DUBAI: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have detained more than a dozen aid workers, including United Nations staff, in an apparently coordinated sweep, the Yemeni government and an NGO said Friday.
At least 18 Yemeni aid workers were kidnapped in four rebel-held parts of the war-torn country, the Yemeni Mayyun Organization for Human Rights said, listing 10 workers from UN agencies.
Yemen’s internationally-recognized government condemned the “massive abduction campaign,” saying it targeted “dozens of employees of the United Nations agencies, the office of the UN envoy Hans Grundberg, and several international organizations working” in the capital Sanaa and other Houthi-run areas.
In a statement on social media platform X , Information Minister Moammar Al-Eryani called it an “unprecedented escalation and a flagrant violation of international laws and conventions.”
A diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, also told AFP that more than a dozen aid workers including UN staff were kidnapped on Thursday.
There was no immediate comment from the Houthis or the United Nations.
The abductions underline the perilous task facing aid workers in Yemen, whose long-running civil war has precipitated one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
“The Houthi armed group raided the homes and kidnapped staff of the United Nations and other international organizations operating in four governorates under” their control, the Mayyun Organization said.
This “serious escalation... constitutes a violation of the privileges and immunities of United Nations personnel,” it added, describing the abductions as “blackmail practices in order to obtain political and economic gains.”
The “simultaneous” abductions took place in the capital Sanaa, the key port of Hodeida, Amran and Saada, the rebels’ traditional stronghold, the aid group said.
“The Houthis’ actions are undermining essential humanitarian work in Yemen at a time when the majority of Yemenis do not have adequate access to basic necessities like food and water,” Niku Jafarnia, Yemen researcher at Human Rights Watch, told AFP.
The Houthis have kidnapped, arbitrarily detained, and tortured hundreds of civilians, including UN and NGO workers, since the start of Yemen’s conflict in 2014, according to rights groups.
Several aid workers have been killed or kidnapped throughout the conflict, forcing international agencies to temporarily suspend operations or pull out international staff as a security precaution.
The Yemani information minister said the Houthis have “previously abducted dozens of United Nations employees,” with at least three kidnapped over the past three years still in detention.
Last year, the charity Save the Children suspended operations for 10 days in northern Yemen after a staff member died in detention in the rebel-held capital.
Also last year, a long-serving staffer with the UN World Food Programme was shot and killed in the southern city of Taiz by unknown gunmen.
The Houthis seized control of Sanaa in September 2014, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention on behalf of the government the following March.
Yemen Houthis detain aid workers, UN staff
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Yemen Houthis detain aid workers, UN staff
- The Houthis have kidnapped, arbitrarily detained, and tortured hundreds of civilians, according to rights groups
Saudi aviation team to conduct security audit of seven Pakistani airports in August
- Saudi team to conduct audit at airports in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Multan, says official
- Saudi Arabia’s aviation team expressed satisfaction with Pakistan’s aviation security procedures in its last audit two years ago
KARACHI: A Saudi aviation team will conduct a security audit of seven Pakistani airports in August, a Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The security audit will cover airports in Pakistan’s Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Sialkot, and Multan cities, PCAA spokesperson Shahid Qadir said.
He said the director-general of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has approached Pakistan’s DG PCAA, Nadir Shafi Dar, to conduct the aviation security audit.
“A Saudi aviation security team will visit Pakistan in the coming month and will conduct this audit in August and onwards,” Qadir told Arab News.
The Saudi aviation team is coordinating closely with the PCAA’s Directorate of Aviation Security (AvSec), which will host the visiting delegation, Qadir said. The PCAA’s director general has designated the AvSec director to oversee the audit process, he added.
This marks the second such audit by Saudi aviation authorities, who conducted their inaugural security assessment of Pakistan in 2023. The Saudi team later expressed satisfaction with Pakistan’s aviation security procedures, which involve multiple stakeholders such as the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA), the Airport Security Force (ASF), airlines, cargo handlers and catering companies.
The development takes place as Pakistan’s civil aviation sector shows marked improvement in international benchmarks.
Following the separation of the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) from the PCAA and the enactment of the Civil Aviation Authority Act, Pakistan has achieved a score of 86.73 percent in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP).
As per the PCAA, this rating is higher than the global average of 71 percent and India’s 73 percent.
Separately, a two-member team from the United Kingdom’s Department for Transport (DfT) began its aviation security assessment of the Islamabad International Airport on Tuesday.
The team, accompanied by a representative of the British High Commission, will review airport security procedures, catering, and flight operations over its three-day visit.
“All aviation security stakeholders, including PAA officials, ASF personnel and representatives from PIA, British Airways, Air Blue, Kitchen Cuisine, Ras Menzies and others attended the initial briefing,” a PCAA handout said.
The PCAA said Pakistan has previously performed well in the UK’s DfT audits, saying that officials are optimistic about the outcome of the latest assessment.
The PCAA said its director general has also initiated engagement with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in pursuit of direct flight operations to the US.
The development follows Pakistan’s national carrier resuming flights to Europe in January after the European aviation safety agency lifted its four-year ban on the airline.
Pakistan International Airlines has also approached UK authorities for permission to resume its services to the country.
PIA was banned by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), UK and the US after Pakistan opened an investigation into the validity of pilots’ licenses following a PIA plane crash in Karachi in May 2020 that killed 97 people.
Global Champions Arabians Tour returns to the Netherlands
- Total prize pool for the latest stage of the 2nd annual elite Arabian horse competition, which will take place in Valkenswaard on July 18-20, is $1.65m
DOHA: The second annual Global Champions Arabians Tour will ride into in the Netherlands on July 18.
The three-day event, at the Longines Tops International Arena in Valkenswaard, is the sixth stage of the 2025 Europe and Middle East Series, and the second European stop on the tour, after Cannes in France last month.
The total prize pool for this stage is €1.41 million ($1.65 million): €1.05 million for the championship and €360,000 for the qualifying classes. The results will also contribute to overall rankings ahead of the World Arabian Horse Championship Supreme in Doha this December.
“Returning to Valkenswaard is a true highlight of the season,” said Faleh Al-Nasr, chairperson of the Global Champions Arabians Tour.
“This stage reflects our commitment to excellence, bringing together top-tier competition, international audiences and the timeless beauty of Arabian horses in one of Europe’s premier equestrian destinations.”
Outside of the action in the arena, there will be a supporting program featuring cultural performances, special exhibitions celebrating the heritage and art of Arabian horses, and the event will conclude with what organizers say will be a memorable closing ceremony.
There will also be an exclusive shopping village showcasing a curated mix of local and international brands, artisan products, event merchandise, and gourmet food and drink.
The event begins on Friday, July 18, with an opening ceremony and qualifying classes for yearling fillies and colts, and junior fillies. Junior colts, senior mares and senior stallions will take to the arena on Saturday, July 19, and the action concludes on Sunday, July 20, with the championship competitions across all categories, followed by the closing ceremony.
After Valkenswaard, the focus shifts to the UK, where the seventh stage of the Europe and Middle East Series will take place in London from Aug. 14 to 17.
Aleksa Avramovic becomes Dubai Basketball’s second signing after EuroLeague entry
- Dubai Basketball and 30-year-old point guard reach an agreement for the next three seasons
DUBAI: Serbian Olympic bronze medalist Aleksa Avramovic returns to the EuroLeague with Dubai Basketball after a season with CSKA Moscow, making him Dubai’s newest addition to the 2025-2026 roster following Dzanan Musa.
The point guard and Dubai Basketball have reached an agreement for the next three seasons, until June 2028. The 30-year-old, who is 1.93 metres tall, joins from CSKA Moscow, where he averaged 12.2 points and 3.4 assists in 20 minutes per game.
Avramovic played 47 EuroLeague games with Partizan Belgrade between 2022 and 2024, where he led a championship-winning campaign — clinching the 2022-2023 ABA League title. In Europe’s top competition, the Serbian guard averaged 8.3 points in 16 minutes per game. His standout performance came on Feb. 29, 2024, against Anadolu Efes, where he scored 30 points and registered a performance index rating of 32.
In the EuroCup, Avramovic appeared in 26 games between his stints with Partizan and Unicaja.
Dubai Basketball’s newest addition has played in Serbia, Italy, Spain and Russia. In his home country, he played for his hometown team, Cacak, and OKK Belgrade from 2013 to 2016. He then spent three seasons with Varese in Italy, where his development drew attention from Spain’s ACB League, signing his first season with the Spaniards in 2019. In the 2020-2021 ACB season, he was one of the league’s top performers with averages of 16.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists over 36 games.
His strong performances with Estudiantes in Madrid led to a move to Partizan, where he played from 2021 to 2024. Under coach Zeljko Obradovic, he posted regular-season ABA League averages of 10.4, 8.8, and 11.3 points per game over three seasons.
Most recently, he played the 2024-2025 season with CSKA Moscow, where he was one of the team’s key players and helped them to the VTB League title.
With the addition of Avramovic, Dubai Basketball continues to build an experienced squad ahead of their inaugural EuroLeague season. His elite-level exposure and adaptable skillset strengthen the team’s competitive edge, as the club lays the foundation for success, representing the Middle East on Europe’s biggest basketball stage.
Fashion Commission launches guide to protect designers’ rights in Kingdom
- Guide serves as a reference for designers to benefit from intellectual property laws by protecting and registering their innovative designs
- Promotes a culture of creativity, encouraging designers to develop new creations while safeguarding their rights against imitation or theft
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Fashion Commission has launched the Intellectual Property and Designers’ Rights Protection Guide for the fashion industry, in collaboration with the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property.
The initiative reinforces the commission’s role in empowering the fashion sector, supporting its community and fostering a developmental environment across all stages of the product value chain.
The guide serves as a reference for designers to benefit from intellectual property laws by protecting and registering their innovative designs, enabling them to secure legal protection, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
It also promotes a culture of creativity, encouraging designers to develop new creations while safeguarding their rights against imitation or theft.
The guide covers four key areas in the fashion industry: Patents, which include new inventions and technological advancements in fabric and garment production; and industrial designs, which pertain to aesthetic elements and decorative patterns that give fashion items their distinctive appearance.
It also covers copyright, which protects artistic and creative outputs such as illustrations, patterns and designs; and trademarks, which include logos and symbols that distinguish a product in the marketplace.
The Fashion Commission said that designers and brand owners can access the guide through its official website.
Additionally, the IP authority receives complaints about violations of copyright and trademark laws from rights holders or their representatives through its website.
Jordan resumes aid convoys to Palestinians in Gaza as conditions deteriorate
- Aid and food will be distributed in northern Gaza to ensure it reaches the most affected families
- Initiative involved the World Food Programme and the Jordanian armed forces
LONDON: Jordan on Wednesday resumed the dispatch of relief convoys to the besieged and war-torn Gaza Strip after months of an Israeli blockade that hindered humanitarian aid from reaching the Palestinian coastal enclave.
The Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization sent 40 trucks loaded with basic food supplies into Gaza as part of Amman’s humanitarian efforts to support Palestinians. The initiative was in collaboration with the World Food Programme and the Jordanian armed forces.
The aid and food will be distributed in northern Gaza to ensure it reaches the most affected families and supports Palestinians as humanitarian and living conditions continue to deteriorate due to Israeli attacks since late 2023.
Hussein Shibli, the secretary-general of JHCO, said the resumption of convoys highlights Jordan’s commitment under King Abdullah II to support Palestinians.
Jordan collaborated with the WFP to deliver a mobile bakery that supplied thousands of loaves of bread daily to residents in northern Gaza. Shibli said that cooperation with the WFP included projects for distributing meals and clean water, because infrastructure was severely damaged during Israeli bombings.
Jordan was among the first countries to conduct airlift missions in the early days of the war, delivering relief to Gaza. More than 56,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza, which have been described as genocide by human rights groups and several heads of state.
