Entertainment
Unicef’s Yemen chief among 20 UN staff held by Houthis
- Peter Hawkins among 15 int’l UN staff detained.
- UN says detained staff are “safe and accounted for”.
- UN in touch with authorities in Sanaa for staff’s release.
The United Nations’ (UN) office in Yemen said on Sunday that Houthi rebels were still holding 20 of their staff following their raid on their building in Sanaa a day earlier.
On Saturday, the UN office said Houthi security forces had made an “unauthorised entry” into their compound, adding that the staff there were “safe and accounted for”.
“Five national staff and fifteen international staff remain detained within the compound,” Jean Alam, spokesperson for the UN resident coordinator, said on Sunday.
The UN was in touch with the authorities in Sanaa, with the relevant member states and the government of Yemen “to resolve this serious situation as swiftly as possible, end the detention of all personnel, and restore full control over its facilities in Sanaa”, it added.
Late on Sunday, a UN official, requesting anonymity, told AFP that United Nations Children’s Fund’s (Unicef) representative in Yemen was among those detained.
“Peter Hawkins is among the 15 international employees detained in the complex” the Huthis raided the previous day, the official said.
Spying accusations
The rebels had already stormed UN offices in Sanaa on August 31, detaining more than 11 employees, according to the UN.
Those employees were suspected of spying for the United States and Israel, a senior Houthi official told AFP at the time on condition of anonymity.
In a statement on Saturday, UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric’s spokesperson said: “We will continue to call for an end to the arbitrary detention of 53 of our colleagues.”
He was responding to a televised address on Thursday by rebel leader Abdelmalek al-Huthi.
He claimed his forces had dismantled “one of the most dangerous spy cells”, which he said was “linked to humanitarian organisations such as the World Food Program and Unicef”.
Dujarric described the accusations as “dangerous and unacceptable”.
Saturday’s raid came with dozens of UN personnel already arrested in recent months in areas controlled by the Iranian-backed group.
In mid-September, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen was officially transferred from Sanaa — the capital held by the Huthi rebels — to Aden, the interim capital of the internationally recognised government.
Since August 31, 2025, 21 UN personnel have been arrested, adding to the 23 current and former members of international NGOs already detained, according to the UN.
Ten years of civil war have plunged Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arabian Peninsula, into one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, says the UN.
The Princess of Wales arrived in west Wales to tour the family-run business as part of her ongoing efforts to champion British textile producers and independent enterprises.
The Princess, 44, put on a stylish display as she visited Melin Tregwynt, a woollen mill weaving traditional Welsh designs in a remote wooded valley on the Pembrokeshire coast.
During her trip to the far west of the country on Tuesday, February 3, Catherine saw a woollen mill, which creates unique blankets and other products using longstanding practices.
Kensington Palace released Princess Kate’s video from the site, sharing details of the future queen’s engagements.
The visits are part of Princess Kate’s ongoing immersion in the textile and fashion industry as she highlights the heritage skills and modern work techniques that go into creating beautiful, original garments.
Her day out also includes visiting a brand once backed by sister-in-law Meghan Markle. Hiut Denim, a premium jeans manufacturer based in Cardigan that was propelled to international attention after being worn by the Duchess of Sussex.
The Welsh brand holds a notable place in recent royal fashion history, having been thrust into the global spotlight in 2018 when Harry’s wife chose Hiut’s high-waisted Dina skinny jeans for an official visit to Cardiff alongside Prince Harry.
She kicked off the day at Melin Tregwynt, about 260 miles west of London, which dates from 1841 and is still employing over 40 local people who create woollen blankets, scarves and cushions that are sold across the world.
She was taken around by the mill’s director, Louise Clarke, and shown how the mill is preserving traditional craft skills by drawing on generations of expertise among its staff to mentor and inspire the latest young apprentices.
The Walt Disney Co. named parks chief Josh D’Amaro to succeed Bob Iger as CEO of the entertainment company.
D’Amaro, who currently oversees Disney’s theme parks and dozens of its resort hotels, will take the helm of the company on March 18, 2026, the company said Tuesday.
The decision on Disney’s next CEO comes nearly four years after Iger returned to the company following the departure of his previous successor, Bob Chapek, after a period marked by clashes, missteps and weaker financial performance.
D’Amaro, 54, has held multiple roles at Disney since joining the company in 1998, including in finance, business strategy, marketing, creative development and operations.
D’Amaro served as president of Walt Disney World Resort before stepping in as chairman of Disney Experiences in 2020, spearheading efforts at the company’s theme parks, cruises and resorts division.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced a delay in its much-anticipated Artemis-II mission by at least a month.
The reason for the delay is the detection of fuel leaks during a crucial pre-launch test of the rocket by engineers.
For Artemis II, four astronauts were about to start a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. It was scheduled to lift off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
However, NASA has now announced that the launch is delayed until March, with no specific date.
The problem was identified during a “wet dress rehearsal,” a full countdown simulation in which the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket was loaded with super-cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
During the fueling process, engineers detected hydrogen leaks. Additionally, there was an issue with a valve linked to the Orion crew capsule.
More than 2.6 million litres of propellant were loaded during the test, which was halted several times to address safety concerns.
Officials confirmed that the teams will conduct a detailed review of the data and may carry out another rehearsal before clearing the rocket for flight.
Reserve Bank of Australia raises cash rate by 25 bps to 3.85%
Hispanic icons who owned Super Bowl halftime before Bad Bunny
Palace releases video as Princess Kate steps out in Wales after Edward’s brave stand
-
Sports1 week agoPSL 11: Local players’ category renewals unveiled ahead of auction
-
Entertainment7 days agoClaire Danes reveals how she reacted to pregnancy at 44
-
Sports7 days agoCollege football’s top 100 games of the 2025 season
-
Business1 week agoBanking services disrupted as bank employees go on nationwide strike demanding five-day work week
-
Politics7 days agoTrump vows to ‘de-escalate’ after Minneapolis shootings
-
Tech1 week agoBrighten Your Darkest Time (of Year) With This Smart Home Upgrade
-
Sports7 days agoTammy Abraham joins Aston Villa 1 day after Besiktas transfer
-
Entertainment7 days agoK-Pop star Rosé to appear in special podcast before Grammy’s