Fixed mortgage rates end year above record lows

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fixed mortgage rates  rose slightly this week off their record lows. The year ends much like it began, with few people able to take advantage of the best rates in history.

Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average on the 30-year home loan increased to 3.95 percent from 3.91 percent. Last week's rate was the lowest average on records dating to the 1950s.

The average on the 15-year fixed mortgage rose to 3.24 percent. That's up from 3.21 percent, also a record low.

Rates have been below 5 percent for all but two weeks in 2011. Even so, this year is shaping up to be one of the worst ever for home sales.

Previously occupied homes are selling just slightly ahead of last year's dismal pace. And new-home sales appear headed for their worst year on records going back half a century.

Next year could be better. More than 5 percent of households said this month they plan to purchase a home within the next six months, according to the Conference Board.

Builders are also hopeful that the low rates could boost sales next year. Low mortgage rates were cited as a key reason the National Association of Home Builders survey of builder sentiment rose in December to its highest level in more than a year.

But so far, rates are having no major impact. Mortgage applications have fallen slightly in recent weeks, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

High unemployment and scant wage gains have made it harder for many people to qualify for loans. Many Americans don't want to sink money into a home that they fear could lose value over the next few years.

To calculate the average rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country Monday through Wednesday of each week. The average rates don't include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount.

The average fee for the 30-year loan was unchanged at 0.7; the average on the 15-year fixed mortgage was unchanged at 0.8.

For the five-year adjustable loan, the average rate rose to 2.88 percent from 2.85 percent. The average on the one-year adjustable loan ticked up to 2.78 percent from 2.77 percent.

The average fees on the five- and one-year adjustable-rate loans were unchanged at 0.6.

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Fixed mortgage rates rise above record lows

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fixed mortgage rates rose slightly this week off their record lows. The year ends much like it began, with few people able to take advantage of the best rates in history.

Freddie Mac says the average on the 30-year home loan increased to 3.95 percent from 3.91 percent. Last week's rate was the lowest average on records dating to the 1950s.

The average on the 15-year fixed mortgage rose to 3.24 percent. That's up from 3.21 percent, also a record low.

Rates have been below 5 percent for all but two weeks in 2011. Even so, this year is shaping up to be one of the worst ever for home sales.

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New Website Takes Social Approach To Personal Finance

The Internet is a great source of information on personal finance, but often this information lacks the personal touch. The new website MyMoneyCircles.com aims to provide that personalized element by taking an interactive, social media-style approach.

Though it focuses on the human element, MyMoneyCircles is anything but soft and fuzzy. The website refers to its approach as a "boot camp" for personal finance. But what exactly does a personal finance boot camp entail?
Getting financially fit

The boot camp method at MyMoneyCircles involves pushing participants to get their personal finances in the best shape possible. And the boot camp analogy is apt, because it highlights the simple fact that financial responsibility often isn't easy, and building robust savings accounts is often an act of sacrifice.

MyMoneyCircles will conduct a series of boot camps to address a variety of financial goals, including:

    * Saving money
    * Managing credit and debt
    * Protecting family and assets
    * Planning for the future

The personalized support system at MyMoneyCircles is designed to help users make the changes necessary to meet these goals. By engaging participants throughout the process, and providing advice tailored to their needs, the site aims to lead them each step of the way toward financial improvement.

Here are some of the methods MyMoneyCircles will use to engage, encourage, and energize those who want to improve their personal finances:

    * Personal assessment. A 10-question quiz will kick off each boot camp, to provide users with a clearer picture of their needs on each topic.
    * Customized advice and education. Participants will receive emails related to their areas of interest and access to online materials. Online resources will allow users to submit questions to financial experts through MyMoneyCircles.
    * A defined action plan. MyMoneyCircles will present participants with specific steps designed to get them to stop procrastinating and to start meeting their goals.
    * Community support. MyMoneyCircles is designed for users to share their personal experiences with other members of the community, especially those with similar needs and goals. In this way, users can help each other make progress.
    * Continued growth opportunties. MyMoneyCircles aims to provide multiple levels of informative material, allowing users to build on what they've learned.

Access to expertise

Central to the program is the expertise of Lynnette Khalfani-Cox. Khalfani-Cox, also known as "The Money Coach," is a best-selling author and frequently-quoted expert in the national media. Khalfani-Cox's input drives both the design and content of MyMoneyCircles, and she will answer individual participant questions too. A variety of financial specialists--full disclosure, this author will be one of them--will also be available to provide advice.

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It's Not Too Late: Year-End Tax Moves

Once you’ve reached the last month of the tax year, your options are limited to minimize your income taxes. But there are a few things that could still be done, so don’t give up hope.

For example, you could double up your real estate taxes by prepaying next year’s tax during December. Doing this with, for example, a $3,000 per year real estate tax bill could result in a reduction of tax for the year of $750 if you’re in the 25% bracket. Keep in mind though, that you’ll have forked out this money long before it is actually due in most cases, and for the next year you won’t have this deduction available if you used it in this year.

The same could be done with your charitable contributions - there’s no reason that you can’t make additional contributions to your favorite charities at the end of this year instead of waiting until next year.

You could also send your final estimated state income tax payment due in January of next year during December and claim that payment on this year’s itemized deductions as well.

Prepaying your January mortgage payment will credit that mortgage interest to this year as well, further increasing your itemized deductions.

Other itemized deductions could be “stacked” in one year, such as medical expenses (subject to the 7.5% floor) and miscellaneous deductions (subject to the 2% floor).

It’s important to keep in mind that the moves that you make this year might reduce your tax now - but you might have an adverse impact on next year’s income tax by doing so. It will pay to run the calculations based on what you know about this year’s tax and next year’s tax to make sure that it is in your best interest to do this.

Here’s how it might play out: if you prepaid your next year’s real estate tax during this year, it might reduce your deductions below the Standard Deduction - which could be a good thing. In doing this, you would get to use the Standard Deduction to increase your tax deductions on next year’s return when you specifically reduced your deductions for that year by prepaying the deductible real estate tax in during this year. In this fashion you might be making the most of the standard deduction and your itemized deductions year after year - one year using the “stacked” deductions, the next using the standard deduction.

These prepayment options could have a negative affect if you are subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). Prepaying your state tax, mortgage interest and some medical expenses might trigger or cause an increase in AMT. One tactic that you might consider is selling a taxable investment that has an inherent loss; this is especially useful if you’ve sold another investment at some point in the tax year that has resulted in a taxable gain. Losses can be used to offset those capital gains dollar for dollar, and an additional $3,000 in capital losses can be used to reduce your ordinary income as well.

You can also make up for underpayment of estimated tax by taking a withdrawal from an IRA (especially if you’re over age 59½) and having tax withheld from the withdrawal. This can also be accomplished by having more tax withheld from your paycheck if you’re still working, by filing a new W4. Another significant move you can make includes the Qualified Charitable Distribution from your IRA, 401(k) or 403(b) - allowing you to bypass recognizing that income, including your RMD. This can only be done if you’re at least age 70½ and subject to Required Minimum Distributions. The charity receives a contribution, and you get to lower your year-end balance in your account, therefore reducing your RMD for next year.  For more details on this, you should check out the IRA Owner's Manual.

You can also delay your first RMD (if you reached age 70½ this year) until as late as April 1 of next year, although that will mean you have to take two RMDs next year. But in some circumstances that may be the better option.

You can also make a deductible contribution to your IRA, if you qualify - but you don’t have to do that before the end of the year, you have until April 15 to do that.

This isn’t an exhaustive list of year-end tax moves, just several of the more prominent ones. Hopefully you’ll find what you need here to help with your year-end tax plans.

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End-of-the-Year Checklist for Divorcing Women

Most women wait until after the holidays to move forward with their divorces --and that’s completely understandable. Many don’t want to disrupt family traditions for their children. Some welcome the distraction offered by the hustle and bustle of the season. And, of course, others want to avoid the discussions that inevitably seem to arise whenever and wherever relatives gather.

Interestingly, though, January is the month when most divorces are filed. Obviously, turning the page towards a New Year inspires a fresh start –and that’s completely understandable, too. If you’re headed in that direction, it makes sense to spend a little time this month planning ahead. You can do so discreetly, and then know that you’ll truly be ready to start the New Year on the right foot.

To help get you begin, here are a few things you can do now to help make the divorce process smoother in 2012:

1. Start collecting financial documents. Watch the mail for year-end statements from banks, credit card companies, etc.  As we outline in our Divorce Financial Checklist, preparing for divorce requires gathering all the relevant documents related to your bank and brokerage accounts, credit cards, mortgages, etc. Once you have collected them, make copies, and take them to a trusted friend/family member, or use a safe deposit box that your husband can’t access.

2. Check your credit report. While you’re gathering your financial records, keep a careful eye on your credit card statements, and if you haven’t already done so, request a copy of your credit report. Once you have the report, monitor your score carefully so you’ll be the first to know if any unusual activity occurs.  (For example, is your husband using your joint credit cards to buy his girlfriend gifts this holiday season?)  See my post, How To Protect Your Credit Score During Your Divorce, for more tips

3. Research divorce professionals in your area. If you want to ensure the best possible outcome for your divorce, take the time to build a qualified divorce team. I recommend you start with these three players: a matrimonial/family law attorney, a divorce financial planner and a therapist/counselor. Spend some time this month researching divorce professionals and create a short list of candidates for each position. Schedule interviews with each top contender in January, and rest easy knowing that by February 2012, you’ll be benefiting from the expert guidance of a top-notch divorce team.

4. Open new accounts in your name. Moving forward as a single woman in 2012 will require that you have a bank account and credit cards in your name. Lay the groundwork now.  Don’t use the bank where you currently have your joint accounts. Go to a different bank and open both a savings and a checking account in your name. You’ll need your own credit card, too, so you should start that process now, as well. New federal regulations are making it harder than ever for women with little or no income to establish credit on their own. You can do it. But, plan accordingly and know that securing credit is going to be more complicated than just filling out an application or making a single phone call.

5. Remain vigilant. Is your husband using the good cheer of the holidays as cover while he dissipates family assets? Be attentive, and if you are concerned at all about financial shenanigans by your husband, you may want to think twice about filing a joint return with him for 2011.

Some women who are considering divorce let the holidays get them down. Don’t be one of them. Use this opportunity to start planning ahead, and you’ll be able to start the New Year confident that you are on the way to a more stable and secure financial future.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jeffrey A. Landers, CDFA™ is a Divorce Financial Strategist™ and the founder of Bedrock Divorce Advisors, LLC (http://www.BedrockDivorce.com), a divorce financial strategy firm that exclusively works with women, who are going through, or might be going through, a financially complicated divorce. He also advises women business owners on what steps they can take now to “divorce-proof” their business in the event of a future divorce. He can be reached at Landers@BedrockDivorce.com.

All articles/blog posts are for informational purposes only, and do not constitute legal advice. If you require legal advice, retain a lawyer licensed in your jurisdiction. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author, who is not an attorney.

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Iran police confiscate over 11 tons of narcotics

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's state TV says the country's border police have confiscated over 11 tons of narcotics after fierce clashes with drug traffickers in southeastern Iran, the biggest single consignment ever seized in Iran's war against drugs.

It quoted provincial border police chief, Gen. Qolam Nabi Kouhkan, as saying Saturday that the various narcotics were seized from traffickers Friday night.

One of the drug traffickers was killed and several others injured in the armed clashes that took place on Iran's border with Pakistan.

Kouhkan said the operation was helped by tips from locals, and that traffickers had carried the drugs on camels from Pakistan.

Iran lies on a major drug route between Afghanistan and Europe, as well as the Persian Gulf states, where the confiscation of large amounts of narcotics is common.

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US envoys say no 'pivot' away from Mideast

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — American envoys challenged assertions Saturday that Washington seeks to diminish its role in Middle East affairs, insisting U.S. political ties and energy needs bind the country closely to a region full of "threat and promise."

The defensive tone by U.S. officials, in response to questions raised at an international security summit in Bahrain, reflects growing speculation about a possible U.S. policy realignment toward Asia at the expense of Mideast initiatives.

Gulf Arab states, in particular, have urged the Obama administration to take stronger action on Syria, where Saudi Arabia and Qatar seek to open channels to send heavy weapons to rebel forces fighting to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad. The White House has favored a more cautious approach with the Syrian opposition, worried that hard-line Islamist rebel factions could be aided by stepped up arms flow.

"The idea that the U.S. can pivot away from the Middle East is the height of foolishness," Sen. John McCain said at the Bahrain gathering, which brings policymakers and political figures from around the world including Iran and the Syrian opposition.

The Arizona Republican, the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, also said he believes there is a "steady increase" in fighters inspired by al-Qaida joining the rebel side in Syria's civil war.

The comments follow a diplomatic flap after Bahrain's crown prince did not mention the U.S. at the opening of the conference Friday as he listed critical allies in the kingdom's 22-month battle against an Arab Spring-inspired uprising. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which is the Pentagon's main counterweight in the region against Iran's military.

Many at the conference interpreted the crown prince's omission as a public slap against Washington for its criticism of Bahrain's crackdowns, including recent action such as banning opposition rallies and revoking citizenship for 31 activists.

More than 55 people have died in the unrest as the island nation's Shiite majority pushes for a greater political voice in the Sunni-ruled kingdom.

The head of the U.S. delegation, Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, said Washington's foreign policy objectives clearly include the "dynamic" rise of Asian economic and political power and "domestic renewal" to compete in the changing world economy.

"For all the logical focus on pivots in other directions, however, the fact remains that the United States cannot afford to neglect what's at stake in the Middle East," he said.

He credited Bahrain's leadership for some reforms aimed at easing the tensions, including giving more powers to the elected parliament. But he noted "there is still a long road ahead" in following through with recommendations by an independent fact-finding committee last year that included calls for investigation into allegations of high-level abuses against protesters.

The main Bahrain Shiite opposition group, Al Wefaq, said Saturday that it was open to the crown prince's offer for dialogue, but it was unclear whether any breakthroughs were possible. Past overtures have failed to gain traction.

Burns also said Middle Eastern oil remains crucial for the world economy despite projections of a sharp rise in U.S. crude output in coming years from techniques such as extracting oil from shale.

Burns, however, pointed out that other nations need to help chart the course in the region following the Arab Spring — suggesting no major unilateral push by Washington over Syria or other simmering disputes such as Iran's nuclear program.

"It is important for Americans, self-absorbed as we sometimes are, to understand that the Middle East is not all about us ... But if it's not about us, the future of the region certainly matters a great deal to us," he told the conference. "It's a region today that is full of both threat and promise."

Earlier, Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah, the Saudi deputy foreign minister, said Gulf Arab states must quash any Arab Spring-inspired unrest or risk threats to their leadership across the oil-rich region.

The comments echoed calls by Gulf authorities to widen crackdowns on perceived opposition such as rights activists and Islamist factions.

His remarks also appeared aimed at justifying the intervention last year in Bahrain by a Saudi-led Gulf military force.

Prince Abdulaziz said Gulf states "cannot tolerate instability" that could lead to challenges to the Western-allied leaders from Kuwait to Oman that have so far ridden out the Arab Spring.

Leaders of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council plan to meet later this month in Bahrain with issues such as closer intelligence and security coordination on the agenda.

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Egypt: military warns of 'disastrous consequences'

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's military warned on Saturday of "disastrous consequences" if the crisis that sent tens of thousands of protesters back into the streets is not resolved, signaling the army's return to an increasingly polarized and violent political scene.

The military said serious dialogue is the "best and only" way to overcome the nation's deepening conflict over a disputed draft constitution hurriedly adopted by Islamist allies of President Mohammed Morsi, and recent decrees granting himself near-absolute powers.

"Anything other than that (dialogue) will force us into a dark tunnel with disastrous consequences; something which we won't allow," the statement said. It was read by an unnamed military official on state television.

Morsi had called for a dialogue Saturday to discuss how to resolve the disagreement as his vice president suggested that a Dec. 15 constitutional referendum could be delayed.

But the main opposition leaders declined to attend, saying talks can only take place if Morsi rescinds his decrees and cancels the referendum.

Most of the public figures at the meeting were Islamists, with the exception of liberal opposition politician Ayman Nour.

And at least three members left the talks soon after they started. Ahmed Mahran, a lawyer who was among them, said: "It was a one-way conversation," accusing presidential advisers of refusing to listen.

Egypt's once all-powerful military, which temporarily took over governing the country after the revolution that ousted autocratic leader Hosni Mubarak, was largely sidelined weeks after Morsi was elected.

Weeks after he was sworn in, Morsi ordered the two top generals to retire and gave himself legislative powers that the military had assumed in the absence of a parliament, which had been dissolved by the courts.

The current crisis was sparked Nov. 22 when Morsi granted himself authority free of judicial oversight, alleging that judges loyal to the former regime were threatening the constitutional drafting process and the transition to democracy.

But the move touched off a new wave of opposition and unprecedented clashes between the president's Islamist supporters led by the Muslim Brotherhood and protesters accusing him of becoming a new strongman.

At least six civilians have been killed and several offices of the president's Muslim Brotherhood torched in the unrest. The two sides also have staged a number of sit-ins around state institutions, including the presidential palace where some of the most violent clashes occurred.

With the increasing polarization and the specter of internal fighting looming, the military began reasserting itself, with soldiers sealing off the presidential palace with tanks and barbed wire. Its warning on Saturday marked the first time the military returned to the political fray.

Failing to reach a consensus, "is in the interest of neither side. The nation as a whole will pay the price," the military said, adding it "realizes its national responsibility in protecting the nation's higher interests" and state institutions.

Images of the military's elite Republican Guards unit surrounding the area around the palace also showed one of the most high-profile troop deployment since the army handed over power to Morsi on June 30.

A sit-in by Morsi's opponents around the palace continued Saturday, with protesters setting up roadblocks with tanks behind them amid reports that the president's supporters planned rival protests. By midday Saturday, TV footage showed the military setting up a new wall of cement blocks around the palace.

The president has insisted his decrees were meant to protect the country's transition to democracy from former regime figures trying to derail it.

Muslim Brotherhood leaders, meanwhile, made their highest profile appearances since the dispute began. The group's top leader Mohammed Badie and his powerful deputy Khairat el-Shater held press conferences Saturday alleging there was a conspiracy to topple Morsi but presenting little proof.

Badie said the opposition has accused his group of violence but is instead responsible for the attacks on Muslim Brotherhood offices. He also claimed that most of those killed in last week's violence at the Palace and other governorates were members of the Brotherhood.

"These are crimes, not opposition or disagreement in opinion," he said.

Meanwhile, with a dialogue largely boycotted by the main opposition players, members of a so-called Alliance of Islamists forces warned it will take all measures to protect "legitimacy" and the president, in comments signaling continued tension.

"We will not allow the revolution to be stolen again," el-Shater said. "Our main job is to support legitimacy and stop the plot to bring down the president."

Mostafa el-Naggar, a former lawmaker and protest leader during the uprising that led to Mubarak's ouster in February 2011, said the conspiracy alleged by the Brotherhood "doesn't exist." El-Naggar added that the Brotherhood and military statements suggested the crisis was far from over.

"The military is saying it is still here and will interfere when necessary. This is believed to be when there is widespread infighting," he said.

Meanwhile, he said Morsi and his group are threatening to widen the conflict by portraying the opposition as conspirators against Islam.

"As it stands, Egypt is captive to internal decisions of the Brotherhood," he said.

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Syrian rebels create new unified military command

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian rebel commanders have elected a new 30-member leadership council and a chief of staff, a senior rebel said Saturday in a major step toward unifying the opposition that is fighting to oust President Bashar Assad.

The Supreme Military Council, which was chosen Friday during a meeting in Turkey, will work with the political leadership that was chosen last month in Qatar.

But the al-Qaida inspired group Jabhat al-Nusra, was excluded, the rebel official said, as the rebels apparently move to sideline the extremists who have proven skilled fighters but raised concerns among Western allies.

The announcement came as the Syrian Foreign Ministry claimed that anti-government forces might use chemical weapons, saying rebels have recently captured a chlorine processing plant east of the northern city of Aleppo. The warning was made in a letter to the U.N. Security Council and U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon.

The rebel official, a senior member of the main rebel group the Free Syrian Army, said more than 550 rebel commanders and representatives began meeting Wednesday in the Turkish resort of Antalya. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to reveal the meeting's outcome.

The fight to oust Assad has long been hobbled by the opposition's inability to forge a united front and command structure. The move was the most serious attempt by the rebels, who are backed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, to fix that.

If successful, it could be a turning point in the conflict as the rebels close in on the capital Damascus, Assad's seat of power.

"The aim of this meeting was to unify the armed opposition to bring down the regime," said another rebel commander from the Damascus areas who attended the meeting. "It also aims to get the situation under control once the regime falls."

The local commander, who also spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, added that the rebels command decided to divide Syria into five regions that will be under the command of the assistants of the FSA chief of staff.

Brig. Gen. Salim Idriss was named as the group's chief of staff, according to the official in Antalya. Idriss is a former army general who defected and joined the opposition and played a role in the fighting on the ground in the past months, he said.

Brig. Gen. Mustafa al-Sheikh, who headed the FSA's Military Council, was removed from his post and will play no role in the future, the FSA official said. He added that the group's main commander Riad al-Asaad will continue to hold the title, but it will be largely symbolic.

The rebels said that Jabhat al-Nusra was not invited to the meetings and is not part of the new command. The Damascus commander said the rebel group Ahrar al-Sham or the Free People of Damascus also was not invited.

Jabhat al-Nusra is known to include many foreign fighters while Ahrar al-Sham is mostly made up of hard-line Islamists.

The FSA command appears to want to sideline extremist groups that have been playing a bigger role in recent months.

On Wednesday, a U.S. official said the Obama administration is preparing to designate Jabhat al-Nusra as a foreign terrorist organization. The step will freeze any assets that members have in U.S. jurisdictions and bar Americans from providing the group with material support.

Separately, the Syrian regime reiterated its insistence that it would not use chemical weapons "if it has them under any circumstances because it is defending its people," according to the letter sent to the U.N. It was carried by the state-run news agency, SANA.

Syria has never confirmed it has chemical weapons. But it is believed to possess substantial stockpiles of mustard gas and a range of nerve agents, including sarin, a highly toxic substance that can suffocate its victims by paralyzing muscles around their lungs.

No rebels are known to have access to these weapons and it is highly unlikely that they know how to operate them.

But the foreign ministry claimed "terrorist groups" — the term it uses for the rebels — recently captured a chlorine plant and warned they "might resort to the use of chemical weapons against Syrians."

The claim could not be independently verified. The opposition has not commented on the report.

In the Gulf nation of Bahrain, British Foreign Secretary William told a security conference that he had seen "some evidence" that Syria is preparing to use chemical weapons against rebels."

The Foreign Secretary declined to give details of the intelligence, but again warned Assad's regime would face action if they were deployed.

Asked about Syrian chemical weapons, he said "we do have contingency plan on this I am sorry I am not going on details."

Also Saturday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said rebels and troops continued fighting around the Damascus International Airport, south of the capital. The battle around the airport began last week.

State-run Syrian TV said Assad's army is "continuing its operations" in the suburbs of Damascus and killed a number of "terrorists."

In the north, a Syrian jet bombed the town of Tal Abyad near the border with Turkey, and rebels responded with anti-aircraft fire, the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency reported. A plume of smoke could be seen rising from Tal Abyad, it said. No casualties were reported.

Residents at the Turkish border town of Akcakale were told to keep away from the frontier region. On Oct. 3, a shell from the fighting struck a house in the town, killing five people and prompting Turkey to launch retaliatory strikes at Syria.

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Officials say 3 soldiers killed in east Yemen

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemeni security officials say three soldiers including a senior officer were killed in an ambush by militants while visiting a main oil pipeline that had been blown up by militants on Friday.

The officials say they believed the militants in the attack were from al-Qaeda. The army began an offensive last week in the restive, oil-rich Marib province east of the capital to target militants who repeatedly attacked the pipeline and power lines in recent weeks.

Fifteen soldiers were injured in Saturday's ambush in Marib. The militants stole six military vehicles.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

The U.S. considers the local al-Qaida branch the world's most active. The U.S. has helped Yemen intensify its campaign against militants.

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