Iran Election Guide

Donate to EAWV





Or, click to learn more

Search

Entries in Ben Wedeman (3)

Sunday
Jun192011

Syria, Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: In the Camps

A refugee camp of Syrians in Turkey (Reuters)

2110 GMT: NATO has acknowledged that an airstrike on the Libyan capital Tripoli may have caused "a number of civilian casualties" when a residential building was destroyed.

The Libyan regime, claiming nine people were killed and six injured, has been showing foreign journalists the building site and taking them to a hospital where casualties have been taken.

"This is cold-blooded murder," regime spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said amidst the rubble of the building. "Is this the protection of civilians? Is this really the search for peace and democracy in Libya, to attack peaceful neighborhoods of Tripoli?"

NATO said in a statement Sunday that a military missile site was the strike's intended target: "However, it appears that one weapon did not strike the intended target and that there may have been a weapons system failure."

The development has already had an effect on reporting: the BBC's Jeremy Bowen, in a lengthy report tonight that highlighted the damage and hostile reactions of local residents, declared, "For NATO, this has been the worst day since the start of the conflict."

Click to read more ...

Saturday
Apr022011

Libya, Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Getting Organised?

2110 GMT: Bahrain State TV is reporting that the Bahraini regime has shut down Al-Wasat, the only independent newspaper in the country.

In preparation for the move, State television has been broadcasting all night on the supposed plagiarism and distortions of Al-Wasat.

2005 GMT: In Libya, the opposition National Transitional Council has named a "crisis team" to political and military positions.

On the political side, Mahmoud Jebril will head the group taking its direction from the NTC. Omar Hariri is in charge of the military department, with General Abdel Fattah Younes al Abidi, Muammar Qaddafi's former ally and Minister of Interior, as Chief of Staff.

The economics and finance portfolio is held by Ali Tarhouni, a U.S.-based academic who returned to Libya to help the uprising. Appointments were also announced for a new National Oil company and a Central Bank.

Other positions filled included foreign affairs, infrastructure, information, and justice.

Click to read more ...

Tuesday
Mar082011

Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Unsteady as She Goes

2125 GMT: Witnesses say Yemeni police have fired on protesters in the capital Sanaa, injuring 50.

2120 GMT: Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has arrived at Tripoli's Rixos Hotel, where many foreign journalists are staying. He is expected to hold a news conference soon.

2035 GMT: In Egypt, a Coptic Christian man has reportedly been killed in clashes this evening between Copts and Muslims.

1835 GMT: In Syria, human rights activist and government critic Haitham al-Maleh has been released from jail.

Maleh, 80 and reportedly in poor health, was freed after President Bashar al-Assad issued an amnesty for those convicted of minor crimes and prisoners over the age of 70.

Maleh was imprisoned last July for three years on charges of spreading false information and damaging national morale.

Click to read more ...