At least five anti-government demonstrators have been killed in Yemen during protests demanding the immediate resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. In the southern city of Aden, four people were killed when police fired to disperse protesters.

A fifth person died in Yemen's second city Taiz when a hand grenade was thrown into a crowd from a car. More than 20 others were wounded.

The United Nations Security Council has begun discussing a resolution condemning Israel's expansion onto occupied Palestinian land. The resolution has been pursued by the Palestinian leadership, despite pressure from President Obama to abandon it. A vote is expected shortly. Barbara Plett reports from New York.

The decision to go ahead with the Friday vote puts America in a difficult position here. The Arab resolution condemning Israeli settlements

by and large

reflects the opinion of the world as well as the United States. However, Washington is under pressure to

veto

it, from Israel and also crucially from Congress, where the pro-Israel lobby is very strong. But a veto would anger Arab peoples at a time as street protests often directed at regional leaders allied to America. So the Obama administration placed enormous pressure on the Palestinians to withdraw the resolution and accept alternatives, which were ultimately rejected.

World News from the BBC

The United States government says it's imposing sanctions against 16 groups and individuals in Afghanistan for allegedly laundering money for drug traffickers there. They include the New Ansari Exchange, which is thought to be the biggest of Afghanistan's money transfer firms. Steve Kingstone reports from Washington.