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Libyan military defections mount
There is mounting evidence that a growing number of Libyan military personnel are defecting and joining the opposition against Colonel Gaddafi.
At the nation’s biggest navy base in opposition- controlled Benghazi, officers have declared a ‘free Libya.’
In the western city of Zawiya, amateur film shows soldiers being carried by protesters.
“One Libya, one people” they chanted.
Opposition sources say the military units defecting to them are well-armed, well-disciplined and well- organised.
It remains unclear how much of the military is still under Gaddafi’s control, and how many soldiers have joined the demonstrators.
Yemen mourns for slaughtered protesters
Thousands of mourners have turned out in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa for the funerals of anti-government protesters shot dead on Friday.
Snipers loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh sprayed a university sit-in with gunfire, killing as as many as 50 demonstrators.
The protesters want him to resign after 32 years in power.
The killings prompted Saleh to declare a state of emergency and soldiers have been given orders to shoot demonstrators.
Yet the opposition remain defiant.
Former government minister Haoumd al-Hattar told the crowd that “threats, intimidation and repression would only reinforce their persistence.”
An estimated 300 people were injured in Friday’s violence.
A group of Muslim clerics have called on Yemeni security forces to disobey Saleh’s orders to shoot demonstrators, blaming him for the slaughter.
Trauma fears for Japan’s young disaster victims
What they have been through is unimaginable.
Japan’s disasters have robbed many children of everything – their homes, family and friends. And while young survivors’ immediate needs are a priority, the fear is they could face long-term psychological trauma.
!http://www.euronews.net/media/buttons/japan-btn2-en.jpg!”:/tag/japan-disaster/ “Yes, many children as they grow up are going to live with the consequence of the shock of this devastation,” said Hironobu Shibuya, Chief Executive Officer at Save the Children, Japan.
Tests for radioactive contamination may well prove clear but the simple fact they lived near the stricken nuclear plant could be held against them.
“People from Fukushima, especially kids, may face discrimination, just because they are from the region,” said Dr Keiko Yamada at a clinic in the city of Yonezawa.
Around 100,000 children have been displaced by the earthquake and tsunami, according to the Save the Children charity. It says stability and protection are needed to safeguard their physical and emotional well-being.
In Yonezawa, a four-year-old evacuee from Fukushima explained what she experienced:
“The glass in my house was shattered and my friend’s house was damaged and my grandmother’s house, too,” she said.
From problems sleeping to aggression or withdrawal, the symptoms of trauma are varied. As time passes and the world’s attention shifts from Japan, the hope is that its children won’t be forgotten.
No-fly zone ‘necessary to avoid more bloodshed’
The European Union has welcomed the UN resolution, and says it is ready to put it into practice.
But diplomats say there are no plans for the EU itself to take part in any bombing, or operations to impose a no-fly zone.
Among individual countries, Britain might do so, although it is not saying when action might take place. It has poured cold water on suggestions that planes could strike “within hours”.
“It is necessary to take these measures to avoid greater bloodshed, to try to stop what is happening in terms of civilians on the people of Libya,” said the UK’s Foreign Secretary, William Hague.
Italy has said it is ready to make its military bases available to enforce a no-fly zone. But the EU is not united.
Germany’s opposition to military intervention has brought warnings of isolation – and some unwelcome praise from Colonel Gaddafi.
By abstaining, Berlin has broken ranks with London and Paris.
The German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle has said the country did so because it saw “considerable dangers and risks” in military action.
Libya clashes continue despite no-fly zone
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s forces have clashed with rebels despite a UN-backed no-fly zone aimed at stopping the violence.
Gaddafi loyalists have repelled rebel advances in the oil-producing town of Ajdabiyah, just south of the insurgents’ stronghold of Benghazi.
Anti aircraft fire has continued to ring out in Tripoli, while residents of Yafran said at least nine people had been killed in clashes between the two sides.
His forces have also struck the rebel-held enclave of Misrata, east of the capital, where four children were killed on Tuesday.
A rebel spokesman told AFP that Gaddafi’s men opened fire with tanks and set up sniper positions to gun down people in the streets.
Security analysts say the rebels are disorganised and unable to match the Libyan leader’s military might, explaining why they have struggled to makes further advances, including the taking of Tripoli.
Italian government partners stand by Berlusconi
Is the party over for Silvio Berlusconi? Several commentators in today’s newspapers believe early elections are inevitable after the Italian prime minister’s indictment for alleged sex offences and abuse of power.
One wrote that Berlusconi was “worn down and gasping for breath”. But most expect him to fight on as he has done in the past.
The Northern League, partners in the centre-right government, have their own reasons for not wanting the government to be toppled.
“The judicial fury against the prime minister is evident to all. But if some judges think that this will also weaken the government’s business, they’re completely wrong,” said the League’s leader in the Senate, Federico Bricolo.
The trial in Milan is due to begin in April. The judges who will hear the case are all women.
Prosecutors say there is ample evidence that Berlusconi paid a Moroccan dancer for sex when she was under 18, and intervened with police to get her freed from custody. He denies the allegations.
He still has his backers: “I judge him as a politician who’s made a big contribution, and will continue to do so for the good of Italy”, said one man in Rome.
“They only talk about this … enough is enough. They’re not talking about politics anymore. They’re talking just about him…that’s all,” complained another.
One opinion poll this week suggests that almost 50 percemt of Italians believe the accusations are true.
As satirists have a field day, a well-known Italian band has adapted Shakira’s song “Waka Waka”, changing the title to “Bunga Bunga”… Berlusconi’s own term for his infamous parties.
Allies tighten hold over Libyan airspace
Western powers appear to have tightened their grip on Libyan airspace following a third night of air strikes.
The on-going bombardment comes as more forces arrive to take part in operation Odyssey Dawn. The US, France and UK remain the principle participants among the allies, with Canada, Italy and Spain also contributing.
Read: who is providing what to the operation
Norway is also taking part in the operation, with Denmark, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar sending military hardware, notably fighter jets.
The contribution from the two Middle Eastern states is seen as vital with concern growing in the region over the heavy nature of the bombardment.
READ: Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy
The head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, who supported the UN-mandated intervention, criticised its severity saying the air attacks had killed many civilians. Russia’s defence minister has also condemned civilian deaths but his US counterpart has said the coalition is going to great lengths to avoid killing non-combatants. Robert Gates said most Libyan targets are air defences that are not situated near populated areas.
NATO deny Gaddafi assassination attempt
The Libyan government has accused NATO of deliberately targeting Colonel Muammar Gaddafi after the alliance launched a number of night strikes in the capital Tripoli.
NATO war planes conducted several bombing runs on government buildings.
Libyan officials escorted journalists to the offices of the country’s High Commission for Children, which suffered extensive damage.
A hospital was also partially hit after a nearby telecommunications tower was felled by a missile.
NATO has denied any moves to kill Gaddafi. Brigadier General Claudio Gabellini gave the media details of the night’s mission: “NATO is not targeting individuals. No individual is a target for NATO. We only look after command and control centres. The target is to stop Mr Gaddafi ordering his troops to slaughter civilians and block humanitarian aid from coming into the country.So we are not interested in individuals, in Mr Gaddafi’s life.”
The raids came as Western powers planned their next move as the conflict to oust the Libyan leader appears to have reached stalemate.
iPad 2 unveiled by Apple’s Steve Jobs
He’s a Silicon Valley legend. The high-tech glitterati gave Apple boss Steve Jobs a standing ovation as he unveiled the new iPad 2.
Jobs is being treated for pancreatic cancer and although he looked thin he appeared energetic.
The super-fast roll out of the new iPad is a sign of the fierce competition in the tablet market.
“We’ve been working on this product for a while,” said Jobs, “and I just didn’t want to miss today. So, thank you for having me.”
Initial reviews of the new iPad were positive. But this launch was just as much about Jobs.
Despite the slick products the market still sees him as the company’s main asset.
iPad 2 has the trademark apple slickness, simplicity belying the innovation behind the device. Investors will be hoping both the iPad, and Jobs, will be around for a long time to come.
Mexico’s Calderon enters diplomatic spat with France
Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon has told France to respect his country’s legal system.
Earlier this month, Mexican judges upheld the conviction of Florence Cassez, a French woman sentenced to 60 years in jail for kidnapping.
Despite pressure from Paris, Calderon expressed confidence in the ruling.
‘‘We’re talking about a kidnapper, a woman who was part of a very dangerous criminal gang that was devoted to kidnapping Mexicans, that mutilated their fingers, that threatened their relatives. Besides, the victims themselves recognise the woman. They recognise her; they recognise her voice,’‘ Calderon declared.
Arrested in 2005, Cassez, now 36 years-old, was convicted for her part in three kidnappings.
Despite Mexico insisting her guilt has been proven, the French government says the case has serious flaws. President Sarkozy has demanded Cassez be allowed to serve her sentence in France and warned the decision to keep her jailed in Mexico could weigh on bilateral relations.
On Monday, the Mexican government suspended its participation in France’s year-long festival celebrating Mexican culture because of the diplomatic row.
Christchurch hit by an earthquake
A 6.3 magnitude earthquake killed at least 65 people in New Zealand’s second-biggest city of Christchurch on Tuesday. REUTERS/Simon Baker
Investors upbeat on Apple after Jobs iPad speech
Investors reacted positively on Thursday to the surprise appearance by Apple CEO Steve Jobs at the launch of the new iPad 2 a day earlier.
Jobs has been on medical leave since late January with an undisclosed condition.
In midday trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange in New York, the price of Apple shares had risen by more than six dollars to 358 dollars.
The new iPad is thinner, lighter and faster than its predecessor, which was launched last April.
Jobs’s reappearance comes as Apple’s rivals are launching their own tablet computers.
The new iPad goes on sale in Europe on March 25, with prices starting at 499 euros.
Benghazi committee attempts to restore order
The Libyan army in the east has melted away, abandoning tanks and deserting or joining the people in their uprising against Colonel Gaddafi.
Thousands of people have been coming out into the streets to celebrate the fall of the regime, honking car horns and painting anti-Gaddafi slogans wherever they can.
There has been resistance from loyalist forces and a hastily-formed Security Committee in Benghazi is trying to take over administration.
The revolt has also spread to the west where several towns say they are now controlled by rebel forces. Heavy fighting has been reported in one, Zawiyah, where at least 23 people have been killed and 44 wounded, and clashes continue.
Tobruk airport fell after heavy fighting, with aircraft and more armour falling into the hands of the rebels.
“Thank God we won. They had weapons but we had stones,” said one. “God helped and we won. All Arabs must do something to stop this tyrant. Where is the United Nations?”
The Benghazi committee says it has 23 alleged mercenaries from Sudan, Chad and Niger in custody, captured after fighting alongside government forces.
With most of Libya’s oil in the east, Gaddafi will have to move against the rebels, and they are digging in expecting imminent attack. But before that, they are exploding with joy at the humiliation of a hated leader.
The fight goes on to oust Gaddafi
The people of Benghazi in the east of Libya may be free but they know there is still some way to go before the whole country is rid of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s rule.
With reports that forces loyal to the Libyan leader are massing for a counter attack near the Tunisian border, many Benghazis are signing up as volunteers to help their brethren in the west of the country.
In Libya most men have done compulsory military service and are armed for the fight.
But automatic weapons are of little use against aerial bombings so hopes are being pinned on the international community enforcing a no-fly zone to keep the air force out of the skies.
The focus of the fighting is expected to be near Nalut, where Gaddafi troops are said to be getting ready to retake the city.
On the outskirts of Zawiyah brigades commanded by Gaddafi’s son Khamis were reported to be blocking the road to Tripoli in a bid to reinforce his father’s last stronghold.
Conflicting reports on fate of Iranian opposition leaders
There are conflicting reports on the fate of two main opposition leaders in Iran.
The website of Mirhossein Mousavi claimed he and Mehdi Karoubi had been arrested and put in prison.
But the semi-official Fars news agency now says this is not so.
There were angry scenes in Tehran’s parliament last month, as politicians demanded the men be put on trial for calling for Egypt-style anti-government protests.
But Iran’s Foreign Affairs Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi told Euronews the men are not in prison:
“They are in their homes and I said, you see, every country enjoys its own rules and regulations, there is rule of law.”
Ardesnir Amir Arjmand, Mousavi’s adviser, told Euronews from Paris that in his opinion, the authorities never accept their judicial responsibility. They never release any details about the men’s situation. For us, they are government hostages, the government is responsible for their well-being.
Discovery embarks on historic final flight
The space shuttle, Discovery, has blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre at Cape Canaveral in Florida for the last time.
The oldest of Nasa’s three surviving shuttles is taking six astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station.
Discovery is regarded as the “flagship” of the fleet. First launched in 1984, it has completed 38 voyages and travelled around 230 million kilometres in the process.
Discovery was entrusted with the “return-to-flight” missions after the Challenger and Columbia accidents.
Discovery’s sister-shuttle Endeavour is expected to make its historic final flight in April and Atlantis should go no later than June.
Yemeni students protest in renamed ‘Tahrir Square’
Thousands of people in Yemen have been staging a sit-in outside the university in the capital Sanaa, demanding an end to President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s 32 years in power.
Students have been joined by opposition politicians who allied themselves to the movement yesterday.
They have renamed the focal point of the demonstration “Tahrir Square”, inspired by the revolt in Egypt.
So far there has been no attempt to break up the protest by security forces. Supporters of the regime, who have attacked demonstrators in recent days, have been kept away.
Elsewhere, in the southern port of Aden at least four people were reported killed yesterday as police moved to break up protests.
The deaths came as President Ali Adbullah Saleh condemned violence which he said was carried out by “thugs” who were not members of the security forces.
But his renewed call for dialogue has fallen on deaf ears. A coalition of opposition parties said there could be no dialogue with a government which, it said, gathered mercenaries to terrorise people.
The president has said he will not seek re-election. Even so the protests have been gaining momentum in Yemen since the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, amid widespread anger over poverty, unemployment and corruption.
Across Australia with a wind powered car
The Wind-Explorer, a wind powered electric-car, crossed Australia from Perth to Sydney, more than 5,000km in three weeks. Every evening the lithium-ion batteries were charged by a wind turbine. REUTERS/Buckle Up Productions
Dutch soldiers held prisoner in Libya
Three Dutch soldiers have been captured by militia loyal to Libya’s Colonel Gaddafi. Like other European countries Holland has been evacuating its citizens, largely without any problems.
But these soldiers were attacked and captured after landing in a helicopter near the city of Sirte, to rescue two Dutch people. Sirte is Gaddafi’s home town.
The incident was first reported in a Dutch newspaper on Thursday, but actually happened last Sunday. Information had been held back for security reasons.
The two civilians the soldiers went to rescue were subsequently handed over to the Dutch embassy.
Intensive negotiations are now underway to secure the captured soldiers’ release.
