ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Thursday regional initiatives, particularly those led by Saudi Arabia and Oman, were critical for advancing peace in Yemen, which has been wracked by civil war since 2014.

Since October 2023, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement has been involved in disruptions to commercial ship traffic through the Red Sea, one of the world’s most important shipping routes that connects Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Over 12 percent of global maritime trade passes through the Red Sea. The United States and United Kingdom have responded to the attacks and many ships are rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope. The US State Department said this week it was designating the Houthi movement as a “foreign terrorist organization” after President Donald Trump’s call for the move earlier this year.

The violence is unfolding against the backdrop of a larger civil war in Yemen that began in 2014 when the Houthis took the capital Sana’a. Since then, the ensuing violent conflict has taken a devastating toll on Yemen’s people. More than 17 million people – half the country’s population – remain dependent on humanitarian assistance and protection.

Ambassador Munir Akram, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the UN Security Council on Thursday that political dialogue in Yemen had to be restarted and “decisive steps” taken to address the multidimensional crisis the impoverished Arab country was facing.

“The international community must act with urgency to prevent further deterioration of the crisis and pave the way for a future of stability and hope for Yemen,” Akram said. “We reaffirm our full support for the UN-led peace process and stress the need for an inclusive, comprehensive and sustainable resolution of the conflict.”

In this regard, regional initiatives, particularly those led by Saudi Arabia and Oman, remained critical in advancing these negotiations, the Pakistani envoy added.

“As we observe the holy month of Ramzan, millions in Yemen continue to endure extreme hardship,” Akram said, with 19.5 million people requiring urgent humanitarian assistance, including 17.1 million facing acute food insecurity. 4.5 million internally displaced, and 12 million children lacking access to basic necessities such as food, water, shelter and health care.

The Pakistani envoy regretted “deeply” the sudden cutting off of humanitarian aid in Yemen, and called for filling the gap by the international community and donor countries, hoping they would step up their contributions to the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan for Yemen .
 

DUBAI: India and New Zealand face off in the final of the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday to decide the winner of the eight-nation ODI tournament.
AFP Sport looks at five key factors that could decide the fate of the title clash.
New Zealand pace spearhead Matt Henry leads the bowling charts in the 50-over tournament with 10 wickets — five when the Black Caps faced India earlier in the competition.
Henry took down Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli in the group match in Dubai to reduce India to 30-3, before a middle-order fightback lifted Rohit Sharma’s team to 249-9.
Henry, who combines pace with good seam movement, returned figures of 5-42, albeit in a losing cause.
His opening burst in the final could be vital for New Zealand in gaining the upper hand.
Wrist spinner Varun Chakravarthy was a late addition to the India squad for the tournament and against New Zealand bamboozled the opposition with figures of 5-42.
That was his first match of the tournament and only his second ODI, having made his debut against England in February.
The 33-year-old, a mystery spinner who has many variations up his sleeve, took another two wickets in the semifinal against Australia.
Chakravarthy could be key to India’s chances — if part of the XI — on pitches that have helped the spinners.
Rising star Rachin Ravindra and old warhorse Kane Williamson come into the final fresh from centuries against South Africa in Lahore.
The left-handed Ravindra and Williamson put together 164 runs in a match-winning stand in the semifinal and have the ability tackle the Indian spinners with aplomb.
Williamson, 34, hit a valiant 81 in the previous match against India and with Ravindra, 25, will once again pose a serious threat to India on an expected sluggish pitch.
Skipper and left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner said Williamson and Ravindra’s batting makes life a “little easier” for the bowlers.
India captain Rohit hasn’t hit top gear in the tournament, with his highest score being 41 in the opening win against Bangladesh.
But even his scores of 20-plus in two matches — against Pakistan and Australia — have handed India quick starts for others to build on.
Critics have slammed the opener for not converting those starts into bigger scores.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir says his impact has been crucial and not driven by numbers.
“You evaluate from the runs; we evaluate from the impact. That’s the difference,” Gambhir shot back at a question on Rohit’s form.
The pitches at Dubai International Cricket Stadium have been a talking point with India playing all their matches at the same venue after refusing to tour Pakistan for political reasons.
The surface in Dubai has been sluggish and aided spinners with Australia posting the highest total in this tournament of 264, which was overhauled by India with 11 balls to spare.
Tracks in Pakistan have produced tall scores with New Zealand getting a Champions Trophy record 362-6 before restricting South Africa to 312-9 in Lahore.
While India stay at their temporary home for the final, New Zealand’s Ravindra said “we pride ourselves in adapting and playing the situation in front of us.”