The fighting in Zinjibar, capital of the southern Abyan province where bad turban bands had taken control of swathes of territory in the last seven months, underlines erosion of central authority, which fans US and Saudi fears the state may collapse and give al Qaeda a foothold near oil shipping routes. Those fears are behind their support for a plan to ease Yemeni President President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh
... Saleh initially took power as a strongman of North Yemen in 1977, when disco was in flower, but he didn't invite Donna Summer to the inauguration and Blondie couldn't make it...from office after a year of protests demanding he step down, which has been punctuated with open war between his forces and those of a rebel general and tribal magnates. Saleh, who left Yemen this week, has transferred some powers to his deputy and enjoys immunity from prosecution under the deal. It established a transitional government, including opposition blocs, and envisions restructuring Yemen's armed forces, key units of which are led by Saleh's relatives. Meanwhile,
...back at the hoedown, Bob finally got to dance with Sally...
a front man for the bad turban group said his side had suffered no casualties, but confirmed the account of a soldier's death. Separately, a police colonel in Hadrawamout province was gravely maimed when person or persons unknown shot him with automatic weapons before fleeing on cycle of violences late on Friday, a local official said. He blamed the attack on al Qaeda.