U.S. Backs Arab States' Call for Libya No-fly Zone
REUTERS: Washington said a call by the Arab League for a U.N. no-fly zone over Libya was an "important step," as government troops backed by tanks and warplanes fought to drive rebels from their strongholds.

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said the League, meeting in Cairo on Saturday, had decided that "serious crimes and great violations" committed by the government of Muammar Gaddafi against his people had stripped it of legitimacy.

Washington, which would play a leading role in enforcing any no-fly zone, said the decision strengthened pressure on Gaddafi but it stopped short of commitment to military action and made no proposal for a swift meeting of the U.N. Security Council. >>> Michael Georgy and Tom Perry | RAS LANUF, Libya/CAIRO | Sunday, March 13, 2011

Libya Continues Air Attacks on Rebel Strongholds
Mar 12 - Libyan troops forced rebels to retreat overnight from the outskirts of the oil town of Ras Lanuf, pushing the front line of heavy fighting in Libya eastwards. Jon Decker reports

New Jersey Flooding Continues
Mar 12 - Heavy flooding continues in New Jersey following a nearly day-long deluge earlier in the week. Jon Decker reports

Japan Quake Evacuees Scanned for Radiation Exposure
Mar 12 - Although the Japanese government insisted radiation levels were low, thousands of people evacuated from areas around a crippled nuclear power plant were scanned for radiation exposure. Jon Decker reports

REUTERS FRANCE: Le bilan du séisme au Japon pourrait atteindre 10.000 morts >>> | Dimanche 13 Mars 2011

Marine Le Pen brandit ses chiffres de l'immigration
REUTERS FRANCE: TOULON, Var - Marine Le Pen a dénoncé samedi une "extraordinaire poussée" de l'immigration légale en France, s'attirant les foudres du ministère de l'Intérieur qui conteste les chiffres utilisés par la présidente du Front national.

En visite dans le Var pour soutenir les candidats du FN aux cantonales, Marine Le Pen a cité des chiffres qui lui auraient été fournis par des "hauts fonctionnaires patriotes" pour dénoncer l'échec de la politique d'immigration de Nicolas Sarkozy.

Selon elle, la France a accordé 23.504 titres de séjour en janvier 2011, ce qui représenterait une hausse de 42,1% par rapport au mois de janvier l'an dernier. >>> par Jean-François Rosnoblet | Samedi 12 Mars 2011

Binyamin Netanyahu Calls on World to Act after Killing of Jewish Settlers
THE OBSERVER: Israel's prime minister demands international condemnation after murder of five members of West Bank settler family

Israel's prime minister demanded international condemnation of the murder of five members of a Jewish settler family that Palestinian militants said was in reprisal for Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

Binyamin Netanyahu's robust statement placed what he described as a despicable act – which shattered the relative calm in the West Bank over recent months – at the centre of strenuous efforts by the US and European countries to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

Israeli soldiers mounted a massive search in the West Bank after a mother, father and three children, aged between three months and 11, were attacked with knives in their house in the West Bank settlement of Itamar, near the Palestinian city of Nablus. It was believed that two of the dead had their throats cut. >>> Harriet Sherwood in Itamar | Sunday, March 13, 2011

Netanyahu Blames Palestinian Incitement for Deadly Attack
Mar 12 - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Palestinian incitement for a lethal West Bank attack that killed five members of an Israeli family. Jon Decker reports

REUTERS: Jewish couple and three children killed in W.Bank: A Jewish couple and three of their children were stabbed to death in bed in a West Bank settlement in what Israeli officials said on Saturday was an attack by one or more Palestinians who broke into their home. >>> Rami Amichai | ITAMAR | Sunday, March 13, 2011

Human Rights Groups Demand Review of Trade with Corrupt Regimes
THE OBSERVER: Call for action follows concerns over Prince Andrew's dealings with despotic leaders

A coalition of leading human rights groups is calling for a review into the way the British government does business with non-democratic regimes around the world.

After recent revelations involving the Duke of York and his work as the UK's special trade ambassador, organisations including Human Rights Watch, Index on Censorship, The Corner House, Global Witness and Campaign Against Arms Trade say the affair has underlined fundamental failings in the country's supposedly ethical foreign policy. Tom Porteous, UK director of Human Rights Watch and Foreign Office adviser, said Prince Andrew was making the UK "look stupid, frankly".

The groups say that the government's stated position on human rights, corporate responsibility and the rule of law is at odds with its apparent position of trading with autocratic or corrupt politicians. In recent days condemnation has grown of Prince Andrew's dealings with figures in north Africa, the Middle East and central Asia. >>> Mark Townsend and Sophia Ignatidou | Sunday, March 13, 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Our less-than-grand old Duke of York: Prince Andrew should be stripped of his role as UK special envoy for trade before he stains the Royal family's reputation further, says Jenny McCartney. >>> Jenny McCartney | Saturday, March 12, 2011

THE TIMES: The strange and lonely life of Britain’s would-be playboy prince >>> Valentine Low , Alexi Mostrous and Damian Whitworth | Saturday, March 12, 2011 [£]

Gaddafi's Army Will Kill Half a Million, Warn Libyan Rebels
THE GUARDIAN: Rebels flee Ras Lanuf and call on UN to impose no-fly zone as Gaddafi's forces recapture strategically important towns

Muammar Gaddafi's army won control of a strategic rebel-held Libyan town and laid siege to another as the revolutionary administration in Benghazi again appealed for foreign military help to prevent what it said would be the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people if the insurgents were to lose.

The rebels admitted retreating from the oil town of Ras Lanuf – captured a week ago – after two days of intense fighting and that the nearby town of Brega was now threatened.

The revolutionary army, in large part made up of inexperienced young volunteers, has been forced back by a sustained artillery, tank and air bombardment about 20 miles along the road to the rebel capital of Benghazi.

The head of Libya's revolutionary council, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, claimed that if Gaddafi's forces were to reach the country's second-largest city it would result in "the death of half a million" people. >>> Chris McGreal in Benghazi | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Yemen Police Kill Protesters in Crackdown on Dissent
THE GUARDIAN: Four dead and hundreds wounded in Sana'a and Aden as William Hague expresses concern over ongoing violence

Yemeni security forces have killed four people and wounded hundreds more in the second day of a harsh crackdown on anti-government protests, witnesses said. One of the dead was a 15-year-old student.

The assault with gunfire and tear gas was the toughest yet by the government in a month of protests aimed at unseating the president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in power for 32 years. An ally in the Obama administration's fight against al-Qaida, Saleh had appeared to be one of the Arab leaders most threatened by the regional unrest inspired by revolts in Egypt and Tunisia.

The violence began with a pre-dawn raid on a central square in the capital, Sana'a, where thousands of pro-democracy protesters have been camped out.

Eyewitnesses said security troops surrounded the square with police cars and armoured personnel carriers shortly after midnight and began calling on protesters through loudspeakers to go home. At 5am, security forces attacked, firing bullets and tear gas.

One protester died from a bullet to the head, which may have come from a sniper on the rooftop of a nearby building, witnesses said. >>> Alan Evans and agencies | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Iran 'Using Child Soldiers' to Suppress Tehran Protests
THE OBSERVER: Armed children as young as 14 are said to have been deployed alongside riot police

Iran's Islamic regime is using "child soldiers" to suppress anti-government demonstrations, a tactic that could breach international law forbidding the use of underage combatants, human rights activists have told the Observer.

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran says troops aged between 14 and 16 have been armed with batons, clubs and air guns and ordered to attack demonstrators who have tried to gather in Tehran. The youths – apparently recruited from rural areas – are being deployed in regular riot police roles and comprise up to one-third of the total force, according to witnesses.

One middle-aged woman, who said she was attacked by the youths, reported that some were as young as 12 and were possibly prepubescent. They had rural accents, which indicated they had been brought in from villages far from Tehran, she said.

Some told her they had been attracted by the promise of chelo kebab dinners, one of Iran's national dishes.

"It's really a violation of international law. It's no different than child soldiers, which is the custom in many zones of conflict," said Hadi Ghaemi, the campaign's executive director. "They are being recruited into being part of the conflict and armed for it."

The UN convention on the rights of the child requires states to take "all feasible measures to ensure that persons who have not attained the age of 15 years do not take a direct part in hostilities". >>> Robert Tait | Sunday, March 13, 2011

British Universities Ditch Libyan Deals
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: British universities severed links with Colonel Gaddafi’s regime last night as the full extent of how they have profited from Libya was revealed.

A string of universities said they had pulled out of a deal with Tripoli to train hundreds of health workers.

The disclosure came as official statistics showed virtually every university in Britain is being paid by the Libyan government to educate students.

The 110 institutions registered a total of 2,880 students from Libya last year, including judges and police officers - part of Gaddafi’s feared security network.

Critics said the scale of Libyan deals strengthened the case for a full-scale inquiry into the links between British universities and Tripoli.

Among those which took Libyan students were members of the Russell Group, which represents the 20 top UK universities, including Leeds, St Andrews, King’s College London and Glasgow.

Five universities last night said they had pulled out of a deal with Libya to train 300 health workers, believed to be nurses, each year.

Manchester Metropolitan, Teesside, Liverpool John Moores, Glamorgan and Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh had been in talks with Libya’s Ministry of Health over a deal worth an estimated £4million. Read on and comment >>> Michael Howie | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Through the Keyhole of Gaddafi's Summer Palace
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: For Libyans who suffered under four decades of Colonel Gaddafi's rule, the chance to see inside his holiday home was not to be missed - and provided an unusual form of anger management.

Among the crowds of sightseers and gangs of looters who traipsed through the front door of Muammar Gaddafi's wrecked summer palace last week was one man who took a very personal satisfaction at the sight.

"You have to remember that that he routinely destroyed the homes of his political opponents, bulldozing them to make an example," said Suleiman Jabril, standing in a layer of ash and smashed glass on the floor of what had been a sumptuous entrance hall. "Now his own house has been destroyed."

Mr Jabril, a civil servant aged 42, spent five years as a political prisoner in the regime's worst prison, narrowly escaping death when 1200 prisoners were massacred in 1996. Over the years the houses of many of his friends have been destroyed by the regime.

Last week he was one of hundreds of the dictator's former subjects to go sightseeing at the palace on a green hilltop above the city of Al-Bayda, a town in the mountains of the east where the Gaddafi clan would go to escape Libya's brutal summer heat. Continue reading and comment >>> Nick Meo, Colonel Gaddafi's summer palace, Al-Bayda | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Libya: Arab League Calls for United Nations No-fly Zone
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Arab League called on the United Nations Security Council to impose a no-fly zone on Libya, increasing pressure on Europe and the US to embark on limited military action against the regime of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

As Colonel Gaddafi’s jets and tanks continued to gain ground against rebels in the east of the country, ministers from the 22-nation League agreed to call for action after emergency talks in Cairo. Officials said the body had already been in touch with the rebels about the situation on the ground.

Before the meeting, Amr Moussa, the secretary general of the Arab League and one of its most influential diplomats, had thrown his weight behind the air exclusion zone, saying it was the only way to protect Libyans from Gaddafi’s “disdainful” regime.

In a statement after a six-hour long meeting, he added: “The Arab League has officially requested the United Nations Security Council to impose a no-fly zone against any military action against the Libyan people.”

His comments came as the Gaddafi regime declared victory in the battle for the oil port of Ras Lanuf in eastern Libya, where it had fought with artillery, tanks, ships and planes to eject rebels for most of the last week[.] >>> Colin Freeman in Cairo, Nick Meo in Benghazi and Patrick Hennessy in London | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Analysis: Arab League Backs No-fly Zone in Libya
The Arab League's decision lays the groundwork for foreign powers to consider a no-fly zone over Libya. The league also reportedly decided to recognise a rebel council as the representative of the Libyan people. The decision, announced on Egyptian state television, ends weeks of debate among Arab nations, overcoming widespread resistance to the idea of foreign intervention in an Arab member state. Al Jazeera's James Bays, reporting from the capital Cairo, puts the decision into perspective


THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Libya: as Colonel Gaddafi's tanks roll eastwards, rebels are defiant but fear a bloody revenge – Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's planes, tanks and artillery are gradually taking their toll on the rebels. They are defiant, but fear a bloody revenge if the West does not intervene. >>> Nick Meo, in Benghazi and Richard Spencer in Tripoli | Saturday, March 12, 2011

THE GUARDIAN: Gaddafi's army will kill half a million, warn Libyan rebels: Rebels flee Ras Lanuf and call on UN to impose no-fly zone as Gaddafi's forces recapture strategically important towns >>> Chris McGreal in Benghazi | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Libya Revolt: Tobruk
Libyan troops forced rebels to retreat overnight from the outskirts of the oil town of Ras Lanuf, pushing the front line eastwards, and the rebel council's chief said more volunteers were ready to fight. The front line now stands between the rebel-held town of Uqaylah and Ras Lanuf, where oil storage tanks were hit during Friday's fighting. Rebels blamed an air strike but the government denied hitting the oil plant. Al Jazeera's Nick Clark has the latest from the town of Tobruk, in Libya's east

'Day of Rage' Halted
Mar 12, 2011 – Pro-democracy protests stalled

Is Outrage Justified On Radical Islam Probe?
Mar 12, 2011 – Rudy Giuliani on 'Hannity'

Europa: Wunsch nach "starkem Mann" wächst
DIE PRESSE: In Großbritannien und Frankreich finden mehr als 40 Prozent, dass ein "starker Mann" an der Spitze gebraucht werde. In Portugal und Polen findet das sogar die Mehrheit.

In Europa wächst der Wunsch nach autoritären Regierungsformen. Das ergab eine Studie der Universität Bielefeld im Auftrag der SPD-nahen Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, die am Freitag vorgestellt wurde. >>> Ag. | Freitag, 11. März 2011

Libyen-Krise: Das Risiko des Westens
FAZ.NET – DER KOMMENTAR: In der dringlichen Frage, wie man mit dem Aufstand gegen Gaddafi umgehen soll, beschränkt sich die Einigkeit in der EU bisher auf eine Leerformel. Sollte sich der geächtete libysche Diktator an der Macht halten, wäre dies für die Europäer nicht nur peinlich, sondern auch gefährlich.

Kaum hat die EU-Kommission ein paar geordnete Gedanken über das künftige Verhältnis Europas zu seinen Nachbarn auf der anderen Seite des Mittelmeers formuliert, bringen ihre Mitgliedsländer den Geleitzug wieder durcheinander.

In der dringlichen Frage, wie man mit dem Aufstand gegen den libyschen Diktator Gaddafi umgehen soll, beschränkt sich die Einigkeit bisher auf eine Leerformel: Der Oberst, der sein Volk vierzig Jahre lang geknechtet hat und jetzt niederkartätschen lässt, müsse „ sofort“ (Bundeskanzlerin Merkel) zurücktreten. Doch was ist, wenn Gaddafi, dessen Truppen sich wieder auf dem Vormarsch befinden, diesen frommen Wunsch nicht erhört? Aus dem Aufstand wurde ein Bürgerkrieg >>> Von Günther Nonnenmacher | Freitag, 11. März 2011

Un fils de Kadhafi menace l'Italie de représailles
LE POINT: Seif al-Islam Kadhafi appelle Berlusconi à ne pas "trahir" un régime dont il est le premier partenaire commercial.

Un des fils du dirigeant libyen s'est dit mécontent de l'attitude de l'Italie, la menaçant de représailles économiques si elle devait "trahir" un régime dont elle est le premier partenaire commercial, dans des entretiens avec des journaux. "Nous sommes très choqués et même très irrités de votre position parce que vous êtes le premier partenaire de la Libye dans le monde", a déclaré Seif al-Islam Kadhafi aux quotidiens Corriere della Sera et Repubblica. "(Silvio) Berlusconi est notre ami. Nous sommes voisins, amis. Nous pouvions nous attendre à cela (une trahison, ndlr) de la France, de la Grande-Bretagne, de la Suède, mais pas de l'Italie", a-t-il dit. >>> Source AFP | Samedi 12 Mars 2011

Empire - Right to Intervene?
As Muammar Gaddafi strikes to crush rebel forces in Libya, Empire looks at the case for and against intervention

Further Gains for Gaddafi in East
Muammar Gaddafi seems to be getting an upper hand in Libya, at least militarily. His forces are pushing the rebels back further to the east.
The military has bombarded the oil port of Ras Lanuf again, and pro-Gaddafi forces have reportedly taken the nearby town of Brega.
There are also reports of fierce attacks on Ajdabiya, which is on the way to the opposition stronghold of Benghazi.
Al Jazeera's Emike Umolu has more

Saudi Arabia's Day of Little Rage
THE GUARDIAN: Saudis ignored calls for protests on Friday because of tight security and fears about manipulation by extremists

Friday was Saudi Arabia's "day of rage", planned for and anticipated for weeks. But, in the event, there wasn't even a grumble – unless you count the ongoing protests in the eastern province which had been going on for a week.

The protests in the east, where the Saudi Shia minority is concentrated, were mostly to call for the release of political prisoners. However, across the country there was silence. Many were expecting it to be so, but some wonder why.

Two main factors played a role in this silence. The first was the government's preparation, with the interior ministry's warning and the senior clerics' religious decree prohibiting demonstrations and petitions.

During the week there was also a huge campaign to discourage demonstrations. Saudis were bombarded on TV, in SMS messages and online with rumours that the demonstrations were an Iranian conspiracy, and that those who went out in the streets would be punished with five years' prison and fines in the thousands of riyals.

Finally, on Friday itself, there was an intimidating security presence all over the major cities, with checkpoints on the roads and helicopters flying above.

The second and more important factor discouraging protests was a huge question mark regarding who was calling for them. What started on a Facebook page as a call for the creation of a civil society with a list of demands including a constitutional monarchy and a call for public freedoms and respect for human rights eventually turned into a page where sectarianism was openly practised and Islamists were praised. Continue reading and comment >>> Eman Al Nafjan | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Revelations in BAE Saudi Case Prompt Inquiry Call
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A senior MP has demanded a parliamentary inquiry into Britain’s £43 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia after a leaked US diplomatic cable disclosed the full case against BAE Systems, the defence contractor.

The Serious Fraud Office dropped the investigation in December 2006, after intense diplomatic pressure from the Saudis. BAE was fined by US authorities last year after it admitted a relatively minor charge of making false statements. It faced no action in Britain over the Saudi allegations and until now the full details of the case have been kept secret.

However, a US cable given to the WikiLeaks website and obtained by The Daily Telegraph discloses the strength of the investigators’ case. Written four months after the collapse of the investigation, it shows the SFO had evidence that:

:: BAE paid £73 million to a Saudi prince who had “influence” over the Al-Yamamah defence contract and that there were “reasonable grounds” to believe another “very senior Saudi official” received payments;

:: The contractor was being covertly investigated by the SFO for carrying out a “potential fraud” against a government department;

:: BAE allegedly circumvented anti-bribery laws by making “substantial payments” to overseas agents employed by the Saudi government;

:: Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, then British ambassador in Riyadh and now a BAE Systems’ director, “had a profound effect” on the decision by Robert Wardle, then SFO director, to end the investigation.

It also details outrage among Britain’s allies who questioned claims that the case was being dropped on grounds of “national security”.

Last night, Sir Menzies Campbell, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats, called for a Commons investigation.

“This leak tells us how strong a case was available,” he said. “If the information in this document had been before Parliament and the British public, there is no way that the Labour government could have influenced the termination of the investigation.

“The particular issue which will cause a great deal of annoyance is the fact there was prima facie evidence that a government department had been subjected to fraud. If prosecution is no longer possible, it is open to the Commons’ business innovation and skills committee to conduct a full investigation.” >>> Christopher Hope, and Steven Swinford | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Inside Story - Gaddafi: Losing the Battle for Arab Opinion
The foreign ministers of the six Arab Gulf states met on Thursday in the Saudi capital Riyadh to discuss the ongoing crisis in Libya. They say that the existing Libyan regime is illegitimate and contact should be initiated with the Libyan rebels' national council. The foreign ministers have also urged the Arab League to take the necessary measures to stop the bloodshed in Libya. The Arab Gulf Council countries have already backed a no fly zone over Libya earlier this week. So has Muammar Gaddafi lost another diplomatic battle?

Japan Fears Nuclear Plant Meltdown
Blast reported at nuclear plant as safety panel worries that reactor can no longer cool radioactive substances

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Japanese nuclear authorities say there is a possibility that nuclear fuel rods at a reactor in Fukushima prefecture may be melting. >>> Source:
Al Jazeera and agencies | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Nuclear Expert Peter Hayes Discusses Possible Scenarios for the Quake-hit Nuclear Plants

Related material here, here, and here

Gaddafi's Iron Fist Won't Help Him Keep a Grip on a Divided Nation
THE INDEPENDENT: It has been a week of military reversals for the rebels, but their spirit remains unbroken, reports Donald Macintyre in Tripoli

The walls across the street from the Murad Aga mosque in Tajura were freshly whitewashed to cover up the anti-regime graffiti that has been repeatedly scrawled on them in the last three weeks.

Before the mid-morning Friday prayers, the streets of this easterly working class suburb 10 miles from the centre of the Libyan capital were eerily quiet, with just a few customers passing through the two general stores that were open. On the surface at least, there was hardly a sign that it had been here two weeks ago that residents were fired on – with an unknown number of deaths – when they tried to march towards the city centre to demand the end of the regime.

This felt very much like a district in lockdown, one about which the regime was now so confident that they had not even bothered to maintain the earlier military checkpoints and tanks on the main road in. "But some of them are here in civilian clothes," said a 20- year-old resident, adding that the regime had given AK 47s to hand-picked civilians here "to fire on the people" after the crisis began.

The resident, who gave his name, but which it would be unwise to use, added: "Ninety-five percent of the people don't like Gaddafi, but they can't do anything. They don't have any weapons." Many of the district's inhabitants, he said, came from a tribe originating from Benghazi. "They saw what was happening there, and they wanted to do the same here." He added: "We should not talk on the street. You don't know who is watching."

He would be proved right in every salient detail; less than five minutes later, plain clothes security police arrived, told us we had no business to be there, and ordered us to leave the neighbourhood immediately, herding us peremptorily into a minibus they had summoned for the purpose. After we were safely out of the way, according to a Tajura Libyan now living abroad but in touch with residents, tear gas was again used to quell a repeat of the protests. Continue reading and comment >>> Donald Macintyre in Tripoli | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Gulf Regimes: The Real Game - Saudi Arabia
THE JERUSALEM POST: Rival forces are attempting to make use of the sudden eruption of popular unrest for their own preexisting purposes.

From a strategic point of view, the Iran-led regional axis has until now emerged as a net earner from the “Arab Spring” of 2011. In Egypt and Tunisia, two stable, pro-Western Arab regimes have fallen, giving way to ambiguous and potentially chaotic situations in those countries.

Among the countries of the “resistance axis,” meanwhile, protests have been brutally suppressed or stillborn, at least for the moment.

Attention is now turning to the vital Persian Gulf area. Bahrain is in the midst of an uprising by the country’s majority Shi’ite population. But the main question is whether instability will spread to Saudi Arabia – the key US ally in the area, and in many ways the linchpin of US regional strategy.

Here, Tehran stands to play a more active role than that of lucky bystander. The Gulf area is the central focus of Iranian ambition. It wishes to fulfill a long-standing strategic ambition of emerging as the dominant power in this area. The breakdown of order in Saudi Arabia would offer it a major opportunity to advance this cause.

Iran lacks conventional military ability and real economic power. It is adept, however, at turning political chaos into gain. The regime has developed tools and practices for political warfare which have so far delivered it domination of Lebanon, a competing franchise in Palestinian nationalism and key influence in Iraq.

If the Gulf regimes fail to effectively navigate the current unrest, Iran is fair set to begin to apply these practices in this area. The potential implications are enormous. The rulers of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states are aware of the risk, and are energetically trying to keep these areas closed to Iranian political-military subversion.

Bahrain is the test case. Here, the Iranians are best placed to make gains. The population of this tiny kingdom is 70 percent Shi’ite. The ruling Sunni al-Khalifa family has failed to address the socioeconomic needs and demands of this section of the population. The kingdom is currently roiled by a Shi’ite uprising. A formerly London-based cleric with Iranian connections, Hassan Mushaima, recently returned to take part.

Bahrain is small but vital. It is the base of the US Fifth Fleet, which ensures the security of the Gulf states in the face of a conventional military threat. Still, the real game is in Saudi Arabia. >>> Jonathan Spyer | Friday, March 11, 2011

Day of Rage in Saudi Arabia: How Much Change Can the Gulf Expect?
THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR: Regime change may not come swiftly to Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, where protesters have called for a 'Day of Rage' today, but a revolution of a different sort is taking place.

Cairo; and Muscat, Oman – From Saudi Arabia’s “Day of Rage” today to an explosion of free speech in Oman, Arab unrest is making ever-larger waves in the oil-rich Gulf region.

Most of the protesters in these Gulf nations are seeking reform, not the overthrow of the royal ruling families. But citizens’ willingness to express their discontent – even after their leaders have made unprecedented concessions – signals what may be the beginning of the end for the monarchies’ strategy of buying compliance with generous social welfare benefits.

“We’re told they’re stable regimes that manage to buy off protests,” says Toby Jones, a Middle East historian at Rutgers University in New Jersey. “But they’re characterized by deep disillusionment, and disappointment, about the nature of the political system.... There was always a simmering level of frustration, and that’s going to be there five years from now, 10 years from now, just like it has been.”

Regime change may not come swiftly to the Gulf, as it did to Tunisia and Egypt, but the newfound boldness to press for more rights is a revolution in its own right in countries where people have long been subdued by fear. A free-speech revolution >>> Kristen Chick, Correspondent, Jackie Spinner, Correspondent | Friday, March 11, 2011

Saudi Arabian Security Forces Quell 'Day of Rage' Protests
THE GUARDIAN: Heavy police presence and official warnings deter protests in Riyadh and result in small demonstrations in eastern provinces

Saudi security forces came out in strength in Riyadh on a "day of rage" organised by pro-democracy campaigners who managed only small demonstrations in the eastern provinces.

Expectations that the unrest sweeping the Arab world in the last few weeks would spread to its most conservative kingdom appeared to have been dashed by pre-emptive security measures and stern official warnings against any protests.

Far larger demonstrations rocked Yemen, where tens of thousands of pro and anti-government protesters took to the streets as President Ali Abdullah Saleh struggled to maintain his grip.

Clashes broke out in the nearby island state of Bahrain, where Shia protesters were confronted by riot police guarding the royal court in Manama. Demonstrations were also held in Kuwait by stateless people demanding their rights.

The calm in the Saudi capital may have been achieved partly by an incident on Thursday in the eastern city of al-Qatif, where police shot and wounded at least two protesters. Unconfirmed reports described trouble there again.

Protesters rallied in Hofuf, close to the eastern Ghawar oil field and major refinery installations. The city has seen scattered protests by Shias who complain of discrimination by the Sunni majority.

Saudi sources also reported marches involving hundreds of people in al-Ahsa and Awwamiya near al-Qatif.

Security in Riyadh was high-profile and intense, with helicopters hovering overhead and police checks on cars and individuals heading for mosques, where protests were expected after prayers. >>> Ian Black, Middle East editor | Friday, March 12, 2011

Prince Andrew Pulls Out of Saudi Arabia Trade Trip
THE GUARDIAN: Buckingham Palace says trip 'postponed' because of safety concerns rather than cancelled in light of revelations

Prince Andrew has pulled out of a proposed trip to Saudi Arabia after almost three weeks of damaging revelations about his personal integrity and links with corrupt and repressive regimes.

The Duke of York was due to travel next week to boost defence contracts in his role as Britain's trade envoy.

Buckingham Palace denied the trip was cancelled in light of the allegations, saying simply that the trip had been "postponed" because of safety concerns.

"The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK Trade and Investment and the palace have agreed to postpone the visit given the current circumstances in the region," the palace said.

"Any suggestion that this had anything to do with recent UK media coverage is absolutely not the case." >>> Rowenna Davis | Saturday, March 12, 2011

Related/Verbunden >>>

Japan Earthquake: Nuclear Disaster Feared after Power Plant 'Explosion'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Japan is battling to avoid a nuclear disaster after an explosion at a power plant in the aftermath of the country’s biggest earthquake and a devastating tsunami.

The AFP agency reported that a blast was heard and white smoke seen billowing into the air at one of two power plants which the Japanese government had placed under a state of emergency. Several workers were reported to have been injured.

Prime minister Naoto Kan had warned that a radiation leak might occur at one of the reactors at the Daiichi facility at Fukushima, 150 miles north of Tokyo, after Friday's 8.9-magnitude quake.

The reports of an explosion followed aftershocks and came as a huge humanitarian operation got under way.

By Saturday morning at least 1,300 people were feared dead and international rescue teams began to arrive[.]

The reactor’s cooling system failed after the earthquake struck off the Pacific coast, triggering a 33ft tsunami. Pressure in the reactor was continuing to rise after repeated efforts to return power to the cooling systems failed. Radiation inside the plant soared to 1,000 times its normal level, officials said, triggering evacuation orders for residents.

Before the explosion workers had vented off steam in a bid to relieve pressure on the worst-hit reactor.

A second atomic plant in the earthquake-hit area was also experiencing reactor cooling problems. Workers were battling to cool and stabilise the cores of three reactors at the nearby Daini facility.

It was unclear to what extent the reactors’ external structures had been damaged, adding to uncertainty over the scale of any possible leak, and officials and scientists offered conflicting verdicts on the severity to public health. (+ video) >>> Gordon Rayner, Peter Foster, Martin Evans and Jacqui Goddard | Friday, March 11, 2011

Libya: David Cameron Warns that International Community Cannot 'Stand By'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: David Cameron has warned that the international community cannot "stand by" after the Gaddafi regime yesterday unleashed a "barbaric war" against rebels and the EU rejected his plan for a no-fly zone to protect civilians.

During a six hour Brussels summit, an angry Prime Minister fought to persuade other EU leaders to send clear message threatening military action on the same day that Colonel Muammar Gaddafi unleashed air strikes and launched a massive military offensive against Libyan rebels.

"We are witnessing, what can only be called, barbaric acts with Gaddafi brutally suppressing a popular rising led by his own people," he said.

"Things may be getting worse not better on the ground. The truth is this: Gaddafi is still on the rampage, waging war on this people."

But Mr Cameron faced strong opposition to a Nato imposed no-fly zone led by Germany, which had the support of Baroness Ashton, the EU foreign minister and British peer.

EU leaders rejected British demands for a clear declaration that supported "continued planning with Nato allies to be ready to provide support for all possible contingencies as the situation evolves, including a no-fly zone".

In a serious setback for Mr Cameron, who was the first world leader to raise the prospect of Western military intervention in Libya, the EU agreed vague wording that "in order to protect the civilian population, member states will examine all necessary options".

Dismissing the traditional Brussels focus on summit communiqués and the subtleties of diplomatic language, the Mr Cameron pledged that Britain would not stand by as the Libyan people were slaughtered. >>> Bruno Waterfield, Brussels | Friday, March 11, 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Libya: Gaddafi's jets break bodies but not the rebels' spirit – It started with the boom, boom, boom of decrepit anti-aircraft guns shooting wildly into the open blue sky. Then came the screeching engines of an invisible warplane, hurtling towards the rebel position. >>> Rob Crilly, Ras Lanuf and Richard Spencer in Tajoura | Saturday, March 12, 2011

In the Mubarak Era: Muslim Brotherhood - Egypt

BBC Newsnight: Douglas Murray on the Muslim Brotherhood

Earthquake Shakes MPs in Japan's Parliament
Japan's prime minister, Naoto Kan, and MPs feel the 8.8 magnitude quake during a session of parliament in Tokyo. Media office workers are also seen reacting to the earthquake

Japan's 8.9 Magnitude Earthquake Triggers Tsunami
TV pictures show a vast wall of water carrying debris and even fires across a large swathe of coastal farmland near the north-east Japanese city of Sendai, which has a population of 1 million

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Denmark to Swap Stamps for Texts
BBC: People stuck for a stamp in Denmark will soon be able to send a text message to pay the postage on a letter.

From 1 April, the Danish post office is introducing The Mobile Postage service that does away with stamps for standard sized letters.

Instead, people will send a text to the post office and get back a code they write on the envelope.

Sweden's post office said it was also considering introducing the service and is planning trials. >>> | Friday, March 11, 2011

Libyan Rebel Talks to Al Jazeera
As fighting continues in the oil-refining town of Ras Lanuf, an anti-Gaddafi rebel fighter speaks to Al Jazeera from just outside the city. In a phonecall with Al Jazeera’s Doha studio, he describes the scene of a counter attack by rebel troops, as an oil storage facility burns after it was targeted by airstrikes.

Gaddafi Pushes Back against Rebels
Forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi have renewed their assault against opposition fighters in Libya. As the military accelerates its onslaught, the rebels appear to be losing their grip over several cities that they had earlier taken control of. In Az Zawiyah, near the capital Tripoli, rebels say they still control the city centre, but fierce clashes have been reported. In Brega, a key oil and gas hub, fighters have reported multiple airstrikes by government forces. The hospital there is attending to many of the wounded. In Ras Lanuf, another oil town, government forces are pushing hard - showering the city with rockets and tank shells - and forcing the rebels to retreat 15 kilometres to the east. Al Jazeera's Omar Al Saleh reports

Polizei löst Proteste in Saudi-Arabien auf

Verbunden hier, hier, hier, hier, und hier

Gaddafi-Sohn kündigt große Militäraktion an

Im Königshaus hängt der Haussegen schief

Verbunden/Related >>>

Europa fürchtet Libyens Zusammenbruch

FAZ.NET: EU fordert „unverzüglichen Rücktritt“ Gaddafis: Auf dem Sondergipfel zu Libyen haben sich die Staats- und Regierungschefs der EU nach Angaben von Diplomaten darauf geeinigt, den unverzüglichen Rücktritt Gaddafis zu fordern. Zuvor hatte der französische Präsident Sarkozy erklärt, Frankreich und Großbritannien seien zu „defensiven“ Militäraktionen bereit. >>> FAZ.NET mit tos. | Freitag, 11. März 2011

Séisme - La France prête à venir en aide au Japon
LE POINT: Nicolas Sarkozy a écrit au Premier ministre nippon pour lui faire part de son émotion face au violent séisme qui a frappé l'archipel.

Le président Nicolas Sarkozy a affirmé, vendredi, "le soutien et la solidarité" de la France au Japon, touché par un très fort séisme, se disant prêt à "répondre à toutes les éventuelles sollicitations que le Japon voudrait lui adresser pour faire face à cette tragédie". Continuez à lire et ajouter un commentaire >>> Source AFP | Vendredi 11 Mars 2011

Liens et vidéos en relation avec l’article >>>

Hundreds Protest in Eastern Saudi Arabia
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: RIYADH, Saudi Arabia—Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in the eastern Saudi Arabian city of al-Ahsa [or Al-Hasa] Friday.

About 500 protesters, mainly Shiite Muslims who make up a large part of the population of the region, demonstrated in the oil-rich eastern province. They called for the release of prisoners held without charges, according to Ibrahim al-Mugaiteeb, president of Human Rights First Society.

There was no gunfire or clashes with police in the area, Mr. al-Mugaiteeb said.

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital, Friday prayers ended calmly, as none of the protests activists had called for materialized by mid-afternoon local-time. >>> Summer Said | Friday, March 11, 2011

Saudi Braces for Protests amid Sweeping Arab Unrest
AHRAM ONLINE: Saudi Arabia's Day of Rage due today following a reportedly bloody crackdown on protesters

Oil kingpin Saudi Arabia braced Friday for protests calling for political and economic reforms a day after witnesses said police shot and wounded three Shia demonstrators.

Online activists using the Facebook and Twitter have called for a "Day of Rage" and a "Saudi March 11 revolution" demanding a fully elected parliament and ruler in this conservative Islamic monarchy.

Security was strongly beefed up in the capital Riyadh in the early hours of Friday, after the interior ministry issued a stern reminder any kind of protest was illegal and unrest would not be tolerated.

Tensions rose late Thursday when security forces shot and wounded three Shia protesters in the city of Al-Qateef in Eastern Province, according to witnesses.

A royal official said Friday police responded to shooting from a man in the crowd, who was wounded by return fire and remains in custody. He did not confirm if any other people were injured.

The demonstrators were calling for the release of nine Shia prisoners who have been in jail for 14 years without trial, a witness told AFP. >>> AFP | Friday, March 11, 2011

RADIO FREE EUROPE / RADIO LIBERTY: Saudi Arabia Braces For Friday Protests, Particularly In Shi'ite East: As opposition organizers in Saudi Arabia surreptitiously used the Internet to call fellow citizens out for a "Day of Rage" on March 11, there was no way of knowing how many would heed the call. >>> Charles Recknagel | Thursday, March 10, 2011

Hawaii Orders Evacuations in Tsunami Threat
REUTERS: Hawaii ordered evacuations from coastal areas due to the threat of a tidal wave set off by Friday's earthquake in Japan as a tsunami warning was extended to the whole of the Pacific basin, except mainland United States and Canada.

Authorities also ordered evacuation from low-lying areas on the U.S. island territory of Guam in the western Pacific, where residents there were urged to move at least 50 feet above sea level and 100 feet inland.

The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the warning extended from Mexico down the Pacific coast of South America.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies warned that the tsunami is currently higher than some Pacific islands which it could wash over.

The quake off Japan's northeast coast was the biggest in 140 years and triggered tsunami waves of up to 10 meters (30 feet) that swept across farmland, sweeping away homes, crops, vehicles and triggering fires. >>> Suzanne Roig and Jorene Barut | HONOLULU | Friday, March 11, 2011

Widespread Tsunami Warning Issued after Japan Quake
REUTERS: A tsunami warning has been issued for the entire Pacific basin except mainland United States and Canada following a huge earthquake that hit Japan on Friday, the U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

The warning includes Hawaii and extends from Mexico down to South American countries on the Pacific, the center said.

Among the countries for which a tsunami warning is in effect are: Russia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru.

Australia and New Zealand, which had been on an initial warning list, were later removed. The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre confirmed there was no tsunami threat. >>> Andrew Marshall | SINGAPORE | Friday, March 11, 2011

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Squatters Seize Gaddafi London Mansion
Mar 10 - Squatters vow to occupy the multi-million dollar home of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son until the property's assets are returned to the Libyan people. Maryam Ishani reports

Emotions High at Radical Islam Hearing
Mar 10 - In what is arguably the most high-profile Congressional hearing this year, the House Homeland Security Committee launched a day-long session into the threat posed by radical Islam in America. Jon Decker reports

Islam Hearing Stirs Debate
Mar 9 - The House Homeland Security Committee, chaired by Congressman Peter King, will be looking into the the threat posed by radical Islam in the United States. Jon Decker reports

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Heavy Fighting in Eastern Libya
Mar 10 - Rebels and government controlled forces continue heavy artillery fighting in eastern Libya, information and facts difficult to verify. Julie Noce, Reports