Stories about Yemen from December, 2012
Yemen: A Year of Assassinations, Explosions and Drones
After a long year of revolution in Yemen, former President Ali Abdullah Saleh was "toppled" and replaced by President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi on February 27, 2012, through a one-man-election. Nevertheless, Yemen witnessed a year of instability and violence. The year 2012 was a year of unprecedented numbers of suicide bombs, explosive cars, targeted killings, explosions of gas pipelines and electricity cables, besides the constant and frequent US drone attacks.
MENA: Acclaimed Authors’ Favorites of 2012
M. Lynx Qualey, blogger, who is interested in Arab and Arabic literature, wrote a series of posts introducing acclaimed Arab poets, novelists, and short-story writers’ favorite Arab reads of 2012. She started with a list of nonfiction books, then followed by a list for poetry [En] and fiction [En].
Yemen's Second Life March Attacked
Although Yemen's revolution removed the autocratic President Ali Abdullah Saleh and hoped it also got rid of his brutality in handling peaceful protesters, the Second Life March was also forcibly dispersed by President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi's anti-riot forces using tear gas and batons resulting in reported and documented injuries of some protesters.
Protesters March for 270km in Yemen's Second Life March
Last year the revolutionary youth marched from Taiz to Sanaa for five days, covering 270km on foot in what they called the Life March. The aim of the march was to invigorate life into Yemen's ongoing revolution. This year the revolutionary youth commemorated the martyrs of the 2011 Life March by walking in their footsteps all 270km from Taiz to Sanaa. They were greeted at the borders of Sanaa and were joined by more youth and supporters.
Two US Drone Strikes in Yemen for Christmas
Merry Christmas from Yemen! Christmas day was a day of double drone strikes in Yemen, killing five 'suspected' militants. The first drone strike killed two people travelling in a vehicle in a southern town, al-Bayda province on Monday. In the second attack, which also occurred on Monday, the unmanned aircraft fired missiles at three people riding on two motorcycles travelling in Hadramout province, killing all three men.
Yemen's Long Awaited Army Restructure
Yemenis were pleasantly surprised yesterday to hear about President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's bold decisions to unify the Yemeni army - and sack the remaining relatives of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who hold prominent positions in the military and security. Netizens react with caution, and some expect retaliation.
