Nine more UN staff members have been detained by Yemen's Houthi rebels, bringing the total number of personnel held since 2021 to 53, spokesman Stephane Dujarric has said.
“The Secretary General [Antonio Guterres] strongly condemns the continued arbitrary detentions of its personnel and its partners, as well as the ongoing unlawful seizure of UN premises and assets in areas under Houthi control,” Mr Dujarric said on Monday.
He did not specify the timing or circumstances of the latest detentions.
In August the Houthis raided UN premises in Sanaa and detained at least 18 UN staff after an Israeli strike on the city that killed the prime minister of the Houthi-run government Ahmed Al Rahawi and several other ministers.
Houthi officials accused the UN staff of being spies, saying their legal immunity should not shield espionage activities.
The Houthi Foreign Ministry has also accused the UN of bias, saying it failed to denounce the Israeli attack on Sanaa but criticised the legal detention of UN workers.
“The Secretary General reiterates his urgent call for the immediate and unconditional release of all personnel,” Mr Dujarric said. “They must be respected and protected in accordance with applicable international law.”
Yemen has been split between a Houthi administration in Sanaa and a Saudi-backed government in Aden since the Iran-aligned group seized the capital in late 2014, starting a decade-long conflict.
The Houthis are a key component of Iran's anti-Israel axis across the Middle East. They have launched repeated drone and missile attacks against Israel since the Gaza war broke out in October 2023.
Israel has carried out several rounds of retaliatory strikes on Yemen, against ports, power stations and the international airport in Sanaa.
Last month the UN Security Council demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the staff, warning that the crackdown by the Houthis risks worsening Yemen's humanitarian crisis.
Some previous arrests by the Houthis have led to the suspension of UN humanitarian operations in the country.
The 15-member Security Council strongly condemned the detentions. It also denounced the forced entry by Houthi authorities into UN premises, including offices of the World Food Programme and the UN children's fund, and the seizure of UN property, calling the actions clear violations of international law.
The council urged the Houthis to ensure a safe and secure operating environment for UN staff and allow the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian assistance in areas under their control.
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
The Specs
Engine 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp (542bhp in GTS model)
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000 (Dh549,000 for GTS)
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Seoul from Dh3,775 return, including taxes
The package
Ski Safari offers a seven-night ski package to Korea, including five nights at the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong and two nights at Seoul CenterMark hotel, from £720 (Dh3,488) per person, including transfers, based on two travelling in January
The info
Visit www.gokorea.co.uk
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
