Libyan protesters defy crackdown as U.N. meets
Top news: Opponents of Muammar Qaddafi rallied in Tripoli following Friday prayers today, defying a government crackdown on the widening protest movement. SMS messages sent last night had called for Friday to be a "day of liberation". Pro-government militias were out in force around mosques and fired in the air to disperse the demonstrators.
The eastern half of Libya remains under control of opposition forces despite a major offensive by government forces yesterday. In they city of Zawiyah, more than 100 people were killed after pro-Qaddafi forces turned machine guns on a mosque. Demonstrations continued afterward. Evidently frustrated by the growing disorder, Qaddafi called in to the state television network accusing Al Qaeda of whipping the city's youth into a frenzy with hallucinogenic drugs.
Hundreds of foreigners, including about 300 Americans have fled the violence in Libya. The U.N. Security Council is meeting today to consider a draft proposal for new sanctions against Libya. The U.N. Human Rights Council is also meeting to discuss suspending Libya's membership. A stream of Libyan diplomats have resigned from Qaddafi's government in recent days. In a sign of the growing rift, the flag hanging outside the Libyan mission to the United Nations was changed to the opposition flag.
Pakistan: Raymond Davis, the American CIA contractor accused of killing two Pakistani men, made his first court appearance in Lahore.
| Middle East Asia Europe Africa Americas - One of the alleged leaders of the Juarez drug cartel was killed in a shootout with police.
- Mexico's senate rejected a proposal to toughen immigration laws.
- An opponent of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has taken his seat in the National Assembly after being freed from house arrest.
-By Joshua Keating |  |
FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images
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