InfoAnda - Libyan government forces push into centre of Sirte |

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Taylor Swift to release concept album in October | | 21 July 2010
Texas Instruments sees short, shallow correction | | 8 December 2010
China-based cyber attack hits Australia film festival site | Technology | | 1 August 2009

Stand Off At Discovery Channel Headquarters | 2 September 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Libyan government forces push into centre of Sirte |

Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Home Business Business Home Economy Technology Media Small Business Green Business Legal Deals Earnings Summits Business Video Markets Markets Home U.S. Markets European Markets Asian Markets Global Market Data Indices M&A Stocks Bonds Currencies Commodities Futures Funds peHUB World World Home U.S. Brazil China Euro Zone Japan Mexico Russia Afghan Journal Africa Journal India Insight Global News Journal Pakistan: Now or Never? World Video Politics Politics Home Front Row Washington Politics Video Technology Technology Home MediaFile Science Tech Video Opinion Opinion Home Chrystia Freeland Felix Salmon Jack Shafer Breakingviews George Chen Bernd Debusmann Gregg Easterbrook Nader Mousavizadeh James Saft John Wasik Christopher Whalen Ian Bremmer Mohamed El-Erian Lawrence Summers The Great Debate Unstructured Finance Newsmaker MuniLand Money Money Home Analyst Research Global Investing MuniLand Reuters Money Alerts Watchlist Portfolio Stock Screener Fund Screener Personal Finance Video Life & Culture Health Sports Arts Faithworld Business Traveler Left Field Entertainment Oddly Enough Lifestyle Video Pictures Pictures Home Reuters Photographers Full Focus Video Article Comments (0) Slideshow Video Full Focus Editor's choice A selection of our best photos from the past 24 hours. Full Article Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read Service sector growth slows, employment mixed 10:38am EDT Samsung targets iPhone 4S sales ban in France, Italy | 9:29am EDT Hank Williams Jr. apologizes for Obama-Hitler comment 2:14am EDT Apple stumble seen opening door for rivals | 9:29am EDT India launches "world's cheapest" tablet computer 9:40am EDT Discussed 345 Exclusive: Democrats push tax hikes first in deficit talks 222 About 400 arrested in Wall Street protest 128 Senate takes first step on China yuan bill Watched Universe speeding up discovery wins Nobel Physics Tue, Oct 4 2011 Knox arrives in Seattle, says "thank you" Tue, Oct 4 2011 New iPhone fails to impress Tue, Oct 4 2011 Libyan government forces push into centre of Sirte Tweet Share this Email Print Related News Sirte residents turn anger on Libya's new rulers 5:46am EDT Exclusive: Libya's NOC seeks $6 billion in sanctions debts 9:51am EDT Libya back to school, but without Gaddafi teachings 10:02am EDT Libya's oil-rich east bids for power 10:13am EDT Analysis & Opinion First Libyan Jew returns home to Tripoli after 44-year exile World arms deals and tilting at windmills Related Topics World » Libya » Related Video Families flee Sirte violence Tue, Oct 4 2011 Hollywood actor Sean Penn visits Tripoli 1 of 14. Anti-Gaddafi fighters celebrate during a graduation ceremony for newly-trained fighters in Tripoli October 4, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Suhaib Salem By Rania El Gamal and Tim Gaynor SIRTE, Libya | Wed Oct 5, 2011 11:31am EDT SIRTE, Libya (Reuters) - Libyan government forces fought their way, street by street, into the center of Muammar Gaddafi's birthplace of Sirte on Wednesday after their commanders said the battle for the city was entering its final hours. Taking Sirte would be of huge symbolic importance to Libya's new rulers because it would dispense with the biggest pocket of pro-Gaddafi resistance, and allow the interim government to switch its focus to preparing democratic elections. The battle for the city has come at a high cost for civilians. They have been trapped by the fighting with dwindling supplies of food and water and no proper medical facilities to threat the wounded. On Wednesday, the heavy artillery and rocket fire from Gaddafi loyalists that had been keeping fighters with the National Transitional Council pinned down on the outskirts of the city subsided, allowing the NTC forces to move in. "More than half the city is under the control of the (anti-Gaddafi) rebels," said Adel Al-Hasi, a local NTC commander. "In two days, God willing, Sirte will be free." A Reuters reporter near the center of Sirte said she could hear the occasional thump of mortars landing near NTC positions, but that pro-Gaddafi forces had now resorted to using small arms as they switched to close-quarter fighting. The NTC advance took them toward Sirte's government quarter, a grid of expensively built hotels, villas and conference centers where Gaddafi used to host foreign leaders. One group of anti-Gaddafi fighters positioned themselves in a luxury hotel on the Mediterranean coast, using it as cover to fire on loyalists in a residential area about 300 meters (yards) away. Built for Gaddafi and his guests, according to rebels posted there, the brand new hotel had jacuzzis, flat-screen televisions and mahogany furniture in the rooms. The building though was now riddled with holes from bullets and rocket-propelled grenades. Smashed glass lay on the floor and there were bloodstains on the stairs. "We didn't yet take the center of Sirte yet," said another NTC commander in the city, Colonel Ahmed Al-Obeidi. "There are still clashes in the streets. They have a few mortars, not a lot ... They still have snipers." International aid agencies have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding inside Sirte. They say people are dying from wounds in the hospital because they cannot be treated properly, while residents are falling ill from malnutrition and drinking tainted water. Robert Lanknau, an aid worker with the International Medical Corps, said he was working at a field hospital near Sirte that was each day treating up to 100 civilians who were fleeing from the bombardment. "A lot of them seem to be shell-shocked," he said. "The women especially. Down the road, mental health is going to be the biggest lingering health issue." NATO DENIAL Some people in Sirte have directed their anger at NATO, saying the alliance's warplanes were striking residential areas of the city. A NATO spokesman said its aircraft had not carried out strikes on Sirte since the weekend and were sticking to their mandate to protect civilians. "The situation is very difficult and potentially confusing for the civilian people in Sirte at the moment," the spokesman, Roland Lavoie, said in a statement. "NATO aircraft overhead, while not striking during the close fighting in the city, are continuously conducting surveillance and reconnaissance missions to monitor the situation," said Lavoie. On the Western edge of Sirte, a delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was waiting for a break in the fighting, and agreement from the two sides, to send in a convoy of two trucks with supplies. "We are concerned about the civilian population. Our priority concern is care of the wounded and sick. We want to make sure they have proper care," said ICRC official Hishem Khadrawy. "We are trying again to do another operation for relief. We have had dialogue with all parties in the conflict and they assure us of their support," he said. ANGRY RESIDENTS On a ridge near the spot where the Red Cross convoy was waiting, two NTC tanks were lined up and firing shells into the city. Each shot sent up a cloud of dust and shook the small trees nearby. Off in the distance, columns of smoke rose up from where the shells hit. There was no evidence of the Gaddafi loyalists responding with their own heavy weapons. That may be the result of days of bombardment of loyalist positions by NTC artillery batteries, and earlier strikes by NATO aircraft. There was no sign either of civilian vehicles leaving, in contrast to previous days when hundreds of families have driven out of the city to seek refuge elsewhere. The NTC -- anxious not to be seen using the same violent tactics that Gaddafi employed against rebel strongholds earlier in the conflict -- says it delayed its final push into Sirte until all the civilians who wanted to leave were out. But residents of the city voiced anger and resentment at the anti-Gaddafi forces, saying they have shelled indiscriminately. Many people in Sirte are members of Gaddafi's tribe and still support him, testing the commitment by Libya's new rulers to seek reconciliation with all sections of Libyan society, including those that backed Gaddafi. "Let them look for Muammar, but do not kill 50,000 people to change the regime," said a resident who gave his name as al-Fatouri. "It is not worth it that thousands die in Sirte for Muammar. This is what saddens us." Another resident, who did not give his name, demanded: "What did America and NATO bring to us? Did they bring apricots? No, they brought us the shelling and the strikes. They terrorized our kids." (Additional reporting by Emad Omar in Benghazi, Jessica Donati, William Maclean and Joseph Logan in Tripoli, and David Brunnstrom in Brussels; Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Giles Elgood) World Libya Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ Comments (0) Be the first to comment on reuters.com. Add yours using the box above. Social Stream (What's this?) Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Back to top Reuters.com Business Markets World Politics Technology Opinion Money Pictures Videos Site Index Legal Bankruptcy Law California Legal New York Legal Securities Law Support & Contact Contact Us Advertise With Us Connect with Reuters Twitter Facebook LinkedIn RSS Podcast Newsletters Mobile About Privacy Policy Terms of Use Our Flagship financial information platform incorporating Reuters Insider An ultra-low latency infrastructure for electronic trading and data distribution A connected approach to governance, risk and compliance Our next generation legal research platform Our global tax workstation Thomsonreuters.com About Thomson Reuters Investor Relations Careers Contact Us Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Dalai Lama cancels highly charged South Africa trip |
Faster expanding universe work wins physics Nobel |
Shutterfly slumps on Apple card app announcement |
RIM shares sink after Apple deployment comments |
US lawmaker: China cyber espionage 'intolerable' |
Fox says can't afford more Simpsons without cuts |
X Factor moves into demanding boot camp stage |
Hungry Muppet to appear on Sesame Street |
Jolie to take on new U.N. refugee role |
Playboy Club TV show cancelled after three episodes |
Cleared on appeal, Amanda Knox returns home to Seattle |
Putin aide woos Russia's middle-class voters |
Syrian woman reported dead by Amnesty is alive: TV |
Israel dismisses deputy envoy to U.S over media leak |
U.S. cuts put pressure on NATO to boost cooperation |
U.N. resolution on Syria fails as Turkish pressure looms |
Opportunity for Samsung, HTC as iPhone 4S disappoints |
New Apple iPhone fails to wow investors, fans |
India to launch world's cheapest tablet computer for $35 |
Yahoo readies books for potential buyers: sources |
Apple iPhone voice raises pitch in war vs Google |
Whitman aims for October decision on HP's PC unit |
Intel acquires Israeli mobile navigation firm Telmap |
Disney moves in on Angry Birds with Swampy game |
Hank Williams Jr. apologizes for Obama-Hitler comment |
Adele cancels U.S. dates due to vocal hemorrhage |
Fox says can't afford more Simpsons without cuts |
More iconic Marilyn Monroe costumes up for auction |
Jurors hear of propofol shipments to Jackson doctor |
Nemo, Little Mermaid swim back to big screen in 3D |
Plot to kill Afghan president foiled: agency |
Insight: On the run, Gaddafi leaves few footprints |
In India, Karzai reaches out to brother Pakistan |
Economy in UK growing slower than thought
Egypt army says won't propose presidential candidate |
Apple improves battery life with new iPhone 4S
Palestinians take step towards full UNESCO membership |
Libyan government forces push into centre of Sirte |
U.S. senator urges help for social media users in Latin America
Four injured, 2 dead in California shooting
Ex-U.N. inspector sees no Iran atom bomb before 2013 |
Israeli scientist wins Nobel Prize in chemistry
Cheescake Factory named top casual dining spot
Unions join 'Occupy Wall Street' protest
Somali leader announces three days of mourning for suicide attack victims
NLDS: Goldschmidt, Collmenter sparkle; D-Backs cut Brewers lead to 2-1
Haiti's Senate approves Garry Conille as premier |
Canada tops Forbes ranking for business; credits harmonized sales tax
Analysis: ANC in crisis after Dalai Lama visa move |
RIM jumps more than 14 percent on more takeover talk |
Samsung targets iPhone 4S sales ban in France, Italy |
Salesforce.com, Oracle in public tiff over keynote |
End in sight to Lebanon's crippling Internet problem |
Belgian music label tracks tweets in hunt for hits |
Black Eyed Peas drop out of Jackson tribute concert |
A Minute With: Evan Rachel Wood on Ides of March |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01