The world is safer today than in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on the United States, with global terror groups weaker than 10 years ago, senior EU and NATO officials said Monday.
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, and rebels trying to oust him said their forces had advanced to within 80 km of the capital Tripoli.
UK Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox played host on Tuesday to his French counterpart in London to exchange the ratified Defence and Security Co-operation Treaty between the two countries.
UN is withdrawing all international staff from the Libyan capital Tripoli following a mob attack on its offices. UN buildings and some foreign missions were targeted by angry crowds following a NATO air strike that reportedly killed a son of Col Gaddafi.
Leaders of the world's major emerging powers will meet again Thursday in China to tackle the conflict in Libya, reform of the international financial system and look at how developing nations can exercise more clout on the global stage.
China hosts Wednesday a Group 20 leaders meeting, originally scheduled to address the international monetary system, most probably criticism of the US Federal Reserve for flooding the world with money, but the latest world events, Japan, Libya and Europe’s debt crisis are bound to change the emphasis of the agenda.
US President Barack Obama has defended the first war launched under his presidency, insisting US military involvement in Libya will be limited. He told Americans US intervention as part of the coalition had saved countless lives threatened by the forces of the tyrant Muammar Gaddafi.
Nato has agreed to take command of enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya from the US. But Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen made clear that other aspects of the operation would remain in the hands of the current coalition for now.
Several South American countries are demanding an immediate cease fire in Libya and questioning the intensity and extensive bombing by an alliance of NATO strike forces of several cities under Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’ control.
The international military campaign in Libya has created apparent divisions between coalition leaders carrying out the UN-sanctioned operation and other world powers.