CAIRO (AP) — Iranian-backed Houthi rebels detained two dozen U.N. employees Sunday, a day after they raided another U.N. facility in the capital Sanaa, a U.N. official said.
Jean Alam, a spokesman for the U.N. resident coordinator for Yemen, told The Associated Press that the U.N. staffers were detained inside the facility in Sanaa’s southwestern neighborhood of Hada.
He said those detained Sunday include five Yemenis and 15 international staff. He said the rebels released another 11 U.N. staffers after questioning.
He said the U.N. was contact with the Houthis and other parties to “to resolve this serious situation as swiftly as possible, end the detention of all personnel, and restore full control over its facilities in Sanaa.”
A second U.N. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the raid, said the rebels confiscated all communications equipment from the facility, including phones, servers and computers.
The official said the detained employees belong to multiple U.N. agencies including the World Food Program, UNICEF and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The Houthis have launched a long-running crackdown against the U.N. and other international organizations working in rebel-held areas in Yemen including Sanaa, the coastal city of Hodeida and the rebel stronghold in Sadaa province in northern Yemen.
Dozens of people, including over 50 U.N. staffers, have been detained so far. A World Food Program worker died in detention earlier this year in Sadaa.
The rebels have repeatedly alleged without evidence that the detained U.N. staffers and those working with other international groups and foreign embassies were spies. The U.N. fiercely denied the accusations.
The crackdown forced the U.N. to suspend its operations in Saada province in northern Yemen following the detention of eight staffers in January. The U.N. also relocated its top humanitarian coordinator in Yemen from Sanaa to the coastal city of Aden, which serves as seat for the internationally recognized government.
Houthi supporters dance as they celebrate following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause the fighting, in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)
SHANGHAI (AP) — Novak Djokovic went from triumph in Beijing to a shock in Shanghai after a straight-sets loss to Hubert Hurkacz on Friday.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner was beaten 6-4, 6-3 in a second-round match that lasted 87 minutes.
Earlier at the Shanghai Masters, U.S. Open runner-up Ben Shelton celebrated his 24th birthday by advancing with a victory against Daniel Altmaier and top-seeded Alexander Zverev also progressed.
But Djokovic's exit was the big story, coming after his victory in the China Open earlier this week, his 102nd career title.
“Beijing was great and a very early exit here but it is ok,” Djokovic said. “I had a great week in Beijing and I look forward to resting a little bit and get ready for the indoors.
“If you lose your serve, it is enough to lose the match, once per set, and that is what happened. It is very difficult to return his serve, almost impossible. So yeah, I did not adjust and it was a really tough draw for me, playing him in the first match.”
Hurkacz certainly has form in Shanghai, having been champion in 2023.
“It’s a special night. He just won Beijing so it’s very difficult to play against him, but it’s a pleasure for me to share a court with him, and play such a legend of the sport,” he said.
Shelton was a 6-3, 7-6 (6) winner against Altmaier.
Shelton played Davis Cup for the United States after the U.S. Open, losing both his singles matches, after withdrawing from the Laver Cup team event.
Zverev, who beat Shelton in the final in four sets at Flushing Meadows, defeated Chinese wild-card entry Wu Yibing 6-4, 7-6 (4). It was his 30th hard-court win of the year.
Britain’s Arthur Fery, who reached the semifinals of Wimbledon this year, lost 7-6 (6), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2) against Karen Khachanov.
Ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur advanced on a walkover when his opponent, Alex Molcan, retired with an undisclosed ailment. De Minaur had to retire with an adductor injury in the China Open final against Djokovic.
Qualifier Rei Sakamoto beat 23rd-seeded Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-4.
No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew from Shanghai when he announced he was taking the rest of 2026 off due to a right knee injury. Djokovic said Thursday he plans to reach out to Sinner about his injury-plagued season.
(Corrects stage of matches to second round)
See AP’s full tennis coverage here
Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, reacts during the men's single semi-final match against Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, leaves after losing to Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, in the men's singles quarterfinals match of the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
