UN announces humanitarian pause in Yemen

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The United Nations has announced an "unconditional humanitarian pause" in the Yemen conflict starting at midnight local time Friday and is seeking commitments from all parties to stop all violence.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Thursday that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has received assurances from Yemen's President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and through his special envoy from Shiite Houthi of their support for a halt to fighting through the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan ends on July 17.

Dujarric said "it is imperative and urgent that humanitarian aid can reach all vulnerable people of Yemen unimpeded and through an unconditional humanitarian pause."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UN_UNITED_NATIONS_YEMEN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-07-09-12-54-27