Saudi airstrikes hit Aidarous al-Zubaidi’s military camps after he defies a demand to travel to Riyadh for talks

The leader of Yemen’s routed southern separatist movement, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, has decided to make a defiant last stand in Aden, his supporters say, rejecting a Saudi ultimatum to travel to Riyadh for talks and – for now – a plan to flee the southern capital.

Al-Zubaidi, the president of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), has been gathering his remaining troops in Aden as rival Saudi-backed forces seek to take control of Aden. His supporters said his mood was to fight it out although he knew it was likely there would be an attempt to kill him.

President wants to placate demonstrators calling for political change, action on corruption and help with cost of living

The Iranian government is attempting risky economic concessions as it tries to meet the escalating demands of protesters seeking fundamental political change, a clampdown on corruption and an easing of the squeeze on living standards of the poor.

Now entering their ninth day, the protests have spread to 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces, with a human rights group claiming that the death toll has passed 35 with more than 1,200 arrested.

Leaders try to focus on what comes next, as backing for ejection of Maduro mingles uncomfortably with voicing of support for international law

• Venezuela crisis: latest updates

European leaders emerged divided and torn as they tried to welcome the ejection of Venezuela’s authoritarian president, but still uphold the principles of international law that did not appear to allow Donald Trump to seize Nicolás Maduro, let alone declare that the US will run Venezuela and control its oil industry.

Europe tried to focus on the principle of a democratic transition, pointing out that the continent had not recognised Maduro as the legitimate leader of Venezuela since what were widely regarded as fraudulent elections in June 2024.