A Quick Trip Around the World:

Libya: Libyan strongman Muammar al-Qaddafi opens arms depots to his civilian supporters to cut off further dissent, as he tries to remain in control of embattled country. Story here. 

Syria & Iran: Iran and Syria agree on military training cooperation, Iran's official news agency reported on Saturday, after two Iranian warships docked in a Syrian port. Story here.

Russia: Russia to sell anti-ship rockets to Syria, despite Israeli fears the rockets could ultimately land in Hezbollah hands. Story here.

Iraq: Iraq's largest oil refinery, i.e., the Baiji refinery (which was controlled for a long time by al-Qaida militants, who used it to finance the insurgency) shut by bombing. Story here.

Egypt: Egyptian military police beat protesters Saturday to clear them from outside the Cabinet office where they were trying to camp out overnight to press demands for sweeping political reforms. Story here.

Yemen: Five more people have died after being shot during anti-government protests in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on Friday, medical sources said on Saturday. Story here.

Bahrain: Tens of thousands of mostly Shiite protesters streamed into central Manama (in Bahrain) Saturday to march on government ministries for the first time since anti-government demonstrations began there 12 days ago. Story here.

Turkey: Turkish PM Erdogan speaks out against UN sanctions on Libya. Story here.

Malta: Americans are finally ferried out of danger, as boatload of exhausted, but relieved Americans and other foreigners finally left Libya and reached Malta yesterday, after days of agonizing delays. Story here.

More Libya: An increasingly gruesome picture began to emerge Saturday of the violent tactics used by the government of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, as Qaddafi forces shot at protesters in Tripoli from ambulances. Story here.

Meanwhile, at Cesspool Central (aka the U.N.):  

Tears Flow at UN Security Council over bloodshed in Libya. Story here.

UN Considers sanctions on Gadhafi, as U.N. Security Council is set for a second day of emergency talks on Libya, with members considering possible sanctions against Moammar Gadhafi's government over its violent crackdown on protesters. Story here.

UN Rights Body Mulls, as U.N. Human Rights Council, the U.N.'s top human rights body, on Friday began an emergency session on Libya to decide whether to condemn and ostracize the North African country for its crackdown on anti-government protesters. Story here.

The Absentee Ambassador (guess who?): The UN Security Council convened an emergency session yesterday to draft sanctions against Libyan mad-dog Moammar Khadafy, but as the UN struggled to put out the fires in the Mideast, America's top UN rep was nowhere to be found. US Ambassador Susan Rice was 8,000 miles away from UN headquarters, taking tea in South Africa with fellow diplonuts. Story here.

And a Voice of Sanity Is Heard:

Former UN Ambassador John Bolton on Crisis in Libya: 

* Part 1 

* Part 2

[Posted by R.S.]