Deal reached between Yemen's president, Houthi rebels

Yemen's President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and Shiite rebels reached a deal late Wednesday, ending a standoff inside the president's residence that started Tuesday.

Under the agreement, the Houthi rebels will leave Hadi's home and will release a top presidential aide that they kidnapped; in turn, the rebels will have more say in government matters.

The Houthis gained control of the capital city of Sana'a and several state institutions in September. Critics of the deal say that the Houthis will take over power, making Hadi president in name alone. "The Houthis are in effective control," Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi told The Associated Press. "Even if Hadi agrees to stay president, he no longer controls Yemen and can't give orders. ... The fear is the country will be dragged toward division and infighting."

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