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…)

Libyans in tears plea to U.N. Security & Human Rights Councils to ‘Save Libya’

The Libyan ambassador to the United Nations made an impassioned appeal Friday to the U.N. Security Council, calling on the U.N.’s most powerful body to adopt a strong resolution and “save Libya.” His speech ended with him embracing his deputy, who had defected from Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s camp earlier this week, and both men sobbing as the U.N. Secretary-General and other ambassadors came over to embrace them and shake their hands. (more…)

Gaddafi would rather go down ‘like Hitler’ than surrender

Muammar Gaddafi vowed to “crush any enemy” on Friday, addressing supporters in central Tripoli as Libya’s popular uprising closed in around him and Western powers set about punishing him for attacks on his own people.

“We will fight if they want,” the 68-year-old leader declared after a day of clashes in parts of the capital between security forces and crowds of protesters, which Gaddafi’s opponents said had left some districts in their hands. (more…)

As end nears, Gaddafi offers $400 per family to stop the uprising

Libyan state television said Moammar Gadhafi’s government was raising wages, increasing food subsidies and ordering special allowances for all families, in its first practical attempt to win the support of citizens since the uprising began.

Each family will receive 500 Libyan dinars ($400) to help cover increased food costs, and wages for some categories of public sector workers will increase by 150 percent, the television station said. (more…)

Gaddafi: Protesters high on hallucinogen-laced Nescafe

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.

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. (more…)

Gaddafi forces execute hospital patients, bomb mosque

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi stormed hospitals in Tripoli and summarily executed injured anti-regime protestors who were being treated, a report said Thursday.

Members of the Libyan Revolutionary Committee, the backbone of Gaddafi’s regime, “burst in hospitals and killed wounded people who had protested against the regime,” said Slimane Bouchuiguir, who leads the Libyan branch of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), cited by Italian news agency MISNA. (more…)

Bush believes 2006 war strengthened Lebanon

Former US President, George W. Bush considered in his memoirs “Moments of Decision” that the Israeli war on Lebanon in July 2006 contributed to the weakening of Hezbollah and strengthened what he used to call “the newly born democracy in Lebanon”. About the July war, Bush said: “The newly born democracy in Lebanon became stronger due to this aggression, because it bore the experiment”, but “the results for Israel were various”, and “its campaign against Lebanon weakened Hezbollah and helped it to protect its border”. (more…)

Geagea: Hezbollah’s military does not strengthen Lebanon

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea addressed Israel’s release of Lebanese captive activists who were on the Freedom Fleet, saying “This is how Israel is confronted,” and not through a show of strength.

“In any confrontation between Israel and Hizbullah, the international community will stand by Israel, but if the confrontation was between Israel and the Lebanese State, we’d have at least 50% chance of gaining the international community’s support,” Geagea said. (more…)

Israel to Syria: No plans to attack Lebanon

Following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Paris, the French president coordinated the transfer of a message from Israel to Syria.

The message is that Israel does not intend to attack Syria or Lebanon and that Damascus should stop transferring weapons to Hezbollah and training its fighters in Syria. (more…)