Libyan air strikes prompt migrant exodus
The number of foreign workers trying to cross the Libyan-Tunisian border since coalition air strikes began has increased significantly, the UN says.
The crisis in Libya had already prompted a mass exodus, but the latest migratory wave suggests many people feel they have no immediate future in the country.
READ – Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy – International forces in operations in Libya UNHCR spokesman, Firas Kayal said: “Yesterday’s numbers were around 2,200 persons. The majority of them were persons from Sudan. And of course we have many other nationalities as well trying to cross into this side.”
For the moment, it remains unclear how many people are still trying to escape the violence.
Of the tens of thousands who have left Libya, many of those refugees have been repatriated. Others, however, still find themselves stuck in makeshift camps just inside Tunisia.
At least 24 dead in Libyan protests
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi remains defiant in the face of large scale anti-government protests.
In Tripoli, thousands of loyalists came out in support of the man who has ruled Libya for more than 40 years.
For the moment, most of the violent unrest appears confined to the east of the country. But, even in the capital, Gaddafi’s stronghold, film footage showed pockets of opposition, sparked by demands for greater political freedom and human rights.
Libya’s second city Benghazi saw some of the worst clashes between protesters and authorities, and a high security presence has been reported there.
Although some sources claim the figure is much higher, Human Rights Watch says at least 24 people were killed in yesterday’s crackdown by security forces. They are said to have used guns on the protesters.
The nearby town of Al Bayda also saw violence and dozens of reported injuries, although media restrictions have made it hard to verify the number of casualties.
European court approves Italian school crucifixes
The European Court of Human Rights has overturned a ruling that said Italian schools had no right to hang crucifixes in classrooms.
Its decision is final.
Judges in Strasbourg said they did not breach the rights of non-Catholics. The Vatican hailed the decision as “history making”.
An earlier ruling against crucifixes caused outrage in the mainly Catholic country.
Bahrain police break up protest camp
Bahrain police have attempted to clear demonstrators over night who have been camped out in a square in the capital Manama.
Witnesses say at least three people have been killed and many more injured as riot squads broke up the camp while most of the protesters were asleep. Prior to the operation about 40 police trucks positioned themselves round the square.
Although earlier in the day relations were tense, the move does suggest a change in tactics by the security forces against the anti-government demonstrators.
Bahrain’s Shia Muslims – 70 percent of its population – have been ruled by a Sunni minority for the past three centuries.
Two people have already died in clashes in the last few days.
The mainly Shia protesters want greater political freedom, more jobs and a new constitution.
They had been hoping, by taking to the streets to emulate the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia.
Iranian opposition leaders Mousavi and Karroubi reportedly arrested
Iran’s main opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi have been arrested, according to the Kaleme website, which is close to Mousavi. The two are said to have been transferred to the Heshmatiyeh Prison in Tehran. The website says their wives have also been taken.
Kaleme cited “reliable sources” for its report. No information has been given on when the arrests took place.
The leaders have been under house arrest for weeks. They were candidates in the June 2009 presidential elections in which the incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won, drawing criticism that the vote was rigged. Ahmadinejad and his supporters denied fraud.
Mousavi was Iran’s premier for eight years in the 1980s, while Karroubi has been a speaker of parliament.
Moscow police swoop on Baturina empire
Police have raided offices at the Bank of Moscow, and Inteko, a property developer owned by the wife of former Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov.
They are probing suspected embezzlement linked to a 323 million euro loan. The homes of the bank’s directors were also raided. Yelena Baturina became Russia’s richest woman, building a multi-billion euro business empire while her husband ran the capital.
Deep divisions mark Libyan air campaign
NATO member countries remain deeply divided over the scope, nature and command of the Western air campaign.
Turkey says the coalition has already gone beyond the UN framework. It wants a humanitarian operation in Libya under UN control.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed Turkey would never be on the side of those pointing weapons at the Libyan people. He has spoken by telephone to US President Obama, who is trying to shore up participation and clear up confusion about who is in control.
In the heart of Europe, coalition cracks appear to be deepening. France says NATO must not lead because it would alienate Arab counties. Italy has threatened to take back control of airbases it has authorised for use unless a NATO coordination structure is agreed.
As expected, Spain’s parliament overwhelmingly approved the decision to take part in the coalition enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya. But pacifists in the public gallery shouted anti-war slogans before being led from the chamber.
Three more top London fashion tickets
In this fashion edition of ‘Le Mag’ Julien Macdonald, Burberry and Giles Deacon unveil their autumn/winter 2011 collections during London Fashion Week.
Iranian warships head through Suez canal
Two Iranian warships, a frigate and a naval supply vessel, have entered the Suez canal, bound for Syria.?�They are the first Iranian?�naval vessels to use the canal since the 1979 Islamic revolution.?�The deployment is being seen as Tehran testing the post-Mubarak era in Egypt and the wider Middle East, and is likely to anger Israel. Last week the Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman?�called the deployment a “provocation”.?�
Opposition MP hospitalised by police in Algiers
Reports suggest that police have adopted aggressive tactics against protesters in Algiers
According to eyewitnesses RCD opposition deputy, Tahar Besbes, has been hospitalised after being beaten up by police earlier.
Boubakeur Derguini is an RCD MP he saw the incident:
“He has been brutally assaulted by the security services, by a police officer. He was punched in the face, stunned on the spot, he lost consciousness.
euronews: “Do you think the police have been heavy handed with the demonstrators?”
Boubakeur Derguini: “ Definitely, police violence is up a notch. The more the people mobilise, like ourselves in the National Coordination for Change and Democracy, the more the security services seem bent on violence, they are carrying out orders:
euronews : Mr Darguini, do you think that ordinary Algerians are losing interest in the protests?
Boubakeur Darguini: “You have plain clothes police officers breaking up groups of over 3 people. No…Algerians are not losing interest. The police surrounded the square,so we moved to the next street, for me there are more people protesting today than one week ago.”
Boubaker Derguini: “You have plainclothes police who dispersed groups that exceed the 3 people. So there’s no slowing in the mobilization . Today, even if the grid instead of May 1, protesters stormed the next street. visisblement And look like is more important than the last time
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