process".
Truce to allow fuel ships to dock
Two sources had said the proposal was for a temporary truce in exchange for allowing fuel ships to dock at Houthi-held Hodeidah port and a small number of commercial flights to operate from Sanaa airport, Reuters reported.
A senior US State Department official said there were "real opportunities" for progress because there was "buy in" within Yemen and from countries in the region.
"We've seen positive statements from the Houthis that they would be willing to engage," the official said.
A permanent ceasefire has proved elusive as both sides have resisted compromise. The Houthis want the coalition to lift its blockade ahead of any truce talks while the alliance, which controls Yemen's seas and air space, wants a simultaneous deal.
Angelina Jolie in Yemen - in pictures
Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam told Reuters the group had been discussing a "humanitarian truce" with Mr Grundberg for more than a month and hoped "those efforts will succeed".
"On Riyadh's dialogue, we are not concerned about it nor its outcomes," he said.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
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Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
Biog
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Naga
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Full list of Emmy 2020 nominations
LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Don Cheadle, Black Monday
Ted Danson, The Good Place
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Ramy Youssef, Ramy
LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate, Dead to Me
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OUTSTANDING VARIETY/TALK SERIES
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jason Bateman, Ozark
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Brian Cox, Succession
Billy Porter, Pose
Jeremy Strong, Succession
LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show
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OUTSTANDING REALITY/COMPETITION PROGRAM
The Masked Singer
Nailed It!
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Top Chef
The Voice
LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE
Jeremy Irons, Watchmen
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Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America
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OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES
Little Fires Everywhere
Mrs. America
Unbelievable
Unorthodox
Watchmen
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Curb Your Enthusiasm
Dead to Me
The Good Place
Insecure
The Kominsky Method
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Schitt’s Creek
What We Do In The Shadows
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Better Call Saul
The Crown
The Handmaid’s Tale
Killing Eve
The Mandalorian
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Stranger Things
Succession
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
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Price: From Dh590,000
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
THE SPECS – Honda CR-V Touring AWD
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Power: 184hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 244Nm at 3,900rpm
Transmission: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
0-100kmh in 9.4 seconds
Top speed: 202kmh
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
Price: From Dh122,900
The specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 849Nm
Range: 456km
Price: from Dh437,900
On sale: now
Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
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- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
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- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Fixtures
Wednesday January 8 –Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 – Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 – UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
SUZUME
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