In brief: Venezuela, Guyana restoring diplomats

UNITED NATIONS – After a tense meeting, the presidents of Venezuela and Guyana agreed Sunday to restore ambassadors and hold talks to resolve a long-running border dispute that flared up recently following the discovery of oil in disputed waters.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Guyanese President David Granger met for the first time in New York in talks mediated by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during the world body’s general assembly.

The current border between the South American countries was determined by international arbitration in 1899, but Venezuela has disputed that line for more than a half century and claims about 40 percent of Guyana’s territory that is rich in gold, bauxite, diamonds and other natural resources. It extended its maritime claims recently after a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corp. announced it made a significant oil discovery off Guyana’s coast.

The countries have been without ambassadors since earlier this year.

Saudi-led airstrikes kill 38 in Yemen

SANAA, Yemen – Saudi-led airstrikes across Yemen killed 38 Shiite Houthi rebels on Sunday, local officials said, as Riyadh announced the death of another high-ranking army officer killed by cross-border fire.

Airstrikes targeting weapons facilities in the Hagga, Marib, Hodeida and Bayda provinces killed a total of 38 Houthis, according to Yemeni security officials who are neutral in the conflict. Airstrikes also struck a spa near the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, where the Houthis were secretly storing weapons, the security officials said.

The strikes came as the state-run Saudi Press Agency announced the death of Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Omar Ibrahim Hamzi, the deputy commander of the army’s Eighth Brigade. It said he died of injuries sustained while serving in the southern border province of Jizan.