BEIRUT (AFP) - Tanks stormed a neighbourhood in the flashpoint Syrian central city of Homs as soldiers launched a house-to-house sweep of the area to crush regime opponents on Friday, activists said.

BEIRUT (AFP) - Three explosions rocked Syria's second largest city of Aleppo on Friday, activists said, adding that one of the blasts was near a military intelligence building.

DUBAI (AFP) - Security forces opened fire on a demonstration in Saudi Arabia's oil-rich east, fatally wounding a Shiite protester, activists and witnesses said on Friday.

LONDON (AFP) - British bank Barclays on Friday said its net profits dropped 16 percent to £3.0 billion (3.57 billion euros, $4.74 billion) in 2011 from a year earlier and cut its bonus pool by a quarter.

ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Pakistan's top court on Friday threw out an appeal from embattled Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani against contempt charges, paving the way for him to be indicted next week.