This year's Hajj will take place in the first week of September. Ahmad Gharbali / AFP
This year's Hajj will take place in the first week of September. Ahmad Gharbali / AFP

Houthis politicise Hajj



Nothing, it seems, is beyond the pale for Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Armed and financed by Iran, they have been waging a devastating campaign for more than two years to topple Yemen’s internationally recognised government. Having begun by taking over Saada, Yemen’s northernmost province, they quickly stormed their way south, laying siege to the capital city in 2015 and placing members of the country’s legitimate government under house arrest. Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, has been in the grip of the Houthis for more than two years.

Now comes news that the Houthis are preventing Yemenis from travelling to Mecca to perform Hajj. Mukhtar Al Rabash, undersecretary at Yemen's ministry of Awqaf and Guidance, disclosed on Monday that Houthi militias had confiscated the passports of more than 2,000 Yemeni citizens planning to travel to Mecca. Hundreds more have been prevented from leaving Yemen for Mecca, turned back from the port of Wadiah in Hadhramaut province on Yemen's southern tip.

This is a new low. Mecca welcomes all Muslims, and all Muslims yearn to visit it and perform Hajj at least once in their lifetime. Do the Houthis, and their sponsors in Tehran, have any reverence for this holy place? Their actions leave no room for doubt. Last month, they fired a ballistic missile at Mecca. The projectile was intercepted before it could reach its intended target. Saudi Arabia called it a “desperate attempt” by the Houthis to “disrupt Hajj”. Now, in stopping people already suffocating under their rule from visiting Mecca, the Houthis have gone a step further.

The UAE is at the forefront of the effort to defeat the Houthis. It has been a testing commitment. Last week, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, grieved with families of Emirati pilots and soldiers who fell serving in Yemen. But the Houthis and their backers in Iran should not doubt the resolve of the UAE government. Yemenis are being held hostage in their own country. Only the restoration of the country's legitimate government will end their nightmare.

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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.

Company Profile

Company name: Big Farm Brothers

Started: September 2020

Founders: Vishal Mahajan and Navneet Kaur

Based: Dubai Investment Park 1

Industry: food and agriculture

Initial investment: $205,000

Current staff: eight to 10

Future plan: to expand to other GCC markets

THE SPECS

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine 

Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Price: From Dh1,350,000

On sale: Available for preorder now

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The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

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Company%20Profile
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Book%20Details
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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage

Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid 

Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani

Rating: 4/5

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City's slump

L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
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L - Tottenham, 2-1

The specs: 2019 Mini Cooper

Price, base: Dh141,740 (three-door) / Dh165,900 (five-door)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder (Cooper) / 2.0-litre four-cylinder (Cooper S)
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Torque: 220Nm @ 1,480rpm (Cooper) / 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (Cooper S)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 4.8L to 5.4L / 100km

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England squad

Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Dominic Bess, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Ben Foakes, Lewis Gregory, Keaton Jennings, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Amar Virdi, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Long read

Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response

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The biog

Age: 30

Position: Senior lab superintendent at Emirates Global Aluminium

Education: Bachelor of science in chemical engineering, post graduate degree in light metal reduction technology

Favourite part of job: The challenge, because it is challenging

Favourite quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” Gandi

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.