Yemen's Houthis in Saudi for talks on ending war - sources

[bemildred]

A delegation from the Houthi movement is in Saudi Arabia for talks on ending Yemen's war, two senior officials said, in what appeared to be the most serious attempt to date to end the conflict.

The visit is the first of its kind since the war began in March last year between Iran-allied Houthi forces, and an Arab military coalition led by Saudi Arabia, Iran's main regional rival.

The visit began on Monday at the invitation of Saudi authorities, following a week of secret preparatory talks, said the two senior officials from the administrative body that runs parts of Yemen controlled by the Houthis.

About 6,000 people, half of them civilians, have died in the fighting in Yemen, raising fears of a wider regional confrontation between Shi'ite power Iran and Sunni kingdom Saudi Arabia.

http://in.reuters.com/article/yemen-security-talks-idINKCN0WA1I3?rpc=401

[bemildred]

1. AP Interview: Senior Saudi prince says jobs are top priority

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan bin Salman said Tuesday that after years of his government "throwing funding" into sectors that failed to boost the economy, the kingdom has now focused its efforts on one main target: job creation.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Prince Sultan said, "the biggest target today in Saudi Arabia is the economy and jobs."

The kingdom faces steep economic challenges to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs for its burgeoning young population amid a plunge in global oil prices. The lower prices of its main export forced the kingdom to post a nearly $100 billion budget deficit last year and reign back some of its handouts to the public, including lifting some subsidies.

The prince, who is head of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage and the oldest living son of King Salman, said the dip in oil prices from $115 a barrel in mid-2014 to around $30 a barrel has prompted Saudi Arabia to rethink its economic policies and how it is managing its spending.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_SAUDI_PRINCE_SULTAN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-03-08-09-36-09

[bemildred]

2. Iran could send military advisers to Yemen - official suggests

A senior Iranian military official signalled on Tuesday that Iran could send military advisers to Yemen to help the Shi'ite Houthi group fight a Gulf Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia.

Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri, deputy chief of staff of the armed forces, suggested Iran could support the Houthis in a similar way it has backed President Bashar al-Assad's forces in Syria, in an interview with the Tasnim news agency.

Asked if Iran would send military advisors to Yemen, as it had in Syria, Jazayeri said: "The Islamic Republic felt its duty to help the Syrian government and nation. It also feels its duty to help the people of Yemen in any way it can, and to any level necessary."

Iran has sent thousands of troops and advisors to Syria. Alongside Russian air power, Iranian troops have helped Assad's forces turn the tide against rebel forces supported by Saudi Arabia and other Sunni powers.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-yemen-security-iran-idUKKCN0WA1PO?rpc=401

[bemildred]

3. . nt

[KoKo]

4. Bookmarked for later...n/t

[bemildred]

5. They seem to have cut some sort of deal, a "cessation of hostilities" along the border.

The Saudi side has broken through in Taiz, and is fighting with al Qaeda & ISIS in Aden, their "Capital".
And there is a lot of talking going on. Meanwhile, some aid seems to be getting in in some places.