Yemen's defense minister survived an assassination attempt in the volatile port city of Aden, where a suicide attacker detonated a car bomb next to his convoy. It was the second time in less than a month that Mohammed Nasser Ahmed has emerged unscathed from an attack in Yemen's restive south. The government blamed "terrorists from Al-Qaida" for the attack.
EGYPT VOTE CRITICIZED
Egypt's ruling military council announced a schedule for selecting a civilian government that foresees parliament holding its first session next March, more than a year after the toppling of Hosni Mubarak. But while many in Egypt are anxious to see an end to military rule, the reaction to the announcement was dismay. The Muslim Brotherhood said the announcement "shocked" the country because it contained many changes in election law "that [were] never subject to discussion." The statement criticized the military for failing to set a specific date for presidential elections and not providing a specific timetable for writing a new constitution.
NEWS SERVICES
