President's departure leaves vacuum in Yemen

Embattled Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh flew to Saudi Arabia for urgent medical care after a rocket attack on his palace, raising the spectre of a violent power grab in the impoverished country shaken by months of protests calling for his ousting.

The abrupt departure of Mr Saleh and much of his family followed intense pressure to step down from his powerful Gulf neighbours and long-time ally Washington, which fear the chaos could plunge the country into anarchy and undermine the US-backed campaign against al-Qaida’s most active branch.