Yemen: Government forces imposed a strict security cordon around the Yemeni capital Sana'a to prevent the entry of armed tribes to assist head of the Hashid tribe and prominent opposition leader, Sadiq al-Ahmar. Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said he won't be dragged into civil war as a result of what he called “provocative acts” by the opposition.  Families have been seen evacuating the city as violent clashes continue between both sides, despite mediation efforts. The last two days of clashes in Sana’a has lead to the deaths of nearly 60 people.

Syria: Canada has also imposed sanctions on Syria, following the US and EU, and called on Syria to immediately stop the violence against protestors. Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird referred to the repression against protestors as “repulsive and extremely disturbing.” Switzerland also said that it will continue freezing the assets of senior Syrian officials, including President Bashar al-Assad. The EU has released a list of ten Syrian officials to be included in the sanctions, which entail a travel ban and a freeze of assets.

Bahrain: A number of Bahraini regions witnessed demonstrations condemning the death sentences of two Bahraini citizens. Protestors chanted their usual slogans along with demands to rescind the death sentences and release other detainees. The military court also plans to prosecute a 14-year-old boy, the youngest of hundreds being detained in Bahraini prisons. As part of the crackdown, authorities also continue to fire employees and expel students for participating in the protests.

(Euronews: 0744 PT, May 3, 2011) Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will head a majority government for the first time after his Conservative Party won Monday's parliamentary elections. The Conservatives picked up nearly 40 percent of the vote, taking 167 seats in Canada's parliament.

Harper, who had previously headed two minority governments in his five years as PM, says he can secure Canada's economic recovery and wipe out its budget deficit. The 52-year-old says this can be achieved by slashing public spending and cutting taxes.

(Democracy Now! 0758 PT, May 3, 2011) Democracy Now! interviews Stephen Lewis, long-time member of the National Democratic Party, about the results of the Canadian elections. The Conservative party, led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, was elected to a majority in the Canadian parliament, ending five years of minority government.

WOMEX 09 Part 4 brings us another performance from this substantive musical event. Yves Lambert and Le Bebert Orchestra turned in a great, tight show -- the band (Olivier Rondeau, Tommy Gauthier, Robin Boulianne and Jean François Déry) was a well-oiled machine, barreling through dance tunes and songs with verve and professionalism.

Lambert himself is an almost legendary character in Quebecois music, having been a mainstay of La Bottine Souriante for years; you can see from his spoken interlude he is larger than life. (And if you are going to play the Stomach Steinway, it helps to have a stomach!) I just wish I had kept the camera rolling a little longer, to catch the rest of the great song that followed that instrumental...