Jitters over Attack on Indian Mall in Oman
THE TELEGRAPH - CALCUTTA: Washington – The first targeted attack on an Indian-owned property since the Arab world went up in flames in January has sent up a wave of concern in New Delhi that it may have to brace for an influx of its citizens from the Gulf, a repeat of the events following Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

The burning down of Lulu Hypermarket in the Omani town of Sohar this week is particularly unsettling for the Congress party which fears that any repetition of this incident creating a pattern could have an echo in elections in Kerala, which has lakhs of households living off income from its people working in the Gulf. >>> K. P. Nayar | Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Revealed: David Cameron's secret talks with Tony Blair over Libya crisis
MAIL ONLINE: David Cameron has been secretly consulting Tony Blair about Libya despite publicly criticising his links with Colonel Gaddafi.

Senior officials say the Prime Minister has held at least two conversations in the past fortnight with the former Labour premier, now a Middle East peace envoy.

Mr Cameron has consulted Mr Blair about the Libyan dictator’s state of mind and sought advice about how to make him quit.

But yesterday the Prime Minister continued his public condemnation of Blairite links to Libya, telling MPs that Lord Mandelson, Baroness Symons and former defence minister Adam Ingram should refer themselves to the independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, which vets jobs of former ministers.

Lord Mandelson has twice met Gaddafi’s son Saif. Baroness Symons resigned this week as an adviser to the National Economic Development Board of Libya, while Mr Ingram works for a defence firm which has sought contracts in Libya. >>> Tim Shipman and Sam Greenhill | Thursday, March 03, 2011

Libya: Rebels Defeat Gaddafi Counter-Attacks

SKY NEWS: Attacks by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's fighter jets and artillery have been repulsed by the rebels threatening to end his 41-year rule of Libya. >>> Dominic Waghorn, in Adjaybia [sic], and Richard Williams | Thursday, March 03, 2011

Gunman Strikes US Military in Germany

HT: Jihad Watch >>>

Gaddafi's Forces Attack Libya's Brega

Bradley Manning May Face Death Penalty
THE GUARDIAN: 'Aiding the enemy' among 22 new charges brought against US soldier held in solitary confinement

Bradley Manning, the US soldier who has spent 10 months in solitary confinement on suspicion of having transmitted a huge trove of state secrets to WikiLeaks, now faces a possible death penalty.

The intelligence specialist, who is being held in the maximum security jail on Quantico marine base in Virginia, has been handed 22 additional military charges as part of his court martial process.

They come on top of initial charges of having illegally obtained 150,000 secret US government cables and handing more than 50 of them to an unauthorised person that carried a possible sentence of up to 52 years in prison.

Manning's lawyer, David Coombs, said that the most serious of the new charges was the Article 104 offence of "aiding the enemy". The charge carries a potential death sentence. >>> Ed Pilkington in New York | Thursday, March 03, 2011

Kate Adie: The Gaddafi I Knew
THE GUARDIAN: Gaddafi's Libya ran on farce mingled with fear, recalls the BBC reporter he nearly ran down in a small, battered Peugeot

I feel obliged to dip into books which have been given to me as a present. "In need freedom is latent . . ." Late at night in Tripoli in 1984 I found Colonel Gaddafi's Green Book hard going. He'd signed the book that morning, in revolutionary green ink of course, a curious V-shape, as if an inky fly had slid down the page and staggered back up. He'd also given me a Qur'an and wished me Happy Christmas.

Nothing was ever straightforward dealing with Gaddafi.

There was little to do in revolutionary Libya in the evenings. Television was dreary, full of the Leader's speeches and only occasionally enlivened by pirated foreign programmes, including the nation's favourite: Monty Python's Flying Circus. Libyans watched it, not laughing but nodding. They said: "That's our country they're showing." It was an oil-rich country with broken pavements and an atmosphere that discouraged taking a walk in the dark. No obvious threat, no armed men prowling the street, just hotel employees and anonymous regime officials twitching with an unexpressed fear that "things might happen . . ." So I read on: "No democracy without popular congresses, and committees everywhere."

In frequent visits since, I've noticed that the Colonel's slogans plastered on the walls of public buildings have faded somewhat, but he still looms large, even when cornered. And when the possibility of freedom emerged in the city of Benghazi a few days ago, a bright-eyed young man was shouting joyfully, "We're forming a committee." This is the new Libya, which needs a government – and old habits die hard. >>> Kate Adie | Wednesday, March 02, 2011

History Should Come Down Hard on Tony Blair for Embracing Gaddafi
THE GUARDIAN: Tony Blair knew what a murderous 'mad dog' Gaddafi was. The only convincing reason for the rapprochement was the promotion of British interests in Libya

In the light of subsequent events, Neville Chamberlain's effort to appease Adolf Hitler is usually portrayed as one of the most shameful episodes in modern British history. But surely Tony Blair's love-in with Colonel Gaddafi was worse. Chamberlain never pretended to like Hitler. He certainly never embraced him. His aim was to prevent war by reaching an accommodation with a man whose full infamy he did not appreciate. He was naive to believe he could rely on Hitler's promises, and he was culpably indifferent towards the fate of the Czechoslovaks, but the prospect of another war between Britain and Germany seemed so terrible (as, indeed, it turned out to be) that his policy of appeasement can at least be understood. As Winston Churchill, the arch-opponent of appeasement, said in his House of Commons eulogy to Chamberlain after his death in 1940: "Neville Chamberlain acted with perfect sincerity according to his lights, and strove to the utmost of his capacity and authority, which were powerful, to save the world from the awful, devastating struggle in which we are now engaged. This alone will stand him in good stead as far as what is called the verdict of history is concerned." >>> Alexander Chancellor | Friday, February 25, 2011

THE TIMES: Exclusive: LSE’s £1m deal to train Libya’s rulers >>> Greg Hurst and Dominic Kennedy | Thursday, March 03, 2011 [£]

Saudi Arabia Contagion Triggers Gulf Rout
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Fears of sectarian uprisings in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have set off the first serious wave of investor flight from the Gulf, compounding market turmoil as civil war in Libya pushes Brent crude over $116 a barrel.

Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul stock index has tumbled 11pc in wild trading over the past two days, led by banks and insurers. Dubai’s bourse has hit a 7-year low.

The latest sell-off was triggered by the arrest of a Shi’ite cleric in the Kingdom’s Eastern Province after he called for democratic reforms and a constitutional monarchy. The province is home to Saudi Arabia’s aggrieved Shi’ite minority and also holds the country’s vast Ghawar oilfield, placing it at the epicentre of global crude supply.

“Unrest in this region can have fatal consequences for the world,” said JBC Energy. “The plunge on the Saudi stock exchange can be interpreted as a sign of waning trust.”

In Bahrain, the island nation’s Sunni elite holds sway over a Shi’ite majority that is denied key jobs and has a token political voice, making it a trial run for Saudi Arabia’s near-identical tensions in the Eastern Province.

Bahraini dissidents have so far been much bolder, prompting a bloody crackdown last month when at least seven people were shot by the military. The ruling family – under intense pressure from Washington to stop the killings – has since held out an olive branch to protesters and let the radical Haq leader Hassan Mushaima return from exile, yet the crisis is far from contained.

My Mushaima said on Wednesday that protesters have “the right to appeal for help from Iran” if Saudi military units interfere in the struggle. Tanks were seen crossing the 17-mile causeway from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain on Tuesday.

“These were supposed to be Bahrain’s tanks returning from Kuwait: that is not a credible story,” said Siras Abi Ali, a Gulf expert at the risk group Exclusive Analysis.

He said the outcome in Bahrain will set the template for events across the border. “There is no good outcome from this for Saudi Arabia. If Bahrain offers concessions, the Saudi Shia will demand similar concessions. If they crack down, they risk an uprising. These people do not want to live under the House of Saud,” he said. >>> Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, International Business Editor | Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Ausweitung der Yuan-Menge: China attackiert den Dollar
Dollar- und Yuan-Noten: Drohende Dollar-Dämmerung. Bild: Spiegel Online
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Die chinesische Notenbank überrascht mit einer spektakulären Ankündigung: Die angehende Supermacht will ihren kompletten Außenhandel künftig in Yuan abwickeln, nicht mehr in Dollar. Peking rüttelt an Amerikas Anspruch, die Leitwährung zu stellen - mit gravierenden Folgen für die USA.

Berlin - Es ist unscheinbare Ankündigung, doch sie hat das Potential, das Machtgefüge auf dem Weltwährungsmarkt nachhaltig zu verändern: China stärkt die internationale Rolle des Yuan. Alle Exporteure und Importeure sollen noch in diesem Jahr die Geschäfte mit ihren ausländischen Partnern in Yuan abrechnen können, teilte die Zentralbank am Mittwoch in Peking mit.

Damit werde auf die wachsende Bedeutung des Yuan als weltweite Reservewährung reagiert. "Die Marktnachfrage nach einer grenzüberschreitenden Verwendung des Yuan steigt", erklärte die Zentralbank. Testweise wurde bereits im vergangenen Jahr 67.000 Unternehmen in 20 Provinzen erlaubt, ihre Auslandsgeschäfte in Yuan abzuwickeln. Das Handelsvolumen belief sich auf umgerechnet rund 56 Milliarden Euro.

Jetzt soll die Yuan-Menge ausgeweitet werden, es sollen deutlich mehr Geschäfte in der chinesischen Währung abgewickelt werden - und weniger in der amerikanischen. Chinesische Unternehmen handeln zurzeit oft in Dollar, sie sind dadurch abhängig von den Entscheidungen der US-Notenbank Fed, zahlen bei einem steigenden Ölpreis drauf und müssen höhere Transaktionsgebühren als nötig berappen. Das soll sich jetzt ändern.

Langfristig will die Volksrepublik sogar noch weiter gehen. Sie will den streng reglementierten Yuan schrittweise in eine frei konvertierbare Weltwährung aufbauen. >>> ssu/AFP/Reuters | Mittwoch, 02. M¨rz 2011

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Paris dépêche le porte-hélicoptères Mistral vers la Libye
LE POINT: La France apporte son aide à l'évacuation de travailleurs égyptiens bloqués dans le désert libyen.

La France a décidé d'envoyer le porte-hélicoptères Mistral vers la Libye pour participer notamment à des évacuations de travailleurs étrangers empêchés de rejoindre leur pays, dans le cadre des mesures décidées par l'Union européenne, a annoncé mercredi le ministère de la Défense. Le Mistral, qui se trouvait mercredi au large du Portugal, devait entrer dans la nuit ou jeudi matin en Méditerranée pour rejoindre le port de Toulon, a-t-on précisé de même source. Le porte-hélicoptères, accompagné de la frégate Georges Leygues, devait se diriger ensuite vers les côtes libyennes.

Le Mistral "a été mis à disposition pour évacuer les ressortissants étrangers en Libye dont les États n'avaient pas les moyens d'assurer" leur évacuation, a déclaré le président Nicolas Sarkozy, lors d'une conférence de presse à l'issue d'un entretien à Paris avec le président sud-africain Jacob Zuma. "La marine française est dans le cadre d'une opération humanitaire", a souligné le chef de l'État, en dénonçant "la folie meurtrière de Kadhafi". "Mouammar Kadhafi doit partir, il n'y a aucune ambiguïté en la matière", a-t-il déclaré. Nicolas Sarkozy a rappelé "les réserves de la France sur une intervention militaire" étrangère en Libye. Mais "nous restons attentifs aux décisions du Conseil de sécurité (de l'ONU) et à ce qui pourrait dans ce cadre changer la donne, du moins partiellement", a-t-il dit. L'opération envisagée vise notamment à évacuer des travailleurs égyptiens, actuellement bloqués à la frontière entre la Tunisie et la Libye, et à les transférer en Égypte, a précisé le ministère de la Défense. >>> Source AFP | Mercredi 02 Mars 2011

LE POINT: Kadhafi poursuit sa contre-attaque : Malgré les appels à l'aide des dissidents, la communauté internationale reste divisée sur l'option d'une intervention militaire. >>> Source Reuters | Mercredi 02 Mars 2011

Vidéo: L’éntraînement militaire des jeunes de Benghazi : Dans la deuxième ville de Libye, les jeunes apprennent les techniques de combat avec des militaries qui se sont ralliés à la cause des opposants. >>>

Letter from Tripoli: An Eyewitness Account
+972 MAGAZINE: Yesterday evening (21 February) I was able to speak via Skype for about 20 minutes with a friend who lives in Sarraj, a suburb of Tripoli that is located 10 kilometers west of the city’s center. He agreed to my publishing a summary of the main points of our conversation; and he also answered some follow-up questions via email. Ali, which is not his real name, speaks fluent American English; his background, which I will not specify, makes him qualified to give reliable information about certain military matters

The atmosphere in Sarraj is fearful and tense, but otherwise calm. There is no violence on the streets, but everyone can hear loud caliber rounds fired every few seconds. “This proves that sniping is taking place,” writes Ali in his email. “It means, actually, that someone is aiming and shooting at something and apparently not wasting his ammo too much with careful firing. It is an eerie feeling to stand outside and hear this.”

He also saw three Chinook helicopters flying over his neighborhood, heading north toward the center of the city. More details about that below. Ali and his neighbors take turns patrolling the neighborhood around the clock, to protect it from roaming mercenary soldiers; but otherwise they stay at home. Since Qaddafi’s regime enforced a strict ban on civilians owning firearms, they are using makeshift weapons to protect themselves. Ali said he is armed with a crowbar. The mercenaries, Ali said, are everywhere. They come mostly from Chad and Darfur.

The government briefly blocked access to Aljazeera and other satellite television stations, but then stopped. Libyans are now able to watch satellite television, and they do have access to the internet, although the connection is unstable and capricious. There was quite a lot of interference during our conversation via Skype, with Ali’s voice breaking up several times. He said that he can access his Gmail account from his laptop computer, but not from his iPhone. In terms of infrastructure, water and electricity are fine. His family stocked up on food and supplies before the current troubles began, and are not worried about shortages. Continue reading and comment >>> Lisa Goldman | Monday, February 21, 2011

Gaddafi Strikes Town, Rebels Call for Foreign Help
REUTERS: Libyan rebels repulsed a land and air offensive by Muammar Gaddafi's forces as the defiant leader warned foreign powers of "another Vietnam" if they intervened in his country's popular uprising.

Rebels in their eastern bastion of Benghazi called for U.N.-backed air strikes to halt attacks by African mercenaries they say Gaddafi is using against his own people.

Government troops, backed by air power, launched an attack on Wednesday and briefly captured Brega, an oil export terminal 800 km (500 miles) east of Tripoli.

Opposition forces took back the town they have held for about a week, rebel officers said. They were ready to move west toward the capital, they said, if Gaddafi refused to quit.

Basking in the adulation of loyalists in Tripoli, Gaddafi, Libya's leader for the last 41 years, launched into a tirade against the "armed gangsters" he said were behind the unrest, part of a conspiracy to colonize Libya and seize its oil.

"We will enter a bloody war and thousands and thousands of Libyans will die if the United States enters or NATO enters," Gaddafi told Tripoli supporters at a gathering televised live.

"We are ready to hand out weapons to a million, or 2 million or 3 million, and another Vietnam will begin." >>> Mohammed Abbas | Brega, Libya | Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Gaddafi Denies Libya Protests
Mar 2 - In an speech to a political rally in Tripoli Muammar Gaddafi denies there have been anti-government demonstrations in his country. Simon Hanna reports

THE GUARDIAN: Battle for Bregga could mark start of real war in Libya: At least six people die as eastern town fights off attack by pro-Gaddafi forces >>> Martin Chulov in Bregga, eastern Libya | Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Pope: Jews Not to Blame for Death of Christ
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Pope has exonerated the Jewish people for the death of Christ, insisting that they must not be collectively blamed for his death

In a new study that he has written of Christ's life, "Jesus of Nazareth", Benedict XVI said those at fault were the small number of Jewish priests and leaders who called for Christ's crucifixion[.]

The Roman Catholic Church has maintained for decades that Jews were not responsible for Christ's execution, most notably in 1965 with a document entitled "Nostra Aetate," but Benedict's book further underlines the Vatican's teaching.

While some of the Gospels refer to all Jewish people calling for Christ's crucifixion, it was in fact the "temple aristocracy," who demanded his crucifixion after his trial by Pontius Pilate, the Pope wrote.

In doing so he challenged interpretations of the Bible which have been used for centuries to justify the persecution of Jews.

"St Matthew attributes the request for the crucifixion of Jesus to 'all the people'. But he cannot be stating a historical fact: how could the entire Jewish people have been present at this moment to call for the death of Jesus?" Benedict wrote. >>> Nick Squires, Rome | Wednesday, March 02, 2011

America’s Foreign Policy Conundrum

Flying Democracy into North Korea

Obama: Frankfurt Attack an Outrage

The Civil War Libyans Don’t Want

Muammar Gaddafi Offers Rebels an Amnesty
THE GUARDIAN: Warning to world of 'another Vietnam' if Libya is invaded masks concessions to opponents shaped by son Saif al-Islam

Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has offered an amnesty for rebels who hand back weapons, promising they would be "forgiven and not pursued" even as he warned that his country would be turned into "another Vietnam" if foreign countries intervened.

In a three-hour speech to supporters and international journalists in Tripoli, Gaddafi offered a handful of concessions aimed at those supporting the opposition forces who control more than half the country.

Faced with the threat of armed intervention by the west, he said: "We will enter a bloody war and thousands and thousands of Libyans will die if the United States enters or Nato enters."

Although the defiance had been anticipated, what was surprising was a series of concessions designed to divert support for the escalating uprising and head off the growing threat of military intervention.

Conceding his almost complete isolation, Gaddafi admitted that the world appeared to be against Libya, including India, China and parts of Latin America as well as the US and Europe.

The speech, delivered on Wednesdayas Libyan forces attacked opposition positions in the east of the country, bore all the hallmarks of being shaped by his son Saif al-Islam, who has argued in the past for some of the concessions on offer.

Despite his often fiery rhetoric, Gaddafi delivered the speech calmly, in contrast to fist-waving previous addresses in which he threatened to hunt down opponents like rats.

He promised he would not stand in the way of privately-owned media or a constitution for the country – long espoused by Saif – if that is what people wanted. He also offered an inquiry into violence on both sides. >>> Peter Beaumont in Tripoli | Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Galliano comparaîtra en correctionnelle pour injure raciale
LE MONDE: Le parquet de Paris a annoncé, mercredi 2 mars dans un communiqué, que le styliste britannique John Galliano comparaîtra pour injure raciale au deuxième trimestre 2011 devant le tribunal correctionnel. Il risque six mois de prison et 22 500 euros d'amende.

Dans un communiqué publié mercredi à Londres par ses avocats, le styliste a présenté ses excuses pour sa "conduite qui a pu choquer", mais a nié tout antisémitisme. "Je nie totalement les accusations portées contre moi, et coopère avec les enquêteurs", explique-t-il. La maison de couture française Dior a annoncé mardi qu'elle allait se séparer de son styliste vedette, accusé d'avoir tenu des propos antisémites et racistes, au lendemain de la diffusion d'une vidéo sur Internet dans laquelle il déclare "adorer Hitler". >>> LEMONDE.FR avec AFP et Reuters | Mercredi 02 Mars 2011

Liens ici et ici en relations avec l’article.

Libya Hopes Oil Does Not Become Weapon
REUTERS: Libya hopes tensions with Western countries over a popular revolt in the country do not reach the stage where the Tripoli government considers oil as a political weapon, a top oil official said on Wednesday.

Shokri Ghanem, chairman of Libya's National Oil Corporation, also told Reuters in an interview that Libya's troubles had created the country's worst energy crisis in decades and Libyan supply disruptions to world markets could push oil above $130 a barrel in the next month if troubles persist.

Oil markets will be watching closely to see if the departure of oil workers fearful of violence in Libya will further cut output in the world's 12th largest exporter. >>> Reporting by Michael Georgy; editing by Keiron Henderson | Tripoli | Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Libya: Arab Countries Threaten 'No Fly' Zone
The Arab League has said it could enforce a military "no fly" zone over Libya if leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi allows his own people to suffer further bloodshed

SKY NEWS: The organisation, whose members include countries across the Middle East, said it could team up with the African Union and patrol the skies above the country to prevent the Libyan air force carrying out attacks. >>> | Wednesday, March 02, 2011

The ‘Demubarakization’ of Egypt
THE NEW YORK TIMES – OPINIONATOR: CAIRO — The former president of Egypt was not the statue-building kind, or else we’d have already seen a few Baghdad-like images of marble icons being brought down by jubilant masses after his abdication on February 11. (Come to think of it, I wish we had a few statues to bring down.) But after three decades of rule, and with a particularly auspicious name — Mubarak means “blessed” — the number of buildings, roads and projects named after him is impressive; and as Egyptian society is endeavoring to repair the damage of his corrupt regime, it’s a different task altogether cleaning up the expressions of the blessed one’s megalomania.

For instance, the subway station underneath Ramses Square, Cairo’s most important transportation hub and home to the capital’s train station, is actually — and confusingly — named after the ex-president. There’s the Mubarak “axis” (a highway) and the Mubarak Bridge. There’s at least one Mubarak street in every city in Egypt. There’s a Mubarak Educational City in the suburb city of the 6th of October, and a Mubarak City for Science and Technology in the Mediterranean city of Burg El Arab, whose stadium is also called the Mubarak Stadium.

And according to the Ministry of Education, there are 388 “Hosni Mubarak” schools, 160 named after his wife Suzanne — and one named after his son (and former president-to-be) Gamal Mubarak. >>> Mohamed El Dahshan | Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Libya: UN Warns of Crisis On Tunisia Border
The UN humanitarian agency has warned of a "crisis" on the Tunisian border as up to 12,000 people a day flee the violence in Libya

SKY NEWS: There is an increasing large field of tents here. Yesterday, there were about 500 and now there are about 1,500 - enough for about 12,000 people. >>> Tim Marshall on the Tunisia-Libya border, and David Connolly, Sky News Online | Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Airstrikes in Brega, Libya
As Libyan air force pilots still loyal to Gaddafi drop bombs on the oil-rich town of Brega in the north of the country, armed Gaddafi opponents encircle his loyalists in the center of the town.

Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley describes the situation from just outside the town in the north-east of the country.

U.S. Faces Bloody War If Enters Libya: Gaddafi

REUTERS: Muammar Gaddafi said on Wednesday that Libyans would die in thousands if the United States or other foreign powers enter Libya, and he was ready to discuss constitutional and legal changes without violence. >>> Writing by Edmund Blair in Cairo | Wednesday, March 02. 2011

Der Fall Guttenberg: Merkels Blick in den Abgrund
SUEDDEUTSCHE.DE: Das Missmanagement der Bundeskanzlerin in der Affäre um Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg kommt langsam auch beim Bürger an. Dass Merkel schnell ihr Kabinett umgebaut hat, wird ihr kaum helfen. Ein Wahlkampfauftritt in Stuttgart wurde bereits zum Fiasko.

Foto: Sueddeutsche.de
Gestern Abend. Stuttgart. Bundeskanzlerin und CDU-Chefin Angela Merkel wird ausgebuht. Keine acht Stunden nach dem Rücktritt von Verteidigungsminister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg. Der Wahlkampfauftritt gerät zum Fiasko. "Lügenpack" steht auf Transparenten. Merkel kann sagen was sie will. Etwa, die CDU müsse sich "von niemandem sagen, was Anstand und Ehre ist!". Das sagt sie mit erhobenem Zeigefinger.

Ein Johlen geht durch die Halle. Dazu Pfiffe. Die Menge ist aufgebracht. Merkel reagiert gereizt, regelrecht angefasst: "Wenn ich Argumente habe, stehe ich hier auch nicht mit der Trillerpfeife im Maul."

Merkel spürt erstmals harten Gegenwind aus dem Volk. Es muss ihr vorgekommen sein wie ein Blick in den Abgrund. So muss es sich anfühlen, wenn die Tage im Amt gezählt sind, weil das Volk einen nicht mehr will. So erging es Helmut Kohl in seinem letzten Wahlkampf 1998. >>> Von Thorsten Denkler | Mittwoch, 02. März 2011

Are We Or Aren’t We?
SAUDIWOMAN’S WEBLOG: The king’s has been back for a week and the celebrations are over. A financial package was announced and then thousands of government employees were granted job security. A reshuffle of key positions within the government is expected to be announced shortly. Is it enough though and will Saudi people revolt? Those are the two questions on every one’s minds both within Saudi and abroad. Nobody knows the answers for sure, even the people planning revolts.

My view is that we are still on the train heading to revolution town. People are not happy with the concessions so far and the future is still very murky. Nothing that was proposed or granted has any real long-term substantial benefits. A third of the population is made up of expatriates, the overwhelming majority of which are able to work longer hours and for much less than a national. Meanwhile the unemployment rate is going through the roof. A lot of young people are disenchanted with the religious establishment and are unhappy with the constrictions on their personal freedoms. Older generations are fed up with the corruption, nepotism and the disappearance of the middle class. Continue reading and comment >>> Eman Al Nafjan | Monday, February 28, 2011

"Je ne comprends pas les mensonges qu'on raconte"
LE POINT: EXCLUSIF. Entretien avec Seif el-Islam Kadhafi, fils du chef d'État libyen. Sidérant.

Seif el-Islam Kadhafi. Photo : Le Point
Décontracté et souriant, en pull-over à col roulé gris, des petites lunettes rondes et un crâne rasé qui lui donnent une allure d'universitaire contestataire américain des années soixante, c'est dans un somptueux bâtiment au grand escalier de marbre qui abrite les bureaux du Premier ministre, au coeur de Tripoli, que Seif el-Islam, 39 ans, le deuxième fils de Muammar Kadhafi, reçoit "Le Point". Il est 23  h  30, ce lundi 28 février. Sidérant. >>> Propos recueillis par MIREILLE DUTEIL, À TRIPOLI | Mercredi 02 Mars 2011

Libye : Kadhafi promet "des milliers de morts" en cas d'intervention étrangère
LE POINT: Le dirigeant libyen s'est exprimé publiquement lors d'une cérémonie à Tripoli retransmise par la télévision libyenne.

Le dirigeant libyen Muammar Kadhafi a mis en garde mercredi contre une intervention militaire étrangère en Libye, menaçant de "milliers de morts", après avoir de nouveau rejeté les appels à quitter le pouvoir et accusé al-Qaida de l'insurrection. "Des milliers de Libyens mourront en cas d'intervention de l'Amérique ou de l'Otan" en Libye, a-t-il lancé devant ses partisans réunis dans une salle pour une cérémonie publique à Tripoli, retransmise par la télévision officielle.

"Kadhafi n'a pas de fonction officielle pour en démissionner. Kadhafi est un symbole", a-t-il ajouté lors de cette cérémonie marquant le 34e anniversaire de l'établissement du "pouvoir des masses" en Libye. "Depuis 1977, moi-même et les officiers (qui ont orchestré la révolution de 1969) avons remis le pouvoir au peuple", a dit le leader libyen devant l'audience qui criait des slogans à sa gloire. Il a en outre déclaré que le gel des avoirs de l'État libyen était une "usurpation et un vol de l'argent du peuple libyen". >>> Source AFP | Mercredi 02 Mars 2011

ZEIT ONLINE: Gadhafi droht Tausende zu töten: Die Kämpfe in Libyen halten an. Machthaber Gadhafi lässt sich mit einem weiteren bizarren Auftritt feiern. Die Revolte leugnet er glattweg und droht den USA und der Nato. >>> Reuters, AFP, dpa | Mittwoch, 02 März 2011

Fighting Back in Libya's Media War
With state television in Libya reporting that the situation in the country is normal, anti-government activists have taken to creating their own media outlets to get their message out. Several activists in the opposition stronghold of Benghazi have set up a radio station, getting updates from protesters on the ground and disseminating them to the wider public. Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid reports from Benghazi, eastern Libya

Gaddafi: Libya Dignity Under Attack
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Libyan leader says he is just a symbol and power is in the hands of the people during televised address to supporters.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has said that he is not a president and so cannot resign his position, and that power is in the hands of the people, during a televised public rally in the capital, Tripoli.

"Muammar Gaddafi is not a president to resign, he does not even have a parliament to dissolve," Gaddafi said on Wednesday, his third public appearance since the uprising, surrounded by dozens of supporters in a large ballroom for a ceremony to mark 34 years of "people power".

"Attacks on me are seen by Libyan people as attacks on their symbol and dignity.

"The foreigners want Gaddafi to step down, to step down from what? Gaddafi is just a symbol for the Libyan people... This is how the Libyan people understood it."

He said that the world did not understand the Libyan system that puts power in the hands of the people.

"The people are free to chose the authority they see fit," he said.

"We put our fingers in the eyes of those who doubt that Libya is ruled by anyone other than its people," he said, referring to his system of "direct democracy" which he outlined in his Green Book political manifesto, launched in 1977.



"I have always said that the Libyan people are free [in managing their own business]."



He did however announce that he was willing to discuss constitutional and legal change without armed conflict or chaos. >>> Al Jazeera and agencies | Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Inside Story - Too Little Too Late?
Trying desperately not to become the next Tunisia, Egypt or Libya, Arab leaders are resorting to incentives and sweeteners to keep their people calm

Exclusive Footage of Shahbaz Bhatti's Interview
Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan's slain minister was aware of the threats that he faced in Pakistan.

 Al Jazeera has obtained the footage of an interview with the minister in which he talks about how he would carry on fighting to end the suffering of his community. 

Bhatti's close colleague shared the video with Al Jazeera saying that Bhatti had requested him to do so in the eventuality of his assassination because "it is with the Muslim world I want to share the message of love. That is the only message that can bring the Muslim world out of the circle of hate and killings".

 Al Jazeera is not responsible for the content of this video.

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Pro-Gaddafi Supporters:'We'll Give Our Lives'
Pro-Gaddafi supporters are celebrating a government handout by the Colonel, a last-ditch attempt to win people over says Lisa Holland in Tripoli

Gaddafi: 'There Are No Protests In The East'
Colonel Gaddafi has told supporters that there are "no protests at all in the east", blaming any clashes on al Qaeda sleeper cells attacking security forces

SKY NEWS: The Libyan leader appeared on state television and in front of the world's media to deny extensive protests across the country, despite reports of battles with rebels in the east. >>> | Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Gaddafi Forces 'Bomb' Eastern Rebel Town

Pro-Gaddafi forces have bombed the eastern town of Ajdabiyah and briefly seized control of a nearby oil facility, reports say. >>> | Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Libya Crisis Sparks Spat at UN between US and Venezuela
The UN general assembly unanimously suspended Libya's membership of the UN Human Rights Council because of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's violence against his own people

Cameron Retreats from Libya No-fly Plan after US Shows Caution
THE GUARDIAN: Explosions heard in Tripoli as UN secretary general warns thousands could die in Libya

Britain has backtracked from its belligerent military stance over Libya after the Obama administration publicly distanced itself from David Cameron's suggestion that Nato should establish a no-fly zone over the country and that rebel forces should be armed.

As senior British military sources expressed concern that Downing Street appeared to be overlooking the dangers of being sucked into a long and potentially dangerous operation, the prime minister said Britain would go no further than contacting the rebel forces at this stage.

The marked change of tone by the prime minister, who told MPs on Monday that Britain did not "in any way rule out the use of military assets", came as the British-educated son of Muammar Gaddafi mocked Cameron for trying to act as a hero. Saif al-Islam told Sky News: "Everybody wants to be a hero, to be important in history." >>> Ewen MacAskill in Washington, Peter Beaumont in Tripoli and Nicholas Watt | Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Finlibya

Black Africans in Libya Live in Fear

Evidence of Libya Torture Emerges

U.S. Moves Warships Near Libya
Mar 1 - Two American amphibious assault ships and hundreds of Marines have been moved into the Mediterranean, where they could help with evacuation and humanitarian relief in Libya if needed. Jon Decker reports

U.N. Suspends Libya From Human Rights Council
Mar 1 - The United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday unanimously suspended Libya's membership in the U.N. Human Rights Council, following a deadly crackdown by Libya on anti-government protesters. Jon Decker reports

Wall Street Rattled by $100 Oil
Mar 1 - Summary of business headlines: Oil spikes close to $100 on Middle East worries causing a 1.5 percent drop across Wall Street; Fed chief thinks price spike will be short; Factory activity, auto sales point to stronger recovery. Conway Gittens reports

’Day of Rage’ Shakes Yemen
Mar 2 - A Day of Rage sees hundreds march through the Yemeni city of Aden calling for Yemeni president to step down while in Bahrain's Pearl Square demonstrators continued to rally. Marie-Claire Fennessy reports

Duke of York Fights Calls to Quit after Questions over His Friendships
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Duke of York has defended himself against a series of allegations that have raised fresh questions about his suitability as a trade envoy.

Calls have grown for the Duke to step down or be removed from his post as Britain’s special representative for trade and industry following criticism of his relationships with several business contacts.

At the weekend, a photograph was published showing the Duke with his arm around the waist of Virginia Roberts, who claims she was sexually exploited as a teenager by Jeffrey Epstein, a New York financier and one of the Duke’s wealthy friends.

The Duke has been pictured in Central Park with Epstein, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2008 for soliciting an under-age girl for prostitution.

Miss Roberts, 27, claims she was hired as a masseuse by Epstein at 17 and was once asked to sit on the Duke’s knee. She was photographed with the Duke in 2001 and claims she met him three times, though there is no suggestion that there was a sexual relationship between the pair.

The Duke has also faced claims that he has a “very close” friendship with Saif Gaddafi, the son of the Libyan leader.

On Monday, Chris Bryant, the shadow justice minister, urged David Cameron to consider the Duke’s position in light of his relationship with Saif, whose diplomatic immunity has been revoked by Britain.

He also questioned the Duke’s friendship with Tarek Kaituni, a convicted Libyan gun smuggler.

It has been alleged, and subsequently denied, that the Duke has visited Saif Gaddafi in Libya in a personal capacity on several occasions, sometimes as a guest of Kaituni. >>> Victoria Ward | Wednesday, March 02, 2011