December 30, 2011
A new island has appeared off the west coast of Yemen following a volcanic eruption, Nasa has announced.
The US space agency's Earth Observatory posted satellite photos showing a plume of white smoke rising from the ocean near the Zubair group of islands in the Red Sea on Dec 23.
"The image from December 2011 shows an apparent island where there had previously been an unbroken water surface," the observatory said in a statement.
"A thick plume rises from the island, dark near the bottom and light near the top, perhaps a mixture of volcanic ash and water vapour."
New islands are created by undersea volcanoes every few years, but many are not strong enough to withstand the wind and waves of the open sea, volcanologist Rick Wunderman told CNN on Thursday.
He added, however, that the volcanic material in the Red Sea tends to be more durable.
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Friday, December 30, 2011
Activists in south Yemen burn election cards
Friday, Dec 30, 2011
Gulf News
Sana’a The secessionist movement in Yemen’s south stepped up protests and called on its supporters to burn their election cards to raise the pitch for an independent southern state.
Thousands of protesters marched though Yemen’s southern cities of Aden, Dhale, Radfan, Hawta, Ateg and Mukalla hoisting the flag of the former communist state chanting slogans against the government in Sana’a and urging people in the south to boycott the presidential election scheduled for next year.
“We have called all of the people in the south to burn their election cards to express our rejection of the election. We have a special ceremony tonight for this purpose,” an activist taking part in the protests told Gulf News.
Since it took shape in 2007, the Southern Movement has been calling for the disengagement of the former southern state that united with the North in 1990. Dozens of people have been killed when the government tried to crush protests.
Clashes with Al Qaida
Elsewhere in the south of the country, two soldiers were killed and seven injured in the last couple of days in fierce clashes with Al Qaida militants in the restive district of Zinjibar in Abyan province, a local source told Gulf News. Three militants were also killed in the clashes.
The self-styled Proponent of Sharia, an offshoot of Al Qaida, has seized control of large swathes of the province of Abyan and a city in the neighbouring Shabwa province since May.
Meanwhile, protests against outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh escalated yesterday in the streets of Sana’a and Taez.
Anti-Saleh protests
In Sana’a, a huge number of protesters marched demanding that Saleh and his aides be tried for ordering the killing of protesters.
Meanwhile, workers across Yemen continued strikes yesterday to demand the dismissal of long-serving officials loyal to Saleh.
Eyewitnesses in Sana’a said dozens of policemen arranged a sit-in demanding the removal of general Mohammad Abdullah Al Qowsi, accusing him of withholding their wages.
The unity government urged the civil servants to call of strikes against their managers and be patient and give it time to put in place its programme, promising to look into their demands, Saba news agency reported.
Gulf News
Sana’a The secessionist movement in Yemen’s south stepped up protests and called on its supporters to burn their election cards to raise the pitch for an independent southern state.
Thousands of protesters marched though Yemen’s southern cities of Aden, Dhale, Radfan, Hawta, Ateg and Mukalla hoisting the flag of the former communist state chanting slogans against the government in Sana’a and urging people in the south to boycott the presidential election scheduled for next year.
“We have called all of the people in the south to burn their election cards to express our rejection of the election. We have a special ceremony tonight for this purpose,” an activist taking part in the protests told Gulf News.
Since it took shape in 2007, the Southern Movement has been calling for the disengagement of the former southern state that united with the North in 1990. Dozens of people have been killed when the government tried to crush protests.
Clashes with Al Qaida
Elsewhere in the south of the country, two soldiers were killed and seven injured in the last couple of days in fierce clashes with Al Qaida militants in the restive district of Zinjibar in Abyan province, a local source told Gulf News. Three militants were also killed in the clashes.
The self-styled Proponent of Sharia, an offshoot of Al Qaida, has seized control of large swathes of the province of Abyan and a city in the neighbouring Shabwa province since May.
Meanwhile, protests against outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh escalated yesterday in the streets of Sana’a and Taez.
Anti-Saleh protests
In Sana’a, a huge number of protesters marched demanding that Saleh and his aides be tried for ordering the killing of protesters.
Meanwhile, workers across Yemen continued strikes yesterday to demand the dismissal of long-serving officials loyal to Saleh.
Eyewitnesses in Sana’a said dozens of policemen arranged a sit-in demanding the removal of general Mohammad Abdullah Al Qowsi, accusing him of withholding their wages.
The unity government urged the civil servants to call of strikes against their managers and be patient and give it time to put in place its programme, promising to look into their demands, Saba news agency reported.
New island appears off Yemen after volcanic eruption
December 30, 2011
A new island has appeared off the west coast of Yemen following a volcanic eruption, Nasa has announced.
The US space agency's Earth Observatory posted satellite photos showing a plume of white smoke rising from the ocean near the Zubair group of islands in the Red Sea on Dec 23.
"The image from December 2011 shows an apparent island where there had previously been an unbroken water surface," the observatory said in a statement.
"A thick plume rises from the island, dark near the bottom and light near the top, perhaps a mixture of volcanic ash and water vapour."
New islands are created by undersea volcanoes every few years, but many are not strong enough to withstand the wind and waves of the open sea, volcanologist Rick Wunderman told CNN on Thursday.
He added, however, that the volcanic material in the Red Sea tends to be more durable.
A new island has appeared off the west coast of Yemen following a volcanic eruption, Nasa has announced.
The US space agency's Earth Observatory posted satellite photos showing a plume of white smoke rising from the ocean near the Zubair group of islands in the Red Sea on Dec 23.
"The image from December 2011 shows an apparent island where there had previously been an unbroken water surface," the observatory said in a statement.
"A thick plume rises from the island, dark near the bottom and light near the top, perhaps a mixture of volcanic ash and water vapour."
New islands are created by undersea volcanoes every few years, but many are not strong enough to withstand the wind and waves of the open sea, volcanologist Rick Wunderman told CNN on Thursday.
He added, however, that the volcanic material in the Red Sea tends to be more durable.
Yemen protesters demand trial of President Saleh
December 30, 2011
Tens of thousands of people in Yemen have called for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to face trial for the deaths of hundreds of anti-government protesters.
After nearly a year of protests, Mr Saleh handed over presidential powers to his deputy last month and agreed to leave office in February 2012.
The deal also granted Mr Saleh, who remains honorary president, immunity from prosecution.
He has asked the US for permission to travel there.
US officials said Mr Saleh would only be admitted "for legitimate medical treatment" and that the request was being considered.
Mr Saleh was badly injured in an attack in June after which he spent several months in Saudi Arabia for medical treatment.
He said last weekend that he would leave for the US "in the coming days... to get out of sight... to calm the atmosphere for the unity government to hold the presidential election" in February.
But he has also said he would return later as "an opposition figure".
The anti-Saleh protesters are concerned that the president's inner circle, including his son, will attempt to hold on to power.
Mr Saleh has ruled Yemen for more than 30 years.
He has co-operated with the US in fighting al-Qaeda militants based in the country but came under increasing pressure from street protests from early 2011 to step down.
Yemen also faces separatists in the south, Shia rebels in the north, chronic unemployment and corruption and dwindling oil reserves.
Tens of thousands of people in Yemen have called for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to face trial for the deaths of hundreds of anti-government protesters.
After nearly a year of protests, Mr Saleh handed over presidential powers to his deputy last month and agreed to leave office in February 2012.
The deal also granted Mr Saleh, who remains honorary president, immunity from prosecution.
He has asked the US for permission to travel there.
US officials said Mr Saleh would only be admitted "for legitimate medical treatment" and that the request was being considered.
Mr Saleh was badly injured in an attack in June after which he spent several months in Saudi Arabia for medical treatment.
He said last weekend that he would leave for the US "in the coming days... to get out of sight... to calm the atmosphere for the unity government to hold the presidential election" in February.
But he has also said he would return later as "an opposition figure".
The anti-Saleh protesters are concerned that the president's inner circle, including his son, will attempt to hold on to power.
Mr Saleh has ruled Yemen for more than 30 years.
He has co-operated with the US in fighting al-Qaeda militants based in the country but came under increasing pressure from street protests from early 2011 to step down.
Yemen also faces separatists in the south, Shia rebels in the north, chronic unemployment and corruption and dwindling oil reserves.
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