SYRIA Syrian security forces fan out through villages and towns in the northern province of Idlib, randomly hauling in males over age 16 as the government works to silence a center of anti-regime protest. In this border region, where thousands of Syrian civilians have fled to havens in Turkey, Turkish officials are preparing to send food, clean water, medicine and other aid to thousands more stranded on the Syrian side. LIBYA Renewed diplomatic efforts to halt the country's civil war appear to be gaining momentum as thunderous NATO airstrikes once again hammer Moammar Gadhafi's stronghold of Tripoli. Officials in the capital say they are open to international efforts that would bring an end to four months of fighting between forces loyal to the longtime leader and rebels who control the eastern third of the country along with pockets in the west. But they insist that Gadhafi will not bow to international pressure to push him aside. EGYPT Spanish authorities detain a close associate of ousted President Hosni Mubarak wanted for trial at home on charges of bribing Mubarak and his family and squandering public funds. The head of Egypt's Interpol, Brig. Gen. Magdy el-Shafei, told the state's Middle East News Agency authorities are preparing the necessary documents to bring Hussein Salem back to Egypt, where he faces a number of charges. Salem, one of the most secretive businessmen in Egypt, was detained in his home in Mallorca on an international arrest warrant issued by Interpol. Salem, an ex-army and intelligence officer, was a close associate of Mubarak from his early days in office three decades ago. TUNISIA The United Nations' high commissioner for refugees calls for greater international support for Tunisia to help with all the refugees that are fleeing the fighting in Libya. UNHCR's Antonio Guterres was visiting Tunisia, his second trip in two months, as part of the commemorations for world refugee day, June 20. More than 400,000 people of various nationalities have fled to Tunisia since the rebellion erupted in neighboring Libya against Moammar Gadhafi. There are now 70,000 Libyans seeking refuge in the south.
