War-ravaged Yemen gets a truce and dumps a tired president

SOON AFTER iftar, the fast-breaking meal during Ramadan, a group of influential Yemenis was summoned to the Saudi royal court. They were in Riyadh on April 6th for peace talks to help end Yemen’s long war. But there was little to discuss: the Houthis, a rugged Shia group from northern Yemen who have conquered much of the country (see map), refused to attend, saying they would talk only in a neutral country. Instead the peace conference became a venue for palace intrigue. The balance of power continues to shift against the Saudis and their Yemeni allies. But a lasting peace remains elusive.