Libya

Rightbloggers Cover Benghazi Hearings with Extreme Prejudice

House Republicans finally got their hearings on Benghazi, and we have learned that the Obama Administration, the CIA, and the FBI massaged their talking points before announcing the attack last September, and that at least a couple of people thought the U.S. military could have gotten to Benghazi qu ... More >>

Which Way Is the Front Line From Here? The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington

SHATTERED LENS

Sebastian Junger honors a friend

Rightbloggers Turn Benghazi Truthers, Spin Egypt, Libya Riots As Obama Treason

Last week, upon learning that an anti-Islamic film existed, extremists in several Arab cities rampaged, and in Benghazi killed four Americans, including the U.S. Ambassador. President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton denounced both the violence and the film, and Libyan authorities apprehended so ... More >>

Under Fire

81-Year-Old Brooklyn Florist Mourns Loss of His Pen Pal, Muammar Gaddafi

The joys of pen pals. (Not a letter from Gaddafi.)​Following the death of "one of the world's longest-serving dictators," former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, on October 20, the New York Post has found one person, his 81-year-old pen pal Louis Schlamowitz, a retired Brooklyn florist, who is a ... More >>

Q&A: Simon Shaheen On Occupy Wall Street, The Arab Renaissances, And Uncovering Arabic Music's Instrumental Repertoire

​While hip-hop spread the word during the Arab Spring (at least they didn't have to endure the incessant drum circles of Zuccotti Park), Palestinian composer, bandleader, and oud and violin virtuoso Simon Shaheen heard echoes of a remarkably beautiful and sophisticated era of Arabic music thro ... More >>

Euro Crisis Meeting; Earthquake in Turkey; Gaddafi's Autopsy

​EU leaders are in Brussels today for a crisis meeting on how to resolve the Euro's financial woes. Germany is resisting calls to increase the bailout fund and cut Greece's debt. Bloomberg reports "measures on the table include writedowns of as much as 50 percent on Greek debt, 100 billion eur ... More >>

Man Allegedly Makes Bomb Threat Because of Hurricane Irene; DSK Back in Paris; Groupon IPO in Trouble?

​Rajiv Pandey, a 33-year-old Long Island man, is accused of making a bomb threat Friday to the Long Island Power Authority because he was upset at losing his power during Hurricane Irene. The Daily News reports Pandey "called the newsroom at News 12 Long Island, warning he would place a bomb i ... More >>

CIA Connection in Libya?; Tropical Storm Lee to Hit Gulf Coast; Government Sues Banks

​Documents tying the CIA to the Qaddafi-led Libyan government were found in an abandoned office in Tripoli, the New York Times reports. The findings, which have not been verified for authenticity, allude to the practice of the American intelligence agency handing over terror suspects to the Li ... More >>

Libyan Soccer Team to Wear Rebel Colors, Ending Qaddafi Family's Reign on the Sport

wldcup.comSaadi Qaddafi signing for Perugia​The Libyan national soccer team has abandoned the green uniforms favored by Muammar Qaddafi in favor of jerseys sporting the rebels' colors. The Guardian reports that the change has been made for the team's African Cup of Nations qualifier against Mo ... More >>

Muammar el-Qaddafi Seeking a New York PR Rep. Any Takers?

Maybe start with the outfits?​Muammar el-Qaddafi is looking to revamp his image a bit. The Libyan dictator's reputation, while never good, has taken a hit recently as civil war tears his country apart and the whole world condemns his 42-year iron-fisted rule. Being a corrupt strongman is a tou ... More >>

American Drones Carry Out Strikes in Somalia; Maria Shriver Files for Divorce

​The United States has stepped up efforts against Islamic extremist groups in Somalia, the New York Times reports. Unmanned drone attacks late last month marked the first American military action in the nation since 2009. Shabab members were targeted after reports that the group was carrying ... More >>

Tim Hetherington, Restrepo Director and War Photographer, Killed in Libya

​Tim Hetherington, the director and producer behind the Academy Award-nominated film Restrepo about his time spent as a journalist in Afghanistan, was killed on Wednesday in Misurata, Libya, while working as a photographer during the conflict. Chris Hondros and Guy Martin, also journalists, we ... More >>

Gaddafi's 'Voluptuous Blonde' Nurse: He's No Berlusconi

​Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi keeps a fleet of personal nurses sometimes referred to as his "harem." As his country comes under attack from dissenting protesters and allied forces including the United States, Gaddafi has lost a few of his closest allies, namely the medical ones, with Oksana ... More >>

Tornados Sweep Across Iowa; Qaddafi Forces Enter Strategic Town

​As many as 11 towns in Iowa were struck by tornados last night. [CNN] In Libya, Muammar Qaddafi's forces heavily bombarded the strategic eastern town of Ajdabiyah. [Reuters] The Times has this terribly sad story about babies born addicted to opiates. [NYT]

Fresh Perspectives: Kids Chime In On Libya and Gaddafi

Sick and tired of hearing old snoozes banter over America's recent intervention in Libya, or the recent woes of Muammar Gaddafi? As are we. Lucky for us, comedian Beck Bennett has debuted a Youtube segment entitled "Fresh Perspectives," interviewing children on the topic instead. From the fiery redh ... More >>

Missing New York Times Journalists Return; Famous Women, Blow Jobs Save Newspapers

​Though reporters are still missing, being killed and deported across Syria, Libya.html and the upheaved Middle East, there was some cause for celebration among the media today as the four missing New York Times journalists came home to a hero's welcome. The group has already detailed the brut ... More >>

Live: LCD Soundsystem Prepares Us For the End of the World at Terminal 5

Reggie and James LCD Soundsystem Terminal 5 Monday, March 28 Better than: The rest of those Certainly the End of Something or Other, One Would Sort of Have to Thinks We are gathered here in New York City's Terminal 5 to say goodbye to one of the most impeccable music projects of our adult lives. ... More >>

False Alarm at Fukushima; Bus That Killed Cyclist Located; Padded Bikini Tops for Kids

​There was a scare this morning when radiation levels in water coming from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant were reported to be 10 million times above normal. It turned out the Tokyo Electric Power Company made a mistake and the radiation spike was not nearly that extreme, although still high. ... More >>

Qaddafi Forces Withdraw From Key City; Carles Quits; Possible Pub Crawl Ban

​Libyan rebels have regained control of Adjabiya, a key city in the east. Adjabiya is considered a gateway to Libya's oil fields. In other Libya news, a woman named Eman al-Obeidy fought to tell foreign journalists her story of alleged rape and abuse by 15 government soldiers. She broke into ... More >>

Q&A: Pharoahe Monch On Growing Up in Queens, Twitter, Pizza, and Porn

​"A guy got shot in the head at a club and the brain pieces were on the mirror -- as I was running out I took a glance at it." Pharoahe Monch is talking about the most unfortunately explicit thing he saw growing up in the same Southside Jamaica, Queens neighborhood that 50 Cent would later myt ... More >>

Obama to Congress: Oh, By the Way, We're at War

​Though the weekend included strategic bombing campaigns in Libya nicknamed Operation Odyssey Dawn, carried out by the United States, in association with France and the United Kingdom, it took until Monday for President Barack Obama to notify Congress, via an official notification, that the U. ... More >>

Rightbloggers on Libya Action: For It Before They Were Against It

Well, President Obama has functionally invaded his first country as part of a joint military implementation with the UK and France of a no-fly zone over Libya. Did you expect rightbloggers, who had been bitching about his inaction on the matter, to applaud him for coming around? You didn't? Oh, g ... More >>

New York Times Journalists Free From Libya, Paywall Gets Internal Investigation

Two of the missing NYT journalists​On Friday, the New York Times was told that four of its reporters being held by government forces in Libya would be freed. Meanwhile, bombing commenced from allied forces and Gaddafi's troops struck back against their own people in the embattled African natio ... More >>

Qaddafi Vows 'Long War'; Two Saved From Rubble in Japan; Wyclef Jean Shot in Haiti

A Libyan jet crashes in Benghazi. NYT via Patrick Baz/AFP​The U.N.-sanctioned allied attack on Libyan targets continues today as Muammar Qaddafi promises a "long war," telling state television that "We will not leave our land and we will liberate it." U.S., French, and British forces began air str ... More >>

AFP Journalists and Getty Photographer Missing in Libya

Journalists on the ground in Libya, running for cover. LAT via Paul Conroy/Reuters​Dave Clark and Roberto Schmidt, journalists for Agence France-Presse, have been missing since yesterday in Libya along with Joe Raedle, a Getty photographer accompanying them. They were last heard from on Friday nig ... More >>

Obama Takes Firmer Stance on Libya; Radiation Found in Food Near Fukushima Nuclear Plant

via AP​Following a shift by Hillary Clinton, President Obama spoke from the White House yesterday to take somewhat of a harder line on U.S. intervention in Libya: "If Colonel Qaddafi does not comply with the resolution, the international community will impose consequences. The resolution will be e ... More >>

Allies Begin Libyan Intervention as French Jets Hit Government Tanks (Update)

via Reuters​French fighter jets have reportedly struck four tanks belonging to Qaddafi's forces in Benghazi, beginning the allied military intervention in Libya. They've entered Libyan airspace to enforce the no-fly zone and protect civilians following a U.N. resolution authorizing military a ... More >>

Libyan Journalist Mohammed Nabbous Killed in Benghazi Fighting

The harrowing recording above is independent Libyan journalist Mohammed "Mo" Nabbous' last report for Libya al-Hurra, the Livestream channel where he broadcast widely viewed footage and commentary from Benghazi. He was killed in fighting between rebels and Qaddafi forces in Libya today. Awful stuf ... More >>

New York Times Journalists To Be Freed in Libya

​The four New York Times journalists missing in Libya since Tuesday were confirmed captured by Col. Muammar Gaddafi's troops, but will be released today, according to the dictator's son, Seif Islam el-Qaddafi, in an ABC News interview with Christiane Amanpour. According to the Times, "the four ... More >>

New York Times Journos Missing in Libya; New York Observer Launches Betabeat Tech Site

​It's a sad, scary day in journalism, as it too often is, with the New York Times announcing that four of their own are missing in Libya, where government forces continue to clash with demonstrators. This after last week, when four BBC journalists were detained by Colonel Muammar el Qaddafi's ... More >>

Libyan Rebels Capture British Troops; NYC Rape Stats Soar; "Sheen's Korner" Reportedly Boring (Sunday Links)

​The U.K. is negotiating with Libyan rebels to free captured British special forces troops held in eastern Libya, according to CNN. Up to eight men are being detained after "a secret mission to put British diplomats in touch with leading opponents of Moammar Gadhafi ended in humiliation." [CNN] R ... More >>

'East Coast Rapist' Caught in Connecticut; MTA Working on 15 Subway Lines This Weekend; Libyan Rebels Fight For Control of Key City

the East Coast Rapist. via​A man known by police as the "East Coast Rapist" has been apprehended in Connecticut. Aaron Thomas, 39, has allegedly sexually assaulted 17 women in four states (Maryland, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Connecticut). Earlier this week, law enforcement created the aptly ... More >>

Libyan Rebels Take Control Near Tripoli; Tunisian Prime Minister Steps Down; Taxi Passenger Crashes Cab (Sunday Links)

via Gothamist​The Libyan uprising has "reached the capital's doorstep": anti-government forces have taken a town 30 miles from Tripoli, the capital. Yesterday, the U.N. approved sanctions against Libya and President Obama said that Moammar Qaddafi should step down. [NYT] Mohammed Ghannouchi, the ... More >>

Qaddafi Spoof Is Hot New Thing in Middle East

This didn't really make me LOL or anything, but hey: an Israeli journalist's parody video of Libyan president Muammar Qaddafi is an Internet sensation in the Middle East. Noy Alooshe, creator of the clip, used Qaddafi's speech from Tuesday and set it to a Pit Bull song called "Hey Baby." Libyans a ... More >>

U.N. Discusses Libya Sanctions; Charlie Sheen's Meltdown Could Lose CBS $250 Million (Weekend Links)

via CNN ​A U.N. security panel is meeting today to discuss how to go about fixing the situation in Libya. They're discussing whether or not to impose international sanctions on the Libyan government, including travel bans on Muammar Qaddafi and those who are close to him. The U.S. has already clos ... More >>

Barack Obama Addresses the Chaos in Libya

​President Obama spoke today on the events and violence in Libya, which he called "outrageous" and "unacceptable." He said he asked his administration "to prepare the full range of options that we have to respond to this crisis." This includes sending both Secretary of State Hillary Clinton an ... More >>

LCD Soundsystem Shows Take Longer Than 15 Seconds To Sell Out, As Twitter Rejoices

LCD Soundsystem have finally succeeded at getting tickets into the hands of people other than scalpers. The group's four warm-up gigs at Terminal 5 went on sale this morning at 9 A.M. and, to the delight of many a James Murphy fan, took almost an hour to sell out completely. While this may seem li ... More >>

Muammar el Qaddafi's Finest Fashions

​Colonel Muammar el Qaddafi just spoke on Libyan state television for over an hour and said that he would die in Libya as a martyr. He promised to make unspecified small changes to the government ("constitutional reform") but said that he wouldn't consider stepping down. Amidst all of the chao ... More >>

Snow, Snow, Snow, Etc.; Beloved Twitter Apps Return; Man Finds Wallet After 40 Years

​• Happy Presidents Day! In case you haven't noticed yet, it snowed. Central Park was reporting 2.5 inches as of this morning. There's a chance of more snow over the afternoon, and again tonight. [Weather, NY1] • Protests in Libya against Muammar Qaddafi's totalitarian rule are spreading, ... More >>

Brooklyn Building Suffers Heavy Fire Damage; More Than 180 Dead In Libya Protests (Sunday Links)

via Gothamist/AP​A six-story residential building in Flatbush was partially destroyed by a fire last night. Over 70 people now have to seek housing elsewhere, and two dozen were injured (minor injuries mostly). It took firefighters more than four hours to control the blaze because of last night's ... More >>

Nine Cuisines Missing from NYC

positiveictafrica.wordpress.comA typical Kenyan meal featuring the staple starch called ugali and fried fish​Morgan S. asks: I've been told you can get every cuisine in the world in New York City. Is that true? Dear Morgan: Well, almost. We've got at least 80 distinct cuisines by my estimate, ... More >>

Rightbloggers Look Back in Anger at The Anti-American World Cup

"It's hard work, politicizing your whole life," read the subhed of Matt Labash's article in the rightwing Weekly Standard. At last, we thought when we saw this, they're going to own up to it! We can stop writing this accursed column -- and, freed of their delusions, conservatives can begin to live ... More >>

It's Official: Bluefin Ban Gets Sunk

Sushi lovers sink the ban that could have saved this species.​ Despite the best efforts of Greenpeace, PETA, and OCEANA, the proposed ban on the trade of endangered bluefin tuna was rejected yesterday at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITE ... More >>

Confirmed: Beyonce Performed For "Terror-Backing Libyan Dictator" Scion Hannibal Khadafy

Image via Russell Simmons (who else?) by way of AnimalNY​Not the best look, performing on New Year's Eve on the yacht of the son of one of the more notorious terrorism financiers and Lockerbie bomber-absolvers on the planet. Worse if that son happens to have a woman-beating problem. The New Yo ... More >>

Tinariwen

Midnight at the Oasis of Haphazardly Looped Hallucinations

Repression? The Meter's Running

Soul on Ice

Kwame Ture's last freedom ride