AL JAZEERA

Yemeni riot police have reportedly fired warning shots and used night-sticks to beat back prisoners in the central jail of the nation’s capital, Sanaa, after they demanded the overthrow of Ali Abdullah Saleh, according to a security official.

Fears of a civil war and a looming humanitarian crisis grew in Libya as forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi escalated attacks on rebel-held cities in a bid to recapture control, causing dozens of deaths and mass exodus of people.

Saudi Arabia banned all public demonstrations in the country and vowed to use all forces to stop the Shiite-led protesters from breaking public order, reports have said.

Protests at the state security building in Alexandria, Egypt led to violent clashes between demonstrators and security officers who fired on them

Members of the Houthi insurgent group in north Yemen said armed government soldiers forces fired rockets and artillery on their anti-government protest, killed two people and injured seven others.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed concern on Thursday that the United States was losing the information war internationally, and especially in the Middle East, drawing a critical comparison between the U.S. media and broadcaster Al Jazeera.

Security forces in the Libyan capitol of Tripoli have fired tear gas on hundreds of protesters who gathered on the streets after Friday prayers.

Opposition leaders who now control much of eastern Libya have rejected overtures to enter into negotiations unless Muammar Gaddafi steps down and departs into exile.

Muammar Gaddafi struck at rebel control of a key Libyan coastal road for a second day on Thursday but received a warning he would be held to account at The Hague for suspected crimes by his security forces.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has reportedly accepted an offer of mediation from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez while an opposition group has rejected it, according to a report.

Egypt's Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq has resigned, according to the country’s ruling military council.

Libyan air forces have launched attacks on the eastern oil city of Brega in an effort to retake the port city from the rebels, according to media reports.

China wants to elbow U.S. oil giant Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) out of a $15 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Papua New Guinea, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday in an example of the new competition Beijing presents to U.S. interests.

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.

Non-Libyan Africans are reportedly becoming the target of revenge killings in Libya, owing to the perception that foreigners form a large part of Moammar Gaddafi’s mercenary force paid to kill anti-government protesters,

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's confidant, described as a voluptuous blond Ukrainian nurse, has deserted him amid violent protests in the country demanding his ouster.

In defiance of almost universal condemnation for his actions, Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi is reportedly raising the stakes by arming his supporters in Tripoli for a long and exhaustive battle against armed rebels who are reportedly encroaching upon the capitol.

Government forces shot dead at least two protesters in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Friday, television stations reported, as a popular uprising against Muammar Gaddafi closed in on his main power base.

Reports from Libya claim heavy fighting in the capitol city of Tripoli with anti-government protesters coming under heavy gunfire from troops and mercenaries in support of leader Moammar Gaddafi.

Besieged Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi has chemical and biological weapons at his disposal and would not hesitate to use them against his opponents, warned the country’s former Justice Minister Mustafa Abdel Galil, according to various media reports.

Reports are emerging that the Libyan government may be jamming satellite signals, in an effort to block incoming news channels and communications from the outside world.