"Day of Rage" Protests in Yemen

Yemenis square off in rival "Day of Rage" protests
By Mohammed Ghobari and Khaled Abdullah
Reuters

SANAA (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Yemenis squared off in street protests for and against the government on Thursday during an opposition-led "Day of Rage," a day after President Ali Abdullah Saleh offered to step down in 2013. By early morning, anti-government activists drew more than 20,000 in Sanaa, the biggest crowd since a wave of protests hit the Arabian Peninsula state two weeks ago inspired by demonstrations that toppled Tunisia's ruler and threaten Egypt's president.

But an equally large pro-Saleh protest was also gathering steam, and supporters of the president who has ruled Yemen for more than three decades were driving around the capital urging Yemenis over loudspeakers to join their counterdemonstrations. "The people want regime change," anti-government protesters shouted as they gathered near Sanaa University, a main rallying point. "No to corruption, no to dictatorship."

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/over-20-000-streets-yemen-day-rage-20110202-230442-969.html

Jordan, Yemen grapple with effects of protests
By Alice Fordham Special for USA TODAY

Demonstrators in Jordan demanded Wednesday that King Abdullah II dump his newly appointed prime minster, and Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh agreed not to seek re-election.

Hamza Mansour, a leader of the political wing of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood, demanded that Jordanians be allowed to elect a prime minister. The Muslim Brotherhood has also joined the Egyptian protests. The group opposes Marouf al-Bakhit, who was appointed Tuesday in response to protests.
Al-Bakhit "doesn't believe in democracy," Mansour said.

Political analyst Labib Kamhawi said Abdullah's appointment was not a serious attempt to address demands for free elections. Abdullah told Bakhit to make changes to improve the economy.
"Bakhit is a former prime minister, and during his tenure the parliamentary elections were rigged and some of the most notoriously corrupt people were appointed," said Kamhawi, former president of the Human Rights Association in Jordan. Thousands of people have massed in the streets of Amman, the capital, in the past four weeks, demanding measures to ease poverty and an end to corruption.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-02-03-egyptregion03_ST_N.htm