Ship with Iran arms intercepted; dozens of Houthis killed in coalition strikes

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JEDDAH: The Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen has intercepted a cargo ship coming from Djibouti to Hodeidah port carrying military equipment under the guise of carrying medical supplies.
Coalition sources told Sky News Arabia that a search of the ship Menburt Cedar, which was bearing the flag of the Marshall Islands, showed it was carrying encrypted military communication equipment and other military hardware in containers originating from the port of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.
The ship was intercepted en route to the port of Hodeidah and taken to Jazan, where it was inspected in the presence of international observers, the sources said.
Coalition forces have in the past seized a number of boats and ships as they attempted to smuggle weapons to the Iran-backed Houthi militias and allied forces loyal to deposed President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Meanwhile, Saudi-led airstrikes and recent clashes have killed at least 59 Houthi rebels, including prominent leaders, with dozens injured, Al-Arabiya News reported Monday.
Clashes took place in the south-western governorate of Taiz, where the coalition targeted Houthi-held areas, according to sources with the Popular Resistance Forces (PRF).
Yahya Zafran, a Houthi leader, was among 29 militants killed.
Sources said six Houthis ultras were killed in clashes in Marib province, and a Houthi weapons depot was destroyed by coalition airstrikes.
Ten Houthi fighters were killed, including leader Yahya Al-Mutawakkil Taha, in clashes with the national army and PRF in Sanaa.
In central Ibb province, sources said the PRF carried out a surprise attack on Houthi militias, killing five.
In Al-Bayda province, the PRF attacked Houthi positions, killing five militants and wounding others.
In Hodeidah, Houthi leader Abdulwahab Al-Houthi was reportedly killed by the PRF.
In a separate development, shelling from Yemen killed a Saudi border guard on duty on the southern frontier, the Interior Ministry said on Monday.
He died during a bombardment on Sunday evening of a border post in Al-Harth sector of Jazan region, it said in a statement carried by SPA.

KSA hails global fight plan against Daesh

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RIYADH: The Cabinet has welcomed the plan by several countries to join the fight against Daesh.

This is in reference to the decision by NATO’s defense ministers, at a meeting at the organization’s headquarters in Brussels, to launch the offensive against the terrorist group. 
The Kingdom’s delegation was led by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, second deputy premier and defense minister. 
At the outset of the Cabinet meeting, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman on Monday, the monarch briefed the ministers on his meetings with a former British prime minister and the Swiss foreign minister.
King Salman also highlighted his meeting with the secretary-general of the International Telecoms Union, who honored the monarch with an award on sustainable development, to mark the organization’s 150th anniversary.
The Cabinet explored a number of reports related to developments at regional and international levels, notably developments in Syria, and lauded the progress of meetings held by the International Support Group for Syria in Munich, Germany, which included 17 countries, the United Nations, European Union, Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Six UN peacekeepers among 9 troops killed in Mali attacks

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Six UN peacekeepers were killed and some 30 wounded on Friday when suspected militants attacked their base in northern Mali, officials said, while three Malian soldiers died in an ambush as militants intensify attacks in the restive region.
The six Guinean peacekeepers were killed in an early morning assault on a camp in the northeastern town of Kidal belonging to the United Nations' MINUSMA, according to a Guinean source in the mission and a military source in Conakry.
Ansar Dine, responsible for several previous assaults, claimed the attack by a Mauritanian militant group as "a message to the crusader aggressors and all those who support them" in a statement carried by a Mauritanian news agency.

The latest attacks highlighted the vulnerability of Mali's sprawling, arid north, where UN troops and Malian soldiers are struggling in their fight against militants who seized vast swathes of territory in 2012.
Suicide bombers drove a vehicle into the base between two rocket launches, then blew it up, the Guinean source in the UN mission said.
The raid coincided with a visit to northern Mali by the new chief of MINUSMA, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, who said the raid was an "odious and irresponsible act" that highlighted the "confusion in the ranks of the enemies of peace".
In a separate attack, three Malian soldiers were killed and two others were wounded near the fabled city of Timbuktu, a Malian military source said.

US approves F-16 fighter jets sale to Pakistan

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The United States said on Friday it had approved selling up to eight Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan, along with training, radar and other equipment, worth a total of $699 million.
The Defence Security Cooperation Agency, which coordinates such foreign arms sales, said it had informed Congress of the plans on Thursday.
"This proposed sale contributes to US foreign policy objectives and national security goals by helping to improve the security of a strategic partner in South Asia," it said in a statement.
"The proposed sale improves Pakistan's capability to meet current and future security threats."
The F-16 aircraft would allow Pakistan's Air Force to operate in all kinds of weather, at night, as well as "enhance Pakistan's ability to conduct counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations."
India said it was "disappointed" by the possible sale.

UAE condemns suicide attack in Nigeria Wam/Abu Dhabi

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The UAE has strongly condemned the suicide attack perpetrated by women from the Boko Haram terrorist group in the Dikwa Camp for internally displaced persons, IDP, in Borno State in north eastern Nigeria. Fifty eight people were killed and more than 78 others wounded in the terrorist attack.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation confirmed that such criminal acts, which target innocent people, contravene all humanitarian values, ethics and principles. The ministry reiterated the UAE's firm position of denouncing terrorism in all its forms and its support for efforts being exerted by the international community to eradicate the menace of terrorism in all countries.
"The UAE stands in solidarity with Nigeria in its fight against terrorist groups," the ministry emphasised, conveying its condolences to the government and people of Nigeria as well as to the bereaved families of victims. It also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident.

Teachers beat my son, says mum

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Some teachers of a government school have reportedly been caught on CCTV cameras assaulting a student, according to a complaint registered by the student's mother.
In her complaint to the Ajman Education Zone, the woman claimed the teachers repeatedly beat her son. She said she had filed several complaints to the school management, but in vain.
"The last time I visited the school, I insisted that the school show me footages," she said in her complaint.
She claimed she saw footages of her son being beaten. "I could not watch the rest of the video, as it hurt to see my son being beaten up so ruthlessly."
Director of Ajman Educational Zone, Ali Hassan, said they got a 'verbal complaint' from the student's guardian and that a fact-finding committee will visit the school on Sunday. He added that the committee will review the footages and if the teachers are found guilty, legal action will be initiated as corporal punishment is banned in UAE schools.

India's Open Skies policy matter of concern: UAE minister

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India's latest Open Skies policy to countries that are 5,000km away is a matter of concern for the UAE, said Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy. "We feel that together, India and UAE should be united to create a fantastic hub. From our side, there are millions coming to India as tourists, and so there is a direct benefit to the Indian economy."
Al Mansouri said the UAE is looking to invest in civil aviation, infrastructure and airlines.
"So this is quite an important subject for us in the next few months and so we would like the Indian government to look into this. We have talked to them about it and they understand and they will come back to us with answers."
While in India, Al Mansouri held talks with the Indian ministers of trade, civil aviation and finance to streamline the bilateral process and open opportunities for investments.
One of the areas that "we are focusing on is innovation", he said. "We have identified seven sectors that include education, healthcare, IT, renewable energy, water transportation and airspace."
India, he said, should define at least three sectors that could be developed in collation with the UAE. "We have to be realistic ... you cannot be in every sector. A lot of people from both sides - innovators and creators - are actually going outside to promote their products and also to find the right investors for their innovations.
"India is a magnificent country with a strong economy, with quite a substantial growth of nearly 6.7 per cent, and I think this is more than China. If you look at the population of India and you look at the size of the economy, which is $2.1 trillion, the potential of growth that I see in India is much more and bigger than that of China, but the GDP still needs to grow much more to match with the per head population that you have in India."

Remarkable increase in tourist traffic to Britain

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RIYADH: The number of visitors to the United Kingdom from Saudi Arabia has been steadily increasing from 89,000 in 2009 to 144,000 in 2014.
This was revealed at a presentation made to mark the launch of “Visit Britain” program in Riyadh on Wednesday. Richard Wildash, the deputy head of mission at the British Embassy, launched the program.
“In 2016, we celebrate 100 years of friendship between our two countries,” said Wildash. “Every year, Britain welcomes many Saudis visiting the United Kingdom, whether on business, for tourism or to study.”
He pointed out that the British countryside has something for everyone, at every time of the year. “It is as varied as it is beautiful,” he said. “We look forward to welcoming many more Saudi visitors this year and hope that this campaign will inspire them to explore the countryside, whether for the first time or to uncover new riches.”
According to statistics made available to Arab News, nearly half of the visitors from the Kingdom to UK have been for leisure and 14 percent of the people were on business. Regarding the annual visitor spend, it was 206 million British pounds in 2009 and now it has risen to 365 million pounds in 2014. An average visitor had spent 2,527 pounds in 2014.
In 2014, 615,000 visitors had gone to UK from the Gulf states. The Saudi Embassy in Iraq confirmed it would work to overturn some rulings issued against Saudi citizens. 
“Some efforts are in vain. The Iraqi Parliament, for example, rejected an agreement between the two countries to exchange prisoners giving unreasonable justifications each time,” he said.
The aim is to secure new trials in cases where there is evidence of pressure having been exerted on the Saudis during interrogation.

Stalls around Prophet’s Mosque earning a bad name for KSA

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MADINAH: Street vendors near the Prophet’s Mosque pose a risk to the country’s reputation and economy besides blocking the way of service cars, Red Crescent and Civil Defense vehicles, an expert has said.
Ninety-eight percent of these street merchants are non-Saudis, 90 percent of whom are violators of the residency and visa rules, local media has reported, adding that 95 percent of the traders are women and the rest children or disabled people. 
Also, their presence reflects poorly on the government’s efforts to maintain the Two Holy Mosques.
“These random stalls are operated by expatriates and are a black spot in the register of the Two Holy Mosques, whether in terms of quality of buildings or Islamic architecture or the wide corridors for pilgrims’ comfort,” Mohammad Anwar Al-Bakri, professor of the Prophet’s life and history in Taiba University, was quoted as saying. 
The pavement sellers are concentrated around five-star hotels, which further distorts the reputation of the Kingdom, he said. 
The vendors offer bad quality goods, some even fix stickers saying that the products are made in Madinah. This amounts to creating a bad impression about the Kingdom as pilgrims buy them for their family and friends and are disappointed and helpless once they go back home, he said.
“Amongst the goods on offer are herbs with anonymous origin and are harmful for health. Visitors buy them after hearing a long explanation about their benefits and blessings because they are from Madinah. However, they are bad quality herbs which are mainly imported from East Asia, and no one knows about their medical benefits,” said Al-Bakri. 
Two years ago, when a fire broke out in the area surrounding the Prophet’s Mosque, seven people died because Civil Defense vehicles could not reach the location quickly because of these stalls. 
Mohammed Al-Bejawi, director of Haj branch in Madinah, expressing his discomfort and anger toward these stalls, especially those on the northern side of the mosque. He said the Haj Ministry is the one that suffers from this phenomenon since it obstructs services. “Our cars and staff can’t reach pilgrims to their accommodation quickly, especially during pilgrims’ groupings because of these obstructions (stalls),” he said. 
“Women and the elderly also suffer because buses have to be park far away. This also causes delays for passengers from reaching their flights.” 
The only solution for this crisis is combining efforts between the governorate, the Ministries of Haj and Commerce, said Al-Bakri. “First of all, wholesalers should be dealt with because they finance these stalls. A number of supervisors from the police and the Ministry of Commerce should be deploted around the area to remove these stalls as soon as they appear,” he said.

Indian avalanche soldier dies three days after rescue 

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NEW DELHI: An Indian soldier, rescued nearly a week after being buried in eight meters of snow by a deadly Himalayan avalanche, died in hospital on Thursday of his injuries, the army said.
Hanumanthappa Koppad was rescued late on Monday after spending six days trapped on the world’s highest battlefield after a massive block of ice fell onto his army post.
Troops discovered Koppad, with a faint pulse and suffering from severe injuries, after digging through the snow on the Siachen glacier in the disputed region of Kashmir.
His rescue from the disaster, which occurred 5,900 meters (19,600 feet) high in the Himalayas and killed nine of his colleagues, has gripped India, with schoolchildren, priests and Bollywood stars praying for his recovery.
But doctors warned on Wednesday his condition was worsening, saying he was comatosed and his organs were failing to function.
“Doctors declared him dead around 11:45am,” said Indian Army spokesman Rohan Anand.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had visited Koppad at his hospital bedside in New Delhi, said his death “leaves us sad & devastated.”
“RIP Lance Naik Hanumanthappa. The soldier in you remains immortal. Proud that martyrs like you served India,” Modi tweeted.
An estimated 8,000 soldiers have died on the glacier since 1984, almost all of them from avalanches, landslides, frostbite, altitude sickness or heart failure rather than combat.
India and archrival Pakistan are each estimated to deploy around 3,000 troops on the glacier, where winter temperatures plummet to minus 70 degrees Celsius.
The nuclear-armed neighbors fought a fierce battle over Siachen in 1987, though guns on the glacier have largely fallen silent since a peace process began in 2004.
The Kashmir region — of which Siachen is a part — is divided between Pakistan and India but is claimed by both in full.