The Wire

Meanwhile, Colonel Gaddafi is not alone in his defiance of protestors’ demands. Over the weekend, Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh vowed to defend his regime with “every drop of blood”. According to Amnesty International, 27 people have already been killed as a result of the violence that has accompanied the President’s repeated refusals to resign. His refusals come despite two powerful tribal chiefs abandoning him, as well as the country’s mainstream opposition parties giving their support to protesters on the streets. However, the President has managed to secure the support of other tribal sheikhs, leading some to worry about the risk of regional polarisation in the country.