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23 Feb 2011 09:21

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World: Libyan death toll: Top Italian official gives fairly high estimate

  • 1,000+ likely dead, says an Italian official source
  • » A bit above prior estimates: Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini offered the estimate to a Catholic organization in Rome, saying that while numbers in cases like these are hard to nail down, “we believe that the estimates of about 1,000 are credible.” Later, when speaking to Parliament, he didn’t mention a number but said “the tragic number will be a bloodbath.” Italy and Libya have significant diplomatic and economic relations.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Feb 2011 22:21

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World: European Union: Libya’s humanitarian aid network very limited

  • bad The violence in Libya has been extremely severe over the past few days, with hundreds dead and many more wounded. It’s a nation that seriously needs help.
  • worse Unfortunately, organizations like the European and the Libyan Red Crescent Society say that there’s a limited aid network to help the wounded. Sigh. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Feb 2011 21:42

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Politics: Muslim Brotherhood: Keep working to take down Gaddafi, protesters

  • We ask that the Libyan people (should) continue in their revolution to expel this dictator and that (they) should sacrifice and they will have the victory and win. And also, we appeal to all free men in all places in the world to be on the side of, and support, the Libyan people.
  • Muslim Brotherhood spokesperson Esam Alarian • Offering support to Libyan protesters in taking down Muammar Gaddafi’s regime. The spokesperson for the  Egypt-based organization also emphasized that their country needs to assist in ensuring Libyans get the help they need from their country. “We ask the Arab league and the Egyptian government and the army to give support and also give aid to the Libyan people,” Alarian continued. We like the idea of Egypt helping other countries deal with their protests. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Feb 2011 13:56

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U.S.: Protests against Yemen’s government, President continue in Aden

  • “Not even for one week”: A glimpse of what’s going on in Yemen as the tour of Middle East upheaval continues. President Ali Abdullah Saleh clearly doesn’t care for these movements against him, and isn’t being particularly coy or diplomatic about it. Yemen’s death-toll is thought to have grown to double-digits of late, and protests against Saleh continue to rage in Aden. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Feb 2011 10:29

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World: Top UN official: Libya’s attacks tantamount to war crimes

  • Widespread and systematic attacks against the civilian population may amount to crimes against humanity.
  • UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay • In calling for an international investigation against the crimes committed by the Libyan government in its attempts to keep hold on power. The former war crimes judge sounded angered by the entire situation. “The callousness with which Libyan authorities and their hired guns are reportedly shooting live rounds of ammunition at peaceful protestors is unconscionable,” she continued. “I am extremely worried that lives are being lost even as I speak.” So are we, Navi. So are we. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Feb 2011 10:16

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Biz, World: Not to belabor the point about Libya and oil prices, but …

  • 7% increase in oil prices today alone; blame the turmoil source
  • » There’s a point to be made here: Earlier, we complained loudly that USA Today would dare focus on oil prices over the crisis in Libya. But we still think it’s important to note – but not as a lead item, above the deadly violence taking over the region as we speak. Even though 7 percent in a single morning is akin to skyrocketing. Because, if anything, this tells us about the ties between dangerous regimes and cheap oil. Lose one, and you can’t sustain the other.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Feb 2011 00:34

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World: Tensions, protests, and buildings heating up in Libya

  • YES Libyan protesters have set fire to gov’t buildings source
  • » The TV wars – no, really: While the Libyan government has been trying its hardest to jam Al Jazeera’s signal, protesters have attacked the state television headquarters. It didn’t stop Muammar Gaddafi from appearing on state television, however. With an umbrella.
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

21 Feb 2011 15:29

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World: China begins tightening internet controls to thwart protests

  • China An enormous geopolitical power, boasting one of the world’s skyrocketing manufacturing economies. Complicating the diplomatic picture, by virtue of being the largest single holder of American debt, China is a tenuous ally of the U.S. government.
  • also China A repressive state that crushes domestic dissent, and supports mass-murdering totalitarianism in North Korea, is now gearing up its vaunted system of internet censorship to put down hopes of a revolution movement. Geopolitics are so rarely moral issues. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Feb 2011 13:58

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World: Yemeni President Saleh cries incredulousness at protests

  • Why do you turn to violence? Why do you turn to the destruction of things? This is an infection, it’s not in our culture, it’s not in our tradition.
  • Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh • On the groundswell protests against his government. He also referred to the protest movement as being “like a flu,” which while a rather crude way to describe the forces stacked against him is not wholly without merit. The middle east appears to be reaching a critical mass of anti-ruling party mentality, as the victories and adversities of protesters in other states provide limitless fuel and momentum for still more revolution. So, disrespect aside, the pathological reference bears some fruit. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Feb 2011 13:33

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World: Saif Gaddafi’s “rivers of blood” continue to flow in Libya

  • YES Libyan military aircraft fired live munitions at crowds source
  • » So says Al Jazeera. While it’s rightly noted that there hasn’t been independent verification of this, with public relations work by “rivers of blood” Saif Gaddafi, the Libyan government hasn’t left us much recourse but to believe they’re making good on that gruesome threat. Julien Barnes-Dacey, Middle East analyst for Control Risks: “These really seem to be last, desperate acts. If you’re bombing your own capital, it’s really hard to see how you can survive.”
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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