Yemen’s president steps aside amid efforts to end war

By AHMED AL-HAJ and SAMY MAGDY
Associated Press

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemen’s exiled president has stepped aside and transferred his powers to a presidential council. Thursday’s development comes as international and regional efforts to end the country’s long-running civil war recently gained momentum with a two-month truce. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are major players in the conflict and appear to have played a role in President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s decision. They quickly welcomed it with a pledge of $3 billion in aid. The head of the new council has close ties to Riyadh. It remains to be seen what impact all this will have on Yemen’s grinding conflict.