Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


UN Urges US to Reverse Houthi Terror Designation

Margaret Besheer

   NEW YORK - The U.N.'s humanitarian chief warns that if Washington's new
   terrorist designation of Houthi rebels in Yemen is not reversed, it
   could drastically impact aid imports and push the already desperate
   country into a large-scale famine.

   "The most urgent priority in Yemen right now is to prevent a massive
   famine," Mark Lowcock will tell a meeting of the U.N. Security Council
   on Thursday, according to prepared remarks made available ahead of his
   briefing.

   U.N. data anticipates 16 million people will go hungry in the war-torn
   country this year. Another 50,000 already live in famine-like
   conditions, while 5 million more are right behind them.

   "Every decision the world makes right now must take this into account,"
   Lowcock will warn.

   Late Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that he
   plans'¯to'¯designate the Iranian-backed rebel group a "Foreign
   Terrorist Organization," or FTO, to hold it accountable for acts such
   as "cross-border attacks threatening civilian populations,
   infrastructure, and commercial shipping."

.