This week, the Yemeni government and its former ally the Southern Transitional Council (STC) have signed a Saudi-brokered deal, agreeing to join their forces once again to fight against extremists such as Al Qaeda, as well as the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. This is good news for the people of Yemen, as it brings warring factions one step closer to engaging in a peace process that has stalled since the signing of the Stockholm agreement between the Houthis and the government forces last December.
The UN-brokered deal included a ceasefire in the port city of Hodeidah, the opening of a humanitarian corridor for the movement of aid as well as a prisoner swap between the Houthi rebels and the country’s internationally recognised government, that aimed to build confidence.
Since then, the political landscape has been even more fractured as the STC, led by General Aidrous Al Zoubaidi, fell out with government forces they were allied to, ousting Yemeni President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi’s internationally recognised government from Aden, the country’s temporary capital, where clashes erupted.
The deal brokered by Riyadh and signed jointly by Mr Hadi and Gen Al Zoubaidi has paved the way for these two factions to work together again and solve some of their longstanding differences.
Many southern Yemenis had felt marginalised by the national government formed after the unification of Yemen in 1994. Even after the fall of Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen’s former president who had allied himself with the Houthis, the STC had been excluded from government. But under this Saudi-brokered deal, the STC will enjoy equal representation within a new government, which will be formed in the coming days. The group is also to be included in talks regarding the peace process in Yemen, and will be considered as an official partner of the Arab Coalition led by Saudi Arabia.
In return, Mr Hadi’s government should be able to return to Aden and STC forces will be incorporated into the Yemeni government’s defence and interior ministries.
This fruitful effort has been praised by the UN special envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths, who views it as a crucial step “to advance a peaceful settlement to the conflict” and commended Saudi Arabia’s mediation in this deal.
The deal brokered by Riyadh has paved the way for the government and the STC to solve some of their longstanding differences
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attended the signing in Riyadh, proving that the two Gulf nations are committed to peace in Yemen as they continue to stand by the country’s internationally recognised government and its allies on the ground.
The international community has also hailed the deal as a success for the Yemeni peace process. The UK has praised Saudi Arabia’s efforts in securing the deal, while US President Donald Trump has described the agreement as a “very good start” and urged all parties to “work hard to get a final deal”. Hundreds of ordinary people also took to the streets of southern Yemen to celebrate a deal that has given them hope for a better future.
As for the rebels, Mohammed Ali Al Houthi, a member of the Houthi council has declared the deal “will amount to nothing”. The Houthi reaction to this milestone, showed what little concern the armed militia has for ending the war.
For the first time since last December, Yemenis have reason to hope that better days lie ahead. The Houthis owe it to the people of Yemen to show a true interest in peace, instead of condemning any efforts to end the bloodshed.
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Salah in numbers
€39 million: Liverpool agreed a fee, including add-ons, in the region of €39m (nearly Dh176m) to sign Salah from Roma last year. The exchange rate at the time meant that cost the Reds £34.3m - a bargain given his performances since.
13: The 25-year-old player was not a complete stranger to the Premier League when he arrived at Liverpool this summer. However, during his previous stint at Chelsea, he made just 13 Premier League appearances, seven of which were off the bench, and scored only twice.
57: It was in the 57th minute of his Liverpool bow when Salah opened his account for the Reds in the 3-3 draw with Watford back in August. The Egyptian prodded the ball over the line from close range after latching onto Roberto Firmino's attempted lob.
7: Salah's best scoring streak of the season occurred between an FA Cup tie against West Brom on January 27 and a Premier League win over Newcastle on March 3. He scored for seven games running in all competitions and struck twice against Tottenham.
3: This season Salah became the first player in Premier League history to win the player of the month award three times during a term. He was voted as the division's best player in November, February and March.
40: Salah joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush as the only players in Liverpool's history to have scored 40 times in a single season when he headed home against Bournemouth at Anfield earlier this month.
30: The goal against Bournemouth ensured the Egyptian achieved another milestone in becoming the first African player to score 30 times across one Premier League campaign.
8: As well as his fine form in England, Salah has also scored eight times in the tournament phase of this season's Champions League. Only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15 to his credit, has found the net more often in the group stages and knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Kites
Romain Gary
Penguin Modern Classics
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Company%20profile
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ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
The%20specs
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Scores in brief:
- New Medical Centre 129-5 in 17 overs bt Zayed Cricket Academy 125-6 in 20 overs.
- William Hare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana 188-8 in 20 overs bt One Stop Tourism 184-8 in 20 overs
- Alubond Tigers 138-7 in 20 overs bt United Bank Limited 132-7 in 20 overs
- Multiplex 142-6 in 17 overs bt Xconcepts Automobili 140 all out in 20 overs
The specs: 2018 Peugeot 5008
Price, base / as tested: Dh99,900 / Dh134,900
Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 240Nm @ 1,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester
Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)
Volunteers offer workers a lifeline
Community volunteers have swung into action delivering food packages and toiletries to the men.
When provisions are distributed, the men line up in long queues for packets of rice, flour, sugar, salt, pulses, milk, biscuits, shaving kits, soap and telecom cards.
Volunteers from St Mary’s Catholic Church said some workers came to the church to pray for their families and ask for assistance.
Boxes packed with essential food items were distributed to workers in the Dubai Investments Park and Ras Al Khaimah camps last week. Workers at the Sonapur camp asked for Dh1,600 towards their gas bill.
“Especially in this year of tolerance we consider ourselves privileged to be able to lend a helping hand to our needy brothers in the Actco camp," Father Lennie Connully, parish priest of St Mary’s.
Workers spoke of their helplessness, seeing children’s marriages cancelled because of lack of money going home. Others told of their misery of being unable to return home when a parent died.
“More than daily food, they are worried about not sending money home for their family,” said Kusum Dutta, a volunteer who works with the Indian consulate.
