Tripoli, Libya (CNN) — Explosions and anti-aircraft fire thundered in the skies above Tripoli early Sunday, but it was not clear whether they resulted from another round of cruise missile attacks by allies determined to stop Moammar Gadhafi‘s offensive against Libyan opposition forces.
CNN’s Nic Robertson witnessed the development a few hours after nearly 1,000 people gathered at Gadhafi’s palace in the capital. The crowd chanted, waved flags and shot off fireworks in support of the government.
A defiant Gadhafi said Libya will fight back against undeserved “naked aggression.” His military claimed nearly 50 people, including, women, children and clerics, were killed in Saturday evening’s attacks.
American, French and British military forces, convinced that Gadhafi was not adhering to a United Nations-mandated cease-fire, hammered Libyan military positions with missiles and fighter jets in the first phase of an operation that will include enforcement of a no-fly zone.
An eyewitness in Tripoli reported seeing signs of gunfire rising Sunday morning from the direction of nearby Mitiga Airport. The anti-Gadhafi activist said she heard “continuous gunshots” and at least two loud explosions. It was not clear if the airport was also being used as a military installation.
U.S.-led coalition forces have launched more than 100 Tomahawk missiles on key air defense sites across Libya as part of operations to protect the population from the forces of long-time leader Moammar Gadhafi.
U.S. Vice Admiral William Gortney outlined what is being called “Operation Odyssey Dawn” several hours after he said the missiles started hitting more than 20 Libyan sites.
“The United States military has and will continue to use our unique capabilities to create the conditions from which we and our partners can best enforce the full measure of the U.N. mandate. Our mission right now is to shape the battle space in such a way that our partners may take the lead in execution,” he said.
He said Admiral Sam Locklear was leading the operations from the USS Mount Whitney in the Mediterranean Sea.
Fundamental Islam ,Monarchs and Dictators have been messing atoud too long.
People who have been under yoke now realize that they have been duped in the name of Religion by people to cling to power.
Popular uprising is the result.
Unfortunately the alternative is not bright as no body has built a viable option.
We are in for uncertain times.
MUSCAT — The Council of Ministers and the chief of Oman’s trade union federation called upon the people to protest peacefully and not to indulge in violent activities.
While the council of ministers warned the people against unlawful protests, the chairman of the General Federation of Oman Trade Unions (GFOTU) said that protestors should stop behaving in an ‘uncivilised manner’ like indulging in vandalism, arson and destroying property.
The anti-government protests, which began in February across the country, had turned violent in some places like Sohar, Ibri and Dhank where government and private properties were damaged and arson took place.
The Council of Ministers’ statement said that the pioneering steps taken by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to improve the standard of living of all citizens and provide jobs in many sectors, should be received in proper spirit by the people.
The Council of Ministers, while warning that no one is above the law, stated that since the authorities are considering the demands of all the protestors, they should not act in a manner, which is against the laws and legislations of the country. Such acts are also not in harmony with the culture, progress and values of the Sultanate.
Bahraini police blocked several thousand protesters from reaching the royal palace on Friday, amid fears the march would spark fighting on a Gulf island where the majority is Shi’ite Muslim but the ruling family is Sunni.
Libyan leader Muammar Al Qathafi Wednesday intensified offensives in the east and the west with relentless shelling aimed at routing holdout rebels and retaking control of the country four weeks into an uprising that is threatening his government.
Loyalist forces say they are closing in on the rebel held stronghold of Benghazi, with Libyan state TV reporting that two key tribes in the city have now thrown their support behind the Libyan leader.
Reports on the ground suggest the rebels’ position looks highly vulnerable after the government said its troops took control of the junction at Ajdabiyah.
SANA’A, March 13 — The United States is concerned that there is no clear alternative or transition plan should Saleh’s regime collapse. It believes that his departure will lead to chaos and instability in Yemen.
This view was conveyed by US ambassador to Yemen Gerald M. Feierstein, who reiterated his country’s position on Yemeni affairs in a meeting with selective media outlets on Saturday.
“Our problem is that the [Yemeni] people are demanding [the ouster of Saleh] without any idea how they will manage the government and prevent a disaster for the Yemeni people,” said Feierstein.
He said that his office has not received any concrete proposals by either the opposition parties or the pro-democracy youth protesters at Sana’a University explaining how the country will be managed during a transition period and how the new president will come to power.
“The people in the streets need to give us something to work with,” said the ambassador.
Meanwhile, one day after Feierstein’s meeting with the media, a coordination council established by youth protestors at Sana’a University issued a list of seven conditions that must be met if the demonstrations are to be brought to a close. These seven demands are also meant to serve as the basis for a national political program in a post-Saleh era.
The first two conditions are the immediate removal of Saleh, his family, his close relatives and his subordinates from power, and the subsequent formation of a temporary presidential council made up of representatives drawn from Yemen’s four main political powers (as well as a fifth representative appointed by the national security and military establishment).
At least 35 people have been killed and dozens injured in heavy clashes and exchange of mortars fire in Somalia’s war-ravaged capital Mogadishu on Wednesday, witnesses told Garowe Online.
Clashes between Somali government forces backed by African Union troops and Al-Shabaab extremist militias erupted after Al-Shabaab shelled mortars at the Somali Presidential house and its neighbourhood that claimed the life of ten civilians including a pregnant woman.
AMISOM and government forces shelled back mortars at the busy Bakaro market that left dead 21 people, mostly women and children.
To be Honest all media projects are political;depends on one’s view.
That apart .the inter-cine feud between the sects of Islam is well known.
They normally fight it out.
Saudi is sending its troops to Bahrain;what will it do for its internal uprising?
Call in US?
London, The Truth (Special): Detection of a British journalist in the Department of editing news channel “Al Jazeera English” that the Board of Directors of Al-Jazeera network had received instructions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to “distinguish between the Gulf and other Arab countries, while coverage of the Arab uprisings.” The journalist said in the e-mail contact with the “truth” that the Directive includes the stations of Arab and international (English). According to the same source, directing foreign country asked, “Al Jazeera” to deal with any uprisings or popular movements in any of the Gulf States “from the political differences between the Gulf States and Iran, and on the background,” and “shed light on the nature of the Shiite and content sectarian This movements. ” The journalist said that the consideration to a channel “Al Jazeera” as “the maker of revolutions” in the Arab world, “it turns out, at least for me, that lie and myth have crept into the public opinion after the success of the station in the coverage of the revolutions of Tunisia and Egypt, has helped her chance on that,” pointing out that the station, “landed a knockout and bared its mask from the first moment of the explosion of the situation in Bahrain last month, missed the event completely covered, although dozens of the protestors were falling dead by the police in Bahrain, and when she returned recently, however it, it looked as if they were transmitted from inside the studios, TV the Bahraini government. “
The source revealed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested the “network” to host the largest possible number of media, analysts and public figures Gulf espousing the views of the anti-Iran “as in the case of an event Gulf, and away you may as possible from hosting the symbols and figures of the opposition in these countries, in particular Bahrain, which today form the focus of the event in the Gulf region. ” The source said that “Al Jazeera” has become a copy of the channel “Arab” in all matters relating to affairs of the Gulf, and this confirms once again that it is “primarily a political project, not a media project.”
29:49:05 / 2011-03-15
Directives of Foreign Affairs of Qatar’s “Al-Jazeera network,” the distinction between coverage of the uprisings in the Arab world and their counterparts in the Gulf
Requests guidance from the “network” of dealing with uprisings and social movements in the Gulf countries on the basis of an extension of the Sunni-Shiite sectarian polarization and political Iranian Gulf!?
Omar Suleiman, speaking on state television, said Mubarak had decided to give up “the office of the president of the republic” and said the Supreme Council of the armed forces would “run the affairs of the country.”
The news swept the country and Tahrir Square, home of the protest movement, erupted in celebration.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters had gathered for a huge rally on what they called “Farewell Friday,” and after 18 days they finally achieved their main goal.
Suleiman’s statement came after Mubarak left Cairo for the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, shortly after protesters marched on his main presidential palace and held vast rallies across Egypt.
Mubarak passed most of his powers to Vice President Omar Suleiman Thursday night, but rebuffed the demands of demonstrators that he step down immediately.
Mubarak’s departure came after an offer by the army to ensure 30-year-old emergency laws were lifted and that free and fair elections were held failed to placate the crowd.
The military’s comments were seen as a major push to end the worst crisis in Egypt’s modern history and contained a clear signal that it wanted demonstrators off the streets.
However, live television pictures from Alexandria showed massed ranks of people filling a main boulevard in the city andAl-Jazeera reported there were other demonstrations in Suez, Mahala, Tanta and Ismailia.
Elsewhere, in the north Sinai town of el-Arish, there was a alarming development with Reuters reporting that about 1,000 people attacked a police station in an attempt to free prisoners.
Witnesses said they threw Molotov cocktails and exchanged gunfire with police who retreated to the roof. Al-Jazeera television reported the attackers were protesters who broke away from the main demonstration in el-Arish.
CAIRO (AP) — Military and ruling party officials say President Hosni Mubarak will speak to the nation soon and meet the demands of protesters. Protesters are insisting he step down immediately.
Military officials say the armed forces’ supreme council has been meeting all day long and will issue a communique shortly that they say will meet the protesters’ demands.
The ruling party chief, Hossan Badrawy, tells The Associated Press he expects Mubarak to address the nation and make a announcement that will satisfy their demands.
Gadhafi responds to air strikes
Warplane falls from sky
Gallery: Civil war in Libya
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