Yemeni fighters backed by the Saudi-led coalition patrol during clashes with Houthi rebels on the Kassara front line near Marib, Yemen. AP
Yemeni fighters backed by the Saudi-led coalition patrol during clashes with Houthi rebels on the Kassara front line near Marib, Yemen. AP
Yemeni fighters backed by the Saudi-led coalition patrol during clashes with Houthi rebels on the Kassara front line near Marib, Yemen. AP
Yemeni fighters backed by the Saudi-led coalition patrol during clashes with Houthi rebels on the Kassara front line near Marib, Yemen. AP

Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi drone attack as rebels make gains in north Yemen


James Reinl
  • English
  • Arabic

Saudi Arabia said on Friday it had intercepted a Houthi drone attack on a shipping vessel as the rebel group announced it had made military gains across central Yemen.

The Saudi Arabia-led coalition battling the Houthi rebels in Yemen said it had thwarted an attempted drone strike on a Saudi commercial ship, without offering further details, the state-owned Al Arabiya outlet reported.

The Houthis meanwhile confirmed on Friday that they had seized two districts in central Al Bayda province, amid continued fighting for control of nearby Marib, a strategic government-held area for oil and gas production.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree described the “liberation of the Naman and Nateh districts” in Al Bayda, a statement carried by the rebels' Al Masirah television network said.

Details of further Houthi advances were expected to be announced on Saturday.

Gains by the Iran-backed Houthis in the regions of Al Bayda and Shabwa raise the prospect of the rebels gaining control of Marib, the Saudi-backed government’s last remaining stronghold in northern Yemen.

The Houthis in February ratcheted up their efforts to seize Marib, where clashes have killed hundreds on both sides. Control of the oil-rich region would bolster the Houthis' bargaining position in future peace talks.

A study by research group Acaps this week said a Houthi victory in Marib could displace half a million more people and deal a fatal blow to Yemen’s exiled government by robbing it of $19.5 million each month in lost crude sales.

UN spokeswoman Eri Kaneko urged both sides to return to negotiations, lay down their weapons and let aid workers gain access to the millions of Yemenis who have been forced to flee their homes and need assistance to survive.

“It just underscores the need to end this fighting so that we can get aid to those who need it the most,” Ms Kaneko said in answer to a question from The National.

Yemen has been ravaged by war, disease and hunger since the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and overthrew the government in 2014, drawing in a Saudi-led coalition the following year to restore the ousted leadership.

The war has forced millions of Yemenis to flee their homes, claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and tanked the economy. Four fifths of Yemenis rely on aid, in what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

AUSTRALIA SQUAD

Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle

The alternatives

• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.

2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.

• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases -  but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

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
Breast cancer in men: the facts

1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.

2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash. 

3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible. 

4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key. 

5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor

 

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The biog

From: Ras Al Khaimah

Age: 50

Profession: Electronic engineer, worked with Etisalat for the past 20 years

Hobbies: 'Anything that involves exploration, hunting, fishing, mountaineering, the sea, hiking, scuba diving, and adventure sports'

Favourite quote: 'Life is so simple, enjoy it'

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Updated: July 31, 2021, 11:52 AM`