Egypt’s Tahrir Square Again Echoes With Cries for Justice

CAIRO — One woman called for a new revolution. A man called for former President Hosni Mubarak to be executed. An angry crowd in an auditorium here on Thursday night listened to stories of protesters injured or killed during Egypt’s revolution and in demonstrations since, and stood and applauded when a mother spoke of loss.

One of her sons was killed by a policeman’s bullet in January, and another son sits in a military prison, after he was beaten and arrested in a protest last week. “I’ve grown tired,” the mother, Amal Zine al Abadeen, told dozens who had gathered as a prelude to a rally of tens of thousands on Friday in Tahrir Square, where the uprising began.

“This revolution has done nothing for us,” she said. “I don’t want money. I don’t want anything at all. All I’m asking for is justice.”

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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/09/world/middleeast/09egypt.html

Yemen General Says Opposition Will Be Ally Against Terrorism

SANA, Yemen — As the Arab Spring has turned to summer, this impoverished nation has fallen into chaos, raising fears in Washington that it will become the next headquarters of Al Qaeda — particularly with the declining influence of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, one of America’s staunchest allies in the fight against terrorism.

But Gen. Ali Mohsin al-Ahmar, long one of Yemen’s most powerful military commanders and now a prominent opposition figure, says that familiar scenario has it just about backward.

Once it comes to power, he says, the opposition will become a far more dependable counterterrorism ally for the United States than President Saleh ever was. Mr. Saleh, now laid up in a Saudi hospital, is the problem, the general says, not the answer.

“As long as this regime is in power, Al Qaeda will continue to exist in Yemen,” said General Ahmar, sitting in his office at the headquarters of the army’s First Armored Division, which he leads. “Now, counterterrorism cooperation is based on material cooperation only. It is for the exchange of funds. How much will you give me if I can kill a person for you?”

As soon as political power is no longer consolidated in the Saleh family, General Ahmar vowed: “We will deal with terrorism as a critical issue. It will fight the terrorists as a matter of life or death. Not for material gain.”

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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/23/world/middleeast/23mohsin.html

NATO: Errant Strike May Have Killed Civilians in Libya

NATO has admitted another accidental airstrike by its forces may have killed civilians in the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

The alliance said the air strikes were launched against a military missile site in Tripoli Sunday, but "one weapon did not strike the intended target" because of a possible "weapons system failure." NATO said it regretted the "loss of innocent civilian lives."

Libyan officials said Sunday, NATO warplanes struck a residential neighborhood and killed nine people. Two children were among the dead.

This was the second recent admission of deadly error by coalition forces. On Saturday, NATO acknowledged that aircraft under its command had accidentally hit a rebel column near the oil refinery town of Brega on the frontline between the rebel-held east and the mainly government-held west on Thursday. The number of casualties in that attack were not revealed.

Elsewhere Sunday, rebels and medical officials in Libya say fighting near the rebel-held western city of Misrata has killed at least nine people and wounded more than 50 others.

The officials said forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi used heavy artillery to pummel Dafniya, just west of Misrata.

On Saturday, the coalition called Libyan government claims that alliance airstrikes are targeting civilians "outrageous." Spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said it is Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and his forces who have been "systematically and brutally attacking" the Libyan people

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http://www.voanews.com/english/news/NATO-Errant-Strike-May-Have-Killed-Civilians-in-Libya-124168929.html

Colonel Gaddafi wants Libyans to vote for him as leader meets rebels

MUAMMAR Gaddafi's regime is in direct talks with Libya's rebels, a Russian envoy indicated today, as the strongman's son said the way out of a months-long conflict is the staging of elections.

Russia's Mikhail Margelov, in Tripoli for one day after visiting the rebels in their Benghazi stronghold last week, made the remarks following a meeting with Libyan Prime Minister Baghdadi al Mahmudi.

"I was assured at today's negotiations that direct contacts between Benghazi and Tripoli are already underway," Mr Margelov said, according to Russia's ITAR-TASS news agency.

"The Libyan prime minister told me that a round of such contacts concluded yesterday in Paris," he said, adding that French President Nicolas Sarkozy "has been informed of the outcome of these contacts".

He did not disclose the nature of the talks, which could not be confirmed by the rebels' Transitional National Council.

Mr Mahmudi said Colonel Gaddafi's departure from power was a "red line" that cannot be crossed, despite growing international calls for him to quit and the armed insurrection against his 41-year rule.

"Of utmost concern to us in any dialog is the unity of Libya," Mr Mahmudi told a news conference in Tripoli.

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http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/colonel-gaddafi-wants-libyans-to-vote-for-him-as-leader-meets-rebels/story-e6frf7jx-1226077079165

Huge Protests in Yemen Call for Transitional Government

Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis have rallied in major cities throughout the country, demanding President Ali Abdullah Saleh step down and calling for a transitional council that excludes members of the current government.

In the capital, Sana'a, a huge crowd swelled Tuesday outside the home of Yemen's acting leader, Vice President Abd al-Rab Mansur Hadi - a day after Yemen's political opposition held talks with him on a possible transition plan.

Similar demonstrations were held in several other cities, Hadramawt, Hodeida, Ibb, Damar and Saada.

Mr. Saleh transferred power to his deputy after traveling to Saudi Arabia to seek medical treatment for wounds suffered in an attack on his presidential compound earlier this month. Several high-ranking Yemeni officials wounded in the attack are also being treated in Riyadh.

Yemen's state news agency said Mr. Saleh told Saudi King Abdullah by telephone Tuesday that his health is "constantly improving."

Meanwhile, the Gulf Cooperation Council met in Riyadh Tuesday to discuss how to resurrect its initiative aimed at resolving Yemen's political crisis.

The United States and Saudi Arabia are attempting to persuade Yemen's ruling party to adopt the GCC deal that would end Mr. Saleh's rule, create a unity government and conduct elections within two months. The group's efforts to help resolve the unrest stalled after President Saleh refused to sign a proposal which calls for him to eventually leave office.

In another development, Yemeni security sources say a bomb killed an army officer in a region near the southern port of Aden. Officials said the blast tore through the car of Colonel Muti'a al-Sayani while he was driving Monday.

In Washington, the State Department's counterterrorism coordinator said the U.S. is concerned Yemen's ongoing unrest could fuel connections between al-Qaida-linked militants there and al-Shabab insurgents in Somalia.

Daniel Benjamin said the United States is still cooperating with Yemen in the fight against al-Qaida despite the Gulf nation's political crisis and Mr. Saleh's absence.

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http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Bomb-Kills-Colonel-in-Yemens-South-123823269.html

Thousands Of Syrians Flee Into Turkey

Thousands of Syrians have fled into Turkey fearing a military attack, officials have said, as the country prepares for the possibility of more violent anti-government protests

Government troops have massed outside the town of Jisr al-Shughour, the scene of recent demonstrations, residents have said, adding that the settlement was now largely deserted.

There are now fears violence could intensify after Friday prayers.

The latest reports of a government crackdown intensified international concerns over Syria's handling of the protests.

Britain, France, Germany and Portugal have asked the UN Security Council to condemn President Assad, although veto-wielding Russia has said it would oppose such a move.

Foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said the Damascus government must be allowed time to implement promised reforms.

He said: "We do not believe the Syrian issue is a subject for consideration by the Security Council, let alone the adoption of some kind of resolution.


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U.S., allies say they remain firm on Libya mission

The United States, France and Britain said Thursday that they "remained united" in their determination to see Moammar Kadafi relinquish power in Libya, even as a meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Berlin heard a top commander appeal for more ground attack aircraft to bolster the alliance's efforts against Kadafi's forces.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sought to smooth over tensions among NATO members, saying that Kadafi "is testing our determination.... As our mission continues, maintaining our resolve only grows more important."

Her words were backed by a joint declaration issued hours later by President Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, promising to sustain their military operations in Libya.

Clinton said the United States was "especially concerned about the atrocities unfolding in Misurata," according to news accounts. "We are taking actions to respond, and those responsible will be held accountable."

But NATO chiefs say they need more ground attack aircraft to be more effective.

U.S. Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, NATO's supreme allied commander, Europe, said at the meeting of foreign ministers that eight additional, specific warplanes were necessary for precision strikes against Kadafi's units without causing civilian casualties, according to U.S. and NATO officials.

It was unclear which nations within the alliance might respond to the request. The U.S., which has far more ground attack planes than any other country, withdrew them last week when it shifted to a support role. And no other countries have so far pledged to meet Stavridis' request, the officials said.

Britain and France have openly insisted over the last few days that more action from the U.S. is needed.

Libyan forces have continued to attack opposition-held areas in the last week, but many have shed their uniforms and hidden their armored vehicles to avoid being targeted by NATO's high-flying and fast-moving fighter jets.

Only the U.S. Air Force has A-10s or AC-130s, planes that fly lower and slower to carry out precision attacks on ground targets.

Several other NATO members have fighters that have been modified to conduct such attacks, including the Netherlands and Britain, a U.S. officer said. Britain has already provided several Tornado ground attack fighters and said it would modify two Typhoon aircraft for a ground attacks.

But "many countries have ground-strike assets that have not been offered to the Libya campaign," the NATO officer said.

There was no sign that the United States was considering making its A-10s and AC-130s available.

Canadian Air Force Lt. Gen. Charlie Bouchard, commanding the Libyan campaign, has not asked for the U.S. warplanes and would do so only in an "emergency," the NATO officer said.

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http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-libya-nato-20110415,0,5499350.story

Ivory Coast president urges calm after Gbagbo is arrested

(CNN) -- Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara called for calm Monday after forces stormed the president's residence and arrested Laurent Gbagbo, whose refusal to accept the results of a presidential election last year plunged the West African nation into civil war.

"Finally, we have reached the dawn of a new era of hope," Ouattara said in a televised address. "We had hoped this transfer had been different, but we have to focus on today."

He urged his countrymen to lay down their weapons and said he has asked the justice minister to start legal proceedings against Gbagbo, his wife and his colleagues. Gbagbo is being held at the Golf Hotel, the headquarters of both Ouattara and the United Nations.

Fighting appeared to quickly end after Gbagbo's arrest, said Alain Le Roy, under-secretary-general of the United Nations' Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

"To my knowledge, most of the fighting has stopped," he said, adding that "there are pockets of resistance here and there."

Gbagbo asked for and is receiving U.N. protection, according to Le Roy, who said forces are also ensuring the security of the former leader's wife.

"I understand from President Ouattara that he wants President Gbagbo to go on trial in Ivory Coast," said the U.N. official.

The former president "is well and alive and will be brought to justice," said the country's ambassador to the United Nations, Youssoufou Bamba. He and the French Embassy said forces loyal to Ouattara made the arrest.

But a Gbagbo adviser, Ahoua Don Mello, said earlier that the French military had stormed Gbagbo's residence. The French Ministry of Defense rejected Don Mello's claim, saying no French troops entered the residence.

Authorities are trying to move carefully and follow legal procedures to bring Gbagbo to trial, said a senior U.S. official with knowledge of the events, declining to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation.

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http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/04/11/ivory.coast.crisis/?hpt=T2

EU states hunker down as migrants flood in

BRUSSELS — The European Union is failing to act fast enough to help Tunisia overcome economic hardship that has fuelled an exodus, and few states are willing to share the burden to ease the migratory flow, officials say.

Immigration is always a politically sensitive issue in Europe, but the flood of illegal migrants pouring into Italy's island of Lampedusa since Tunisia's January revolution has brought out a bunker mentality in the 27-nation European Union, officials lament.

"Right now it's 'every man for himself'... There is no spirit of cooperation," an EU official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"The atmosphere is not good," the official said.

Italy has pleaded for help from the rest of the EU to cope with the arrival of some 22,000 migrants on its shores, many of them Tunisians seeking a better future in other nations such as France, Belgium or non-EU but wealthy Switzerland.

However, Italy's EU partners have shown little enthusiasm to take in migrants.

Italy wants to issue temporary permits allowing illegal migrants to travel within Europe for six months, but the idea could anger its neighbours.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and French President Nicolas Sarkozy will discuss immigration at a meeting in Rome on April 26.

Alain Lamassoure, an influential French member of the European Parliament, complained about a lack of solidarity among EU states.

"In every European country, the tendency is to turn inwards while the reverse should be happening. We must work at a European level," Lamassoure said.

Officials say the problem must be addressed at its source, by prodding Tunisia to step up its own efforts to keep people from fleeing the country.

"The problem is in Tunisia. We must convince Tunisian authorities to stop the departures and take back citizens who arrived illegally in EU countries," another European official said.

"But for this to happen, we need (to offer) incentives," the official said.

Tunisian authorities want financial aid to revive the country's economy and provide jobs to a restless young population as a well as easier access to visas to visit Europe.

As long as the EU drags its feet, Tunisian authorities will not act, says the European Commission.

Tunisian officials have told European counterparts that agreeing to take back migrants who travelled illegally to Europe would only exacerbate Tunisia's unemployment problem.

A spokeswoman for EU neighbourhood policy commissioner Stefan Fuele explained that Brussels could not negotiate an "advanced status" deal with Tunisia because the country is still led by an interim government.

Such status, which Morocco enjoys, provides trade and travel advantages to partner nations.

In a letter to EU governments, EU home affairs commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem warned that the "continuous and possible increase" of flows of refugees fleeing Libya looms as another "issue of major concern".

Malmstroem, writing ahead of a meeting of EU interior ministers next week, called for short-term measures to cope with the situation, including boosting the technical resources of operations coordinated by the Frontex border agency in the Mediterranean.

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Mexicans protest drug war as more graves found

Thousands of Mexicans protested the country's raging drug war on Wednesday as dozens of bodies were found in graves near the country's border with the United States.

Demonstrators marched in cities across Mexico, holding signs condemning the wave of killing that has claimed more than 37,000 lives since President Felipe Calderon took office in December 2006 and launched a military-led crackdown against drug cartels.

"We are fed up with this war that nobody asked for," said protester Leticia Ruiz in the northern border city of Ciudad Juarez, where some businesses have closed because of gunbattles in the streets and rampant extortion by cartel members.

Although recent estimates suggest the violence may have peaked last summer, Mexicans are jarred by daily news stories of beheadings and executions as cartels war for control of cocaine smuggling routes. Most cocaine consumed in the United States goes through Mexico.

Prosecutors said on Wednesday they discovered 59 bodies in a series of graves in the northern state of Tamaulipas, not far from a ranch where 72 Central and South Americans were executed late last year by drug gangs preying on migrants traveling north through Mexico.

Authorities said one grave held 43 bodies, with the rest of the bodies spread among seven other graves.

Investigators believe the recently discovered victims may have been abducted from a bus on March 25, the state prosecutor's office said in a statement.

'NO MORE MURDERS'

Protest organizers said more than 10,000 people participated in the nationwide marches, but numbers could not be confirmed.

The bloodletting has hurt Calderon's conservative party and strained relations with the United States, which is providing Calderon with equipment and intelligence to fight drug gangs.

In Mexico City, several thousand protesters held signs saying: "No more murders" as they filed into the city's central plaza. Smaller protests were held in New York and Barcelona.

Body counts published by Mexican media indicate the death toll has fallen for two consecutive quarters for the first time since Calderon began his campaign.

The tallies point to about 3,220 murders in the first three months of 2011, down from 3,690 in the last quarter of 2010. The government has yet to publish an official estimate.

Demonstrators also marched through the northern business capital of Monterrey. But the impetus for the national protests came from the weekend getaway city of Cuernavaca.

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http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/04/07/idINIndia-56175720110407

NATO to Run No-Fly Zone While U.S.-Led Force Hits Qaddafi Troops

March 25 -- NATO agreed to take command of the Libya no-fly zone, stopping short of assuming responsibility for airstrike missions against Libyan ground forces that sparked discord within the 28-nation alliance.

The limited agreement among members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization may delay a U.S. handoff of responsibility for strikes on Muammar Qaddafi’s fighters. The anti-Qaddafi coalition will continue to handle actions which don’t involve the no-fly zone, said NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Foreign ministers from coalition nations plan to meet March 29 in London to discuss Libya issues.

U.S. Navy Adm. Bill Gortney said yesterday the coalition flew 130 sorties in a 24-hour period, of which 49 were sent to hit designated ground targets. The allies are striking Libyan government forces that continue to attack civilians in coastal cities Misrata, Ajdabiya and Zentan and launched 14 more Tomahawk cruise missiles against Libyan air-defense and SCUD missile sites.

French officials, who pushed hardest for military action, predicted a quick end to the conflict. French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet said in Paris that the coalition has intercepted conversations among Libyan officers indicating that many are ready to abandon the regime.

Oil Prices

“The military action will be counted in days and in weeks, not in months,” French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said at a Paris press conference.

Oil prices have jumped about 25 percent since the Libyan rebellion began last month, heightening concerns about Middle East crude supplies. The revolt has evolved from the kind popular uprising seen in Egypt and Tunisia into a civil war. Elsewhere, Syria announced a steps in response to protests, including a possible end to 48-year emergency rule that suspended most rights. In Yemen, the political opposition to President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced plans for nationwide protests against the state-of-emergency law just passed by Saleh’s loyalists.

Crude oil slipped from the highest level since September, with crude for May delivery falling 15 cents to settle at $105.60 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Gold futures jumped to a record of $1,448.60 an ounce.

Cease-Fire Talks

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, after reporting to the Security Council on Libya developments, said in New York he expects Libyan government and opposition representatives to hold cease-fire talks today under African Union auspices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Rasmussen said NATO’s role will be limited for now to the no-fly zone. Earlier in the week, NATO said it would take charge of enforcing the UN arms embargo on Libya. NATO will take over command of the no-fly-zone operations in one or two days, according to an administration official authorized to brief reporters on the condition his name not be used.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a four-way conference call with foreign ministers from the U.K., France and Turkey, according to Mark Toner, a State Department spokesman. She later said that NATO would further consider plans to assume command of the ground-strike missions.

“We have not decided yet whether we will take on a broader responsibility,” Rasmussen said

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http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-03-24/nato-to-run-no-fly-zone-while-u-s-led-force-hits-qaddafi-troops.html

Fears grow of humanitarian crisis in besieged Libyan city

Aid organizations scrambled Wednesday to prepare for large-scale relief operations in Libya, as fears grew of a potential humanitarian crisis in a key city besieged by government forces.

International military forces on Wednesday stepped up attacks on government troops in Misurata, 131 miles east of Tripoli. The airstrikes seemed to bring a temporary respite from the fighting that had raged for six days between forces loyal to Moammar Gaddafi and rebels, as pro-government tanks retreated from the city center.

But after nightfall, the tanks returned and resumed their attacks, according to a doctor at the city’s main hospital. “They are shelling everywhere,” he said by telephone.

Patients were being treated on the floor, and medical supplies were falling short. Fuel for the generator was running low, and water had been cut off, said the doctor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he feared retaliation by Libyan forces.

Humanitarian agencies and the U.S. government have been stockpiling supplies in eastern Libya and in nearby countries in case of emergency. “I am now worried about a humanitarian crisis in Misurata,” said Mark Ward, a top official with the U.S. Agency for International Development.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/fears-grow-of-libyan-humanitarian-crisis/2011/03/23/ABJA8PLB_story.html

Airstrikes slow Gadhafi's forces

AJDABIYA, Libya — The road to this city that has been a battle between rebels and government forces is strewn with burned wreckage of military vehicles and numerous unexploded munitions. And dozens of charred bodies.

"The airstrike plan was very perfect for us," said Yasser Hassel, 33, a rebel fighter.

"We trapped them. Their support lines are cut," he said on the road to Ajdabiya. "The French struck accurately, and there were no civilian casualties. Our plan now is to wait for airstrikes against those tanks."

The rebellion against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi was almost at an end last week when his forces had reached this city. Just 100 miles south of the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, soldiers loyal to Gadhafi and the foreign soldiers paid to fight for him had chased off the rebels in Ajdabiya and were ready to move north.

The weekend airstrikes by France, Britain and the United States have stopped the advance here. But they have not vanquished the pro-Gadhafi forces.

They remain outside the city and holed up inside it as well. When rebels who had retreated to Benghazi rushed out to take the town after the airstrikes they were met with mortar and tank fire from the remaining government forces.

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http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-03-23-libyafront23_ST_N.htm?csp=34news

Obama faces growing criticism for Libya campaign

Reporting from Washington—
President Obama is facing growing criticism at home and abroad over whether the military campaign in Libya is the wrong policy — or the right policy at the wrong time.

Obama, on a five-day tour of Latin America, defended his administration's muscular approach in Libya, saying it was "very easy to square our military actions and our stated policies."

Speaking in Chile, Obama said U.S. military forces would focus on the goal approved by the U.N. Security Council last week, preventing longtime leader Moammar Kadafi's army from attacking Libyan civilians. But he also reiterated that Kadafi should be removed.

He said the United States also would use nonmilitary means, including economic sanctions and an arms embargo, to try to end Kadafi's four-decade rule.

Obama sent a letter to congressional leaders Monday attempting to assure them that the administration was seeking a "rapid but responsible transition" of military command to other members of the United Nations-backed coalition. The letter followed complaints that he had failed to consult Congress before launching military action.

Political analysts say Obama could benefit if Kadafi is quickly ousted, or if there is another quick and relatively bloodless resolution. But if the conflict becomes a stalemate, criticism is likely to mount.

Complaints have already started to escalate. Some early advocates of military intervention, including Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), said Obama may have waited too long to help the opposition in Libya.

A contingent of liberal Democrats, normally allied with the president, condemned the use of military force. Some conservatives, as well as foreign policy experts, said Libya is not a vital U.S. interest.

An antiwar group announced plans for protests in Los Angeles, Chicago and nine other cities this week.

"The president seems to have angered almost every major group: He's either done too much or too little or he's done it too slowly," said James Lindsay, a former official in the Clinton White House who is now with the Council on Foreign Relations. "There's a very real political risk for Barack Obama in all of this."

Among the critics Monday was Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.), ranking minority member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a widely respected voice on foreign policy who has often sided with the administration.

"There needs to be a plan about what happens after Kadafi," Lugar said. "Who will be in charge then, and who pays for this all? President Obama, so far, has only expressed vague hopes."

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http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-us-libya-20110322,0,7678106.story

Gaddafi offers $400,000 bounty for Libyan opposition leader

The embattled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, facing protests against his 41-year regime, has announced a reward of more than $400,000 for capturing the country's top opposition leader, a media report said. According to a Libyan TV channel, Gaddafi offered a half million-dinar ($410,900) for the capture of former justice minister Mustafa Abdul-Jalil.

The bounty would be paid "to whoever captures and hands over" the "agent spy" Abdul-Jalil, and "200,000 Libyan dinars ($164,300) to whoever offers information leading to his actual arrest".

Inspired by the recent overthrow of long-term regimes in Tunisia and Egypt, Gaddafi's opponents are demanding his immediate removal.

International human rights organisations have estimated about 6,000 people have been killed since the anti-Gaddafi protests began February 14. The UN said the toll ranged from 1,000 to 2,000 people.

Gaddafi said Wednesday in an interview with the Turkish TRT media holding that Libya is confronting an attempt by the Al Qaeda terrorist network to destabilise the situation there and in another Arab countries.

Gaddafi also blamed the current unrest in the country on Al Qaeda and its leader Osama bin Laden, who he said were seeking to turn Libya into a state resembling Afghanistan or Somalia.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution Feb 26 on "targeted measures" against the current Libyan government. The sanctions include a total arms embargo, travel bans and freezing of accounts held by the country's leadership.

A UN resolution on the imposition of a no-fly zone over Libyan airspace is to be debated by NATO defence ministers later this week. Russia has said it is against all military intervention.

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http://www.hindustantimes.com/Gaddafi-offers-400-000-bounty-for-Libyan-opposition-leader/Article1-671572.aspx

A million Libyans need aid as UK, France seek no-fly zone

(Reuters) - Britain and France said they were seeking U.N. authorization for a no-fly zone over Libya, as Muammar Gaddafi's warplanes counter-attacked against rebels and aid officials said a million people were in need.

Al Jazeera television said rebels had rejected an offer by Gaddafi to hold a meeting of parliament to work out a deal under which he would step down.

With civilians surrounded by forces loyal to Gaddafi in two western towns, Misrata and Zawiyah, fears grew of a rising humanitarian crisis if the fighting continued.

U.N.aid coordinator Valerie Amos said more than a million people fleeing or inside the country needed humanitarian aid.

"Humanitarian organizations need urgent access now," she said. "People are injured and dying and need help immediately."

The U.N. appealed for $160 million to fund an operation over the next three months to get shelter, food and medicines ready.

MILITARY OPTIONS

"We are working closely with partners on a contingency basis on elements of a resolution on a no-fly zone, making clear the need for regional support, a clear trigger for such a resolution and an appropriate legal basis," British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Monday.

A French source said France was "working with our partners in New York on a no-fly zone resolution." Gulf states called for a no-fly zone and an urgent Arab League meeting.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, in Afghanistan where foreign forces have struggled for a decade, warned action should be taken only with international backing. The White House said all options were on the table, including arming rebels.

Russia, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council with veto powers, said it opposed foreign military intervention.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen stressed the need for U.N. authorization. "I can't imagine the international community and the United Nations would stand idly by if Gaddafi and his regime continue to attack their own people," he said.

"We have asked our military to conduct all necessary planning so that we stand ready at short notice," he added.

NATO has launched 24-hour surveillance of Libya with AWACS reconnaissance aircraft, the U.S. ambassador to NATO said.

Ivo Daalder added NATO representatives were discussing other possible moves ahead of a meeting of NATO ministers on Thursday.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/08/us-libya-protests-idUSTRE71G0A620110308

37 dead as Gaddafi regime hits back

Muammar Gaddafi's regime has struck back at its opponents with a powerful attack on the closest opposition-held city to Tripoli and a barrage of tear gas and live ammunition to smother new protests in the capital.

At least 37 people died in fighting and in an explosion at an ammunitions depot in Libya's rebellious east.

The bloodshed signalled an escalation in efforts by both sides to break the deadlock that has gripped Libya's 18-day upheaval, which has lasted longer than the Egyptian revolt that led to the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak and inspired a wave of protests across the region.

So far, Gaddafi has had little success in taking back territory, with several rebel cities repelling assaults and the entire eastern half of the country under rebel control. But the opposition forces have seemed unable to go on the offensive to march on pro-Gaddafi areas.

Meanwhile, in Tripoli - Gaddafi's most important bastion - his loyalists have waged a campaign of terror to ensure that protesters do not rise up in significant numbers.

Friday's assault on the rebel city of Zawiya, about 30 miles west of Tripoli, appeared to be the strongest yet by Gaddafi's forces after repeated earlier forays against it were beaten back.

In the morning, troops from the elite Khamis Brigade - named after the Gaddafi son who commands it - bombarded the city's western edges with mortar shells, heavy machine guns, tanks and anti-aircraft weapons, several residents said. By the evening, another brigade had opened a front on the eastern side. Armed Zawiya citizens backed by allied army units were fighting back.

The commander of the rebel forces, Hussein Darbouk, was killed by fire from an anti-aircraft gun, said Alaa al-Zawi, an activist in the city. Darbouk was a colonel in Gaddafi's army who defected along with other troops in Zawiya early in the uprising.

A witness in Zawiya's hospital said at least 18 people were killed and 120 wounded. Libyan state TV reported the attackers had retaken the city but Mr al-Zawi, the witness and other residents said it remained in rebel hands, with skirmishes continuing after nightfall.

A doctor on the scene said pro-Gaddafi fighters would not allow medics to treat the injured, opened fire on ambulances and hauled away the bodies of some of the dead in an apparent effort to keep death toll reports low. The gunmen killed a wounded rebel with three shots as a medic tried to pull him to safety, even threatening to shoot the medic, the doctor said.


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‘Day of Rage shakes Yemen

Anti-government protestors shout slogans during a demonstration demanding the resignation of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday,

SANAA—Tens of thousands of protesters flooded Yemen’s streets on Tuesday in a “Day of Rage,” demanding an end to the president’s three-decade rule.

In the capital Sanaa, demonstrators chanted “With blood and soul we support you, Aden,” referring to the southern port city where most of the 24 people killed in the past two weeks of protests have died.

Some demonstrators flashed “V” for victory signs while others wore white headbands with “Leave” written in red — a message addressed to President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Tens of thousands more marched through the streets of Ibb and Taiz, south of Sanaa.

On Monday Saleh offered to form a unity government but the opposition rejected it. On Tuesday, he replaced the governors of five mostly southern provinces at the centre of the protests.

Tunisia

Three Tunisian ministers resigned Tuesday, leaving the caretaker government which took over power after the president was overthrown teetering on the brink of collapse.

The new resignations meant that in the space of 72 hours the prime minister and five ministers have now quit, the worst political crisis in Tunisia since veteran leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was ousted a month and a half ago.

Iran

Police used tear gas and batons Tuesday to disperse resurgent anti-government protesters demanding the release of opposition leaders in the biggest clashes in Iran’s capital since demonstrators stormed back to the streets two weeks ago, witnesses and opposition websites said.

The recent return of skirmishes in the heart of Tehran — absent for more than a year after relentless crackdowns — borrow some raw inspiration from uprisings in the neighbouring Arab world. But it also reflects a possible miscalculation by authorities who sought to silence opposition leaders but instead gave their supporters a new rallying point.

Reports by family members and opposition websites claim the two most prominent anti-government figures, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi, have been moved from house arrest to full-time detention along with their wives. Iranian authorities deny the reports, but the two opposition leaders have not been seen in public or posted statements on their websites in more than a week.

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Global call for Libya 'no-fly zone'

David Cameron has raised the prospect of more aggressive international action against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in an effort to prevent him carrying out further attacks on his own people.

The Prime Minister has ordered government officials to draw up plans with Britain's allies for a no-fly zone over Libya. He also suggested that anti-regime forces could be armed to help oust the dictator.

The intervention came as Col Gaddafi again dismissed demands to quit, insisting his people "loved" him and blaming al Qaida for the uprising.

Speaking in the Commons on Monday, Mr Cameron said the international community could not tolerate the "illegitimate" regime using military force on the civilian population and warned that they needed to be ready to act if the repression worsened.

"We do not in any way rule out the use of military assets. We must not tolerate this regime using military force against its own people," he told MPs. "In that context I have asked the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff to work with our allies on plans for a military no-fly zone."

Asked whether Britain would be willing to arm rebel groups, Mr Cameron said: "If helping the opposition would somehow bring that about it is certainly something we should be considering."

The Prime Minister spoke to French president Nicolas Sarkozy on the telephone on Monday night, and agreed that their experts would work together on "the range of possible options for increasing pressure on the regime", according to Downing Street.

US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, attending the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, said that America was also actively looking at the possibility of a no-fly zone. "The no-fly zone is an option we are actively considering. I discussed it with allies and partners," she said. "All options are on the table. That of course includes a no-fly zone."

The Libyan deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim al-Dabashi - one of a number of diplomats to desert the regime - said it was "very important" to have a no-fly zone to "prevent the dictator using helicopters to terrorise people in the streets". "He uses these helicopters to shoot on people," he told BBC Radio 4's PM programme. "People are afraid to go to the streets whenever they see the helicopters."

Meanwhile, in an interview with the BBC on Monday night, Col Gaddafi insisted his people "loved" him. "They love me, all my people love me," he said. "They would die to protect me." Asked why so many appeared to be rebelling, he blamed al Qaida fighters. "This is al Qaida, not my people," Col Gaddafi said. "They come from outside."

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Libyan protesters brave bullets to close in on Gaddafi

TRIPOLI, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi will fight a popular revolt to "the last man standing," one of his sons said on Monday as people in the capital joined protests for the first time after days of violent unrest in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Anti-government protesters rallied in Tripoli's streets, tribal leaders spoke out against Gaddafi, and army units defected to the opposition as oil exporter Libya endured one of the bloodiest revolts to convulse the Arab world.

Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi appeared on national television in an attempt to both threaten and calm people, saying the army would enforce security at any price.

"Our spirits are high and the leader Muammar Gaddafi is leading the battle in Tripoli, and we are behind him as is the Libyan army," he said.

"We will keep fighting until the last man standing, even to the last woman standing...We will not leave Libya to the Italians or the Turks."

Wagging a finger at the camera, he blamed Libyan exiles for fomenting the violence. But he also promised dialogue on reforms and wage rises.

The cajoling may not be enough to douse the anger unleashed after four decades of rule by Gaddafi -- mirroring events in Egypt where a popular revolt overthrew the seemingly impregnable President Hosni Mubarak 10 days ago.

In the coastal city of Benghazi protesters appeared to be largely in control after forcing troops and police to retreat to a compound. Government buildings were set ablaze and ransacked.

In the first sign of serious unrest in the capital, thousands of protesters clashed with Gaddafi supporters. Gunfire rang out in the night and police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators, some of whom threw stones at Gaddafi billboards.

Human Rights Watch said at least 223 people have been killed in five days of violence. Most were in Benghazi, cradle of the uprising and a region where Gaddafi's grip has always been weaker than elsewhere in the oil-rich desert nation.

Habib al-Obaidi, a surgeon at the Al-Jalae hospital, said the bodies of 50 people, mostly shot dead, were brought there on Sunday afternoon. Two hundred wounded had arrived, he said.

"One of the victims was obliterated after being hit by an RPG (rocket propelled grenade) to the abdomen," he said.

Members of an army unit known as the "Thunderbolt" squad had brought wounded comrades to the hospital, he said. The soldiers said they had defected to the cause of the protesters and had fought and defeated Gaddafi's elite guards.

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