Libya live blog March 2

Reporting by Karl Stagno-Navarra, Matthew Vella, Miriam Dalli and Nestor Laiviera.

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19:16 French engineers have disarmed weapons and dismantled key engine parts of the two Libyan Mirage jet planes that were flown to Malta on February 22 by defecting Colonel’s in the Libyan airforce.

According to a government spokesman, soon after landing, specialists from the UK’s Royal Airforce deactivated the weapons on board the two planes and inspected the fighter jets, while the plane’s French manufacturers were engaged to render all systems safe.

The two jets remain under armed guard by the Armed Forces of Malta.

Speaking during a press conference last Sunday, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that he had refused the return of the two jets to Libya, after being “personally” asked by the Libyan Prime Minister.

He also said that he had given the orders to refuse landing to a Libyan Arab Airlines ATR-42 plane with 14 declared passengers on board in an unplanned flight to Malta, because there were plane pilots and engineers who intended to take the jets back to Liby

17:07 A source in Tripoli tells MaltaToday on Skype that things are relatively quiet at the moment with more activity occurring near Zawia, but most people are not leaving their homes. "It is getting exceedingly dangerous when trying to purchase food... There is major crack down on internet activists. Facebook activities seem to have been rounded up and are in custody. No one knows where they are. Government are working more discretely these days picking up people at night. It's quite scary."

The source added that the Libyan government is jamming certain satellite channels especially Al Jazeera and BBC. "The sat blockage is of course interesting in that in the past Al Jazeera had been seen as being 'anti-US'."

15:10 There are reports that Libyan air force jets have been bombing the town of Brega, where Gaddafi loyalists are clashing with rebels.  The battle between pro- and anti-Gaddafi forces seems to have raged to and fro all day in the eastern oil port town of Brega. According to reports, there has been fierce fighting as rebels cornered some Gaddafi loyalists in a university campus building.

14:29 Gaddafi has warned Libyans that thousands will be killed if the USA or Nato intervene in the strife-torn country.

He also warned his audience that anyone who calls for foreign aid, would be guilty of high treason. “To the international world I tell them, we do not need any food or medicines. We are not like Darfur or Iraq.”

His explanation of the violence in towns was that armed gangs had launched an attack on corporations and ministries in Libya, forcing army leaders to defect. He said the gangs were threatening corporations in oil fields. “These are terrorists scaring people and investments in the country. Libya will live on and it is they [the terrorists] that will fall.”

Gaddafi also said that members on the Security Council who are friends of Libya said they were shocked that the Libyan ambassador on the UNSC had voted against Libya.

The leader of the Jamarahija – who says he is not a president but merely a guide – said that his residences had been a gift by the “great Libyan people”, who granted him a residence in every Libyan city. “My people granted me places of residence nationwide. May God bless you.”

Gaddafi also said his salary was just 975 dinars.

13:20  Gaddafi addressing crowd of supporters in Tripoli:

Gaddafi blamed the foreign media and “foreign forces” for incorrectly referring to him as a leader of the Libyan country. Instead, he said, he was a guide, a reference point or a symbol to the Libyans. "There are no peaceful demonstrations taking place.We will fight to the last drop of blood to fight Italy."

His speech was interrupted by repeated chants, which he claimed were “newly authored” by Libyans in his audience. “These chants are new to me, I am surprised... I do not watch satellite news television, they are merely provocations.”

Gaddafi also praised his efforts in “bringing Italy to its knees” and pay Libya compensation for its colonisation, and said he kicked out the United States and gave the oil wells back to Libyans.

He also referred to himself in the third person and claimed the footage of demonstrations against him in Libya were “all false, everything is calm here.” He said foreign news media were attempting to humiliate Libya.

Gaddafi said he had not taken any decision to fight back. “The journalists are urging me... I told them it could be a colonial attempt to control the oil fields.”

“People are demonstrating against them because they are supporting me.”

13:00 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs said that during his meeting with the Libyan Ambassador Sadun Ismail Suayeh, he didn’t give any instructions on which flag is to be used by the Libyan Embassy.

“That is a decision to be taken exclusively by the Libyan Authorities and the Embassy.

“The Government of Malta will not interfere in this matter. During the meeting, as stipulated by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Immunity, the government of Malta guaranteed the security of the Embassy building and all property covered by diplomatic immunity.

“The Maltese Government is informed that the entry of various people in the Libyan Embassy yesterday, took place upon consent given by the Embassy itself.”

12:39 Libyan leader Gaddafi is addressing a crowd of supported in Tripoli, and quoting his Green Book.

Since the establishment of people’s committees in 1977, all power was given to the people and the committees.

I handed over the power from the revolutionary officers to the people and committees, and since that day we have not exercised any power – politically or administrative, we have no relevance or relation to the power. We carried out the revolution to liberate the Libyan soil occupied by American and British forces, and handed the oil territories to the Libyan people. We rid Libya of backwardness and colonial power and handed power over to the Libyan people – it is the Libyan people who are in charge of and responsible for authority.

It is the jamaharija system –it is not presidential or governmental or monarchic regime, it is direct democracy, where people exercise power through committees and peoples’ conferences.

We challenge the whole world and anybody who could claim that we are exercising power, it is in the hands of the people.

11:50 Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez also spoke to Col Gaddafi by telephone on Tuesday, according to Libyan TV. "President Chavez reconfirmed to the brother leader his solidarity and the solidarity of the Venezuelan people and the peoples of Latin America without exception with the Libyan people in its brave opposition to the conspiracy of suspicious circles, which is targeting the achievements gained by the great victorious revolution and its leader for the cause of freedom, and progress in Latin America in particular, and in the world as a whole," it said.

"President Chavez told the brother leader that the Latin American peoples stand side by side and completely ready to make sacrifices in solidarity with the Libyan people and its leader Muammar Gaddafi in confronting this imperialist, Zionist conspiracy, which is targeting security, stability and its national unity."

11:08 Al-Arabiya reports that opposition forces have taken control of the north-eastern oil town Brega, while government forces have regained control of its airport. Reuters says the fighters from the February 17 coalition are going to call for foreign help, "probably air strikes at strategic locations that will putt he nail in Gaddafi's coffin."

10:35 An Ilyushin Il-76 has flown to Libya on February 15 from Baranovichi, a huge former Soviet weapon storage area now controlled by the Belarus government. READ FULL STORY

10:00 Forces loyal to Gaddafi have started staging a counterattack staging a counterattack to the east of his stronghold of Sirte. They have since retaken Brega, 65km west of Ajdabiya. The eastern regions have been in anti-government hands since mid-February.

09:30 The Libyan Embassy in Malta has reportedly took down the old kingdom Libyan flag that was put up this morning by anti-Gaddafi protestors and replaced it with the regime's green socialist flag. 

08:30 347 migrants of different nationalities have landed on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa during the night. They claim to have fled Libya, entered Tunisia and departed from Zarzis.

08:11  Four large explosions are reported in the capital city Tripoli.  The city is controlled by Gaddafi loyalists. According to reports, the explosionswere caused by a large oil tanker that overturned. It is as yet unknown whether it was an act of sabotage. Traffic has been stopped around the area, and reports also suggest that journalists have been attacked by residents in the area.

08:00 The UN has called for a mass humanitarian evacuation of people fleeing Libya for Tunisia, saying the border situation is at "crisis point".Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said thousands of lives were at stake. Some 75,000 people have fled to Tunisia since unrest began and 40,000 more are waiting to cross, the UN says.

19:52 Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has telephoned Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and thanked him for hosting Canadian Forces in their efforts to evacuate Canadian nationals from Libya. A spokesman for the prime minister, said the two leaders also talked about the need to further deter violence by the Libyan regime against its own citizens.

The phone call was made after a Canadian military Hercules transport, en route to pick up stranded oil workers, was turned back today from Libya.  A spokesman for the Ottawa-based overseas headquarters confirmed the C-130J was waved off about half way between Malta and the troubled north African nation.  The transport was headed into Tripoli.

"The reason for the denial is apparently due to a shortage of ramp space at Tripoli International Airport," said Maj. Andre Salloum, spokesman for Canadian Forces Expeditionary Command.  It's the latest in a string of setbacks for the Canadian evacuation effort.

A Canadian C-17 military transport was last week denied landing rights in Libya and sat on the tarmac in Rome before beginning flights over the weekend.  And at least two civilian aircraft chartered by the Foreign Affairs Department left the chaotic north African country with no passengers.

The empty Hercules, one of the newer models purchased by the Conservative government, has returned to Malta where the air force has stationed one other C-130 and two giant C-17 transport planes. Salloum said another flight is scheduled for tomorrow.

A military reconnaissance team and combat medics are also in Malta, evaluating what else the military can deploy to aid in the evacuations.

19:29 The West is edging closer to military action against Muammar Gaddafi as the United States said air strikes would be needed to secure a no-fly zone over Libya, and regime forces tried to retake a key city.  US and European leaders have weighed the use of NATO air power to impose a no-fly zone, with the aim of stopping Gaddafi using air power against his own people to crush the insurrection against his four decades of iron rule.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Libya was at a crossroads in its history and "the stakes are high". "In the years ahead, Libya could become a peaceful democracy, or it could face protracted civil war" and descend into chaos, she told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Senior US commander General James Mattis told a Senate hearing that any no-fly zone would first require bombing the oil-rich north African nation's air defense systems. "It would be a military operation," said the head of Central Command. His comments came as the US military moved naval and air forces nearer Libya for possible joint NATO military action, including a warship with hundreds of marines.

The USS Kearsarge, an amphibious assault ship accompanied by two other vessels, was expected to pass through the Suez Canal soon from the Red Sea, said two defense officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

19:10 Three Maltese nationals who remain in Libya do not intend to leave, Information director Martin Bugelli has said. A private jet arrived from Tripoli on Monday night carrying six Maltese women who are married to Libyan men and their four children. The husbands remained in Libya. Further statistics given by the DOI director explained that 228 Maltese have so far been evacuated out of Libya, 14 were on their way out, three did not intend to leave and no contact had yet been made with another three.

18:47 Some 2,000 Eritrean asylum seekers stranded in Libya have made a desperate appeal for help to the Catholic Church in Tripoli.  Bishop Giovanni Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli, has urged the international community to rescue them by providing a way out of Libya to safety, the Jesuit Refugee Service (Malta) said.

18:16 Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif has told Sky News that Prime Minister David Cameron "wants to be a hero" and is "thinking greedily about oil" in Libya. 

18:11 Libyan ambassador to Malta Saadun Suayeh, refused to give comments to the media at the end of a meeting with Foreign Minister Tonio Borg in Valletta this afternoon.  "It was a private consultation on the current situation," he said

17:47 Speaking on condition of anonymity, French officials have insisted Paris is not against the idea of a no-fly zone, but stress that it would be complicated and risky to put in place. They cite the example of the offence that might be caused in the Arab world if jets from frontline NATO member Italy, Libya's former colonial ruler, were to be seen in the skies over its cities.

17: 36 Fitch Ratings says it has cut Libya's credit ratings three notches to a below investment grade rating of BB, due to the political and economic turmoil rocking the country.

17:34 Canadian special forces are "on standby" for deployment in Libya, according to Alec Castonguay, military reporter for Canada's Le Devoir newspaper. "Canadian special forces (JTF2) are 'on standby' to depart for Libya," he said in a Twitter message. Canada's defence department will not confirm the report.

17:31 Forces loyal to Gaddafi are beefing up their troops on Libya's southern border with Tunisia, days after leaving the area, witnesses say.

17:27 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on the West to impose on Iran the same tough measures it is putting in place against Muazmmar Gaddafi. "If the international community is applying special pressure on Libya and warning its leader and soldiers against violating civil rights, the same warning must be aimed at Iran's leaders and their henchmen," he said, adding that both countries were "serial violators of human rights.”

17:20 Seif al-Islam, Muammar Gaddafi’s son, has denied that his father's regime has attacked civilians, in an interview with Sky News. He challenged Western powers and journalists to find evidence of the Libyan regime using the military against its own people. "I challenge everybody to give me the proof," he said. Seif also said he did not accept the assertion that the government had lost control of eastern Libya but admitted there was no longer any organised army there.

17:18 Brigadier General Ahmed Qatrani, tasked with organising rebel forces in Benghazi, says there are no plans yet to march on the capital. "Tripoli is being held hostage. We are in touch with them, but they asked us to hold back," he told reporters. But he said some soldiers and civilians have volunteered to go to Tripoli by desert routes after receiving training around Benghazi. "They are moving their experience to Tripoli," he said. Organisers say communications with the volunteers have been sporadic, and they have received conflicting reports about their whereabouts. One, Motaz Suleiman, said pro-Gaddafi gunmen had killed 18 unarmed volunteers captured near Sirte, but there is no way to independently confirm his claims. Others say volunteers have successfully made it to Tripoli, about 1,000 west of Benghazi.

17:10 More details are coming in on France's statement that there would be no international military action against Libya, including the imposition of a no-fly zone, without a "clear mandate" from the United Nations. "Different options are being studied - notably that of an air exclusion zone," Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has told the French parliament, just hours after transferring into the job from the defence ministry. "But I say very clearly that no intervention will be undertaken without a clear mandate from the United Nations Security Council."

Juppe's statement distances France - at least rhetorically - from Britain and the United States, who are both pushing for a no-fly zone to be imposed quickly.

17:02 Libya's neighbour Niger says about 1,500 of its citizens have fled the unrest into the Nigerien border town of Dirkou. Most of the Nigerien nationals made their own way out of Libya, a security source in Dirkou told AFP news agency by telephone.

16:51 Further to France's recent statement that there will be no imposition of a no-fly zone over Libya without clear UN approval, top US commander General James Mattis has warned that enforcing a no-fly zone would first require a military operation to destroy Libya's air defense systems.

16:50 Al Jazeera's Tristan Redman, in Benghazi, says black Africans in Libya are increasingly coming under suspicion from others in the wake of reports that Gaddafi has hired mercenary troops from other parts of  Africa. "Been meeting Nigerians, Sudanese, afraid to go out, fear attacks. Many accused of being 'mercenaries'," he tweeted.

16:40 France says there will be no international military action against Libya, including the imposition of a no-fly zone, without a "clear mandate" from the United Nations.

16:34 Pro-Gaddafi supporters have confronted  anti-Gaddafi demonstrators outside the Libyan School in St Julian's. As police swiftly intervened to calm both factions, they escorted the anti-Gaddafi demonstrators far from the school premises. The protestors were told that the people inside the school were supporting the Gaddafi regime and were refusing to lower the green Libyan flag from the pole on the school premises. Earlier, the demonstrators managed to lower the green Libyan flag from the embassy's roof in Attard and hoist the independence colours instead.

16:27 Croatia has completed the evacuation of all its nationals who wish to leave Libya, Foreign Minister Gordan Jandrokovic says. A total of 404 Croatian nationals have been evacuated, he said.

16:22 Ben Bernanke, chairman of the US Federal Reserve, has warned that "sustained rises" in oil prices could potentially threaten US growth and spark dangerous price rises. Bernanke told Congress he still believed unrest in Libya and elsewhere in the oil-rich region will result in "temporary" and "modest" increases in US prices, but said greater risks still remain.

16:13 Doctors in Benghazi need to send about 100 critically wounded patients for surgery abroad, says Suhail Al-Atrash, who heads health services in a municipal council formed this week. He says Benghazi hospitals have enough medical supplies to last up to a year but are still treating more than 1,000 patients wounded in the violence. While he claims at least 250 people have been killed in Benghazi, he says it is impossible to provide a definitive death toll because some corpses are missing. "On the first day of the protests, demonstrators were mowed down in one district and witnesses said that their corpses were later gathered by Gaddafi henchmen," he says.

16:01 Anti-regime leaders in Benghazi say they have formed a military council in the eastern city. The council, comprising officers who have joined the protesters against Gaddafi’s  rule, says it will liaise with similar groups in other freed cities. It is not immediately clear if there are plans for a regional command.

15:59 "A military council was formed last night," said Salwa Bughaighi, a member of a coalition of organisers who earlier this week set up a civilian council to run the city's municipal affairs. She said the list of members of the military committee has not yet been finalised but it does not include General Abdel Fatah Yunis, a former interior minister who has defected to the protesters' side.

15:58 "Scene on the Libyan border is getting ugly," the UN's refugee agency says on its Twitter page (@Refugees). "1000's of refugees, caught in no-man's land between 2 countries."

15:57 Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme, has arrived on the Libya-Tunisia border. "Hundreds of free buses donated by people/towns... to evacuate people," she tweets on her page, @JosetteSheeran.

15:56 Eritrean community in Malta to hold solidarity march on co-nationals in Libya at Great Seig Square in Valletta on Thursday.

15:54 Libyan School spokesman has told anti-Gaddafi protestors in Malta, that the students at the school are all "pro-Gaddafi supporters" and that they were denying access to the demonstrators to enter the school to be given a room to organise humanitarian aid for their countrymen in Libya. The protestors told the spokesman that they wanted to speak to the school head and see who was telling the truth. The demonstrators are insisting the school also removes the green Libyan flag and have it replaced with the old independence colours.

15:47 UNHCR emergency staff says the situation at the Libya-Tunisia border is at crisis point, with 14,000 people crossing the day before from Libya. It was the highest number of crossings in a single day since anti-government protests turned violent in mid-February. A further 10,000-15,000 are expected to cross on Tuesday.

15:33 British Prime Minister David Cameron has said that he has asked his military chiefs to look into the possibility of imposing a no-fly zone over Libya. "It's not acceptable that Colonel Gaddafi can be murdering his own people, using aeroplanes and helicopters gunships and the like, and we have to plan now to make sure that if it happens we can do something to stop that," he told a joint press conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in London this morning.

15:31 Residents in Zawiyah, just 60 kilometres west of Tripoli, have told AFP news agency how heavily-armed pro-Gaddafi militiamen attempted to retake control of the middle-class dormitory town overnight. The fighters fell back when they met resistance from armed opposition supporters in control of the city centre. "Today, it's very calm, I'm able to get around town as normal," one resident said, reached by telephone. "The militiamen did not enter the city centre. They are still on the outskirts. They are heavily armed and have tanks with them," he said.

15:30 130 Russian workers have reportedly been evacuated from Libya and will be brought to Malta on board the ship Sveti Stefan. A spokesman for the Russian Emergencies Ministry told Itar-Tass that the ship is carrying 397 people of various nationalities. Two Emergencies Ministry planes will fly the Russian workers to Moscow from Malta tomorrow.The ship is reportedly also carrying Turkish citizens who were working in Libya under contracts with the Russian Railways Company.15

15:22 Reports that Libyan flag was also removed by worshipers at Mosque in Paola.

15:15 Anti-Gaddafi demonstrators are insisting that all Libyan owned properties remove the Libyan flag and replace it with the old independence colours. Speaking to MaltaToday, protest organiser  Ali Ezzabi said that discussions are underway for the Libyan school to give a room to the protestors to organise logistics and a campaign to collect medical supplies to be sent over to Libya to assist their fellow countrymen who are fighting against the Gaddafi regime.

15:10 Anti-Gaddafi demonstrators reach Libyan school in St. Julians and are met by a large contingent on police. The protestors have moved to St. Julian's from Attard, where they managed to remove the green flag from the main pole of the embassy and hoist the independence colours instead. They say they now want the Libyan flag to be removed from the school building.

15:00 Google Earth maps of Libya protests

View Mapping Violence Against Pro-Democracy Protests in Libya in a larger map

14:48 A Canadian Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft which left Malta to pick up Canadian oil workers in Tripoli has been denied entry into Libyan airspace. Permission has however been granted to an Italian air force aircraft, after it too had initially been refused permission to land.

14:45 The Organisation of the Islamic Conference, representing 57 Muslim countries, says it is against any military intervention in Libya. "All options should be utilised for the settlement of disputes through peaceful means and without resorting to the use of force," OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu has told the UN Human Rights Council. The United States on Monday positioned naval and air forces around Libya.

14:39 European Union leaders are to hold an extraordinary summit on March 11 to agree a response to the crisis in Libya and events across North Africa, an EU diplomat has said.

14:37 Libyan demonstrators in Malta are marching towards the Libyan school in St. Julian's in bid to remove the green flag, in repeat of embassy lowering of flag and hoisting of independence colours.

14:35 Paul Wolfowitz, the USA's former deputy defence secretary, tells Sky News that the US "went too far" in welcoming Gaddafi as a legitimate leader after he gave up weapons of mass destruction.

14:20 The London School of Economics has confirmed it is investigating claims that Muammar Gaddafi’s son Seif al-Islam, a former student at the prestigious university, plagiarised his doctorate thesis. LSE has cut its ties with Seif, whose International Charity and Development Foundation donated €1.8 million over five years to the school. The LSE has only received GBP300,000 so far.

14:17 World oil prices continue to rise. Brent North Sea crude for delivery in April has risen 67 cents to US$112.47 per barrel, while New York's light sweet crude for April, known as West Texas Intermediate (WTI), gained 35 cents to US$97.32. But tension among traders remains lower than last week, when fears about supply disruption due to unrest in the Middle East sent Brent soaring close to US $120.

14:15 More strong words about Muammar Gaddafi from the USA's UN ambassador, Susan Rice. "We are going to squeeze him economically in conjunction with the rest of the economic community. We'll squeeze him militarily," she told NBC television's "Today Show". Rice yesterday said Gaddafi was "delusional" after the embattled leader claimed the Libyan people loved him and would die to protect him.

14:08: India says it has evacuated more than 3,000 nationals from Libya so far, with 1,100 en route from Benghazi to Alexandria on a passenger ship. But more than 14,000 Indians remain in Libya.

14:06 Saudi shares have dived 6.8 percent at close, amid a panic sell-off by investors concerned by unrest in the Middle East.

14:05 Libyan protestors outside the Libyan embassy in Attard are celebrating the lowering of the green flag from the embassy's main flagpole, and had it replaced with the old independence three coloured flag.

13:48 The Maltese government has launched investigations into possible asstes of Muammar Gaddafi in Malta. A government spokesman has told MaltaToday that the process for gathering information has already began, and that all authorities have been alerted to investigate for immediate freeze according to EU and UN imposed sanctions on Gaddafi and family members.

13:41 Libyan Ambassador to Malta Saadun Suayeh has left his embassy in Attard after the old Libyan flag was placed on the embassy balcony, to the cheers and showing of victory signs of Libyans who were protesting outside. The official all green flag however, has remained on the main embassy flagpole.

The red, black and green flag with a crescent at the centre of it was taken into the embassy building earlier in the day by a delegation of three protestors who never gave up with their request to see the ambassador and ask him to resign.

The three protestors later exited the embassy with the ambassador, commenting to the media that while the ambassador had accepted to lower the all green flag, the consul however refused.

The ambassador left the embassy for a meeting Foreign Minister Tonio Borg, while the protesters climbed onto the facade and fixed the flag to the balcony.

13:23 Britain’s Foreign Office has said that HMS York is heading to Benghazi to deliver medical supplies and rescue Britons still stranded in Libya

13:21 Gaddafi is a "living political corpse" who has no place in the civilised world and must quit power, the Interfax news agency quotes a Kremlin source as saying.

13:17 Protesters in the rebel-held Libyan city of Benghazi have been describing their struggle to defend themselves against pro-regime forces. Volunteer night watchmen patrol the city in the darkness, manning roadblocks and guarding the infrastructure. "We take turns from 3 pm to 8 am," Ahmed Abdelrahim, 32, told AFP's Patrick Baz. "We are all civilians without any military training," he said, a Kalashnikov slung over his shoulder and his face masked with a balaclava.

13:11 German ship Santorini, has entered Grand Harbour, bringing 500 oil workers from the Benghazi area. One Maltese national is among the evacuated on board. The Duke of Kent has welcomed a group of 15 Britons who were on board.

Meanwhile, a Virtu’ Ferries catamaran is in Tripoli harbour waiting to depart on its fourth trip to Malta. Another catamaran may cross over to the port of Misurata if it is safe and weather conditions allow. British frigate HMS Cumberland that yesterday brought 200 evacuees from Benghazi has returned to Libya on its third trip.

13:07 Updated details on Pearson's freeze of shares in the company held by the Libyan state. The British publisher - which owns the Financial Times newspaper - says the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) owns 3.27 percent of the company's issued share capital worth around €295 million. The company said this was in response to a UN Security Council resolution against Kadhafi, and the British government's freeze on Libya's British-held assets.

12:54 Germany says it is freezing an account at a German bank held by Muammar Gaddafi’s son, containing €2 million.

12:52 British publisher Pearson has frozen shares in the company held by the Libyan state, saying it had taken the action after examining a UN Security Council resolution on Muammar Gaddafi’s regime.

12:51 Italy is considering freezing Libyan state assets, the Il Sole 24 Ore financial daily reports. Libya has up to €3.6 billion worth of shares in Italian businesses, the newspaper said last week. Tripoli is the biggest shareholder in the Italian bank UniCredit.

12:50 The Egyptian Red Crescent is to transport medical supplies and food provided by the UN's refugee agency into East Libya in response to requests from tribal leaders, the agency has announced on its Twitter page, @Refugees.

12:49 Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon has added his voice to those calling for a no-fly zone. There is "a danger of genocide" in Libya, he said at a conference in Brussels. US and European leaders are considering whether to use NATO air power in a no-fly zone against Gaddafi.

12:47 More on the UN refugee agency's statement on the situation at the Libya-Tunisia border, which between 70,000 and 75,000 people have crossed since February 20. "Our staff on the Libya-Tunisia border have told us this morning that the situation there is reaching crisis point," said Melissa Fleming, spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. She said 14,000 people fled across the border on Monday, and that 10,000 to 15,000 people are expected on Tuesday.

12:45 A French minister has warned that the Libyan regime owns stakes in several large European firms, and says it must not be allowed to sell shares in order to "hire mercenaries" to crack down on the uprising. "France, on this point, is in favour of the European Union going further than it is so far planning to go," European affairs minister Laurent Wauquiez told RMC radio.

12:44 The UN's refugee agency says the situation on the Libya-Tunisia border is reaching “crisis point.”

12:38 Austria has become the latest country to announce a freeze on the assets of Gaddafi and his close associates. The Vienna Central Bank says Libyan deposits worth around €1.2 billion euros are held in Austrian banks. But it's yet to be determined how much is held in the country by Gaddafi or the 25 Libyan officials targeted in the EU's assets freeze.

12:37 Anti-Gaddafi protestors in Malta have taken the old Libyan flag into the embassy in Attard, and are reportedly negotiating to have it replace the all green national flag of Libya. The flag red, black and green was taken into the embassy building by representatives of the anti-Gaddafi movement that was recently formed in Malta by Libyan residents. Among the group are defecting embassy officials who joined the protestors.

11:38 Maltese MEP Simon Busuttil has told the European Parliament this morning that the EU sanctions on Libya - as announced yesterday - “are merely not enough to stop the violence”.  Busuttil stopped short of stating that military intervention may be necessary at this stage, but said that providing humanitarian aid to the Libyan people should be given prior importance by the EU. Simon Busuttil urged the the EU Presidency and Home Affairs Commissioner Cacilia Malmstrom, to roll out a plan on the possible influx of migrants crossing over to Europe through Malta and Italy.

11:31 The Duke of Kent has travelled to Malta for a what has been described as a “working visit” in his role as President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the British High Commission said in a statement. The Duke of Kent will be at Pinto Wharf later today to greet 15 Britons and other evacuees who are expected in Malta on board the German ferry ‘Express Santorini’.

11:11 Euronews reports how the aftershocks from the violence in Libya are being felt in the Maltese economy, which exported €85 million to the country last year. According to GRTU vice-president Mario Debono, "companies are desperate because they have made investments in Libya and we also have employees who now have come back to Malta with nothing to do.”

“The Libyan Central Bank doesn’t seem to be operating any more, the (commercial) banks don't seem to be operating anymore. A number of Maltese companies have not received their money and we are talking here about millions of euros.”

10:53 The Hungarian Presidency of the European Union has praised Malta’s efforts in coordinating the evacuation of EU citizens from Libya. Speaking at the European Parliament in Brussels this morning that debated the ongoing crisis in Libya, Hungary’s Permanent Representative to the EU Peter Gyorkos said that “although tiny, Malta is doing a heroic performance and this is being recognised by all the member states.”

Referring to calls by Malta and Italy for migrant burden sharing should an emergency develop with an influx of asylum seekers, Peter Gyorkos said that although there is no agreement among all EU Member States, he is “confident” that Malta will get the necessary help.

10:08 Frontex’s Chief Illka Laitinen is expected to visit Malta today on an unscheduled visit to discuss with the Maltese government the possible involvement of Frontex in the current humanitarian emergency arising from the unrest in Libya.

Speaking at the European Parliament this morning, Ilka Laitinen said: “Malta is evidently under pressure” as it is handling many of the EU evacuees currently fleeing Libya. He added that Frontex is considering extending its ‘Hermes’ mission, which started just a few days ago off the island of Lampedusa, and will be sending experts from other member states to help the Maltese government.

10:05 Following today’s review of the situation in Tripoli, Air Malta has decided to maintain the suspension of its operation to and at this airport today. In a statement, the airline has noted that there was “no substantial change in the situation within the airport terminal and in the localities surrounding the airport.” Air Malta will however continue to evaluate the situation on an ongoing basis and will keep the public informed of any developments.

09:50 The UK Government is considering basing Typhoon jets at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya, according to Sky News this morning.  Two VC10 tanker aircraft are already in Cyprus, and have been offering support during the extraction of civilians from Libya. In the plans currently being discussed at the Ministry of Defence, the VC10s would remain there to assist the fast jets.

British Prime Minister David Cameron told MPs at the House of Commons yesterday that he had asked the Chief of the Defence Staff, the head of Britain's armed forces, to work with allies to see if a military no fly zone was possible. It's thought he is keen to enforce an exclusion zone to prevent Colonel Gadaffi from again attacking civilians who oppose his regime. France and the USA are also reportedly keen.

Defence sources said that a no-fly zone was one of a number of alternatives. "It's definitely an option," said one. "We're doing the planning work and se have contingency reserves to cover the Falkland Islands and UK air defence, as well as something like a Libyan air exclusion zone," Sky News reported.

09:47 Alternattiva Demkratika is foursquare behind Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi's pledge to avoid genocide in Libya.

Arnold Cassola, AD Spokesperson on EU and International Affairs, said: "It is heartening to hear the Prime Minister state that Malta will not remain idle if faced by a genocide in Libya, because Malta respects human dignity and fundamental human rights".

Cassola went on to say "It is a pity that the Prime Minister was not so categorical over two years ago, when the Maltese government had approved of the Berlusconi-Gaddafi agreement which meant sending back asylum seekers into the criminal claws of the Gaddafi torturous regime. At that time, the PL Leader Joseph Muscat had even stated that he was ready to suspend Malta's human rights obligations, as stipulated by the Geneva convention".

AD Chairperson Michael Briguglio said, "Europe cannot remain idle in the face of Gaddafi's serious threats.  The past experience of European impotence in Rwanda and Bosnia,where horrendous genocides were perpetuated, cannot be repeated.  UN mandated peace enforcement forces should be sent to Libya and a no-fly zone should be enforced over Libyan territory".

Briguglio added that in its AGM, AD approved a resolution on the situation in Libya, for the 27 EU countries to share responsibility for refugees and for UN forces to stop violence and for a UN peacekeeping mission in Libya.

09:20 Malta is adopting a “wait and see” approach to the idea of imposing a no-fly zone over Libya as proposed by the United States and the United Kingdom, since this could prove difficult to enforce and could endanger foreigners still in Libya, preventing their evacuation.

Foreign Affairs minister Tonio Borg who addressed the media last night, insisted Malta should be at the centre of bringing humanitarian aid to Libya, even though “everything in life has its risks”. In fact, humanitarian aid could prove dangerous if done by military vessels or planes and seen by the Libyan government as a provocation.

Borg stressed that it would be “irresponsible” of Malta not to be part of the aid efforts under such circumstances, especially if ordered by the UN or the EU.

“We have been very careful about what to authorise and what not to authorise. At no point did we authorise any military intervention. We just want to help save lives and give the necessary assistance,” Tonio Borg said, as he vowed that Malta would keep its neutrality as stipulated in the Constitution.  Legally, it would only be permitted to participate in military action if this fell under the UN charter or was in Malta’s interest to do so on its own volition.

He  explained that if Col Gaddafi were to stay in power, Libya would be split in two, prompting a civil war, which was the “worst kind of war”.

When asked if Malta’s position would change in that case, the Foreign Minister said that Malta would not belong to any military alliance but could participate in action if the UN were to order it. “I’m not going to say we can consider it or that we will do it. I’m just saying we are allowed to do so, ” he said.

09:15 Malta has handled almost 12,000 people who have fled Libya over the span of a week, via air and sea. More than 14 Maltese who have asked to be evacuated remain in Libya, while 214 have already arrived, and 23 were on their way to the island last night.

Speaking to the media, Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said that Malta had “drastically” reduced the number of its nationals trying to leave Libya at an “impressive” rate.

A total of 8,241 people from 89 different countries have been brought to the island by sea, while another 3,525 have been evacuated on the 212 flights related to the Libya crisis seen this week. Only one person who was evacuated remains in hospital. Another seven who were hospitalised have been discharged.

Malta has been asked to help evacuate a large number of Egyptian workers in Libya. Some 1.5 million Egyptians are said to be in the country, although many are crossing the borders to Tunisia or Egypt itself.

09:04 The ongoing crisis in Libya has shot up the price of oil to over US$110 per barrel as production has significantly dropped following shut-ins by oil companies in the country. Production cut in the country is said to be about 1.2 million barrels per day, even as oil firms operating there as well as other countries continues to evacuate their nationals for fear that the crisis might deteriorate.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch said that oil production in Libya is expected to shut down completely and could be lost for a prolonged period of time. "We expect Libyan production to be shut down completely and we might lose sweet crudes from Libya for a prolonged period of time," Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst Sabine Schels said when speaking to Reuters news agency.

Schels said that the world faced the prospect of real supply shock in which the loss of 1.6 million barrels per day of sweet oil could potentially trigger a steep rise in prices and force a sharp reduction in demand to balance the system. "Some of the supply can be replaced with Saudi light crude and some from SPR, but if the disruption is prolonged, we will need demand to drop to balance the system," Schels said.

08:59 Three times more foreigners than Britons were rescued from the Libyan desert by British forces over the weekend, David Cameron told MPs in London.  Cameron also suggested that oil companies should pay for the cost of the repatriation of their workers from Libya.

The British Prime Minister told the House of Commons that 95 Britons and 270 foreign nationals were airlifted from the north African country on Saturday and Sunday.

In all, British Forces helped rescue some 600 British nationals. Fewer than 150 remain but many of those wanted to stay in the country.  Cameron confirmed that one of the RAF C130 Hercules involved in the mission to evacuate oil workers had suffered minor damage from small-arms fire. Rebel forces in Libya were reported to have apologised for firing at the plane, which they mistook for one linked to the Gaddafi regime.

08:39 The Libyan regime has accused the British government of being behind the recent unrest in Arab countries. A spokesman for Libya's Ministry of Information accused UK Prime Minister David Cameron of leading a campaign for regime change in Libya and neighbouring countries. Khaled al Koabi claimed to have information that Britain is "planning to carry on some activities that can create an environment of instability in some Arab countries, for the sake of changing regimes". He also called on British MPs to oppose what he called the Government's "dangerous behaviour".

Koabi said: "From here I call upon the British society and the British House of Commons to take steps and move against the British Prime Minister, so that Britain will not find herself in a similar situation as in 2003 in Iraq." The accusation follows Cameron's statement to the House of Commons in which he said he has not ruled out military action in Libya. The Prime Minister also revealed Britain and other allies are examining the possibility of establishing a military no-fly zone over Libya.

The Pentagon has said it is moving naval and air forces into positions near Libya in case military intervention is required.

08:32 Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has insisted that his people ‘loved him’ but was slammed as "delusional" as Western nations prepared to ramp up pressure on the man in a bid to prevent a full-blown catastrophe in his country.  The United States said it had blocked around US$30 billion in Libyan assets, the largest amount ever frozen, while the European Union also imposed its toughest international sanctions yet on Ghaddafi’s crumbling regime.

US and European leaders weighed the use of NATO air power to impose a no-fly zone over Libya and stop Gaddafi from using air strikes against his own people, as the beleaguered leader  fights a bloody rearguard action against encroaching rebels.

Fears grew over the humanitarian fallout after more than six weeks of turmoil as the United Nations stepped up warnings of a mass exodus from Libya. More than 100,000 people have already fled into Egypt and Tunisia.