Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 27 March 2018
Report: Bombs disguised as rocks in Yemen show Iranian aid

DUBAI, United Arab Emir- Yemen's Shiite rebels known Iran has long denied sup- among Mideast rivals. The that receives funding from
ates (AP) — Roadside as Houthis, who have held plying arms to the Houthis, Saudi-led war there turned the United Arab Emirates,
bombs disguised as rocks the country's capital since and its mission to the Unit- three years old on Sunday. Germany and the Euro-
in Yemen bear similarities to September 2014. ed Nations is dismissing the "What we're hoping this pean Union to research
others used by Hezbollah in Those weapons allegedly new report. Iranian Foreign does is make plausible de- weaponry recovered in
southern Lebanon and by included ballistic missiles Minister Mohammad Ja- niability not very plausible," Yemen, said it examined
insurgents in Iraq and Bah- used to target Saudi Arabia, vad Zarif has derided such said Tim Michetti, head of a fake rock bomb in Janu-
rain, suggesting at the least which leads a military coali- weapons research as "fab- regional operations for Con- ary near Mokha, some 250
an Iranian influence in their tion of Arab nations backed ricating evidence." flict Armament Research. kilometers (150 miles) south-
manufacture, a watchdog by the United States that is The report is just the latest "You can't really deny this west of the capital, Sanaa.
group said on Monday. stuck in a stalemate war sign of how the conflict in anymore once the com- The fiberglass-encased
The report by Conflict Ar- with the Houthis. A barrage Yemen, the Arab world's ponents these things are bomb, packed with explo-
mament Research comes of Houthi missile fire late on poorest country where over made with are traced to sives, could be armed by
as the West and United Na- Sunday killed one person in 10,000 people have been Iranian distributors." Michet- radio and triggered by an
tions researchers accuse the Saudi capital, Riyadh, killed, has changed from ti's organization, an inde- infrared beam, the group
Iran of supplying arms to and wounded two others. a civil war to a proxy fight pendent watchdog group said.q

Egypt votes for president, with el-Sissi a sure winner

By MAGGIE MICHAEL hovered around a lowly 7
BRIAN ROHAN percent by 6 p.m., three
CAIRO (AP) — Egyptians hours before their sched-
began voting Monday in uled close for the day. They
an election that virtually said they expected a dra-
guaranteed another term matic increase on the final
for President Abdel-Fattah day Wednesday.
el-Sissi, who faced only a to- El-Sissi, a general who led
ken opponent in balloting the 2013 military overthrow
that resembled the referen- of Egypt's first freely elected
dums held by autocrats for president, the Islamist Mo-
decades before the Arab hammed Morsi, voted at a
Spring briefly raised hopes school in the Cairo suburb
of democratic change. of Heliopolis as soon as the
El-Sissi's only challenger was polls opened at 9 a.m. He
Moussa Mustafa Moussa, a made no comment before
little-known politician who heading for a meeting with
joined the race at the last his campaign team.
minute to spare the gov- Moussa, who supported el-
ernment the embarrass- Sissi until he joined the race,
ment of a one-candidate made no effort to mount a
election after several challenge, and the presi-
hopefuls were forced out Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi attends a ceremony in Paris, France. On March 26-28, dent never mentioned him
or arrested. 2018, Egyptians began voting in an election that virtually guaranteed another term for President once in public.
Authorities hope enough of el-Sissi. Replying to a reporter's
Egypt's nearly 60 million eli- (Charles Platiau, Pool via AP) question about his chances
gible voters will participate of winning, Moussa said: "It
in the three-day election commentators, have por- from sowing instability. empty for most of the day. all depends on your prayers
to give it legitimacy. Local trayed voting as a national There were only modest Officials overseeing four and your votes."
media, which are domi- obligation and the only lines at most polling places polling centers in the great- "Today we want the people
nated by pro-government way to prevent foreigners Monday, and some were er Cairo area said turnout to come out and vote. q

Videos raise questions over Saudi missile intercept claims

By JON GAMBRELL changing course midair, defense system, a tradition been targeted by some 90 in other parts of the king-
Associated Press crashing into a neighbor- dating back to the 1991 ballistic missile launched dom.
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- hood in Riyadh and ex- Gulf War. by Yemen’s Shiite rebels, The Saudi military said it in-
ates (AP) — As with near- ploding. Another appears “It’s more likely that none known as Houthis, and their tercepted seven ballistic
ly every ballistic missile to detonate shortly after of the missiles have been allies since launching a war missiles fired by the Houthis
launched by Yemen’s Shi- being launched in the Sau- intercepted than it is that against them three years at the kingdom, three of
ite rebels targeting Saudi di capital. the Saudis have shot down ago. them targeting Riyadh, two
Arabia, the kingdom over- Saudi Arabia’s Information any,” said Jeffrey Lewis, a Sunday night’s launch saw targeting Jazan and one
night said it intercepted all Ministry did not respond missile expert at the Mid- one Egyptian killed and apiece targeting Najran
seven fired — but online to requests for comment dlebury Institute of Interna- two others wounded in Ri- and Khamis Mushait.
videos raise new questions Monday from The Associ- tional Studies in Monterey, yadh by a missile fragment, The Saudi-owned satellite
about those claims. ated Press. However, the California, who watched marking the first casualties news channel Al Arabiya
One video appears to show videos appear to show the videos and previously in the Saudi capital since aired footage that it said
a Patriot missile launch the kingdom being yet an- has studied other Saudi Pa- the war began. Previous showed Patriot missile bat-
on Sunday night go rap- other country overstating triot missile launches. rockets fired by the Yemeni teries firing at the incoming
idly wrong, with the missile the capability of the missile Saudi Arabia says it has rebels have caused deaths Houthi missiles in Riyadh. q