BREAKING LIBYA PROTESTS

EnoughGaddafi‎ Live ammunition being used against demonstrators in Bayda, East of #Benghazi, NOW! could hear it over the phone #Feb17 #libya
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ShababLibya‎ benghazi: the protesters now have the upper hand in the area where tomb of omar mukhtar was, security forces leaving the area #Libya #Feb17
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@shabablibya: Helicopters circling over Benghazi #Libya #Feb17 #Gaddaficrimes
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@libyanfsl: Confirmed reports of 6 dead TODAY in Benghazi #Feb17 #Libya
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@jmsardo: #Libya: Reports of 6 death shot in #Benghazy. Lawyers demo in front of N. Benghazi court asking for constitution reform.

My gut feeling is that the most important protests now taking place in North Africa are those in Libya. I say this with no disrespect to those in Algeria, where the regime certainly deserves to be brought down, or my own native Morocco, where the palace and Makhzen need a wake-up call that the status quo (and indeed, the regression of the last few years) is not acceptable.

But Libya shares something important with Egypt and Tunisia: an aging leader (41 years in power) faces a looming succession crisis in which the leading candidates are his own sons. I simply don't think that's an acceptable outcome for any republic in the 21st century, and was a key aspect to the revolt against Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, and to a lesser extent in Tunisia (with the rumored heir apparent being his nephew).

[link to www.arabist.net]

@samiyusuf #Libya now a warzone. Police, security forces, mafia, thugs, army being ...
TMI.me: when you have too much to say...‎ - tmi.me
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Reports of deaths and injuries surface in spreading Libyan protests

Messages and videos posted on social media sites Thursday signaled that anti-government protests in Libya were gathering steam in several cities, with some turning violent on a "Day of Rage."

There were reports of at least 10 deaths, but those reports could not be independently confirmed.

A text message sent out on mobile phones challenged younger Libyans to take to the streets, activists and bloggers said.

[link to www.cnn.com]

I don't think the rottening filth called gaddafi makes himself more popular by mass-murdering unarmed innocent people...it's time for gaddafi to return to Hell.

i think you're right

@EnoughGaddafi: "Libya is Free and the Colonel can leave" -- Chanting in #Benghazi outside the court -- #libya via @Libya17feb
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one of the few long articles on this in the mainstream media:

[link to www.alarabiya.net]

Libya - Al Bayda: Injured Demonstrators @ Hospital Entrance

video

[link to zocial.tv]

@_libeeyah_: #libya #feb17 prisoners set free and given weapons to clash with anti-gov protestors. 6 people shot dead in last 6 minutes!
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@AliLePointe: African mercenaries now in #Benghazi #Libya sources in Libya say they're chasing and killing people with knives and swords. ... - More »
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LibyanThinker‎ RT: #Qaddafi has threatened to flatten #Benghazi and rebuild it, and place in it African Migrants #Libya #Feb17
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@comark: Libyan govt releasing prisoners giving them weapons to kill protestors #Libya > Height of oppression
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Deaths Reported in Libya Protests

"Today the Libyans broke the barrier or fear, it is a new dawn," the AP quoted opposition leader Faiz Jibril as saying.
Abdulmajeed Eldursi, a Libyan government spokesman, said Thursday that while he had seen reports of deaths related to the violent crackdown, he couldn't confirm them. He denied that government security forces were using violence against the demonstrators.
"There is no use of violence [by the authorities] or anything that is not justified," he said, the Journal reports. "When there is a crowd, the security will try to disperse them but there is no excessive use of violence at all."

[link to www.thestreet.com]

This is the lead story on the Haretz website:

At least 14 anti-government protesters reported dead in Libya

Demonstrators take to the streets against Gadhafi in Day of Rage, sparring with loyalists counter protests; accurate casualty reports hard to come by due to media blackouts.

......

The Libyan government maintains tight control over the media and the reports couldn't be independently confirmed. Late on Wednesday evening, it was impossible to contact witnesses in Benghazi because telephone connections to the city appeared to be out of order.

Gadhafi was quoted as saying on Wednesday that "revolutionaries" would prevail, although he did not mention the unrest. "Down with the enemies, down with them everywhere," the BBC quoted Gadhafi as saying. "The puppets of the USA, the puppets of Zionism are falling."

Though some Libyans complain about unemployment, inequality and limits on political freedoms, analysts say an Egypt-style revolt is unlikely because the government can use oil revenues to smooth over most social problems.

Libya accounts for about 2 percent of the world's crude exports. Companies including Shell, BP and Eni have invested billions of dollars in tapping its oil fields, home to the largest proven reserves in Africa.

[link to www.haaretz.com]

also lead story on ynetnews (with embedded video)

[link to www.ynetnews.com]

@EnoughGaddafi: #Derna #Libya hundreds protesting next to Nadi Darnis and Masjid Asahaba since the morning, without security presence #Feb17 via ... - More »
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@dansenor: I've heard from an informed source that in the past couple hours Libya has gone dark on phone lines & Internet.
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jmsardo‎ #Libya: source in Tripoli telling me "situation is quiet and pro-gaddafi spprtrs and secret police are all over the place". #17feb
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Libya: Can Gadhafi survive?

The wave of protests sweeping the Arab world reaches Libya, where Moammar Gadhafi has ruled for 41 years. Commentators wonder if he'll be the next to fall

[link to theweek.com]

@libyanfsl: Over 500 demonstrators in London in front of Libyan Embassy #Feb17 #Libya
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@BenGhazi2011: African killing squads are attacking demonstrators with swords in Baida. Libya#Libya
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@ChangeInLibya Gaddafi is moving troops around the country and bribing people like crazy. Looks like someone is scared. #Libya
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@AliLePointe: Helicopters present in #greensquare #Libya, pro-regime support (paid thugs) has grown. #feb17 V @Doma
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@ShababLibya: story so far in #Tripoli: still protests pro #qaddafi deemed to be from sirt or paid thugs, smaller anti demos trying to start

@ShababLibya: Story so far in #Benghazi today clashes across the city, more security drafted in from Tripoli, thugs in from outside #Libya‎

@ShababLibya: story so far in #bayda 5 reported dead, city in full crisis running v low on med supplies, many many injured #Libya #Feb17

Libya's antigovernment protests escalate on 'day of rage' against Muammar Qaddafi

Libya's leader Col. Muammar Qaddafi tried to appease protesters after fierce clashes Wednesday, but unrest continued today in a proclaimed 'day of rage.' Protests have now reached four cities.

A Facebook group calling for a “day of anger” saw its membership more than double this week, from 4,400 members on Monday to 9,600 on Wednesday, according to Al Jazeera. On another website – Libya Our Home, which is based outside of Libya – Libyans and foreigners alike urged the protesters to stand strong against the government today.

“From every square in our beloved country, people should all come together in one city and one square to make this regime and its supporters afraid, and force them to run away because they are cowards,” one post read, according to an MSNBC translation from the website.

Protests began Tuesday after the arrest of human rights advocate Fathi Tarbel, the Washington Post reports, and quickly took on an antigovernment tone. Although the initial protest was small, it showed that Libyans were emboldened by protests elsewhere. Mr. Tarbel was released, but protests continued.

On Wednesday, demonstrators gathered in Benghazi and nearby Beyida to call for Qaddafi’s resignation and the establishment of a constitution, among other political and economic reforms. Marchers set fire to police stations and security headquarters, according to witnesses who spoke to The Washington Post.

[link to www.csmonitor.com]