Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
The US Special Envoy to Yemen said on Tuesday that he is afraid the crisis in Gaza is threatening progress towards peace between the Houthis and the government, saying the prospect of the country being drawn into the conflict between Israel and Hamas is his “worst fear”.
Speaking at the US Institute of Peace during a discussion on the offloading of the FSO Safer, Tim Lenderking referenced the Houthi rebels' launching of several drones and missiles towards Israel last Friday, calling it “unfortunate”.
“My worst fear, of course, is that Yemen gets dragged into another war, and [Yemen's] war is not over yet,” he said.
A US warship operating in the Red Sea intercepted the drones and missiles believed to have been launched by the Iran-backed group towards targets in Israel.
It was another escalation that has threatened to broaden the conflict beyond the borders of Israel and Gaza, as the Israeli military prepares for a ground invasion of the enclave.
On October 7, Hamas militants killed more than 1,400 people in Israel. The Israeli military has killed more than 5,000 Palestinians in its counter-offensive in Gaza.
As the conflict continues, the administration of US President Joe Biden has continued to financially support its long-time ally Israel.
Mr Lenderking said that “we all feel the impact of the loss of life that is taking place” and that the killing of civilians “is inexcusable from either side to perpetuate”.
There had been relative optimism on prospects for peace in Yemen in the months running up to the escalation of violence between Hamas and Israel.
A UN-brokered ceasefire in April 2022 resulted in a reduction in fighting, which has more or less continued despite the ceasefire expiring in October last year.
Saudi Arabia recently hosted Houthi representatives for several days of talks, in the first official visit by a Houthi delegation to the kingdom since 2014.
“I am afraid of what will happen if the Gaza conflict grinds on and we see more inflammation in the region and pressure on actors across the spectrum to get involved,” Mr Lenderking said.
But the seasoned US diplomat expressed hope about the Yemen peace process despite intensified regional tension, and emphasised that Washington continues to prioritise that process.
“We've got to keep the Yemen diplomacy going … I think Yemenis may sense that there's a moment when this could be end of the conflict,” he said.
“There's a huge amount of work that needs to be done, but we want to make sure that the effort can go forward.”
The latest from the Israel-Gaza war – in pictures
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Draw:
Group A: Egypt, DR Congo, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Group B: Nigeria, Guinea, Madagascar, Burundi
Group C: Senegal, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania
Group D: Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Namibia
Group E: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Angola
Group F: Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, Guinea-Bissau
Mobile phone packages comparison
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Leganes v Getafe (12am)
Levante v Alaves (4pm)
Real Madrid v Sevilla (7pm)
Osasuna v Valladolid (9.30pm)
Sunday
Eibar v Atletico Madrid (12am)
Mallorca v Valencia (3pm)
Real Betis v Real Sociedad (5pm)
Villarreal v Espanyol (7pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo (9.30pm)
Monday
Barcelona v Granada (12am)
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Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
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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
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder
Transmission: 7-speed auto
0-100kmh 2.3 seconds
0-200kmh 5.5 seconds
0-300kmh 11.6 seconds
Power: 1500hp
Torque: 1600Nm
Price: Dh13,400,000
On sale: now
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
