A British man was released after spending five years in a Yemen prison following a concerted diplomatic push during a nationwide ceasefire in the country's long-running conflict, rights groups and his MP said on Monday.
Luke Symons, who was working as a teacher before his arrest, was released on Sunday along with 11 other foreign prisoners held by the Houthi rebels following a deal that involved the Omani and Saudi governments.
Mr Symons had been held without trial or charge since 2017, when he was detained after being stopped at a checkpoint in the southern city of Taez. He was accused of being a spy when authorities discovered he was carrying a British passport, though both he and his family have repeatedly denied the accusations.
His family have accused the British government of failing to push hard enough for his release, even as France and the US managed to bring some of their citizens out of Houthi-run prisons.
Mr Symons, 30, was “inexplicably” dropped from a mass prisoner exchange deal in October 2020 in which two US citizens returned home.
Rights group Amnesty International, Mr Symons’s family and his MP met UK foreign ministry officials on April 13 to press them to exploit a window of opportunity during the ceasefire, urging them to use their strong relationship with Saudi Arabia to bring Mr Symons home.
Kevin Brennan, the Labour MP for Cardiff West, told Parliament last week that it was vital for the UK to use its influence and its “much-boasted relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to explore any avenue to achieve Luke’s release”.
Days later, Mr Symons was released and taken to an airport in Sanaa, where he was reunited with his Yemeni wife and their 5-year-old son.
The Omani government said that it then flew Mr Symons and his family, along with 11 other prisoners, to Muscat. He is expected to return to Britain to be reunited with his family in the Welsh capital Cardiff later this week.
The UK government declined to give further details on the nature of the deal beyond comments on Sunday by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who welcomed the release and thanked the Omani and Saudi governments.
An exhausted Mr Symons last night spoke to his family in the UK for the first time since his release and he is said to be in good spirits and looking forward to returning home after medical checks.
“It’s great news after five long years and much campaigning by Luke’s family and myself in Parliament,” said Mr Brennan.
He said that serious questions remained about the treatment of Mr Symons. He fled to Djibouti after the war began but was forced returned to Yemen because he was not able to secure UK travel documents for his wife.
“There are significant questions to be answered about what happens to families who are in that situation … and the kind of support and assistance they are given at a consular level when conflict breaks out,” said Mr Brennan.
Mr Symons married his wife in Yemen in 2014 and the couple's son was born months before he was arrested. His family had become increasingly concerned about his physical and mental health, and he had received only one visit from a UN official.
He later told his family that he was taken out of the prison for the UN meeting but guards were within earshot during discussions, meaning he was unable to give a full account of his treatment. But former prisoners told the family that Mr Symons had been beaten and treated badly in prison during attempts to force a confession.
“Symons was an innocent victim of the conflict in Yemen and should never have been detained in the first place,” said Eilidh Macpherson of Amnesty International.
“The unbearable conditions he faced — including solitary confinement — were taking a terrible toll on Luke’s well-being, with his mental and physical health suffering.”
Mr Symons’s release could signal the start of a mass prisoner swap similar to that which occurred in 2020.
The Houthis have made a new offer to the UN that includes the release of 200 prisoners from each of the warring parties in Yemen, Yemeni television channel Al Masirah TV reported.
Last month, Yemen's warring parties discussed the possible prisoner swap, but no final agreement was reached.
British MPs are investigating state-backed hostage-taking after complaints that the UK’s diplomatic service has fallen short in its efforts to secure the release of Britons abroad.
The inquiry was announced following the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori by Iran after Britain finally settled a debt linked to a 1970s aborted arms deal.
Timeline
2012: Mr Symons, from Cardiff, Wales, travels to Saudi Arabia before moving to Yemen, where he meets his wife in 2014.
March 2015: Yemen’s president Abdrabu Mansur Hadi is forced to flee after an offensive by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
August 2015: Coalition ground troops land in the southern port city of Aden.
November 2016: The couple have a son.
April 2017: Mr Symons is detained and accused of being a British spy after he is stopped at a checkpoint in the capital Sanaa.
November 2018: A Yemeni official, who claims to be overseeing Mr Symons’s file, says he will be released in the “coming days”. Nothing happens.
December 2018: A senior member of the Houthi decision-making body demands the release of Mr Symons — but local officials ignore the order.
March 2019: Jeremy Hunt, the UK’s foreign secretary at the time, raises the case with Yemeni authorities on a trip to the Gulf.
April 2019: An official for the UN special envoy for Yemen meets Mr Symons for the first time after he is taken out of prison. The official reports he is in good health.
May 2019: The family speak out for the first time out of frustration over the failures of the UK and UN to secure his release.
March 2020: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres calls for a nationwide ceasefire in Yemen.
April 2020: Foreign Office minister James Cleverly calls for the release of Mr Symons as Ramadan approaches and highlights the risks from coronavirus in the country’s unhygienic jails.
September 2020: The internationally recognised Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels agree in Switzerland to exchange more than 1,000 prisoners in the largest swap in the conflict as ceasefire talks continue.
October 2020: The exchange starts with the release of two American citizens but Mr Symons is left behind.
May 2021: Dominic Raab, the UK foreign secretary, writes to Houthi leader Abdulmalik Al Houthi, urging him to release Mr Symons as the fourth anniversary of his arrest nears.
April 2022: Mr Symons is released, along with 11 other foreign prisoners, and is reunited with his wife and 5-year-old son. They are all flown to Oman.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
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Tell-tale signs of burnout
- loss of confidence and appetite
- irritability and emotional outbursts
- sadness
- persistent physical ailments such as headaches, frequent infections and fatigue
- substance abuse, such as smoking or drinking more
- impaired judgement
- excessive and continuous worrying
- irregular sleep patterns
Tips to help overcome burnout
Acknowledge how you are feeling by listening to your warning signs. Set boundaries and learn to say ‘no’
Do activities that you want to do as well as things you have to do
Undertake at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It releases an abundance of feel-good hormones
Find your form of relaxation and make time for it each day e.g. soothing music, reading or mindful meditation
Sleep and wake at the same time every day, even if your sleep pattern was disrupted. Without enough sleep condition such as stress, anxiety and depression can thrive.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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Top financial tips for graduates
Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:
1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.
2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.
3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.
4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.
The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
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.
Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
T20 World Cup Qualifier
Final: Netherlands beat PNG by seven wickets
Qualified teams
1. Netherlands
2. PNG
3. Ireland
4. Namibia
5. Scotland
6. Oman
T20 World Cup 2020, Australia
Group A: Sri Lanka, PNG, Ireland, Oman
Group B: Bangladesh, Netherlands, Namibia, Scotland
Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 – Group 1 (PA) $65,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $65,000 (Turf) 1,800m
7.40pm: Meydan Classic – Listed (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,600m
8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $195,000 (T) 2,810m
8.50pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (T) 2,000m
9.25pm: Meydan Challenge – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,400m
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Uefa Champions League play-off
First leg: Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Ajax v Dynamo Kiev
Second leg: Tuesday, August 28, 11pm (UAE)
Dynamo Kiev v Ajax
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
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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Tori Amos
Native Invader
Decca
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
Company%20profile
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'C'mon C'mon'
Director:Mike Mills
Stars:Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman
Rating: 4/5
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Name: Colm McLoughlin
Country: Galway, Ireland
Job: Executive vice chairman and chief executive of Dubai Duty Free
Favourite golf course: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Favourite part of Dubai: Palm Jumeirah
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Five films to watch
Castle in the Sky (1986)
Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Only Yesterday (1991)
Pom Poki (1994)
The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013)
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
