Statement by the Press Secretary on Violence in Yemen, Posted by Meosha Eaton

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2011

Statement by the Press Secretary on Violence in Yemen

The United States condemns in the strongest terms the senseless acts of violence today in Yemen, including the attack against the Presidential Palace compound in Sana’a as well as other attacks in Sana'a and throughout the country. We call on all sides to cease hostilities immediately and to pursue an orderly and peaceful process of transferring political power as called for in the GCC-brokered agreement.

Ethiopia commutes death sentences on Mengistu officers, Posted by Meosha Eaton

* Ex-dictator, officers sentenced for genocide in 2008

* Mengistu not in group

* Group, religious leaders appealed for leniency

By Aaron Maasho

ADDIS ABABA, June 3 (Reuters) - Ethiopia said on Wednesday it had commuted the death sentences of 23 of former dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam's henchmen convicted of genocide in 2008, reducing the penalties to life imprisonment after an appeal.

Key political risks to watch in Yemen, Posted by Meosha Eaton

SANAA, June 3 (Reuters) - Fierce fighting in Sanaa between forces loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his tribal opponents has sent Yemen sliding rapidly towards civil war.

Street battles in the past 10 days have claimed at least 155 of more than 370 lives lost since popular protests demanding an end to Saleh's nearly 33 years in power erupted in January.

Yemen's deputy PM injured in palace attack-Al Arabiya, Posted by Meosha Eaton

SANAA, June 3 (Reuters) - Yemen's deputy prime minister was injured on Friday when the presidential palace was hit by at least two shells in street fighting in the capital, Al Arabiya TV reported.

Battles in Sanaa widened on Friday after killing at least 155 people over the last 10 days, marking an escalation in the uprising to end President Ali Abdullah Saleh's three-decade long rule of the impoverished state which started in January.

About 370 people have been killed in total. (Reporting by Mohamed Sudam; Editing by Jon Herskovitz)

Malawi courts disaster by shunning aid, Posted by Meosha Eaton

By Ed Cropley

JOHANNESBURG, June 3 (Reuters) - Seldom can a bruised ego have come with such a hefty price tag.

Outraged at a leaked British diplomatic cable calling him "autocratic and intolerant of criticism", Malawi president Bingu wa Mutharika booted out the ambassador of his country's biggest donor, which promptly froze aid worth $550 million over the next four years.

Other countries are said to be

'Beautiful Boy' puts rare twist on school shootings, Posted by Meosha Eaton

By Zorianna Kit

LOS ANGELES, June 2 (Reuters Life!) - Mass school shootings fill TV screens with bloody images, newspapers with heart-wrenching accounts from terrified students, and pose searching questions about the motives of the young killers.

But the movie "Beautiful Boy", opening in U.S. theaters on Friday, puts a rare spotlight on the anguished parents of a teen gunman.

Maria Bello and Michael Sheen star in the independent film as Kate and Bill, whose already fractured marriage is further tested

Poor nations urged to reform to win climate funds

* G20 get 90 percent of clean investments; others lose out

* UNDP urges poor to take steps to promote green investment

By Alister Doyle, Environment Correspondent

OSLO, June 2 (Reuters) - Many developing nations are missing out on a surge in investments in clean energy and need to cut red tape and agree new rules to attract funds to help fight climate change, a U.N. finance guidebook said on Thursday.

Tax dispute plagues U.S. debt limit fight, Posted by Meosha Eaton

June 2 (Reuters) - Republicans in the U.S. Congress have ruled out tax increases as part of any negotiation on attacking budget deficits that are forecast to hit $1.4 trillion this year alone.

Their mantra is "We don't have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem." In other words, slash spending, don't raise taxes.

Democrats counter that the federal budget cannot be balanced on the backs of the poor and middle class through steep cuts in federal spending on healthcare, education, nutrition and other programs. In other words, raise taxes on the rich.

Republican Romney kicks off White House campaign, Posted by Meosha Eaton

(Reuters) - Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney officially kicks off his second campaign on Thursday for the Republican presidential nomination.

Romney, 64, who fell to John McCain in the race to be the Republican nominee in 2008, has been an early front-runner in many polls for the chance to challenge President Barack Obama in 2012.

Here are some facts about the potential nominee:

French minister bids to revive Middle East talks, Posted by Meosha Eaton

* French minister wants talks based on U.S. proposals

* Warns of tough days ahead if negotiations remain blocked

By Crispian Balmer

RAMALLAH, West Bank, June 2 (Reuters) - French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe made a last ditch effort on Thursday to revive peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians before a likely showdown at the United Nations in September.

U.S.-brokered talks collapsed last year in a dispute over Jewish settlement building, and the Palestinians say

Yemen fighting intensifies, US envoy in talks, Posted by Meosha Eaton

* Saleh refuses calls to step down

* Troops fire at protesters in Taiz

* Worries mount about risk to global oil supplies

* Refugee crisis may be brewing (Adds airport re-opening, details)

By Mohamed Sudam and Mohammed Ghobari

SANAA, June 2 (Reuters) - Forces loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh battled with tribal fighters in Yemen's capital on Thursday in overnight clashes that killed dozens as a U.S. envoy flew around the region to try and stop a civil war.

Ferocious fighting in the streets of Sanaa which grew out of protests against Saleh's rule since January has killed

ICC TO ARREST LIBYAN LEADER MUAMMAR GADDAFI

Soccer-Blatter opens Congress warning of dangers to FIFA, Posted by Meosha Eaton

By Mike Collett

ZURICH, May 31 (Reuters) - Beleaguered president Sepp Blatter formally opened the 61st FIFA Congress on Tuesday warning of the dangers world soccer's governing body is facing.

Blatter, welcoming FIFA's 208 delegates at the opening ceremony which featured jugglers, folk dancers and singer Grace Jones, said he would speak in more detail about the problems facing FIFA before the business part of the Congress starts on Wednesday.

However, he warned: "I thought we were living in a world of fair play, respect and discipline but I

TIMELINE-U.S. debt debate, Posted by Meosha Eaton

WASHINGTON, May 31 (Reuters) - Vice President Joe Biden and top lawmakers are trying to reach a deal that would reduce the United States' spiraling debt and increase the U.S. borrowing limit.

The Treasury Department says Congress must raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by Aug. 2 to avoid a potentially catastrophic default on its obligations, but both Republican and Democratic lawmakers say any increase must include measures to ensure the country's debt remains at a sustainable level.

WHO SPEAKS FOR YOU?, Posted by Meosha Eaton

By William Reed

WHO SPEAKS FOR YOU?
While many have questioned whether Barack Obama was Black enough, in the 2008 elections 96 percent of African Americans cast their vote for him. Today, the question has re-emerged. In a recent critique, African-American scholar Cornel West stated that