Yemeni PM Stresses Need for Competency in New Government

Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik meets with leaders of the Islah Party. (Saba)
Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik meets with leaders of the Islah Party. (Saba)
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Yemeni PM Stresses Need for Competency in New Government

Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik meets with leaders of the Islah Party. (Saba)
Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik meets with leaders of the Islah Party. (Saba)

Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik, who is negotiating the formation of a new government, stressed the need for the next cabinet to be a technocratic one whereby competent experts are appointed in office, official sources reported.

Sources informed on the consultations and negotiations carried out by the PM in Riyadh affirmed that there is consensus on the need to expedite the formation of a government.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, they said Abdulmalik underscored the need to appoint competent ministers to cabinet portfolios so that they can lead the upcoming period in harmony and in a way that ensures uniting the national front and dealing with the economic, military and political situation in the country.

On Sunday, the PM discussed with leaders of the Islah Party the formation of the new government and coordinating efforts to make its work successful.

He stressed the great need to exert all efforts to complete the implementation of the mechanism that would accelerate the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement.

The PM had kicked off his consultations on Friday by meeting with the Southern Transitional Council. He met with the General People’s Congress officials on Saturday.



White House Urges Hamas to Sign on to New Deal to Ensure Hostage Release

Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
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White House Urges Hamas to Sign on to New Deal to Ensure Hostage Release

Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

The Biden administration is urging Hamas to sign on to a new ceasefire deal that would ensure the release of hostages, White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Friday.

Kirby said the White House welcomed Israel's decision to send another team to Doha to continue negotiations.

The United States, Egypt and Qatar have been trying to mediate a deal for a ceasefire and hostage release for a year with no success and are making another push this month before Donald Trump's inauguration.
Ceasefire efforts have continually stumbled on a fundamental disagreement over how to end the conflict. Hamas says it will accept an agreement and release the hostages only if Israel commits to ending the war. Israel says it will agree to stop fighting only once Hamas is destroyed.

On Friday, Hamas said it wanted "a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip" and the return of displaced people to their homes in all areas of the enclave.

US President Joe Biden has repeatedly called for a ceasefire agreement. Trump has said that if there is not a deal to release the hostages before his inauguration, "all hell is going to break out.”