Yemenis take to the streets to demand a new government

Flower power: activist and journalist Tawakul Karman leads protesters holding up roses outside Sana’a University. She was only released from prison on Monday
12 April 2012

Thousands of Yemenis, inspired by the demonstrations that toppled Tunisia's leader and spread to Egypt, took to the streets of the capital Sana'a today to demand a change of government.

"The people want a change in president," shouted some of the 10,000 protesters at Sana'a University in one of several demonstrations across the city.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a key ally of the US in a war against the Yemeni arm of al Qaeda, has ruled the impoverished Arabian Peninsula state for more than 30 years.

Protesters demanded improvements in living conditions as well as political change. One banner read: "Enough playing around, enough corruption, look at the gap between poverty and wealth."

"Look at Tunis and what it did," some chanted. "Yemen's people are stronger."

At least 100 troops stood guard in the main square, although there were no reports of violence.

In Egypt, up to 900 rioters in Cairo and Suez were arrested after a second night of protests against the government of president Hosni Mubarak, unemployment and rising food prices. Forty were charged with sedition. Six people have died. A mass rally has been called for after tomorrow's Friday prayers.

Nobel peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei was returning to Egypt today to join the protests. "I am going back to Cairo and back on to the streets, because, really, there is no choice. You go out there with this massive number of people and you hope things will not turn ugly, but so far the regime does not seem to have got that message," he said on US website The Daily Beast.

He added that claims that authoritarian Arab leaders such as Mr Mubarak were the only bulwark against Islamic extremism was "obviously bogus". Many Egyptians would no longer tolerate Mr Mubarak's government even for a transitional period, he said.

A former head of the UN nuclear watchdog, Mr ElBaradei has emerged as a prime challenger to president Mubarak and a possible figurehead for protesters to rally around.

Trading halted on the Cairo stock exchange today after the market fell 6.25 per cent in 15 minutes. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called on Egypt to "respond to the legitimate needs" of the people.

In Tunisia, a cabinet reshuffle was announced to replace loyalists of president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, who has fled to Saudi Arabia after 23 years in power.

Protesters have been demanding for days that the makeshift coalition government be purged of Mr Ben Ali's allies. Hundreds fought police again in Tunis yesterday.

Tunisia is planning to set up a council of "wise men" to guide the country to democracy from the authoritarian state run by Mr Ben Ali.

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