UN children’s agency suspends crucial cash aid to 9mn Yemenis

The UN children’s agency has suspended cash transfers to nine million of Yemen’s most impoverished citizens, AP reports. UNICEF said the decision, which entered into effect on Wednesday, came after it was unable to set up a call center to get feedback from beneficiaries. Sources say the Houthi rebels who control northern Yemen hindered the launch of the call center because they feared it might reveal their manipulation of the cash transfers. The Houthis have been at war with an Arab coalition since March 2015. The rebels have repeatedly been accused of diverting aid to their supporters.