Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi is the only candidate on the ballot, but the elections are nonetheless an important transitional moment in a country where demonstrations a year ago worked to unseat a dictator.
One soldier died following an explosion at a polling station in Yemen Monday, Reuters reported. The violence comes just one day before Yemen votes to replace Ali Abdullah Saleh, its president of more than 30 years.
Abdul Munim al-Fathani, reportedly wanted by the US over his alleged involvement in attacks on the USS Cole in 2000 and a French oil tanker in 2002, was killed in the attack, tribal leaders told reporters.
Parliament passed an amended version of the bill, following public outcry over proposals to give all Saleh's associates blanket immunity from prosecution.
The capture of this town underscores the growing strength of Al Qaeda in Yemen, as the group tries to take advantage of the weak central government, which has suffered for the last year due to massive political unrest.
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