Frankfurt Airport shooting: Two dead and two injured

2 March 2011 Last updated at 16:37 GMT

Police say the shooting took place on board the bus

Two people have died after a gunman opened fire on a bus carrying American soldiers at Frankfurt Airport, police say.

The driver of the bus and a US soldier were reportedly killed, while two others were seriously injured.

A 21-year-old suspect from Kosovo is said to have been arrested after the shooting in front of Terminal 2 at Europe's second-biggest airport.

Police have told German media it is not clear if it was a terrorist attack.

"Everything happened on board the bus," police spokesman Jurgen Linker told AFP news agency. "The suspected gunman has been arrested. There are two dead and two seriously injured."

US Army Europe has not yet issued a comment, except to say it was looking into the incident.

The BBC's Stephen Evans in Berlin says the airport is not far from Ramstein Air Base, the US Air Force's headquarters in Europe.

Four Islamists were convicted in March last year in Germany for plotting to bomb targets including Ramstein Air Base.

Last month the German parliament extended by one year the military mission in Afghanistan.

Germany has 4,860 troops there, despite domestic polls suggesting the mission's unpopularity.

Pakistan minorities minister killed

Pakistani Taliban claim responsibility for the shooting attack that killed Shahbaz Bhatti, the only Christian minister. Last Modified: 02 Mar 2011 07:56 GMT

Bhatti, seen in this file photo with family members of Asia Bibi, sentenced to death under the blasphemy law [EPA] Pakistan's minister for minorities has been shot dead by armed men in Islamabad. An official at the Pakistani capital's Shifa Hospital said Shahbaz Bhatti arrived dead after Wednesday's attack, in which his driver also got wounded. Police said they were still confirming whether Bhatti, the only Christian in the Pakistani cabinet, was the intended target. He had been threatened by Muslim religious groups in the past because he had spoken out against the country's controversial blasphemy law. The politician had just pulled out of the driveway of his parents' house when three men standing nearby opened fire, said Gulam Rahim, a witness. "The initial reports are that there were three men who attacked him. He was probably shot using a Kalashnikov, but we are trying to ascertain what exactly happened," said Wajid Durrani, Islamabad police chief. "They asked the driver to get out of the vehicle and then peppered the minister with bullets," Al Jazeera's Pakistan correspondent, Kamal Hyder, reported from Islamabad. "He was on his way to a cabinet meeting," Hyder added. Bhatti's vehicle was left shattered with bullet holes [EPA] Bhatti had earlier requested extra security after he received threats and shots were fired at his house in Islamabad by unknown assailants. Durrani insisted that Bhatti had been provided with proper security, but said the minister was not accompanied by his security detail when the attack happened. Our correspondent said that, "there are big question marks over security here in Pakistan". 'Death threats' The anti-blasphemy law has been in the spotlight since November when a court sentenced Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of four, to death. On January 4, Salman Taseer, the governor of the most populous province of Punjab, who had strongly opposed the law and sought presidential pardon for Bibi, was gunned down by one of his bodyguards. "During this Bibi case I constantly received death threats. Since the assassination of Salman Taseer... these messages are coming to me even publicly," Bhatti said after the governor was shot dead. But he had insisted that he would work as usual. "I'm not talking about special security arrangements. We need to stand against these forces of terrorism because they're terrorising the country," Bhatti told AFP news agency at the time. "I cannot trust on security.... I believe that protection can come only from heaven, so these bodyguards can't save you." Al Jazeera's Hyder said it is most likely that Bhatti was assassinated "because of his involvement in the recommendation to amendments to the blasphemy law. "It shows that nobody is secure in this country, although Bhatti had received many death threats, due to the blasphemy law row". The Pakistani Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack. Earlier, private Pakistani TV channels showed pamphlets at the scene of the killing that were attributed to the Pakistani Taliban warning of the same fate for anyone opposing the blasphemy laws. Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported on its website that government leaders had condemned the killing. "This is concerted campaign to slaughter every liberal, progressive and humanist voice in Pakistan," Farahnaz Ispahani, an aide to Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan's president, said. "The time has come for the federal government and provincial governments to speak out and to take a strong stand against these murderers to save the very essence of Pakistan."

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

Dozens dead in South Sudan fighting

Renewed clashes between rebel group and military come three weeks after 240 people were killed in same region. Last Modified: 02 Mar 2011 15:20 GMT

The clashes have exposed deep internal rifts within the oil-roch state that will declare independence in July [EPA] Fresh fighting in a tense area of Southern Sudan has killed dozens of people, officials say. George Athor, a rebel leader, said his forces fought with the southern military in the Jonglei state. Philip Aguer, a spokesman for the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Army, confirmed that the fighting took place. The death tolls provided by the two men on Wednesday varied widely. Athor said 110 people died in the fighting, mostly southern soldiers. Aguer said around 40 were killed. He didn't specify if they were soldiers or civilians, but he called Athor's toll an exaggeration. "I don't know why he should be proud of killing. The (southern army) is trying to protect against what General Athor did on the 9th and 10th of February in Fangak," Aguer said, referring to the fighting in the same region three weeks ago that killed at least 240 people. Athor said his men fought southern army troops in three locations in Fangak County on Sunday. He said his forces captured 90 weapons. The fighting has stopped, he said. Deep internal rifts Government leaders in Southern Sudan accused Athor, a former deputy chief of staff in the southern army, of committing a "massacre," but Athor said the army had attacked his forces first as they were gathering in "assembly points" outlined in a January 5 cease-fire agreement between his forces and the army. The cease-fire was signed on the eve of the south's January independence referendum, which passed overwhelmingly and will see Southern Sudan become the world's newest nation in July. The agreement was brokered with support from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Sudan. Hua Jiang, the mission's spokesman, said on Tuesday that the UN is "trying to assist in their negotiations." Athor is considered the most powerful of the several southern rebels who launched rebellions against the Juba government after disputed elections last year. The south's ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement has accused the Khartoum government of backing the rebels. Regardless of who is backing these rebellions, they have exposed deep internal rifts within the oil-rich south which could continue to destabilise the region after it declares independence on July 9.

Source: Agencies

Tunisian migrants land in Italy

Hundreds more reach Lampedusa amid Italian concern over a new wave of migration from North African countries. Last Modified: 02 Mar 2011 16:06 GMT

Thousands of migrants have landed on the Italian island of Lampedusa in recent weeks [Reuters] Around 350 migrants from Tunisia have arrived by boat overnight on an Italian island where authorities have declared a humanitarian emergency. Thousands fleeing turmoil in North Africa, mostly from Tunisia, had already reached Lampedusa in the Mediterranean Sea before bad weather interrupted the flow last week. Local authorities said the new arrivals were transferred to a reception centre and are in good condition. "Overnight, we escorted a boat with 347 people on board, including four women," said the island's coast guard, the Associated Press reported. Last month the Italian government said it planned to deploy security forces on Tunisian soil to stop illegal immigration. Bernardino De Rubeis, Lampedusa's mayor, has called the situation "out of control". Italy has asked other European countries to help, with the influx of migrants to its shores expected to swell as thousands more seek to escape unrest in Libya amid an uprising against Muammar Gaddafi's regime. "We believe there are about 1.5 million illegal immigrants in Libya, some estimate even 2.5 million," Roberto Maroni, the Italian interior ministry, told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Franco Frattini, Italy's foreign minister, said his country was "bearing the burden of people that violate international and European law". He added: "One simple fact is very clear: Italy is by far the country that has been saving lives and rescuing the hugest number of migrants in need on the Mediterranean. We saved thousands and thousands of human lives and we are very proud of it."

Source: Al Jazeera and Agencies

Anti-Saleh protests sweep Yemen

Hundreds of protesters rallied in front of Sanaa University, demanding an end to the embattled president's 32-year rule. Last Modified: 02 Mar 2011 16:10 GMT

"I am the next martyr" the boys protest banner reads as at least 26 people die in clashes during six weeks of rallies A growing wave of protests across Yemen is mounting pressure on President Ali Abdullah Saleh to end his 32-year rule. A day earlier, Saleh accused the US of instigating the mounting protests against him, but the gambit has failed to halt demands for his ouster. On Wednesday, several thousand demonstrators turned out yet again in the capital Sanaa for what are now almost daily rallies against him and denied any links to the US. "The people who come to the square are youths, free youths who have no connection whatsoever to any foreign entity, their only concern is to topple the regime," Ali Al Sakkaf, a protester, said. "I think that the solution is now the departure of Saleh, no more, no less, because people are desperate" Ali Makhlough, Yemeni protester Saleh, 68, a US ally already struggling to quash a resurgent al-Qaeda wing based in Yemen while keeping rebellions in the north and south at bay, has failed to stamp out protests fuelled by crushing poverty and soaring unemployment. Yemeni protesters are frustrated with widespread corruption and nearly a third of the workforce is out of a job. More than 40 per cent of Yemen's 23 million people live on less than two dollars a day. "Every day the hopes for change are diminished by Saleh after 33 years of him seizing power. I think that the solution is now the departure of Saleh, no more, no less, because people are desperate," Ali Makhlough, a protester, said on Wednesday. Protests have gained steam during six weeks of rallies that have left 26 people dead in clashes between protesters and police or armed Saleh loyalists. As protesters across the country stake out camps to maintain 24-hour sit-ins, the demonstrations seem unlikely to fade soon. The protests, led by students and activists, have been joined by religious organisations, southern separatists, tribal groups and the opposition coalition after it backed out of talks with Saleh. 'Friday of warning' The momentum against the president, who refuses to step down until elections in 2013, has kept growing since protests erupted a month ago - inspired by successful uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. Yemen's opposition presented Saleh with a road map on Wednesday for a smooth transition of power this year, offering him a graceful exit as street pressure continues to mount against him. In Depth Spotlight: Yemen's uprising Who's who in Yemen's opposition? Background: Saleh's eroding support Blog: The Yemeni president's playbook Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Sanna, said: "The opposition is waiting for an answer and they have decided to organise what they are calling a Friday of warning in case they don't get an answer." "The opposition describe it as a roadmap of Saleh's departure, they want him to announce when he plans to leave. Then the opposition with the parliament will craft a new transitional plan," he said. Saleh has been meeting with tribal and military leaders to try and rally support. He also offered the opposition coalition a unity government. It rejected the offer and vowed to side with protesters in the streets. Saleh has been an important US ally in the fight against al-Qaeda, accepting tens of millions of dollars in US military and other aid and allowing American drone strikes on al-Qaeda targets. However, on Tuesday, Saleh seemed to be turning on Washington. In a speech to about 500 students and lecturers at Sanaa University, he claimed the US, along with Israel, is behind the protest movement. Saleh also alleged that opposition figures meet regularly with the US ambassador in Sanaa. Saleh's relationship with the US has been ambivalent, and he has at times attempted to play down his military alliance with Washington. Anti-US sentiment remains strong in Yemen, as elsewhere in the region, and Saleh's comments appeared to be an attempt to discredit the protesters by suggesting they are serving foreign interests.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

summary

Live Blog - Libya March 2

By Al Jazeera Staff in

Africa

on March 1st, 2011.

Celebrations in Benghazi [Photo by Al Jazeera's @evanchill]

Show oldest updates on top

As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.

Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25 - Feb26 - Feb27 - Feb28 - Mar1

AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Twitter Audio: Voices from Libya

(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)

• Timestamp:

  6:32pm

  Conflicting messages coming out of the US... Speaking of a no-fly zone, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said:

  They said the same about the Balkans. Too difficult, too hard to maintain. But eventually it was determined that it was in the interests of security to have one ... We are a long way from determining a no fly zone is needed for Libya.

• Timestamp:

  6:27pm

  Robert Gates, US defence secretary, has again said that establishing a no-fly zone over Libya "would be a logistical challenge" - and that there was currently no UN authorisation for such action.

  US defence doctrine would normally advocate that establishing a no-fly zone involved the removal of the ability to fly - ie - the bombing of Libyan airbases.

  Mind you, the British foreign secretary last night said that a further UN resolution "may not be necessary".

• Timestamp:

  6:25pm

  Al Jazeera's James Bays describes the scene on the Tunisia-Libya border. He tells us that the worst of the emergency is beginning to ease, as the crowd of thousands of refugees has now largely crossed the border into Tunisia.

  Once across, they are being given what limited supplies of food aid agencies can muster. The UNHCR has set up a tent city to cope with the more than 75,000 people that have streamed across the border there in the past ten days. There is clearly much to be done, but the scenes of panic have subsided, our correspondent says.

• Timestamp:

  6:13pm

  Well, after a brief scare when we lost our phone connection with him earlier, we got Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley back on the phone. He painted a graphic picture of the scene outside Brega, which was the target of airstrikes this afternoon. Listen in on his phonecall - and get a better idea of where all this is happening, with this video:

• 5:34pm

  Al Jazeera's Tim Friend has been researching the size and scope of Libya's military capacity. He tells us:

  The air force is said to be made up of 18,000 members, more than 200 fighter aircraft and 35 attack helicopters. But three aircraft have already been lost in the current unrest, and the airworthiness of the remaining jets has been questioned.
  
  The navy boasts 8000 members and two submarines - but western military analysts believe that the subs have long been abandoned.

  The Libyan army claims to have 50,000 soldiers, more than 2,200 battle tanks and 945 armoured personnel carriers.
  
  But military analysts believe that years of sanctions and overall neglect have rendered much of the army's equipment useless.

  The Libyan army may not have the strength it claims, but there's still a significant force on the ground. Analysts say that Gaddafi has a loyalist brigade made up of 10-12,000 troops - and those forces are trying to block the advance of Gaddafi's armed opposition and maintain control in western Libya.

  The heavy presence of loyalist forces means Gaddafi still retains a strong grip on the capital Tripoli, the town of Sabha and his hometown of Sirte.
  
  It's thought that Libya destroyed its entire stockpile of chemical weapons in 2004 as part of a rapprochment with the west. It does have deadly mustard gas stored at a secret desert location, but no longer has the capability to deliver it.

  Small comfort for Gaddafi's oppponents, as they battle for victory.

• Timestamp:

  5:15pm

  One protester in Benghazi lets Al Jazeera's camera crew know what they think of Gaddafi's claims the people of the uprising "are all on hallucinogenic pills".

  

• Timestamp:

  5:05pm

  After a preliminary examination, international Criminal Court prosecutor Ocampo has launched an investigation into Libya. More details here, but a press conference tomorrow will reveal the extent of the investigation.
  
  
  

• Timestamp:

  4:54pm

  A picture claiming to show the scene in Benghazi as Gaddafi speaks, posted on Facebook by @shabablibya.

  

• Timestamp:

  4:45pm

  A video purportedly of a gun battle has been posted on Facebook - which appears to show close range fighting - with men in camouflage outfits - possibly former military members - shooting up a street to the right, and coming under return fire (origin not seen).

  We've had conflicting reports as to whether it was recorded in Brega or Tripoli. It appears to confirm earlier reports of running street gun battles in Brega. If it's in Tripoli, it shows the fighting has got much closer to Gaddafi's stronghold than previously thought.

  As with other videos sent to us, we cannot confirm the veracity - or where or when it was filmed.

  To check it out, click here.

• Timestamp:

  4:14pm

  Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley was just on the phone with us - 10km away from the oil-rich town of Brega. As we spoke, he was watching a Libyan airforce jet bombing the area.

  It’s now an air attack. We just watched an air force jet from the Libyan air force fly over Brega and drop at least one bomb - and huge plumes of smoke are now coming out over Brega. Another bombed near our position, where anti-Gaddafi forces have gathered.
  
  All the fighters here are massing. We understand that something like 250-300 pro-Gaddafi fighters inside Brega and they are being surrounded. 
  Gaddafi is still a force to be reckoned with, he is not giving up.
  
  The population here want an air exclusion zone to prevent this sort of attack - but they don'twant foreign troops on the ground.
  
  All major oil and gas installations in the town are in thehands of the opposition. We believe this is the main reason for the attack.
  
  
  

• Timestamp:

  4:09pm

  As his air forces attack, Gaddafi finishes his speech - nearly three hours after beginning. You may remember back then he said not a single bullet had been fired against his opponents. Some of his concluding remarks:

  They [anti-Gaddafi forces] will fail. The US or China or anywhere else wouldn't stand for armed gangs. They have no agenda but to intimidate. Libyans should live up to their responsibilities. I will personally guarantee pardons ...
  
  The unemployed can easily find jobs because of the exodus of foreigners. People getting married can get loans and repay them in 20 years. They can get a loan for a car or house and pay it back in 20 years ...
  
  We can't allow oil installations or airports to be controlled by armed men. We cannot allow NATO or us to set foot on Libya. They will set foot in hell - worse than Afghanistan.
  
  I hope that Obama will pursue a normal policy - he is not a colonialist yankee. Obama can steer us and Europe away from another Vietnam
  
  To conclude: We accept this challenge - or we will hand out arms to 3million people. It will become another Vietnam, another historic battle.

  Outside forces should realise Muammar Gaddafi isn't a president who can resign, or a king to abandon a throne. I already handed over power on the blood of my forefathers ...
  
  [Even] if Libyans leave, I cannot abandon Libyan soil ...
  
  My father left behind seven children in the desert. My family died in defence of the country. My grandfather brought up the family ... Even if you leave, Gaddafi will stay in the lands of the forefathers... Muammar Gaddafi will still be leading the revolution.
  
  
  

• Timestamp:

  4:04pm

  Airstrikes also reported in city of Ajdabiya, just northeast of Brega, Casualty count not yet known.

• Timestamp:

  3:55pm

  We're hearing from our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic that four people have been killed and ten injured in an air raid on the town of Brega.

• Timestamp:

  3:42pm

  Gaddafi's still speaking. But in the meantime, we've had news that Gaddafi's cousin, Gaddaf il-Dam (who you may remember from previous liveblogs, such as February 24) is back in Egypt - after formally defecting to Cairo.

  He had previously been in charge of Egypt-Libya security and relations, but flew to Syria the day after a group of lawyers accused him of recruiting Egyptian Bedouin to fight in Libya.

• Timestamp:

  3:34pm

  Gaddafi keeps up the tirade against Egyptians:

  Look what happened in Egypt - there was no popular revolution ... Egypt's military and the revolt is and was nothing!

• Timestamp:

  3:30pm

  Hitting the two-hour mark, Gaddafi says the Egyptian revolution was worthless:

  Egypt now is nothing! There is no Egyptian in agreement with another! The military is helpless!

• Timestamp:

  3:27pm

  Gaddafi claims India has requested permission to send back its workers who fled Libya, and goes on:

  We must understand Libya is the security valve of the Mediterranean. We are the ones preventing illegal migration to Europe and the reach of Bin Laden there.

  Don't be stupid - like the man who burned down his house because he found a mouse inside.

• Timestamp:

  3:25pm

  Gaddafi turns to the subject of black gold, with a veiled threat:

  Undermining Libya's unity or oil wealth will lead to everyone bearing arms ... Oil is our bread and butter. We will die in its defence.

• Timestamp:

  3:22pm

  Gaddafi's still speaking, to occasional applause, about directing investment away from western nations toward Russia, China and India. He tells the west:

  It's your loss.

• Timestamp:

  3:21pm

  Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland, reporting from Benghazi, says confidence in security there is growing, with families beringing children - even babies - to join celebrations, "having their faces painted with Libya's old flag, which they have taken as a new flag, for the new country they are calling 'Free Libya'".

• Timestamp:

  3:08pm

  The Libyan leader compares himself to the cleric who led resistance to Mussolini's fascism in the country in the 1930s.

  No-one in Libya would criticise Omar Mukhtar ... just as no-one in Libya would criticise Muammar Gaddafi ...

  Any person who speaks of foreign aid will be considered to have opened the door to colonialism - we do not need any. We have sufficient food, supplies ...

  People who are transporting food and supplies are afraid of attacks from armed groups and gangs ... Oil corporations know there have been no protests or demonstrations, only armed gangs. They are afraid because experts could be kidnapped.

• Timestamp:

  3:07pm

  We make it well over an hour and a half now. Gaddafi says:

  They showed pictures of this palace in Baida as if it were mine. It was a grant from the people of Libya. It was you who gave me this, you who built this. My people of Libya have granted me homes in each city of Libya

• Timestamp:

  3:04pm

  I am ready to have my accounts verified. My salary is only 465 dinars ... My wife's charity receives donations, which are channeled to needy causes in Africa. Sometimes these are channeled domestically...
  
  My gradfather was the first to fall in defence of the homeland,. He was martyrd in the heat of the desert - this is our true asset in which we take pride. We can not sacrifice this for a bunch of dollars.

• Timestamp:

  3:00pm

  Gaddafi:

  My riches are the Libyan people - I have no assets - I take no pride in keeping American dollars.

• Timestamp:

  2:54pm

  Gaddafi says the media should be in the hands of the people, not of any revolutionary committees.

  Let the bloggers, the writers, to do what they want. I call on my children not just to swim with the tide.

  Journalists, writers, professors - these I am regular contact with ... This is the age of the public, the age of the masses ... I'm not afraid of the Libyans.

• Timestamp:

  2:52pm

  Gaddafi's still going.

  Thousands of people will die if Amercian or NATO forces enter Libya.

  Not sure if that's a prophesy or a threat.

• Timestamp:

  3:45pm

  The UN refugees agency made a plea for hundreds of planes to end the gridlock at the Tunisia border with
  revolt-hit Libya, where "acres of people" are still waiting to cross. Tens of thousands of migrant workers have already poured out of Libya via its borders with Egypt and Tunisia.

• Timestamp:

  2:30pm

  Gaddafi called on Wednesday for the United Nations and NATO to investigate the facts about what had happened in Libya, and said he saw a conspiracy to colonise Libya and seize its oil.

  I dare you to find that peaceful protesters were killed. In America, France, and everywhere, if people attacked military stores and tried to steal weapons, they will shoot them.

• Timestamp:

  2:22pm

  A group of calligraphers and artists among the Libyan opposition have set up a media centre in Benghazi.

• Timestamp:

  2:18pm

  More quotes from Gaddafi:

  Terrorists don't organize protests ... There have been no protests ... terrorists released prisioners from jails and included them in their forces ... These are criminals not political prisioners ... there are no political prisioners in Libya"

• Timestamp:

  2:12pm

  The audience at the Gaddafi speech
  
  

• Timestamp:

  2:06pm

  Gaddafi addresses the nation over Libyan state television
  
  

• Timestamp:

  1:54pm

  Gaddafi addressing Libya on State television:
  
  ".... The whole world knows that the Libyan people are standing with their heads held high ... I do not follow satellite TV - I read books - they are filling air with provocation and nonsense.These chants have been newly authored by Libyan people ... the people have told me they are willing to die for me ... this story began as Al Qaeda operatives, based inside and outside of Libya, started this campaign ... American CIA is aware of each of these operatives by their names ... "These dormant operatives of Al Qaeda, infilterated from outside and settled in these areas Baida ... each neighbourhood has its own security supported by military personnel ... the battalions have normal military training for any foreign attack - each neighbourhood will be capable of protecting its people"

• Timestamp:

  1:23pm

  Gaddafi is attending the 34th anniversary of Libya the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (this was in 1977)

• Timestamp:

  1:25pm

  Libyan state TV said that the Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi's armed forces controlled the airport and seaport at Marsa El Brega.

• Timestamp:

  1:10pm

  Al Jazeera's online producer Evan Hill's latest feature: Libya's uncertain front lines
  
  

  

• Timestamp:

  13:04pm

  More than 2,000 Chinese fleeing Libya have landed on the Greek island of Crete and hundreds of Filipinos were due to arrive later in the day, according to AFP.

• Timestamp:

  1:00pm

  
  AJE correspondent: The emphasis in Benghazi has been first and foremost to fortify this town, people have been signing up ... hundreds of men as far as I can tell, have been giving their names and their mobile phone numbers to recruitment officers ... many of them have said that they want to march on Tripoli, but its quite clear that the rebel commanders think that it is the most important thing to secure and consolidate Benghazi, because this is afterall the heart, the seat of the revolution and it is the headquarters, politically and militarily for anti-Gaddafi forces.

• Timestamp:

  12:45pm

  AJE correspondent: The latest reports that we have heard is that the rebels have succeeded in retaking Brega, but I should stress that this is a fluid situation and I think its fair to say that here is a fair amount of fighting going on in that area.

• Timestamp:

  11:45am

  Arab satellite television reports that Gaddafi forces were violently moving into two eastern Libyan towns, that were previously under control of rebels. Al Arabiya television said 14 people were killed in the east Libyan town of Marsa El Brega after reports of a counter attack from Gaddafi forces.

• Timestamp:

  11:30am

  Libyan leader Gaddafi might do something "desperate" to defend his regime, Italy's industry minister said on Wednesday

• Timestamp:

  10:30am

  Kashmiri cartoonist Malik Sajad sent in this cartoon depicting the shift of power and the rise of popular unrest in the Middle East.
  
  

• Timestamp:

  10:15am

  Robert Fisk comments on the humanitarian crisis on the Libya-Tunisia border in the Independent: Panic on borders as chaos engulfs Libya
  

• Timestamp:

  10:01am

  Inside Benghazi's anti-Gaddafi's gallery - via the BBC

• Timestamp:

  9:50am

  
  Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos has urged Gaddafi to follow the example of her late husband, dictator Ferdinand Marcos, by refusing to violently disperse large numbers of Filipino protesters during a 1986 uprising that toppled him.

  "I hope it will be like Ferdinand ... I'm praying that his (Gaddafi) wide span of thinking as a man of peace, that he will find a peaceful solution in his problem in Libya," she said.

• Timestamp:

  9:40am

  Fuel truck explodes in the Libyan capital, causing panic in a tense city according to AP. It is not clear whether the explosion was an act of sabotage. Four fire engines arrived and were battling the flames. Residents attacked foreign reporters who rushed to the scene and chased them back to a nearby hotel where many of them are staying.

• Timestamp:

  7:00am

  Prolific twitter user Libyan Youth Movement pleas to the international media:

  "MEDIA: Stop calling Libyan protesters rebels! We are protesters calling for our freedom that is all. We are not rebels. #libya #feb17"

• Timestamp:

  6:55am

  Reuters reports that US warships will pass through the Suez Canal on Wednesday on their way to Libya as Western nations put more pressure on Muammar Gaddafi to stop a violent crackdown and step aside.
  
  The United States said Libya could sink into civil war unless Gaddafi quits amid fears that the uprising, the bloodiest against long-serving rulers in the Middle East, could cause a humanitarian crisis.

• Timestamp:

  4:57am

  The South Korean transport ministry says that three chartered ships will arrive in Libya this week to evacuate thousands of workers at South Korean construction companies.

  One ship left the Greek port of Piraeus on Tuesday, and will call on the Libyan cities of Misurata and Sirte on Wednesday and Friday respectively.

  Two additional ships will arrive Tripoli and Benghazi on Thursday and Friday respectively.

  In total, the ships are to carry 3,500 people back to Greece, including 244 South Korean nationals, the ministry says.

• Timestamp:

  4:35am

  In a statement, the Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state say that the US "applauds the move by the UN general assembly to suspend Libya's membership rights in the Human Rights Council".

  Today’s historic action is the first time that any country serving on the Human Rights Council, or the Commission before it, has ever had its membership suspended. The international community is speaking with one voice and our message is unmistakable: these violations of universal rights are unacceptable and will not be tolerated."

  The statement goes on to say the US will continue to seek to reform the Human Rights Council from within it.

• Timestamp:

  4:21am

  In addition to setting up a £300,000 (about $488,000) scholarship for students from North Africa, a sum equivalent to the funding it has so far received from the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation, the London School of Economics has also now opened an investigation into claims of plagiarism and ghostwriting made regarding Saif al-Islam Gaddafi's PhD thesis.

• Timestamp:

  4:14am

  More from the Voices of Feb17 website, where an audio message said to be from an anti-government protester in the town of Az Zintan, 170km southwest of Tripoli.

  The message says that young people in that town have taken the fight to pro-Gaddafi forces, launching a series of "preventative attacks" on army barracks, checkpoints and other installations to gather weapons and equipment.

  It says that pro-Gaddafi forces have attacked the city three times so far, and each time they have been repelled. It is particularly dangerous after sunset, the protester says.

  He also said that about 60 "mercenaries" in all have been captured by protesters. On the supply front, the city has received two car-loads of medical supplies from allies in Tripoli, and while there are some shortages of food, in general the situation is not dire.

  Listen!
• Timestamp:

  3:46am

  Anti-government protesters in Benghazi, frustrated with state television reporting that everything is calm in the country, save for pockets of unrest fuelled by shadowy al-Qaeda operatives passing out hallucinogenic drugs, have started their own radio station.

  Our correspondent Hoda Abdel-Hamid visited their 'studio', and filed this report.

• 2:56am

  China Railway Group says it is suspending three projects in Libya and evacuating its workers from the country. The projects are: a east-west coastal railway, a south-to-west from Sebha (a major iron ore mining town) to Misurata, and a 172-km rail line from Tripoli to the Ras Ajdir port, near the Tunisian border.

  Timestamp:

  2:42am

  While anti-government protesters in Libya say they are fighting for freedom and equality, it is easy to forget that there is a dark side to the revolution in Libya. Many Black African migrant workers in the country, particularly those in opposition-held areas, say they are living in fear, as many have been attacked after being mistaken for mercenaries hired by Gaddafi.

  Others say they've had their homes and workshops destroyed. Now they refuse to even leave their compounds.

  Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland filed the following report from Benghazi.

• 2:38am

  The United States Senate has unanimously approved a resolution condemning the "gross and systematic violations of human rights in Libya", and demanding that Muammar Gaddafi leave office.

  It has also called for the UN Security Council to impose a no-fly zone over the country.

  The resolution does not have the force of law, and effectively serves only as a statement of position from the US upper house of Congress.

• Timestamp:

  2:06am

  More pictures of anti-government protesters receiving weapons training in Benghazi. [All photos from Reuters]

  

• 

• Timestamp:

  2:03am

  Al Jazeera's correspondents report that anti-government protesters are being given crash courses in how to operate guns and larger heavy weapons by serving and retired army officers, in a bid to prepare for any possible confrontation with Gaddafi's forces. The picture below shows a trainee learning how to use an anti-aircraft gun in Benghazi. [Picture credit: Reuters]

  

• Timestamp:

  1:36am

  As opposition forces go through state buildings, prisons and other installations, more and more stories of abuse at the hands of members of the Gaddafi government are emerging.

  Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley visited one such site in Benghazi, an opposition stronghold.

• 1:22am

  US senators John McCain (Republican) and Joe Lieberman (Independent) are just back from a trip across the Middle East and North Africa, and are calling on President Obama to lead the way in imposing a no-fly zone over Libya.

  McCain said:

  I believe that Gaddafi's days are numbered and we should do everything in our power to shorten the number of days so that we can relieve the misery of the people of Libya."

  McCain also voiced fears regarding the Muslim Brotherhood taking power in Egypt, saying it could lead to "a more extreme form of government".

  Finally, on their visit to Tunisia, the senators said everyone asked them if they could get Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of social networking site Facebook, to visit.

  "He was the most popular man in Tunisia," said McCain.

• Timestamp:

  1:09am

  If the UN were to decide to establish a no-fly zone over Libya, authorities warn that it wouldn't be the simplest of tasks. Quite aside from the the threat the 50 SA-6 surface-to-air missiles that Libya possess would pose, it would also take hundreds of aircraft to maintain a 24hr no-fly zone, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

  Land bases would also be required, at the very least in southern Italy, but also in Greece, Egypt and possibly Tunisia.

  Read the full report here.

• Timestamp:

  1:04am

  Guido Mantega, the Brazilian oil minister, says that the crisis in Libya has so far had a limited impact on global oil prices.

  In other oil-related news, a cargo of Libyan crude oil is currently sitting in a tanker off the coast of Texas and Louisiana in the United States, with authorities unable to offload it for fear of violating recent US sanctions.

• Timestamp:

  1:01am

  More from Feb 17 Voices, this time an anti-government protester in the city of Az Zawiyah, which has seen fierce clashes in recent days.

  He says the situation is "normal" at the moment, with supplies and food available, though opposition forces remain on alert in a "state of waiting" for any offensive from pro-Gaddafi forces.

  He said that pro-Gaddafi forces were about 8km from the city (though he did not say whether these were army troops or militias). The opposition in Az Zawiyah has posted people at the entrances of the city, and say they will guard against any attack.

  Listen!
• Timestamp:

  12:51am

  The Feb 17 Voices campaign, which allows people in Libya to record audio messages and then disseminates these through the AudioBoo website, has a new update up, purportedly from Benghazi.

  The person on the line says that things are beginning to return to normal in the city, with some shops opening and people returning to their places of work for limited hours. He also says a "volunteer army" has been set up to protect the city.

• Timestamp:

  12:42am

  While the UN's general assembly moved to suspend Libya from the Human Rights Council by consensus (i.e. unanimously, without the need for a vote), there have been some notes of dissent.

  Venezuela, for example, believes the US is preparing ground for an invasion of Libya aimed at seizing the country's energy assets. Jorge Valero, the country's ambassador to the UN, says:

  We urge peace-loving nations in all regions of the world to put a stop to the invasion plans against Libya, which have been unashamedly announced by the Department of State of the United States and the Pentagon.

  Its purpose is clear - to appropriate the vast potential of natural and energy resources that are stored in the motherland of the Libyan people."

  Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN, has dismissed the allegation as being "delusional" (she's been using that word rather often, accusing Muammar Gaddafi of suffering the same ailment but two days ago).

• Timestamp:

  12:08am

  Have we been here before? A further UN resolution isn't needed before military intervention, says Britain's foreign secretary. William Hague's comments come just hours after French foreign minister Alain Juppe said there would not be any no-fly zone imposed without UN backing. Hague said:

  There have been occasions in the past when such a no-fly zone has had clear, legal, international justification even without a Security Council resolution - it depends on the situation on the ground.

  British officials would have to take "full legal advice" before acting with foreign allies without UN backing, he said, adding: "You would certainly need a very strong degree of international support."

• Timestamp:

  12:02am

  Just tuning in to today's liveblog? Catch up with yesterday's, by clicking here.

Battle rages over Libyan oil port

The Libyan air force has bombed Brega as fighting between pro-Gaddafi forces and opponents continued. Last Modified: 02 Mar 2011 16:12 GMT The Libyan air force has bombed the oil refinery and port town of Marsa El Brega as battles between forces loyal and against Muammar Gaddafi raged in several towns across the North African country. "We just watched an air force jet ... fly over Brega and drop at least one bomb and huge plumes of smoke are now coming out ," Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley said on Wednesday. The warplane from Gadhafi's air force struck a beach near where the two sides were fighting at a university campus. LIVE BLOG A witness said the blast raised a plume of sand from a dune but caused no casualties, apparently an attempt to scare off the anti-Gadhafi fighters besieging regime forces in the campus. "All the fighters here are massing. We understand that something like 250-300 pro-Gaddafi fighters are inside Brega and they are being surrounded," our correspondent said. The bombing of Brega and reports about the fall of Gharyan and Sabratha towns in the country's northwest to pro-Gaddafi forces came as Gaddafi appeared on state television once again. Located between Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte -- still under government control -- and the opposition-held eastern port of Benghazi, Brega also sits near ethnic fault lines between tribes loyal to Gaddafi and eastern groups opposed to him. "They tried to take Brega this morning, but they failed," Mustafa Gheriani, a spokesman for the February 17th Coalition, an anti-government group, told the Reuters news agency. "It is back in the hands of the revolutionaries. He is trying to create all kinds of psychological warfare to keep these cities on edge." Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland, reporting from Benghazi, Libya's second largest city now controlled by rebels, described the situation in the Brega region as fluid. " I think it's fair to say that here is a fair amount of fighting going on in that area," she said. Read more of our Libya coverage Earlier the Associated Press news agency quoted Ahmed Jerksi, manager of the oil installation in Brega, as saying that pro-Gaddafi forces took control of the facility at dawn without using force. There were conflicting claims about the casualties from these battles. Government forces were also reported to be battling to regain control of rebel-held towns close to Tripoli, trying to create a buffer zone around what is still Gaddafi's seat of power. Our correspondent said an air raid carried out by forces loyal to Gaddafi reportedly targeted a weapons store about 6km outside the eastern town of Ajdabiya. Witnesses told the Associated Press news agency that they saw two warplanes bomb the town's eastern outskirts at 10am local time. They also said pro-Gaddafi forces were advancing on the town. "I see two jets bombing now,'' one witness said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Another witness said rebel forces were rushing to the western side of Ajdabiya to meet the advancing pro-Gaddafi force. Libyan forces have launched repeated air raids during the two-week revolt but all of them have been reported to target facilities that store weapons in areas controlled by the rebels. Plea for UN-backed strikes Meanwhile, the rebel National Libyan Council in east Libya called for UN-backed air strikes on foreign mercenaries used by Gaddafi against his own people. Hafiz Ghoga, a spokesman for the council based in Benghazi, told a news conference that Gaddafi was using "African mercenaries in Libyan cities" which amounted to an invasion of the oil producing North African nation. "We call for specific attacks on strongholds of these mercenaries," he said, but added: "The presence of any foreign forces on Libyan soil is strongly opposed. There is a big difference between this and strategic air strikes." Wednesday's developments come as the US sent warships to the region as part of a Western effort to pile more pressure on Gaddafi to stop his violent crackdown and step aside. The destroyer USS Barry moved through the Suez Canal on Monday and into the Mediterranean Sea. Two amphibious assault ships, the USS Kearsarge, which can carry 2,000 marines, and the USS Ponce passed through the canal on Wednesday. The White House said the ships were being redeployed in preparation for possible humanitarian efforts but stressed it "was not taking any options off the table". "We are looking at a lot of options and contingencies. No decisions have been made on any other actions," Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, said. The US says Libya could sink into civil war unless Gaddafi quits amid fears that the uprising - the bloodiest against long-serving rulers in north Africa and the Middle East - could cause a humanitarian crisis. Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, has cautioned that "Libya could become a peaceful democracy or it could face protracted civil war". But Gaddafi remains defiant and his son, Saif al-Islam, has warned the West against launching military action, insisting that his father would neither step down nor go into exile. Source: Al Jazeera and agencies