Yemeni essential services almost completely broken: UN

Here is a round-up of global news developments:

• The UN humanitarian coordinator for Yemen says the conflict there has left hospitals, schools, and other essential services almost completely broken. Jamie McGoldrick said there is also a huge lack of supplies. He added that it is difficult to carry out evacuations and assessments of the humanitarian situation because of the crisis.
• People in the Turkish city of Istanbul have marched on the German consulate in protest against an anti-Turkey resolution by the German parliament. The resolution declares the Ottomon Turkey's massacre of Armenians in the First World War a genocide. The protesters chanted slogans, calling the Armenian massacre a lie.
• In Venezuela, police have fired tear gas at protesters, marching toward the presidential palace in the capital Caracas over shortages of food and medicine. Police dispersed the demonstrators and stopped them from pushing toward the palace. Venezuela has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks over severe shortage of consumer goods.
• Human Rights Watch has condemned the jail term extension of Bahraini opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman. HRW says the court’s move to double the imprisonment of Salman is a QUOTE travesty of justice. The decision against the opposition leader comes despite strong evidence that his initial trial was unfair.
• An explosion has struck outside a mosque in Syria’s western port city of Latakia. Reports says the blast killed one civilian and wounded four others. The explosion comes a week after a series of deadly bombings in the city of Tartus and the town of Jableh, both in western Syria.
• Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the United States needs to do more to assure banks that they can do business with Iran without facing punishments. Zarif's comments come amid concerns that Washington is using threats of non-nuclear sanctions on Tehran to prevent major banks from working with Iran.
• The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has decided to stick to its present oil output policy. The decision came at the end of an OPEC ministers meeting in the Austrian capital during which the organization picked a new head. OPEC members have been at odds over setting a production cap. s
• Masked protesters smash windows and scuffle with police in the French city of Nantes during rallies against a government plan to reform labor laws. A similar demonstration in the southern city of Toulouse turned violent after protesters hurled objects at police. French unions are on strike against the reforms.

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