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Yemeni President Will Not Seek New Term

   VOA News  February 02, 2011
   Yemeni  President  Ali Abdullah Saleh (3rd L) addresses the parliament
   in Sanaa, February 2, 2011

Photo: Reuters

   Yemeni  President  Ali Abdullah Saleh (3rd L) addresses the parliament
   in Sanaa, February 2, 2011

   Yemeni  President  Ali  Abdullah  Saleh has announced he will not seek
   another  term  in  office,  as  opposition  groups  prepared  to renew
   protests calling for an end to his decades-old rule.
   Mr.  Saleh told Yemen's parliament Wednesday he will not try to extend
   his  presidency  when  his current term runs out in 2013, and will not
   hand power to his son.
   Opposition  groups have called for "day of rage" protests on Thursday,
   continuing  a string of rallies that activists have said were inspired
   by demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt.
   In  his  address Wednesday, Mr. Saleh called for a halt to all planned
   protests.  He also told lawmakers to freeze a proposed constitutional
   amendment that would allow him to seek another term.
   Last week, at least 10,000 demonstrators gathered at Sana'a University
   and  about  6,000  elsewhere  in  the  capital for rallies against the
   government.
   Mr.  Saleh has been in power for more than 30 years.  He has proposed
   raising salaries for civil workers and the military in the wake of the
   protests.   He  has  also  ordered  income  taxes cut in half and has
   instructed his government to install price controls.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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