RIYADH // Saudi Arabia and the United States on Thursday announced the possibility of a five-day ceasefire in Yemen, if Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and their allies also agree to stop fighting.
The pause is aimed at allowing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the country, where there are severe shortages of food, clean water and fuel. About 80 per cent of Yemen’s population is believed to be going hungry, according to the United Nations and the Yemen International NGO Forum.
Plans for a possible ceasefire were revealed after US secretary of state John Kerry met King Salman and, separately, Yemen’s president Abdrabu Mansur Hadi in Riyadh.
Mr Kerry’s meeting with Mr Hadi showed US support for “the legitimate government of Yemen”, despite its leaders being “in exile”, said Hussein Shobokshi, a Saudi Arabian political commentator.
A Saudi Arabia-led coalition, which includes the UAE, has carried out a bombing campaign against Houthi rebels and their allies since March 26. The US has assisted the coalition with intelligence and selecting targets.
The campaign began after the Shiite Houthis, partnered with forces loyal to Yemen’s ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, took over the capital Sanaa and continued their offensive into the country’s south, forcing Mr Hadi to flee.
Mr Saleh is thought to be seeking revenge for his removal during the 2011 Arab Spring and believes he can use the conflict to negotiate a political comeback.
Saudi Arabia perceives the offensive by the Houthis, allies of Riyadh’s regional rival Tehran, to be a major national security threat.
On Wednesday, five people were killed inside Saudi Arabia by mortars and rockets fired by the rebel fighters.
More than 1,400 people in Yemen are believed to have been killed in the fighting and nearly 6,000 wounded, according to the United Nations.
With the ceasefire dependent on the cooperation of rebel forces, and its start date not yet announced, Mr Shobokshi cast doubt on the proposal’s chances for success.
“[The Houthis] have not been seeking any peaceful settlement to this conflict since day one,” he said.
Mr Kerry announced the initiative in a joint news conference with his Saudi counterpart Adel Al Jubeir. “There will be a ceasefire everywhere or a ceasefire nowhere,” said Mr Al Jubeir.
Further details regarding the proposal are expected on Friday when Mr Kerry and Mr Al Jubeir meet foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in Paris.
Mr Kerry said the US remains “deeply concerned about the situation on the ground in Yemen and ... fully supports efforts to facilitate the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid.”
The US secretary of state also said he had encouraged Mr Hadi to support United Nations-brokered “all party” negotiations.
Mr Al Jubeir said Saudi Arabia would provide US$274 million (Dh1bn) in humanitarian aid for Yemen.
Also on Thursday, Iran’s Red Crescent said it would send 2,500 tons of humanitarian aid to Yemen, according to official media, saying that their Saudi counterparts had been informed by fax, Agence France-Presse reported.
The shipment, scheduled to arrive later this month, sets Tehran up for a confrontation with US and coalition warships stationed off Yemen.
The Yemen chief at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Thursday that he was “gravely concerned” about reports that civilians were being killed and injured in fighting.
“Civilians were reportedly targeted while they were trying to flee to safer areas, having been trapped in Aden with limited or no access to water, food and health care for weeks,” said Johannes van der Klaauw.
Meanwhile, a Gulf official said that a Saudi Arabian Apache helicopter had made an emergency landing near the border with Yemen after being damaged on Thursday, but denied Houthi claims that it had been shot down, according to Reuters.
During the press conference in Riyadh, Mr Kerry also discussed plans for the GCC leaders to meet US president Barack Obama at the White House on May 13 and at Camp David on May 14.
The meetings will focus on how the US will support its allies in the Gulf as the international community prepares for the possibly of Iranian sanctions being lifted, something that could allow Tehran a freer hand to pursue its regional ambitions.
“The goal of the GCC effort is to see how we can provide greater assurances to people about the road ahead,” Mr Kerry said. The aim was to build an “architecture” that allows for more effective cooperation, he added.
Commenting on the conflict in Syria, Mr Kerry sought to clarify Washington’s position on Syrian president Bashar Al Assad.
“We believe Assad has lost all legitimacy,” Mr Kerry said. “And we also know that the only way to make peace, ultimately, is to take away the reason that people are at war. And the reason they’re at war is because of Assad.”
A rift between Gulf states and the US over Washington’s limited support for Syria’s rebel groups was further exacerbated in 2013 when Mr Obama reneged on his comments about Mr Al Assad using chemical weapons being a “red-line”.
“The seeming disconnect between Saudi Arabia and the US over the future of Syria has been a major factor in the somewhat strained relations between the two countries over the past two years,” said Fahad Nazer, a former political analyst at the Saudi embassy in Washington.
“It led some Saudis to speak about the need to adopt a more assertive and independent foreign policy. I think this new Saudi thinking has manifested itself in dramatic fashion in the military campaign in Yemen.”
jvela@thenational.ae
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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
Pupils in Abu Dhabi are learning the importance of being active, eating well and leading a healthy lifestyle now and throughout adulthood, thanks to a newly launched programme 'Healthy Lifestyle'.
As part of the Healthy Lifestyle programme, specially trained coaches from City Football Schools, along with Healthpoint physicians have visited schools throughout Abu Dhabi to give fun and interactive lessons on working out regularly, making the right food choices, getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, just like their favourite footballers.
Organised by Manchester City FC and Healthpoint, Manchester City FC’s regional healthcare partner and part of Mubadala’s healthcare network, the ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ programme will visit 15 schools, meeting around 1,000 youngsters over the next five months.
Designed to give pupils all the information they need to improve their diet and fitness habits at home, at school and as they grow up, coaches from City Football Schools will work alongside teachers to lead the youngsters through a series of fun, creative and educational classes as well as activities, including playing football and other games.
Dr Mai Ahmed Al Jaber, head of public health at Healthpoint, said: “The programme has different aspects - diet, exercise, sleep and mental well-being. By having a focus on each of those and delivering information in a way that children can absorb easily it can help to address childhood obesity."
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP
Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)
Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 0
Liverpool 2 (Mane 50', 54')
Red card: Andreas Christensen (Chelsea)
Man of the match: Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
UK%20-%20UAE%20Trade
%3Cp%3ETotal%20trade%20in%20goods%20and%20services%20(exports%20plus%20imports)%20between%20the%20UK%20and%20the%20UAE%20in%202022%20was%20%C2%A321.6%20billion%20(Dh98%20billion).%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThis%20is%20an%20increase%20of%2063.0%20per%20cent%20or%20%C2%A38.3%20billion%20in%20current%20prices%20from%20the%20four%20quarters%20to%20the%20end%20of%202021.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20was%20the%20UK%E2%80%99s%2019th%20largest%20trading%20partner%20in%20the%20four%20quarters%20to%20the%20end%20of%20Q4%202022%20accounting%20for%201.3%20per%20cent%20of%20total%20UK%20trade.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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