Latest news with #Amer
Yemen Online
a day ago
- Politics
- Yemen Online
Yemen Seizes 1.5 Million Captagon Pills, Alleges Houthis Fueling War Through Drug Trade
Yemeni authorities said they seized 1.5 million Captagon pills hidden on the roof of a refrigerated truck traveling from the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, to Saudi Arabia — a bust that officials allege reveals a shift in regional drug trafficking routes and highlights the Houthis' growing reliance on narcotics smuggling to fund their military operations. The seizure, announced by Yemen's Interior Ministry, suggests that Yemen may be emerging as a new hub in the Captagon trade following reported crackdowns in Syria, where the trade had flourished for years under the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. According to a statement from the ministry, the truck driver admitted the shipment belonged to drug dealers in Sanaa. Authorities believe the shipment is tied to the Iran-backed Houthi militia, and say it reflects the presence of extensive drug production and smuggling networks operating inside Houthi-controlled territory. Brig. Gen. Abdullah Lahmadi, director general of drug control at the ministry, said the discovery underscores the scale of trafficking allegedly supported by the Houthis. Information Minister Muammar al-Eryani of the internationally recognized Yemeni government wrote on X that this attempt comes at 'a sensitive time after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, which represented the main corridor for the Captagon trade to the Gulf states.' 'With the collapse of [the Assad] regime, the Houthis exploited the resulting vacuum to enhance their criminal activities and transform Yemen into a new starting point for drug smuggling, which deepens their security threats and further deteriorates the regional situation,' he added. Al-Eryani said the seizure 'highlights the malicious tactics that the Houthi militia relies on to finance its military operations and terrorist activities.' Abdulhamid Amer, head of the National Center for Strategic Studies, echoed the accusation, telling the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) that the Houthi group 'relies heavily on drugs to finance its ongoing wars.' A 2024 report by a U.N. Panel of Experts on Yemen also accused the Houthis of generating 'substantial illegal resources' through trafficking in drugs, arms and telecommunications equipment. Amer pointed to a rise in drug smuggling toward Saudi Arabia and the Gulf after the Assad regime's collapse and the weakening of Hezbollah in Syria — two groups previously linked to Captagon trafficking. He said the shift has been enabled by the Houthis' control over large areas in Yemen. Among the signs of increased smuggling, Amer cited a surge in land and maritime trafficking operations, a spike in drug volumes, the rise of commercial and agricultural fronts used for laundering, and growing domestic drug use, especially among youth. While the internationally recognized Yemeni government has accused the Houthis of spearheading the shift in the Captagon trade, the Houthi authorities have blamed Saudi Arabia. In 2021, Abdul Khaleq Al-Ajri, then-spokesman for the Houthi-run Interior Ministry, alleged that Riyadh was behind large-scale drug smuggling. He claimed Saudi Arabia released 3,000 Yemeni prisoners on the condition that they engage in trafficking within Yemen. Saudi Arabia backs Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), which leads the internationally recognized government and is tasked with uniting anti-Houthi factions. A Houthi government spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. Meanwhile, Syria's interim government has claimed to be cracking down on the Captagon trade. Transitional Interior Minister Anas Khattab recently said all production facilities in the country had been shut down. But evidence suggests smuggling continues: in a recent incident, authorities intercepted 200,000 Captagon pills being smuggled through Syria. Still, the Washington-based New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy noted that seizures have not led to significant arrests of traffickers. 'The technical knowledge to produce Captagon remains and could be redeployed elsewhere. Smuggling networks continue to operate, though likely on a diminishing scale, as regime-linked stockpiles dwindle,' the institute said in a recent report. The group also noted that Syria's interim government 'lacks the institutional capacity for effective counternarcotics operations,' with primitive disposal methods such as burning or dumping pills into waterways. Syria became the region's leading source of Captagon during the last decade, with the Assad regime accused of transforming the country into a narco-state. A 2023 joint investigation by OCCRP and the BBC found that members of the Assad family and Syrian Armed Forces were directly involved in the billion-dollar trade.
CairoScene
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Cinema Turned Inward: 6 Egyptian Movies about Filmmaking
Ranging from satire to autobiography to fragmented narrative, from Chahine to Amer, these films turns Egyptian Cinema itself into the subject. Jun 18, 2025 In Egyptian cinema, there are moments when the camera turns inward and the stories on screen aren't just about love, politics, or history, but about the act of filmmaking itself. These works don't just use film as a medium but interrogate it as a subject. This is a list of six films, ranging from satire to autobiography to fragmented narrative, that made Egyptian Cinema the subject of cinema... Iskindereyya… Leh? (1979) Set in cosmopolitan Alexandria during World War II, 'Iskindereyya... Leh?' ('Alexandria… Why?') follows Yehia, a young man torn between the realities of war and his dream of becoming an actor, inspired by Hollywood and Shakespeare. The film is the first in Youssef Chahine's acclaimed Alexandria trilogy, followed by 'An Egyptian Story' and 'Alexandria Again and Forever'. Leil Khargi (2018) In 'Leil Khargi', director Ahmad Abdalla follows Moe, a filmmaker whose chaotic day on set quickly spirals into a surreal night through Cairo's underbelly after his film shoot is disrupted by personal and professional crises. What begins as a behind-the-scenes glimpse into a collapsing production transforms into a drifting nocturnal journey, as a taxi driver and a sex worker cross the city's tangled streets, navigating class tensions, social taboos, and the unsteady ground between reality and performance. Akher Ayyam el-Madina (2016) 'Akher Ayyam el-Madina' follows Khalid, a 35-year-old Egyptian filmmaker struggling to make a film that captures the soul of Cairo while facing personal loss and the quiet unraveling of the city around him. Set in downtown Cairo in 2009, the film weaves footage from friends in Baghdad, Beirut, and Berlin, whose cities mirror his own sense of instability and longing. Directed by Tamer El Said, the film won the Caligari Film Award at the Berlin International Film Festival, amongst several other international honors. Balash Tebosni (2018) Directed by Ahmed Amer and starring Yasmin Raeis and Mohamed Mahran, this mockumentary‑style satire follows a young director struggling to film a kissing scene because his lead actress refuses. Kalam Fel Hob (2006) Directed by Ali Idris, this romantic comedy features Yousra as Nahed, a waitress who becomes involved with a director's assistant, played by Amr Waked. It explores the boundaries between personal romance and artistic ambition. Ya Mehalabeya Ya (1991) Directed by Maher Awad and Sherif Arafa, this comedic satire stars Laila Elwi and Hisham Selim. It follows director Shoukry Ezzat and screenwriter Mar'i as they discover an inherited grain warehouse is actually a film studio. The revelation leads to a chaotic 'film‑within‑a‑film' set in the British‑occupied era, where production clashes with nationalist themes.
Saba Yemen
5 days ago
- Health
- Saba Yemen
Foreign & Health Ministers meet WFP Envoy
Sana'a - SABA: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Jamal Amer and Minister of Health and Environment Dr. Ali Al-Shibani met today with Abdullah Al-Wardat, Director of Partnerships with Donor Countries at the World Food Programme (WFP) in Rome and High-Level Envoy to Yemen. The meeting, attended by Deputy Foreign Minister for International Cooperation Ambassador Ismail Al-Mutawakel, saw Minister Amer welcome the envoy while stressing that the Foreign Ministry has facilitated the work of WFP's Sana'a office in the past. However, he noted that the office "unfortunately created problems for itself by reneging on agreements." Amer emphasized the government's commitment to ensuring WFP's operations in Yemen align with established standards and resolving pending issues to alleviate the humanitarian suffering caused by aggression and blockade. For his part, Health Minister Al-Shibani highlighted a recent decline in strategic partnership with WFP, despite its critical role in life-saving projects across Yemen's governorates. Deputy Minister Al-Mutawakel addressed obstacles in the relationship with WFP's Sana'a office, affirming the Foreign Ministry's readiness to discuss and resolve outstanding matters to strengthen cooperation. Envoy Al-Wardat reiterated that his mission is purely humanitarian and apolitical, tasked by WFP leadership to resolve all pending issues in collaboration with Yemeni authorities to serve the Yemeni people Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dave Chappelle Joins Mo Amer for Rare Interview on Political Comedy, Fiery ‘SNL' Monologues and Crying Over Netflix's ‘Mo': ‘I'm Not Doing This S—‘ If the ‘Show Sucked'
Dave Chappelle and Mo Amer became close during the pandemic, when Chappelle managed to secure a COVID testing machine and created a bubble at his Ohio home to bring in comedians to perform. Amer was one of them. 'We spent all the summer of 2020 together doing shows,' Chappelle says. 'The best comedians in the world flew into Ohio, and we had a blast.' Those early comedy shows were held in a cornfield, while the comedians were tested every day. But beyond that, Amer was mostly holed up in his Airbnb as he started writing Season 1 of 'Mo,' his critically acclaimed Netflix series, which wrapped this year after two seasons. More from Variety Like Father, Like Son: Arnold and Patrick Schwarzenegger on Nepo Babies, Nude Scenes and 'Becoming the Greatest Star of All Time' Penguins Unite! Colin Farrell and Danny DeVito on Lusting After Catwoman, Staying Sober and How 'It's Always Sunny' Is Like 'I Love Lucy' on Acid Colin Farrell, the Schwarzeneggers, Dave Chappelle and Parker Posey Set for Emmys 'Actors on Actors' Season 22 'It was so nerve-racking because everything was so unsettling,' Amer recalls. 'It was COVID; it was civil unrest; it was my own personal stuff. And every one of my writers was juggling things emotionally. It was really overwhelming. But you really saved my life. I'm sure that a lot of people felt that way, because we weren't working — you gave us an outlet.' When Amer was invited to participate in Actors on Actors, he suggested Chappelle as a conversation partner. And Chappelle — who hosted 'SNL' this year and hasn't given interviews since he became the subject of controversy for his jokes mocking transgender people in his 2021 Netflix special 'The Closer' — agreed, flying to Los Angeles from Ohio. 'As you know, I notoriously don't like to do press,' Chappelle says. 'But I wouldn't have missed today, because it's you.' DAVE CHAPPELLE: This is the elephant in the room. You got a deal at Netflix to produce a show, and then right as you were starting production [on Season 2], Oct. 7 happened. And this is something that you were going to have to address, artistically or not. And what I was curious about is the process of going through that. By some weird accident, you found yourself being a solo Palestinian voice in a very critical time in human history. MO AMER: I started writing [Season 2] in April 2023, and then [the Writers Guild] went on strike May 1. We came back on Oct. 1. Six days later, all hell breaks loose. And particularly my writing room, since the show is centered around a Palestinian family, this impacted it significantly; it caused us to have a tremendous amount of debate in the writing room itself. And then outside of the writing room, in my actual life, there was a deep concern for what's going on globally. I was just getting all kinds of pressure like, 'What are you going to say? What are you going to do?' CHAPPELLE: Give me an example of where the pressure comes from — family, friends, artists, producers, execs? AMER: It was more so the fans and the public. Since I'm the only guy that's Palestinian who has a show that's centered around the Palestinian family, the pressure around that was immense: 'What are you going to do to try to help to bring people together, for people to come to their senses and to get to a resolution?' I mean, my God, there was so many phone calls and people pressuring me to speak right away. This is literally Oct. 8. CHAPPELLE: Oh, wow. AMER: I noticed everyone was yelling at each other. No one was actually listening to one another. And I think it's really important to understand what's happening before you speak out. It's really necessary to know what you're talking about. And how you say it is everything. I've always seen my art form as [a] refuge, where it allows me to be myself and express myself. Outside of that feels unnatural to me at the moment. CHAPPELLE: I know exactly what you mean. AMER: I'm sure you know better than anybody else. But in regards to the show, do you address Oct. 7? Do you not? Every time I started to implement it into the series, everything would get lost. It took over the entire narrative, and I felt like it did a massive disservice. Also, this idea of everything started on Oct. 7 is not accurate. So contextually, [in terms] of what's been going on for the last 75 years, people need to know what life was like there. CHAPPELLE: From a viewer's standpoint, it looked like a miracle of timing. Your show reads like today's paper. The issues it touches — Palestine, immigration itself — the world is wrestling with all these things, and all of a sudden there's this cathartic piece of art that touches on all of that, humanizes all of that. And it's funny, man. AMER: I hope so. I mean, sometimes it didn't feel like a comedy. There were some moments where I'm like, 'Are we fucking making a comedy?' Because I'm emotionally exhausted. I'm tanked. But to your point, I've never seen a series touch upon all these things. I wanted to go into a detention center. I quite deliberately wanted my character at the end of Season 1 to get stuck in Mexico, to see what it takes to actually get back [into the United States]. And to show the absurdities of a detention center. CHAPPELLE: I remember years ago being on a tour bus with you, and you described the whole sequence about what it was like fleeing Kuwait. And when I saw the first season of your show, it was exactly what you described on the tour bus, shot for shot. Do you remember this conversation? AMER: Of course I remember this conversation. This whole series is your fault. CHAPPELLE: How's it my fault? AMER: I was opening for you in Dallas at the House of Blues. I just got offstage, and you sat next to me. You said, 'Mo.' You had a cigarette in your mouth, as usual. CHAPPELLE: Always. AMER: You were like, 'Mo, have you ever thought about doing a short film in front of your stand-up special? And if you do it right, it could win an Emmy.' And you hit me in the shoulder. I was like, 'Oh, shit.' [After that], I was obsessed with this short film; I couldn't stop thinking about it. It just all came into me. I was like, 'Oh my God.' I started seeing my mom take the money — it was this real thing that happened when we were fleeing Kuwait — how she was getting the cash and hiding it in strategic locations in our suitcase. How she was sewing it up. I'd never seen this version of my mother. Our life was very normal. And to see her be so tactful and grab a razor and cut behind the zipper and put equal amounts of money in the lining of the purse and then sewing it back up. I just started seeing little me wearing the Pelé soccer jersey as she was assembling it, putting everything together to get ready to leave, which was obviously changing our lives forever. CHAPPELLE: But, boy, this second season. This punchline of 'Mo' was everything. It was great. And that's why I'm here. I hate doing media. Like, man, you guys have no fucking idea how amazing it is that I'm here right now. AMER: When we were taking pictures next to each other, I looked over a couple times. I literally was thinking, 'Bro, I know you hate this so much.' But also, 'He must really love the show.' CHAPPELLE: If this show sucked, and he asked me to do this, I'm not doing this shit. But, boy, by the time I got to the end of the season, it made me cry joyful tears. AMER: Bro, you have the longest sets on 'SNL.' I mean, to me, they're the pinnacle of stand-up — watching a master at work at live stand-up. You've said that it's a joke recital or whatnot, but you freestyle. CHAPPELLE: The first one especially was winging it. But I've been doing it long enough that you're never really winging it. Even if I don't have jokes, I got experience enough. But on live television, it's dangerous. You got to navigate standards and practices and all the rest of it. But to Lorne Michaels' credit, he never knows what I'm going to say. As a tradition, I never do my actual monologue in rehearsal. AMER: That's great. CHAPPELLE: For me, rehearsal is just 'How's the sound?' It's so much pressure on live television. But the joy of doing that show for me is the monologue. What a gift for a stand-up to be able to do what he does on live television on such a revered platform like 'SNL' is. It's always exhilarating. It's a little terrifying, but just a little. You never do as good as you think you're going to do, but it's never that bad. The hardest one was maybe the one when Biden got elected, because we didn't know he was going to be president until Saturday morning. So I had a set for if Trump won, and I had a set for if Biden won. AMER: As far as the monologues themselves from 2016, with so much going on in the world and the fact that Trump had won the election, from 2016 to now, how do you feel about that monologue? CHAPPELLE: I haven't watched it in a while, but I remember it fondly. AMER: You spoke about giving him a chance. CHAPPELLE: Oh, I remember that part. But you know what? I look at it like a photograph. That's what it felt like in that moment. Now, if it ages well or not, I don't get mad if I look at a picture because it's not today. That's what it was at that time. You might look at an old set and cringe, but you could just cringe because of how you were at that time. AMER: You're such a cultural lightning rod; everything you say encapsulates everything that's going on in the zeitgeist. CHAPPELLE: Complete accident. AMER: Complete accident? Come on! CHAPPELLE: No, I'm just kidding. How did you know that your show would sound like today's paper? AMER: Yeah, I had no idea. CHAPPELLE: When you filmed those scenes in the detention camp, you didn't know El Salvador was going to happen. AMER: Yeah, no. CHAPPELLE: You just were doing what felt like was urgent to you, and it turns out that the world stage caught up to your writers' room. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in June 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
Extra.ie
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Fans thrilled as huge Netflix star announces major Irish show
Palestinian-American comedian Mo Amer will perform at the 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin on Thursday, September 25. Announced as part of his El Oso Palestino Tour , the performance is expected to see Amer reflect on topics including family, fatherhood and identity in todays political climate. A comedian as well as an actor and writer, Amer is known for co-creating and starring in the acclaimed Netflix series MO , which is based on his own life story. The first season of the show is set in the US and follows the Palestinian refugee as he attempts to obtain citizenship through a complex immigration process. Its second instalment, which was released in January, takes place in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and sees Amer's character and his family try to readapt to life in the territory. The semi-autobiographical comedy drama has earned widespread praise, including a 100% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Amer has also appeared in the Hulu series Ramy and starred alongside Dwayne Johnson in Black Adam . The Houston-raised artist has two Netflix stand-up specials under his name: The Vagabond and Mohammed in Texas. Tickets for his 3Olympia gig start at €30.50 and go on sale Thursday, June 12 at 9am via Ticketmaster.
