Of the three North African countries at the heart of the popular uprisings that have riveted the world over the last several weeks, Libya's Muammar Qaddafi has always done the most to assert his country's African identity, staking its prestige, its riches and his own personal influence above all on its place in the continent.

The UK is prepared for a humanitarian aid effort after the political turmoil in Libya, International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell has said. The UN estimates that 100,000 people have fled Libya over the past week into neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia.

Tens of thousands of people have flooded the streets of the Yemeni capital Sanaa, again voicing their demands for the fall of the government. Protesters shouted "Leave!", signalling their rejection of an offer made by President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Monday to form a new unity government.

With Tunisia's Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Egypt's Hosni Mubarak gone, Muammar Gaddafi teetering on the brink in Libya and Arab leaders everywhere nervously reassessing their survival prospects, there has never been a more auspicious time for people across the region to demand their rights. Even in Saudi Arabia people are stirring.

Ever since Anwar Sadat’s assassination in 1981, Egypt has been ruled by Hosni Mubarak, who has been acting like a latter-day Pharaoh for the past 30 years. During his firm rule Mubarak brought “stability” to Egypt, primarily benefiting the ruling classes and not the man and woman on the street...

When Benghazi fell into the hands of the opposition a week ago, Saleh Zayani grabbed two sound mixers and a microphone and headed to the radio transmission building.

The young Arab women and men of Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Libya and Yemen have proved that they are willing to die to build a better future. They yearn for freedom, opportunity and democracy. It is doubtful they will accept anything less.