One killed and others wounded in Yemen's Sana'a

By Fatik al-Rodaini

SANA'A- May 20, 2012- News Yemen website said that at least one person was killed and four others were wounded during an attack by unidentified armed men in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a.

The website reported that unknown gunmen open fire at the guards of the Military Hospital in the center of Sana'a, killing one and wounding four others.

According to the same source attackers were driving a vehicle when they fired at the guards of the hospital. According to observers, attacker are believed to be suspected al-Qaeda militants, who lately have threatened to carry out attacks against government troops in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a and other provinces.

Yemen Saleh insists to stay home

By Fatik al-Rodaini

SANA'A, May 20, 2012- Close sources from Yemen ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh denied his accept to live in Russia for two years to allow the transition process to resume unhindered.

Gulf newspaper said that ex-president insists to continue playing his current role as the head of General People's Congress, refusing at the same time any call to leave the country abroad.

The newspaper reported that Saleh did not receive any offer from Russia to live there for two years.

"Ex-president support his successor decisions which targets to hold a national dialogue conference, and to restructure the army," the newspaper said.

On Saturday foreign diplomats close to the Yemeni power-transfer process said deposed President Ali Abdullah Saleh had agreed to leave the country for good.

U.S.-based Yemeni politician and rights activist Muneer Moari told the Forum for Change, an online news site, that Saleh had informed U.N. officials he would depart from Yemen and allow the transition process to resume unhindered.

The move came after foreign powers in support of the Gulf Cooperation Council brokered power-transfer agreement signed by Saleh in November 2011 expressed concerns over the former regime resistance to change.

An executive order signed by U.S. President Barak Obama on Wednesday for a freeze in assets of any element road blocking the implementation of the power-transfer convinced Saleh to go, Moari told the Forum for Change.

6,5 million of Yemenis are unemployed

By Fatik al-Rodaini

SANA'A, May 19, 2012- Yemen's new President Hadi revealed that the economic issue scores 70 percent of the Yemeni problems among the political and security ones.

"President Hadi pointed out during his meeting with WB official that there is another problem concerning nearly 6.5 million of well-educated youths are still unemployed,'' Saba reported on Saturday.

Hadi said that last year crisis affected badly the whole fields in the country, saying the latest development and situations in the various security, political and economic sides and the consequences of the 2011-crisis.

According to Saba, the WB official welcomed decisions of Hadi in the path of political settlements, noting there are about US$500 million allocated for different projects and can be increased according to the needs of the transitional period.

German ambassador warns Yemen's Saleh

By Fatik al-Rodaini

SANA'A, May 19, 2012- German ambassador to Yemen Holger Green said Yemen's ex-president and his relatives' interference in the country affairs complicates matters for President Hadi.

In an interview with a local English newspaper, Yemen Fox, he cautioned those Yemeni officials who impede the implementation of the GCC deal with "very painful" sanctions by the European Union, stressing that all choices will be possible.

"Those who intend to obstruct the political settlement should realize our seriousness" he added.

Green said that former president Ali Abdullah Saleh has not abandoned politics, stressing that recent events evidently showed that Saleh and his family largely practice their influence on Yemen's arena.

He said that the political situation in Yemen is still far from being stable, hailing recent developments as "much better than most of the foreign observers had expected in November 2011.

Yemen clashes kill 34 militants, soldiers - officials

* Fighting focused on outskirts of Qaeda-held Jaar

* Yemen, backed by U.S. drones, fighting militants in south

* Fears of al Qaeda rise near key shipping routes

ADEN, Yemen, May 19 (Reuters) - At least 22 al Qaeda-linked militants and 12 Yemeni soldiers were killed in clashes and air strikes overnight during a new U.S.-backed offensive against insurgents in the south of the country, officials said on Saturday.

Fighting erupted late on Friday and carried on into Saturday on the outskirts of the southern city of Jaar, held by Islamist militants, who have stepped up their campaign during months of political turmoil.

Government troops, backed by U.S. drone strikes, have been trying to push the insurgents out of strongholds in the south of the country, which lies near oil shipping routes through the Red Sea.

Washington and Yemen's neighbour Saudi Arabia both fear the instability in Yemen could give al Qaeda's regional wing a stronger foothold in the region.

"There is heavy fighting, and the armed elements are doing everything possible to stop the advance of (government) troops," a government official told Reuters, on condition of anonymity.

Government forces were about 1 km (0.6 mile) from Jaar, he added.

Twelve Yemeni soldiers and 17 militants were killed in the fighting and an air strike killed three militants on the outskirts of the city, the official said.

Another air strike destroyed a vehicle used by militants, killing two people inside in the southern province of Bayda, provincial governor Mohammed al-Ameri was quoted as saying on a defence ministry website.

Insurgents have seized swathes of territory in the south of the impoverished Arab country since mass protests erupted last year against then-President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Washington has stepped up drone attacks in Yemen since President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi took office in February. The Pentagon said earlier this month it had resumed sending military trainers to the Arab state.

On Friday, an army official and residents said troops backed by local tribesmen had killed 10 suspected Islamist militants outside Jaar.

Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda retreated on Thursday from the town of Lawder, about 80km north of Jaar, as warplanes attacked and ground troops advanced on insurgent-held towns.

Yemeni Jews call for equal rights

By Fatik al-Rodaini

SANA'A, May 19, 2012- Yemeni Jews called for a political participation in the two houses of Yemeni parliament and equal rights, Jewish head in Yemen said.

Yemen post reported that Jews called President Abdu Raboo Mansour Hadi and the National Unity Government to allocate special seats for the Jews in the House of Representatives as well as in the Shura Council in order to feel the real citizenship and that we are not discriminated against.

"This is our constitutional right, when I saw my two sons, Shama and Saeed, join the Children Parliament I felt glad as did all Jewish minority here in Yemen when they knew that two Jewish kids were part of the Children Parliament,'' the Jewish head in Yemen, Yahya Yousof Mosa, said In an interview with the CNN Arabic site.

"My sons were glad because they felt that we are equal in rights and duties," Mosa added.

According to the CNN Mosa pointed out that the Yemeni Jews have been being offered a lot temptations to leave Yemen for Israel or America but they refused because they are Yemenis and from Yemeni ancestors.