World News from the BBC
Rebels in Libya have been forced to withdraw from the eastern town of Brega after coming under heavy bombardment from troops loyal to Colonel Gaddafi. Jon Leyne reports from the rebel-held town of Benghazi.
Government forces are continuing to
press on
with what is becoming a fairly rapid advance in eastern Libya. Two days after the small town of Ras Lanuf fell into government hands, the oil town of Brega, 100 kilometres further east, has either been captured by Colonel Gaddafi’s forces or looks like it’s about to fall. That leaves the town of Ajdabiya as the last major
obstacle
before the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. So the big question now is whether Colonel Gaddafi has the forces and the
backup
to try and recapture the rest of the country. A battle for Benghazi will be far bloodier than anything seen so far.
Meanwhile, France has said it wants to
speed up
diplomatic efforts to impose a no-fly zone over Libya.
There have been more violent clashes in Yemen between police and demonstrators demanding an end to the rule of President
Ali Abdullah Saleh. Reports say at least 100 people were injured when police used tear gas and live ammunition to
disperse
protestors in the capital Sanaa.
The ruler of Oman, Sultan Qaboos, has announced he is to hand over some of his powers to officials from outside the royal family. A royal decree said the Legislative Council of Oman would be given lawmaking powers. Until now, the role of the council has been to advise the Sultan, who has ruled Oman for four decades.