TUNISIA

Global food prices hit a record high in February, the United Nations said Thursday, warning that fresh oil price spikes and stockpiling by importers keen to head off popular unrest would hit already volatile cereal markets.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) slashed its forecast for airline industry profits in 2011, citing the recent surge in oil and jet kerosene prices. The association warned of substantial deterioration in profits if rising energy costs significantly weakens economic growth.

Britain, France and Tunisia have started airlift thousands of Egyptians stuck at the Libya-Tunisia border to safety in Cairo, in response to pleas from the United Nations (UN) to prevent a humanitarian crisis.

Gold touched a record high above $1,440 an ounce on Wednesday, as a bullish confluence of political unrest in Libya, surging oil prices and easy monetary policies spurred safe haven buying.

The United Nations (UN) has warned that up to100,000 African migrants may seek to escape strife-torn Libya and cross into poverty-stricken Niger in the next few weeks, fearing they may be killed by anti-Gaddafi Libyans who believe they are mercenaries.

Protests in Bahrain are starting to make forays away from the central square in Manama and into different parts of the city, pressing the Sunni-led government for swift democratic reform.

About 350 illegal migrants from Tunisia have reached Italy by boat, raising fears of more people strife-torn North Africa will try to cross the Mediterranean for Europe.

Here are some vignettes of pitched battles raging in Libya as well as visuals of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the North African country:

The top two U.S. defense officials have not confirmed if the Libyan government has been firing on its own people from aircraft.

The United Nations has called for an epic humanitarian evacuation of people seeking to escape Libya for Tunisia, citing the “crisis point” conditions at the border between the two countries.

Spot gold rallied to a record of $1,432.10 an ounce, surpassing its previous record of $1,430.95 set on December 7, as chaos in Libya and political turmoil in the Arab world prompted safe-haven buying and soaring oil prices boosted bullion's inflation hedge appeal.

At least three more Tunisian government ministers have quit their posts following the resignation of the interim Prime Minister on Sunday, according to the state news agency, Tunis Afrique Presse.

A YouTube musical clip mocking embattled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has become a hot hit in the Arab world, its Israeli creator said on Tuesday.

Iranian security forces have reportedly fired tear gas at anti-government protesters attending a rally in Teheran.

Libya could descend into civil war if Muammar Gaddafi refuses to quit, the United States said on Tuesday, its demand for an end to his rule carrying new weight after word of unspecified Western military preparations.

Internet campaigns calling for protests against the 31-year rule of President Robert Mugabe on Tuesday did not lead to any mass gatherings in Zimbabwe, where police have threatened to crush any Egypt-style protests.

International Business Times spoke to Dilshod A. Achilov, a professor of political science at East Tennessee State University, in Johnson City, and an expert on the Middle East and Islam about the feasibility of Arab nations emulating the models found in Turkey and Indonesia. Here is part 2 of the interview:

International Business Times spoke to Dilshod A. Achilov, a professor of political science at East Tennessee State University, in Johnson City, and an expert on the Middle East and Islam about the feasibility of Arab nations emulating the models found in Turkey and Indonesia. Here is part 1 of the interview:

Continuing anti-government protests has brought tens of thousands of people to the capital of Yemen, again demanding the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, one day after he proposed the formation of a new unity government which would include opposition members.

Reports say many cities along the west of the country are being besieged as forces loyal to Gaddafi are trying to retake control of them. ABC News has reported, quoting diplomats, that thousands of people have died in the western border with Tunisia in the two weeks since violent protests erupted.

Gold was little changed near $1,410 an ounce on Monday but notched its biggest monthly gain since August as chaos in Libya and rising tensions across the Middle East prompted investors to buy the metal as a safe haven. The US dollar lost its status and is at November lows.