SANAA, 30 Jul -- Speaking in a ceremony held at al-Afif cultural foundation on Thursday to mark the publication of a book titled: “Clergymen and Despotism” by researcher, Wadah Taher, intellectual Hamid Razq said “he was stunned as he was flipping the pages of the book to find out the ever-recurring painful and miserable state of the Muslims,” adding “what is troubling and distressful is that corruption has deeply penetrated the religious establishment and hijacked the clergyman making him an explicit accomplice in committing injustices, encroachments and abridgements of civil rights and freedoms.”

SANAA, 06 Jul -- Influential tribal chieftain, Sheik Muhammad Naji al-Shaif Tuesday said if the President is grooming his son to succeed him, then it is fine, stressing  “Ahmad Ali is the one suitable for leading the country and I am with him one million times,” but “we should amend the constitution to extend President Saleh’s term.  The constitution is not a Qur’an.  We made it and we will amend it.  We will zero the constitution and allow the President to rule for life,” and described the Yemeni people as “dead.”

SANAA, 03 Jul -- Member of Parliament, Abdul-Razaq al-Hajri Saturday called for closing down the parliament saying it is not capable of looking after people’s issues such as hikes in fuel prices, the new 50 percent rise in electricity fees, the deteriorating security situation, and because the government failed to submit a report to the assembly about the death of Marib’s deputy governor, Jabar al-Shabwani and several of his bodyguards.

SANAA, 29 May -- The national committee of dialogue led by Sheik Hamid al-Ahmar Saturday condemned in a statement what it said “the treacherous act that led to the killing of Marib’s deputy governor, Sheik Jaber al-Shabwani and his escorts,” al-Masder Online reported.  The statement said “what happened to al-Shabwani is extrajudicial killing and it is not the first of its kind.  This regime is killing Yemeni citizens as we have seen in the southern village of al-Majala in Abyan where women, children and elderly were killed and every time the regime claims the strikes were necessary because there are wanted security suspects with ties to al-Qaeda,” and denounced what it said “the state’s abandonment of its constitutional duties to protect Yemen’s sovereignty on its territory manifested in its direct killing of its citizens or via allowing foreigners to kill them.”

JMP supporters chant prayers as they attend an anti-government sit-in in Sanaa March 11, 2010 to show support to the Southern Movement TAIZ, 11 March -- In a news statement following a rally organized by the opposition, the branch of the opposition alliance, the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) in the southern region of Taiz Thursday denounced what it called “barbaric repression of peaceful protesters in Taiz by security forces,” adding “the clampdown on peaceful demonstrators caused the injury of many and dozens were arrested.”

SANAA, 19 Dec -- The army website, 26-September Friday cited local sources in Abyan as saying “among al-Qaeda militants killed in the operation carried out by Yemen’s security forces in Abyan were Muhammad Saleh al-Khazimi, Moqbel Abdullah Awad, Ahmad Abdullah Awad, Mithaq al-Jald, and Abdullah Awad,” adding “the death of al-Qaeda dangerous member, Abdul-Manm al-Qahtani is not confirmed yet.”  Other government reports said  29 al-Qaeda operatives were arrested on Thursday, 13 in Sanaa and the rest in Arhab,” said 26-Septermber amid reports al-Qaeda leaders Qasim al-Reimi and Hazam Mujali escaped.

MARIB, 11 Dec -- Security authorities Friday arrested two members of al-Qaeda in the northeastern region of Marib, the defense ministry website, 26-September said, adding “a security patrol clashed with a group of al-Qaeda members near the city of Marib a