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    February 25, 2012

Car Bomb Hits After New Yemeni President Sworn In

   VOA News
   Yemen's newly elected President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi waves as he
   arrives to the Parliament in Sana'a, Yemen, February 25, 2012.
   Photo: AP
   Yemen's newly elected President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi waves as he
   arrives to the Parliament in Sana'a, Yemen, February 25, 2012.

   A suicide car bomber detonated a vehicle outside a presidential palace
   in southern Yemen, hours after the longtime vice president, Abd-Rabbu
   Mansour Hadi, was officially sworn-in as the country's new leader.
   Security officials say at least 21 people were killed and several
   wounded in Saturday's bombing, which occurred in southern Hadramawt
   province, located about 400 kilometers southeast of the capital,
   Sana'a.
   The bombing comes as a reminder of divisiveness Hadi will address as
   leader, with Yemen dealing with a separatists insurgency in the south,
   Shi'ite rebels in the north and an active wing of al-Qaida.
   Hadi, who took his oath in front of parliament Saturday, pledged to
   continue the fight against the Islamist militant group (al-Qaida) and
   bring those displaced by Yemen's crisis back to their homes.
   Hadi received more than 99 percent of the votes cast in this week's
   single-candidate presidential election, which will see him preside over
   a two-year transition period that envisions parliamentary elections, a
   new constitution and restructuring of the military. The handover
   cements a U.S. and Gulf-backed power transfer deal under which Saleh
   agreed to step down in return for immunity.
   Saleh arrived back in Sana'a early Saturday after receiving medical
   treatment in the United States for injuries suffered during an
   assassination attempt. He is expected to formally hand over power
   during a ceremony at the presidential palace in Sana'a on Monday.

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

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