The Arab-led Coalition has relaunched a major offensive in Yemen to recapture the vital Red Sea port city of Hodeidah after Houthi rebels failed to attend recent peace talks aimed at averting a military offensive.
The operation will be multi-pronged and comes after Yemeni government troops, backed by the international coalition, took the key supply lines along a key Houthi supply line known as Kilo 16 that links Hodeidah to the occupied capital of Sanaa, Brig. Ali Al Tunaiji, commander of the Arab coalition taskforce for the Red Sea coast, told the UAE state media outlet WAM.
"The Saudi-led Arab Coalition forces continue military operations in Yemen's Red Sea Coast, in cooperation with the Joint Yemeni Resistance forces through surprising strategic military plans that were unexpected by the collapsing militias whose positions are falling one by one,” Brig Al Tunaiji said. He added that the advances had forced Houthi rebels to fall back from frontline positions, abandoning weapons, equipment and dead fighters and that the Coalition backed forces had taken control of “strategic areas in the Hodeidah front and cut rebel supply lines".
He added that the operation would be done in a way that minimised the impact on civilian populations in the city, many of whom have been prevented leaving by the rebels and “are being used as human shields by the militias to protect their defeated fighters,” Brig Al Tunaiji said.
The military commander singled out the pro-government Amaliqa (or Giants) brigades of the South Yemen Movement, the for special mention due to their “superb fighting spirit” while leading the fighting against Houthi rebels.
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He said that that thousands of well-trained Joint Yemeni Resistance fighters “had joined the operation to secure the liberate areas in Hodeidah and to deal with any desperate infiltration moves by the Houthis.”
The offensive to recapture Hodeidah was paused to allow time for UN-led efforts to hold peace talks. Special Envoy Martin Griffiths regularly travelled between Aden, Sanaa and international backers to lay the groundwork for the first talks in two years.
However, although all parties agreed to attend a meeting in Geneva on September 6, the Houthi delegation never left Sanaa after making last-minute demands.
As such the talks were postponed indefinitely and Mr Griffiths travelled to Sanaa over the weekend to discuss next steps.
With talks stalled, the coalition warned that the military offensive to recapture Hodiedah would be restarted.
Barings Bank
Barings, one of Britain’s oldest investment banks, was
founded in 1762 and operated for 233 years before it went bust after a trading
scandal.
Barings Bank collapsed in February 1995 following colossal
losses caused by rogue trader Nick Lesson.
Leeson gambled more than $1 billion in speculative trades,
wiping out the venerable merchant bank’s cash reserves.
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
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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
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
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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Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
