Ivorian leader under siege; Libyan rebels fault NATO
Cote d'Ivoire: Laurent Gbagbo is holed up in his palace in Abidjan, and refuses to leave
despite lengthy negotiations by the United Nations and France. But his grip on power continues to weaken: French forces have
taken over the country's airport,
and forces loyal to internationally-recognised leader Alassane Outtara
have taken over parts of Abidjan. Outtara's forces have been
unable to enter Gbagbo's bunker, though.
Meanwhile, a Catholic charity in Cote d'Ivoire said more than 1,000 people were massacred in the western town of Duekoue; it's
unclear who is responsible.
Libya: NATO has
promised to protect the country's civilian population after Abdul Fatah Younis, the head of the Libyan opposition forces,
accused the alliance
of "acting too slowly" against forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi. Rebel
forces lost ground early in the week, but on Wednesday began a push
to retake the city of Brega.
NATO has also promised to carry out more airstrikes on the besieged
western city of Misurata, where witnesses say water, electricity and
medical supplies are running low.
Yemen: Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Yemeni president, remains defiant despite ongoing unrest in his country. Thousands of people were
injured by tear gas on Monday in the southern city of Taiz, and more than a dozen were killed by snipers allegedly posted on the rooftops. Saleh is
facing pressure to resign from the United States,
one of his staunchest allies; officials in the Gulf Cooperation Council
have called for transition talks in Saudi Arabia at an undisclosed date
in the future.
