HOT POINT

Yemeni transport ministry says Saudi Arabia mandated inspections of flights between Aden and UAE

ADEN, Yemen (AP) — Yemen's transport ministry, which is aligned with Emirati-backed southern separatist authorities, on Thursday said Saudi Arabia has imposed requirements mandating that flights to and from Aden International Airport undergo inspection in Jeddah.

The ministry, which is affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council, or STC, said in a statement that it was "shocked" by what it denounced as "sudden procedures" requiring international flights departing from or arriving in Aden to stop in Jeddah for inspection before continuing their journeys.

When local officials sought clarification, Saudi authorities said the restriction applies only to flights operating between the Yemeni city of Aden and the United Arab Emirates, according to the ministry's statement.

The reasons behind the measures reportedly imposed by Saudi Arabia remain unclear. The Saudi and Emirati foreign ministries didn't immediately respond to requests for confirmation and comment.

In its statement, the ministry demanded "an end to the air blockade imposed on the Yemeni people, a reversal of these measures, and a continuation of the previous mechanisms that have been in place for years."

This latest development comes amidfurther strained ties between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, neighbors on the Arabian Peninsula that increasingly have competed over economic issues and regional politics, particularly inthe Red Sea area.

Tensions rose after the STC moved last month into Yemen'sgovernorates of Hadramout and Mahraand seized an oil-rich region. The move pushed out forces affiliated with the Saudi-supported National Shield Forces, another group aligned with the coalition in fighting the Iran-backed Houthis.

Yemen has been engulfed in a civil war for more than a decade with the Iran-aided Houthis controlling much of the northern regions, while a Saudi-UAE-backed coalition supports the internationally recognized government in the south. However, the UAE also helps the southern separatists who call for South Yemen to secede once again from Yemen. Those aligned with the council have increasingly flown the flag of South Yemen, which was a separate country from 1967-1990.

The United Statesurged diplomacyin Yemen while the Saudi-led coalition in Yeme now demanded the withdrawal of STC forces from the two governorates as part of de-escalation efforts, with local authorities returning to oversee them, and the handover of their military camps.

Faez bin Omar, a leader with the Hadramout Tribes Confederacy, told The Associated Press Thursday that UAE-backed forces started withdrawing from al-Rayyan base, which is located inMukalla city, the capital of Hadramout, two days ago.

The Council's forces operating in the airport at al-Rayyan base are working to remove weapons and military vehicles left behind their allied forces, however, the situation could still develop, according to Bin Omar. "The Council forces are present inside and around the airport, apparently waiting for the UAE-backed forces to complete their withdrawal tomorrow morning. The base is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, and there has been a military operations room there for several years, used by the UAE allegedly combating terrorism," he said.

byAll About ...

in

11:42

Yemeni transport ministry says Saudi Arabia mandated inspections of flights between Aden and UAE

ADEN, Yemen (AP) — Yemen's transport ministry, which is aligned with Emirati-backed southern separatist authorities, ...

Federal employees file complaint against Trump administration's ban on gender-affirming care

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is facing a new legal complaint from a group of government employees who are affected by a new policy going into effect Thursday that eliminates coverage for gender-affirming care in federal health insurance programs.

The complaint, filed Thursday on the employees' behalf by the Human Rights Campaign, is in response to an August announcement from the Office of Personnel Management that it would no longer cover "chemical and surgical modification of an individual's sex traits through medical interventions" in health insurance programs for federal employees and U.S. Postal Service workers.

The complaint argues that denying coverage of gender-affirming care is sex-based discrimination and asks the personnel office to rescind the policy.

"This policy is not about cost or care — it is about driving transgender people and people with transgender spouses, children, and dependents out of the federal workforce," Human Rights Campaign Foundation President Kelley Robinson said in a statement announcing the move.

The complaint, filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, includes testimonies from four current federal workers at the State Department, Health and Human Services and the Postal Service who would be directly affected by the elimination of coverage.

For instance, the Postal Service employee has a daughter whose doctors recommended that she get puberty blockers and potentially hormone replacement therapy for her diagnosed gender dysphoria, which would not be covered under the new OPM policy, according to the complaint.

The complaint notes that the workers are making the claim on behalf of themselves and a "class of similarly situated federal employees."

The Trump administration has taken other steps to restrict care for transgender Americans, particularly minors. In December, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Servicesreleased proposals that would block gender-affirming careto minors, including a policy that would bar Medicare and Medicaid dollars to hospitals that provide such care to children.

Senior Trump officials, such as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., call gender-affirming care "malpractice" for minors. But such restrictions go against recommendations from major medical groups such as the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

byAll About ...

in

11:42

Federal employees file complaint against Trump administration's ban on gender-affirming care

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is facing a new legal complaint from a group of government employees who are a...

World Cup 2026 host stadiums and cities for every game

The2026 World Cupkicks off with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa on June 11 in Mexico City, with the final taking place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The full 104-match schedule is set, with 16 cities in three countries hosting matches. Of those 16 cities and venues, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta will host the most games at nine apiece. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, each will host eight matches.

MORE:10 World Cup group stage matches we can't wait to see in 2026

Here is a look at all the World Cup matches this summer and where those will be taking place: