Libyan revolutionary fighters struggled to expand the offensive into Muammar Gaddafi’s home town today with street-by-street battles and commanders seeking to break open a new front against loyalist forces fiercely defending the most symbolic stronghold remaining from the shattered regime.

The United Nations General Assembly has voted to recognise Libya's national transitional council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

A son of Muammar Gaddafi and three of his generals were trying to gain political asylum today in the poor, landlocked nation of Niger, after a 1,000 mile-plus drive across the vast desert that separates the two countries.

WARY of alienating a powerful local tribe, fighters backing Libya’s new rulers are urging families to leave the besieged town of Bani Walid before resorting to full-scale military force to take one of Muammar Gaddafi’s last strongholds.

Muammar Gaddafi supporters rocketed a front line south of Tripoli today, testing the patience of the country’s new leaders as a grace period for the holdouts to surrender runs out.

Rebel reinforcements converged on one of Muammar Gaddafi’s last strongholds in Libya today, even as they gave the town a last chance to surrender.

Libyan rebels laying siege to one of Muammar Gaddafi’s remaining strongholds say surrender talks have broken down and they are ready to attack.