| | Date: May 27, 2011 | Source: Associated Press | | Latest developments in Arab world's unrest |
YEMEN Fighting spills across Yemen's capital, and frightened residents flee or cower in basements as a powerful militia alliance warns embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh to either step down or face civil war. At least 28 people are killed as the four-day death toll nears 110. The bold ultimatum reflects the growing confidence among the opposition forces — led the Yemen's largest tribe — that they could be gaining the upper hand against Saleh's regime with the uprising shifting from near daily street protests to fast-moving urban combat. But Saleh also has shown he will not go easily. ___ LIBYA Libya's government pushes a cease-fire proposal and says for the first time it is prepared to speak with its rebel adversaries, signaling that months of fighting and NATO bombardment may be closer to forcing some concessions. Even so, the government insists Moammar Gadhafi would not relinquish power, which he has held for more than 40 years. His departure is a key demand of the United States, European leaders and the rebels, who say they will not consider halting more than three months of fighting until Gadhafi goes. ___ SYRIA The Syrian opposition calls on the nation's army to join the uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime, saying regime elements are targeting protesters and troops. The opposition says on Facebook that protests planned for Friday will honor the "Guardians of the Nation," a reference to the army. The call appears to be an effort to break a stalemate after nearly 10 weeks of protests. During the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, the armed forces broke with the regimes and sided with the protesters. Human rights groups say the government's crackdown on dissent has killed more than 1,000 people, including dozens of soldiers. ___ BAHRAIN Bahrain's military prosecutors are asking the country's highest court to review two death penalty sentences linked to anti-government protests. A special security court issued the sentences last month for four people convicted of killing two policemen during the unrest. Two of the sentences were reduced to life in prison and two death sentences were upheld. ___ EGYPT Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood says it will boycott a key rally critical of the military rulers on Friday, accusing the organizers of seeking to divide the nation after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak. The rally's organizers — an array of youth groups and reformists — are calling for a return to Cairo's landmark Tahrir Square on Friday for a protest billed as "the second revolution of anger," to nudge Egypt's new military rulers toward faster democratic reforms. Some have called for replacing the ruling military with a civilian council. A Brotherhood statement says the protest calls "drive a wedge" between the people and the army ___ TUNISIA Tunisia's electoral commission says it wants the first national election since the toppling of the country's longtime strongman delayed for three months. The commission proposes holding the vote for a constituent assembly on Oct. 16 instead of in July to allow organizers more time.
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