Uniformed police officers and plainclothes thugs fired on antigovernment protesters in the city of Taiz,

killing at least 11 and wounding scores more. President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the embattled tyrant whose

three-decade rule has unraveled in recent months, appears to be backed into a corner, with Washington,

once a staunch ally, now urging for a peaceful transition of power. Saleh is scheduled to attend

negotiations with members of the opposition in Saudi Arabia, but few expect that he'll agree to the

widespread demands for his immediate exit.