The former Yemeni president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, who spent more than half his life governing in an act he likened to “dancing on the heads of snakes”, would have turned 71 on Wednesday. But on his birthday, three months after his brutal death, the whereabouts of the deposed leader's body are still unknown.
A great deal of conflicting news has been reported on the fate of Saleh's corpse since his murder on December 4, 2017 at the hands of the Houthi rebels with whom he joined in an uneasy alliance to resist the internationally-recognised government.
The Iranian-backed Houthis announced two days after his killing that Saleh’s body was buried in his birthplace, a tiny village of Beit Al Ahmer, in a funeral precession allegedly attended by Maydan and Salah, Saleh’s two sons still under Houthi arrest.
However, earlier in March, loyalists began demanding Saleh’s body be handed over, sparking rumours fuelled by a trending Twitter hashtag that the Houthis never buried the former president.
"For me, as I used to be too close to Saleh, I confirm that his body is still with the Houthis," Faeka Al Sayed, the minister of social affairs, told The National.
Mr Al Sayed is one of the very few Saleh loyalists who were able to visit the president’s two sons while in Houthi custody.
“They told me that the news, which claimed they participated in the funeral of their father, is a lie," Mr Al Sayed said. "Saleh's sons, Salah and Madyan, told me that they know nothing about their father's body.”
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Yemen crisis: How did Ali Abdullah Saleh die?
Yemen in flux: the only certainty is there is no certainty
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A source close to Saleh told The National at the time that the Houthis claimed to have buried the former leader, but that the funeral procession of Yemen's longest-standing ruler was attended by not more than 20 people.
"The fate of Saleh's body is not recognised yet, neither his family nor the leaders of his party GPC (General People's Congress) know anything about his corpse," Fares Saeed, the editor-in chief of the GPC-owned Khabar news agency, said in Sanaa.
Furthermore, Saleh's loyalists have been carrying out a big social media campaign on Twitter and Facebook requesting the Houthi militia hand Saleh's body over to his family.
"Hey mercenaries! Where is Saleh's corpse? We swear to hold a huge funeral for him, a funeral that the whole world will see and hear about, but just after hanging his murderers," Abdulkareem Al Meddi, one of Saleh's loyalists, tweeted on Tuesday.
After his death in December, a picture purportedly showing a note handwritten by Saleh a day before he was killed was making the rounds on social media.
“If you find this paper, know that our nation is valuable, and we will never not treasure it. My wishes are that my children and people do not surrender to these criminal militias and do not hand over Yemen to them. I hope you become their nightmare that haunts their sleep,” the note said.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
More coverage from the Future Forum
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
the pledge
I pledge to uphold the duty of tolerance
I pledge to take a first stand against hate and injustice
I pledge to respect and accept people whose abilities, beliefs and culture are different from my own
I pledge to wish for others what I wish for myself
I pledge to live in harmony with my community
I pledge to always be open to dialogue and forgiveness
I pledge to do my part to create peace for all
I pledge to exercise benevolence and choose kindness in all my dealings with my community
I pledge to always stand up for these values: Zayed's values for tolerance and human fraternity
Race 3
Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Spain drain
CONVICTED
Lionel Messi Found guilty in 2016 of of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying €4.1m in taxes on income earned from image rights. Sentenced to 21 months in jail and fined more than €2m. But prison sentence has since been replaced by another fine of €252,000.
Javier Mascherano Accepted one-year suspended sentence in January 2016 for tax fraud after found guilty of failing to pay €1.5m in taxes for 2011 and 2012. Unlike Messi he avoided trial by admitting to tax evasion.
Angel di Maria Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Angel di Maria was fined and given a 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time at Real Madrid. But he is unlikely to go to prison as is normal in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying sentence of less than two years.
SUSPECTED
Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid's star striker, accused of evading €14.7m in taxes, appears in court on Monday. Portuguese star faces four charges of fraud through offshore companies.
Jose Mourinho Manchester United manager accused of evading €3.3m in tax in 2011 and 2012, during time in charge at Real Madrid. But Gestifute, which represents him, says he has already settled matter with Spanish tax authorities.
Samuel Eto'o In November 2016, Spanish prosecutors sought jail sentence of 10 years and fines totalling €18m for Cameroonian, accused of failing to pay €3.9m in taxes during time at Barcelona from 2004 to 2009.
Radamel Falcao Colombian striker Falcao suspected of failing to correctly declare €7.4m of income earned from image rights between 2012 and 2013 while at Atletico Madrid. He has since paid €8.2m to Spanish tax authorities, a sum that includes interest on the original amount.
Jorge Mendes Portuguese super-agent put under official investigation last month by Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Falcao, a client of his. He defended himself, telling closed-door hearing he "never" advised players in tax matters.
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
Elvis
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
