Former Libyan leader Col. Muammar Qaddafi called reports that he had fled to neighboring Niger “psychological warfare and lies”. He also vowed to defeat the rebels, in an audio message aired by the Damascus-based Arrai television channel on Thursday.In the aired phone call – which was made from inside Libya, according to the Syrian TV station Qaddafi denied allegations of escape and said “They have nothing else to resort to apart from psychological warfare ... Read more »

Syrian forces have launched a fresh assault on the city of Homs, killing up to seven people. The renewed unrest in Homs comes just hours after Syria called off a visit by the Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Arabi. They gave no explanation for postponement except it was for "objective reasons". The League has called to halt violence and spoken of the Syrian people's legitimate aspirations for social and political reform, Bbc.co.uk reported.

Three months after the forced medical escape of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a political situation in Yemen threatens to escalate into open confrontation between Saleh loyalists and opponents. The elite Republican Guard army, commanded by Ahmed, the eldest son of Saleh, have reinforced their presence in Sanaa and deployed tanks on the hills overlooking the capital. Troops loyal to dissident General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, fewer and less well armed, have forti... Read more »

Fighting have broken out on Cairo streets ahead of the trial of ex-President Hosni Mubarak. People gathered outside the police academy courthouse where the trial is taking place. Police are trying to keep apart anti- and pro-Mubarak crowds. The 83-year-old former head of state is accused of ordering the killing of protesters during the uprising earlier this year that put an end his rule. Mubarak denies all the charges. This is the third hearing, but this ti... Read more »

Sudan has declared a state of emergency in Blue Nile state and said it was appointing a military ruler there. The yesterday’s decision followed clashes between Sudan's army and forces aligned to South Sudan. Al-Sowarmy Khalid Saad, a Sudanese army spokesman, said Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) forces attacked Sudan's army in and around al-Damazin, the state capital, earlier this week. The army responded and the area was now in control, Aljazeera.... Read more »

Syria is facing new stricter sanctions, as another day of demonstrations against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for the world community to ban Syrian oil and gas fistribution on their territories and again urged Mr Assad to step aside. EU ministers meet in Poland today to discuss sweeping fresh sanctions. In Syria, activists are preparing for another protests, under the slogan "death rather than humiliati... Read more »

Iran authorities believe Saudi Arabia's security is linked to its own security, an Iranian foreign ministry official said in a response to a Saudi allegation that Tehran was "targeting" the country. "Iran has always wanted the stability, peace and progress of Saudi Arabia," Middle-east-online.com quotes unidentified official as saying. "The security of Saudi Arabia and Iran are linked and the Islamic Republic of Iran believes that the security of Saudi Arab... Read more »

The Israeli army has said it is starting to train Jewish settlers in the West Bank to repel anticipated violent clashes. The move comes ahead of possible protests by Palestinians when they make a bid for separate statehood at the United Nations General Assembly in September. The campaign for recognition is confronted by Israel and officials fear the bid could revive violence. Settler officials denied a newspaper report that suggested Jewish settlers would b... Read more »

Libyan colonel Moamer Gathafi's wife, two sons and a daughter crossed Algeria-Libyan border on Monday, says the foreign ministry in a statement. "The wife of Moamer Gathafi, Safiya, his daughter Aisha, and sons Hannibal and Mohammed, accompanied by their children, entered Algeria at 08:45 am (0745 GMT) through the Algeria-Libyan border," Middle-east-online.com quotes ministry statement as saying. "This information has been brought to the attention of the Un... Read more »

A suicide bomber has killed at least 28 people and wounded at least 30 more after blowing himself up inside Bahgdad's largest Sunni mosque. The attack took place during prayers towards the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in the Umm al-Qura mosque in western part of Iraqi capital. Officials said that the member of Iraqi parliament Khalid al-Fahdawi was among the dead in the strike, bbc.co.uk reported. The mosque is the main headquarters of the Sunni ... Read more »