Friday News Roundup – International (Joshua Johnson, The 1A) 2018-11-09

On Monday, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Iran. The New York Times described the package as “the most significant part of President Trump’s decision last May to abandon the Iranian nuclear agreement of 2015, which he has described as a disaster.”

The Iranian economy is already struggling, and many experts say these sanctions will hurt.

What’s behind the Trump administration’s latest moves on Iran, and how did the Iranian government respond?

President Trump also called off a proposed meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin this week, but the Kremlin said the two leaders would have an “abbreviated discussion” with more detailed talks coming later this month. The two leaders are scheduled to head to Paris this weekend upon the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.

Hundreds of thousands of Yemeni citizens are trapped in the port city of Hodeida as fighting continues in the country’s civil war. The Washington Post reports that residents have remained confined inside their houses.

The clashes in Hodeida, pitting a U.S.-backed regional coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates against northern Houthi rebels, has led to numerous civilian casualties over the past week, said residents, health workers and aid agencies. The violence is also nearing medical facilities, threatening the safety of patients and essential medical workers.

The fighting has particularly intensified near Hodeida’s port, through which passes more than 70 percent of all food, fuel, medicine and other essential supplies destined for the northern part of the country where the large majority of Yemenis live. If the port is damaged, it could be catastrophic for millions of Yemenis, aid workers said.

And one of the children featured in searing images of the famine in Yemen published by The New York Times last week died. Amal Hussain was seven years old.

“My heart is broken,” said her mother, Mariam Ali, who wept during a phone interview. “Amal was always smiling. Now I’m worried for my other children.”

After Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis called for a cease-fire in Yemen last week, who can help these civilians? Could the conflict in Yemen come to a peaceful resolution?

We’ll update you on the latest news from around the globe with our panel of journalists.
Interview:
https://the1a.org/shows/2018-11-09/friday-news-roundup-international