Yemen's President, STC Announce New Power-Sharing Government

Yemeni President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi attends the Arab summit in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, May 31, 2019. (Reuters)
Yemeni President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi attends the Arab summit in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, May 31, 2019. (Reuters)
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Yemen's President, STC Announce New Power-Sharing Government

Yemeni President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi attends the Arab summit in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, May 31, 2019. (Reuters)
Yemeni President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi attends the Arab summit in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, May 31, 2019. (Reuters)

The Saudi-led Arab coalition in Yemen announced on Friday a new power-sharing cabinet that would include Southern Transitional Council (STC) members in the legitimate government.

The government of President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi is based in the southern port of Aden.

Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik was reappointed to head the new cabinet, which includes five ministers from Yemen’s biggest political blocs, including the STC and Islah party, a statement from Hadi’s office said.

Hadi has kept his closest allies in the key ministries of defense, interior, foreign affairs and finances.

The new government followed two weeks of separation of forces and redeployment of troops in the south that would see their return to battlefronts with the Iran-backed Houthi militias in the north and to outside Aden, the heavily disputed port city.

The announcement of the government is part of the Riyadh Agreement that was reached last year.



US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
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US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)

The United States is deferring the removal of certain Lebanese citizens from the country, President Joe Biden said on Friday, citing humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon amid tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

The deferred designation, which lasts 18 months, allows Lebanese citizens to remain in the country with the right to work, according to a memorandum Biden sent to the Department of Homeland Security.

"Humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon have significantly deteriorated due to tensions between Hezbollah and Israel," Biden said in the memo.

"While I remain focused on de-escalating the situation and improving humanitarian conditions, many civilians remain in danger; therefore, I am directing the deferral of removal of certain Lebanese nationals who are present in the United States."

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have been trading fire since Hezbollah announced a "support front" with Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on Oct. 7, triggering Israel's military assault in Gaza.

The fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters, according to a Reuters tally, and led to levels of destruction in Lebanese border towns and villages not seen since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.

On the Israeli side, 10 Israeli civilians, a foreign agricultural worker and 20 Israeli soldiers have been killed. Tens of thousands have been evacuated from both sides of the border.