UN's Ban ki-Moon calls for two-week ceasefire in Yemen talks

UN chief Ban Ki-moon opened political talks on Yemen on Monday by calling for a humanitarian ceasefire of at least two weeks to mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan, as well as local ceasefires and withdrawal of armed groups from cities. "Today Yemen's very existence hangs in the balance. While the parties bicker, Yemen burns," Ban said.

He said that one of the parties, the Houthis, had not yet arrived at the talks but that he expected them later on Monday.