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 Attempts to link the political situation brewing up in several Middle East countries to Malaysia and the assumption that this country would also face a similar development are unrealistic, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. The Deputy Prime Minister said the claim that a government chosen by the people would collapse was an assumption that was not substantiated by concrete explanation. “I’m sad that there are disgruntled voices attempting to link the political developments in the Middle East with the political situation in this country. “Politics in our country is totally different from the politics in several countries in the Middle East because our government is chosen by the people in a democratic and competitive general election,” he said in his speech at a Special Gathering with the DPM in conjunction with the 27th Anniversary of the Founding of the Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), here today. Muhyiddin, said the competitive general election made the government in this country more responsive. He said the traits of a responsive government were that national wealth was distributed fairly, public interest was given priority and every individual, regardless of race or religion, received equal opportunity to succeed. He said if the government ignored the problems of the people and did not discharge its responsibility properly, the people would then make the appropriate decision during the general election. At the function, Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, announced an alocation of RM5 million to beautify the area around UUM, especially a river flowing in the campus area. Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin wants firm police action against a group calling itself Hindraf which is reported to be trying to hold a mass rally this Sunday. He said that Hindraf, the Hindu Rights Action Force, had been banned and using or championing its name was in itself an offence. “They (planners) know that they would need permission from the police (for such a rally),” he told reporters here. Muhyiddin said it was up to police to “shape” the action to be taken, but they have to be firm against such activity as a rally by a banned organisation. “If they act outside the law and disregard regulations, holding rallies and the like ... stern action should be taken,” Muhyiddin said. He added that any attempt to revive a banned organisation must be viewed seriously. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has accused PAS of falling over backwards and losing its Malay-Muslim identity to appease its Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition partner, DAP. The former prime minister claimed that PAS was even willing to drop its call for an Islamic state and defend Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, whom he called “the father of DAP.” Dr Mahathir made the comments in a blog post today that questioned the Islamist party’s commitment to Malays. He warned the community that PAS only coveted their votes but did not care about their problems, suggesting that the Islamist party was more concerned about helping DAP. “Before becoming allies with DAP, PAS members held on stronger to Malay culture. But to support DAP, they have set aside their ‘Malayness’. Even the call for an Islamic state is no longer heard,” the former prime minister wrote today. This comes just days after PAS moved to address internal concerns that it was losing support among Malays, by holding a convention promising to protect the interests of the country’s largest racial grouping should Pakatan Rakyat (PR) take power. The convention was held after a string of successive defeats to Umno in recent by-elections, sparking concerns that the Barisan Nasional (BN) party had gained momentum in winning back the support of Malay-Muslim voters from PAS. Today, Dr Mahathir noted that PAS spiritual advisor Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat had claimed Umno’s Malay nationalism ideology was a rejection of Islam when the latter had been asked to comment about Lee’s call for Singaporean Muslims to be less strict in observing their religion. “When the father of DAP called for Muslims to relax their observance of Islamic teachings, Nik Aziz did not reject it because he believes that this call is not as bad as the nationalism of Umno Muslims,” the former Umno president said. Dr Mahathir added that instead of PAS introducing Islamic ways to DAP, as the Kelantan mentri besar had claimed, “the evidence shows that it is PAS that has been influenced by DAP.” “Just look at the disrespectful behaviour towards the Sultan and Raja Muda of Perak by PAS members, rolling around on the road to stop his car,” he said, referring to attempts to block Datuk Seri Zambry Kadir’s swearing in as Perak mentri besar of in 2009. He also warned Malays that Nik Aziz’s statement over the weekend of prioritising Malays was an about-face because PAS needed the votes of the majority community in Malaysia. “Meet Nik Aziz, a man who prioritises Malay votes, not the problems in their lives. “Now, Nik Aziz wants Malays to be prioritised because they are the majority community in the country. It is not their problems that have caused Nik Aziz to change his stand towards his own race but because Malays are the majority and he needs their votes, nothing more than that,” Dr Mahathir had written today. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said Malaysia has proven that its system of governance, based on moderate Islam, has worked and can be a good model for other countries in the world to emulate, especially Islamic countries. He said in view of what was taking place in the world today, it was important to ensure that the system of administration adopted was working. The key consideration, he said, was that “if you have a system, would it work to produce good and effective governance?” Najib said this as a panellist at the Global Movement for Justice, Peace and Dignity Conference, here, Wednesday. The session was recorded by BBC World News to be aired by the channel at a later date. It was moderated by BBC journalist Zeinab Badawi. The other panellists included Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, Paramadina University of Indonesia president Dr Anies Baswedan and Arab Business Council co-founder/vice-chairman Khalid Abdulla-Janahi. Najib said a good and effective governance could deliver the goods and services to the people. “A good system allows the people to participate in the system, it empowers the people to decide their own destiny. “In case of Malaysia, it is very much like Turkey. Without having to blow our own trumpet, we have a modern system, much like Turkey. “Therefore, we can offer the Malaysian model because it has worked. From a relatively poor nation whose economy was based on agriculture, we have moved to industrialising the economy. “Now, we have planned initiatives for the next phase. We have a very detailed roadmap of transformation. The next wave of transformation is to become a high-income nation,” said Najib. He said the success of a system was not just about numbers but also about whether it could improve the quality of life, and about good values, ensuring fairness, rule of law, being inclusive, having social safety net and caring for the poor. “These are the things that we have put in place in Malaysia. So, in this regard, I believe we have something to offer to the world.” Nevertheless, he said, every nation would have to look at its needs based on its own peculiarities and had to make adjustments to the values, to empower the people to a more prosperous and better future. When asked by Zeinab Badawi whether the Malaysian model was a better model for an Islamic country than the Turkish, Najib’s response which drew laughter from the audience was, “I have to be careful on this as I am in Turkey.” The Malaysian prime minister said it was an important thing for Malaysia to choose its own destiny. “And the way we have developed our political structure is that Islam plays an integral part in the country’s policies and administration. “We cannot separate Islam from the government in Malaysia. But having said that, it is also Islam that is moderate that we apply in Malaysia. For example, Islam in Malaysia is not associated with violence, Islam in Malaysia is benign and that is being practised by and large,” he added. The conference was jointly organised by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia and International Movement For A Just World (JUST) in conjunction with Najib’s three-day official visit to Turkey from Feb 21-23. — Bernama While Gaddafi has relied on empty revolutionary slogans to maintain power, his son looks to oil money for his. | ||||||||||||
Ever since his ascension to power, through a military coup, in 1969, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has used every piece of revolutionary rhetoric in the book to justify his actions, which include consolidating power in the hands of his relatives and close associates and creating a network of security forces and militias to coerce Libyans into conforming to the whims of his cruel regime. Through his support for revolutionary movements in different parts of the world - ones, of course, which did not endanger his own rule - he has sought to portray himself as the 'defender of the oppressed', earning the wrath of the West in the process. But the people now courageously defying his regime's savage suppression are sending the message that anti-Western slogans, even if occasionally backed up by support for just causes, can no longer sustain oppressive regimes in the region. A new era is underway in which leaders will be judged on their ability to represent the aspirations of the people and in which they will be held accountable for their actions. Issuing rallying cries against a foreign enemy, even when that enemy is very real, while inflicting injustice on one's own people will no longer be permitted. Post-colonial Arab regimes, including those that rode the waves of or even at one point genuinely represented anti-colonial resistance, have had to resort to a reliance on secret police and draconian laws to subordinate their subjects. The lesson is clear: Without a representative democracy, Arab republics have metamorphosed into ugly hereditary dynasties that treat their countries like their own private companies. While trampling over the interests of his own people, Gaddafi has modeled himself as the champion of the Palestinian cause, reverting to the most fiery verbal attacks on Israel. But this is a recurring theme in a region where leaders must pay lip service to the plight of the Palestinians in order to give their regime the stamp of 'legitimacy'. Gaddafi's 'support', however, did not prevent him from deporting Palestinians living in Libya, leaving them stranded in the dessert, when he sought to "punish the Palestinian leadership" for negotiating with Israel. But even more cynical than his "pro-Palestinian" stand is his exploitation of the plight of the African people by anointing himself the leader of the continent. It is tragic, if reports prove to be true, that he used migrant sub-Saharan African labourers against the Libyan protesters. But it is, sadly, very believable that a ruthless dictator, driven hysterical by the prospect of losing his wealth and power, might pit the poor and marginalised against the poor and oppressed. The darling of the West Seif al-Islam, Gaddafi's son who appeared on Libyan state television to warn that the demonstrators threatened to sink Libya into civil war, unlike his father, does not need to pretend to endorse the world's underprivileged. For his power derives from something altogether different. When Seif warned that "rivers of blood" would flow if the protests did not stop, he was giving himself the right, merely by virtue of being his father's son, to dismiss the grievances of millions of people and to issue outrageous threats. Seif may look and sound more sophisticated than his erratic father, but his performance was one of a feudal lord unable to fathom why his serfs would defy his authority. He has no need to employ his father's tactic of invoking vacuous revolutionary rhetoric, for Gaddafi has successfully used the country's Revolutionary Command Council and Revolutionary Committees - which are supposed to represent the interests of the people - to cement the power of his family and as tools with which to subjugate the masses. But Seif's role has been secured not only by his power within the country. According to Vivienne Walt, a writer forTime Magazine, since the lifting of Western sanctions against Libya in 2005, Seif has acted "as an assurance" to the oil companies that have poured millions of dollars into the country. "In interviews with oil executives, all say that Seif is the person whom they would most like to see running Libya. He has made occasional appearances at the World Economic Forum. And during two visits to Libya, I've seen countless corporate executives from the US and Europe line up for appointments with Seif," she recently wrote. It is little wonder Seif feels confident enough to make threats against the Libyan people without possessing so much as an official title. His position as the darling of the West, he clearly believes, entitles him to trample on the lives of others. And it may also explain the West's hesitation over unequivocally condemning the sheer brutality of the Libyan regime. Thus, while the father ensured his grip on power by building a dictatorship with a claim to "revolutionary legitimacy," Seif has been expected to secure the Western stamp of legitimacy by keeping the door to the country's main source of wealth open for the oil companies to exploit. The father's repression in the name of the revolution and the son's status as an agent for the oil companies has created an oil-rich country where one-third of the population live below the poverty line and 30 per cent are unemployed. This is Gaddafi's Libya. But the Libyan people are now shouting a loud goodbye to the Libya of Gaddafi and his family and, with great sacrifices, are building a new, freer country. Lamis Andoni is an analyst and commentator on Middle Eastern and Palestinian affairs. BENGHAZI, Libya — The scope of Moammar Gadhafi's control was whittled away Wednesday as major Libyan cities and towns closer to the capital fell to the rebellion against his rule. In the east, now all but broken away, the opposition vowed to "liberate" Tripoli, where the Libyan leader is holed up with a force of militiamen roaming the streets and tanks guarding the outskirts. (SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE UPDATES.) In a further sign of Gadhafi's faltering hold, two air force pilots – one from the leader's own tribe – parachuted out of their warplane and let it crash into the eastern Libyan desert rather than follow orders to bomb an opposition-held city. International momentum was building for action to punish Gadhafi's regime for the bloody crackdown it has unleashed against the uprising that began Feb. 15. President Barack Obama said the suffering and bloodshed in Libya "is outrageous and it is unacceptable," and he directed his administration to prepare the full range of options to respond. French President Nicolas Sarkozy raised the possibility of the European Union cutting off economic ties. Another proposal gaining some traction was for the United Nations to declare a no-fly zone over Libya to prevent it using warplanes to hit protesters. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said that if reports of such strikes are confirmed, "there's an immediate need for that level of protection." Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said estimates of some 1,000 people killed in the violence in Libya were "credible," although he stressed information about casualties was incomplete. The New York-based Human Rights Watch has put the death toll at nearly 300, according to a partial count. In Tripoli, Gadhafi's stronghold, protest organizers called for new rallies Thursday and Friday, raising the potential for a more bloody confrontation. Militiamen and Gadhafi supporters – a mix of Libyans and foreign African fighters bused in – roamed the capital's main streets, called up Tuesday night by the Libyan leader in a fist-pounding speech in which he vowed to fight to the death. The gunmen fired weapons in the air, chanting "Long live Gadhafi," and waved green flags. With a steady rain, streets were largely empty, residents said. In many neighborhoods, residents set up watch groups to keep militiamen out, barricading streets with concrete blocks, metal and rocks, and searching those trying to enter, a Tripoli activist said. Gadhafi's residence at Tripoli's Aziziya Gates was guarded by loyalists along with a line of armed militiamen in vehicles, some masked, he said. The radio station building downtown was also heavily fortified. In one western neighborhood, security forces stormed several homes and arrested three or four people, a witness said, while tanks were deployed on the eastern outskirts, witnesses in at least one neighborhood said. "Mercenaries are everywhere with weapons. You can't open a window or door. Snipers hunt people," said another resident, who said she had spent the night in her home awake hearing gunfire outside. "We are under siege, at the mercy of a man who is not a Muslim." But below the surface, protesters were organizing, said the activist. At night, they fan out and spray-paint anti-Gadhafi graffiti or set fires near police stations, chanting, "The people want the ouster of the regime," before running at the approach of militiamen, he said. The Tripoli residents, like other witnesses around the country, spoke on condition of anonymity because of fear of retaliation. In opposition-controlled Benghazi, the eastern city where the uprising began, residents held a mass rally outside the city's main courthouse, vowing to support protesters in the capital, said Farag al-Warfali, a banker. They also called a one-day fast in solidarity with them. Afterward, young men went into the courthouse to register to obtain weapons, which had been looted from police stations and military bases and then turned over to the city's new rulers, he said. The idea is to "take their weapons and march toward Tripoli," al-Warfali said, although Benghazi lies 580 miles (940 kilometers) east of the capital, and territory still loyal to Gadhafi lies between them. There were similar calls in Misrata – several hours' drive from Tripoli, the closest major city to the capital to fall to anti-government forces. A mosque called residents to come to "jihad," or holy war, in support of the protesters, said one resident, Iman. "We are going to join forces with our brothers in Tripoli," she said. The extent of Gadhafi's control over the country he has ruled for 41 years had been reduced to the western coastal region around Tripoli, the deserts to the south and parts of the center. After Gadhafi's speech Tuesday night, militiamen flooded into Sabratha, a town west of Tripoli famed for nearby ancient Roman ruins, and battled protesters who had taken over, said one resident. Around 5,000 militiamen from neighboring towns, backed by army and police units, clashed with protesters and drove them from the streets, he said. But his territory was being eroded. The opposition said Wednesday it had taken over Misrata, Libya's third-largest city. Residents honked horns in celebration and raised the pre-Gadhafi flags of the Libyan monarchy after several days of fighting that drove militiamen from the city, about 120 miles (200 kilometers) east of Tripoli, said Faraj al-Misrati, a local doctor. He said six people had been killed and 200 wounded in clashes that began Feb. 18. Residents had formed committees to clean the streets, protect the city and treat the wounded, he said. "The solidarity among the people here is amazing, even the disabled are helping out." An audio statement posted on the Internet reportedly from armed forces officers in Misrata proclaimed "our total support" for the protesters. New videos posted by Libya's opposition on Facebook also showed scores of anti-government protesters raising the pre-Gadhafi flag on a building in Zawiya, 30 miles (50 kilometers) west of Tripoli. The city is located near a key oil port and refineries on the Mediterranean. The footage couldn't be independently confirmed. Protesters were also in control in Zwara, a town about 30 miles (50 kilometers) from the Tunisian border in the west, after local army units sided with the protesters and police fled, said one resident, a 25-year-old unemployed university graduate. "This man (Gadhafi) has reached the point that he's saying he will bring armies from Africa (to fight protesters). That means he is isolated," he said. Gadhafi long kept his army weak and divided for fear of challenge, so in the fierce crackdown his regime has waged on the uprising, he has relied on militia groups, beefed up by fighters hired abroad. Meanwhile, army units in many places have sided with the rebellious protesters. On Wednesday, two air force pilots jumped from parachutes from their Russian-made Sukhoi fighter jet and let it crash, rather than carry out orders to bomb opposition-held Benghazi, Libya's second-largest city, the website Qureyna reported, citing an unidentified officer in the air force control room. One of the pilots – identified by the report as Ali Omar Gadhafi – was from Gadhafi's tribe, the Gadhadhfa, said Farag al-Maghrabi, who saw the pilots and the wreckage of the jet, which crashed in the desert outside the key oil port of Breqa, about 440 miles (710 kilometers) east of Tripoli. Protesters and the mutinous army units that have joined them were consolidating their hold on nearly the entire eastern half of the 1,000-mile Mediterranean coastline, stretching from the Egyptian border to Ajdabiya, about 480 miles (800 kilometers) east of Tripoli, encroaching on key oil fields around the Gulf of Sidra. Across their territory, they have been setting up their own administrations. In many places, committees organized by residents, tribes and mutinous army officers were governing, often collecting weapons looted from pro-Gadhafi troops to prevent chaos. "There is now an operating room for the militaries of all the liberated cities and they are trying to convince the others to join them," said Lt. Col. Omar Hamza, an army officer who had allied with the rebels in Tobruk. "They are trying to help the people in Tripoli to capture Gadhafi." At the Egyptian border, guards had fled, and local tribal elders have formed local committees to take their place. "Welcome to the new Libya," proclaimed graffiti spray-painted at the crossing. Fawzy Ignashy, a former soldier now in civilian clothes at the border, said that early in the protests, some commanders ordered troops to fire on protesters, but tribal leaders stepped in and ordered them to stop. "They did because they were from here. So the officers fled," he said. A defense committee of residents was even guarding one of Gadhafi's once highly secretive anti-aircraft missile bases outside Tobruk. "This is the first time I've seen missiles like these up close," said Abdelsalam al-Gedani, one of the guards, dressed in an overcoat and carrying a Kalashnikov rifle. International alarm has risen over the crisis, and is sending oil prices soaring and European and other countries scrambling to get their citizens out of Libya. Oil prices hit $100 per barrel for the first time since 2008. Libya is the world's 15th largest exporter of crude, accounting for 2 percent of global daily output. Traders are worried the revolt could threaten Libya's oil production and spread to other countries in the region. Passengers arriving in Malta, a short flight away from Libya, described chaos and violence at Tripoli's airport, with desperate people pushing and shoving to get onto the few flights taking off Wednesday. "One of my fellow passengers was actually beaten up quite heavily and kicked on," said Steffan Arnersten, a 42-year-old Swede who works as a managing director at a technical consulting company. The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting that ended with a statement condemning the crackdown, expressing "grave concern" and calling for an "immediate end to the violence" and steps to address the legitimate demands of the Libyan people. After a meeting of EU ambassadors, the bloc did not announce sanctions, but EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the EU stood "ready to take further measures" beyond suspending talks on a bilateral deal. The precise measures were still being negotiated, a senior EU official said, adding that there were up to 10,000 EU citizens in Libya, sparking worries about getting them out of the North African country safely. The official requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. "The continuing brutal and bloody repression against the Libyan civilian population is revolting," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in a statement. "The international community cannot remain a spectator to these massive violations of human rights." Follow the latest updates on the protests in Libya and throughout the Middle East and North Africa below. Today 10:45 PM Evacuated Foreigners Paint Harrowing Scene In Libya  Americans were stranded in a ferry in Tripoli as foreigners fled the nation. The AP reports: Two ships braved churning seas Thursday to whisk 4,500 Chinese workers away from strife-torn Libya to the island of Crete, while rough weather further west left hundreds of Americans stranded on a ferry in Tripoli. As tens of thousands of foreigners sought to flee the turmoil in Libya, Britain pondered whether to send in its military to evacuate oil workers stranded in remote sites by fierce fighting in the North African nation. Those who made it out of Libya described a frightening scene — with bodies hanging from electricity poles in Libya's eastern port of Benghazi and militia trucks driving around loaded up with dead bodies. One video showed a tank apparently crushing a car with people inside. Today 10:34 PM Gaddafi Blames Drugs, Bin Laden For Libyan Unrest Embattled Libyan leader Col Gaddafi, just made a rambling speech on state TV. He described the uprising in Libya as "a farce". He repeatedly claimed that the protesters were under the influence of "hallucination pills" and urged the protesters to "obey their parents". He urged parents "to take the guns away from their kids... and then you should arrest those behind them, who have done all of this." What is happening now in Libya is "not people's power, it's international terrorism led by al-Qaeda," Gaddfai said. He made repeated references to al-Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and the U.S. military's action in Falluajh and Afghanistan. Gaddafi also likened himself to the UK's Queen Elizabeth II, claiming that he did not have the authority to make laws and was a symbolic leader only. "I have no power, it's the people themselves who have the prerogative." He apologized to the 'families of the four people killed from the security forces' despite the fact that the death toll from the unrest in Libya is now being estimated in hundreds or thousands. Today 10:26 PM BREAKING: Gaddafi Making Address On Libyan State TV Updates on the Libyan leader's remarks to follow shortly. Today 10:22 PM Gun Battles In Az Zawiyah, Many Reported Killed Al Jazeera reports: There are multiple reports of gun battles are taking place between security forces and protesters in the town of Az Zawiyah, 50 km west of Tripoli, on Thursday. Retuers reports that gun fire has broken out there, while sources tell Al Jazeera that the army attacked the town this morning, firing shots at protesters for roughly four hours. The death tolls vary greatly - from 16 to 100, and Reuters is unable to confirm any numbers. The agency reports that the army attacked the Souq Mosque where protesters had been camped out for several days: Witness said that earlier in the day, a Gaddafi "envoy" had come to Az Zawiyah and told the protesters in the mosque to leave or "you will see a massacre". He also said, "Those who attacked us are not the mercenaries, they are the sons of our country". Read more here. Today 10:05 PM Britain Meets On Libya According to the AP, Britain is meeting to consider a response to the protests in Libya: Britain's government is convening its crisis committee to decide whether the military will need to evacuate almost 200 U.K. oil workers and their colleagues from other countries stranded in Libya. Foreign Secretary William Hague told BBC radio on Thursday the COBRA emergency panel was scheduled to meet and would discuss evacuation options with Defense Secretary Liam Fox. Hague said he did not rule out the use of British special forces to rescue the 170 British workers marooned in desert camps away from Libya's major cities. Today 11:20 AM Anti-Government Opposition Seizes Key City From the Los Angeles Times: Opponents of Moammar Kadafi are said to have taken control of Misurata, Libya's third largest city and where Kadafi traditionally has maintained strong tribal support. Today 6:44 AM White House Feared Americans Could Be Taken Hostage CNN's senior White House correspondent Ed Henry says that unnamed US administration officials have told him that White House had feared Americans in Libya could be taken hostage if President Obama took an aggressive approach to Libya. That is partly why Mr Obama held off speaking on the crisis until late Wednesday, Henry says. More here. Today 6:14 AM Obama Speaks On Libya Obama reasserts that the U.S. strongly condemns violence and that the bloodshed is "outrageous and unacceptable." He furhter said that Libya's "actions violate international norms and every standard of common decency," and said forcefully that the human rights of the Libyans must be respected. Obama then said that it was important that "the nations and peoples of the world speak with one voice," to Libya before pointing out that the international community has come out strongly against Gadhafi. "I've also asked my administration to prepare the full range of options" as far as responses, Obama said, without committing to any specific actions, such as the declaration of a no-fly zone over Libya. He did, however, say that Secretary of State Clinton will travel to Geneva on Monday to meet with diplomats to discuss the Libyan situation. In conclusion, Obama said that, "A change is taking place across the nation, and is being driven by the people of the region." Today 5:36 AM Son: Gaddafi Will Play 'Big Father' Role In Any New Regime Saadi Gaddafi told the Financial Times that his father will play the role of "big father" in any new regime formed in Libya, but new blood will need to take over direct control and introduce reform. He also said his brother Saif Gaddafi was working on a new constitution for Libya and would make an announcement soon. Today 5:13 AM Gaddafi's Daughter Fired From UN Goodwill Ambassador Role
Today 5:01 AM Gaddafi's Son: Life Is 'Normal' In Western Libya BBC News reports: Col Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam appears on state TV to declare that life is "normal" in Libya's western regions: "The ports, schools and airports are all open. The problem lies in the eastern regions." Today 4:55 AM Obama To Make Statement About Libya Today, 5.15pm ET The White House has announced that the president will address recent events in Libya in a statement, today at 5.15pm ET. More as it develops. Today 4:49 AM Libya Pressed Oil Firms To Reimburse Terror Compensation Costs Reuters reports that while Libya was paying out compensation to victims of terrorism with one hand, it was exerting pressure behind the scenes to have foreign governments and companies to reimburse them. One cable seen by Reuters, sent from the U.S. embassy in Tripoli, shows Gaddafi's government exerting heavy pressure on U.S. and other oil companies to reimburse Tripoli the $1.5 billion Libya had paid in 2008 into a fund to settle terrorism claims from the 1980s. Read the full report here. Today 4:40 AM Doctor Claims Over 2,000 Dead In Benghazi Alone From The Jerusalem Post A French doctor working in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi told Le Point Magazine that over 2,000 people were killed in that city alone in the past days of fighting, AFP reported. Read more here. Today 4:32 AM U.S. Considering Sanctions The U.S. is now considering sanction against Libya. According to the AP: The United States said Wednesday it was considering sanctions and other means to pressure Moammar Gadhafi's regime to halt attacks against Libyans as violent clashes spread throughout the country. President Barack Obama planned to speak publicly about the situation for the first time later Wednesday or Thursday. "The violence is abhorrent, it is completely unacceptable and the bloodshed must stop," White House spokesman Jay Carney said. Today 3:44 AM Video From Tripoli The video below reportedly shows protesters in Tripoli's Green Square. The protesters burn pictures of Moammar Gadhafi and it would seem that gunfire can be heard in the background. Today 3:28 AM Obama To Speak Obama will speak on camera about Libya on Wednesday or Thursday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney says. Carney added that "a lot of options are under review," including possible sanctions on Libya. Today 3:26 AM Gadhafi's Lobbyists HuffPost's Jason Linkins takes a look at the lobbyists who have helped Gadhafi over the years. Today 2:58 AM Turkey's Largest Evacuation According to Al Jazeera, Turkey is about to launch the nation's largest evacuation: Turkey has 25,000 nationals in Libya and the country is launching the biggest evacuation operation in its history. Today 2:12 AM Gadhafi's Daughter Reportedly Attempts To Flee Moammar Gadhafi's daughter Aicha reportedly attempted to flee the country today. TheL.A. Times reports: Moammar Kadafi's daughter attempted to leave Libya for Malta before being turned away Wednesday, Al Jazeera English reported. Today 1:47 AM Gadhafi Turned Down Chance To Invest With Bernie Madoff According to WikiLeaks, the Gadhafi regime controls billions of dollars around the world, including money invested in U.S. banks. Additionally, he was approached as a potential investor with Bernie Madoff, but declined to invest. MSNBC reports: Moammar Gadhafi’s regime controls $32 billion in liquid assets around the world, including hundreds of millions of dollars invested in US banks, according to a confidential cable written by the U.S. Ambassador to Libya last year. The leaked diplomatic message was distributed through WikiLeaks. You can read the entire report here. Today 1:25 AM More Cities Controlled By Rebels? The New York Times' Nick Kristof tweets:
Today 1:12 AM UN: Libya May Need No Fly Zone The UN is saying that the international community may need to institute a no-fly zone to protect Libyan civilians. According to the AP: The U.N.'s top human rights official says the international community may need to impose a no-fly zone over Libya to protect civilians from attacks by government aircraft. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay says if unconfirmed reports of aerial attacks against civilians turn out to be true, "I think there's an immediate need for that level of protection." In an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, Pillay said she was "appalled" by the level of violence there because protesters are only demanding basic human rights. Today 0:45 AM Three Libyan Ships Reportedly Ordered To Attack Benghazi
02/23/2011 11:54 PM Gadhafi Family A 'Web Of Greed' WikiLeaks painted an unflattering family portrait of the Gadhafis. The AP reports: The children of Moammar Gadhafi were increasingly engaged in recent months in covering up scandals fit for a "Libyan soap opera," including negative publicity from extravagant displays of wealth, such as a million-dollar private concert by pop diva Beyonce, according to a new batch of secret diplomatic cables released Wednesday. The assessments by U.S. diplomats were published by the secret-spilling web site WikiLeaks as Gadhafi vowed to fight to the "last drop of blood" to put down an uprising against his 42-year rule of the North African nation. At least 300 protesters are believed to have been killed by pro-government forces in the past week of clashes. Growing anger over crass behavior by Gadhafi's offspring, such as son Hannibal's 2008 arrest for beating servants in a hotel in Switzerland, may have helped spark the current uprising. "The family has been in a tailspin recently," a cable assessed a year ago. Read the entire report here. 02/23/2011 11:25 PM In Eastern Libya, Protesters Claim Control CNN's Ben Wedemen is reporting from eastern Libya, where protesters say they have taken control from government forces. Wedemen tweets:
Wedemen also filed the following report from Libya: 02/23/2011 10:46 PM Did Gadhafi Order Lockerbie Bombing? According to CBS News, Libya's resigned justice minister says that the strongman personally ordered the 1988 bombing:
02/23/2011 9:24 PM France Pushes For EU Sanctions France is pushing for EU sanctions to be levied against Libya due to the protests. Reports the AP: French President Nicolas Sarkozy pressed Wednesday for European Union sanctions against Libya's regime because of its violent crackdown on protesters, and raised the possibility of cutting all economic and business ties between the EU and the North African nation. "The continuing brutal and bloody repression against the Libyan civilian population is revolting," Sarkozy said in a statement. "The international community cannot remain a spectator to these massive violations of human rights." France's president has asked the Foreign Ministry to propose sanctions including barring those implicated in the crackdown from the European Union and monitoring their financial transactions. He also wants to ensure they are brought to justice. 02/23/2011 9:22 PM Italian Foreign Minister Puts Lybia Death Toll At 1,000 BBC News reports: At least 300 people have died in the uprising, although Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini told reporters in Rome a death toll of 1,000 was more "credible". Mr Frattini also told Corriere della Sera newspaper he feared an immigrant exodus on a "biblical scale" if Col Gaddafi was toppled, predicting up to 300,000 Libyans could flee. Read more here. 02/23/2011 1:14 PM United States To Evacuate Citizens Out Of Libya By Ferry The United States will attempt to evacuate US citizens out of Libya by ferry following earlier failed attempts at air evacuations: The notice said Americans will board the ferry to the nearby island of Malta on a first-come, first-served basis with priority given to those with severe medical conditions. |
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sins of the father, sins of the son Mahahir's SIN is Najib Recipes for Ethnic Cosmetic Surgery
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