Top Libya rebel 'shot by Islamist militia'

30 July 2011 Last updated at 11:59 GMT Younes was buried in the rebel capital, Benghazi Libyan rebel commander Gen Abdel Fattah Younes was shot dead by a militia linked to his own side, a rebel minister has said.

Ali Tarhouni said Gen Younes was killed by members of the Obaida Ibn Jarrah Brigade, which is an Islamist group.

Gen Younes defected to the rebels in February after serving in the Libyan leadership since the 1969 coup which brought Col Muammar Gaddafi to power.

Meanwhile Nato says it bombed Libyan state TV transmitters overnight.

The Libyan Broadcasting Authority said three of its technicians were killed and 15 other people injured in the attack in the capital, Tripoli.

The alliance said it had disabled three satellite transmission dishes through a "precision air strike".

It said the operation was intended to stop "inflammatory broadcasts" by Col Gaddafi's government.

Continue reading the main story Ian Pannell, BBC News, Misrata

The more information that comes to light about the murder of Abdel Fattah Younes the more troubling the affair becomes.

According to Ali Tarhouni, a minister with the National Transitional Council, members of the Obaida Ibn Jarrah Brigade, an Islamist group allied with the rebels, killed the general and two other commanders and burned their bodies.

This will feed growing doubts about the armed opposition, about its ability to govern and fight as a cohesive group and about the influence of Islamist factions.

The Libyan government in Tripoli has constantly warned that the rebels are under the influence of al-Qaeda. Although there is no evidence of this, it has called the murder of Gen Younes a "slap in the face" for Britain after it officially recognised the council in Benghazi as the government of Libya.

Nato said the strike would "reduce the regime's ability to oppress civilians" but also "preserve television broadcast infrastructure that will be needed after the conflict".

Libyan state TV was still on air following the Nato statement.

'Slap in the face'

Oil minister Tarhouni told reporters in Benghazi a leader of the militia had provided information on the circumstances of Younes' death.

Mr Tarhouni said Younes and two of his aides were killed after being recalled to the rebel stronghold for questioning.

Younes' shot and burned body, and the bodies of his aides, were found on the edge of Benghazi on Friday.

"His lieutenants did it," Mr Tarhouni said, adding that the killers were still at large, Reuters news agency reported.

The minister did not provide a motive for the killing, which he said was still being investigated.

Col Gaddafi's government said the killing was proof that the rebels were not capable of ruling Libya.

Government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said: "It is a nice slap [in] the face of the British that the [rebel National Transitional] council that they recognised could not protect its own commander of the army."

Continue reading the main story Helped Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi take power in the 1969 coup that ousted King IdrisClose advisor to the Libyan leader for four decades, rising to the post of general and training Col Gaddafi's special forcesAppointed interior ministerQuit the government on 22 February 2011 and defected to the rebels - one of the earliest such moves by a senior officialAppointed as the opposition's military chief in April, but faced mistrust due to his past ties to Col GaddafiMr Ibrahim also said Younes was killed by al-Qaeda, repeating a claim that the group is the strongest force within the rebel movement.

"By this act, al-Qaeda wanted to mark out its presence and its influence in this region," he said.

"The other members of the National Transitional Council knew about it but could not react because they are terrified of al-Qaeda," he added.

Middle East analyst Shashank Joshi said the concern that emerges most sharply from the incident is not so much that the National Transitional Council will splinter before Tripoli falls, but that it might do so afterwards.

The general - Col Gaddafi's former interior minister - joined the rebels at the beginning of the Libyan uprising in February.

The BBC's Ian Pannell in the rebel-held city of Misrata says the death will feed international suspicions that the rebels cannot be trusted.

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Israeli orchestra to play Wagner

25 July 2011 Last updated at 08:27 GMT Musical director Roberto Paternostro said he never had any doubts about the project The Israeli Chamber Orchestra will break with tradition to play a work by Hitler's favourite composer, Richard Wagner, in Germany.

Roberto Paternostro will conduct classical piece Siegfried Idyll on Tuesday at Bayreuth's Wagner festival.

It is rare for Israeli musicians to play the anti-Semitic composer's work, which was appropriated by the Nazis.

Paternostro said that while Wagner's ideology was "terrible", the aim was "to divide the man from his art".

An unofficial ban on Wagner was introduced in 1938 by the Palestine Orchestra - now the Israel Philharmonic - after Jews were attacked by the Nazis in Germany.

Musical director Paternostro said it had been "a very difficult and rocky path" but that "there wasn't a moment when I had any doubts about this project".

"I know that in Israel this isn't accepted," added Paternostro, who is Jewish and whose mother survived the holocaust.

"But many people have told me it's time we confront Wagner, especially those in the younger generation."

It was too soon for the orchestra to perform Wagner in Israel and they had not rehearsed the work there, he added.

Standing ovation

Hitler was a passionate admirer of the work of Wagner - who lived from 1813 to 1883 - as well as his theories on Germanic racial purity.

Daniel Barenboim conducted Wagner at the annual Israel Festival in July 2001

The Israeli Chamber Orchestra's performance forms part of a fringe festival linked to Bayreuth's annual Wagner opera festival which begins on Monday with a production of Tannhauser.

In July 2001, conductor Daniel Barenboim led a German orchestra in performing a piece from Wagner's opera Tristan und Isolde, at the annual Israel Festival.

At the end of a concert in Jerusalem, Israeli Barenboim told the audience the orchestra would be playing the piece and that anyone who objected could leave.

Some angrily protested and left the hall but at the end of the performance, the audience gave it a standing ovation.

In December, pianist Barenboim told reporters: "We need one day to liberate Wagner of all this weight."

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Iran man 'pardoned' from blinding

31 July 2011 Last updated at 08:37 GMT Ameneh Bahrami said she had reprieved the man "for my country" An Iranian man who was ordered to be blinded for carrying out an acid attack on a woman has been pardoned by his victim, state television has said.

Ameneh Bahrami had demanded qisas, a rarely used retributive justice under Sharia law, but the report said she had foregone that right at the last minute.

A court had backed Ms Bahrami's demand in 2008 that Majid Movahedi be blinded.

He attacked Ms Bahrami in 2004 after she had refused his offer of marriage, leaving her severely disfigured.

Rights group Amnesty International had lobbied against the sentence, calling it "cruel and inhuman punishment amounting to torture".

Mother's praise

The state television website reported: "With the request of Ameneh Bahrami, the acid attack victim, Majid (Movahedi) who was sentenced for 'qisas' was pardoned at the last minute."

The Isna news agency quoted Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi as saying: "Today in hospital the blinding of Majid Movahedi was to have been carried out in the presence of an eye specialist and judiciary representative, when Ameneh pardoned him."

Isna quoted Ms Bahrami as saying: "I struggled for seven years with this verdict to prove to people that the person who hurls acid should be punished through 'qisas', but today I pardoned him because it was my right.

"I did it for my country, since all other countries were looking to see what we would do."

Ms Bahrami was quoted on Iranian TV as saying: "I never wanted to have revenge on him. I just wanted the sentence to be issued for retribution. But I would not have carried it out. I had no intention of taking his eyes from him."

Mr Dolatabadi told Isna that Ms Bahrami had demanded "blood money", or compensation, for her injuries.

He praised her "courageous act" of pardon, adding: "The judiciary was serious about implementing the verdict."

Ms Bahrami said she had never received any money from the man's family, saying she was seeking only compensation for medical fees, which she put at 150,000 euros ($216,000: ?131,000).

She said: "He wont be freed. He has a sentence, which he has to serve for 10-12 years of which he has done seven. Unless the full compensation is paid, he won't be freed."

Isna quoted Ms Bahrami's mother as saying: "I am proud of my daughter... Ameneh had the strength to forgive Majid. This forgiveness will calm Ameneh and our family."

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Police raid ex-Fatah man's home

28 July 2011 Last updated at 12:18 GMT Mohammed Dahlan is Fatah's former head of security in the Gaza Strip Palestinian police have raided the house of former Fatah official Mohammed Dahlan, in one of their biggest security operations in the West Bank for years.

Mr Dahlan was expelled from the party last month over allegations of corruption and trying to undermine the leadership of President Mahmoud Abbas.

The raid came hours after his appeal against the expulsion was rejected.

Mr Dahlan denies the corruption claims. No formal charges have been laid.

Equipment seized

Scores of Palestinian police and security forces surrounded Mr Dahlan's Ramallah home at 0700 (0400 GMT), reports said.

They forced their way in, arrested several of his bodyguards and seized weapons, computers and vehicles from the house, witnesses said.

The Palestinian interior ministry said such private bodyguards constituted an illegal armed gang, the BBC's Jon Donnison reports from Ramallah.

Mr Dahlan - who has parliamentary immunity as an elected member of the Palestinian Legislative Council - was understood to have been locked in a room of his house while security forces conducted the searches, the AFP news agency reported.

Dahlan had returned to Ramallah to appeal against his expulsion from Fatah

The 49-year-old was once the powerful internal security minister and seen as a potential Palestinian leader. But his reputation never recovered from the defeat of his security forces in Gaza by Hamas in 2007.

On 12 June, the Fatah Central Committee (FCC) voted to expel him from the party amid claims that he was plotting an internal coup against Mr Abbas.

Mr Dahlan alleges that there is a witch hunt against him by people who feel he is a threat to the leadership of President Abbas, our correspondent Jon Donnison says.

The decision to expel Mr Dahlan must now be approved by a two-thirds majority of the Fatah Revolutionary Council.

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Libya taunts UK over rebel death

30 July 2011 Last updated at 10:57 GMT Abdel Fattah Younes had defected from the government in February Libya's government has taunted the UK over the death of rebel military commander General Abdel Fattah Younes.

It has been claimed the former Libyan government minister was shot by an Islamist militia linked to the rebels.

A Libyan government spokesman said the incident showed the UK government had made a mistake by recognising the rebel council as the sole authority in Libya.

He said it was "a nice slap to the face of the British" that the rebels were unable to protect their army chief.

On Saturday, the rebels' Oil Minister, Ali Tarhouni, told reporters in Benghazi that a leader of the Obaida Ibn Jarrah Brigade had provided information on the circumstances of Gen Younes's death.

But he did not provide a motive for the killing, which he said was still being investigated.

On Wednesday, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said the UK would recognise the Libyan National Transitional Council of the rebels as the "sole governmental authority", as it expelled Gaddafi-regime diplomats from the UK.

Gen Younes and two aides were killed by gunmen after being recalled from the front line of fighting.

Hundreds of mourners carried a coffin containing the general's body into Benghazi's main square on Friday.

Col Muammar Gaddafi's government in Tripoli said the killing was proof the rebels were not capable of ruling Libya.

'Nice slap to face'

Government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said: "It is a nice slap to the face of the British that the council that they recognised could not protect its own commander of the army."

Speaking before Mr Tarhouni's comments, Mr Ibrahim suggested Gen Younes had been killed by al-Qaeda and repeated a claim that the group was the strongest force within the rebel movement, which is based in the east of the country.

"By this act, al-Qaeda wanted to mark out its presence and its influence in this region," he said.

"The other members of the (rebel) National Transitional Council knew about it but could not react because they are terrified of al-Qaeda."

Gen Younes - a former interior minister who had served at the heart of Col Gaddafi's regime since the 1969 coup - joined the rebels at the beginning of the Libyan uprising in February.

On Wednesday, the Libyan charge d'affaires in the UK was called to the Foreign Office to be told he and other diplomats must leave.

Instead the UK will ask the National Transitional Council to appoint a new diplomatic envoy.

It follows similar moves by the US and France. The UK had previously said it recognised "countries not governments".

Meanwhile, Nato said a "precision air strike" had disabled three Libyan state TV satellite transmission dishes.

Nato said the operation was intended to stop "inflammatory broadcasts" by Col Gaddafi's regime.

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Lebanon frees 'slanderous' singer

28 July 2011 Last updated at 17:40 GMT By Owen Bennett-Jones BBC News, Beirut Zeid Hamdan was accused of insulting the president in his lyrics Lebanon has freed singer Zeid Hamdan, detained on Wednesday over a song deemed insulting to President Michel Suleiman, a former army chief.

Slandering the president carries a maximum two-year sentence in Lebanon. Officials reportedly took exception to the lyrics: 'General go home'.

A Facebook campaign calling for his release has attracted 2,500 supporters.

Some reports say the presidency heard of the Facebook group and ordered his release but that was officially denied.

'Bit of advice'

It was four years ago that Zeid Hamdan decided to write a song about President Suleiman, former commander-in-chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces.

He has performed the song ever since and last year an Italian director made a video of it and posted it on a DVD to a Lebanese advertising agency.

That is when the problems began. A vigilant customs officer watched it and there was one line he didn't like.

"At the end of the song, I say 'General go home'," Hamdan told the BBC.

"[The authorities said] it's the worst thing you can tell him, you are asking him to leave power. So it's worse than an insult," he recalled.

Hamdan explained that it was not an insult - just a bit of advice. Unconvinced, the officials asked him to three interrogations, including one on Wednesday morning, when he was arrested.

As he was put into handcuffs, Hamdan managed to pass his mobile phone to his lawyer.

"I gave him my Facebook code and asked him to do an announcement to my Facebook profile, which he did. People created a group to release me and in a few hours I had 2,000 people.

"Somehow most of my friends were very active and helped the noise to spread."

By the end of the day, a judge called him from his cell and ordered that he be freed.

"He said call your parents and he told me sarcastically - go home."

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Mass protests held across Syria

29 July 2011 Last updated at 17:21 GMT As with last week's protests, the biggest rally appeared to be in Hama Tens of thousands of Syrians have again turned out for Friday protests against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad.

Troops fired live ammunition and tear gas at protesters, killing two people and wounding dozens, activists said.

There have been reports of fighting in the eastern city of Deir al-Zour between military intelligence agents and residents after five protesters were killed overnight.

Earlier, state media said a blast hit an oil pipeline near the city of Homs.

The attack was the second of its kind this month. State news agency Sana called the explosion a terrorist attack by a group of "saboteurs".

But activists told the BBC they did not have the capability to carry out such an attack.

Ramadan soon

Protest organisers say that this week's demonstrations are aimed at other Arab countries under the slogan, "Your silence is killing us".

Human rights groups said that troops opened fire on protesters in the Mediterranean city of Latakia, killing at least one protester and that another person was killed during a protest in the southern city of Deraa - where the protests first erupted in mid-March.

Heavily armed troops backed by armoured vehicles pushed back protesters in the coastal town of Baniyas and fired tear gas in several other locations, the AP news agency said, citing local activists. There were also marches in the countryside around Damascus despite an intense crackdown there, it added.

The reports are difficult to verify as few foreign reporters have been allowed into the country.

Syrian forces are trying to quell the unrest ahead of Ramadan, which starts this weekend, activists say.

Last night, security forces shot dead three civilians in Deir al-Zour and two in a Damascus suburb, near the town of Zabadani, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The demonstrations have been met by a fierce crackdown that has killed more than 1,500 civilians and seen 26,000 people arrested.

More than 12,600 are still in detention, the Avaaz rights group says, and 3,000 others are missing, with family members unable to establish if they are still alive.

Pipeline blast The blast took place in the village of Tell Kalakh, near Homs in western Syria

The governor of Homs, Syria's third largest city, said many residents heard the pipeline explosion at around 0400 (0100 GMT).

"This terrorist operation, a subversive operation of the highest order, took place in a farming area, causing extensive damage," Ghassan al-Adel told Sana.

The blast left a crater 15m (50ft) wide and oil gushing from the broken pipe, the Sana news agency said.

Two weeks ago, on 13 July, a fire damaged a gas pipeline near the town of Mayadin in the country's main oil and gas-producing region of Deir al-Zour province, activists said at the time.

Oil production in Syria stands at about 350,000 barrels per day, according to official data. It is a key source of income for the Syrian economy, hard hit by more than four months of unrest.

Syria's anti-government protests, inspired by events in Tunisia and Egypt, first erupted in mid-March after the arrest of a group of teenagers who spray-painted a revolutionary slogan on a wall. The protests soon spread, and human rights activists and opposition groups say 1,700 people have died in the turmoil, while thousands more have been injured. Although the arrest of the teenagers in the southern city of Deraa first prompted people to take to the streets, unrest has since spread to other areas, including Hama, Homs, Latakia, Jisr al-Shughour and Baniyas. Demonstrators are demanding greater freedom, an end to corruption, and, increasingly, the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad. President Assad's government has responded to the protests with overwhelming military force, sending tanks and troops into at least nine towns and cities. In Deraa and Homs - where protests have persisted ? amateur video footage shows tanks firing on unarmed protesters, while snipers have been seen shooting at residents venturing outside their homes. Some of the bloodiest events have taken place in the northern town of Jisr al-Shughour. In early June, officials claimed 120 security personnel were killed by armed gangs, however protesters said the dead were shot by troops for refusing to kill demonstrators. As the military moved to take control of the town, thousands fled to neighbouring Turkey, taking refuge in camps. Although the major cities of Damascus and Aleppo have seen pockets of unrest and some protests, it has not been widespread - due partly to a heavy security presence. There have been rallies in the capital - one with an enormous Syrian flag - in support of President Assad, who still receives the backing of many in Syria's middle class, business elite and minority groups. The Assad family has been in power for 40 years, with Bashar al-Assad inheriting office in 2000. The president has opened up the economy, but has continued to jail critics and control the media. He is from the minority Alawite sect - an offshoot of Shia Islam ? but the country's 20 million people are mainly Sunni. The biggest protests have been in Sunni-majority areas. Although the US and EU have condemned the violence and imposed sanctions, the UN Security Council has been unable to agree on a response. Some fear the country could descend into civil war if the government collapsed, while others believe chaos in Syria ? with its strategic location and its web of regional alliances - could destabilise the entire Middle East.BACK {current} of {total} NEXT

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Charm offensive

27 July 2011 Last updated at 04:07 GMT The Algerian government is working to prevent North Africa's revolutionary tide from reaching its shores. Political analyst Hamoud Salhi considers for the BBC's Focus on Africa magazine its chance of success.

For months now, Algerian authorities have been busy pre-empting a potential threat of revolution.

The success of popular movements in neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt sent alarming signals to government circles that Algeria was next in line to experience revolutionary change.

The effect has been so strong that local governments in the eastern part of Algeria have instructed police to relax street regulations, including allowing motorists to drive without a proper vehicle tax document.

Continue reading the main story 34% salary increase for civil servantsSubsidies on flour, milk, cooking oil and sugarTax waiver for imported cooking oil and sugarStreet regulations relaxed in some areasState of emergency liftedPolice have also been told to ignore illegal street traders and refrain from collecting taxes from shopkeepers if they claim their business has been affected by the activities of such traders.

So far the policy of appeasement and concession has worked well for the Algerian government. But for how long?

There are severe housing shortages in Algeria, accompanied by high consumer prices and low salaries. According to the International Monetary Fund, unemployment rates have reached 25% among 24 year olds, widening gaps between social classes.

Large revenues generated from favourably high prices of oil have enabled the government to divert people's anger and win their silence - at least for now.

Pleasing the people

The Algerian government, led by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, has embarked on a series of initiatives to win over the public.

In early May, the government revised this year's national budget, allocating 25% of the total to pay for public sector workers' salaries and subsidies on flour, milk, cooking oil and sugar.

Nine people were injured when riots broke out in the Algerian capital, Algiers, in May

This is on top of a 34% increase in salaries for civil servants given earlier this year.

The new budget law extended a tax waiver on cooking oil and sugar imported from abroad until the end of the year. Previously, the government had introduced several programmes to benefit the youth, including low-interest loans for opening a business and affordable housing.

But in a recent interview, an Algerian official described the government's actions as "a circus", saying it is "doing everything to avoid angering the people".

In early February, the government also lifted a 19-year-old state of emergency law that forbade demonstrations and restricted the formation of political associations.

This month the president is expected to release 4,000 Islamists from prison. Most of them have been held since 1992 when a conflict erupted between Islamists and the military.

President Bouteflika has also launched an ambitious reform agenda that would culminate next year with an amended constitution, new electoral laws and a press code, along with several other key changes aimed at curtailing corruption and easing bureaucratic hurdles.

To ensure the participation of all political forces, Mr Bouteflika nominated his former adviser General Mohammed Touati and Mohammed Ali Boughazi, the former cabinet minister, to organise and lead a national dialogue on reforms.

Both leaders were selected for their connections to the Berber political parties and Islamist leaders, respectively.

Lessons from Libya In some areas, police have been told to stop collecting taxes from shopkeepers

But concessions, appeasement and reforms are not the only means the government has used to fend off threats of revolutionary change. Propaganda is the other.

In its coverage of Libya, Algeria's official media has highlighted the threats of terrorism, foreign intervention and the overall collapse of the systemic order with images of mass killings and destroyed infrastructure.

But Algeria has not necessarily weathered the storm. The government has had success managing the current crisis but it has to do more.

Further success will depend on the extent to which the president is willing to push for the resolution of what many Algerians consider the core of the country's malaise: Poor living conditions for the vast majority of people and a lack of a transparent and fair political representation.

The current system has long been criticised for lacking popular legitimacy and for being overly controlled by the military. Restricting the role of the military and opening the system could be central to restoring a new and legitimate order.

Making the economic development of the country an urgent priority is also key. If the existing socio-economic problems continue, the population will have no choice but to turn to the inevitable: Revolution.

Only time will tell if the Algerian government has saved Algeria and itself from any radical change.

Hamoud Salhi is professor of political science at California State University (US), and formerly a television and newspaper analyst.

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Egypt Islamists lead Cairo rally

29 July 2011 Last updated at 21:40 GMT The protest is one of the largest since the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak Tens of thousands of people have packed Cairo's Tahrir Square, after the first call by Islamist leaders for nationwide demonstrations since President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in February.

Many protesters - dominated by Muslim Brotherhood supporters - are calling for an Islamic state and Sharia law.

Correspondents say the rallies will be a worrying development for secularists.

The Brotherhood is the most organised political force in Egypt, although it was not prominent in the revolution.

Tensions have been running high between Egypt's Islamist and secular groups, who are at odds over the transition to democracy in the Arab world's most populated country.

Casualties

Later there were a number of casualties when violence broke out in a separate incident in Sinai.

"We have two bodies of civilians in the morgue now and 12 police conscripts being treated for injuries in hospital," Hisham Shiha, Egypt's deputy health minister, told state television.

Around 100 armed men drove around the city of El-Arish, shouting Islamic slogans, and firing into the air, before attacking a police station.

Terrified residents fled into their homes. One of those killed was a 13-year-old boy, according to reports in the local media.

Turning point?

Among the earlier protests in Tahrir Square, liberal groups called for guarantees of a constitution that will protect religious freedom and personal rights, whereas Islamists demanded speedy elections and a recognition of Islam - in one form or another - in the new Egyptian state.

Now the Islamists want their voice to be heard and are showing their muscle for the first time since Mr Mubarak stepped down on 11 February, says the BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo.

Although the Muslim Brotherhood can turn out huge crowds by rallying its supporters at mosques, it does not necessarily represent the majority of Egyptians and is predicted to win around 20% of the vote in an election, our correspondent says.

There was little sign of any secular groups at Friday's rally, he says, adding that it will be interesting to see how they re-group after today's events.

Since early July, the mainly secular protesters had camped out in Tahrir Square - the epicentre of protests that toppled Mr Mubarak - to denounce the ruling military council over the slow pace of reform.

Islamist groups had for the most part stayed away from the sit-in. Last week, they held their own demonstration and accused the Tahrir protesters of going against the country's "Islamic identity", the AFP news agency reports.

But with Islamists and the more conservative Salafist groups now filling Tahrir Square, it could mark a turning point in Egypt's post-revolution period, our correspondent says.

Later on Friday, witnesses in el-Arish reported men in trucks and on motorbikes firing their assault rifles into the air and forcing frightened residents into their homes.

The men are reported to have been confronted by policemen and soldiers.

"We have two bodies of civilians in the morgue now and 12 police conscripts being treated for injuries in hospital," Hisham Shiha, Egypt's deputy health minister, told state television.

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Iraq 'more deadly' than year ago

30 July 2011 Last updated at 15:18 GMT Nearly a dozen civilians die violent deaths in Iraq every day A top US adviser on Iraq has accused the US military of glossing over an upsurge in violence, just months before its troops are due to be withdrawn.

Iraq is more dangerous now than a year ago, said a report issued by the US Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, Stuart W Bowen Junior.

He said the killing of US soldiers and senior Iraqi figures, had risen, along with attacks in Baghdad .

The report contradicts usually upbeat assessments from the US military.

It comes as Washington is preparing to withdraw its remaining 47,000 troops from Iraq by the end of the year, despite fears that the Iraqi security forces might not be ready to take over fully.

Assassinations

"Iraq remains an extraordinarily dangerous place to work," Mr Bowen concluded in his quarterly report to Congress. "It is less safe, in my judgment, than 12 months ago."

The report cited the deaths of 15 US soldiers in June - the bloodiest month for the American military in two years - but also said more Iraqi officials had been assassinated in the past few months than in any other recent period.

While the efforts of Iraqi and American forces may have reduced the threat from the Sunni-based insurgency, Shia militias are believed to have become more active, it said.

Responsibility for training Iraqi forces will fall to the US State Department after the pullout

They are being blamed for the deaths of American soldiers, and for an increase in rocket attacks on the Baghdad international zone and the US embassy compound.

Additionally, the report called the north-eastern province of Diyala, which borders Iran, "very unstable" with frequent bombings that bring double-digit death tolls.

Mr Bowen accused the US military of glossing over the instability, noting an army statement in late May that described Iraq's security trends as "very, very positive" - but only when compared to 2007, when the country was on the brink of civil war.

A spokesman for the US army in Iraq declined to respond.

Stay or go?

The findings come in the middle of what the inspector called a "summer of uncertainty" in Baghdad over whether American forces will stay past a year-end withdrawal deadline and continue military aid for the unstable nation.

Although the US is preparing to withdraw all its remaining troops by the end of the year, in line with mutual agreements, the Obama administration has offered to leave 10,000 to help train the Iraqi forces.

That is politically highly controversial in Baghdad, where Nouri al-Maliki's Shia-dominated government, dependent on support from strongly anti-American elements, has not been able to produce a clear answer, says the BBC's Jim Muir from Beirut.

The situation is clearly very much better than it was at the height of the violence in 2006-7, our correspondent says.

In fact, the overall figures for Iraqi civilian deaths in the first six months of this year, collated by Iraqi Body Count, show a very slight improvement over last year.

But patterns of violence have changed, he adds. There are fewer big bomb explosions, but more targeted killings of Iraqi officials or security forces.

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Egypt changes Mubarak trial venue

31 July 2011 Last updated at 01:50 GMT Hosni Mubarak is currently in a hospital in the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh Egyptian authorities say the trial of deposed President Hosni Mubarak's trial will be moved from a Cairo convention centre, for security reasons.

The trial, due to open on Wednesday, will now be held at a police academy further from the city centre.

Mr Mubarak, 83, has been under arrest at a hospital in the coastal resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh since April.

He is charged with corruption and ordering the killing of protesters before he was toppled in February.

Appeals court president Abdel Aziz Omar said Mr Mubarak's trial was being moved "because it is difficult to guarantee the protection of the other place".

The police academy auditorium where the trial will now be held can hold 600 people, Assistant Justice Minister Mohammed Munie told Egypt's Mena news agency.

A cage for the defendants has already been prepared, he said.

Protesters still demonstrating in Egypt have made swift prosecution of officials from the former regime a key demand.

Family trial

Doctors have said Mr Mubarak's condition is poor, that he has lost weight from refusing food and is suffering from depression. But the government has said he is well enough to be moved to Cairo for trial.

Mr Mubarak is expected to be tried alongside his two sons, Alaa and Gamal, and former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly, as well as six senior police officials.

Adly has already been sentenced to 12 years in jail for corruption.

The justice minister has said Mr Mubarak could face the death penalty if found guilty of murder.

Mr Mubarak was deposed on 11 February, after 18 days of mass demonstrations in which some 850 people were killed.

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Tomb raider

30 July 2011 Last updated at 00:05 GMT By Katia Moskvitch Technology reporter, BBC News Interactive 3D film about a theory of the construction of the Great Pyramid of Khufu in Egypt has now migrated on to the home desktop

A mouse click - and a member of a pharaoh's burial procession turns around.

One more click - and the animated figure invites you inside the snaking, narrow corridors of one of the world's most magnificent structures - the Great Pyramid of Khufu, also known as the Great Pyramid of Cheops.

Peering into the screen through his funky red and blue 3D glasses, ancient Egypt enthusiast Keith Payne is gripped by the centuries-old story unfolding before his eyes as if through a time-travel lens.

"This is amazing!" he says. "I think that being able to use a 3D simulation tool to explore Khufu's pyramid is really a whole new way of both learning and teaching.

Jean-Pierre Houdin's controversial theory is totally different from all other hypotheses

"Being able to pause the narration and virtually take control of the camera to go anywhere in the scene and explore for yourself, and then return to the documentary where you left off is a way of learning that was never really available before now."

This interactive journey, first presented to the public in a 3D theatre in Paris, has now migrated onto the home desktop.

To watch the film, users simply download a plug-in and don a pair of 3D glasses - although the software gives the sensation of depth without them too, to a lesser extent.

And it works with 3D TVs, too.

Controversial theory Continue reading the main story

It is a theory that explains how the Egyptians, who had no iron, no wheels and no pulleys, were able to build such a massive structure”

End Quote Mehdi Tayoubi Dassault Systemes With help of cutting-edge 3D technology, the video lets users take a peek inside the 146m-high Great Pyramid, the last of the seven wonders of the ancient world still standing.

The scene appears as it might have 45 centuries ago - full of the loyal people of the second ruler of the fourth dynasty.

But the film is not pure entertainment - besides the educational aspect, it tries to explain one of the theories behind the pyramid's construction.

Lying north of modern-day Cairo, the largest and oldest of the three pyramids of the royal necropolis of Giza is believed to have been built as Khufu's tomb.

Inside, it contains three burial chambers - one underground, a second known as the Queen's Chamber which was possibly intended for the pharaoh's sacred statue, and the King's Chamber.

This latter is located almost exactly in the middle of the structure, and it is there where the pharaoh's granite sarcophagus lies, but no mummy has ever been found.

What we don't know is how this colossal monument, made of two million stone blocks that weigh an average of 2.5 tonnes each, was actually built.

The interactive 3D film outlines one hypothesis.

The enigma of the Great Pyramid's construction has intrigued people for centuries and sparked many theories

"It is a theory that explains how the Egyptians, who had no iron, no wheels and no pulleys, were able to build such a massive structure," says the project's interactive director Mehdi Tayoubi from French software firm Dassault Systemes.

Continue reading the main story

Until we can do some non-invasive means of confirming or denying his hypothesis, we will have to leave it as just a theory”

End Quote Prof Peter Der Manuelian Harvard University "Most of all, it explains how they managed to get huge beams weighing around 60 tonnes each all the way up to the King's Chamber."

The idea has been drafted by French architect Jean-Pierre Houdin.

It differs sharply from another popular theory which suggests that ancient engineers used an outside stone ramp, spiralling its way to the top. No physical evidence to support such a system has ever been found.

Instead, Mr Houdin insists that the ramp was inside the pyramid - hence it is invisible from the outside.

The computer simulations done with Dassault Systemes seem to support this belief.

Djedi, a tiny robot, has been exploring the Great Pyramid of Khufu for the past two years

But not everyone agrees. Professor of Egyptology at Harvard University, Peter Der Manuelian points out that this theory too lacks solid proof.

"Mr Houdin has worked very hard to try to explain many of the features inside the Great Pyramid, he's certainly a dedicated researcher," he says.

"But until we can do some non-invasive means of confirming or denying his hypothesis, we will have to leave it as just a theory."

But the architect insists that there is some scientific backing to his thoughts.

For instance, in 1986 a French team used microgravimetry - a technique that measures the density of different sections of a structure to detect hidden chambers.

The resulting scan showed a curious pattern - a hollow that seems to wind the walls up the inside of the pyramid.

Infrared imagery

And it is possible to get even more evidence, says Mr Houdin.

The theory suggests ancient builders used an internal and not external ramp

Cracking the ancient monument open not being an option, his team decided to measure the reaction of the pyramid to exterior factors - such as heat.

To do that, they got in touch with specialists in infrared imagery from the University Laval in Canada who have decided to set up special cameras around the pyramid.

"In Egypt, air temperatures vary greatly between day and night - and rocks in the pyramid react accordingly," explains Mr Houdin.

"If the pyramid is a solid structure, then according to our computer simulations, in the summer at noon it will be hotter at the top as there's less mass, and cooler at the bottom, where the cold ground helps to cool it from below.

"But if there's an internal ramp, it will be the other way around - the pyramid will be cooler at the top."

Setting up a few cameras may seem simple enough, but for this next step to succeed, the joint international venture must be okayed by the Egyptian authorities - who have so far been reluctant to give any kind of positive response.

Djedi robot Continue reading the main story

The Great Pyramid is a truly unique and wonderful structure - the shafts and "doors" do not exist in any other ancient Egyptian building”

End Quote Shaun Whitehead Djedi project leader Besides the infrared proof, one other explorer could also help reveal what is hidden in pharaoh Khufu's eternal resting place.

Meet Djedi - a tiny robot that has been exploring the pyramid for the past two years.

Its name, although reminiscent of the Star Wars warriors, belongs to an ancient Egyptian magician whom Khufu consulted when building the pyramid.

The project is a separate one from Jean-Pierre Houdin's construction analysis, but has also been developed with help of Dassault Systemes - and in collaboration with an international team of researchers.

Djedi's mission is to continue the work of its predecessors.

After the pyramid's main chambers were discovered, researchers were puzzled by one interesting fact.

They found two straight narrow shafts 20cm by 20 cm that connected the King's Chamber with the outside world which were thought to have been used for ventilation.

There are two similar shafts that go from the Queen's Chamber, but never reach the walls, mysteriously stopping seemingly nowhere.

In 2002, a robot crawled to the stone in the end of the shaft and boldly drilled a hole in it, transmitting live images so the entire world could witness the moment of unveiling.

But that mission failed.

The King's Chamber sits in the middle of the Great Pyramid with the Queen's chamber below it

A second door, unseen for more than 4,000 years, blocked the way - and Djedi now has to drill a hole in that too.

"The Great Pyramid is a truly unique and wonderful structure - the shafts and "doors" do not exist in any other ancient Egyptian building," says the project leader Shaun Whitehead.

"Finding out why they are there will give us a greater insight into the techniques and motivation of an amazing civilisation from 4,500 years ago."

The robot crawls forward as a mechanical inchworm, armed with an endoscopic "snake camera" that can look into difficult to reach spaces.

It is also equipped with a drill, hopefully long enough to reach and pierce the second door.

And it has already sent back some exciting images.

In May 2011, Djedi found what looked like ancient graffiti in-between the two doors.

As these two separate, but interrelated projects progress, we may be on the very edge of uncovering some our past's greatest secrets.

The 3D film takes viewers back to ancient Egypt, as it was 45 centuries ago

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Tunisia's ex-leader found guilty

29 July 2011 Last updated at 10:21 GMT Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali (L) and his son-in-law Sakher El Materi (R) were given 16-year jail terms Tunisia's ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, his daughter and son-in-law have been given jail terms in absentia over corrupt property deals.

They were also ordered to collectively pay $100m (?61m) in damages.

This is the third guilty verdict against Ben Ali, who fled in January to Saudi Arabia after weeks of protest - the first of the "Arab Spring" revolts.

Saudi Arabia has so far failed to extradite Ben Ali, despite a request by Tunisia's new interim government.

Ben Ali was accused of using his power to get property for his family at prices far below the market value in the capital, Tunis.

He and his son-in-law, businessman Sakher El Materi, were sentenced to 16 years in prison.

His daughter, Nesrine, who is married to El Materi, was given an eight-year jail term.

Ben Ali was first sentenced in June, along with his wife Leila, to 35 years in prison for embezzlement and misuse of state funds.

Earlier this month, he was convicted on charges of possessing illegal drugs and weapons after a one-day trial and given 15 years in jail.

Ben Ali ruled Tunisia for more than 20 years, before being toppled in a popular uprising that spread across North Africa and the Middle East.

His critics say his rule was marred by widespread human rights abuses and a lack of democracy.

His supporters say Tunisia was stable during his rule.

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UN tribunal names Hariri suspects

29 July 2011 Last updated at 15:36 GMT Wanted: Four men accused of murdering Rafik Hariri A UN-backed tribunal has released the names of the four indicted suspects in the assassination of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

They are all connected with the Lebanese Shia movement, Hezbollah.

The wanted men are Mustafa Amine Badreddine, a senior Hezbollah figure, Salim Jamil Ayyash, Hussein Hassan Oneissi and Assad Hassan Sabra.

Hezbollah is a key part of the Lebanese government and has said it will not allow the men to be arrested.

Their identities had already been leaked, as had their association with Hezbollah.

The tribunal said it was releasing the information in order to facilitate the arrest of the men.

Pre-trial judge Daniel Fransen ordered the lifting of confidentiality on the names, aliases, biographical information, photographs and charges against the individuals named in the indictment, the tribunal said in a statement.

Following the issue of the arrest warrants, the Lebanese authorities have until 11 August to inform the tribunal of the action they will take in response.

Rafik Hariri and 22 others were killed in February 2005 in central Beirut when a huge bomb went off near his motorcade.

The assassination plunged Lebanon into a series of political crises, killings and bombings that led to sectarian clashes in 2008, dragging the country to the brink of civil war.

Hariri's son, Saad, has welcomed the indictments and described them as a "historic moment" for Lebanon.

However, there are widespread doubts about whether the authorities will act on the indictments and arrest the wanted men, says the BBC's correspondent in Beirut, in view of the influence wielded by Hezbollah in government.

Earlier this month, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the authorities would never arrest his members.

He dismissed the accusations as unfounded and a failed attempt to bring down Lebanon's new, Hezbollah-backed government.

"They cannot find them or arrest them in 30 days or 60 days, or in a year, two years, 30 years or 300 years," Nasrallah said at the time.

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Amnesty condemns Saudi terror law

22 July 2011 Last updated at 17:25 GMT Amnesty says the law would mean even small acts of dissent were branded terrorism A secret new anti-terror law being drawn up by the Saudi authorities would "strangle peaceful protest", Amnesty International has said.

The BBC has been shown a classified copy of the draft law showing a number of measures Amnesty said would severely restrict human rights.

These include lengthy detention without trial, restricted legal access and increased use of the death penalty.

But a Saudi official said it was directed at terrorists, not dissidents.

The Saudi government has so far declined to comment, but the senior official, who did not want to be named, confirmed the existence of the draft law and did not dispute the clauses contained in it.

A human rights group in Saudi Arabia has told the BBC that it will try to organise a petition to King Abdullah to change the law.

Incommunicado detention

"[The law] will give an open hand for the minister of the interior to do whatever he wants to do. Basically he will be controlling the judiciary, controlling the public prosecutor, he's in charge already of the prison system, and there is no way to get a fair trial," the head of the Saudi Civil Rights Association, Mohammad al-Qahtani, told the BBC.

Continue reading the main story Frank Gardner BBC security correspondent

Saudi Arabia has fought and largely won a protracted campaign against al-Qaeda-inspired terrorism.

But the gist of Amnesty International's criticism of this new draft law is that parts of it are really more aimed at crushing political dissent than locking up dangerous terrorists.

In a country where political parties are banned and half the adult population (women) are not allowed to drive, Saudi Arabia's conservative rulers have been deeply rattled by the "Arab Spring" street protest movement.

Amnesty now fears that if this secret draft law comes into practice, it could offer the authorities dramatically enhanced powers to arrest anyone suspected of political dissent.

But a Saudi government adviser, who closely monitors terrorism cases, told me it is all down to interpretation.

He strongly disagrees with Amnesty's view. He insists this draft law is needed to fight al-Qaeda militants trying to get into the country from Yemen.

"We face", he said, "a serious ongoing threat".

He said he would be trying to mobilise influential members of Saudi society to produce a petition to the King to improve it.

Amnesty International's Middle East press officer James Lynch told the BBC the draft law - a copy of which was leaked to the human rights group - "seeks to entrench some of the most repressive practices that Amnesty has been documenting for years".

Among the measures proposed is a broadening of the definition of a terrorist crime to include any action deemed to be "harming the reputation of the state" or "endangering national unity".

'Crushing dissent'

Suspects could be held incommunicado for up to 120 days - longer if authorised by a court - and there would be restrictions on access to legal advice.

Violations of the law would carry harsh punishments, with the death penalty applied in cases of taking up arms against the state or for any "terrorist crimes" that resulted in death, said Amnesty.

Questioning the integrity of Saudi Arabia's rulers would become an offence punishable by a minimum of 10 years in prison.

Amnesty said a number of provisions in the document contradicted the kingdom's legal obligations, including the UN Convention against Torture.

Philip Luther from the charity said the law would be a serious threat to freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia in the name of preventing terrorism.

"If passed it would pave the way for even the smallest acts of peaceful dissent to be branded terrorism and risk massive human rights violations," he said.

The BBC's Frank Gardner says Saudi Arabia has fought and largely won a protracted battle against al-Qaeda-inspired terrorism in recent years.

But the gist of Amnesty's criticism is that parts of the new draft law are more aimed at crushing political dissent than locking up dangerous terrorists.

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Freed Saudi woman driver defiant

21 July 2011 Last updated at 18:42 GMT By Michael Buchanan BBC News Activist Manal al-Sharif is a computer security expert and mother of one A Saudi woman whose imprisonment for driving drew global attention to the issue says she is more determined than ever to continue her campaign.

Manal al-Sharif, 32, was held for nine days in May after driving in the eastern city of Khobar.

"We won't stop until the first Saudi license is issued to a woman," she told the BBC in her first interview since.

Earlier this week, prosecutors in the city of Jeddah announced they were going to prosecute a woman for driving.

The campaign to allow women to drive in Saudi Arabia has gained momentum in recent weeks.

On 17 June, dozens of women took to their cars across the country in open defiance of the ban on driving.

The campaign gained the support of prominent women around the world, including US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton.

'Positive change'

Manal al-Sharif's imprisonment led to Amnesty International calling for her release.

Continue reading the main story

Women tell me they are different since 21 May - the day I was arrested - it's a positive change, they believe now”

End Quote Manal al-Sharif Women's rights activist She said she was surprised by the level of coverage and support she received. "I didn't know the whole world was moved."

More importantly, she said, had been the reaction from women in Saudi Arabia itself.

"Women tell me they are different since 21 May - the day I was arrested. It's a positive change, they believe now. [Driving] is one of our smallest rights. If we fight, we can build women who trust themselves, have belief to get the bigger rights we are fighting for."

Some Saudi women say the authorities have slightly relaxed their attitudes to female drivers, merely cautioning women rather than making them sign a pledge not to do it again.

Jeddah case

Earlier this week, however, prosecutors in Jeddah - on the Red Sea coast - announced they intended to pursue a case against a 35-year-old woman driver.

The woman, who has not been named, claims she had no alternative to driving as she needed to get to hospital and there was no man to take her there.

Zaki Safar from the Women2Drive campaign has spoken to her and said she had told the judge who set her trial date for September that he did not understand the background to her case.

Such setbacks appear not to be deterring many Saudi women from pursuing their campaign.

Manal al-Sharif, one of the organisers of Women2Drive, says they have been contacted by 1,023 women who want to drive - and by 192 women from across the country who are willing to teach them.

They are now looking to recruit volunteers.

"Women want to drive and they are taking actual steps towards that," said Ms Sharif.

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Damascene diversion

17 July 2011 Last updated at 23:18 GMT By Annika Folkeson Political analyst, Damascus Anti-regime protesters clash with government supports in Damascus in March The owner of a Damascus hotel had his office door wide open with a news broadcast from al-Jazeera TV station spilling out.

It was a risky thing to do.

Qatar-based al-Jazeera is one of several foreign news channels President Bashar al-Assad's regime dubs "instigators" of the trouble.

Nevertheless, the hotel owner did not seem worried.

"The Mukhabarat (secret police) is busy right now," he said.

"Those guys have their hands full."

His confidence was the exception: Most residents of the capital habitually lower their voices to declare that the situation is "improving".

After four months of protests and 1,400 people killed, Damascus displays a peculiar calm.

Cafes and parks are overflowing with people enjoying the slowly cooling summer evenings.

This is in sharp contrast to three months ago, when streets were empty.

Commerce is moving along seemingly as usual, although the economy has certainly taken a severe hit - something which may affect the outcome here.

Everyone is waiting to see which way Syria will go; towards the fall of yet another Middle Eastern dictator, or slowly ebbing protests as a result of brutal crackdowns.

Protesters say there is no turning back. The regime claims to be in control of the situation.

Contradictory signs

Since March, Syria has witnessed a slow escalation, with the spreading of protests to new locations, rumours of defecting soldiers, mass killings, and the "liberation" of Hama - as was optimistically reported.

Supporters of President Bashar al-Assad have responded to calls to protest on social media

This all seems to point to an inevitable outcome. Yet it is too soon to declare the end of the Assad regime.

The signs are contradictory. In mid-June, some commentators said protests seemed to be dwindling.

Others reported that security forces were stretched thin and showed signs of weakening in May.

But last Friday protesters all over Syria came out in unprecedented numbers - while the security forces have not had any new, large-scale defections.

The list of Damascene neighbourhoods "in revolt" is long - from Harasta in the south to Douma in the north.

However, despite the number, protests in the capital appear fairly contained and isolated.

The military can be seen on the outskirts of Damascus but in the centre the Mukhabarat reigns - and that is business as usual in this tightly controlled police-state.

We went to several neighbourhoods with a reputation for protest - Midan in the centre of the city, and Qaboun close to Abbasyeen square.

Continue reading the main story

Protesters gather, chant and disperse as soon as security cracks down, and then it's over”

End Quote Ma'ddaniya suburb resident Except for painted-over graffiti on walls, dumpsters and phone booths, a casual observer would spot little out of the ordinary.

"This is because it's all over in less than 30 minutes," said one resident of Ma'ddaniya a suburb, where the security forces killed several people at a demonstration in June.

"Protesters gather, chant and disperse as soon as security cracks down, and then it's over."

Demonstrations throughout the city follow the same pattern.

The regime seems to have realised, albeit slowly, that more blood will only increase protests - as happened in Tunisia and Egypt.

The recent drop in casualties might indicate a shift in tactics.

Ramadan reckoning

In Homs and Hama, the security forces are now reportedly moving from neighbourhood to neighbourhood arresting people.

Protesters say the prospect of being captured and tortured is more frightening than merely being shot.

This image taken by a resident is said to show protests in Hama

One protester in the Daf as-Shouk suburb of Damascus said he was so intimidated by the security forces he also joined pro-regime rallies "to relieve some of the pressure".

"Anti-regime protester by day, pro-Bashar in the evening," he joked uneasily.

Without people coming out en masse in Damascus and Aleppo - the two economic hubs and most populous cities - how will the opposition move forward?

Protests in the capital are still in the thousands on Fridays and only a few hundred on weekdays.

Anti-regime Damascenes who have yet to join demonstrations say: "We want to demonstrate but we need more people. Perhaps we need the people from the countryside to come here."

That seems unlikely with the numerous checkpoints controlling roads to the centre.

There are several explanations for the continued ambivalence of the capital.

A heavy security presence, scores of regime loyalists and beneficiaries, a more divided and sectarian city, and the lack of trust and strong neighbourhood ties all deter people from joining protests.

Syria is in wait-and-see mode. People on both sides forecast a protracted situation of instability.

Then the economy could start to matter.

Other important factors include the improving organisation of the opposition; the security forces' resilience, and international support. The US ambassador's visit to Hama on 8 July significantly boosted opposition morale.

Prospects for national dialogue have floundered once again, with dissidents refusing to participate in the 10 July talks and the divided opposition holding their own conference in Turkey on 16 July.

The only event that is undoubtedly drawing closer is Ramadan, when "every day is a Friday", and protesters could reach a critical mass.

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Misrata moneymen

17 July 2011 Last updated at 23:14 GMT By Gabriel Gatehouse BBC News, Misrata Libya's anti-government forces have managed to keep control of the city of Misrata Rebels in the Libyan city of Misrata say they are preparing for a fresh offensive. But progress has been slow, and the city itself is still surrounded - by enemy soldiers on one side and the sea on the other.

Inside Misrata, there is no proper government, certainly no-one is collecting taxes. And yet the city continues to function and, crucially, the war effort continues to be funded.

In Misrata's port, families with bags and bundles make their way on board a specially chartered passenger ferry, alongside wounded fighters.

The boat will sail to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, almost a whole day's journey by sea.

It is the only way out of Misrata. Routes by land are cut off by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces and air travel is ruled out by a Nato-enforced no-fly zone and government Grad rockets close by.

Checking the tickets at the end of the gang plank is Abdelkareem Raed.

In his early twenties, he is a volunteer. In fact, the boat is paid for by the family business.

"We are trying to help people," he says. "All businessmen are co-operating and are trying to help people here by importing food and humanitarian [aid], medicines."

Help for cash

His father, Mohammed Raed, is one of Libya's most successful businessmen. He made his money in dairy products.

Boats are the only way most people can leave the besieged city

Now he is funding Misrata's revolution. His chartered ship imports more than just humanitarian aid.

"We try to do our best to help the revolution, by money or food or also weapons from Benghazi to Misrata."

In some cases, his money goes towards shipping the weapons. In others he actually buys them from suppliers in the east of the country.

The rebels in Benghazi are of course on the same side as their comrades in Misrata and often the weapons are delivered for free. But not always.

When Misrata needs an urgent supply of weapons or ammunition, commanders say, cash payments can speed up delivery.

Fauzi Ibrahim el-Kashini is perhaps Misrata's most colourful businessman-turned-revolutionary.

Continue reading the main story

Every family in Misrata has [at least] one or two boys fighting. All the city is fighting for freedom”

End Quote Fauzi Ibrahim el-Kashini "I am fighting with two things," he says as he lifts up his shirt in the busy lobby of Misrata's poshest hotel, which he owns.

"I am fighting with my body and I am fighting with my money."

Underneath the shirt are some recently healed bullet scars, standing out against the folds of Mr Kashini's ample belly.

In February, on the first day of anti-government protests in Misrata, he says a pro-Gaddafi soldier shot him five times.

Mr Kashini's business prospered under Col Gaddafi. But his support for this revolution is not just personal, it is also business.

"I tell Gaddafi now, 'I know that you take all my money in Tripoli. It is around $20m (?12.5m). But listen to me: One day I will go to Tripoli and I will take my money back.'"

Entrepreneurial revolutionaries

Mr Kashini says he is convinced that, with backers as dedicated as he is, Misrata simply cannot lose this fight.

"Every family in Misrata has [at least] one or two boys fighting," he says. "All the city is fighting for freedom."

Many Misratans have paid a high price for their fight against Col Gaddafi

Last week in Istanbul, more than 30 countries, including the US, the UK and France, declared their recognition of the rebels' Transitional National Council (TNC) based in Benghazi, as the "legitimate governing authority" of Libya.

That decision was good news for the businessmen funding the revolution. It could potentially unfreeze billions of dollars' worth of Libyan assets for use by the rebels.

But, says Mr Kashini, the situation in Misrata cannot continue forever. In this surrounded city, at some point, the money will run out. He believes Misrata can probably hold out for months rather than weeks. But not indefinitely.

The city's military HQ, housed in a low-rise building near the seafront, is a permanent hive of activity.

Commanders and fighters stride in and out, some wearing military surplus, others in jeans, T-shirts and flip-flops.

Civilians too are coming and going: Lawyers, engineers, oil workers, anyone in fact who believes they can in some way contribute to this revolution.

There are discussions and meetings, committees being formed, papers being stamped, and occasionally bin bags full of cash being carried in and out.

Dashing through the corridors of the military complex, greeting friends and colleagues as he goes, is Hakkim Tsebat.

He is another of those entrepreneurial revolutionaries who seem to be the hallmark of this city. He is emphatic that the funding of Misrata's revolution is very much a local effort.

"Only Misratan people [have made this revolution happen]," he says, with obvious passion.

"No other people, from Benghazi, no! Misrata is Misrata. Because Misratan people are business people. This is the business-city of Libya."

This is a widely held sentiment in Misrata. But this proud, combative localism may, at some point, cause problems for Libya.

The politicians at the TNC in Benghazi may have gained international recognition. But separated by tribe and by geography, Libya's disparate rebel groups are paying for their own revolutions, in blood and in money.

And in return, they will want a say in how things are run, if and when Col Gaddafi is unseated.

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Bin Hammam expects guilty verdict

Bin Hammam was suspended by Fifa on 29 May Suspended former Fifa presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam believes he is likely to be found guilty of bribery allegations.

Fifa's ethics committee has begun a two-day hearing to rule on claims the Qatari tried to bribe Caribbean delegates to vote for him as president.

"It seems likely that Fifa has already made its decision weeks ago," he wrote in a blog.

"None of us should be surprised if a guilty verdict is returned."

Bin Hammam, 62, pulled out of the presidential race in the wake of the allegations and was provisionally suspended on 29 May.

He continued: "I want you all to know that my legal team and I remain confident that the case and the evidence presented against me are weak and unsubstantiated. They are flimsy and will not stand up to scrutiny in any court of law; that has been clear throughout this process and it remains to be so.

"If we believe earlier press statements made by or on behalf of different Fifa officials or those working for them, then despite the weakness of the case against me, I am not confident that the hearing will be conducted in the manner any of us would like.

"Following the events since my suspension, it now seems impossible for them to say that they were wrong, although I wish they would have the courage to correct their mistake.

"Rest assured, though, that justice will eventually prevail whether through the Fifa ethics committee, the Court of Arbitration of Sport or, if necessary, through other courts or legal proceedings in courts where we will be equal and no special privileges will be granted to either party."

Bin Hammam and former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner were suspended when a leaked report revealed four Caribbean Football Union associations were either offered money, or saw the offence occur, during a meeting in May.

It is alleged bribes of US$40,000 were paid or offered to each of the 25 associations who attended the meeting.

Fifa's ethics committee's preliminary report into the case was reported to have found "comprehensive, convincing and overwhelming" evidence against both Warner and Bin Hammam.

Bin Hammam's withdrawal from the presidential race allowed incumbent Sepp Blatter to be returned unopposed as head of football's governing body.

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Visas plan for Yemeni UK arrivals

14 July 2011 Last updated at 14:59 GMT Emerging counter-terrorism threats to the UK prompted the new rules, Theresa May said All Yemeni citizens travelling through the UK on long-haul flights will need a visa, even if they are in transit, it has been announced.

Home Secretary Theresa May said Yemen was of "real and pressing concern to the international community".

From Thursday, Yemeni citizens need a visa before travelling to the UK, even if they are in transit and planning to arrive and leave from the same airport.

On Monday, the UK terror threat level reduced from "severe" to "substantial".

Mrs May said that since the introduction of the Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV) regime, a number of countries had been added to a list of those requiring clearance.

'Pressing concern'

"This has been done in response to emerging counter-terrorism threats to the UK," she said.

"Recent events have highlighted Yemen as being of real and pressing concern to the international community.

"We feel that imposing a DATV regime on those Yemeni citizens who are travelling through the UK is a sensible and proportionate response to the threat."

The Detroit bomber, who tried to blow up an aeroplane on Christmas Day 2009, was trained in Yemen, Mrs May said.

And bombs disguised as toner cartridges which were found on board planes at East Midlands airport and in Dubai last October were also sent from Yemen, she added.

Mrs May this week reduced the terror threat level for the UK.

The new alert level meant the risk of a terrorist attack was considered to be a "strong possibility" and "might well occur without further warning"," she said.

"The change in the threat level does not mean that the overall threat has gone away," added Mrs May.

"There is still a real and serious threat to the UK and I would ask the public to remain ever vigilant."

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US fully recognises Libyan rebels

15 July 2011 Last updated at 20:23 GMT The decision could open up a huge funding stream for the rebels The United States has recognised the Libyan opposition as the country's "legitimate governing authority".

The move means billions of dollars of Libyan assets frozen in US banks could be released to the rebels.

The decision was announced by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a diplomatic meeting in Istanbul.

Western and Arab members of the Libya Contact Group are drawing up a plan to end hostilities, which will be presented to Col Muammar Gaddafi.

"The United States views the Gaddafi regime as no longer having any legitimate authority in Libya," Mrs Clinton said.

"And so I am announcing today that, until an interim authority is in place, the United States will recognise the TNC [Transitional National Council] as the legitimate governing authority for Libya, and we will deal with it on that basis."

Continue reading the main story Kim Ghattas BBC News, Washington

This move means the US and other countries will be able to unblock some $30bn in frozen assets to assist the Libyan opposition.

It's a financial boost for the TNC but also adds to their credibility.

Because the US only recognises states and not governments, the wording - calling the TNC the "legitimate governing authority" - was chosen carefully.

It may sound like semantics but the wording had legal implications. There were also concerns about recognising unelected representatives without a clear road map for a transition to democracy.

She added: "The TNC has offered important assurances today, including the promise to pursue a process of democratic reform that is inclusive both geographically and politically."

The TNC said it "expressed its gratitude and respect to the people of the United States", which it called "the protector and promoter of democracy and freedom across the world".

In Istanbul, other foreign ministers said the whole contact group - including more than 30 Western and Arab countries - agreed to recognise the rebels.

Many of them have already individually recognised the TNC.

Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said the decision left Col Gaddafi "no other option" but to leave power.

However, Col Gaddafi swiftly rejected the move.

Addressing a televised rally in the town of Zlitan, he said: "Trample on those recognitions, trample them under your feet... They are worthless."

Entrenched in Tripoli

Mr Frattini said the UN special envoy to Libya, Abdul Elah al-Khatib, would take the contact group's ceasefire proposals to the Libyan leadership, and negotiate on their behalf.

A statement released by the group said Col Gaddafi "must leave power according to defined steps to be publicly announced," and called for "the formation of an interim government to ensure a smooth and peaceful transition of power".

Reports that rebels have cut an oil pipeline have given leaders pause for thought

The meeting was also expected to explore measures to increase the pressure on the Libyan regime, such as constraining government broadcasting. It was also to look at a report on the TNC's plans for progress to democracy.

Representatives of the Benghazi-based TNC were at the meeting, but invitations to China and Russia were both declined.

The conflict in Libya appears to be in a protracted stalemate. Rebels are holding eastern Libya and pockets in the west.

Col Gaddafi remains entrenched in the capital Tripoli, despite a Nato bombing campaign of more than 6,000 sorties against regime forces.

International sanctions have also been imposed and international arrest warrants issued against leading figures in the Libyan regime.

In Tripoli, Col Gaddafi's government has been holding crisis talks over the supply of fuel to the country.

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Spain calls Iraqis on camp deaths

14 July 2011 Last updated at 18:11 GMT Relatives of the camp's 3,500 residents are pressing for an investigation A Spanish judge has summoned three Iraqi officers over a raid by Iraqi security forces on a camp housing an Iranian exile group.

The UN says 34 people were killed in the raid at Camp Ashraf, in Diyala province, in April 2011.

Judge Fernando Andreu has summoned Gen Ali Ghaidan Majid, the head of army, and two other officers to appear.

He is investigating allegations that crimes against humanity were committed during the raid on the camp.

The investigation is an enlargement of an existing probe on a separate raid which took place at the camp in July 2009, in which 11 people were killed.

Universal justice

Under Spain's universal justice doctrine, grave crimes committed in other countries can be prosecuted.

Judge Andreu said that the Geneva Convention applied to the case, as it addresses the protection of civilians in wartime and all those killed and injured in the attack were considered "protected persons" under the terms of the Convention.

According to documents released by Madrid's investigative court, a total of 377 "protected persons" were injured in the 8 April 2011 raid, 154 with bullet wounds.

More than 3,000 members of the banned opposition group, the People's Mujahideen of Iran (PMOI), have been confined by the US military at the camp since the invasion in 2003.

The group, considered a terrorist group by the US and Iran, were given permission to shelter in Iraq by former President Saddam Hussein during the 1980-88 war between the two countries and they have lived at the camp ever since.

In January, the judge had said he would close the dossier into the July 2009 attack if the Iraqi authorities opened their own investigation.

Iraq responded by saying it had carried out its own legal inquiry but this was not judged sufficient by Spanish authorities.

The three Iraqi officers have been summoned to appear before the Madrid court on 3 October 2011.

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