Yemen conflict will end thanks to Saudi Arabia: media

The UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg has met with senior Omani and Houthi officials to discuss the peace process. Saudi Arabia and Oman are due to meet with the Houthi leadership in Sanaa next week to sign a permanent ceasefire ending the eight-year war in Yemen. The Saudi plan envisions extending the ceasefire by another year, followed by steps to reopen Yemeni ports. Saudi Arabia and the UN will then sponsor talks between the Houthis and rival Yemeni factions, seeking a two-year transition period to establish a new government. According to UN estimates, the conflict in Yemen has claimed at least 377,000 lives, of which 150,000 were due to violence and the rest from starvation and disease.