Yemen’s President Survived Many Challenges During 33-Year Rule

Posted June 5th, 2011 at 11:25 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Yemen's president, wounded Friday in a rocket attack on his compound, had survived three decades of challenges to his rule before injuries forced him to leave for medical treatment in Saudi Arabia.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh had ruled Yemen since the country's unification in 1990. He had served as leader of North Yemen since 1978 and he played a key role in the merger between the North and the communist South.

Mr. Saleh was one of Yemen's longest-serving leaders. He was re-elected to a seven-year term in 2006.

Mr. Saleh was challenged by al-Qaida militants, Shi'ite Zaidi rebels and anti-government protesters during his time in office.

He started his career in Yemen's military, where he rose through the ranks. He fought in a civil war that began in 1962.

Mr. Saleh is from a tribal branch that is part of the al-Ahmar family. However, tribal chief Sadiq al-Ahmar emerged as one of his most prominent challengers after anti-government unrest erupted in January.

In April, the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council presented Mr. Saleh with a plan designed to end Yemen's unrest by providing for a timetable for Mr. Saleh to leave office and to clear the way for new elections. He declined to sign the agreement, even after several attempts by Gulf leaders to broker an end to the crisis.

Now, his vice president is in charge while Mr. Saleh undergoes treatment in Saudi Arabia for his wounds.

Death Toll in Syrian Town Rises to 25 as Clashes Continue

Posted June 5th, 2011 at 11:25 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Syrian human rights activists say the death toll in a government crackdown on protesters in the northern town of Jisr al-Shughour has risen to 25.

Violent clashes between protesters and government forces began Saturday and continued into Sunday, after thousands of people turned out for the funerals of other anti-government protesters killed in the crackdown.

Rights groups also say at least 63 people died Friday, most in the town of Hama, about 300 kilometers north of Damascus. Witnesses say security forces used live ammunition to try to disperse tens of thousands of protesters who took to the streets in Hama after Friday prayers, demanding the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad.

Demonstrations also took place in Damascus and other cities, following a call by opposition groups to denounce a growing number of casualties among children in recent weeks of the uprising against Mr. Assad.

Syrian opposition activists have been protesting almost daily since March for democratic reforms and an end to President Assad's 11-year autocratic rule.

Despite official denials, protest organizers say at least 25 children have died. The victims include a 13-year-old boy who was reported to have been tortured and killed by security forces – an accusation that Syrian authorities dispute.

Peruvians Voting in Presidential Contest

Posted June 5th, 2011 at 11:25 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Peruvians are casting ballots Sunday in a presidential run-off pitting the daughter of imprisoned former President Alberto Fujimori against leftist former army officer Ollanta Humala.

Participating in elections is mandatory for Peru's nearly 20 million eligible voters.

In the first round of balloting in April, Humala won 32 percent of the vote, falling short of the 50 percent margin needed for an outright win. Keiko Fujimori, a conservative candidate, took 24 percent.

Some voters are concerned that as president, Keiko Fujimori would try to free her father, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence for his role in death squad killings in the 1990s. Keiko Fujimori has apologized for mistakes and crimes committed while her father was president from 1990 to 2000.

Humala led an uprising against Alberto Fujimori in 2000, but lost a run-off election to current President Alan Garcia in 2006. Humala was outspoken during that campaign about his admiration for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, but he has since distanced himself from the leftist leader.

Much of the current presidential campaign has focused on continuing Peru's rapid economic growth of recent years, while ensuring that the poor also see some of that increased prosperity.

Israeli Troops Fire at Protesters on Golan

Posted June 5th, 2011 at 11:25 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Israeli troops on Sunday fired at pro-Palestinian protesters who rushed the barbed-wire fence between Syria and the Israeli-held Golan Heights. Syrian media report that six protesters were killed, dozens more were wounded.

The protesters were marking the 44th anniversary of the Arab defeat in the 1967 Middle East war, defying Israeli warnings to stay clear of the boundary fence. Israel captured the Golan from Syria in that conflict.

The Israeli military accused Syrian authorities of instigating Sunday's disturbance to deflect attention from their crackdown on a popular uprising at home.

Israeli officials say they were determined to prevent a repeat of last month's deadly demonstrations during which thousands of Palestinians stormed Israel's borders with Syria and Lebanon. Those protests were on the anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel.

In a separate development, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is considering an initiative by the French government to revive peace talks with the Palestinians. He told the Cabinet he first wants to discuss the proposal with the United States.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, who visited both Israel and the West Bank last week, has suggested that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators attend a peace conference in Paris at the end of next month. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accepted the proposal on Saturday.

NATO Helicopter Crashes in Afghanistan

Posted June 5th, 2011 at 11:25 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

A NATO helicopter has crashed in eastern Afghanistan, killing two foreign troops on board.

Officials say the crash occurred Sunday in the Sabari district of Khost province. NATO says the cause of the crash is under investigation. It says there were no reports of insurgent activity in the area.

A Taliban spokesman claimed credit for bringing down the helicopter. However, the group is known to regularly exaggerate its claims.

In southern Afghanistan, another NATO soldier was killed in an insurgent attack. No further details were released.

In other violence, two security guards were killed in a bomb explosion at a Kabulbank branch in central Wardak province. The blast occurred as government employees lined up to collect their salaries.

And in eastern Nangahar province, Taliban militants killed the local counterterrorism official for Khogiani district in an attack late Saturday.

Celebrations Mark Departure of Yemen’s President

Posted June 5th, 2011 at 11:20 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

There were celebrations in Yemen's capital, Sana'a, on Sunday, after word spread that embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh had left the country.

Mr. Saleh was wounded in Friday's rocket attack on the presidential compound. He and several high-ranking officials were flown to Saudi Arabia Saturday for medical treatment. There is no official word on his condition although reports say he is undergoing surgery for his wounds.

In Sana'a, people danced and sang, declaring “victory.” But there also were expressions of concern about whether Mr. Saleh's 33 years in power have come to an end or whether he will be returning to Yemen.

Under Yemen's constitution, Vice President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi takes over. He has conferred with the U.S. ambassador . He also has met with military commanders, including several members of Mr. Saleh's family.

The president's departure has not ended the violence. In Taiz, gunmen attacked the presidential compound, killing four soldiers.

On Saturday, Yemeni government officials and rebel tribesmen agreed to a new cease-fire brokered by Saudi Arabia. But just a week ago, a similar truce quickly collapsed in renewed fighting between President Saleh's forces and loyalists to an opposition tribal leader, Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar.

Nearly 400 people have been killed since the popular uprising against Mr. Saleh began in January.

Sudan Dismisses UN Call For Abyei Withdrawal

Posted June 5th, 2011 at 11:20 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

North Sudan's government has rejected a call from the U.N. Security Council to pull its troops out of the disputed Abyei region.

On Friday, the Council condemned the north's occupation of Abyei, describing it as a “serious violation” of the 2005 peace deal that ended Sudan's north-south civil war.

The north's foreign minister, Ali Ahmad Karti, responded late Saturday, saying the north cannot be asked to withdraw from Abyei because it is Sudanese territory. He added that the occupation is necessary to maintain security in the area.

Both north and south Sudan claim ownership of Abyei, an oil-rich land on the north-south border.

The north's May 21 seizure of Abyei occurred just a few weeks before south Sudan is to formally declare independence from Khartoum.

The United Nations said Saturday it is investigating reports that U.N. peacekeepers in Abyei stayed in their barracks during the recent north-south fighting. Several U.N. diplomats have criticized the peacekeepers, who come from Zambia, for failing to carry out their mandate, which includes protecting civilians in Abyei.

Witnesses and U.N. officials report widespread destruction of huts and buildings in Abyei's main town since northern forces occupied the area.

The north Sudanese government recently informed the U.N. that it wants the peacekeeping force on its southern border to leave its territory when south Sudan becomes independence.

North and south Sudan fought a 21-year war that ended with the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

The south voted to split from the north in a January referendum. Abyei was scheduled to hold a separate referendum on which region to join, but the poll never happened because the sides could not agree on who was eligible to vote.

Blast in Nairobi Injures 28

Posted June 5th, 2011 at 11:20 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Officials in Kenya say at least 28 people were injured Sunday when an explosion went off in downtown Nairobi and set a gas station on fire.

Witnesses say the blast went off around 11 a.m. local time near Nairobi's Kirinyaga Road. The injured were taken to a local hospital, where several were being treated for serious burns.

Authorities have not ruled whether the explosion was accidential or set on purpose.

Kenya has experienced bombings in the past, most recently in December on a bus that was set to travel to the Ugandan capital, Kampala. At least two people died in that attack.

The Somali militant group al-Shabab has repeatedly threatened to attack Kenya because of its support for the U.N.-backed Somali government.

Chinese VP in Cuba for Economic Talks

Posted June 5th, 2011 at 11:20 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping is in Cuba for a two-day visit aimed at boosting economic ties between the two communist-run countries.

Officials say Xi will meet with Cuban President Raoul Castro on Sunday and sign accords on commercial and economic cooperation.

China is Cuba's second largest trading partner, after Venezuela. Trade between the two totaled about $1.8 billion last year

China's main exports to the Caribbean island nation include automobiles and electrical appliances, while Cuba mainly sells sugar to the Asian giant.

Following his trip to Cuba, the Chinese vice president heads to Uruguay and Chile.

Gunmen Attack Yemen Presidential Palace

Posted June 5th, 2011 at 8:05 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Officials in Yemen's second-largest city say gunmen have killed four soldiers near the presidential palace. Officials say one of the attackers also was killed in the violence Sunday in Taiz.

The assault comes a day after Yemen's authoritarian president left the country to receive medical treatment in Saudi Arabia.

Thousands of anti-government protesters in Sana'a on sunday celebrated President Ali Abdullah Saleh's departure. They are hoping that Mr. Saleh's departure is permanent, bringing an an end to his 33-year reign.

Yemeni Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi met with U.S. Ambassador Gerald Feierstein Sunday, a strong indicator that Hadi is in charge since the president's departure. U.S. officials also say President Barack Obama's national security adviser, John Brennan, spoke with Hadi Saturday.

President Saleh and at least four other high-ranking officials flew to neighboring Saudi Arabia Saturday after they were wounded in an attack Friday on the presidential compound in Sana'a.

However, the extent of Mr. Saleh's injuries were not immediately clear and it is not known whether the president intends to return to Yemen.

One of Mr. Saleh's sons who commands the powerful presidential guard and two of the president's nephews remain in Yemen, suggesting that the president's departure will not necessarily end the country's crisis.

Yemeni government officials and rebel tribesmen agreed to a new cease-fire Saturday brokered by Saudi Arabia.

Representatives of both sides said they will accept the plan. Just a week ago, a similar truce quickly collapsed in renewed fighting between President Saleh's forces and loyalists to an opposition tribal leader, Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar.

Nearly 400 people have been killed since the popular uprising against Mr. Saleh began in January.

Calendar

March 2024
M T W T F S S
« Jan    
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031

Archives

Categories