Houthi supporters rally in solidarity with Palestinians and in condemnation of Israel and the US, in Sanaa on August 8. AFP
Houthi supporters rally in solidarity with Palestinians and in condemnation of Israel and the US, in Sanaa on August 8. AFP
Houthi supporters rally in solidarity with Palestinians and in condemnation of Israel and the US, in Sanaa on August 8. AFP
Houthi supporters rally in solidarity with Palestinians and in condemnation of Israel and the US, in Sanaa on August 8. AFP

Yemen situation 'deeply fragile' amid broader regional conflict, UN envoy says


Sara Ruthven
  • English
  • Arabic

The situation in Yemen is "deeply fragile" and has been exacerbated by the spillover of the Gaza war, the UN's envoy to the country said on Monday.

Hans Grundberg told the UN Security Council that regional turmoil "continues to erode prospects for peace and stability" in the country.

"There is an urgent need for proactive and pragmatic measures that can pave the way for peace in Yemen," Mr Grundberg said.

Yemen has been mired in conflict for more than a decade, after the Iran-backed Houthis rebelled against the internationally recognised central government. A fragile truce was enacted in 2022, although it has since expired.

Mr Grundberg previously outlined three priorities to lay the groundwork for "lasting solutions" in Yemen: supporting de-escalation on the front lines and working with warring parties on the tenets of a ceasefire; establishing a path for talks in line with the December 2023 peace road map; and continuing to work with the regional and international community to stabilise and support the country.

On the third point, he highlighted the spillover effects of the Gaza war, and the drone and missile strikes launched by Israel and the Houthis.

"Beyond complicating the mediation space for a long-term settlement of the conflict in Yemen, this escalation has led to the near destruction of Yemen's west coast port facilities," Mr Grundberg said. "This is placing immense strain on Yemen's vital infrastructure."

People fill jerrycans using a donated water pipe in Sanaa, Yemen. EPA
People fill jerrycans using a donated water pipe in Sanaa, Yemen. EPA

Russia condemned Israel for "collectively punishing" the people of Yemen for decisions made by the Houthi leadership.

"This once again shows that without a ceasefire in Gaza, it is futile to hope for resolving the situation and leading to regional de-escalation," Russian deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy told the council.

The US laid responsibility for the situation in Yemen on the Houthis and Iran.

"Iran's defiance of this council's resolutions enables the Houthis to escalate regional tensions," said Dorothy Shea, acting US representative to the UN. "Iran's continued support for the Houthis also poses a threat to the people of Yemen and to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea."

The Houthis have launched attacks on commercial ships they say have a connection with Israel in the Red Sea. Most recently, the group said it had "rescued" 11 sailors from the Eternity C cargo ship after sinking the vessel.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate. Ramesh Rajasingham, the head of the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva and director of the Co-ordination Division, told the council that Yemen is now one of the most food-insecure places in the world.

"As the economy continues to collapse and pressures on the food pipelines now, many households with access to food can no longer afford it," he said.

Mr Rajasingham said that many children have died, not from war wounds, but from hunger, "slow, silent and preventable". "Children are forced to work instead of going to school and it means that women and adolescent girls face heightened risks of domestic violence, exploitation or child marriage," he added.

How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now

Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.

The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.

1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):

a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33

b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.

2. For those who have worked more than five years

c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.

Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.

If you go

The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at. 
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.   

Du Football Champions

The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.

The biog

Favourite book: Men are from Mars Women are from Venus

Favourite travel destination: Ooty, a hill station in South India

Hobbies: Cooking. Biryani, pepper crab are her signature dishes

Favourite place in UAE: Marjan Island

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETeyon%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENacon%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%205%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20X%2FS%20and%20PC%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand

UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final

Turkish Ladies

Various artists, Sony Music Turkey 

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENetflix%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKris%20Fade%2C%20Ebraheem%20Al%20Samadi%2C%20Zeina%20Khoury%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ruwais timeline

1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established

1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants

1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed

1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.  

1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex

2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea

2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd

2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens

2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies

2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export

2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.

2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery 

2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital

2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13

Source: The National

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Company profile

Name: Infinite8

Based: Dubai

Launch year: 2017

Number of employees: 90

Sector: Online gaming industry

Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor

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Updated: August 13, 2025, 12:54 PM