Yemen News

Independent Yemeni film and theatre director Amr Gamal returns to the podcast to share more about his work and love for Aden. He talks about the power of comedy, and says, “When you mix tragedy with comedy it’s easier to swallow.” Amr also shares how, as he’s taken his work out of the country, he’s learned that, “People everywhere can understand your art if it’s from your heart.” He speaks candidly about his devotion to the city of Aden and his commitment to do whatever he can to give Aden the justice she deserves. Amr urges Yemenis living abroad, “Go see the world and come back. We need Yemenis to come back and re-build this country. If we all leave, who will stay and who will give justice to Yemen?”

@adeniumpro

adeniumproductions.com

@YnewsAW         Alex@yemennews.org

COVID- 19 Update: 1734 Cases, 862 Recovered, 497 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

After nearly all the theaters, cinemas, and stages in Aden were either shut down or destroyed following Yemen’s civil war that ended in 1994, Amr Gamal went on to become an independent Yemeni film and theatre director. He wrote and directed 10 theatre productions between 2005 and 2014 and his play Maak Nazel became the first Yemeni production to be performed in Europe. In 2018, Amr produced his first feature film, 10 Days Before the Wedding. The film premiered in Aden during the summer of 2018 and was screened there for over eight months. The actors who agreed to work on the film, despite the risks and the low budget, told Amr, “It’s better to die out doing something than to die at home doing nothing.” Amr and his team exemplify the spirit of Yemeni resilience – they recognize they have only one life to live and they are fighting every day to make it count.

@adeniumpro

www.adeniumproductions.com

@YnewsAW         Alex@yemennews.org

COVID- 19 Update: 1726 Cases, 856 Recovered, 487 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Alex Williams, host of Yemen News, joins Affan Syed’s podcast to continue bringing awareness about the Yemen crisis to a global audience. He describes the multiple disease outbreaks that Yemen has faced since the outbreak of the war and continues to celebrate Yemeni resilience. Alex says the real story of Yemen is the story of Yemenis who continue rising up day after day in the face of struggle. While wealthy countries continue fomenting hostility in one of the world’s poorest countries, and use it for their battleground, Alex and his host urge listeners to use any platform they can to turn a spotlight on stories of Yemeni overcomers.

@affansyed321

@YnewsAW         Alex@yemennews.org

COVID- 19 Update: 1681 Cases,797 Recovered, 479 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Alex Williams, host of Yemen News, talks more about different factions taking advantage of the war in Yemen and asks us to consider where all the weapons being sold to the warring parties really end up. He also describes Yemen’s tribal society as well as the impact of the war on tribal values and continues the theme of Yemeni resilience, saying, “Yemenis can’t be defeated because they have nothing to lose.” Alex and his hosts urge listeners not to take a political side, but to take a “pro-life” stance by bringing up Yemen within their circles of influence and calling for urgent pressure to end the Yemen war.

 @a2theshow

@YnewsAW         Alex@yemennews.org

 COVID- 19 Update: 1629 Cases,741 Recovered, 456 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Alex Williams, host of Yemen News, takes a turn answering the questions as he breaks down the impact of war, cholera, and COVID-19 on Yemeni families. He tells us how the war in Yemen started over five years ago, and describes the resilience of the Yemeni people through the conflict. Alex also points out that the ongoing bombing campaign is senseless since the Hadi government that it seeks to restore to power lacks real legitimacy. He calls for global pressure on all governments arming the warring parties in Yemen to stop fueling the bloodshed, emphasizing that this war is inhumane and must stop.

@a2theshow @scoobz.mp4 @therealalialshammari

 @YnewsAW         Alex@yemennews.org

COVID- 19 Update: 1606 Cases, 712 Recovered, 445 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Hadil Al-Ashwal is the Founder & Managing Director of the MENA Advocates for Gender Equality. Born and raised in Yemen, she has lived in different countries in the Middle East, Europe, and North America. Hadil holds an MBA from Cardiff Metropolitan University where she was selected as a representative, exemplary woman to inspire others. Currently, she works as a consultant at The World Bank. According to Hadil Yemeni women have gained strength from their struggle against gender inequality saying, “We always have to prove ourselves and this builds our resilience.”

@hadilal_ashwal @menaageinitiative

@YnewsAW         Alex@yemennews.org

COVID- 19 Update: 1526 Cases, 694 Recovered, 433 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Yemeni Boxer Khalid Twaiti has been fighting professionally for over three years and has a 6-0 record in his professional bouts, with three knockouts under his belt. Khalid is motivated by the resilience of the Yemeni people. Khalid says Yemeni’s have the “heart of a lion” and seeks to use his boxing career to represent Yemenis inside Yemen who can’t represent themselves. Khalid says, “With everybody’s help, not just me, we can help Yemenis be in a better position.”

@khalidtwaiti

@YnewsAW         Alex@yemennews.org

COVID- 19 Update: 1465 Cases, 659 Recovered, 417 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Shroq Al Ramadi is the founder of Takween Culture Club, which exists to revive Hadhrami culture. Shroq speaks about the importance of these efforts during a time of political conflict and war that has threatened to strip Hadhrami society of its traditions and cultural identity. Her efforts to research and preserve Hadhrami culture include her graduation project, which is a plan for the Hadhrami House Museum for Art. Although life-saving aid is prioritized in a time of war, Shroq reminds us that reviving socio-cultural identity can also bring people together and play a role in the process of charting a path forward—a path to peace. Shroq tells the Yemeni youth, “I know that we are looking for hope, but we need to remember that we are the hope!”

@Shrooqramadi  @takweenyemen

@YnewsAW         Alex@yemennews.org

COVID- 19 Update: 1318 Cases, 595 Recovered, 351 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Mohammed Murshed is a professional artist from Yemen who addresses Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) through his work. He returns to the podcast to describe his personal experiences in Yemen’s ancient places and challenge Yemenis to spend more time researching their own history. He shares about his experiences of being pressured to conform while growing up in Yemen, and how Yemen has been weakened by ideologies and theologies that divide Yemenis rather than uniting them. He urges Yemenis to search for the full picture of their history with all of its color and be strengthened by honoring the diverse influences that have shaped the Yemeni people.

@mnmurshed 

 www.facebook.com/MohammedMurshedstudio/ 

www.youtube.com/user/mnmurshed 

www.mnmurshed.com

@YnewsAW         Alex@yemennews.org

COVID- 19 Update: 1265 Cases, 552 Recovered, 338 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Mohammed Murshed is a professional artist from Yemen who works with paint, sculpture, video, sound, programming for art, and video games. His work addresses the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that he experiences as a result of living through the war in Yemen, and how he's processing its effects. He is on a journey to being healed of his trauma and wants to shine a light, and bring awareness to the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today, the situation that his home country of Yemen now faces. In this episode he describes how art is both an outlet of escape and an outlet for making a positive difference.

@mnmurshed 

 www.facebook.com/MohammedMurshedstudio/ 

www.youtube.com/user/mnmurshed 

www.mnmurshed.com

@YnewsAW         Alex@yemennews.org 

COVID- 19 Update: 1190 Cases, 504 Recovered, 318 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Tareq Hassan is the Chairman of the International Youth Council -Yemen (IYCY), a leading organization in Yemen active in WASH, Nutrition, Food Security, Health, Shelter, Protection, Governance, Education, Peace, Energy, Environment & Climate Change as well as Youth Development. He was elected as the UN Environment (UNEP) Regional Facilitator for Major Groups and Stakeholders for the West Asia Region in 2015, 2017, and 2020. Tareq shares with us about the importance of integrating sustainability into the emergency aid projects being implemented in Yemen and emphasizes education as a key to developing Yemeni change-makers.

@taruqi

www.tareq-hassan.info/

@YnewsAW         Alex@yemennews.org

COVID- 19 Update: 1118 Cases, 430 Recovered, 302 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Amir Al-Deen Abdulmalik Jahaf is the son of academics who graduated high school as a top student and was awarded a scholarship to study medicine in Egypt. However, when he returned to visit his family in Yemen on summer break, he ended up being detained without trial for two years and three months in hidden prisons. Amir shares his story of resilience with us, and how he managed to survive his harrowing ordeal and recover his well-being. He also shares with us about men who did not survive and were tortured to death before Amir’s own eyes. Their stories challenge us to join Amir in fighting for those who are still in hidden prisons, whose stories are unknown, until they are freed again to enjoy their basic human rights.

https://www.facebook.com/amiraldeen.jahaf

https://peoplesexaminer.com/i-was-a-prisoner-in-a-saudi-coalition-torture-dungeon-here-is-my-story/?fbclid=IwAR2Sg6x1Ow5JKdVG3MXKGWKQ_qwjnQ7h1b1HCHYxfeT637Lv_7ViqZfdYlU

@YnewsAW                               Alex@yemennews.org

COVID- 19 Update: 1015 Cases, 379 Recovered, 274 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Yemeni writer Abobakr Alfaqeeh returns to help us understand the new controversial tax being imposed by the Houthi government as well as the Houthi government’s policies surrounding Covid-19. He talks about the suffering of ordinary Yemeni people living under governments without democratic legitimacy. In the absence of a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, Abobakr tells us how the solidarity of the Yemeni people has given him hope. Instead of waiting for the government to do its role, the Yemeni people are taking their own initiative to take care of each other and to take responsibility for the welfare of the communities they live in. 

@Abobakralfaqeeh

@YnewsAW

Alex@yemennews.org

COVID- 19 Update: 941 Cases, 347 Recovered, 256 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Abobaker Al Faqeeh has worked for both local and international media outlets, including the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. In a recent piece, he exposed how both the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition have been actively recruiting and using child soldiers in the Yemen conflict. In this episode, he shares more about the intentional strategies that are being used by Yemen’s warring parties to target children and mobilize them on to the battlefield. He also highlights the factors that make children vulnerable to this recruitment and the importance of educational opportunities, which can decrease the vulnerability of children to recruitment by the warring parties. 

 @Abobakralfaqeeh

@YnewsAW

Alex@yemennews.org

 COVID- 19 Update: 902 Cases, 271 Recovered, 244 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Emad Al Akhali, the Yemeni rapper and hip-hop artist known as YemeKnight shares insights about hip hop culture in Yemen. He tells us how hip-hop culture came to Yemen and how Yemen influenced him as a poet and as a deep thinker. Emad tells us that Yemenis get a “hit of reality” early as they are confronted with issues of life and death at a young age, much like the culture that birthed hip hop. He also describes his methods of telling the Yemeni story through hip-hop by mixing English with Yemeni Arabic lyrics. His goal is to achieve international recognition, while having Yemenis feel, “He’s behind us. He’s telling our story.”

@Yemeknight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyLwBFroZys

@YnewsAW

Alex@yemennews.org

COVID- 19 Update: 705 Cases, 39 Recovered, 160 Deaths (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Nada Al Ahdal began her activism in 2013 when she was 10 years old by refusing to be a victim of under-age marriage. She fled home to avoid an arranged marriage at the age of 11 and has since established a foundation for the protection of children's rights. Nada has been nominated for the Nobel Prize for Children and works on a myriad of issues through her foundation, including the recruitment of child soldiers, underage marriage, and child labour. In this episode, Nada tells us that without awareness, Yemeni families may believe that they are actually protecting a girl by marrying her off at a young age. She explains how she works with her foundation to increase awareness that it is education that will protect a girl’s future, while underage marriage will destroy it.

 @Nadalahdal

www.nadaalahdal.com & www.nadafund.org

@YnewsAW

Alex@yemennews.org

Covid 19 Cases: 484 Cases, 112 Deaths, 23 Recovered (Not including Houthi controlled areas)

Nasser Arrabyee, a veteran journalist, has spent the last 20 years telling the stories of Yemenis, including the Yemenis held by the United States in Guantánamo prison who have never been given due process or brought to trial. This includes the story of Adnan Farhan Abdul Latif, one Yemeni held at Guantanamo who actually was recommended for release by a US court, but never made it home to Yemen after he was found dead in his prison cell. In this episode, Nasser talks about how the Yemeni people remain imprisoned by the on-going war. He tells us that the current COVID-19 outbreak in Yemen doesn’t compare with the war crimes committed by the parties involved in Yemen’s conflict and brings us a sobering reminder about the forces fueling the largest humanitarian crisis in the world today.

Twitter: @narrabyee

Instagram: @YnewsAW

Tik Tok: @Alexwilliams771 

Alex@YemenNews.org

COVID-19 Cases: 419 Cases, 17 recovered and 95 deaths

Thuraya Dammag represented the Independent Women at the National Dialogue Conference that followed Yemen’s revolution. She was also the coordinator for the International Federation of Reporters in Yemen and has worked as a reporter and editor for many media outlets including the Saba News agency, and many news websites and local newspapers. Currently she works as the editor and chief of Yemen Future website. In this episode, Thuraya talks about the struggles and importance of maintaining objectivity as a journalist in Yemen. She identifies five reasons why Houthi authorities are not being transparent about the real number of COVID-19 cases in the regions they control, and how mis-information and lack of information is creating an environment in which many Yemenis aren’t following the COVID-19 prevention guidelines that could save lives.

@thurayadamma

#ThurayaDammaj

@YNewsAW

Covid-19: 323 Cases, 80 Deaths and 14 Recovered (Not Including cases in the Houthi governed areas)

Haifa Subai portrays the devastating effects of war in her art on the streets of Yemen. Influenced by the armed conflict she has witnessed in her country since the start of the Arab Spring until now, Haifa launched an advocacy campaign called Silent Victims, which highlights women’s and children’s issues in the time of war. Her special exhibition called “War & Human” is featured at the Singapore Art Museum. In this episode, Haifa shares how her supportive family environment helped her to thrive, and how she has used her opportunities to be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. Haifa challenges Yemenis with access to life-saving awareness messages about COVID-19 to take responsibility for spreading these key messages to every level of Yemeni society.

@haifasubay

@YnewsAW

Alex@Yemennews.org

Covid -19: 256 Cases, 10 Recovered and 53 deaths

Shiran Avraham is an Israeli singer-songwriter with Yemeni roots. Avraham talks about her grandmother’s journey from Yemen to Israel and how the stories her family told her about Yemen impacted her identity and her work. Although she found it difficult to connect with Arabic music while her peers were listening to the modern pop music of the 90s, she fell in love with it once she connected with her grandmother and learned about her roots. This added another rich layer to the already diverse influences that make Shiran one of the most remarkable artists to appear from the Middle East in years. Translating and singing some of her original songs into Yemeni Arabic has allowed her work to cross even more religious, cultural, and musical divides.

@shiranmusic @batovrecords

@YnewsAW

Alex@Yemennews.org

COVID 19 Update: 216 Cases 40 Deaths and 8 Recovered

Ruba Nasr is a multilingual singer and songwriter from Aden. She sings in Turkish, French, English and is now working on a modern take of Yemeni folk songs. Ruba’s journey started when she was encouraged by a teacher who overheard her singing during her lunch break at school and now Ruba finds encouragement from an emerging community of Yemeni artists and musicians. Ruba says that a key to success for Yemeni women musicians is being able to tune out negative feedback and surround themselves with positive voices. She believes that music has the power to unite and make people forget their religious and political differences. 

@Rubynasr1

@YnewsAW

Alex@yemennews.org

May 21^st, 2020 COVID – 19 Update:

193 Cases, 5 Recovered and 33 Deaths (Not Including Houthi controlled areas)

Alaa shares about her personal journey growing up in Yemen and eventually founding the Yemeni Feminist Movement. Frustration over women being consistently sidelined through Yemen’s political uprisings and war, as well as the toxic relationships between men and women in Yemen, inspired Alaa to take action. She calls us all, and especially Yemeni families, to come together and work to have healthy relationships and build communities that support the aspirations of women and men. By doing this, we can build a society that nurtures all Yemenis. 

@alaaeryani

@graydesigns_ @ba3asees_yemenia

https://www.facebook.com/Rahafstore2015/

@YnewsAW  

Alex@yemennews.org

COVID-19: 132 Cases and 20 Deaths (WHO)

Mazen has just under a quarter of a million subscribers on YOUTUBE. He shares with us his journey from filming on his smart phone, to now working on his weekly show called “Fiuz” at Sadeem Studios. Mazen says sometimes his messaging can be counter culture and an uphill struggle, and his messaging can sometimes come with risks to him and his team. Yet, he has fun, and knows that social media has not only kept him sane throughout the 5 years of war, but can be used to send out lifesaving messaging at a time when Yemenis need it the most!

@mazen1ra

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCamqkn2dWQkyrXqmMzmy9sA

Alex@yemennews.org   and   @YnewsAW

Nadine Das is a fashion and beauty influencer from Yemen with over 100,000 followers on Instagram, found at @Nadinedasofficial. Nadine also has a PhD in Linguistics and she runs a software business hand in hand with her husband in India. In this episode, we hear about Nadine’s journey and the struggles and challenges she overcomes to achieve her dreams. Along the way she breaks some social norms, while at the same time holding on to her Yemeni roots that have played a positive role in shaping her social media presence.

Alex@Yemennews.org

@YnewsAW

COVID-19 Status: 51 Cases, 1 Recovered, 8 Deaths

Rania shares the story of Amani, who works in the hygiene section of a hospital, and the struggle she has to put food on the table for her family. Rania emphasizes the importance of giving these essential workers stability and proper protective equipment as they are a crucial backbone for all Yemenis in the fight against COVID-19. Rania also walks us through what receiving a food basket is like for Abu Amira, a father of five daughters, and how it turns around a hopeless situation for this family.

Info: Alex@Yemennews.org

@YnewsAW

COVID 19 Update: 34 Cases, 1 Recovered, 7 Deaths

Rania is originally from Al Hudaydah and went from volunteering to make sandwiches for students at a local school to managing her own local initiative. She talks to us about the challenges of doing aid work in Yemen and why vulnerable Yemenis often don’t trust humanitarian organizations. Rania speaks frankly about her real challenges in light of a global recession, where funding is down approximately 50%. In 2020, many vulnerable Yemenis may have access to half the aid of last year while they face twice the need as a result of COVID-19. It’s hard to imagine how they will buy basic needs in bulk to practice social distancing when they have little to no income.

For more information: Alex@YemenNews.org

@YnewsAW

*At the time of posting this episode the number of COVID-19 cases was 25. Including 5 deaths and 1 recovered (In Lahj, Sanaa, Aden, Hadramout and Taiz) The actual number is likely much higher.

Mr. Nazar Haitham, spokesperson for the Southern Transitional Council (STC), updates us on why the STC declared self-governance after previously signing the power-sharing Riyadh Agreement, negotiated between the STC and Yemen’s Saudi-backed government. He also discusses whether the conflict engulfing Yemen for the last five years has been a civil war, and whether there is a way forward that can bring all Yemenis, both northerners and southerners, stability and peace. Mr. Haitham additionally comments on the role of the international community and non-governmental organizations in light of the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Yemen.

Abdu B tells us about growing up in Yemen where he was discouraged from studying music. Nevertheless, Abdu shares that he was always impressed by music and it was always within him. After war broke out in Yemen in 2015, Abdu traveled to Europe to pursue his dreams and this week released the single, “All I Want” with the support of Seth Goodwin a producer from Washington D.C. Abdu encourages aspiring musicians in Yemen to promote love and peace with their work, and to aim for an appeal beyond Yemen to put the country on the map for a global audience and increase awareness about the crisis.

Abdu B Instagram: itsabdub

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8JcLPxNIOXaYhR5syxzM8w

Kamal takes us with him to experience life in a Yemeni village, where due to water shortage parents often have to make hard decisions between their family’s health, or water for other domestic uses. Kamal speaks to us in Episode 8 about the challenges that Yemenis face in rural areas in order to follow the two key practices that help stop the spread of COVID-19—physical distancing and washing your hands. The 17.8 million Yemenis that are without adequate water, sanitation or hygiene are in constant survival mode from the time they wake up. Even so, Yemeni men and women are helping each other, with what resources they have and in partnership with local organizations like the one Kamal works for.

For more info: Alex@yemennews.org

Wash your hands to fight COVID-19, you say? Well, the United Nations (UN) says 17.8 million Yemenis require support to meet their basic water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) needs. They can’t wash their hands when they don’t have water. Meanwhile they are already battling what the World Health Organization states to be the largest and fastest spreading Cholera outbreak on record. We speak to Kamal from Yemen, who shares with us about the lack of water in Yemeni villages and how their community initiative is responding to WASH needs and preparing for the potential spread of COVID-19 in Yemen.

For more info: Alex@yemennews.org

Entisar walks miles to gather plants and herbs to feed her children, as she has no source of income. Hear how Malak and her team are distributing food aid to women like Entisar and literally saving lives. Malak also shares about another lifesaving response in a rural area, made possible by a health clinic built in a container that was shipped from Texas to Yemen. Finally, Malak tells how her team goes beyond saving lives to reach some of the millions of Yemeni children who have experienced trauma over five years of war. Malak highlights the importance of trauma awareness and psychosocial support training for teachers and parents in Yemen.

For more information email: Alex@Yemennews.org

Gamal shares about volunteering as a nurse during the war for Aden in 2015, and the challenges he overcame afterwards to become a singer and form a band called "Mo.X.Gemo". Through his music he wants to inspire Yemeni youth to develop themselves and be a part of re-building the country using the arts.

For more info Email: Alex@YemenNews.org

Mr. Amir shares about the challenges of Education in Yemen and tells two inspirational stories about how some are overcoming these challenges. These stories highlight how the initiatives of local organizations are empowering women and girls in rural areas.

Ashraf, a Yemeni producer living in the diaspora shares about how media is playing a role in encouraging Yemenis to reconcile. He says there is life in the midst of the war and shares with us how Yemeni women are leading grassroots peace building initiatives.

For more info:

Email: Alex@YemenNews.org

Instagram: YnewsAW

We spoke to Malak who is from Taiz, a city in the central region of Yemen.

Taiz has been under siege for the last 5 years. Malak shared with us her tragic loss and how she has been responding to past Dengue Fever and Cholera outbreaks. She is currently working for a local NGO, assisting to clear containers and distribute much needed supplies to the people of Yemen.

For more info:

Email: Alex@YemenNews.org

Instagram: YnewsAW

We spoke to Anwar, from Hadramowt, Yemen. He works for a local NGO in Food security, giving food to those in need and bringing much needed hygiene awareness in the face of COVID-19 in the Eastern province of Yemen.

For more information Email me at:

Alex@YemenNews.org