Giornalisti al Rixos hote: elenco

The 35 hostages have been barred from leaving the building by gunmen brandishing AK-47s who have vowed to defend their country against rebels.

Food and water are running out, gunmen are "roaming the corridors" and snipers have been posted on the roof. Electrical power has also died in parts of the hotel.

Those inside include journalists from the BBC and ITN, as well as an Indian member of parliament and a US congressman.

The Foreign Office is considering what action to take but if the gunmen remain defiant and the hostages are not released, they are likely to have to consider a rescue by special forces such as the SAS.

The building has been the base for the pro-Gaddafi television station in the Libyan capital and it is where foreign journalists reporting the regime's activities were forced to stay.

Giornalisti al Rixos Hotel:

Matthew Price, BBC matthewwprice

For those worried about #Rixos This is not comfortable position but BBC CNN reuters AP fox sky china tv etc are all in good spirits



Matthew Chance CNN mchancecnn
Is there nothing anyone can do from outside? RT @mchancecnn: #Rixos4 hoping this nightmare will end in a fizzle - not a bang.

Woke early, gunman in #rixos lobby gone. Still forces on perimeter.

We do not want to prompt any dangerous action. We are trying to stay as safe as possible.

Just had confirmation that a Maltese boat docked in a Libyan port. Would love to get board and out of here.

We'd like to leave to a safer location and negotiate an exit, but we are being prevented from doing so.



Jomana Karadsheh CNN JomanaCNN

power is back at the #Rixos after a terrifying 24 hrs we have had...

Annie Phrommayon, Bangkok BBC, Tailand anniephr

Dario Lopez Mills, AP Photog Central America DarioLopezMills

Missy Ryan, Reuters missy_ryan

Paul Hackett, Reuters

Mahdi Nazemroaya, independent journalist, Canada, AP

Sze Ho-wai, CCTV

Feng Yunxian, CCTV

Jiang Xiaofeng, Phoenix TV

2 others, Phoenix TV

Thierry Meyssan, French

Tadek Markowski, FoxNews

Rolando Segura, TeleSUR (Venezuela) @rolandoteleSUR

Walter E. Fauntroy, pastor of the New Bethel Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., and civil rights activist

Mahdi Nazemroaya

John Hutton (at the Rixos, no work info) jnyhutton


Possible:

Julien Teil

Mathieu Ozanon From mathaba.net (pro-Gaddafi)

Jon Williams, BBC

Martin Geissler, ITV News