Libyan rebel gunfire hit rescue pilot's helmet

Libyan rebel gunfire hit rescue pilot's helmet | World news : "A pilot of one of the special forces Hercules aircraft that landed in the Libyan desert to evacuate oil workers had a narrow escape when small arms fire entered the cockpit and bounced off his helmet, defence sources have confirmed.

They said a group of rebels fired at the aircraft by mistake, believing that it belonged to forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi. The rebels later apologised.

The Hercules flew into Libya on Sunday to pick up people stranded in the Sarir oilfield south of Benghazi.

The Ministry of Defence said only that one of its Hercules C130 aircraft appeared to have suffered 'minor damage consistent with small arms fire'.

It said there were no injuries to passengers or crew and the aircraft returned safely to Malta.

Some of those who were rescued described the moment the Hercules was shot at, forcing it to abandon a landing."

Pearson seeks legal advice over stake held by Libyan Investment Authority

Pearson seeks legal advice over stake held by Libyan Investment Authority  "Pearson has begun a legal process to ascertain if the stake held by the Libyan Investment Authority, the fifth biggest shareholder in the Financial Times owner with a £250m investment, needs to be frozen following a government order.

On Sunday the UK government moved to freeze the assets of Muammar Gaddafi and five members of his family, a decision that has prompted Pearson's lawyers to file legal documents to determine exactly who is the beneficial owner of the stake.

'It is abhorrent to us what is happening in Libya and we have made it clear we are uncomfortable with the holding,' said Marjorie Scardino, chief executive of Pearson. 'We are in a terrible position, it is abhorrent for everyone at Pearson. We do not know what the freeze notice covers at this point.'

Libya's sovereign wealth fund, LIA, upped its stake in Pearson to marginally over 3% last year."

Egypt Issues Travel Ban, Asset Freeze on Mubarak | News | English

Egypt Issues Travel Ban, Asset Freeze on Mubarak "Egypt's top prosecutor has ordered a travel ban and an asset freeze for former President Hosni Mubarak and his family, as he considers further actions against the leader who resigned earlier this month following popular protests.

Judicial authorities say Monday's travel ban and recent asset freeze follow complaints that the former president profited illegally during his nearly 30 years as Egypt's leader.

Such allegations have been made against other officials in the Mubarak government, and the prosecutor's office has ordered travel bans and launched investigations into possible financial misdeeds of other members of Mubarak's government."

Libya crisis: Britain mulling no-fly zone and arms for rebels, says Cameron

Libya crisis: Britain mulling no-fly zone and arms for rebels, says Cameron"Britain is working on plans for a military no-fly zone over Libya and is considering whether to arm the opposition forces in the east of the country.

David Cameron, the prime minister, said the UK is 'taking the lead' on steps to isolate the 'illegitimate' Gaddafi regime.

In a statement to the Commons, Cameron said north Africa and the wider Middle East was at the 'epicentre of momentous events' sweeping through the region and that 'hopes and aspirations which have been smothered for decades are stirring'.

'For those of us who believe in democracy and open societies, [we] should be clear: this is a precious moment of opportunity,' Cameron told MPs.

He revealed that he has asked the Ministry of Defence and the chief of the defence staff to work with the UK's military allies on plans for a military no-fly zone.

And he suggested that the British government would consider arming the opposition, following violence meted out against protesters."

Revolution: One more reason to visit Egypt

Revolution: One more reason to visit Egypt "Young Egyptians have launched an 'Egypt is Safe' campaign, students are cleaning up national monuments and drivers now take visitors around Cairo's Tahrir Square as an attraction, anything to get the tourists back.

Sites around the great pyramid at Giza, a Wonder of the Ancient World, the Sphinx and the cemetery at Sakkara have been nearly empty of tourists since a revolt started a month ago that ousted Hosni Mubarak, and now Egypt wants visitors to return.

'In terms of reviving tourism, the problem is currently Libya not us. The whole region is very hot right now,' Karim Mohsen, managing director of Sylvia Tours Egypt, said, referring to an uprising against Muammar Gaddafi in the western neighbour.

'Libya is on the border with Egypt and what people see happening there is terrible and therefore they're afraid to come to the area,' Mohsen told Reuters, in a view reflected by other tour operators and guides who expected several more idle weeks"

Protests in Oman Spread

Protests in Oman Spread "Demonstrators blocked roads and clashed with police on Monday in Oman, the normally quiet oil-rich country along the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, as three-day-old protests calling for political reforms and better living conditions spread to Muscat, the capital.

In the northeast port city of Sohar, where the protests originated, demonstrators blocked roads to the port, Oman’s second biggest, and an industrial area that includes a refinery and an aluminum factory, according to two witnesses in Sohar and news agencies. They also set a supermarket on fire and clashed with the police. Protesters have also been camped out for three days in the city’s main square, called Kurra Ardiyah Roundabout, despite efforts by police and army to push them out, a resident in Sohar said by e-mail.

Television images showed a small number of protesters also gathered in Muscat; the demonstrations there appeared peaceful.

In an attempt to ease tensions, Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, who has ruled for four decades since seizing power from his father, sent delegates on Monday to Sohar to negotiate with the protesters, but the outcome of those meetings remained unclear. He also promised to give more powers to the legislative council, according to ONA, the state news agency."

British Airways worker guilty of plane terror plot

 British Airways worker guilty of plane terror plot: "A Bangladeshi Islamic militant working for British Airways was found guilty on Monday of plotting to blow up a plane after conspiring with radical US-Yemeni cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.
Rajib Karim, 31, was 'committed to an extreme jihadist and religious cause' and was 'determined to seek martyrdom', jurors at Woolwich Crown Court in London were told.
The jury convicted Karim of four counts of preparing terror attacks.
The IT worker, who moved with his wife and son to Newcastle in 2006, had admitted being involved in the production of a terrorist group's video, fundraising and volunteering for terror abroad.
Karim, a privately-educated member of a middle-class family in Dhaka, was lured into becoming a staunch supporter of a radical organisation called Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh by his younger brother, Tehzeeb.
The trial heard that he had attempted to move from his IT role within the airline to become a member of cabin crew.
Colin Gibbs, a counter-terrorism lawyer for the Crown Prosecution Service, described Karim's determination to plan an attack as 'frightening'."

Why a king's ransom is not enough for Saudi Arabia's protesters

Why a king's ransom is not enough for Saudi Arabia's protesters | Comment is free | The Guardian: "No kingdom is an island, particularly when it sits in a sea of revolution. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, watching the assault on Libya's strong man Muammar Gaddafi with his monarchy's usual complacency, thinks he can buy off protests with the promise of gifts.

Of course, the scale of the bribes the king offered last week to his country's alienated young generation – £22bn – is something only an oil-rich monarch could deliver. The Saudi king speaks as a father to the youthful population – after all, this is the only royal family to give its name to its people – and he expects them to obey the name al-Saud as they would their own father.

But the king has compromised his authority by combining it with the role of 'sugar daddy'. Nowhere else are subjects promised such largesse to not rock the boat."

Witnesses say the Libyan town of Misrata and its airport are under the control of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's opponents

Witnesses say the Libyan town of Misrata and its airport are under the control of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's opponents, according to Reuters news agency.
Anti-Gaddafi protesters took control of Zawiyah on Sunday
The rebels reportedly held off an attack by pro-government forces near the town, which is 125 miles (200 km) east of the capital Tripoli, and shot down a military aircraft.

"An aircraft was shot down this morning while it was firing on the local radio station. Protesters captured its crew," one witness told Reuters.

"Fighting to control the military air base (near Misrata) started last night and is still going on.

Kolotnytska is the Ukrainian nurse that U.S. Ambassador Gene Cretz dubbed the “voluptuous blonde” dictator Moammar Gaddafi depended on for his health

I know there are issues of breathtaking import unfolding in Libya, but spare a few moments to bid adieu to Galyna Kolotnytska.

Kolotnytska is the Ukrainian nurse that U.S. Ambassador Gene Cretz dubbed the “voluptuous blonde” dictator Moammar Gaddafi depended on for his health, well-being ( and, probably, drug-stabilization programme) for most of the past decade.

Kolotnytska gained a certain notoriety when her role in Gaddafi’s weird world was revealed in one of the U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks last November.

Here’s what the September 2009 report from Ambassador Cretz had to say:

“Qadhafi (sic) relies heavily on his long-time Ukrainian nurse, Galyna Kolotnytska, who has been described as a ”voluptuous blonde.” Of the rumored staff of four Ukrainian nurses that cater to the Leader’s health and well-being, XXXXXXXXXXX emphasized to multiple Emboffs that Qadhafi (sic) cannot travel without Kolotnytska, as she alone “knows his routine.” When Kolotnytska’s late visa application resulted in her Security Advisory Opinion being received on the day Qadhafi’s (sic) party planned to travel to the U.S., the Libyan Government sent a private jet to ferry her from Libya to Portugal to meet up with the Leader during his rest-stop. Some embassy contacts have claimed that Qadhafi (sic) and the 38 year-old Kolotnytska have a romantic relationship. While he did not comment on such rumors, a Ukrainian political officer recently confirmed that the Ukrainian nurses “travel everywhere with the Leader.”

Well, Gaddafi is on his own now.

Libya protests: SAS 'Blades' rescue 150 terrified Britons from desert nightmare |

Libya protests: SAS 'Blades' rescue 150 terrified Britons from desert nightmare "SAS has staged a dramatic evacuation of 150 civilian workers from the Libyan desert.

The Special Forces soldiers landed in two C130 Hercules military transport aircraft on a landing strip near remote oilfields south of the eastern port of Benghazi.

The SAS men – known as ‘blades’ because of their role at the sharp end of the mission – had flown from Malta’s Valletta airport, where, in meticulous detail, they planned the rescue of the stranded workers, many of them British."

Libya towns fall to rebel as world moves to isolate Gaddafi

Libya towns fall to rebel as world moves to isolate Gaddafi : "Gaddafi loyalists had been evicted from Nalut, 145 miles west of Tripoli. 'The city has been liberated since February 19. It has been run by a revolutionary committee named by the town's communities,' said Shaban Abu Sitta, a local lawyer and member of a revolutionary committee.
'The towns of Rhibat, Kabaw, Jado, Rogban, Zentan, Yefren, Kekla, Gherien and Hawamed have also been free for days. In all these towns, Gaddafi's forces have gone and a revolutionary committee put in place,' he said.
Libyan rebels established a transitional national council to coordinate administration in several cities seized from the Gaddafi regime, and have called on the army to help them take Tripoli, the capital.
The cities now controlled by the opposition include al-Zawiyah, less than 30 miles west of Tripoli, where thousands have taken to the streets to welcome visiting journalists. There was no sign of Libyan security services, who had waged bitter battles with anti-government forces in the town last week, leading to at least 35 deaths.
Abdel Hafiz Ghoqa, a rebel leader in Benghazi, announced that the new national council would be the 'face of Libya in the transitional period.'"

imminent Cabinet shuffle in Morocco

Several Moroccan Websites are reporting an imminent Cabinet shuffle in Morocco. According to a reliable online newspaper, King Mohammed VI will announce the selection of Mustapha Tarab as a new Prime Minister to replace Mr. Abbas EL-Fassi. The same source indicated that the Moroccan Monarch will replace several key ministers with some new faces while some former cabinet members will be brought back.

A new non-partisan government will be the right decision in light of the preparations for the 2012 elections. Mr. Tarrab, who is currently the CEO of the very important Moroccan Office of Phosphate (OCP), is a well respected economist who worked at the World Bank. Mr. Tarrab is known for his intelligence, integrity, humility and discipline."

Morocco protests halted by police violence

 Morocco protests halted by police violence: "Several Moroccan cities saw attempts to organise follow-up pro-democracy protests today brutally stopped by riot police. Organisers denounce 'a climate of fear' in the country.

Following the large, nation-wide protests one week ago, on 20 February and smaller protests yesterday, big pro-democracy manifestations were planned for today. However, contrary to one week ago, today's protests were mostly banned by local authorities and police in the last moment.

In Kenitra, a major town just north of Rabat, hundreds of protesters were gathering at a central square as suddenly buses full of armed riot police arrived. Police troops kicked and beat protesters with batons, as documented on a video secretly made in the town. Protesters were chased away before a major manifestation even could start."

:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder.

Two RAF Hercules rescue 150 Britons from Libya as British Embassy evacuates all staff

Two RAF Hercules rescue 150 Britons from Libya as British Embassy evacuates all staff "British special forces today rescued 150 trapped UK citizens after launching an audacious rescue mission across the Libyan desert.

Two RAF Hercules retrieved the terrified oil workers from remote outposts south of the country's second city of Benghazi.

The rescue mission was made up of around two dozen members of special forces with the team including 12 SAS and eight men from the Special Boat Service.

The Daily Mail understands that the team infiltrated the area overland before securing a section of the volatile desert to use as a landing strip."

Britain persuades Gaddafi loyalists to defect

Britain persuades Gaddafi loyalists to defect  "British officials are trying to persuade key figures of the Libyan regime to defect from their leader Muammar Gaddafi and thus evade trial for crimes against humanity alongside him, the Guardian reported on Saturday.

With British troops on standby to rescue an estimated 150 Britons in Libya, measures were being drawn up to close the British embassy in Tripoli.

However, the Foreign Office denied reports that the embassy would be closed as soon as this weekend.

'We will react to the situation as it unfolds on the ground. If it gets too dangerous for our people to be there, of course we will pull them out of there. But are we planning to close the embassy down? No,' a spokesman was quoted as saying."

Qaddafi Placed 3 Billion Pounds in London Last Week, Times Says

Qaddafi Placed 3 Billion Pounds in London Last Week, Times Says  "Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi deposited 3 billion pounds ($4.8 billion) with a private wealth manager in Mayfair, London last week with the help of a Switzerland-based intermediary, the Times reported, without saying where it got the information.

The intermediary initially attempted to deposit the Libyan funds with an unidentified stock broking firm in the City of London five weeks ago, however it was turned down, the newspaper said, citing the chief executive officer of the company, which it didn’t name.

The CEO, who wasn’t named, was quoted as saying he’d said “no” because he wasn’t comfortable dealing with people with blood on their hands. He was cited as saying Qaddafi is believed to have “about 10 billion in the City.”"

RAF planes in Libya desert rescue

RAF planes in Libya desert rescue: "Two RAF Hercules aircraft have evacuated more than 150 civilians to Malta from desert locations south of Benghazi in Libya, Defence Secretary Liam Fox said.
Meanwhile, the operations of the British Embassy in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, have been temporarily suspended and its staff have been evacuated on the last Government-chartered flight, which took off for London's Gatwick Airport with 53 British nationals on board, the Foreign Office said.
The dramatic evacuation came as Britain worked with international partners on a co-ordinated rescue mission for the last foreign nationals stranded in the North African state amid fast-deteriorating security conditions."

LAST Plane leaves for Tripoli evacuation

Plane leaves for Tripoli evacuation: "A plane set off from London for Libya on Saturday in what is expected to be the last charter flight to bring back British people still trapped in the capital Tripoli.
The Boeing 737 left from Gatwick airport and is expected to return to Britain later in the day.

Any Britons still in Tripoli have been urged to head for the airport at first light as terrified residents brace for bloody battles as Moamer Kadhafi said he was ready to arm civilian supporters to defeat a popular revolt.
Foreign Secretary William Hague said it was 'very important' for any Britons still caught up in the chaos to get on board the flight.
Hague also said 'a lot of work' was being done on plans to extract up to 170 British oil workers stranded in remote desert locations, who have become the government's main concern.
'There are now very few British nationals remaining in Tripoli. It's very important that those that remain go to the airport, that they do so at first light,' he said."

Britons urged to leave Libya as Gaddafi's son addresses media

 Britons urged to leave Libya as Gaddafi's son addresses media: "The US has announced sanctions against the Libyan government, as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the body's Security Council to take 'decisive action' over the Libya crisis.

The Foreign Office has urged Britons who remain in the capital Tripoli to take what could be the final government-chartered flight later.

Rescue ship, HMS Cumberland, docked safely in Malta overnight with 68 UK nationals on board.

Col Gaddafi's son earlier addressed invited members of the international media where he admitted Libyan warplanes had bombed sites in the country."

Covert SAS operation began after David Cameron warned UK citizens to leave while they still can.

covert SAS operation began after David Cameron warned UK citizens to leave while they still can.

The Prime Minister signalled that the estimated 500 left in Libya had just 48 hours to escape.

HMS Cumberland, which has already sailed from Libya with British citizens escaping the country is set to return from Malta to take more people to safety.

The last rescue flight set off for Tripoli today to bring back British people still trapped in the Libyan capital. The  flight left Gatwick and is expected back tonight.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said it was 'very important' for anyone still caught up in the violent chaos to get on board if possible - as some of those landing back in the UK last night described the violence as a 'living hell'.

Mr Hague also insisted that 'a lot of work' was under way on plans to extract up to 170 UK oil workers stranded in remote and highly vulnerable desert locations.

'There are now very few British nationals remaining in Tripoli. It's very important that those that remain go to the airport, that they do so at first light,' he said.

Foreign Office staff fear Gaddafi could try to seize foreigners and use them as hostages as his regime collapses.

Fierce fighting broke out in Tripoli last night, where the dictator has vowed to fight it out to the ‘last drop of blood’.

Armoured units and mercenaries were unleashed on anti-government protesters yesterday with great bloodshed.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1360850/Gaddafis-3bn-British-cash-transfer-How-dictator-secretly-moving-money-Libya.html#ixzz1F45v1XH1

Gaddafi's £3bn British cash transfer: How dictator is secretly moving money out of Libya

Gaddafi's £3bn British cash transfer: How dictator is secretly moving money out of Libya  "Colonel Gaddafi secretly deposited £3bn with a London-based private wealth manager, it emerged today.

As rebels began their uprising in Eastern Libya last week, a Swiss intermediary working for the dictator brokered a deal to transfer the funds from the oil-rich nation.

But a similar attempt five weeks ago was rebuffed when senior staff at a separate City stockbroking firm learned of the source of the money, The Times reported."

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Libya revolt: Libya refugees flood into Tunisia -

Libya revolt: Libya refugees flood into Tunisia : "At first it was dozens of foreigners, most of them Egyptian laborers, teetering under the weight of plastic-wrapped boxes or suitcases they carried on their backs as they made their way past customs guards and immigration officers into relative safety in Tunisia.

Volunteers, some from the Tunisian equivalent of the Boy Scouts, handed them bottles of milk and sandwiches with gobs of tomato sauce and tuna.

Then the crowds grew larger and larger. Busloads of Chinese engineers. Turkish businessmen. A smattering of Koreans. A wealthy Tunisian in a late-model BMW.

And still more people came, the numbers reaching into the thousands, perhaps tens of thousands."

23 killed in Iraq's 'Day of Rage' protests

23 killed in Iraq's 'Day of Rage' protests: "Tens of thousands of Iraqis surged into the streets Friday in at least a dozen demonstrations across the country, storming provincial buildings, forcing local officials to resign, freeing prisoners and otherwise demanding more from a government they only recently had a chance to elect.

At least 23 protesters were killed as Iraqis braved security forces to vent shared frustrations at the nearest government official. Sunnis, Shiites, Kurds and Christians, they shouted for simple dignities made more urgent by war - adequate electricity, clean water, a decent hospital, a fair shot at a job."

Tunisians want PM Ghannouchi gone

Tunisians want PM Ghannouchi gone: "100,000 people, most of them students, were out in Tunis on Friday.

They chanted slogans against Ghannouchi as army helicopters circled over-head.

The rally is believed to be the biggest of several protests against the transitional authorities since the fall of long-time dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali last month.

Protesters want Ghannouchi to hand over power to a civilian government. Protesters say they do not want any members of the ruling party in the post-revolution government.

Demonstrators oppose the new government as it still includes figures from the ousted regime."

U.S. ratchets up pressure on Gaddafi

U.S. ratchets up pressure on Gaddafi: "Moments after a charter aircraft departed Libya with all remaining U.S. diplomats there Friday, the Obama administration shuttered the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli and moved to freeze assets in this country belonging to leader Moammar Gaddafi, his family and his government."

Egypt army sorry for beating protesters

Egypt army sorry for beating protesters"EGYPT'S ruling military council has apologised after military police beat protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square but activists have called for fresh protests to denounce violence by the authorities.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces said that the violence was the result of unintentional confrontations between the military police and the youth of the revolution but wasn't ordered and won't happen again.

But activists have launched a Facebook call for fresh protests to denounce the army's use of force.

Thousands of Egyptians have rallied in Tahrir Square to celebrate the success of their revolution and call for a new government."

American who fled Libya: “It was like a tsunami hit Tripoli” – American Morning - CNN.com Blogs

American who fled Libya: “It was like a tsunami hit Tripoli” – American Morning - CNN.com Blogs: "Americans are fleeing Libya as unrest in the country continues. CNN's T.J. Holmes speaks to George Sayar and Cyrus Sany who just arrived back in the United States from Libya. Sayar was in the country to build infrastructure such as roads and bridges. Cyrus has been there 28 times since 2008 to develop the technology infrastructure, specifically port security. They both discussed a chaotic scene. “Me and my colleague finally made it out after three hours of kicking and shoving and kicking,' Sayar says. Sany described taking 'six hours from the parking lot to the ticket counter.'"

: US warns banks on Libya transfers

 US warns banks on Libya transfers: "The Treasury Department has warned US banks to be vigilant of transfers linked to Libya's political leaders, as the international community moves to slap sanctions on top government officials.

The Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network told banks to be aware of 'the potential increased movement of assets that may be related to the situation in Libya,' in a statement released Friday.
It also demanded financial institutions 'apply enhanced scrutiny for private banking accounts held by or on behalf of senior foreign political figures.'
Under US law banks are required to report transactions that could be linked to diverted state assets, proceeds of bribery or other public corruption.

But the notice came as the United States, France and Britain appeared to be edging toward sanctions against Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi that could include a freeze on assets held abroad."

UK corruption swoop: Mid East

UK corruption swoop: Mid East edition "Corruption at the very top of Arab governments is helping fuel the revolt sweeping the Middle East, toppling regimes in Tunisia and Egypt, and now threatening Libya and even the monarchy in Bahrain.

But bribery is also about to become a risk, especially for British business, both individuals and companies.

Delayed guidance on the UK Bribery Act 2010 is expected to be published in the coming months and will be followed three months later by the implementation of this extra-territorial legislation, which can impose fines and recover assets from UK-linked companies involved in bribing officials and executives anywhere."

Gunfire erupts in Libyan capital as Americans finally escape

Gunfire erupts in Libyan capital as Americans finally escape.GOVERNMENT forces have opened fireon protesters in Libyan capital Tripoli, as the uprising against Moamar Ghadafi that already caused his regime to lose control of swaths of the country appeared to reach his stronghold.

A US-chartered ship with 300 passengers aboard finally left the violence-torn North African country, the State Department said, after being stuck in port for two days due to rough seas.

Tens of thousands of Libyans massed for Friday prayers in eastern cities liberated from Ghadafi's rule, and international calls for action came thick and fast.

A British resident in Tripoli told Sky News that protesters were clashing with government forces at roadblocks that were set up around the city in the past 12 hours.

A witness told AFP that security forces 'fired indiscriminately on the demonstrators' who gathered in an eastern suburb after Friday prayers, leaving a number of people dead. Residents of other eastern suburbs said they witnessed 'sustained gunfire against anyone in the streets.'



Libya's third city, Misurata, just 160kms east of the capital, was deserted by regime loyalists Friday, a resident said, although deadly clashes were still raging at a nearby air base."

Gaddafi's brutal regime forced the Government to pay £60,000 in 'bribes' to fly in and rescue stranded Britons caught up in the Libyan civil war.

It also emerged that Gaddafi's brutal regime forced the Government to pay £60,000 in 'bribes' to fly in and rescue stranded Britons caught up in the Libyan civil war.

Officials handed over about £12,000 for each of the five planes that landed at Tripoli airport to save hundreds of Britons left for days without help.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'The charges have increased in the current situation. We have had to pay them, the alternative being to leave hundreds of British nationals stranded in Tripoli.'

However, he insisted that paying charges levied by authorities at a foreign airport 'is not bribery'. A senior Foreign Office source said the payments of £12,000 a plane were 'four or five times higher than usual'.

The admission is likely to be damaging because government policy is not to pay bribes, and Britain is exploring the possibility of sanctions and asset freezing against Libya.

Former Labour foreign minister Denis MacShane"

David Cameron back in Britain to take charge of Libya crisis | News

David Cameron back in Britain to take charge of Libya crisis | News: "The noose tightened on Colonel Gaddafi today as David Cameron warned him: 'The world is watching you - and the world will hold you to account.'

As the United Nations discussed a blitz of sanctions and possible prosecution for crimes against humanity, the murderous crackdown on protesters intensified alarmingly. Five people were killed and several wounded in shootings in central Tripoli.

Mr Cameron said Britain will deploy troops if necessary to protect its people. And speaking directly to Gaddafi and his regime members, he warned they would pay the price for their actions.

'The message is very clear, which is that the violence we have seen is appalling and unacceptable,' he said.

'And I have this very clear message for people in that regime, which is the world is watching you and the world will hold you to account.'

Britain is pressing through the UN for asset seizures, travel bans and other sanctions to punish and disable the regime."

Britain has been buying off Libyan officials with hefty additional fees in order to expedite the troubled evacuation of UK nationals

This is a humiliating development: our ministers have further enriched the regime at the very moment when Gaddafi's henchmen are slaughtering his people. As with other aspects of the rescue effort, the comparison with the response of other nations does ministers no credit. It is difficult to imagine the French military asking permission for its air force to rescue French citizens earlier this week, much less paying the regime bribes to do so.

The violence in Libya continues to pose a threat to British lives - and with them, our Government's credibility. The British evacuation effort been both late and ramshackle: around 500 Britons were brought out yesterday but scores remain. Now it also appears that the Government effectively paid the Gaddafi regime a bribe, in the form of greatly increased landing charges, to extricate our citizens from Tripoli, partly as a result of having finally arrived so late in the chaos.

Meanwhile the international community is moving towards punitive action against Libya, with Britain and France backing UN-sponsored sanctions and talk of a no-fly zone being imposed against Gaddafi's forces. The latter would be entirely justified

Britain has been buying off Libyan officials with hefty additional fees in order to expedite the troubled evacuation of UK nationals, according to senior government figures.
The revelations over the demands for what one senior figure described as “bribes” underlines the problems faced by the government as it oversees a rescue effort that has been criticised as inadequate, poorly co-ordinated and slow.
Speaking in Downing Street after a specially convened meeting of the National Security Council and Cobra emergency planning committee, David Cameron stressed the government was doing “everything we can” to help the 200 British citizens still stranded.

Tens of thousands hold rival rallies in Yemen

Tens of thousands hold rival rallies in Yemen - latimes.com: "* Demonstrations in three Yemeni cities * Police cordon off rival demonstrators * 17 people have been killed in protests in past nine days (Updates protests in Aden) By Khaled Yacoub Oweis SANAA, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of supporters and opponents of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh held rival demonstrations in the capital on Friday, in a test of support for the veteran leader's 32-year rule. Protesters outside Sanaa University, repeating slogans which have echoed round the Arab world since the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, chanted: 'The people demand the downfall of the regime.' About 4 km (2 miles) across town, loyalists shouted support for a leader they said was holding the fractured and impoverished tribal nation together. 'The creator of unity is in our hearts. We will not abandon him,'"

Tensions flare in Iraq rallies - Middle East -

Tensions flare in Iraq rallies "Hundreds of Iraqis have converged on Baghdad's Liberation Square as part of an anti-government rally named the Day of Rage, organised mainly through the social networking website Facebook.

About 2,000 protesters are said to have already gathered on Friday, which comes after weeks of scattered protests around the country calling for an end to corruption, shortages of jobs, food, power and water.

Iraqi army helicopters buzzed overhead, while trucks took up posts throughout the square, where a groups of protesters shouted ``No to unemployment,'' and ``No to the liar al-Maliki,'' referring to Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Jane Arraf, reporting from Baghdad, said that a violent standoff was happening between protesters and police."

Gaddafi appears in Tripoli - Africa - Al Jazeera English

Gaddafi appears in Tripoli - Africa - Al Jazeera English: "Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, made an unexpected appearance in Green Square, speaking to a crowd of his supporters.

'We can defeat any aggression if necessary and arm the people,' Gaddafi said, in footage that was aired Libyan state television on Friday.

'You, the youth, be comfortable… dance, sing, stay up all night,' he said.

His last speech, on Thursday evening, had been made by phone, leading to speculation about his physical condition.

The footage aired on Friday, however, showed the leader standing above the square, waving his fist as he spoke.

His speech came even as thousands of protesters against his regime across Libya focused their attention on the capital on Friday afternoon, following the midday prayer.

As demonstrators in Tripoli took to the street, security forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, reportedly began firing on them. At least six had been killed, according to the Associated Press news agency."

Oil workers focus of Libya efforts

 Oil workers focus of Libya efforts: "British officials are drawing up plans with Nato allies to rescue hundreds of international oil workers stranded in camps in the Libyan desert.
With an SAS contingent reportedly on stand-by to assist, Defence Secretary Liam Fox said there would be an 'international co-ordinated effort' to extract the workers left at the mercy of armed gangs roaming the area.
As the first British nationals to be evacuated from the strife-torn North African state began arriving home, David Cameron said he was 'extremely sorry' for the delays to the rescue operation and promised lessons would be learned.
The Prime Minister, who is returning from his trip to the Gulf, will on Friday chair back-to-back meetings of the National Security Council and the Cobra emergencies committee in an attempt to reassert control after days of apparent drift in Whitehall.
A total of 132 British nationals finally arrived in Malta from Tripoli on the much-delayed Foreign Office-chartered flight while another 51 followed on an RAF Hercules. Seventy-nine more landed at Gatwick on an aircraft chartered by BP.
More than 100 UK citizens were preparing to leave Libya's second city, Benghazi, on the Royal Navy frigate HMS Cumberland, which will take them to Valetta in Malta, where they will pick up flights back to the UK."

Rough Waters Strand Americans in Libya

Rough Waters Strand Americans in Libya "More than a hundred Americans seeking to flee the widening chaos in Libya remained stuck in the capital, Tripoli, on Thursday as high seas prevented an evacuation ferry from departing for Malta.Philip J. Crowley, the State Department spokesman, said Thursday afternoon that the ferry could leave “within hours” if the weather permits. An official with the ferry company, Virtu Ferries, said high winds had tossed up sea swells as high as 16 feet throughout the day on Thursday."

Iranian Warships Dock in Syria -

Iranian Warships Dock in Syria "Two Iranian warships docked Thursday in a Syrian port, after a journey through the Suez Canal and Mediterranean Sea that prompted Israel to put its navy on high alert.

The northern section of the canal is just 100 kilometers from Israel. Iran has been accused of smuggling money and weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel said it is closely monitoring the ships’ whereabouts.

Iran says the ships pose no threat in the region and are in Syria for a training mission. An Israeli official called the move “an Iranian provocation.”

“When you look at the Middle East, wherever the Iranians weigh in, the situation is never good,” he said Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya’alon on Channel 2 in Israel. “It certainly does not bode well, but these two ships are not an immediate threat against us."

Gaddafi blames Bin Laden and hallucinogenic pills mixed in with Nescafe for uprisings against him... before ordering bloody hit on mosque | Mail Online

Gaddafi blames Bin Laden and hallucinogenic pills mixed in with Nescafe for uprisings against him... before ordering bloody hit on mosque | Mail Online: "Muammar Gaddafi blamed a revolt against his rule on al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden in his most bizarre rant yet today.

The embattled Libyan leader rang the state TV station himself to give his version of the crisis in his country.

With half his country out of government control, his tone was more conciliatory but some of his suggestions for what was behind the uprising were little short of crazy.

He claimed the protesters were fuelled by milk and Nescafe spiked with hallucinogenic drugs.

'Their ages are 17. They give them pills at night, they put hallucinatory pills in their drinks, their milk, their coffee, their Nescafe,' said Gaddafi.

Just two days ago, he vowed to crush the revolt and as he spoke, his armed forces were carrying out a brutal hit on a mosque 30 miles from the capital Tripoli, where he is holed up."

Gaddafi says protesters are on hallucinogenic drugs

Gaddafi says protesters are on hallucinogenic drugs | Reuters: "Gaddafi, who just two days ago vowed in a televised address to crush the revolt and fight to the last, showed none of the fist-thumping rage of that speech.

This time, he spoke to state television by telephone without appearing in person, and his tone seemed more conciliatory, with much of his country out of government control.

'Their ages are 17. They give them pills at night, they put hallucinatory pills in their drinks, their milk, their coffee, their Nescafe,' said Gaddafi.

'They are criminals ... is it logical that you let this phenomenon continue in any city? ... We do not see what is happening in Egypt and Tunisia happening in Libya, ever!'

'Those (in Egypt and Tunisia) are people needing their governments and they have demands; our power is in the hands of the people,' he said, a typical reference to his idiosyncratic rule, which he says is based on giving power direct to the people."

Libya turns off the Internet and the Massacres begin

Libya turns off the Internet and the Massacres begin | ZDNet: "Libya blocked news sites and Facebook. Then, beginning Friday night, according to Arbor Networks, a network security and Internet monitoring company, announced that Libya had cut itself off from the Internet. Hours later the Libyan dictator’s solders started slaughtering protesters. As of Sunday afternoon, U.S. Eastern time the death toll was above 200 in the city of Benghazi alone.

Welcome to 2011. While dictators in the most repressive regimes, such as North Korea and Cuba, have long kept Internet contact to the world to a bare minimum, less restrictive dictatorships, such as Egypt and Libya left the doors to the Internet cracked open to the public. Now, though, realizing that they could no longer hide their abuses from a world a Twitter tweet away, the new model autocracies, such as Libya and Bahrain have realized that they need to cut their Internet links before bringing out the guns."

the proper spelling of Colonel Crazy's name

As the crisis in Libya has intensified we've been treated to several variations on the spelling of the leader of Libya. So what, exactly, is the proper spelling of Colonel Crazy's name?

If you use the Associated Press as your standard-bearer you should use the spellingMoammar Gadhafi.

When Moammar Gadhafi told the world he was a changed man, some leaders were skeptical. Others, like Britain's Tony Blair, were quicker to see the benefits of rapprochement with the oil-rich nation.

The Washington Post is using Moammar Gaddafi as their preferred spelling.

Moammar Gaddafi blamed the revolt in his country on Osama Bin Laden, in what came across as a desperate plea to citizens Thursday to abandon their 10-day-old rebellion.

The New York Times is using Muammar el-Qaddafi and even acknowledging his position in the military.

Thousands of mercenary and irregular forces struck back at a tightening circle of rebellions around the capital, Tripoli, on Thursday, trying to fend off an uprising against the 40-year rule of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, who blamed the violence on “hallucinogenic” drugs and Osama bin Laden.

The Boston Globe is using Moammar Khadafy.

Whatever ambivalence may have colored President Obama’s cautious response to uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, and Bahrain, he should offer full-throated support for Libyans who are risking their lives to shake off dictator Moammar Khadafy.

Agence France-Presse is using Moamer Khadafi when writing about the Libyan dictator.

The London School of Economics has cut ties with the Libyan leader's son, Seif al-Islam Kadhafi, after a violent crackdown on protests in Libya, a spokeswoman said on Tuesday. A leading academic at the university who knew Moamer Khadafi's son when he studied there said he was "deeply disturbed" by the former student's condemnation of anti-regime protests.

These five variations appear to be the most popular spellings for his name. What version are you using?

Evacuating Britons from Libya: why did we take so long to find the planes? – Telegraph Blogs

Evacuating Britons from Libya: why did we take so long to find the planes? – Telegraph Blogs: "It is good news that the first British people have been evacuated from Libya, but the question remains: why did it take so long? Many other countries were able to organise flights to repatriate their nationals, so why were we so slow off the mark?
I have no doubt that William Hague was as alert to the dangers as his opposite numbers in countries such as Poland. I am sure he instructed officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to get on with chartering aircraft to do the job. But what went wrong? Why could an oil company beat the Government in mounting a timely rescue bid?
Having sat all too often in terminal buildings, or on the flight deck of aircraft, stuck in unattractive places with technical faults, I know well enough that those wretched gremlins take a fiendish delight in grounding aircraft at the worst possible times and in the worst possible places."

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Libya rebels isolate Gaddafi, seizing cities and oilfields | World news | guardian.co.uk

Libya rebels isolate Gaddafi, seizing cities and oilfields | World news | guardian.co.uk: "Opposition activists are increasing the pressure on Muammar Gaddafi's ailing regime, shutting down oil exports and mobilising rebel groups in the west of the country as the revolution rapidly spreads.

Gaddafi's hold on power appears confined to parts of Tripoli and perhaps several regions in the centre of the country. Towns to the west of the capital have fallen and all of eastern Libya is firmly in opposition hands.

In a rambling appeal for calm on state TV, Gaddafi blamed the revolt on al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, and said the protesters were fuelled by Nescafe spiked with hallucinogenic drugs.

In Benghazi, the country's second city, basic order is returning to the streets after days of fierce fighting that resulted in the military defecting en masse. Virtually all government buildings were looted and wrecked.

There are long lines outside closed banks as people try to resume normal life. Cars have returned to city streets but almost all shops remain closed and the internet is blocked."

Police officers get death over drugs

Police officers get death over drugs: "Four border patrol policemen were given a death sentence Wednesday for possessing a large number of metamphetamine tablets with the intent to sell. They were arrested in a sting operation three years ago.
The Criminal Court handed down the maximum penalty to the four Chiang Mai-based officers, overruling a legal condition that subjects convicts to a threefold sentence. The convictions over the use and forgery of documents, and the unauthorised possession of firearms were also overruled by the death sentence.
The four convicts are Senior Sgt-Major Phoomiphiphat Thammasuhiran, Senior Sgt-Major Wiroj Moolphrao, Sgt-Major Tawan Kosutho and Sgt-Major Suthas Saipanya. In the sting operation, they sold 150,000 tablets to an undercover agent for Bt11.25 billion.
The court dismissed their claim that they were investigating a drug-related case and that they had been tortured into making a confession."

Libya: Britain borrows BP jet to evacuate citizens

The Foreign Office finally managed to load 300 Britons onto a plane at Tripoli, but only after it had borrowed the jet from BP.
The plane the Government had intended to use to evacuate Britons waited on the runway at Gatwick airport for 10 hours before taking off late on Wednesday night.
Mr Hague admitted the efforts had been a failure and said he would establish a review to investigate. Portugal, Turkey, France and the EU had already pulled out thousands of citizens.
Mr Cameron was also out of step with international efforts to impose fresh sanctions on the Gaddafi regime. The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, called for “swift and concrete” measures and the White House said it was ready to reimpose penalties.
However, Mr Cameron said the regime could still respond to calls for change. “Sanctions are always an option for the future if what we’re seeing in Libya continues,” he said."

Yemen clashes leave two dead after gunfight in capital city

YANTI-GOVERNMENT protests are set to escalate amid increasing violence in Yemen following the deaths of two men in a gunfight between activists and loyalists in Sana’a.

In violent clashes on the streets outside the capital’s main university, at least four people were shot and up to 20 injured as riot police lost control and pro-government elements burst into the encampment where thousands of activists have been staging a permanent sit-in since Sunday morning.

As rocks flew, gunfire was also exchanged between the opposing sides in a night of spiralling violence on the streets of the capital."

Muammar Gaddafi ordered 1988 Lockerbie bombing - ex-minister

Muammar Gaddafi ordered 1988 Lockerbie bombing - ex-minister "'I have proof that Gaddafi gave the order on Lockerbie,' said the minister, who stepped down on Monday to protest the ongoing violence in Libya.

Libyan national Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi was in 2001 convicted of the bombing of Pan AM Flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie on December 21, 1988 that killed 270 people, most of them Americans.

But Scottish authorities, who have power over their own judicial affairs, released Megrahi, 58, on compassionate grounds in August 2009 after doctors said he was suffering from terminal cancer and had three months to live.

His release and subsequent hero's return to Tripoli drew a furious response from many, and outrage in the United States has been stoked by the fact that he remains alive almost a year and a half after his release."