U.S. ready to provide “any kind of assistance” to Libyan opposition

The United States said it was prepared to offer “any kind of assistance” to Libyans seeking to overthrow the regime of strongman Muammar Gaddafi as they set up a transitional body.

As forces opposed to the longest-serving Arab leader took control of several western Libyan towns, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton echoed the calls of world leaders, including President Barack Obama, for him to quit. (more…)

Opposition officially refuses to join “Hezbollah’s government” in Lebanon

March 14 alliance MPs met at the Bristol Hotel in Beirut on Sunday evening and issued a statement afterward announcing that they reject participation in Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati’s cabinet.

“The way the national unity cabinet was toppled and the atmospheres of intimidation … created by the March 8 camp during the process of parliamentary consultations and designation (of Miqati) have confirmed our doubts that the March 8 camp is pressing on with its coup,” March 14 said in its statement. (more…)

Qatar: OPEC can fill any void left by Libyan oil production

OPEC members and oil producers outside the group can compensate for any halt in crude shipments from Libya, Qatari Oil Minister Mohammed Saleh Al Sada said, after prices surged last week to a two-year high.

“We think there is no shortage of supply,” Al Sada told reporters in Doha today. “OPEC and others outside OPEC can make up for the loss of Libyan production.” (more…)

Tunisia’s interim PM resigns over continued protests

Mohammed Ghannouchi, the Tunisian interim prime minister, has announced his resignation on state television.

“I have decided to quit as prime minister,” Ghannouchi told a news conference on Sunday, saying that he thought carefully before taking the decision which was supported by his family. (more…)

Lebanese youth protest to overthrow the sectarian regime [Photos]

Lebanese youth demonstrated against the government, calling for an end to sectarian politics in Lebanon. The protesters marched from the Mar Mikhael church intersection to the Adliyeh area of Beirut on Sunday, called for a secular state. Initial reports indicate that as many as  4,000 protesters took part despite the poor wether conditions. (more…)

Lebanese flee Libya, urge government to help evacuate fellow citizens

Eighteen Lebanese nationals arrived at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport from Libya, the National News Agency reported on Sunday, adding that they came through Jordan. The Lebanese urged Beirut authorities to facilitate the evacuation of other Lebanese citizens there. (more…)

Government formed in East Libya by former justice minister, prepare for elections

Libya’s former justice minister says he has formed a transitional government based in the country’s east, the focal point of an uprising against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Mustafa Abdel Jalil made the announcement in an interview with Qatar-based television network Al-Jazeera late Saturday.

Abdel Jalil says the transitional government is based in Libya’s second-largest city of Benghazi and includes military and civilian figures. He says it will lead for “no more than three months” to prepare for “fair elections” enabling the Libyan people to choose their leader. (more…)

Bassil admits he intentionally led Lebanon into gasoline crisis

Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil admitted on Sunday to causing the gasoline crisis that has engulfed Lebanon but said there wasn’t any other way to defend the people’s rights and lower prices. Lebanese Forces bloc MP Antoine Zahra slammed Bassil for holding the Lebanese hostage as he showed off his power, asking “Do you run the country with malice?” (more…)

Regime of Gaddafi in its final hours

The soon to be former Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi has lost control of most of Libya. As his regime crashes and burns, his propaganda machine continues to churn, with son Saif al-Islam denying any wrongdoing on behalf of his father.

International community: Gaddafi has lost all legitimacy, must go now

The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposed travel and asset sanctions on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and close aides, ratcheting up pressure on him to quit before any more blood is shed in a popular revolt against his rule.

It also adopted an arms embargo and called for the deadly crackdown against anti-Gaddafi protesters to be referred to the International Criminal Court for investigation and possible prosecution of anyone responsible for killing civilians. (more…)