"All my people love me," Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi insisted Monday, ignoring mounting global pressure to step down and perhaps head into exile after four decades at the helm of his country.

"They love me. All my people with me. They love me all. They would die to protect me," the veteran Libyan leader said speaking in halting English in an interview with Western media shown on the BBC's world news website.

The United States on Monday told defiant Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi he must "go now," repositioned forces near Libya and raised the prospect of exile for its foe, as it cranked up pressure on his fragile regime.

Washington further stiffened its rhetoric and said it was talking to Libyan opposition groups, apparently seeking to further destabilize Gadhafi after an uprising against his decades-long rule that has killed more than 1,000 people.

Lebanon is expecting the arrival of a technical delegation from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon that is scheduled to meet with President Michel Suleiman and Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri to place the finishing touches to the phase preceding the finalization of the indictment in the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Informed sources in the STL's functioning told the Central News Agency on Monday that Pre-trial Judge Daniel Fransen and Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare have completed their work sessions to come up with the indictment's final draft.

Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Monday stressed that Hizbullah's weapons have become a "national problem" which needs a "national solution."

Hariri called on the Hizbullah-led camp to "confess that this problem has become a national problem par excellence which needs a national solution par excellence, before anything else."

Fresh clashes erupted between Omani police and protesters on Monday, a day after police killed at least one as the turmoil rocking the Arab world reached the normally calm Gulf sultanate.

Hundreds of demonstrators stormed a police station in the key industrial area of Sohar, northwest of the capital Muscat, and police responded by firing tear gas.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged the international community Monday to work together on further steps to end the crisis in Libya, adding that Washington was keeping all options on the table.

"We all need to work together on further steps to hold the Gadhafi government accountable, provide humanitarian assistance to those in need and support the Libyan people as they pursue a transition to democracy," she told the U.N. Human Rights Council.

Informed sources confirmed on Monday that a March 8 envoy visited Damascus last week where it held talks on the government formation process in Lebanon.

They told the Central News Agency that the envoy was informed that there will be no interference in the government formation process, adding that he received Damascus’ support for Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati and a recommendation that Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun’s demands be taken into consideration.

The European Union on Monday agreed to slap an asset freeze and travel ban on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and 25 members of his family and inner circle, the EU's Hungarian presidency said.

"The EU measures not only implement the resolution of the United Nations Security Council of February 26 but in addition impose autonomous sanctions", said Tamas Fellegi, national development minister of Hungary, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat stated on Monday that the possession of arms between various Lebanese parties should be addressed, “but the main weapons to defend Lebanon against any Israeli assault should remain.”

He told France 24: “These arms are Lebanon’s defense and fortification … Lebanon should either side with the western Israeli front or the Arab Islamic one.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea lamented on Monday that the situation in Lebanon wouldn’t improve as long as there isn’t a single state.

“Things couldn’t straighten up in a country where there is no single state,” Geagea said in reference to Hizbullah which the March 14 forces accuse of forming a state within the Lebanese state.