Syria: Assad bids to calm protesters by appointing new PM

Syrian president Bashar Assad yesterday appointed a former agriculture minister to set up a new government, part of a series of overtures toward reform as the country faces a wave of anti- government protests.

Hundreds of people marched in Douma, a suburb of the capital Damascus, for funerals to mourn those killed in the latest round of protests, which started two weeks ago. At least 80 people have died in clashes with security forces.

Mr Assad appointed Adel Safar to form the new cabinet, Syria's state-run television said. Mr Safar is seen as a respectable figure in a government that many had criticised for corruption. The president sacked his government last week in answer to growing cries for reform On Thursday, he set up committees to look into the deaths of civilians during two weeks of unrest and to replacing decades-old state-of-emergency laws

Meanwhile, witnesses said thousands of people in southern Yemen took to the streets yesterday to demand that their president step down, and that police attacked the demonstrators with tear gas, batons and bullets.

Doctors said at least 200 protesters in Taiz were treated for the effects of tear gas. Witnesses said women began the demonstration in the main street and thousands of men joined them after the police attack them.