Gaddafi Forces Strike Back at Revolt Near Tripoli
THE INDEPENDENT: Army units and militiamen loyal to Muammar Gaddafi struck back against protesters who have risen up in cities close to the capital today, attacking a mosque where many had taken refuge and blasting its minaret and opening fire on others protecting a local airport.

The assaults aimed to push back a rebellion that has moved closer to Gaddafi's bastion in the capital, Tripoli. The revolt has already broken away nearly the eastern half of Libya and unravelled parts of Gaddafi's regime.

In the latest blow to the Libyan leader, a cousin who is one of his closest aides, Ahmed Gaddaf al-Dam, announced that he has defected to Egypt in protest against the regime's bloody crackdown against the uprising, denouncing what he called "grave violations to human rights and human and international laws." (+ video of Gaddafi’s daughter, Dr. Ayesha Gaddafi, making a statement) >>> AP | Thursday, February 24, 2011

Cameron: 'No Excuses' Over Libya Evacuation
The Prime Minister tells Sky News he understands more must be done to get British citizens safely home from Libya

Libya: Britons Fly Home From 'Violent Hell'
The first Britons to land back in the UK from Libya have described the "hellish" scenes they encountered in the violence-torn country

SKY NEWS: Read on >>> Steph Oliver, Sky News Online | Thursday, February 24, 2011

Martin Chulov in Benghazi: 'All Government Institutions Have Been Ransacked' - Audio
THE GUARDIAN: Martin Chulov describes to Matt Wells the scene in Benghazi, Libya's second city, where protesters have overthrown forces loyal to the regime of Muammar Gaddafi and are establishing law and order

Listen to the audio here | Martin Chulov in Benghazi, Matt Wells and Andy Duckworth | Thursday, February 24, 2011

Julian Assange Must Be Extradited, Judge Rules
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be extradited to Sweden for alleged sex offences, a judge has ruled.

District Judge Howard Riddle rejected the defence's claims that their client could not get a fair trial because of media coverage and even comments by the country's Prime Minister in Parliament.

The 39-year-old Australian faces three charges of sexually assaulting one woman and one charge of raping another during a week-long visit to Stockholm in August. >>> | Thursday, February 24, 2011

Julian Assange to Be Extradited to Sweden
THE GUARDIAN: WikiLeaks founder handed verdict at Belmarsh magistrates court

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is to be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault. Assange will appeal, his legal team confirmed. If this is unsuccessful, he will be extradited to Sweden in 10 days.

Delivering his ruling at a hearing at Belmarsh magistrates court in London, the chief magistrate Howard Riddle systematically dismissed each of the defence's arguments against Assange's extradition.

Assange's legal team had disputed that Swedish prosecutor, Marianne Ny, had the authority to issue a European arrest warrant, but the judge ruled that she did possess this authority and the warrant issued was valid. >>> Esther Addley and Alexandra Topping | Thursday, February 24, 2011

THE GUARDIAN: Julian Assange extradition decision: full judgment – Read the judgment ordering the Wikileaks founder to be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault >>> | Thursday, February 24, 2011

THE GUARDIAN – BLOG: Follow reactions to the ruling on The Guardian’s live blog >>>

La garde tchadienne au secours du colonel Kadhafi
Le Mouvement pour la justice et l'égalité, le plus armé des groupes rebelles du Darfour (ici photographié en 2007 au Soudan), fournirait aussi des hommes au colonel Kadhafi.
LE FIGARO: N'Djamena aurait envoyé des troupes pour soutenir le «guide» libyen, qui recruterait également des groupes armés soudanais.

Le Tchad aurait envoyé des soldats au secours du colonel Kadhafi. C'est ce qu'affirme le site Tchadactuel, habituellement bien renseigné grâce à des sources proches du palais présidentiel de N'Djamena. Selon ce site, le président Idriss Déby lui-même aurait ordonné ce déploiement. Des habitants de Benghazi confirment l'arrivée de ces troupes. >>> Par Pierre Prier | Jeudi 24 Février 2011

"Gaddafi wird sich wie Hitler das Leben nehmen"
WELT ONLINE – AUSZÜGE: Libyens Ex- Justizminister al-Jeleil rechnet mit einem baldigen Gaddafi-Selbstmord und erhebt schwere Vorwürfe: Den Lockerbie-Anschlag 1988 habe der Staatschef persönlich befohlen.

…

Gaddafis Tage in Libyen seien gezählt, sagt al-Jeleil. "Er wird es wie Hitler machen und sich das Leben nehmen.“ Al-Jeleil bestätigte, dass Gaddafi ausländische Söldner zur Bekämpfung des Volksaufstandes in seinem Land einsetzt: „Ich weiß davon, dass das Regime schon lange vorher diese Söldner angeheuert hat. Bei mehreren Kabinettssitzungen wurde beschlossen, diesen Leuten aus dem Tschad und Niger die libysche Staatsbürgerschaft zuzuerkennen." Er selbst habe dagegen protestiert und verlangt, stattdessen den Kinder von Libyerinnen mit ausländischen Ehemännern die Staatsbürgerschaft zu geben, sagte Al-Jeleil.

…

Alles lesen und einen Kommentar schreiben >>> dpa/ks | Donnerstag, 24. Februar 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Libya protests: Gaddafi will die like Hitler, says ex-Libyan minister – One of Muammar Gaddafi's former ministers has predicted that the Libyan leader will follow in Adolph Hitler's footsteps by committing suicide, rather than give up power. >>> | Thursday, February 24, 2011

Arab Unrest Propels Iran as Saudi Influence Declines
THE NEW YORK TIMES: MANAMA, Bahrain — The popular revolts shaking the Arab world have begun to shift the balance of power in the region, bolstering Iran’s position while weakening and unnerving its rival, Saudi Arabia, regional experts said.

While it is far too soon to write the final chapter on the uprisings’ impact, Iran has already benefited from the ouster or undermining of Arab leaders who were its strong adversaries and has begun to project its growing influence, the analysts said. This week Iran sent two warships through the Suez Canal for the first time since its revolution in 1979, and Egypt’s new military leaders allowed them to pass.

Saudi Arabia, an American ally and a Sunni nation that jousts with Shiite Iran for regional influence, has been shaken. King Abdullah on Wednesday signaled his concern by announcing a $10 billion increase in welfare spending to help young people marry, buy homes and open businesses, a gesture seen as trying to head off the kind of unrest that fueled protests around the region.

King Abdullah then met with the king of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, to discuss ways to contain the political uprising by the Shiite majority there. The Sunni leaders in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain accuse their Shiite populations of loyalty to Iran, a charge rejected by Shiites who say it is intended to stoke sectarian tensions and justify opposition to democracy.

The uprisings are driven by domestic concerns. But they have already shredded a regional paradigm in which a trio of states aligned with the West supported engaging Israel and containing Israel’s enemies, including Hamas and Hezbollah, experts said. The pro-engagement camp of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia is now in tatters. Hosni Mubarak of Egypt has been forced to resign, King Abdullah of Jordan is struggling to control discontent in his kingdom and Saudi Arabia has been left alone to face a rising challenge to its regional role.

“I think the Saudis are worried that they’re encircled — Iraq, Syria, Lebanon; Yemen is unstable; Bahrain is very uncertain,” said Alireza Nader, an expert in international affairs with the RAND Corporation. “They worry that the region is ripe for Iranian exploitation. Iran has shown that it is very capable of taking advantage of regional instability.”

“Iran is the big winner here,” said a regional adviser to the United States government who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. >>> Michael Slackman | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Gadhafi Flails as Libya Splinters
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Forces loyal to strongman Col. Moammar Gadhafi imposed rough order in Libya's increasingly fearful capital Wednesday, witnesses said, that stood in sharp contrast to rebel gains in much of the oil-rich country.

Gunshots echoed through the night in Tripoli as Col. Gadhafi clung to power even as the international community discussed ways to isolate him with sanctions. More territory slipped from his control, and rebels began to set up rudimentary governments in outlying areas under their sway. "No-one should count him out, but momentum isn't going his way," a U.S. official said.

The chaos that has consumed Libya since protesters last week began pushing for Col. Gadhafi's ouster has spawned an array of security concerns—over oil supplies, the safety of tens of thousands of foreign workers there and the risks posed by the weapons in Col. Gadhafi's remaining arsenal.

Oil prices surged over fears about the security of supplies from Libya, a major oil producer. Prices for light, sweet crude for April delivery—the main U.S. oil contract—at one point in the trading day hit $100 a barrel for the first time in more than two years.

The U.S., China, Turkey and several European nations struggled to bring home citizens stranded in Libya, where an estimated 100,000 foreigners work in industries including oil and construction. Airplanes sent from France and the Netherlands circled Tripoli's airport but had no clearance to land and turned back.

Fears also arose in Washington that Libya's regime hasn't destroyed significant stockpiles of mustard gas and other chemical-weapons agents. Tripoli also has stocks of aging Scud B missiles. Read on and comment >>> Angus McDowall in Dubai, Margaret Coker in Cairo and Charles Levinson in Baida, Libya | Thursday, February 24, 2011

U.S. Fears Tripoli May Deploy Gas As Chaos Mounts
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: WASHINGTON—The government of Col. Moammar Gadhafi hasn't destroyed significant stockpiles of mustard gas and other chemical-weapons agents, raising fears in Washington about what could happen to them—and whether they may be used—as Libya slides further into chaos.

Tripoli also maintains control of aging Scud B missiles, U.S. officials said, as well as 1,000 metric tons of uranium yellowcake and vast amounts of conventional weapons that Col. Gadhafi has channeled in the past to militants operating in countries like Sudan and Chad.

Current and former U.S. officials said in interviews that Washington's counterproliferation operations against Libya over the past decade have scored gains, in particular the dismantling of Tripoli's nascent nuclear-weapons program and its Scud C missile stockpiles. But the level of instability in Libya, and Col. Gadhafi's history of brutality, continues to make the U.S. focus on the arms and chemical agents that remain, they said.

"When you have a guy who's as irrational as Gadhafi with some serious weapons at his disposal, it's always a concern," said a U.S. official. "But we haven't yet seen him move to use any kind of mustard gas or chemical weapon" during the unrest. >>> Jay Solomon | Thursday, February 24, 2011

Saudi Arabia King Rolls Out Reforms
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: RIYADH—Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah returned to the kingdom Wednesday after a three-month absence for medical treatment and introduced a number of nonpolitical reforms amid regional uprisings that have toppled regimes in Tunisia and Egypt and infected neighboring Bahrain.

The social and economic overhaul, estimated to cost around 135 billion Saudi riyals ($36 billion), include housing support, funding to offset inflation and guarantee of payment for students overseas, according to a series of royal decrees published on the official Saudi Press Agency, or SPA. They come as political upheaval continues to sweep the Arab world.

"The measures are paying particular attention to housing, unemployment, education and helping the brunt of Saudis who work for the public sector be better protected from cost of living pressures. The unemployment benefits are the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia," said John Sfakianakis, chief economist at Banque Saudi Fransi. "The message from King Abdullah is that he's aware of the challenges facing the economy and steps are taken to address immediate and more medium-term issues." >>> Summer Said | Thursday, February 24, 2011

King Abdullah Back in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's king returns home after months of medical treatment abroad. Video courtesy of Reuters

Irish Workers Leave the Emerald Isle
The great recession has triggered yet another wave of Irish emigration. WSJ's Don Duncan reports on how that is playing out in the national election

Obama Administration Refuses to Defend Anti-Gay Marriage Law
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: President Barack Obama has decided that his administration will no longer defend a law defining marriage only as between a man and a woman.

In the wake of two lawsuits challenging the 1996 Defence of Marriage Act, Mr Obama made a major reversal in policy and concluded the law was "unconstitutional", said Eric Holder, the Attorney General.

Mr Holder added that "the legal landscape has changed in the 15 years", noting that the US Supreme Court had ruled that "laws criminalising homosexual conduct are unconstitutional".

The Justice Department had defended the act in court until now but said it changed its mind after examining the law and the debate that accompanied its passage in Congress.

During his campaign Mr Obama said he was opposed to gay marriage on religious grounds but supported civil unions. More recently he has said that his attitude was "evolving" while a spokesman said today he was still "grappling" with the issue.

Mr Obama's move positions him in line with rising public support for gay marriage. Polling results can vary rather significantly depending on what words are used to describe gay marriage, but there is a gradual trend in public opinion toward more acceptance. >>> Alex Spillius, Washington | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg Stripped of PhD after Admitting Plagiarism
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Chancellor Angela Merkel's defence minister was stripped of his doctorate on Wednesday by the German university that awarded the title, after he admitted to flaws in a thesis that is the focus of a plagiarism row.

Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg apologised "from the bottom of my heart" to parliament earlier on Wednesday for errors he blamed on a busy workload.

But he said he would not resign over the allegations and rejected accusations of plagiarism, insisting he had not deliberately deceived anyone. >>> | Thursday, February 24, 2011

Related >>>

Setback to Gaddafi's African Dream

Libya Violence Threatens Economic Relations

News Bulletin - 19:30GMT (February 23, 2011)

Libya Unrest Raises Oil Concerns
This is the first time that the changes sweeping the Arab world have hit a major oil producer and there are now fears that the spike in oil prices could hurt the fragile global economy. While Libya only produces two per cent of world oil production, 85 per cent of that is sent to Europe. Al Jazeera's Nick Spicer reports from Berlin

Gaddafi Struggles to Keep Control
Pro-democracy protesters takeover eastern part of the country, as state structure appears to be disintegrating

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, is struggling to maintain his authority in the country, as vast swathes of territory in the east now appear to be under the control of pro-democracy protesters. >>>

$100 Oil Could Shock Recovery
Feb 23 - U.S. crude oil prices touched $100 a barrel, sparking new concerns about the impact on a still frail U.S. economic recovery. Bobbi Rebell reports

Le première interview de Kadhafi – 1969
Regardez la vidéo ici
LE POINT: REGARDEZ - La première interview de Muammar Kadhafi, il y a 41 ans. – Le leader libyen, alors novice, n'aimait visiblement ni les journalistes ni la caméra. >>> Le Point.fr | Par MARC DE BONI | Mercredi 23 Février 2011

Inside Libya's First Free City: Jubilation Fails to Hide Deep Wounds
THE GUARDIAN: The first foreign journalist to reach Benghazi sees how Muammar Gaddafi's bid to cling to power has failed

At the heart of the city where he launched his rise to power, Muammar Gaddafi's indignity is now complete. In little more than three days of rampage, the rebels in Libya's second city have done their best to wind the clock back 42 years – to life before the dictator they loathe.

Benghazi has fallen and Gaddafi's bid to cling on to power, whatever the cost, has crumbled with it. There is barely a trace of him now, except for obscene graffiti that mocks him on the dust-strewn walls where his portraits used to hang.

Residents who would not have dared to approach the town's main military base without an invitation were doing victory laps around it in their cars. Every barrack block inside had been torched and looted. The stage where Gaddafi would address the masses on the rare occasions that he came here had collapsed. His house across the road had been ransacked and there wasn't a loyalist soldier inside.

"He is gone. A dragon has been slain," cried Ahmed Al-Fatuuir outside the secret police headquarters. "Now he has to explain where all the bodies are."

The Middle East's longest ruling autocrat seems disinclined to do that, or to go quietly. His rambling speech on Tuesday night, in which he vowed to die in his homeland as a "martyr", has convinced many in Benghazi that although they may have ousted their foe from eastern Libya, they have not seen the last of the bloodshed. >>> Martin Chulov in Benghazi | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Libya: Civil War Breaks Out as Gaddafi Mounts Rearguard Fight
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Forces loyal to Col Muammar Gaddafi made good on threats to trigger a civil war in Libya on Wednesday night, by taking up positions across the capital, Tripoli and launching a rearguard fight against rebels in major cities.

Residents of parts of the capital were trapped in their homes as "thousands" of soldiers patrolled the streets accompanied by African mercenaries.

Tanks took up positions around public buildings including government offices, while sandbag defences were also being built.

"We will fight until death," a pro-Gaddafi soldier in his early 20s said outside a military compound close to Tripoli's Green Square, which had been cleared of demonstrators by yesterday morning.

"The country needs stability at a time like this, and this is what we are providing. The people are on our side."

Residents said bodies were still piling up in hospitals from the shootings of the previous two days.

"Anywhere we go there is danger," said one woman, a 28-year-old mother of four who asked not to be named. "All we want is food and fresh water for our children but it is impossible to find. Security is the only concern of the authorities."

As ministers, generals and diplomats around the world defected, government spokesmen loyal to Col Gaddafi were trying to rally people to his side. >>> Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Massenexodus nach Ägypten
Chaos an der libyschen Grenze
NZZ ONLINE: Der Übergang Salum an der libysch-ägyptischen Grenze gleicht einem Wespennest. Am Mittwoch trafen Tausende von ägyptischen Bürgern an dem Grenzposten ein. Zahlreiche unter ihnen hatten in den vergangenen Tagen die brutale Niederschlagung der Revolte aus nächster Nähe erlebt.

Unter den Ankommenden fällt die hohe Anzahl von Familien auf. Fast alle haben viel Waren und Gepäck bei sich. Nach dem Grenzübertritt wollen sie so schnell wie möglich weiter an ihre meist weit entfernten Wohnorte in Ägypten. >>> Kristina Bergmann, Salum | Mittwoch, 23. Februar 2011

Uni Bayreuth entzieht Guttenberg den Doktortitel
DIE PRESSE: Die Universität hat erhebliche wissenschaftliche Mängel bei der Dissertation des deutschen Verteidigungsministers festgestellt: Ihm wird der Doktor aberkannt. Ob Guttenberg bewusst getäuscht hat, blieb offen.

Wegen erheblicher wissenschaftlicher Mängel hat die Universität Bayreuth dem deutschen Verteidigungsminister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (CSU) den Doktortitel aberkannt. Nicht geklärt wurde allerdings die Frage, ob Guttenberg bewusst getäuscht hat, wie Universitäts-Präsident Rüdiger Bormann am Mittwochabend sagte. Die Opposition griff Guttenberg in einer Aktuellen Stunde im Bundestag scharf an und bezeichnete ihn als "Lügner" und "Hochstapler". >>> APA | Mittwoch, 23. Februar 2011

Massenflucht aus Libyen
Wer kann, will weg von Libyen. Ausländer die dem Albtraum entrinnen konnten, sind überglücklich. Einschätzungen von Pascal Weber, SF-Korrespondent in Sallum an der ägyptischen Grenze

Zwangs-Ehen werden strafbar
Eine erzwungene Ehe verstösst gegen die Menschenrechte. Trotzdem werden viele Frauen zwangsverheiratet. Solche Ehen sollen künftig in der Schweiz unter Strafe stehen

Libya Protests: Gaddafi Battles to Control West
BBC: Libyan ruler Col Muammar Gaddafi is battling to retain control of Tripoli and areas in western Libya as protesters consolidated gains in the east and foreigners continued to flee.

Much of the capital is deserted as pro-Gaddafi gunmen roam the streets, with reports of uprisings in western towns such as Misurata, Sabratha and Zawiya.

Masses of protesters have been celebrating success in eastern towns.

Thousands of foreigners continue to leave, with chaos at Tripoli airport.

At least 300 people have died in the country's uprising.

Col Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, went on television on Wednesday evening to say that everything was "normal", Reuters reported.

"The ports, schools and airports are all open," he said. "The problem lies in the eastern regions. Life is normal. Brothers, Libyans should come together in this national battle." (+ video) >>> | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

BBC: Libya: Who is propping up Gaddafi? >>> | Frank Gardner, BBC security correspondent | Wednesday, Fenruary 23, 2011

Bahreïn : Abed Al Jalil Khalil, chef du parti shiite Al-Wefac
La fronde dans le monde arabe ne faiblit pas. Les LIbyens sont appelés jeudi à manifester contre le colonel Kadhafi.

Un ex-proche de Kadhafi parle de 1.000 morts
leJDD.fr: L'ancien chef du protocole de Mouammar Kadhafi, Nouri El-Mismari, a estimé mercredi que l'insurrection en Libye avait fait plus de mille morts, dont 600 à Tripoli. Il croit savoir que "les Libyens ne vont pas s'arrêter" et prédit une chute du dirigeant libyen. "Mouammar Kadhafi est à la fin. Il a tout perdu. Son discours de mardi, c'est un discours de quelqu'un de perdant. Il est seul", a-t-il jugé.

Selon cet ancien proche du dirigeant libyen, Mouammar Kadhafi portait un gilet pare-balles sous ses vêtements et une protection à la tête "sous son turban" lors de son discours retransmis à la télévision mardi. [Source: leJDD.fr] Mercredi 23 Février 2011

Un ministre allemand privé de doctorat
leJDD.fr: Le ministre allemand de la Défense, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, accusé de plagiat, n'est désormais plus titulaire de son doctorat, a annoncé mercredi l'université de Bayreuth. La thèse du ministre "n'a pas donné lieu à un travail scientifique correct", a déclaré, mercredi lors d'une conférence de presse télévisée, le président de l'université Rüdiger Bormann qui s'est diplomatiquement abstenu de qualifier ce travail de plagiat. [Source: leJDD.fr] | Mercredi 23 Février 2011

Related here, here, and here

Mercenaries Stream Toward Tripoli as Qaddafi Digs In
THE NEW YORK TIMES: BAIDA, Libya — Thousands of African mercenaries and militiamen were massing on roads heading toward Tripoli on Wednesday to reinforce the stronghold of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi as rebels protesting his 40-year rule claimed to have taken control of cities closer to the capital, witnesses said.

The week-old uprising that has swept the country now appeared headed for a decisive stage, with Colonel Qaddafi fortifying his bastion in Tripoli and opponents in the capital saying they were making plans for their first coordinated protest.

“A message comes to every mobile phone about a general protest on Friday in Tripoli,” one resident there said, adding that Colonel Qaddafi’s menacing speech to the country on Tuesday had increased their determination “100 percent.”

The looming signs of a new confrontation came as a growing number of Libyan military officers and officials said Wednesday that they had broken with Colonel Qaddafi over his intentions to bomb and kill Libyan civilians challenging his four decades of rule. >>> KAREEM FAHIM and DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Bahrain King in Saudi Arabia to Discuss Unrest
THE NEW YORK TIMES: MANAMA, Bahrain — A day after one of the largest pro-democracy demonstrations this tiny Persian Gulf nation had ever seen, its king was in Saudi Arabia, a close ally and neighbor, to discuss the unrest engulfing the region.

The visit of King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa on Wednesday came just as the aging Saudi ruler, King Abdullah, returned to the country after three months of medical treatment in the United States and Morocco.

Even before King Abdullah landed in Riyadh, the capital, the Saudi government announced that it would pour billions of dollars into a fund to help its citizens marry, buy homes and start their own businesses, the government announced. Reuters said the package was estimated at $37 billion.

King Hamad had already tried his own payout — offering $2,650 to every Bahraini family in the days before large protests broke out more than a week ago — but the economic concession was not enough to stem the tide of opposition from the country’s Shiite majority. Sunnis, the majority in Saudi Arabia, also form the ruling class in Bahrain, where Sunnis are a minority. >>> MICHAEL SLACKMAN and NADIM AUDI | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Clampdown in Tripoli as Protests Close In
THE INDEPENDENT: Militiamen loyal to Muammar Gaddafi clamped down in Tripoli, but cracks in his regime spread elsewhere across the nation, as the protest-fueled rebellion controlling much of eastern Libya claimed new gains closer to the capital. Two pilots let their warplane crash in the desert, parachuting to safety, rather than bomb an opposition-held city.

The opposition said it had taken over Misrata, which would be the largest city in the western half in the country to fall into its hands. Clashes broke out over the past two days in the town of Sabratha, west of the capital, where the army and militiamen were trying to put down protesters who overwhelmed security headquarters and government buildings, a news website close to the government reported.

Two air force pilots jumped from parachutes from their Russian-made Sukhoi fighter jet and let it crash, rather than carry out orders to bomb opposition-held Benghazi, Libya's second largest city, the website Quryna reported, citing an unidentified officer in the air force control room.

One of the pilots — identified by the report as Ali Omar Gaddafi — was from Gaddafi's tribe, the Gadhadhfa, said Farag al-Maghrabi, a local resident who saw the pilots and the wreckage of the jet, which crashed in a deserted area outside the key oil port of Breqa. >>> AP | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Gaddafi Loses More Libyan Cities
Protesters wrest control of more cities as unrest sweeps African nation despite Muammar Gaddafi's threat of crackdown

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Read the article >>>

Islamophobia 'On the Rise' in Australia
Australia often bills itself as a multicultural country - but the relationship between new and old residents is not always a smooth one. Al Jazeera's Andrew Thomas takes a look at how the latest immigration debate is affecting the country's Muslim community

Fire Bomb Hits Policeman as Riots Break Out in Athens
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Youths wearing ski masks hurled rocks and fire bombs at riot police as clashes broke out in Athens during a mass rally against austerity measures, part of a general strike that crippled services and public transportation around the country. Police fired tear gas and flash grenades at protesters, blanketing parts of the city centre in choking smoke. Thousands of peaceful demonstrators ran to side streets to take cover. A police officer was attacked and his uniform caught fire in the city's main Syntagma Square, before he was rescued by colleagues. To the picture gallery >>> | Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Police Pounded by Gas Bombs in Athens
Feb 23 - A protest by tens of thousands of leftists and civil servants turned violent Wednesday as demonstrators clashed with police in the streets of central Athens. Jon Decker reports

Pressure on President Obama to Intervene in Libya
Feb 23, 2011 – Has Obama been too silent on crisis?

Libya's Ex-Minister Reportedly Claims Qaddafi Ordered Lockerbie Bombing
FOX NEWS: Swedish tabloid Expressen says Libya's ex-justice minister claims Muammar al-Qaddafi personally ordered the Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people in 1988.

Expressen on Wednesday quoted Mustafa Abdel-Jalil as telling their correspondent in Libya that "I have proof that Qaddafi gave the order about Lockerbie." He didn't describe the proof.

Abdel-Jalil stepped down as justice minister to protest the violence against anti-government demonstrations.

He told Expressen Qaddafi gave the order to Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the only man convicted in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed all 259 people on board and 11 on the ground.

"To hide it, he (Qaddafi) did everything in his power to get al-Megrahi back from Scotland," Abdel-Jalil was quoted as saying. >>> Associated Press | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Gaddafis Sturz „eine Frage von Tagen“
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Nach den Drohungen des libyschen Staatschefs, er werde seine Gegner „bis zum Ende bekämpfen“, wächst der internationale Druck auf das Gaddafi-Regime. Der Despot soll sich mit vier Brigaden in einem Stützpunkt in Tripolis verschanzt haben.

Während der libysche Staatschef Gaddafi sich weiter weigert, seine Macht abzugeben, wird im Osten Libyens am Mittwoch schon die „Befreiung“ gefeiert. Augenzeugen berichteten, in den östlichen Städten Benghasi und Tobruk seien die Vertreter der Staatsmacht entweder verschwunden oder hätten sich den Aufständischen angeschlossen. Die Straßen der Hauptstadt Tripolis waren nach Augenzeugenberichten am Mittwoch weitgehend menschenleer. Gaddafi soll sich am Mittwoch mit vier Brigaden in einem Stützpunkt in Tripolis verschanzt haben. >>> F.A.Z./cheh./hcr./sat. | Mittwoch, 23. Februar 2011

FAZ: „Kämpfe bis zum Ende gegen die Ratten“ : Libyens Staatschef Gaddafi hat sich mit einem Auftritt im Staatsfernsehen abermals an die Öffentlichkeit gewandt. Er sagte, er werde sein Land nicht verlassen, sondern als „Märtyrer“ sterben. Bundeskanzlerin Merkel reagiert bestürzt. >>> F.A.Z./cheh./hcr./sat. | Dienstag, 22. Februar 2011

U.N. Refugee Agency Warns of Refugee Exodus from Libya
CNN: Among the unwitting victims caught up in the violent unrest in Libya are asylum-seekers and refugees, the U.N. refugee agency said as it urged neighboring countries not to turn them away should they flee the upheaval.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday, the chief spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said that the reports she has received have been worrying.

"A journalist has passed information to us from Somalis in Tripoli who say they are being hunted on suspicion of being mercenaries. He says they feel trapped and are frightened to go out, even though there is little or no food at home," Melissa Fleming said. >>> CNN Wire Staff | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Gunfire Continues in Tripoli After Gadhafi Vows to Die a 'Martyr'

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Libye : la colère de Sarkozy contre Kadhafi
LE POINT: Le chef de l'État appelle l'Union européenne à suspendre toutes relations économiques et financières avec Tripoli. Il "demande des sanctions concrètes".

Nicolas Sarkozy a demandé, mercredi, "l'adoption rapide de sanctions concrètes" de la part de l'Union européenne (UE) contre les responsables de la répression en Libye et a souhaité la suspension des relations économiques et financières avec ce pays "jusqu'à nouvel ordre". >>> Le Point.fr | Mercredi 23 Février 2011

La fortune de Kadhafi difficile à évaluer mais disputée
LE MONDE: Le dirigeant libyen Mouammar Kadhafi a bâti un vaste empire financier dont les ressources se chiffrant en milliards de dollars restent difficiles à évaluer, rapportent le Guardian et le Financial Times, mercredi 23 février. Le Guardian évoque des comptes secrets à Dubaï, en Asie du Sud-Est, dans les pays du Golfe. La manne pétrolière aurait permis à la Libye d'investir près de 70 milliards de dollars (51 milliards d'euros) à travers la Libyan Investment Authority (LIA), fonds souverain créé en 2006. Ces milliards sont source de sérieuses disputes au sein du clan du dictateur, rapporte le Financial Times citant des câbles diplomatiques obtenus par WikiLeaks. >>> LEMONDE.FR avec AFP | Mercredi 23 Février 2011

Libyan City Dubbed 'Free Benghazi' as Anti-Gaddafi Troops Take Control
THE GUARDIAN: • Guardian reporter enters country's second city 
• Local doctors put massacre death toll at 230 
• Rebel officers talk of army revolt against mercenaries

Libya's second city, Benghazi, appears to have fallen beyond the control of Muammar Gaddafi, with the local military defying his regime and monarchy-era flags flying from government buildings.

As the first foreign news organisation to report from so-called Free Benghazi, the Guardian witnessed defecting troops pouring into the courtyard of a ransacked police station carrying tonnes of weaponry and ammunition looted from a military armoury to stop it being seized by forces loyal to the Libyan dictator.

Soldiers brought rockets and heavy weapons which had been used in an assault on citizens in central Benghazi on Saturday as Gaddafi tried to keep control of the city. Doctors in Benghazi said that at least 230 people were killed, with a further 30 critically injured.

There was also the clearest confirmation yet that Gaddafi's regime used outside mercenaries to try to suppress the rebellion. Adjoining the police station a large crowd gathered in another courtyard. Upstairs, the Guardian saw a number of mercenaries, allegedly flown in the previous week, being interrogated by lawyers and army officials. >>> Martin Chulov in Benghazi | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Guardian's Martin Chulov in Benghazi

British Teacher in Tripoli: 'We Want to Get Out Because We Don't Know What Will Happen' - Video
THE GUARDIAN: Glen Mundy, head of the International School Tripoli, based on the western outskirts of the Libyan capital, speaks to the Guardian's Adam Gabbatt via Skype about his experience of the recent turmoil

Watch Guardian video here

Gaddafi Defiant as State Teeters
Libyan leader vows to 'fight on' as his government loses control of key parts in the country and as top officials quit

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Gaddafi defiant as state teeters >>> Al Jazeera and agencies | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

The Libyan Government Has Accused Qatar, Al Jazeera's Host Country, of Spreading "Lies" and Fomenting Unrest

Libya Reacts to Gaddafi Speech
As Libyan state TV shows cheering crowds apparently reacting to Gaddafi's speech, a webcam streaming from Benghazi shows a very different view. Al Jazeera brings you both scenes, side by side

Tribal System Still Important in Libya
Libya is one of the most tribal nations in the Arab world - a country where clans and alliances shape the political landscape. Tribal structure has played a crucial role in the country's history. Al Jazeera's Dorsa Jabbari takes a look at the country's tribal system

Related: Related >>>

Lage in Libyen angespannt
Informationen über das Geschehen in Libyen sind rar. Die Nacht auf heute sei in Tripolis jedoch ruhig verlaufen. Dies trotz der Drohungen in Gaddafis gestriger Ansprache. Einschätzungen von Pascal Weber, SF-Korrespondent in Sallum

Angst vor einem Völkermord in Libyen
Die EU ruft Gaddafi zum Ende der Gewalt auf. Das Vorgehen Gaddafis sei absolut inakzeptabel, sagt ein Sprecher der EU-Kommission. Mögliche Sanktionen würden am Nachmittag besprochen. Es ist unklar, was derzeit in Libyen passiert. Tweeter berichten von Ruhe in Tripolis und Chaos in Benghasi

Aufenthalt in Libyen sehr riskant

Libyen-Rückkehrer: «Es wird überall geschossen»
SCHWEIZER FERNSEHEN: Gewalt und Horrorszenen in den Strassen von Tripolis, chaotische Zustände auf dem Flughafen der libyschen Metropole – italienische Passagiere berichten von Tagen des Schreckens in dem vom Umsturz erfassten nordafrikanischen Land.

«Auf der Fahrt von Sabratha nach Tripolis haben sie versucht, uns zu lynchen, es war entsetzlich», so ein Passagier noch mit Angst in den Augen, wie die Zeitung «La Repubblica» berichtete. Er war unter den ersten 175 am Dienstag nach Rom ausgeflogenen Italienern.

«Flughafen von Tripolis eine Art Flüchtlingslager»

«Im ganzen Land gibt es Kämpfe, überall wird geschossen», erklärt der Italiener Fabrizio Carelli bewegt. «Die Lage in Tripolis ist wahnsinnig, die Strassen sind leer, und die Privattruppen Gaddafis schiessen auf alles», fügt der dem Chaos entkommende Libyer Mohammed Sherif an. Von allen Seiten seien Schüsse zu hören gewesen, man habe sich nicht auf die Strasse gewagt, sagen auch andere. >>> agenturen/buev | Mittwoch, 23. Februar 2011

Bahrain Frees Prisoners to Mollify Protesters
REUTERS: Bahrain has freed 23 people accused of trying to topple the island's Sunni Muslim monarchy, along with more than 200 other mostly Shi'ite prisoners detained in recent months, a lawyer said on Wednesday.

The prisoner release was a further concession to the mainly Shi'ite protesters who took to the streets last week to demand a constitutional monarchy and an elected government, emboldened by a surge of popular unrest across the Arab world.

It also preceded the expected return to Bahrain of Hassan Mushaimaa, leader of the hardline Shi'ite Haq party, one of two people tried in absentia for his part in the alleged coup plot.

Mohammed al-Tajer, a lawyer for the 23 activists, told Reuters that about 250 prisoners had been released. Most were detained as part of a crackdown launched on some Shi'ite opposition groups last August and during subsequent protests. >>> Frederik Richter, Manama | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

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Italy Says 1,000 Killed in Libya Unrest
REUTERS: Muammar Gaddafi's increasingly desperate attempts to crush a revolt against his four-decade rule have killed as many as 1,000 people and split Libya, Italy's Foreign Minister said on Wednesday.

As countries with strong business ties to Africa's third largest oil producer scrambled to evacuate their citizens, and fear of pro-Gaddafi gunmen emptied the streets of the capital Tripoli, France became the first state to call for sanctions.

"I would like the suspension of economic, commercial and financial relations with Libya until further notice," President Nicolas Sarkozy said.

But in the latest sign of international division over how to deal with Gaddafi, the prime minister of Qatar said he did not want to isolate Libya, where several senior officials have declared their backing for protests that began about a week ago.

A senior aide to Gaddafi's influential son Saif was the latest to change sides.

"I resigned from the Gaddafi Foundation on Sunday to express dismay against violence," Youssef Sawani, executive director of the foundation, said in a text message sent to Reuters. >>> Tripoli | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Libya in Turmoil as Muammar Gaddafi's Power Slips Away
Some Libyan cities celebrate victory over the Muammar Gaddafi regime as night-time battles continue in Tripoli. European countries attempt to evacuate their citizens

Libya: Col Gaddafi Threatens to Unleash Mob Rule
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Col Muammar Gaddafi threatened to unleash mob rule on his country on Tuesday night as he vowed to "cleanse Libya house by house" until he had crushed the insurrection seeking to sweep him from power.

With hundreds dead and violence spreading across the country, including the capital Tripoli, European states scrambled to evacuate thousands of their citizens left stranded by the turmoil.

Britain announced it would provide an airlift for nationals and a Royal Navy frigate was ordered to Libyan waters for added protection.

William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, said a chartered plane would arrive in Tripoli within 48 hours.

"The safety of British nationals in Libya is of paramount concern to us," Mr Hague said. "In light of the fluid and dangerous situation, we are urgently reinforcing our team on the ground with specialist personnel to provide help and assistance to British nationals."

Heedless of the growing international outrage prompted by his bloody repression of the protests against him, Mr Gaddafi took to the airwaves to deliver the most chilling speech of his 42 years in power.

In a diatribe that lasted an hour-an-a-quarter, the Libyan leader threatened death sentences against anyone who challenged his authority and declared that he had more justification to use force that the Chinese authorities who ordered the massacre in Tiananmen Square. (+ video) >>> Adrian Blomfield, in Cairo | Tuesday, February 22, 2011

WikiLeaks Cables Detail Qaddafi Family’s Exploits
THE NEW YORK TIMES: WASHINGTON — After New Year’s Day 2009, Western media reported that Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi, a son of the Libyan leader Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, had paid Mariah Carey $1 million to sing just four songs at a bash on the Caribbean island of St. Barts.

In the newspaper he controlled, Seif indignantly denied the report — the big spender, he said, was his brother, Muatassim, Libya’s national security adviser, according to an American diplomatic cable from the capital, Tripoli.

It was Muatassim, too, the cable said, who had demanded $1.2 billion in 2008 from the chairman of Libya’s national oil corporation, reportedly to establish his own militia. That would let him keep up with yet another brother, Khamis, commander of a special-forces group that “effectively serves as a regime protection unit.”

As the Qaddafi clan conducts a bloody struggle to hold onto power in Libya, cables obtained by WikiLeaks offer a vivid account of the lavish spending, rampant nepotism and bitter rivalries that have defined what a 2006 cable called “Qadhafi Incorporated,” using the State Department’s preference from the multiple spellings for Libya’s troubled first family.

The glimpses of the clan’s antics in recent years that have reached Libyans despite Col. Qaddafi’s tight control of the media have added to the public anger now boiling over. And the tensions between siblings could emerge as a factor in the chaos in the oil-rich African country.

Though the Qaddafi children are described as jockeying for position as their father ages — three sons fought to profit from a new Coca-Cola franchise — they have been well taken care of, cables say. “All of the Qaddafi children and favorites are supposed to have income streams from the National Oil Company and oil service subsidiaries,” one cable from 2006 says. >>> Scott Shane | Tuesday, February 22, 2011

A Look Round the London House Thought to Be Owned by Libya's Saif al-Islam Gaddafi
THE TELEGRAPH: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi. the son of the Libyan leader, is planning to make more than half a million pounds a year renting out his home in north London. He is trying to rent out an eight-bedroom home in Hampstead for £9,750 a week. He bought the house two years ago through a British Virgin Islands-registered company for £10 million. A Sunday newspaper reported that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of Col Muammar Gaddafi, bought the house in the wealthy suburb of Hampstead in north London and spent some time there with his entourage | To the gallery >>>

Libya Crisis: What Role Do Tribal Loyalties Play?
BBC: During his speech on Libyan TV on Sunday, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam, raised the spectre of civil war in Libya in the event of the anti-regime demonstrations continuing, with members of different tribes "killing each other in the streets".

But how much of this is real and how much is scaremongering? What role do Libyan tribes play in society and how much influence do tribal chiefs carry?

During Muammar Gaddafi's 42-year rule, Libya has made great strides socially and economically thanks to its vast oil income, but tribes and clans continue to be part of the demographic landscape.

Women in Libya are free to work and to dress as they like, subject to family constraints. Life expectancy is in the seventies. And per capita income - while not as high as could be expected given Libya's oil wealth and relatively small population of 6.5m - is estimated at $12,000 (£9,000), according to the World Bank.

Illiteracy has been almost wiped out, as has homelessness - a chronic problem in the pre-Gaddafi era, where corrugated iron shacks dotted many urban centres around the country.

Tribal identity

However, the tribalism which dogged Libyan society during the monarchy is still very much a reality.

While many see the continued existence of tribalism as an obstacle to social mobility, equal opportunity and the development of civil society, its significance politically is less clear-cut.

Many Libyans continue to identify themselves as belonging to a tribe.

However, in reality tribal kinship has been on the wane due to the growth in education and urbanisation, which separated people from their traditional tribal areas and contributed to weakening their tribal affinity. >>> Mohamed Hussein, BBC Monitoring | Monday, February 21, 2011

Libya Protests: The Gaddafi Family Tree
BBC: A look at the roles and relationships of the Libyan leader's closest family, amid ongoing protests and violence across the country. >>> | Monday, February 21, 2011

Libya Protests: UN Security Council Condemns Crackdown
BBC: The UN Security Council has condemned the Libyan authorities for using force against protesters, calling for those responsible to be held to account.

In a statement, the council demanded an immediate end to the violence and said Libya's rulers had to "address the legitimate demands of the population".

At least 300 people have been killed so far in the uprising.

Earlier, Col Muammar Gaddafi urged his supporters to attack the "cockroaches" and "rats" protesting against his rule.

Anyone who took up arms against Libya would be executed, he warned.

Interior Minister Abdel Fattah Younes al-Abidi - who is considered Col Gaddafi's number two - later resigned and called on the armed forces to "join and heed the people's demands".

The BBC's Jon Leyne, in eastern Libya, says people there reacted with anger and derision to Col Gaddafi's speech.

They fear the veteran leader is out to destroy the country before he is finally deposed. (+ video) >>> | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Is The Libyan Leader Qaddafi Finished?
Feb 22, 2011 – Is Libyan regime finished?

Arizona Senate Panel Passes Sweeping Bills Targeting Illegals, Birthright Citizenship
FOX NEWS: PHOENIX -- An Arizona Senate committee late Tuesday narrowly approved a sweeping bill that would target illegal immigrants in public housing, public benefits and the workplace.

The committee earlier Tuesday also approved a bill that would deny automatic citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants in a measure designed to set up a possible U.S. Supreme Court case on the issue.

Republican state Sen. Russell Pearce, who authored Arizona's controversial illegal immigration law last year that touched off a nationwide debate on whether states can enforce federal immigration laws, sponsored Tuesday's more sweeping measure.

"If you're in the country illegally, you don't have a right to public benefits, period," he said. >>> Associated Press | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

What's Next for Libya?
Feb 22, 2011 – The transition in Libya

U.S. Tries to Get Americans Out of Libya
FOX NEWS: WASHINGTON -- The U.S. will try again Wednesday to evacuate American citizens from Libya, this time by ferry, as concerns rise about longtime leader Moammar Qaddafi's unpredictable behavior.

As security forces unleashed a bloody crackdown on protesters demanding Qaddafi's ouster, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called the violence "completely unacceptable."

"We believe that the government of Libya bears responsibility for what is occurring and must take actions to end the violence," Clinton said Tuesday.

But as it sought to safely extricate U.S. diplomats and other Americans from the spreading chaos, the Obama administration stopped short of criticizing Qaddafi personally or demanding that he step down. U.S. officials who spoke to the matter publicly on Tuesday, including Clinton, would not mention Qaddafi by name. >>> Associated Press | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Qaddafi’s Grip on the Capital Tightens as Revolt Grows
THE NEW YORK TIMES: TOBRUK, Libya — Vowing to track down and kill protesters “house by house,” Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi of Libya tightened his grip on the capital, Tripoli, on Tuesday, but the eastern half of the country was slipping beyond his control.

A bloody crackdown drove protesters from the streets of Tripoli, where residents described a state of terror. After a televised speech by Colonel Qaddafi, thousands of his supporters converged in the city’s central Green Square, wearing green bandannas and brandishing large machetes.

Many loaded into trucks headed for the outlying areas of the city, where they occupied traffic intersections and appeared to be massing for neighborhood-to-neighborhood searches.

“It looks like they have been given a green light to kill these people,” one witness said. >>> KAREEM FAHIM and DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK | Tuesday, February 22, 2011