Talks on Yemeni Chief’s Exit Make No Progress

Talks between supporters and opponents of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh have so far failed to make progress on terms for the leader’s exit. Officials on both sides of the Saturday talks, which were attended by the U.S. ambassador, said that neither party yielded any ground but that discussions continued on Sunday. The opposition, which includes defecting military commanders, lawmakers, ministers, diplomats and Saleh’s own tribe, insists he quit immediately. Late on Saturday, Saleh said he was prepared to step down within hours but conditioned it on its being done "with dignity." Amid signs that Islamists are seeking to exploit Yemen’s chaos, residents of Jaar reported suspected Al-Qaeda militants moved from the mountains yesterday to seize control of the southern city after police fled.  On Sunday, Al-Arabiya television said six soldiers were killed in an ambush in the south of the country, although it was not clear who was responsible for the attack.