News Wrap: U.S., Saudi Arabia call for five-day Yemen cease-fire

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• GWEN IFILL:

  Saudi Arabia and the United States called today for a five-day cease-fire in the Yemen conflict. Secretary of State John Kerry said it would allow aid to reach millions of civilians. Kerry appeared with the Saudi foreign minister in Riyadh. The Saudis agreed to stop bombing, provided that Shiite Houthi rebels, and their Iranian supporters, won't try to exploit the lull.

  JOHN KERRY, Secretary of State: We strongly urge the Houthis and those who back them, whom we suggest use all of their influence not to miss this major opportunity to address the needs of the Yemeni people and find a peaceful way forward in Yemen.

• GWEN IFILL:

  The humanitarian situation in Yemen has worsened sharply since the Saudi bombing campaign began in March. The U.N.'s humanitarian coordinator in Yemen says about 1,400 people have been killed, and 6,000 wounded. More than 300,000 others have fled their homes in a bid to escape the fighting.

  Turkey and Saudi Arabia have formed a working alliance to help rebels in Syria. The Associated Press reports they are aiding factions opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with logistical support and funding. The U.S. opposes helping some of the groups because they're Islamist radicals.

  Meanwhile, the Pentagon confirms that U.S. military advisers have begun training Syrians to battle Islamic State forces; 90 candidates are taking instruction in Jordan. The effort was delayed for months, and Defense Secretary Ashton Carter acknowledged it will still be some time before the fighters see combat.

• ASHTON CARTER, Defense Secretary:

  These trainees are recruited, they're vetted, and only then are they put into training. So they have been in the program for quite a while. And then the training takes some time, then they would be inserted into operations.

• GWEN IFILL:

  Other training sites are in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey. More than 3,700 Syrians have volunteered.

  It's election night in Britain, and exit polls say there's a surprise outcome. The ruling Conservatives have far exceeded expectations, easily winning the most seats. They will still need to form a coalition with a smaller party. Party leaders and millions of other voters cast ballots today, after a campaign that focused on economic troubles, the National Health Service and the issue of migrants.

  Iran has released the cargo ship it seized last week in the Persian Gulf. The Maersk Tigris will now continue on to the United Arab Emirates. Iran had said the company that chartered the ship owed money to an Iranian firm. It's unclear whether any money was paid to win the vessel's release.

  Back in this country, people across Tornado Alley kept a weather eye out for new storms today. More than 50 twisters struck yesterday in Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas. Most plowed up farmland, but in the Oklahoma City area, two tornadoes blasted businesses and tore roofs off homes. No one was killed, but about a dozen people were hurt at a trailer park.

• KRISTA HARRINGTON:

  We were watching it form above us. And I had no clue anything was going on over here, I mean, no clue at all. But I needed to come home and check what was going on. And there's nothing left.

• GWEN IFILL:

  The storm system also dumped as much as eight inches of rain around Oklahoma City, triggering flash floods. One woman drowned when her underground storm shelter flooded.

  Wall Street had a relatively quiet day. The Dow Jones industrial average gained more than 80 points to close above 17,900. The Nasdaq rose 26 points, and the S&P 500 added nearly 8.