The announcement of the Syrian National Council at a news conference in Istanbul appeared to be the most serious step yet to unify a deeply fragmented opposition.

At a news conference in Benghazi, a spokesman for Libya's Transitional National Council said the people of Misrata were exposed to random shelling.

The collection has been recognized as being of national and international importance by Britain's Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, Historic Royal Palaces said in a news release.