The Oman-mediated peace talks to end the nine-year-old war in Yemen received a boost after China brokered a rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia last month. Media reports say Saudi Arabia and the Houthis agreed on the draft of a ceasefire agreement last month, which lays out the plan for a more detailed negotiation

A Houthi official said that in recent times, at least three ships carrying petroleum products have been stopped from reaching Hodeidah port. The seven-year-long blockade has prevented crucial supplies of energy, food and medicine from reaching millions

The Houthis, who had rejected the invitation to join the talks in Riyadh where the presidential council was created, have refused to recognize the council calling it a foreign implant without any real representation of the Yemeni people 

The ceasefire announcement was widely welcomed and has raised hopes of peace although there have been reports of attacks from the Saudi side. The Saudi-led coalition has partially lifted its siege allowing fuel tankers to reach Hodeidah port after months

The war in Yemen, backed by the US and the UK, has caused the death of over 110,000 people and completely destroyed the Arab world’s poorest country. Around two-third of its total population of nearly 30 million is now dependent on some kind of international humanitarian aid 

A report by The Guardian said that an extensive Saudi lobbying effort was one of the reasons behind the defeat of a resolution to extend the term of an independent war crimes investigation into human rights violations in Yemen

We take a look at the nationwide strike by Amazon workers across Italy, a massive fire at a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh, recent developments in Yemen, and the presence of armed rebel groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the pretext of foreign military interventions

The chief negotiator for Ansar Allah said the Saudis should end their devastating air and sea blockade of the country if they are serious about implementing the ceasefire