BOMB
LINKED TO 'MILLENNIUM PLOT'
The attack on
USS Cole began with a plan by Osama bin Laden to stage a
spectacular three-country attack last January,
President Clinton's top terrorism adviser says.
Reports: Washington
Post, ABC,
AP/Dow
Jones. Background: Yemen
Gateway
MOVE TO DISSOLVE Y.S.P.
The government is threatening to have the Yemeni Socialist
Party (YSP) dissolved following the election of exiled
separatist leaders to the Central Committee. Reports: UPI,
Yemen
Times
TORTURE
REPORT
The annual report by Human Rights Watch
said: “There were credible reports of torture in state
prisons as well as in private jails and illegal detention
facilities” in Yemen. It also noted a deterioration in
freedom of expression. Story: Yemen
Times. Full text: Human
Rights Watch
SAUDI WITHDRAWAL PLAN
Prince Sultan, the Saudi defence minister, said the kingdom's
troops would be withdrawn to agreed points
inside the borders within a few months. Report: Yemen
Times
YEMEN HOPES FOR SAUDI AID
A meeting of the Yemen-Saudi Coordination
Council - the first in more than a decade - is to "study
the renewal of Saudi financial aid to Yemen's budget".
Reports: Yemen
Times, AFP
TRIBE
ATTACKS ARMY
Two soldiers were injured in a clash between the Jahm tribe
and the army near Marib. Report: Yemen
Times
U.S. BAN ON QAT IS FAILING
Qat - popular
among Yemenis - is considered a dangerous drug
in the United States. But now the legality of the
American ban has been called into question by a series
of unsuccessful prosecutions. Click
here for full story. Visit Yemen Gateway's qat
page.
NAVAL CHIEF REPLACED
Yemen's naval comander has been replaced after complaining of "endemic
corruption". Report:
AP
4,000-YEAR-OLD DISCOVERY
French archaeologists have found a huge cemetery dating from
the third millennium BC in the Yemeni desert. Report: AFP
HOSTAGE RELEASED
The Swedish man held hostage in Yemen for more than two weeks was
released early on November 30, tribal and Swedish sources said. Reports: AFP,
Reuters
INVESTIGATORS AGREE
Yemen and the US have reached a deal on how to proceed
with the USS Cole investigation. Reports: New
York Times, Reuters.
Background: Yemen Gateway
GIRL DIES IN STAMPEDE
One girl died and six others, aged between eight and 10, were
injured in an apparent stampede at a school in Sana'a. Report:
Reuters/Alertnet
BID TO SAVE ZABID
CITY
The United Nations World Heritage Committee has added Zabid to
its list of endangered cultural sites. The city, renowned for
its Islamic university, is said to be "in decline and in
a very poor state of conservation". Report: AP
NEW HOSTAGE TALKS FAIL
Fresh attempts to secure the release of a Swedish man kidnapped more than
two weeks ago have failed. The kidnappers are said to be demanding
compensation for land used by the government in Aden, government jobs for
tribe members, scholarships and about $300,000. Report: Reuters/Alertnet
MESSAGE FROM HOSTAGE
Letters from the Swedish man held hostage in Yemen have been published
in a newspaper. Reports: Reuters/ABC,
AFP
KIDNAP ULTIMATUM
EXPIRES
A 24-hour ultimatum to kidnappers has ended without the
release of Anders Salenius, a 69-year-old Swede who is
diabetic. New talks are planned. Reports: CNN,
AFP,
Reuters
BIRMINGHAM RAID
British police have raided a shop in Birmingham as part of
their hunt for "Abu Abdullah", an Algerian man who
is said to have arrived in Britain two years ago from Yemen to
recruit volunteers on behalf of Usama bin Laden. Report: Reuters
PARLIAMENT EXTENDS PRESIDENT'S TERM
The Yemeni parliament has agreed to extend the president's
term in office from five years to seven. Reports: AP,
Reuters
"MORGUE
MURDERER" SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Sudanese man accused of killing women in the mortuary at
Sana'a University's medical school has been sentenced to
death. Reports: Times
of India, BBC,
Reuters
TALKS
ON HOSTAGE
A Swedish diplomat has arrived in Yemen for talks on the
kidnapping of a 69-year-old Swede. Reports: Reuters/ABC,
Yemen
Times
DJIBOUTI PORT DEAL
Dubai Ports Authority has signed an agreement to manage
Djibouti port - a rival to Aden - for 20 years. The aim is to
increase Djibouti’s handling capacity from 125,000 to
300,000 tones a year. Report: Yemen
Times
MILITARY SURROUND KIDNAPPERS
Security forces surrounded al-Majhaza, the village
where a 69-year-old Swedish man is being held by Yahya Khamees al-Zayidi, a
member of the central committee of the Socialist Party and member of the
Jahm tribe. Reports:
CNN,
Reuters,
AFP.
Kidnap
statistics: Yemen
Gateway
YEMEN'S INTERNET CHARGES AMONG HIGHEST IN WORLD
Yemen has only 4,500 internet
subscribers and the access charges are among the world's highest. Report: UPI
FIVE DIE IN HELICOPTER CRASH
A Yemeni military helicopter crashed 40 km west of Sana'a,
killing two pilots, two airmen and a Jordanian officer.
Military sources attributed it to a technical fault. Report: AFP
NEW KIDNAPPING
Nov 17:
A source in Yemen says a kidnapping took place in Sana'a on November 13
but has been hushed up in order to facilitate negotiations. The victim was a
diabetic Swedish man, aged 69, working for a consultancy firm. He is expected to be
released quickly because of his illness. We hope to
provide official confirmation or denial shortly.
-
Swedish foreign ministry confirms man's disappearance:
BBC
- Kidnap
statistics: Yemen
Gateway
NO NEWS ... GOOD NEWS
Nov 15: No foreigners have been taken hostage in Yemen for five
months - the longest period without a kidnapping since 1996. Report: Yemen
Gateway
BACKING FOR
SEVEN-YEAR TERM
Parliament has rejected an offer by President Salih to
abandon plans to extend his term in office to seven years.
Report: Yemen
Times
GRENADE KILLS TWO
Two people were killed and five injured in a grenade
explosion in the salt market of Sana'a's old city. It was the
second grenade incident in the market in little more than a
year. Reports: Yemen
Times, Reuters
USS COLE BOMBED IN ADEN HARBOUR
See Yemen Gateway's special report
BOMB HITS BRITISH EMBASSY
A bomb
exploded at the British embassy in Sana'a early on
October 13. It had apparently been thrown over a wall
into the compound. The embassy reported
"considerable damage" but no casualties.
Report: Yemen Gateway
MINISTER PRESSES BRITONS' CASE
British minister Keith Vaz, visiting Yemen,
said he had discussed with President Salih the case of seven
Britons jailed in Yemen on terrorism charges (see
special report). Story: Reuters.
Early release likely:
The
Guardian
YEMENI
PLANE LANDS IN IRAQ
A Yemeni plane
carrying two ministers and humanitarian aid landed in
Baghdad. The flight was approved by the UN sanctions committee
but was delayed when Saudi Arabia objected to the plane flying
over its territory. Among the 50 people on board were Yemeni Deputy Prime
Minister Abd al-Qader Bajammal and Information Minister Abd
al-Rahman al-Akwaa. Reports: BBC,
Reuters,
AP
BRITISH MINISTER IN YEMEN
Keith Vaz, British Minister for State of Foreign and
Commonwealth Affairs, is visiting Yemen to discuss ways of
improving relations between the two countries. Relations
deteriorated following the killing of three kidnapped British
tourists at the end of 1998, and the arrest and imprisonment
of 10 young men from Britain on bomb plot charges (see
special report). Mr Vaz is likely to discuss the issue
of the jailed men. Report: Yemen
Times. Early release likely:
The
Guardian
RIFT
VALLEY FEVER: DEATH TOLL TOPS 120
More than 120 people
have so far died in the outbreak of Rift Valley Fever which
has hit north-western Yemen. There have been other deaths
across the border in Saudi Arabia. The disease, which until
now has been confined to Africa, normally affects animals but can be transferred to
humans by mosquitoes.
SALAFIS FALL OUT
Three people were seriously injured in clashes between rival sections of the
Salafi movement at a mosque in Little Aden. Report: Yemen
Times
OIL EXPERTS "NOT ARRESTED"
Seven oil experts who went missing in eastern Yemen (see news
item below) had strayed over the Saudi border, but were not
arrested, the Saudi news agency said. Report: Middle
East Wire
QADHAFI VISIT
POSTPONED
Yemen said the Libyan leader, Colonel Qadhafi, has postponed
the visit he was planning to make to Sana'a. Report: ArabicNews
SOCIALIST PARTY IN TROUBLE
The Yemen Socialist Party is threatened with dissolution
following the election of separatist leaders to the Central
Committee. Reports: AFP,
Yemen
Times
OIL EXPERTS DISAPPEAR IN DESERT
Seven oil experts, including including Americans and
Australians, have gone missing in eastern Yemen where they
were working near the Saudi border. Yemeni army helicopters
have been searching the area, but there are suggestions they
may have been arrested by the Saudis. Report: AP/CNN
VILLAGE GUN BATTLE
Two soldiers are said to have died in a battle between security forces
and villagers near Dhali'. No details yet.
SALIH TO VISIT FRANCE
President Salih is due to make a working visit to France on October 19,
which will include a meeting with President Jacques Chirac. Report: ArabicNews
ARCHAEOLOGISTS
DIG AGAIN
A French-Italian archaeological team resumed work under police protection, a
few days after tribal protests halted the excavations. Report:
AFP
EARLY RELEASE LIKELY FOR JAILED BRITONS
Yemen is planning an early release for five young Britons
jailed on terrorism charges. The move follows a meeting
between foreign secretary Robin Cook and President Ali
Abdullah Salih in London. It is thought the Britons could be
released early next year to mark a special occasion, such as
'Eid al-Adha (March 6) or Yemen's National Day (May 22). Report:
The
Guardian. Background: Yemen
Gateway
TRIBE HALTS DIG
A French-Italian archaeological team had to stop excavations following
pressure from a tribe in the Bayhan region. Report: AFP
QADHAFI TO VISIT YEMEN
Colonel Muammar Qadhafi of Libya is to visit Yemen next week for the 38th
anniversary of the republican revolution on September 26. Report: CNN/Reuters
BORDER COMMITTEE
MEETS
The Yemeni-Saudi committee set up to complete demarcation of
the border has held its first meeting. Report:
Middle
East On Line
MYSTERY ILLNESS IN BORDER AREA
About 30 people have died from a mysterious illness - believed to be spread
by mosquitos - in Saudi Arabia, close to the Yemeni border. Report: BBC
[Note: the disease has since been identified as Rift
Valley Fever]
"TOO MANY"
FOREIGN WORKERS
The Yemeni government employs 17,264 foreign workers, and the
private sector 65,000, the general manager of the civil
service said. He suggested that they should be replaced by
Yemenis. Report: ArabicNews
SALIH IN CUBA
President Salih has ended a three-day visit to Cuba during
which the two countries discussed economic relations.
Report: ArabicNews
SHEBA'S
TEMPLE YIELDS ITS SECRETS
A Canadian
archeological team is gradually unravelling the secrets of the
3,000-year-old Temple of Bilqis at Ma'rib, using
high-technology equipment. Professor Bill Glanzman of the
University of Calgary said the temple, which is associated
with the Queen of Sheba, "has the potential to become a
world-class tourist site." Reports: Reuters,
Canoe,
AFP,
ABC
DIRECTOR DEFENDS
"RULES OF ENGAGEMENT"
William Friedkin, director of Rules
of Engagement, which is set in Yemen and has been
described as "probably the most racist film ever made
against Arabs by Hollywood", has defended his production.
"Everything in the film, every incident, including the
attack on the embassy in Yemen, has a basis in reality,"
he said. Report: AFP. Review: Yemen
Gateway
FAMILY DIE AS WALL
COLLAPSES
Seven members of a family died a concrete wall collapsed on
top of their shack in Aden. Report: Reuters/CNN
LAND MINE AT TAX OFFICE
Police in Sanaa defused a land mine placed in front of a tax
office. Meanwhile, three men have been jailed for 15 years for
kidnapping foreigners. Report: ArabicNews
NASSER "WAS YEMENI"
The late Egyptian leader, Gamal Abdul Nasser, was of Yemeni
origin and belonged to the Bani Murr tribe, a historian has
claimed. Report: ArabicNews
SALIH IN BRITAIN AND US
President Salih made a brief visit to London on September 4 before
travelling on to the United States. He met Foreign Secretary Robin Cook and
members of the British-Yemeni Society.
Report: SABA
SOCIALISTS
CALL FOR RETURN
OF AL-BAID
The Yemen Socialist party, at
its fourth general congress, called for the return of former
vice-president Ali Salim al-Baid and others who led the 1994
war of secession. Report: Yemen
Times.
ILLEGAL HEALTH TRADE
A survey has found that 214 out of 286 clinics and 211 out of
434 pharmacies in Yemen are operating illegally. In addition,
supplies of smuggled and expired medicines pose a threat to
health. Report: Yemen
Times