Gaddafi battles to keep hold of Tripoli
Clashes in Tripoli between pro- and anti-Gaddafi supporters have been reported as the Libyan leader battles to control his capital. Much of the city is said to be deserted as his gunmen roam the streets.
But the circle appears to be tightening with reports of uprisings to the north and west of Tripoli.
For the rest of the country there is a definite east-west divide, with the east firmly in the hands of protesters.
In cities such as Tobruk police have either withdrawn or joined with disparate opposition groups to start providing some sort of order.
People have taken to flying the old Libyan flag from a time before Gaddafi.
There are reports that on Friday Tripoli will try to emulate Tobruk with another demonstration.
But elsewhere gruesome footage has come to light showing the desperation and ruthlessness of the security forces.
It is believed the bodies they show are those of soldiers shot by fellow officers for refusing to obey orders.
Israel’s Birthday
Celebrations have started to mark Israel’s 63rd year of independence.
The state was founded on May 14, 1948.
The events usually start with the lighting of a dozen torches on Mount Hertzl in Jerusalem.
On May 15 Palestinians, by contrast, mark the birth of Israel with a day of mourning.
Ex French army chief: “the Libyans must find a solution”
NATO members have been holding talks about taking command of the no-fly zone over Libya.
Washington, London and Paris agreed on Tuesday that the alliance should play a key operational role, although a deal still has to be reached, largely due to Turkish reservations.
To evaluate the situation, euronews interviewed Admiral Jacques Lanxade, former chief of defence of the French armed forces, and former ambassador to Tunisia.
Pierre Ass?�mat, euronews:
Paris talks of a technical role for NATO. Why has (agreement) taken so much time?
Admiral Jacques Lanxade:
I believe that the French position, but equally that of several other countries, was that NATO has an image in the Arab world which is an aggressive image – one of western nations against developing countries – which is a great exaggeration. So the idea was that this coalition was needed: that is a coalition of the international community comprising not only western forces but also Arab countries. So NATO didn’t seem to France to be very appropriate.
Pierre Ass?�mat, euronews:
Admiral, it’s very easy to start a war, it’s harder to end one. And it seems hard to imagine the Libyan regime collapsing from within. In your view what strategy is the international coalition going to pursue?
Admiral Jacques Lanxade:
My personal feeling is that we have two scenarios before us. The first being that Gaddafi, pushed by his entourage perhaps, leaves power – and today we hear about negotiations which are already underway for the “guide to the Libyan revolution” – as he calls himself – to go. I am not sure that things will happen like that. The other scenario unfortunately is that of the status quo, which means a partition of the country. Between on one side Cyrenaica under the control of the opposition – and Tripolitania under the control of the Gaddafi clan. I fear that the second scenario is the more probable.
Pierre Ass?�mat, euronews:
Now that the exclusion zone is in place, should (the coalition) launch a ground offensive?
Admiral Jacques Lanxade:
There should certainly not be a ground offensive, besides the United Nations resolution did not authorise one and I think that it would be extremely dangerous to do it. I think that it’s now up to the Libyans to find a solution, in other words for the opposition to see whether it’s in a position to shove events along and make sure that Gaddafi leaves, because there’ll be no definitive solution with Gaddafi in power.
Pierre Ass?�mat, euronews:
Can we envisage an indirect attack by the international community against Colonel Gaddafi, since a direct one is not allowed under the United Nations mandate?
Admiral Jacques Lanxade:
I don’t believe that Gaddafi can be hit, he is extremely careful, he has underground bunkers. It’s possible to get rid of certain things around him, and make his situation more difficult, but physically I think that barring an accident, it’s very difficult to hit him.
Kurdish protesters clash with police in Turkey
There have been clashes between Kurdish protesters and police in Turkey during demonstrations marking the 12th anniversary of the capture of Kurdish separatist leader Abdullah Ocalan.
Protesters threw missiles during clashes in 12 towns and cities. Police used tear gas and water cannons to break up the crowds, angry about Kurdistan Workers’ Party leader Ocalan’s ongoing imprisonment. At least 30 people were arrested.
Syria protests spread south
Anti government protests have spread across Syria to the south of the country.?�Several hundred people took to the streets in the town of Jassem although security forces did not intervene.?�In Deraa, thousands of mourners marched at the funeral of one protester killed during demonstrations last week.?�Four civilians died?�after?�when troops sprayed a demonstration with gunfire last Friday.?�The protesters want greater political freedoms and an end to corruption.?�The unrest is the most serious challenge to President Bashar al-Assad’s rule since the 45-year-old succeeded his father 11 years ago.?�The ruling Baath Party has banned opposition parties and enforced emergency laws since 1963.?�?�
Anti-Gaddafi demonstrations held outside Libya
The demonstrations demanding a change of rule in Libya have not just taken place inside the country.
In Geneva, hundreds of Libyan expats gathered in front of the UN’s headquarters in the city.
‘Gaddafi it is your turn and we will not do a U-turn’, was just one of message written in French to the man who has ruled Libya for more than 40 years.
In Washington a similar rally was held in front of the White House. Some protesters believe once they can get rid of Gaddafi, a more democratic government would fill the void.
Demonstrator Abdelmalik Issa said:’‘One step at a time. Right now we just want to topple this regime that’s been sitting on our necks for 42 years. And after that, we’ll figure something. There’s enough intellect and experience you know for people to take over.’‘
The White House has condemned the violence in Libya and urged restraint.
Many of the demonstrators, however, have called on the Obama administration to do more and acknowledge the need for Gaddafi to step down.
Libya: the latest situation in Benghazi
Muammar Gaddafi’s control of Tripoli looks increasingly tenuous, but the east of the country has been free from his grip for days.
Euronews spoke to freelance journalist Francesca Cicardi in Benghazi. She said: ‘‘The revolutionaries in Benghazi are already working hard to give the city new institutions and start a post-Gaddafi era.”
“All the cities east of Libya are managing themselves through revolutionary committees and are hoping the west will soon fall. Especially Tripoli, where Gaddafi remains completely isolated. The Colonel controls barely 15 per cent of the country, according to the rebels in Benghazi. The army has said that it is ready to defend the city but that it will not take an active role in the final fall of the regime. We can say that the east of Libya is completely liberated following the fall of the city of Kufra in the southeast, near to the border with Sudan.’‘
Ayman Nour’s fair election optimism
Ayman Nour, the chairman of Egypt’s non-religious El Ghad party, who challenged ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for the presidency in 2005 and paid the price by being put in prison, has been talking to euronews about his country’s political future. He spoke to our reporter Mohamed Abdel Azim about what must happen now to track down the money that corrupt Egyptian politicians have stolen from the state.
Ayman Nour: I ask my fellow revolutionaries and brothers in the Egyptian armed forces to form a committee, made up of technocrats, judges and investigators. The representatives of the revolution and the armed forces, as the guarantors of everything happening today in Egypt, must supervise this. This must be a technical and not a political committee, to analyse all the information and all the figures, to see to what extent they are the real figures. If evidence is found, the matter must be handed to the chief prosecutor of the republic, who will in turn pass it on to the presiding judge.
euronews: Is it possible we will see Mubarak’s family brought before international or Egyptian tribunals?
Nour: It is possible, if it turns out they committed crimes covered under Egyptian law and deserve to stand trial for these acts. I would be the first to ask that they be given a fair trial.
euronews: Within Egypt, what is your opinion of the Muslim Brotherhood’s political role right now?
Nour: The Muslim Brotherhood has an important and effective presence and influence in the country. But it is not nearly as important as the Mubarak regime wanted to make it appear, they want to use it as a scare tactic to intimidate our brothers the Coptic Christians and generally to scare the West. They exist and we must respect them. From a liberal point of view, and I am a liberal, I believe in the other’s right to exist, the Muslim Brotherhood must be respected. I do not believe that any single political group, whether of the left or the Muslim Brotherhood, could govern Egypt unilaterally.
euronews: What might the army’s role be in the weeks or months to come?
Nour: The army at this stage is the guarantor of the practical implementation of the demands made in Egypt’s revolution, and of the solidification of the main claims on which we agreed. I hope it will succeed in this mission, and will reach out to us in cooperation and dialogue. We refused dialogue with Mubarak and refuse dialogue with Omar Suleiman, since he was named while Mubarak was still in power. We’re now ready to talk with the army, and I repeat here that we are ready for a serious dialogue, as equals, to ensure Egypt’s interests.
euronews: Will you be a candidate in Egypt’s presidential elections?
Nour: I believe I will. The El Ghad party made a decision about that on 14 February 2010, for the next presidential poll. In the current context and according to the constitution, as far as at least the minimum requirements can be guaranteed, I think we will take part in the elections, and that we’ll make a strong showing. The results of the last elections were all falsified.
Italian woman unite in anger over PM’s sex scandals
Pressure is growing on Italy’s prime minister after Italian women in Rome, Milan and numerous cities abroad held rallies, claiming he had disgraced their country.
Incensed with the latest prostitution scandal to have engulfed Silvio Berlusconi, hundreds of thousands said enough was enough.
Calls for him to resign rang out reflecting just how much damage has been done to Berlusconi’s standing in opinion polls.
But for many of the protesters their anger was rooted in a more fundamental issue with Italian culture.
One protester said she thought that women were almost invisible in Italy, in politics and at work and that she wanted to change this situation.
Berlusconi supporters dismissed the rallies saying their leader had survived worse.
However, this time prosecutors want him tried for allegedly paying for illegal sex with an under age night club dancer.
Fresh clashes erupt in Yemen
More than 1,000 pro-democracy protesters clashed with government supporters in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa on Thursday in demonstrations calling for the end of President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s 32-year rule.?�The AFP news agency reported that 25 people had been injured.?�It is the seventh?�straight day of social unrest in the Arab world’s poorest country.?�Some 45 percent of its 21.1 million people live on less than 1.5 euros a day, according the UN Development Programme.?�Saleh, an ally of the US in its fight against Al Qaeda in the region,?�has said that he will stand down at the end of his current seven-year term in 2013.?�?�
Will the protests cause another Arab regime to fall?
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Pakistani Christian minister shot dead amid blasphemy row
In Islamabad gunmen have shot dead Pakistan’s Minister for Minorities. Shabaz Bhatti, the only Christian in the government cabinet, was murdered on Wednesday in the gun attack on his car.
The Pakistani Taliban have claimed responsibility for the killing, calling Bhatti a blasphemer. He had been calling for changes to the country’s blasphemy law under which anyone who speaks ill of Islam can face the death penalty.
Bhatti had said he had recently received death threats from the Taliban.
The controversial law has been in the spotlight since November when a court sentenced a Christian mother-of-four to death.
Bhatti is the second senior official to be killed this year for the same reason. The governor of Punjab province, Salman Taseer was gunned down by his bodyguard in January. Taseer had been a vocal critic of the blasphemy laws.
RIM puts PlayBook into tablet fray
Just before posting its results for the last financial year, Canada’s Research In Motion’s announced that its PlayBook tablet computer will go on sale in the US on 19 April.
That will heat up the tablet battle against Apple and devices powered by Google’s Android operating system.
The maker of the BlackBerry mobile phone plans to sell in 20,000 US outlets and said it will match the price of Apple’s iPad. The PlayBook will face a tough sell against the iPad which dominates the tablet market.
RIM has little room for error and a small window to impress with its tablet. It was once the undisputed king of mobile communications, but slicker Google Android and Apple products have become must-haves for young consumers while also threatening RIM’s standing in the corporate world.
On Tuesday, Apple confirmed it would start selling the iPad 2 in 25 more countries from Friday. That eased concerns that the crisis in Japan might squeeze the supply of crucial components for electronic devices.
NATO divided over no-fly zone
NATO has failed to agree on a plan for its possible involvement in enforcing the UN no-fly zone over Libya. Alliance member Turkey, which is against the military intervention, blocked a proposal.
The Arab League has also expressed reservations over the extent of military action being taken by France, Britain and the US.
As other countries began sending their military hardware to the region, Arab countries claimed they only backed the UN’s no-fly zone in order to protect civilians, not to knock out Gaddafi’s forces.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates believes there is a way to get the League on board. “I think there is a sensitivity on the part of the Arab League to being seen to be operating under a NATO umbrella, and so the question is if there is a way we can work out of NATO’s command and control machinery without it being a NATO mission.”
France also has its reservations. As it sent its Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier The Charles de Gaulle to the Mediterranean, the government warned about treading too heavily on Arab feelings.
After NATO involvement in other theatres of war such as Afghanistan, the alliance’s reputation has been tarnished in the Arab world.
TO READ – Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy
Protestors clash with police in Libya
Demonstrators have clashed with police and pro-government supporters in Libya’s second city, Benghazi.
Numbers are vague but the clashes broke out as protesters marched on government offices.
Libya is sandwiched between Tunisia and Egypt, whose leaders have both recently been ousted by popular uprisings.
Benghazi has a history of antagonism with the Gaddafi government. The city is a rallying point for the banned militant organisation the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group.
The government has announced this morning that 110 alleged members will be freed from Tripoli’s Abu Salim jail. Many have already been freed and returned to their homes in Benghazi. It is reported last night’s protest was sparked by the arrest of a lawyer for families whose relatives were among hundreds shot at the jail in June 1996.
Protests continue in North Africa and Middle East
Friday prayers turned into Friday protests in several countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
In Yemen, tens of thousands of demonstrators once more took to the streets to press calls for the president to step down. The people want an end to Ali Abdullah Saleh’s 32-year rule.
Their message is clear. Saleh has promised to go after elections in 2013 but the demonstrators want him out now.
The protests in Yemen were inspired by the earlier uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.
One month on, in Cairo, people are still on the streets, demanding that ministers appointed by ousted President Hosni Mubarak step down. Their solidarity for other uprisings across the region is clear.
There has also been another day of protests in Bahrain. Two separate marches converged at the Pearl Roundabout, joined this time by many women.
Bahrain’s Sunni rulers have offered to hold talks with Shi’ite opposition groups to try and smooth over the antagonism. But the opposition appears split over its aims and has been slow to reply.
Emphasis shifts from bombardment to patrol
The first wave of international air strikes on Saturday disabled Libya’s air defences, allowing western jets to patrol. Gaddafi’s advance on rebel-held Benghazi was halted.
In Benghazi itself, armed checkpoints are a common sight. The fear is that some of Gaddafi’s troops will head for the city, seeking the protection of the no-fly zone and the shelter of a civilian shield.
TO READ – Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy
There seems to be no shortage of food.
The second wave of international air strikes hit Gaddafi’s troops around the strategic eastern town of Ajdabiyah. Witnesses say they have heard explosions and seen plumes of smoke rising above the town, the gateway to Benghazi and Tobruk. Opposition rebels say they need help to retake it from Gaddafi’s forces.
French strikes destroy tanks near Benghazi
French military sources say that the French airforce has already carried out strikes on various targets around Benghazi, and has opened fire on a government army vehicle and destroyed it. Reports also say four government tanks have been destroyed to the south-west of the city.
The French airforce have been carrying out wide-ranging reconnaissance missions across Libya all afternoon. French military sources say that their planes are also patrolling the skies above Benghazi in an attempt to halt operations by troops loyal to Colonel Gaddafi. The city has been under heavy bombardment all day.
TO READ – Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy
The French aircraft carrier “Charles de Gaulle” is to be deployed tomorrow, said a French spokesman, along with other naval vessels.
The coalition navies, including the Canadian Navy, will enforce a blockage of Libya, to ensure that a ban on selling arms to the Libyan government is enforced. Six Canadian fighter jets have now arrived in Europe and are being prepared to carry out missions over Libya.
Egyptian PM Shafiq steps down
Egypt’s Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq has resigned and been replaced by the former Transport Minister Essam Sharraf.
Shafiq was appointed by deposed president Hosni Mubarak as a concession to opposition protesters in the final days before he stepped down in mid February.
But the move was insufficient for the Muslim Brotherhood and other political groups who wanted a clean break from the Mubarak regime, with which Shafiq had been closely associated.
As young as you feel on high-wire
In India, a 91-year-old dare-devil has proved that age is no obstacle, by crossing a 300 metre deep ravine on a high-wire in the western state of Maharashtra.
Narajan Krishna Mahajan said he believes that if your attitude is strong, your body will also be strong.
He said he did it to boost the morale of young people, and that he does not consider himself old.
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 Nasas 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.
Discoverys sister-shuttle Endeavour is expected to make its historic final flight in April and Atlantis should go no later than June.
