Yemen's Alimi: Mahrah is No Longer Isolated

Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, and the Governor of Al-Mahra in a meeting with the local authority (Saba)
Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, and the Governor of Al-Mahra in a meeting with the local authority (Saba)
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Yemen's Alimi: Mahrah is No Longer Isolated

Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, and the Governor of Al-Mahra in a meeting with the local authority (Saba)
Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, and the Governor of Al-Mahra in a meeting with the local authority (Saba)

Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi confirmed that the al-Mahrah governorate is no longer isolated and has become at the heart of the battle against the Houthi militias.

Alimi directed adopting the Mehri language and preserving it as one of the most critical aspects of the global heritage.

Speaking before the local authority, security, military leaders, and various figures in the governorate, Alimi praised the remarkable efforts of the local authority in the governorate and its security services in combating the smuggling of weapons, drugs, and organized crime.

Alimi, and the accompanying delegation, arrived in Mahrah on Wednesday on his first visit to the governorate bordering Oman since he assumed the presidential position in April last year.

According to the official Yemeni News Agency (Saba), Alimi will inaugurate during his visit and lay the foundation stone for several service and development projects.

The Chairman recalled the status of Mahrah in Yemeni history, the Mehri language throughout the ages, and its role in alleviating the humanitarian crisis, as it is an eastern gateway to Yemen.

He also described the governorate as a haven for tens of thousands of displaced people, pledging to make it a top priority and enable its people to manage their administrative affairs.

Alimi affirmed the commitment of the Leadership Council and the government to boosting the role of its local authorities, supporting its efforts to achieve security and stability, and improving essential services in its various directorates, as reported by Saba.

He called on the people of Mahrah to be vigilant in the face of the danger of terrorist organizations and groups.

- An invitation to invest

Alimi expressed happiness at visiting Mahrah and meeting with its local and community leaders to serve its citizens and alleviate their suffering exacerbated by the Houthi attacks on oil facilities and international shipping lines.

He acknowledged the difficult conditions that the governorate is going through, indicating that government interventions are required to alleviate the suffering of its citizens with the support of brotherly countries, namely Saudi Arabia and its humanitarian and development programs.

The President called on investors and businessmen to take advantage of the promising opportunities, noting the commitment of the Leadership Council and the government to boost the role of local authorities, support their efforts to achieve security and stability, and improve essential services.

He lauded the unique political, cultural, and social diversity in Mahrah, representing a living embodiment of coexistence and societal harmony.

Mahrah is strategically important, bordering Oman over 550 km with two border crossings, Sharifat and Shaheen, and Nishtun port, one of the essential Yemeni commercial ports.

Terrorist groups have used the governorate to smuggle weapons, drugs, and terrorist elements.

- Saudi support

Alimi sent a message of thanks and gratitude to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the Crown Prince, Mohammad bin Salman, for supporting the Yemeni people and their political leadership.

He expressed the gratitude and pride of Yemen, its leadership, government, and people for the Kingdom's fraternal stances in various stages and circumstances, leading to its urgent response to support the state's general budget.

He asserted that Saudi Arabia is committed to alleviating human suffering, developing Yemen, and defending the interests and identity of its people.

According to Saba, Alimi thanked the Saudi leadership for the royal directives to accelerate the new aid estimated at $1.2 billion and deposited the first batch.

He indicated that it sent a clear message that Yemen has loyal brothers, and that the Kingdom remains at the forefront of efforts to restore state institutions and achieve the just peace that the Yemeni people deserve.

Alimi also lauded the efforts of Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi team concerned with Yemeni-Saudi relations, and all development and humanitarian programs, namely the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief).



Türkiye Calls Israel’s Recognition of Somaliland ‘Illegitimate’

This handout photograph taken and released by the Turkish presidential press service on December 30, 2025, shows Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (L) shaking hands before their meeting in Istanbul. (Photo by Handout / Turkish Presidential Press Service / AFP)
This handout photograph taken and released by the Turkish presidential press service on December 30, 2025, shows Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (L) shaking hands before their meeting in Istanbul. (Photo by Handout / Turkish Presidential Press Service / AFP)
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Türkiye Calls Israel’s Recognition of Somaliland ‘Illegitimate’

This handout photograph taken and released by the Turkish presidential press service on December 30, 2025, shows Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (L) shaking hands before their meeting in Istanbul. (Photo by Handout / Turkish Presidential Press Service / AFP)
This handout photograph taken and released by the Turkish presidential press service on December 30, 2025, shows Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (L) shaking hands before their meeting in Istanbul. (Photo by Handout / Turkish Presidential Press Service / AFP)

Türkiye’s president on Tuesday called Israel's recognition of Somaliland "illegitimate and unacceptable" as he hosted a visit by his Somali counterpart.

"Preserving the unity and integrity of Somalia in all circumstances holds special importance in our view. Israel's decision to recognize Somaliland is illegitimate and unacceptable," Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a press conference alongside Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Israel sparked criticism last Friday when it said it was officially recognizing Somaliland -- a breakaway territory in Somalia's north.

The declaration was a first for the territory, which in 1991 had unilaterally declared secession from Somalia.

Israel's move has drawn widespread criticism from the African Union, Egypt and the European Union, which insist on war-torn Somalia's sovereignty.

Türkiye has frequently clashed with Israel over a range of issues, especially over the conflict in Gaza and Israeli obstruction of aid to the Palestinian territory.

Mohamud said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "aggressive position, which also includes Somalia, is unacceptable".

He called Netanyahu's Somaliland declaration "a violation of international law" and "the start of insecurity and instability, especially for Somalia and the African region".


10 Countries Warn of ‘Catastrophic’ Gaza Situation

 Palestinians stand next to a tent set up on the rubble of buildings destroyed during Israeli air and ground operations in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, in Gaza City, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians stand next to a tent set up on the rubble of buildings destroyed during Israeli air and ground operations in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, in Gaza City, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP)
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10 Countries Warn of ‘Catastrophic’ Gaza Situation

 Palestinians stand next to a tent set up on the rubble of buildings destroyed during Israeli air and ground operations in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, in Gaza City, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians stand next to a tent set up on the rubble of buildings destroyed during Israeli air and ground operations in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, in Gaza City, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP)

The foreign ministers of 10 nations on Tuesday expressed "serious concerns" about a "renewed deterioration of the humanitarian situation" in Gaza, saying the situation was "catastrophic". 

"As winter draws in, civilians in Gaza are facing appalling conditions with heavy rainfall and temperatures dropping," the ministers of Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland said in a joint statement released by the UK's Foreign Office. 

"1.3 million people still require urgent shelter support. More than half of health facilities are only partially functional and face shortages of essential medical equipment and supplies. The total collapse of sanitation infrastructure has left 740,000 people vulnerable to toxic flooding," the statement added. 

The ministers said they welcomed the progress that had been made to end the bloodshed in Gaza and secure the release of Israeli hostages. 

"However, we will not lose focus on the plight of civilians in Gaza," they said, calling on the government of Israel to take a string of "urgent and essential" steps. 

These included ensuring that international NGOs could operate in Gaza in a "sustained and predictable" way. 

"As 31 December approaches, many established international NGO partners are at risk of being de-registered because of the government of Israel's restrictive new requirements," the statement said. 

It also called for the UN and its partners to be able to continue their work in Gaza and for the lifting of "unreasonable restricts on imports considered to have a dual use". 

This included medical and shelter equipment. 

The foreign ministers also called for the opening of crossings to boost the flows of humanitarian aid into Gaza. 

While welcoming the partial opening of the Allenby crossing, they said other corridors for moving goods remained closed or severely restricted for humanitarian aid, including Rafah. 

"Bureaucratic customs processes and extensive screenings are causing delays, while commercial cargo is being allowed in more freely," the statement said. 

"The target of 4,200 trucks per week, including an allocation of 250 UN trucks per day, should be a floor not a ceiling. These targets should be lifted so we can be sure the vital supplies are getting in at the vast scale needed," it added. 


UN Condemns Israel's Moves against Agency for Palestinian Refugees

UNRWA center targeted by Israeli shelling in northern Gaza (DPA)
UNRWA center targeted by Israeli shelling in northern Gaza (DPA)
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UN Condemns Israel's Moves against Agency for Palestinian Refugees

UNRWA center targeted by Israeli shelling in northern Gaza (DPA)
UNRWA center targeted by Israeli shelling in northern Gaza (DPA)

The United Nations warned Tuesday that recent actions by Israel against the UN agency for Palestinian refugees risked depriving millions of people of basic services such as education and healthcare.

Israel's parliament passed new legislation on Monday formally stripping the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) of diplomatic immunity, and barring Israeli companies from providing water or electricity to the agency's institutions, AFP reported.

According to UNRWA, the legislation also grants the Israeli government the authority to expropriate the agency's properties in East Jerusalem, including its headquarters and main vocational training center.

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini condemned the legislation as "outrageous", decrying it on social media as "part of an ongoing, systematic campaign to discredit UNRWA and thereby obstruct the core role that the agency plays providing human-development assistance and services to Palestine refugees".

Filippo Grandi, the outgoing head of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and a former UNRWA chief, also criticised the move as "very unfortunate".

In an interview with AFP, he highlighted that UNRWA, unlike other UN agencies, provides basic public services such as education and healthcare to the millions of registered Palestinian refugees it serves across Gaza and the West Bank, as well as in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.

"If you deprive those people of those services... then you had better find a substitute," he said, warning: "I think it would be very difficult."

"At the moment, there is a great risk that millions of people will be deprived of basic services if UNRWA is further deprived of space to work, and resources to work."

Israel has been ratcheting up pressure on UNRWA over the past two years.

It has accused the agency of providing cover for Hamas militants, claiming that some UNRWA employees took part in the militant group's October 7, 2023 assault on Israel, which sparked the war in Gaza.

A series of UN-linked internal and external investigations found some "neutrality-related issues" at UNRWA, but stressed Israel had not provided conclusive evidence for its headline allegation.

Grandi criticised the torrent of accusations that have swirled around the agency.

"UNRWA is a very indispensable organization in the Middle East," he said.

"Contrary to much of the frankly baseless rhetoric that we have heard in the past couple of years, UNRWA is a force for peace and stability," he added.

"In a region in which you need every bit of stability and efforts towards peace, it would be really irresponsible to let such an important organization decline further."