Yemen Receives 2nd $250 Mln Tranche of Saudi Grant

A view of the Central Bank of Yemen in Aden, Yemen (File Photo: Reuters)
A view of the Central Bank of Yemen in Aden, Yemen (File Photo: Reuters)
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Yemen Receives 2nd $250 Mln Tranche of Saudi Grant

A view of the Central Bank of Yemen in Aden, Yemen (File Photo: Reuters)
A view of the Central Bank of Yemen in Aden, Yemen (File Photo: Reuters)

Yemen received a second $250 million installment from a Saudi grant on Sunday to support salary payments.

Under the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the Yemeni government has received $250 million as the second installment of the grant, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

It said the support provided by the Kingdom demonstrates its dedication to promoting security, stability, and prosperity for the people of Yemen.

The support aims to bolster the Yemeni government’s budget, enhance the purchasing power of its citizens, and contribute to economic recovery in Yemen.

In August 2023, Yemen requested economic assistance from Saudi Arabia to address its budget deficit and ensure food security. In response, Saudi Arabia announced its support, amounting to $1.2 billion. “This aid will be utilized to support salaries, wages, operational expenses, and overall economic stability in Yemen,” SPA said.

The Kingdom has provided a total of approximately $11.2 billion in direct economic and developmental support from 2012 to 2023. The budget deficit support has had significant economic impacts, such as enhancing the living conditions of Yemeni citizens, bolstering the capacity of the Yemeni government, implementing economic reform programs, and empowering the Central Bank of Yemen through the activation of monetary policy tools.



US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
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US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)

The United States is deferring the removal of certain Lebanese citizens from the country, President Joe Biden said on Friday, citing humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon amid tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

The deferred designation, which lasts 18 months, allows Lebanese citizens to remain in the country with the right to work, according to a memorandum Biden sent to the Department of Homeland Security.

"Humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon have significantly deteriorated due to tensions between Hezbollah and Israel," Biden said in the memo.

"While I remain focused on de-escalating the situation and improving humanitarian conditions, many civilians remain in danger; therefore, I am directing the deferral of removal of certain Lebanese nationals who are present in the United States."

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have been trading fire since Hezbollah announced a "support front" with Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on Oct. 7, triggering Israel's military assault in Gaza.

The fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters, according to a Reuters tally, and led to levels of destruction in Lebanese border towns and villages not seen since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.

On the Israeli side, 10 Israeli civilians, a foreign agricultural worker and 20 Israeli soldiers have been killed. Tens of thousands have been evacuated from both sides of the border.