(Democracy Now! 0752 PT, May 13, 2011) As news is developing from Yemen this morning, Democracy Now! interviews Iona Craig, a Times of London correspondent, based in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a. Tens of thousands of Yemenis have taken to the streets today for what organizers have called the "Friday of Decisiveness."

The marches are taking place days after Yemeni forces opened fire on demonstrators. The death toll from weeks of protests has surpassed 160. The violence comes as Qatar has pulled out of international talks on a deal that would see Saleh voluntarily resign.

Amnesty International has described the actions of Libya leader Muammar al-Gaddafi against Libyans as "horrifying," saying that planting mines and shelling residential areas could constitute war crimes. Meanwhile, France has expelled 14 Libyan diplomats loyal to Gaddafi’s government. The Libya Contact Group met in Rome on Thursday and decided to create a relief fund for the revolutionaries and allow them to use frozen Libyan assets for humanitarian purposes. 

In Syria, army gunfire killed six protestors during an anti-government protest in Homs. An unknown number of protestors were injured in the city of al-Tall, where the army also opened fire on anti-regime protests. Syrian state-run TV is describing the incidents as “military operations” to “remove terrorist elements.” Syrian security forces were deployed in the suburbs of Damascus as well as to cities in northern Syria in anticipation of a massive demonstration that activists are calling the "Friday of Defiance." 

Details of the U.S. operation to kill al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden continue to unfold days after his death. The CIA used a hideout in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad to prepare for bin Laden’s assassination and gather intelligence. Washington defended its actions, saying that it reserves the right to carry out military operations similar to the one that killed bin Laden. In response, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry warned that any unilateral military action will have “grave consequences.”

Pro- and anti-government protests continue in Yemen as  thousands of protestors gathered in several Yemeni cities to demand President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s immediate resignation. Saleh is now describing his opponents as criminals, traitors, and outlaws. The Gulf Cooperation Council is continuing its attempts to mediate the crisis and has requested that 15 regime loyalists and 15 opposition figures be sent to sign the Gulf plan.

Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki and Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh have welcomed Qatar’s mediation in the ongoing conflict between the two countries. The presidents have signed an agreement vowing to make an effort to find a solution to the countries’ border dispute. The conflict began with Eritrea's occupation of Djiboutian territories in the Rias Doumira region. Clashes escalated between Eritrea and Djibouti in the mid-1990s and the relationship between the two countries has been tense ever since. 

(Al Jazeera English: 0900 PST, February 23, 2011) A day after Muammar Gaddafi threatened protesters with death in a televised speech, an army commander tells Al Jazeera that his forces are with the people, not the Libyan leader.

The town of Misurata, in western Libya, has reportedly fallen to the opposition, and much of the east seems to be controlled by pro-democracy protesters. Laurence Lee reports on the latest events.

East Libya Under Opposition Control

(Al Jazeera English: 0600 PST, February 23, 2011) Egyptians on the road fleeing Libya report fighting in towns along the way, and the situation remains chaotic. One man says there had been a "bloodbath." Mercenaries, some French-speaking and allegedly from Chad, roam during the night. Eyewitnesses say police have fled or are in hiding, and that opposition forces control the east of Libya up to the city of Benghazi.

Hoda Abdel Hamid reports from the city of Tobruk, around 140km west of the border with Egypt.

(Al Jazeera English: 1000 PST, February 22, 2011) In a lengthy televised address, Muammar Gaddafi variously blamed the media, the U.S., the UK, Italy, and hallucinogenic drugs forced on young protesters for causing the trouble in his country. The Libyan leader tried his hardest to appeal to anti-colonialist sentiment in the country but behind all the anger there seemed to be one key message: he has created Libya, and will never leave.

But pressure on Gaddafi is mounting. Several major cities across Libya are under the control of the opposition and the deadly crackdown on protesters seems to have been hardening the popular resolve. Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee reports.

(Al Jazeera English: 0400 PST, February 22, 2011) The future of Libya appears to be a knife-edge, as airforce fighter jets have bombarded the capital, Tripoli, reportedly on the orders of leader Muammer Gaddafi. Witnesses in Tripoli say that mercenaries are roaming the streets, firing at anyone they see in a bid to dissuade people from demonstrating against Gaddafi.

High-level diplomats from Gaddafi's government, meanwhile, have been resigning or disavowing themselves from his leadership across the world. Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee reports.

Stories of 'Death and Destruction" Emerge from Libya

(Al Jazeera English: 0430 PST, February 22, 2011)Al Jazeera's Jamal Elshayyal reaches the Egyptian side of the border with Libya and begins to receive reports from those fleeing the country in revolt.

Civilians have rushed to the Al Jazeera team with memory sticks, telling him they contain images of "horrific scenes": planes and helicopter gunships firing indiscriminately, and mercenaries breaking into homes and "slaughtering" people.

(Al Jazeera English Headlines: 0330 PST, February 22, 2011) Muammar Gaddafi, Libya's leader of 42 years, appeared briefly under an umbrella to tell viewers that he had planned on sleeping among protesters in Tripoli, the capital, but couldn't because of the rain. State television then went on to broadcast video of an orchestra and singers.

(Al Jazeera English Headlines: 1135 PST, February 18, 2011) The King of Bahrain has asked his crown prince to start a dialogue with all parties over the unrest in the country. This comes as security forces reportedly opened fire on anti-government protesters; one doctor told Al Jazeera the number of casualties is "uncountable."

Dozens of people have reportedly now died as a result of clashes in Libya. The country's revolutionary committee, considered the backbone of Libya's regime, has said the response to any further unrest will be sharp and violent.

And there have also been further clashes in Yemen, killing several people and wounding dozens more. Crowds have been gathering for eight days, calling for an end to President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 32-year rule.

(Al Jazeera English: 0830 PST, February 18, 2011) Bahraini troops shot at protesters near Pearl Roundabout and wounded many, a doctor of Salmaniya hospital said, a day after police forcibly cleared a protest camp from the traffic circle in Manama. Dr. Ghassan said: "There are many casualties with head wounds." The demonstrators made for Pearl Roundabout, where army troops who took it over after the police raid on Thursday opened fire.

(Al Jazeera English: 0800 PST, February 18, 2011) Mohamed el-Berqawy, an engineer in Benghazi, Libya's second-largest city, told Al Jazeera by phone that mourners have been shot and killed on Friday. He appealed to US president Barack Obama and Arab League chief Amr Moussa for help.

Human Rights Watch claims 24 people have been killed in the clashes.

(Al Jazeera English Headlines: 1700 PST, February 17, 2011) The U.S. and President Barack Obama continue to waver in their position regarding the unrest sweeping through the Middle East. The country says it will not dictate events in the region. But Obama has criticized the Iranian government's violent response to protests there, while at the same time maintaining a more neutral tone with Bahrain.

Many find the US's response disappointing, and some feel the White House will only react strongly to those governments it does not have a stake in. Al Jazeera's Patty Culhane reports.