even members of the Iranian Red Crescent अर्धचन्द्राकारwere released by their captors in Libya yesterday after 65 days in captivity. The Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said that the hostages were handed over to the Iranian Embassy in Tripoli. They are expected to reach Teheran today. The Red Crescent members were kidnapped in Benghazi by unknown armed men in July. The group was returning to their hotel after signing a document with Libyan officials.

However, there has been no word yet on the fate of 48 Iranians held hostage by the Syrian rebels. The rebels deadline of 48 hours for the Syrian Government to release the detained Syrian prisoners otherwise face execution of the Iranian hostages comes to an end today. Iran has requested Turkey and Qatar to help secure the release of 48 Iranians kidnapped in August by the one of the rebel Syrian Brigades associated with the rebel Free Syrian Army. Iran Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi spoke to his Turkish and Qatari counterparts on phone who assured him of all possible help.

The rebels claim that the hostages are the members of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, IRGC on a reconnaissance mission to help the Syrian regime. Iran says the 48 hostages are Shiite pilgrims and an Afghani interpreter who visited Syria for religious purposes and were kidnapped just outside Damascus as they visited the shrine of Hazrat Zainab, the daughter of Imam Ali.

n Libya, hundreds of people have surrendered their weapons at collection points in the capital Tripoli and the eastern city of Benghazi following an appeal by the military. The army said it was surprized at the positive turn out which may gain momentum. The Libyan army had issued the appeal in the wake of the recent attack in Benghazi that killed the US ambassador. Meanwhile, UNESCO has expressed concern at the loss due to fire in parts of the 13th century souk or the market place in Aleppo. The market place is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Director of the UNESCO's World Heritage Center Kishore Rao said that it is a big loss. The fire near the covered market place which is one of the world’s best preserved sites erupted late Friday.  It broke out following the fierce fighting between the regime troops and rebels for the control over Aleppo. The wooden doors of the shops were burnt while the stone walls and the vaulted passage ways were scorched. Residents were struggling to douse the flames which gutted hundreds of shops along the alley of the ancient market. The fire destroyed the traditional shops which used to sell food, fabrics, perfume and spices for centuries. Some experts have described it as one of the worst blows to the commercial hub of Syria.

Announcement

 he crude oil export earnings by the Arab world petroleum exporting nations reached its peak in 2011 by nearly $174 billion. A report by Kuwait based Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries OAPEC said the earnings soared to $624.8 billion in 2011from around $450 billion in 2010. The report said that increase in crude oil prices and a higher production by the oil exporting Arab nations were responsible for the gains in export earnings. Saudi Arabia accounted for almost half the total income while UAE gained most in terms of net income . Saudi Arabia, the number one oil power, netted nearly $289 billion last year compared with $184.4 billion in 2010. The UAE’s income swelled to an all time high of about $85.9 billion from $57.9 billion .In Kuwait the income grew to $79.6 billion from $53 billion. The earnings leaped to $27.3 billion from $20.5 billion in Qatar. It went up to $37.2 billion from $28 billion in Algeria. The report, which gave no data for Tunisia, showed the 2011 income stood at $6.3 billion in Bahrain and around $4.6 billion in Egypt. Libya was the only exception as its income tumbled in 2010 because of the uprising which ended with the death of Muammar Gaddafi. The report said that in real terms, the combined Arab income was at $479 billion in 2011, taking into account the real dollar value and global inflation. While the nominal price of OPEC’s basket of crudes was at around $107 a barrel in 2011, its real value averaged about $88 in terms of 1995 prices.

Libyans and the International community have hailed the success of first historic elections after decades. Election Commission has put the initial turnout figures around 60 percent. Results are expected on Monday or Tuesday.
One person was reported killed in the poll related violence. Barring the reports of ransacking of a dozen polling stations in Bengazi, Adjabiya and Brega where ballott slips were torn and snatching of ballott boxes at two polling stations in Bengazi , polling was by and large peaceful. Our West Asia Correspondent has filed this story-

AIR correspondent reports that Libyans celebrated the nation’s journey on road to democracy by turning out in large numbers at the polling stations. Long queues of voters were seen at polling stations braving the high temperature. Election Commission said voting was smooth except for some polling stations in the eastern region of the country. International Observers monitoring the polls have hailed the organization of elections and people's participation but cautioned against the disruption of polls in the eastern parts of the country.

The Head of EU Observers team Alexander Graf Lambsdorff said the situation in the eastern parts especially the city of Adjabiya was not encouraging. However, Libya's Deputy Interior Minister Omar Al Khadrawi told that the situation in eastern region is now under control. Reports suggest Ahmed Jibril’s National Front, Muslim Brotherhood’s The Justice and Construction Party, Islamist insurgent Abdul Hakim Belhadj’s Al Watan Party are the front runners in these elections.

In Libya, a state of National Emergency has come into effect from midnight last night. The step been taken by the ruling National Transitional Council in the wake of growing violence ,of fire power and intimidation of votby the rival militia groups.

Nine months after the end of the uprising which led to the ouster of 42 year old reign of Muammar Gaddafi, Libyans will vote to choose a 200-member General National Congress on Saturday. It will replace the ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) and will draft the new constitution of the country. But ahead of the elections jostling for the voters has begun among the rival militia groups based on tribal and ethnic loyalties. Flush(abudnace) with weapons during the uprising against Gaddafi regime, many of them are trying to assert their powers in their strongholds. Authorities are wary of the impact of gun fighting among the rival militia groups and their impact on vote turnout. Attacks on diplomats and aid missions in the east have exposed the fragile security. Tripoli’s international airport was held for hours by an armed group last month. In the wake of security considerations and to ensure free and fair polls, the Libyan authorities clamped emergency till the elections are over in the country.

A high level team of the International Criminal Court, ICC, led by its President is arriving in Libya today to seek the release of its four-member legal team detained in Libya three weeks ago. The ICC Spokesman Fadi el-Abdallah told that their release is expected today. The four, including Australian lawyer Melinda Taylor, have been held in Zintan, since June 7 after travelling there to help prepare Seif al-Islam’s defence. Taylor was accused of carrying a pen camera and attempting to give Seif al-Islam a coded letter from his former right-hand man, Mohammed Ismail. The three other detained ICC staffers are from Lebanon, Russia and Spain. The ICC wants to try Seif al-Islam for crimes against humanity during his father Muammar Gaddafi's regime.Libya insists he should be tried locally and filed a motion challenging the ICC’s jurisdiction to put him on trial in Hague.

In Libya, protesters demanding greater autonomy for eastern Libya have ransacked the offices of Libya's electoral authority in Benghazi. Witnesses say about 300 people chanting pro-autonomy slogans took ballot boxes out of the building and burnt election papers in the street. Libya is to elect a new Parliament on Saturday in the first democratic polls since the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi. Pro-autonomy leaders in eastern Libya have called for a boycott of the vote. They want eastern Libya to be given a larger share of seats in the new 200-member legislature which is tasked with drawing up a constitution. Libya's electoral law apportions 60 seats to eastern Libya and 102 to the west with 38 going to the rest of the country.
The Benghazi head of the High National Election Commission, Jamal Bukrin told newsmen that a group of people entered the commission's premises, ransacked the offices and destroyed what they found inside the building. The call to boycott Saturday's vote was made by a group that has proclaimed itself the authority of a semi-autonomous territory in Cyrenaica or eastern Libya.

The government has decided to partially lift ban on emigration to Libya. A ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs release says, the decision follows consultations with External Affairs ministry and Indian Mission in Libya. The emigration to Libya was banned from 21st February last year following internal disturbances prevailing in that country. In view of a growing demand for manpower in Libya in various sectors, doctors and para-medical staff will now be permitted to emigrate to Libya as the Libyan Health Ministry has approached Indian mission in Tripoli. Complete lifting of ban will be reviewed after considering the situation immediately after July 15th elections in that country.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said that India has signed treaties with 37 countries to know the details of black money stashed abroad. Addressing a meeting of Congress workers in Khargram in West Bengal on Sunday Finance Minister said all the money kept by Indians abroad is not black money. He said it might have been deposited by businessmen or business houses. The process will take time to know the exact amount.

Mr Mukherjee said the unrest in Syria and Libya had caused the increase in prices of petro products and fertilisers. He said the Potash was brought from these two countries but has now stopped due to political unrest there.

Finance Minister said the Centre's hands are tied to provide extra money to states as petro products and food need massive subsidy. 

He said the UPA government is committed to improving the country's socio-economic infrastructure and is taking steps in the direction. However, there are delays as Congress has to depend on allies and there are differences of opinion at times.

Referring to bad condition of rural roads, he said Prime Minister's Gram Sadak Yojana does not provide for money for maintenance and advised MLAS to inform the matter with the state government, which would in turn take up the matter with the Centre.

The Libyan government says it has retaken control of Tripoli's international airport after militiamen from a central region stormed the runway to protest the disappearance of their leader.

Officials said pro-government militias initially responded to the airport seizure, disarming some of the assailants and forcing others to flee before handing control of the site to state security forces last night.

Yesterday, dozens of gunmen from the Libyan town of Tarhouna had taken over the airport driving armored vehicles onto the tarmac, surrounding foreign airliners to prevent them from departing and forcing passengers to leave the planes. All flights at the airport were suspended.

The Libyan Government has again insisted that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of country's ousted ruler will be tried in Libya and not handed over to the International Court. Saif Al-Islam was captured in November.

According to a report from Tripoli, a spokesperson for the Libyan government rejected the idea that Saif Al Islam Gaddafi would be transferred to The Hague to face the trial.

He said the authorities were making preparations to try Muammar Gaddafi's most prominent son inside Libya. He said a special prison and court was being built to where the 39 year old would soon be moved.

Saif Al Islam is currently being held by militia from the town of Zintan at a secret location. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court in connection with the violence during last year's Libyan uprising.