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CAIRO: Latest developments in the unrest sweeping the Middle East and North Africa in the past 24 hours:
LIBYA: France said military action against Libya would come “within hours”, as a UN vote approving air strikes was celebrated by rebels and Moamer Kadhafi's son said his family was “not afraid.”- Europe's air traffic agency said Libya had shut down its air space.
- Kadhafi forces were pounding the rebel bastion of Misrata, east of Tripoli, after a night of heavy gunfire, a rebel spokesman said.
- NATO is due to discuss the role the alliance may take in Libya after the UN Security Council in a resolution on Thursday approved “all necessary measures” to impose a no-fly zone, protect civilian areas and pressure Libyan Kadhafi into accepting a ceasefire.
- Turkey called for an immediate ceasefire and an end to bloodshed in Libya.
- Kadhafi threatened to send his troops against Benghazi but later changed tack as “a humanitarian gesture.”- Libya, despite condemning the resolution as a threat to its unity, said it was ready for a ceasefire but wanted to discuss terms of its implementation.
- Before the UN vote, the defence ministry in Tripoli said “any military operation against Libya will expose all air and maritime traffic in the Mediterranean to danger.”- Insurgents claimed they had shot down Kadhafi warplanes trying to bomb their Benghazi bastion.
BAHRAIN: Bahrain's Shiite opposition called for fresh demonstrations after Friday prayers, in defiance of martial law and a violent crackdown by the US-backed kingdom's security forces.
- UN chief Ban Ki-moon has warned Bahrain that its crackdown on anti-government protesters might be breaking international law after his human rights chief spoke of “shocking and illegal” abuses.
- Police fired on Bahrain protesters on Thursday to disperse a demonstration in the Shiite village of Deih, west of the capital Manama.
- The army cut a curfew by four hours.
EGYPT: Pro-democracy activists who spearheaded the mass rallies that ousted Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak prepared for a new protest Friday on the eve of a referendum on the military's transition plans.
KUWAIT: Hundreds of Kuwaiti Shiites demonstrated on Thursday against a violent police crackdown on Shiite-led protests in Bahrain and to thank Kuwait's emir for not sending troops there.
SAUDI: Hundreds of Saudi Shiites rallied late on Thursday in the east of the kingdom to show solidarity with their fellow Shiites at the centre of protests in Bahrain, witnesses said.
YEMEN: At least 20 people were wounded in Yemen and some 200 suffered from tear-gas inhalation Thursday when anti-regime protesters clashed with loyalists, backed by police.
- Yemen sacked the security chief in the main southern city of Aden several officials resigned in protest at crackdowns on anti-regime protesters.
TUNISIA: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged Thursday to help Tunisia create jobs and undertake reforms to keep the momentum behind the popular uprising that overthrew its autocratic president two months ago.
- Hundreds of Tunisians, including Islamists, marched through central Tunis to protest Clinton's visit.
SYRIA: Syria on Thursday charged 32 demonstrators with attacking the reputation of the state a day after they joined a rally calling for the release of political prisoners, a rights group said.
JORDAN: Faced with growing demands for reform, King Abdullah II hinted that Jordan could hold early elections by the end of 2011 at a meeting with young activists.
ALGERIA: Algerian youths seeking political change and a movement of unemployed people said they plan to hold separate demonstrations in Algiers late this week.
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: Sixteen protesters briefly took refuge in a UN compound in Gaza City on Thursday after Hamas police broke up their demonstration calling for an end to Palestinian divisions.
UAE: The United Arab Emirates will elect new members of the purely advisory Federal National Council on September 24, daily newspapers reported Thursday.
