_Section

The reign of Libyan Qaddafi seems to be coming to an end after anti-government fighters backed by NATO forces took control of Tripoli.

Hatred of the dictatorship and a thirst for democracy and freedom drove the uprising against Qaddafi when it first arose in February, clearly inspired by the revolutions against tyrants in Tunisia to Libya’s west, and Egypt to its east.

Propelled by oil, ‘reconstruction’ and weapons private corporations, while besieged by a deep financial crisis, European and U.S. governments have already launched a frantic race to take over Libya even before the definite fall of dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Reporters Without Borders urges the federal authorities to do everything in their power to find Humberto Millán Salazar, editor of the online newspaper A-Discussion (http://www.a-discusion.com) and presenter of the programme “Sin Ambages” (Plain Language) on Radio Formula, who was kidnapped by gunmen yesterday in Culiacán, the capital of the northwestern state of Sinaloa.

UK commuters face an 8 to13% increase in rail fares, well above the rate of inflation, whilst Stagecoach, one of the private rail companies, announces a return of £340m in profits to shareholders – including an £88m payment to two chief executives. Meanwhile the inevitable austerity driven “double dip recession” looms across major economies but the banks refuse to lend.

The recent British film In Our Name is a returning-soldier drama featuring a married woman, Suzy, who leaves her husband and little girl to fight in Iraq. Because she’s involved in the killing of a little girl during her tour—this part is based on a true story, but it happened to a man—she returns home only to steadily fall apart under the stress of soul-destroying anxieties.

Hong Kong residents originally from the Indian sub-continent gathered on Sunday past to support Anna Hazare and the actions surrounding the Jan Lokpal Bill, for the fourth week in a row. The event took place at the India Club, Jordan, Hong Kong. The initiators were the volunteer international wing of India Against Corruption (IAC).

With just 48 hours to the start of a nationwide strike, the number of participants called for by labour unions, students federations, and environmental and human rights organisations continues to increase. The mobilisation is supported by more than 80 social organisations, besides a number of opposing parties, said Arturo Martinez, president of the United Labour Federation.

India’s prime minister appealed Monday for a more reasoned approach to combating corruption, as huge crowds turned out to support a hunger-striking activist on the seventh day of his anti-corruption fast.

The Philippines on Monday offered Muslim rebels waging a decades-long insurgency the prospect of autonomy, but warned they must first lay down their arms and a peace pact was likely years away. The offer was contained in government proposals for peace with the 12,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) at the start of three days of talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Brazilian President, Dilma Rousseff, said on Monday that the expansion of the federal network of education will promote a big social change in the growth of the country.