US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking says the Houthi rebels have realised that a military victory is not possible. Reuters
US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking says the Houthi rebels have realised that a military victory is not possible. Reuters
US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking says the Houthi rebels have realised that a military victory is not possible. Reuters
US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking says the Houthi rebels have realised that a military victory is not possible. Reuters

US special envoy says Yemen truce is first step towards peace


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The two-month truce in Yemen is a "decisive moment" in the seven-year conflict and offers hope the warring parties and international community can bring a lasting peace to the devastated country, US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking said.

The UN-brokered truce between pro-government forces and the Houthi group aligned with Iran, which went into effect on Saturday evening, is a "first step" to a permanent ceasefire, Mr Lenderking said.

"If the international community and parties can work together this could be built into a lasting ceasefire and inclusive political process that ultimately gives shape to a new Yemen," the US diplomat said during an interview in the Jordanian capital Amman.

We want to build on a decisive moment that helps Yemen turn the corner
Tim Lenderking,
US special envoy

"We want to build on a decisive moment that helps Yemen turn the corner."

The conflict has killed tens of thousands and pushed millions into hunger. The last co-ordinated cessation of hostilities nationwide was during peace talks in 2016.

Mr Lenderking said the deal was a culmination of intensified US diplomacy and the Houthis' realisation there could be no outright military victory.

"The battlefield dynamics have changed, all of these things have combined to create what is a decisive moment," he said.

The coalition was able to prevent the fall of Yemen's gas-rich Marib region, where the Houthis last year advanced on most districts barring the main city and nearby oil-producing sites.

The Houthis responded by stepping up attacks on Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

However, they have now put aside the "notion of military victory", Mr Lenderking said.

The truce is an opportunity for Iran, which Washington says provides significant support for the Houthis, to show its goodwill in backing the UN-led drive for peace, he said.

"We would like to see Iran move away from the negative tactics and role they have played up to this point."

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 four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

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

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 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
4 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
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

Profile of Udrive

Date started: March 2016

Founder: Hasib Khan

Based: Dubai

Employees: 40

Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.

What drives subscription retailing?

Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.

The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.

The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.

The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.

UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.

That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.

Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.

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

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Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

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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

 

 

 

 

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  • Premier League-standard football pitch
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From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Updated: April 03, 2022, 7:19 AM`