From a farm in northern Yemen to Internet science sensation — the journey of Hashem Al-Ghaili

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Yemeni Hashem Al-Ghaili has become an internet sensation for his videos explaining science to laypeople around the world. (Universum Bremen, Bastian Bullwinkel)
Updated 09 July 2018
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From a farm in northern Yemen to Internet science sensation — the journey of Hashem Al-Ghaili

LONDON: Hashem Al-Ghaili has come a long way from his family’s qat farm in northern Yemen, he now communicates complex theories of physics to millions of followers.
As a young boy growing up in northern Yemen, Al-Ghaili already knew he wanted to be a scientist — but his father had other ideas.
Al-Ghaili senior grows qat, the mildly narcotic herb beloved of Yemenis and the people of the Horn of Africa, and he expected Hashem, 10th of his 12 children, to work on the farm with him. Indeed he demanded it, brushing away any dissent.
“I tried because it is very difficult in Yemen to go against your parents’ wishes, but in the end I had to follow my dream,” said Al-Ghaili.
Today, Al-Ghaili, 27, is a scientist and a media star with an army of fans avidly following his online mini-films in which he explains science to non-scientists.

He began posting occasional videos with a commentary in 2009. He taught himself graphics and editing and launched a Facebook page, just to share with friends. The group continued to grow and by the end of 2015, he had acquired 66,000 followers. Now he has 24 million followers globally and has racked up a staggering eight billion views on Facebook.
What began as a hobby made him a science superstar. But despite his natural ability, it hasn’t been easy.
His communication skills were evident at school where he would read aloud to the class “and explain things.” He was six.
At age 16 when he graduated from high school, he secretly applied for a government scholarship to study abroad. He had to go to the capital, Sanaa, to fill out the paperwork and made the six-hour journey without telling his father.
“I called him from Sanaa and he was really upset.” Angry, upset or disappointed? “I’d say angry. But I told him I was going to do this against all odds and he realized then that there was nothing he could do.”

Al-Ghaili secured the scholarship, but that didn’t mean he could study the subject he wanted at the university of his choice.
“People with connections get places in Europe and America. The rest of us get the leftovers and even then, the computer randomly chooses for you. I requested physics in Egypt or Jordan and I got biotechnology in Pakistan.”
Another shock awaited him when he arrived at the University of Peshawar and realized that his schoolboy English was not good enough to follow the tutorials and there was no language course he could sign up for that could bring him up to the required level. Undeterred, he set about teaching himself English from online tutorials that he was able to watch after borrowing money to buy a laptop.

“Peshawar wasn’t a very safe place back in 2008 so I wasn’t going out much. Within three months I was ready,” he said.
He graduated with a first-class degree and was appointed the university’s ambassador to Yemen.
He then applied for a scholarship to study for a master’s degree in Germany and became one of only five applicants out of 1,070 to be awarded a scholarship.
“So I had the scholarship, but to get the visa I had to have a place at a university, which I didn’t. But I couldn’t risk missing my chance,”
He arrived in Dresden, Germany, and spent five months learning German and applying to universities.
“I sent off 70 applications in one day. Most didn’t reply at all, a few said applications were closed and one replied saying: ‘Let’s talk.’”
That was Professor Sebastian Springer of Jacobs University, an English-language institution in Bremen, northern Germany, which has students from around 80 countries.
“DAAD (the scholarship-awarding body) made a strong recommendation for his exceptional communication abilities and his extraordinary dedication,” said Prof. Springer.

“In my interview, Hashem came across as a very dedicated and professional person who spoke excellent English and his gift of communication was already very clear.”
But a further shock awaited Al-Ghaili in Bremen, the course he had studied in Pakistan had been more theoretical. "I didn’t know how to conduct experiments or how to use the equipment. I was devastated.”
He confided his concerns to Prof. Springer. “He said he knew I was worried, and if I had not come to him, he would have known I was not serious about my studies. He said, ‘I’m here to help you.’ He was so supportive and I owe him a lot. I got the hang of the practical work and in the end I excelled at it.”
After he got a top grade in his master’s degree he was chosen to give the students’ speech at the graduation ceremony. He embarked on a doctorate, but gave it up after three months as his communicator role gradually took precedence over his science.
“I couldn’t do both and I realized I was better at the communicating.”
The online comments he gets bear this out. Many are of the “Wow, this is awesome!” variety. In response to a film about the history of the universe, from birth to now, one wrote: “This was the most amazing and educational six minutes and 11 seconds of my life.”
Al-Ghaili says he chooses topics that interest him or that could be useful.
“It might be a medical breakthrough or something to do with the environment, or correcting misconceptions about GM [genetically modified] foods or vaccines or climate change.”
Inevitably, he has faced criticism from Internet trolls calling him a fake and saying he should be arrested. He no longer reads the comments.

“I can’t screen hundreds of thousands of them. I only read them if they require intervention. I don’t care about the personal comments, but I won’t have them spreading misinformation.”
A particularly proud moment for him came two years after he got his master’s when he was invited on to a discussion panel with Randy Schekman, Nobel laureate in medicine, a powerful illustration of how far he has come.
His determination has also paid off for others as three siblings, including two sisters, have also gone to university. His brother has been studying business administration in Malaysia, one sister is a journalist and poet and the other is studying economics.
He is especially pleased for his sisters. “Women in Yemen are trained to accept what others decide for them. They don’t even know their rights. My dad is very proud now and convinced about education. He keeps track of everything I do. We speak every week.”
He lives in Berlin describing the city as “a great central hub for start-ups and collaboration,” but woefully lacking in Yemeni restaurants: “I mean, there’s not a single one anywhere in all of Germany!”
He now has four people to help him with sourcing video, editing and writing scripts. But nothing goes through without his approval. His current big project is “Simulation,” a science fiction short film he has written, directed and funded and intends to show at film festivals and then sell online.
He has not seen his family since 2013 and as the war rages on in Yemen he has no idea when he will. Doing what he does from Yemen would be difficult. “Talking about things like the Big Bang can get you into trouble,” he said.
But he feels a responsibility to represent his country well and longs to see it flourish.
“Being rich can make you a bit lazy,” he said. “Yemen is a poor country, but we have creative people.”


Israeli general condemns West Bank settler riot, ‘vandalism’ by troops

Updated 19 sec ago
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Israeli general condemns West Bank settler riot, ‘vandalism’ by troops

  • Major General Avi Bluth urged severe action against settlers involved in a violent riot near the settlement outpost of Givat Habaladim on April 2, 2025
  • He also mentioned “vandalism and graffiti” by reserve soldiers during a raid in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: The Israeli military’s top commander in the occupied West Bank condemned recent violence by Israeli settlers against police and “unacceptable” conduct by soldiers, in a video shared by the army on Friday.
A military statement said that Major General Avi Bluth addressed a “series of unusual incidents” while visiting Israeli police officers in the West Bank, near the site of a riot involving settlers earlier this week.
Israeli police said they had arrested 17 suspects over the “violent riot” on Wednesday near the settlement outpost of Givat Habaladim, northeast of the Palestinian city of Ramallah, during which Israeli settlers threw stones at officers and torched a police car.
Bluth “emphasized that these are exceptional incidents that must be addressed with the necessary severity,” the military statement said.
Referring to the settlers’ attack on Israeli forces, Bluth said in the video: “Beyond the fact that this is a red line that has been crossed and will be dealt with seriously, there is no greater act of ingratitude.”
Rights groups often accuse the army of protecting Israeli settlers in the West Bank, and the United Nations has said that settler attacks against Palestinians are taking place in a climate of “impunity.”
In a recent incident Bluth did not address in the video, the army said that this week “dozens of Israeli civilians... set fire to property” in the Palestinian village of Duma, injuring several people.
The Israeli general mentioned “vandalism and graffiti” by reserve soldiers during a military raid on Wednesday, in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem.
While a major offensive since January has focused on refugee camps in the northern West Bank, Dheisheh in the south has seen an uptick in Israeli army raids in recent weeks.
Images shared on social media showed vandalized apartments, where furniture was broken and Israeli nationalist slogans spray painted on walls.
Bluth said that “the conduct in Dheisheh by our reserve soldiers is not what we stand for.”
“Vandalism and graffiti during an operational mission are, from our perspective, unacceptable incidents. It is inconceivable that IDF (army) soldiers do not act according to their commanders’ orders,” he said.
Since war began in October 2023 in the Gaza Strip — a separate Palestinian territory — violence has soared in the West Bank.
Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 917 Palestinians, including militants, in the West Bank since October 2023, according to Palestinian health ministry figures.
Palestinian attacks and clashes during military raids have killed at least 33 Israelis, including soldiers, over the same period, according to official figures.
Israel has occupied the West Bank, home to about three million Palestinians, since 1967.
Excluding annexed east Jerusalem, around 490,000 Israelis live there in settlements and outposts that are illegal under international law. Outposts are also illegal under Israeli law.
 


Israeli general condemns West Bank settler riot, ‘vandalism’ by troops

Updated 4 min 35 sec ago
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Israeli general condemns West Bank settler riot, ‘vandalism’ by troops

  • Major General Avi Bluth addressed a “series of unusual incidents” while visiting Israeli police officers in the West Bank
  • Bluth “emphasized that these are exceptional incidents that must be addressed with the necessary severity“

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: The Israeli military’s top commander in the occupied West Bank condemned recent violence by Israeli settlers against police and “unacceptable” conduct by soldiers, in a video shared by the army on Friday.
A military statement said that Major General Avi Bluth addressed a “series of unusual incidents” while visiting Israeli police officers in the West Bank, near the site of a riot involving settlers earlier this week.
Israeli police said they had arrested 17 suspects over the “violent riot” on Wednesday near the settlement outpost of Givat Habaladim, northeast of the Palestinian city of Ramallah, during which Israeli settlers threw stones at officers and torched a police car.
Bluth “emphasized that these are exceptional incidents that must be addressed with the necessary severity,” the military statement said.
Referring to the settlers’ attack on Israeli forces, Bluth said in the video: “Beyond the fact that this is a red line that has been crossed and will be dealt with seriously, there is no greater act of ingratitude.”
Rights groups often accuse the army of protecting Israeli settlers in the West Bank, and the United Nations has said that settler attacks against Palestinians are taking place in a climate of “impunity.”
In a recent incident Bluth did not address in the video, the army said that this week “dozens of Israeli civilians... set fire to property” in the Palestinian village of Duma, injuring several people.
The Israeli general mentioned “vandalism and graffiti” by reserve soldiers during a military raid on Wednesday, in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem.
While a major offensive since January has focused on refugee camps in the northern West Bank, Dheisheh in the south has seen an uptick in Israeli army raids in recent weeks.
Images shared on social media showed vandalized apartments, where furniture was broken and Israeli nationalist slogans spray painted on walls.
Bluth said that “the conduct in Dheisheh by our reserve soldiers is not what we stand for.”
“Vandalism and graffiti during an operational mission are, from our perspective, unacceptable incidents. It is inconceivable that IDF (army) soldiers do not act according to their commanders’ orders,” he said.
Since war began in October 2023 in the Gaza Strip — a separate Palestinian territory — violence has soared in the West Bank.
Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 917 Palestinians, including militants, in the West Bank since October 2023, according to Palestinian health ministry figures.
Palestinian attacks and clashes during military raids have killed at least 33 Israelis, including soldiers, over the same period, according to official figures.
Israel has occupied the West Bank, home to about three million Palestinians, since 1967.
Excluding annexed east Jerusalem, around 490,000 Israelis live there in settlements and outposts that are illegal under international law. Outposts are also illegal under Israeli law.


Macron to hold Gaza summit with Egyptian, Jordanian leaders

Updated 33 min 32 sec ago
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Macron to hold Gaza summit with Egyptian, Jordanian leaders

  • The French president is expected in Cairo on Sunday evening
  • The trilateral summit will be held the same day

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said he would hold a trilateral summit on the situation in Gaza with Egypt President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
Israel has pushed to seize territory in Gaza since the collapse of a short-lived truce in its war with Hamas, in what it has called a strategy to force the militants to free hostages still in captivity.
Simultaneously, Israel has escalated attacks on Lebanon and Syria.
“In response to the Gaza emergency and during my visit to Egypt at President El-Sisi’s invitation, we will hold a trilateral summit with the Egyptian president and the King of Jordan,” Macron wrote on X ahead of his trip.
The French president is expected in Cairo on Sunday evening, where he will hold talks with his Egyptian counterpart on Monday morning.
The trilateral summit will be held the same day in the Egyptian capital, according to Macron’s office.
On Tuesday, Macron will also visit the Egyptian port of El-Arish, 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of the Gaza Strip, to meet humanitarian and security workers and demonstrate his “constant mobilization in favor of a ceasefire.”
El-Arish is a transit point for international aid intended for Gaza.


Libya’s anti-NGO push seen as diversion from internal failures, analysts say

Updated 05 April 2025
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Libya’s anti-NGO push seen as diversion from internal failures, analysts say

  • Anas Al-Gomati, director of the Tripoli-based Sadeq Institute think tank, said “this isn’t about NGOs — it’s about creating enemies to distract from failures“
  • Libya analyst Jalel Harchaoui noted that the Tripoli government is adopting a similar tone to Tunisian President Kais Saied

TUNIS: Libya’s suspension of 10 international humanitarian groups, part of a broader crackdown on African migrants, is aimed at masking domestic failures and securing external concessions, particularly from Europe, analysts have said.
Libya’s Tripoli-based authorities announced on Wednesday a decision to suspend the Norwegian Refugee Council, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Terre des Hommes, CESVI and six other groups, accusing them of a plan to “settle migrants” from other parts of Africa in the country.
War-torn Libya is a key departure point on North Africa’s Mediterranean coast for migrants, mainly from sub-Saharan African countries, risking dangerous sea voyages in the hope of reaching Europe.
Anas Al-Gomati, director of the Tripoli-based Sadeq Institute think tank, said “this isn’t about NGOs — it’s about creating enemies to distract from failures.”
The UN-recognized government of Abdulhamid Dbeibah is “tapping into conservative anxieties while masking their inability to provide basic services,” he told AFP.
Libya has struggled to recover from the chaos that followed the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that overthrew longtime leader Muammar Qaddafi.
It remains split between the UN-recognized government in Tripoli and a rival authority in the east, backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar.
The ultimate goal, according to Gomati, is to “extract concessions from Europe which, fearing potential migration surges, will offer new funding packages and prop up the government in Tripoli.”
On Wednesday, Rome announced the allocation of 20 million euros to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to finance “voluntary repatriations” for 3,300 sub-Saharan migrants who arrived in Algeria, Tunisia and Libya.
“This isn’t coincidence — its coordination. The Libyan authorities shut down NGOs providing monitoring and protection (for migrants) precisely as Italy announces 20 million euros for ‘voluntary’ returns,” said Gomati.
“Italy gets to claim they’re funding ‘voluntary’ returns while Libya gets to demonstrate ‘sovereignty’, all while vulnerable migrants face extortion in detention before being labelled ‘volunteers’ for deportation.”
Libya analyst Jalel Harchaoui noted that the Tripoli government is adopting a similar tone to Tunisian President Kais Saied, who in early 2023 denounced what he called “hordes of sub-Saharan migrants” who threatened to “change the country’s demographic composition.”
Harchaoui, of the London-based Royal United Services Institute, said Dbeibah was facing considerable difficulties, particularly in gaining access to public funds, and his once pragmatic relationship with the Haftar family in the east had deteriorated.
The two rivals had previously struck a kind of non-aggression pact in exchange for sharing oil revenues.
“In its bid to assert control and project strength, the Dbeibah government has turned to demonizing sub-Saharan migrants and denouncing NGOs,” Harchaoui said.
This aims to “show who’s in charge in Tripoli and create the illusion that he is curbing migration flows.”
Exiled Libyan human rights activist Husam el-Gomati said on X that “this crackdown appears not only to limit the influence of these organizations but also to prevent the documentation of human rights violations and delay any potential punitive measures against militia leaders involved in these abuses.”
Various reports from the United Nations and NGOs such as Amnesty International have denounced the arbitrary detentions of government opponents, journalists and lawyers in recent months, as well as abuses against migrants, including the discovery of mass graves.
Following the NGO ban, aid groups have expressed concern for both their Libyan colleagues and the migrants who have been made more vulnerable in a country that, according to the IOM, is home to more than 700,000 residents from sub-Saharan countries.
The International Commission of Jurists on Friday condemned the “recent collective expulsions, arrests, violent attacks and the surge of hate speech, including that which constitutes incitement to violence, against migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Libya.”
The organization noted that the Libyan interior ministry has pledged “the deportation of 100,000 migrants every four months.”


Lebanese officials discuss south Lebanon with visiting US envoy

Updated 05 April 2025
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Lebanese officials discuss south Lebanon with visiting US envoy

  • Ortagus praises Lebanese army for fulfilling duties in southern Lebanon
  • Lebanon informs envoy about negotiations to continue demarcation of land border with Israel

BEIRUT: Senior Lebanese officials said Saturday’s discussions with the visiting US deputy special envoy for the Middle East were positive, with talks focusing on south Lebanon amid a fragile truce between Israel and Hezbollah.

The Lebanese presidency described the meeting held on Saturday between Joseph Aoun and Morgan Ortagus as “constructive.”

It added that the discussion with President Aoun “covered the situation in southern Lebanon and on the Lebanese-Syrian border, as well as financial and economic reforms and combating corruption.”

Ortagus arrived in Beirut on Friday evening and held a series of meetings on Saturday with Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Rodolph Haykal and Lebanese Forces Party leader Samir Geagea.

It marked her second visit to Lebanon, following a trip in early February during which she made strong statements against Hezbollah.

Hezbollah “will not be part of the Lebanese government and it has been militarily defeated, signaling the end of its reign of terror in Lebanon and globally,” she said at the time.

Additional meetings this week were scheduled between Ortagus and other officials, including Finance Minister Yassin Jaber, Economy Minister Amer Bisat and newly appointed Central Bank Gov. Karim Souaid.

Th Lebanese officials are set to leave for New York City for the 2025 spring meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund, taking place from April 21-26.

Ortagus did not deliver a statement following the Lebanon meetings.

Natasha Franceschi, US deputy assistant secretary for the Levant and Syria, and US Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson joined her during the talks.

“Ortagus was understanding, and the atmosphere of the meeting with her differed from the previous time,” said a political source familiar with the meetings.

Regarding the disarmament of illegal weapons, the source said that Ortagus commended the efforts of the Lebanese army in the south and highlighted the importance of forces continuing their duties.

The source added that the official position of Lebanon, which all officials agreed to present to the American envoy on Saturday, is that Lebanon is willing to negotiate with Israel on completing the demarcation of the land border.

“However, there will be no negotiations regarding the release of Lebanese prisoners or Israel’s withdrawal from the five Lebanese hills it still occupies,” they added.

“These two matters are Israel’s responsibility, and it must fully implement the ceasefire agreement, which includes halting aggression against Lebanese territories.”

The source said that Ortagus highlighted the importance of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.

She was briefed on Lebanon’s position regarding the process for demarcating maritime borders in previous years, the source said. Led by former US envoy Amos Hochstein, the process involved a technical-military committee and shuttle diplomacy.

Ortagus focused her talks on “the issue of withdrawing Hezbollah’s illegal weapons, linking the significance of this matter to restoring trust in Lebanon and enabling the country to secure funds for reconstruction.”

The prime minister’s media office said that Ortagus commended the government’s reform plan.

She highlighted several initiatives that had been implemented, including the abolition of banking secrecy, the proposed legislation for banking sector reform, the introduction of a new appointment mechanism for state administrations, and the government’s strategies for administrative and institutional reform, as well as anti-corruption efforts.

There was also an emphasis on the importance of reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.

The meeting between Ortagus and the prime minister lasted more than an hour and included a private discussion between the officials.

Salam’s media office said that the meeting was characterized by a “positive atmosphere.”

Regarding developments in the south, the media office said that discussions focused on the measures being implemented by the Lebanese army to enforce UN Resolution 1701 and the security arrangements aimed at halting hostilities, in collaboration with the military monitoring committee.

The process of completing Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory was also addressed.

The US envoy expressed satisfaction with the actions the government had begun to take at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut.

Regarding the situation at the Lebanese-Syrian border, Ortagus highlighted the importance “of fully securing the area to prevent any tensions or chaos, as well as to eliminate all forms of smuggling.”

The media office of the speaker of the parliament described the meeting, which included a private session with the American envoy, as “good and constructive.”