A vessel docked at the Yemen's Red Sea port of Hodeidah. Reuters
A vessel docked at the Yemen's Red Sea port of Hodeidah. Reuters
A vessel docked at the Yemen's Red Sea port of Hodeidah. Reuters
A vessel docked at the Yemen's Red Sea port of Hodeidah. Reuters

Two fuel ships to be released from Yemen's Hodeidah port, says minister


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Yemen's Foreign Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak announced on Friday the release of the first two fuel ships through the port of Hodeidah, under instructions from President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi.

Consultations are being held between Yemeni political factions in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh in a bid to revive UN-led peace talks aimed at ending the war.

“We immediately announce the release of the first two fuel ships through the port of Hodeidah,” Mr Mubarak said on Twitter.

Mr bin Mubarak said he had also been instructed to “facilitate all the arrangements for the release of all prisoners” as well as “opening Sanaa airport” and “opening roads in the besieged [city of] Taez” in the south.

The civil war in Yemen has killed hundreds of thousands of people, directly and indirectly, according to the United Nations. AFP
The civil war in Yemen has killed hundreds of thousands of people, directly and indirectly, according to the United Nations. AFP

The ports of Hodeidah and Salif are controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The Saudi-led coalition has said the Houthis use them as launching points for military and marine operations.

However, some areas on the outskirts are under the control of pro-government forces.

A peace deal was signed by Yemen's warring sides in Stockholm in 2018 which aimed to keep the ports operational.

Air and sea access to Houthi-held areas are controlled by the coalition, which intervened at the request of the internationally recognised government in 2015, after they it ousted by the rebels.

Mr bin Mubarak said he is “affirming the government's firm position in supporting any efforts that alleviate the humanitarian suffering of our people in light with the positive atmosphere the Yemeni talks in Riyadh.”

“I received clear directives from President Hadi to take necessary steps to facilitate all the arrangements for the release of all prisoners, opening Sanaa airport, releasing oil ships via Hodeidah, opening roads in the besieged Taez, to alleviate the suffering caused by the Houthis,” he said.

A major element of contention in the conflict has been the restrictions on the import of fuel and humanitarian goods into Yemen, where millions of people are on the brink of famine.

For years, the internationally recognised government accused the Houthis of controlling the distribution of supplies from the port, allowing them to decide who will benefit from foreign aid.

The announcement comes as the UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has called for a truce over Ramadan, which is likely to start this weekend.

Mr Grundberg said he was engaging with warring parties about the ceasefire.

The Saudi-led coalition announced on Tuesday it would begin a ceasefire at 6am on Wednesday to enable the political talks to take place.

The Riyadh summit is expected to continue until April 7.

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You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”

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Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series

All matches at the Harare Sports Club:

1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10

2nd ODI, Friday, April 12

3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14

4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16

UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

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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. 

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Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

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

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Updated: April 01, 2022, 5:09 PM`