Yemen: Foreign Office travel advice tightened

London- Mar 5, 2011- The Foreign Office is warning Britons against all travel to the Middle Eastern state of Yemen.

Officials say the advice has been reviewed and reissued because of increasing violence in the country.

UK nationals already in Yemen without a pressing need to stay are advised to leave by commercial means.

There have been protests against the government in several cities, and there are reports of clashes between police and demonstrators.

The Foreign Office says there are reports of violence being used to disperse crowds, and of a number of deaths.

Further protests are expected, say officials, and violence is likely.

Unrest

Demonstrators are calling for the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has ruled since 1978.

They say they are frustrated about government corruption and about soaring unemployment.

President Saleh has rejected an opposition plan under which he would step down from power this year. He intends to serve his full term in office, which ends in 2013.

He has blamed the US and Israel for the unrest in Yemen and across the Arab world.

Yemen is one of only four countries where the Foreign Office advises against all travel.

The other three are Libya, Ivory Coast and Somalia.

Source: BBC News

Some JMP five presented points ambiguous, says presidential official

SANA'A- Mar 5,2011- An official source at the Presidential Office stated that the so-called five points submitted by the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) through a number of mediators of members of Al-Islah party and others contained ambiguity and confusion.

He announced his refusal for the explanations on the fourth point by those parties' leaders as it contradicts with the constitution and the people's will expressed by them in the ballot boxes.

In a statement to Saba, the source said that the four point stated on "making a time schedule to implement the necessary steps in the framework of a transition period so as it does not exceed this year according to the initiative provided by president in that regard," this point totally contradicts with those reported earlier in the third point which states on "peaceful transfer of power in accordance with the President's commitment not to extend or bequeath power and not to seek presidency for a new term.

The source said these arbitrary interpretations represent the coup against democracy and constitutional legitimacy, confirming the constitution is the reference of everyone either for ruler or for the people and that any attempt to go against of the constitution can not be accepted because it implies a serious risk of threat of the security and safety of nation.

The source added that the peaceful transfer of power does not happen through chaos but through ballot boxes, away from any acts of violence or rioting or destruction of the nation's interests.

Source: Saba

RI citizens OK in Yemen, despite protests: Ambassador

Jakarta- Mar 5, 2011- Anti-government protests in Yemen have not affected Indonesian citizens, according to Indonesia's top diplomat in the country.

“The Indonesian embassy in Sana’a has anticipated several evacuation measures, but so far the impact of the protests on the security of Indonesian citizens is not evident yet,” Indonesian Ambassador to Yemen Nurul Aulia told Antara news agency.

Nurul said only a single Indonesian student in Taiz, 180 kilometers from Sana‘a, has sought shelter in the Yemeni capital due to safety concerns.

There are 3,259 Indonesians presently living in Yemen, including 1,700 students who primarily live in Mukalla or Tarim, according to the embassy.

Source: The Jakarta Post

Yemen President reiterates to stay in power until 2013

By Mohamed Sudam and Mohammed Mukhashaf

SANAA/ADEN- Mar 5, 2011- A Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh Saturday reiterated that he would remain in power until his term ends in 2013, rejecting an opposition plan for him to step aside this year.

"The peaceful and smooth transition of power is not carried out through chaos but through the will of the people expressed through elections," an official source at the presidential office said in a statement.

The opposition Friday said Saleh was sticking to an earlier plan to step down in 2013 but had agreed to a proposal by religious leaders to revamp elections, parliament and the judicial system.

Saleh, an ally of the United States in its battle against an al Qaeda wing based in his country, has struggled to cement a truce with Shi'ite rebels in the north and quell a budding secessionist rebellion in the south.

Protests have taken place across Yemen, a country of 23 million which borders the world's top oil exporter Saudi Arabia.

The protesters say they are frustrated with widespread corruption and soaring unemployment in a country where 40 percent of its 23 million people live on $2 a day or less and a third face chronic hunger.

Earlier Saturday witnesses told Reuters three protestors were wounded Friday evening when Yemeni security forces fired into the air and used tear gas to disperse demonstrators at a sit-in in the southern port city of Aden.

Protestors were dispersed after they had gathered at a square in the city's Sheikh Othman district following Friday prayers, the witnesses said.

Possibly more than 100,000 protested Friday in one of the largest demonstrations in Sanaa yet and similar numbers rallied in Taiz, south of the capital, a Reuters reporter said.

More than 20,000 protesters marched in Aden and tens of thousands marched in Ibb, south of Sana'a.

Shi'ite Muslim rebels in the north of the country Friday accused the Yemeni army of firing rockets on a protest in Harf Sufyan, where thousands had gathered. Two people were killed and 13 injured.

Source: (Reuters)

Three al-Qaeda convicts sentenced between 2 to 15 years in jail

SANA'A- Mar 5, 2011- The Specialized Penal Court in the capital Sana'a sentenced on Saturday three al-Qaeda elements from two to 15 years in prison.

The three defendants were convicted of committing terrorist acts targeted tourists, foreign and military facilities in Marib province during 2008-2010.

At the hearings presided over by Judge Ridwan al-Nemr, the court sentenced the convicts Sadam Huessin al-Raymi to three years and Rami Hans Hermel (German nationality) for two years from the date of their arrest and put them under police surveillance and forbid them to travel to any province after their release for a period of two years.

The verdict also included the contentment of the jail period for Abdullah Mosaad Abdul-Aziz al-Rawi (Iraqi nationality) and to deport him to his country, while the court upheld the release of Badr al-Husseini for lack of evidence and the confiscation of seizures related to the case.

In addition, the court issued a sentence of 15 years imprisonment against Ammar Abad Saeed al-Waeli, an al-Qaeda element, for his involvement in an armed gang targeting foreign tourists, which resulted in the death of a number of Spanish tourists and their Yemeni guides, by a bomb car in July 2007 in Marib province.

Source: (Saba)

CALVALLEY PETROLEUM INC. - YEMEN OPERATIONS UPDATE

Canada- Mar 4, 2011- Calvalley Petroleum Inc. (Calvalley) is pleased to announce that its Qarn Qaymah-3 well reached total depth of 4,460 metres on February 25, 2011. A wellbore cleaning process was then undertaken to remove all drilling solids before commencing logging operations and production testing. The logging program is now underway and is expected to be complete on March 4, 2011. The production testing is expected to commence on March 8, 2011 and test results will be announced as they are made available.

As well, Calvalley recently completed all mechanical and civil work on the Truck Offloading Facilities, located in Block 51, and is currently completing the telecommunication and instrumentation components of the project. The project commissioning team expects to have the facilities in operation within the next month.

Calvalley also wishes to assure its investors that operations continue to be unaffected by recently reported unrest in the region.

Calvalley is an international oil and gas company, with offices in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, that operates its 50% working interest in Block 9 of the Masila Basin, in The Republic of Yemen. Calvalley also operates its 100% working interest in the Gimbi and Metema Blocks of the Blue Nile Basin, in The Republic of Ethiopia.

Source: Digitaljournal