Objections to a possible US terrorism listing of Yemen's Houthi rebels ignore the demands of the Yemeni people, Yemen's Information Minister Moammar Al Eryani told The National.
A Foreign Terror Organisation designation of the Iran-backed rebels recognises the Houthi “creed which is based on murder, terrorism, slogans of death and hatred for the other including the US”, Mr Al Eryani said.
In December, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said the US was considering designating the Houthis an FTO, after a meeting with US Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker.
Twenty former US diplomats, including several former ambassadors to Yemen, urged the Trump administration not to give the group an FTO designation in a joint letter last week.
The group said such a move “would be deeply damaging to US national security interests, including the fight against terrorism, and, most of all, to the innocent civilians in Yemen”.
But Mr Al Eryani said their position ignores the will of the Yemeni people who, he said, have called for the Houthis to be designated a terrorist organisation and to face sanctions.
“It also ignores thousands of crimes and aggressions perpetrated by the Houthi militia against civilians, including murder, displacement, kidnap, torture, forced disappearances and forceful military conscription of children,” he said.
The former diplomats wrote they held no sympathy for the Houthis, who they said were “responsible for provoking this conflict and for inflicting grave harm on Yemen’s civilian population and its infrastructure”.
Cholera, a collapsing healthcare system, poverty and malnutrition are only some issues worsened by the Houthi seizure of aid, widespread corruption and lack of transparency in reporting coronavirus rates in areas under their control, all while the war rages on for a sixth year.
Speaking to The National, the former US ambassador to Yemen Gerald Feierstein, a signatory to the letter, said the FTO designation would have a small impact on the amorphous group's military activities but a far bigger one on humanitarian groups, salaries, trade and, ultimately, the food imports on which millions of Yemenis rely.
According to the World Food Programme, Yemen depends on food imports for 90 per cent of its wheat and 100 per cent of its rice requirements. Most of these imports flow through the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah and would be greatly cut down if private importers chose not to do business in Yemen, a scenario more likely to happen under an FTO designation, experts have previously told The National.
“The Houthis do collect import duties from the port of Hodeidah, so their incomes would be impacted. On the other hand, their smuggling operations would not be and so for some Houthis, it will be their windfall, causing them to make more money,” Mr Feierstein said.
“Additionally, they will continue their military operations. Iran won’t care about the designation and won’t stop smuggling weapons in.”
Mr Al Eryani said the rebels maintain foreign bank accounts which would be affected by the sanctions accompanying an FTO designation, thereby damaging their funding and subsequently to their military activities in Yemen.
The rebels’ smuggling activities would be also come under greater scrutiny, he said.
“Allegations by some that the humanitarian operations in the Houthi militia-controlled areas could be affected by this step ignore the truth,” the minister wrote in an article for the National Council on US-Arab Relations this month.
“They ignore the pressures and extortion the militia has exercised, since the coup, against international relief organisations, including the World Food Programme, and how it stole food from the mouths of the hungry and distributed it to its fighters on the fronts, and monopolised it for the families of its militants, and sold it in the black markets to finance its sabotage activities, the ‘war effort’ which prompted many of those organisations to suspend their activities.”
Mr Feierstein said the incoming US administration under Joe Biden would be able to reverse a potential terrorism designation of the Houthis, but this would not happen soon.
"An FTO designation could be reversed bureaucratically under a Biden administration. But with a lot on incoming president Joe Biden's plate, even getting to the point that delisting becomes a priority may take time and in that period of time, a lot of damage would already be done," he told The National.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
RESULT
Deportivo La Coruna 2 Barcelona 4
Deportivo: Perez (39'), Colak (63')
Barcelona: Coutinho (6'), Messi (37', 81', 84')
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
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A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?
The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Greatest Royal Rumble match listing
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Rusev
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v Kalisto
CRICKET%20WORLD%20CUP%20LEAGUE%202
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Company%20Profile
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HOW%20TO%20ACTIVATE%20THE%20GEMINI%20SHORTCUT%20ON%20CHROME%20CANARY
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AWARDS
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Company%20profile
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Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.