16 Demonstrators Slain by Yemeni Security Forces, Many More Wounded

Today was the bloodiest day in the deteriorating situation in Yemen as a massive protest was broken up by gunfire in the city of Sanaa.  Government security forces, snipers, plain-clothes police officers, and government supporters opened fire and attacked protesters as they demonstrated, demanding that President Ali Abdullah Saleh step down.  Sixteen were killed and over 200 were wounded; there are reports that 25 are in critical condition.

Saleh has been in neighboring Saudi Arabia since being wounded in a rocket attack on June 3rd.  Saleh recently granted his vice-president the authority to negotiate in a peace deal being conducted by various members of the Arab world and backed by the United States, who has been an important partner with the Yemeni government in their efforts to stamp out an al Qaida affiliate in the south. 

Demonstrations took place in other Yemeni cities, none facing anything like the one in Sanaa.  Also on Sunday, the government forces shelled a district of Sanaa occupied by Sheik Sadeq al-Ahmar, ruler of Yemen's most powerful tribal confederation, the Hashid.  For many years, al-Ahmar's family were members of the ruling party, but he has since resigned and serves as one of the most prominant figures calling for Saleh's resignation.  Al-Ahmar reportedly told his fighters not to return fire, not wanting Saleh to use that as an excuse to cling to power.

United Nations News for Libya and Palestine

The United Nations voted to recognize the National Transitional Council as the legitimate government of Libya.  The NTC has control of a majority of the country after driving long time dictator Col. Moammar Gadhafi from the capital of Tripoli.  A representative from the NTC will arrive in New York City when the UN meets next week.

Furthermore, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority has announced that he will apply for full UN membership at next week's meeting of the full General Assembly.  Palestine currently has only "observer" status in the United Nations. 

According to the BBC:
"The Palestinian leader said he wanted recognition as a state within 1967 borders.  This includes the West Bank - including East Jerusalem - and the Gaza Strip.  All of these areas were occupied by Israel in 1967.  Israel withdrew its troops from Gaza in 2005, but is still in control of its airspace and coastline."

President Abbas said that he was dissapointed with the lack of progress occurring in negotiations with Israel.  Furthermore, Abbas stated that more than 126 world states have recognized Palestine's sovereignty.

Israel has promised to fight the vote in the General Assembly and has threatened retaliation if Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by the United Nations.  The United States of America said that it would use its Security Council veto to kill the vote.

Iran Announces Nuclear Power

Iran has announced today that it has a nuclear power facility that has begun operations today, producing electricity.  This has come under condemnation by the UN, who suspects Iran of pursuing nuclear weapon capabilities.

Rebels Give Gadhafi Family One Week To Surrender; Gadhafi Family Split

The National Transitional Council has issued an ultimatum to the Gadhafi family, telling them that they have one week to surrender. The military arm of the National Transitional Council has surrounded the town of Bani Walid, which is considered the last holdout of support for Gadhafi.  There are anti-Gadhafi forces also encircling his home town of Sirte.  An advisor still loyal to the leader insisted that he was still in Libya and well defended, but he was not sure where exactly Gadhafi was.

The Gadhaffi family is far from unified in all this. Saadi Gadhafi, son of Col. Moammar Gadhafi, has been working to negotiate a cease-fire between his father's forces and the National Transitional Council.  He expressed anger to CNN over comments made by his brother Saif al-Islam over the radio that halted negotiations.

The National Transitional Council also announced that it would be moving its headquarters from Benghazi in the east to Libya's capital Tripoli in the west.  NTC forces also have been raiding abandoned army bases and apprehending the equipment left there by Gadhafi's defeated army.  The NTC is also beginning to restore Libya's oil production.

CNN also reports that Cuba has withdrawn its ambassador from Libya, saying that it does not recognize the National Transitional Council as the legitimate government of Libya.

Documents Found in Tripoli Linking CIA to Libyan Intelligence.

In a basement of Libya's External Intelligence Agency, many documents were discovered establishing a link between the American Central Intelligence Agency and the Libyan government.  According to the documents, the United States and the United Kingdom's intelligence agency MI6 would export terror suspects to Libya, where they would be interrogated outside of the anti-torture laws in place in the US and UK.  The validity of these documents has not been confirmed, but the CIA has not been quick to deny them, either.

Libyan Rebels Seize Capital Tripoli

In Libya, rebels stormed the capital of Tripoli.  Much of the city was secured over the course of the evening, but fighting continued around Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's compound throughout throughout the night.  There were also reports of renewed battle around the city of Zawiya, west of Tripoli.

During this operation, NATO stepped up its air presence in enforcing the no-fly-zone that has been in effect for several months.  The government forces reportedly fired three missiles at Misrata, controlled by the rebels.  NATO reported no casualties or damage, but condemned these strikes as a "threat to innocent people."

NATO and US advisors are concerned that Gadhafi's soldiers, including foreign mercenaries, may attempt to massacre civilians in the coming days.  There are also worries of an insurgency.

Two of Gadhafi's sons were reportedly captured, but there are conflicting reports of them being seen free at a Tripoli hotel.  As for Moammar Gadhafi himself, there is no sign.  Theories of his whereabouts include neighboring Chad or Algeria, the southern Libyan desert, or even some safehouse in Tripoli.

As the rebels consolidated their forces in Tripoli, mindful of snipers on rooftops, others pushed north to the coast, attempting to secure the highway leading to neighboring Tunisia.  There is a holdout of loyalist forces holding position along the coast.

More Deaths in Syria Despite Promises from Assad

As demonstrators took to the streets in Syria, they once more found themselves under fire from government security forces.  International human rights monitors reported at least twenty died.  This renewed violence comes as international calls for President Assad's resignation mount.  Friday is typically a day of increased protests in the Arab world, which occur following morning prayers.