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.
