LIBYA
Moammar Gadhafi's son Seif al-Islam vows to fight to the death, insisting in a broadcast statement that nobody still loyal to the regime would surrender to the rebels. Loyalist leaders, meeting in the Gadhafi stronghold of Bani Walid have insisted "We are going to die in our land," Seif al-Islam says. "No one is going to surrender." His statement comes shortly after his brother, al-Saadi, offers a softer tone on a different TV station, saying he's ready to mediate talks with the rebels. "The most important thing is to stop the bloodshed," he says. A rebel commander in Tripoli says al-Saadi is trying to negotiate terms for his own surrender.
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SYRIA
Syrian security forces searching for anti-government protesters raid houses in central Syria and make arrests. The troops, backed by tanks and military vehicles, enter districts in Homs and Hama as part of efforts to crush five months of street protests against President Bashar Assad. The latest raids come a day after security forces killed seven people as thousands of protesters poured out of mosques and marched through cemeteries at the start of Eid al-Fitr, a holiday when Muslims traditionally visit graves and pray for the dead.
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IRAN
Iran's top leader warns the Arab world not to allow Western powers and Israel to "confiscate" the region's pro-reform uprisings, in comments that appear to reflect the Islamic republic's unease about their standing in a profoundly altered Middle East. Iran has tried to walk two paths since the pro-democracy rebellions began in February — lauding the popular revolts as modern-day heirs to Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, while maintaining relentless pressure on opposition groups at home. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a speech broadcast on Iran's state TV to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, reflects the added worries that the West and its allies could gain ground in the Arab Spring.
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BAHRAIN
Bahraini security forces clash with anti-government protesters after Wednesday morning prayers, and a 14-year-old boy dies after being hit by a police tear gas canister. Activists blame police for the death of Ali Jawad Ahmad, who was in the crowd of protesters in the oil hub of Sitra. The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights cites witnesses as saying the boy died after being hit by a tear gas canister fired at close range by police during the demonstration.
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ALGERIA
Algeria's opposition is denouncing the government's decision to allow in relatives of Libya's Moammar Gadhafi. Gadhafi's wife, Safiya, daughter Aisha, sons Hannibal and Mohammed, and several grandchildren crossed into Algeria on Monday. Aisha gave birth at the border, and Algeria, citing humanitarian considerations, says her the pregnancy was one reason the family was permitted to enter.