Yemen truce holds with only small breaches

SANAA • Parties to the war in Yemen for the most part adhered to a 72-hour truce that began just before midnight on Wednesday, and the capital Sanaa passed its first night in three months without air strikes, residents and officials said.

The truce was effectively holding across Yemen, despite small breaches in the provinces of Taiz, Hajja and Mareb, according to local officials and residents.

REUTERS

German teen on trial for alleged ISIS stabbing

CELLE (Germany) • A teenage girl went on trial in Germany on Thursday for stabbing a police officer, an assault allegedly "ordered" by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) but which was not claimed by the group.

The court in the northern city of Celle ruled at the start of the proceedings against Safia S., 16, that the trial would take place behind closed doors because she is a minor.

AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

World wine output at lowest since 2012

PARIS • Worldwide wine production is expected to fall this year to its lowest since 2012, chiefly due to adverse weather that sharply cut output in France and South America, the Paris-based International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) estimated yesterday.

Global wine output is set to decrease by 5 per cent compared with last year to 259.5 million hectolitres.

The amount was one of the three smallest volumes since 2000, said OIV in preliminary estimates for this year.

REUTERS