Last year marked a series of lows for the Houthis, the militant group that has done so much to stir up conflict in Yemen. In May, the group fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh the day before Donald Trump, the US president, was due to arrive in Saudi Arabia on his inaugural foreign visit. The unsuccessful attack was the prelude to further assaults by the group in November and December. The relative sophistication of the weaponry used in the attacks suggested direct Iranian involvement, something the regime in Tehran contested, but the point was thoroughly backed up by Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, who "declassified" segments of two recovered missiles from the attack, describing them as "concrete evidence of illegal Iranian weapons proliferation". Later the same month, the Houthis ended their alliance of convenience with Ali Abdullah Saleh, the country's former president, by accusing him of staging a coup after he said he was willing to pursue conflict-resolution talks with the Saudi-led coalition. Houthi fighters shot him dead outside Sanaa in early December. Reflecting on the events, Dr Anwar Gargash, the UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, described the Houthis as a "sectarian militia of thieves".
The new year brings a new low for the Houthis - now they are even stealing the childhoods of Yemen's youth. As The National reported, the militia has been conscripting children to boost their beleaguered ranks. Reports say the militia have been snatching boys from a Sanaa orphanage and recruiting primary school students as young as 10. Once conscripted, the children are sent away for a short period of training before being packed off to the battlefield. An earlier UN report had documented a significant and alarming increase in the "recruitment and use of children" by the Houthis. The report identified incidents of coercion through a campaign of misinformation. The war in Yemen has taken its toll on all of the country's civilian population, but especially on its children.
The evidence is conclusive and helps explain once again, the UAE's continuing commitment to resolving the conflict in Yemen and restoring peace and stability to the country. The Houthis hijacked Yemen when they deposed the legitimate government. They stifle hope by actions such as threatening to block shipping traffic in the Red Sea. Restoring a legitimate government in Sanaa is vital, and urgency is a must to stop snatching away the childhood of an entire generation of the nation's youth.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company%20profile
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Sri Lanka World Cup squad
Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Isuru Udana, Milinda Siriwardana, Avishka Fernando, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal.
Asian Cup 2019
Quarter-final
UAE v Australia, Friday, 8pm, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Fireball
Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.
A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.
"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
