Libya chaos
CBC reports from the region
- Rome update
Adrienne here in Rome. The first official flight to retrieve Canadians from Libya is delayed slightly. There are a handful of embassy officials heading there to process the paperwork. They have no idea what they will face but the plane can carry 220 passengers. Reports out of Tripoli now suggest there are thousands of people who spent the night at the airport trying to beg and bribe their way onto flights. - Flight cancelled
At the very last second Air Italy just cancelled the first official canadian flight to pick up canadians in Libya. An airline official just told CBC insurance companies contacted them and said the insurance was being pulled as the risk was growing. Will advise when we know more. - flight to pick up Cdns from #Libya cancelled by airline because insurance was pulled. Alitalia also cancelled two flights.by adriearsenault via twitter 2/24/2011 11:24:24 AM
- Rome update
Plan B is being explored for getting Canadians out of Libya now. If the situation at the Tripoli airport stabilizes enough for security and communication purposes then flights MAY resume. Currently, Canada's foreign minister is meeting with his Italian and German counterparts to explore seats on boats and ships for Canadians. It is all changing fast. - Cdn government now exploring possibility of spots on German or Italian ships out of #Libya for Cdns. They still hope for flights.by adriearsenault via twitter 2/24/2011 1:03:23 PM
- Flight to airlift Canadians from Libya cancelled
A plane that was set to fly to Libya from Rome on Thursday and pick up Canadians seeking to escape the violence of the troubled region has been cancelled. - Update from Rome
It's 9:25pm in Rome. Canada's foreign minister Lawrence Cannon just wrapped up his update on Libya. As of now, a plane will leave Amman for Tripoli tomorrow to pick up Canadians. The Air Italy flight will try again from Rome and a C17 from Germany will go in too. He maintains that there are 200 cdns left who say they want out, but he also acknowledges that number is conservative.
He also says one of the security problems that halted flights today was gunfire in the vicinity of the airport. - Cdn plane from #Tripoli , *should* arrive early aft in Rome. C17 still on standby. Not clear how many Cdns left who want 2 lv #Libyaby adriearsenault via twitter 2/25/2011 9:09:04 AM
- Also, plan for getting Cdns out of eastern part of country unclear. All efforts on #Tripoli so far. Italians may be offering seats on ships.by adriearsenault via twitter 2/25/2011 9:10:20 AM
- Rome Friday
The expectation is the special flight from Amman to take Cdns out of Tripoli will arrive in Rome at roughly 1245pm local time (0645 ET). As with everything so far that could change. The Cdn embassy staff who were due to fly on that cancelled charter yesterday were kept waiting until after midnight, still with the hope of flying.
They remain on standby as does the C17. No one seems clear how many Canadians are left in Tripoli trying to get out. Plans for getting Canadians out of the eastern part of Libya are still unclear. - Rome again
The Cdn chartered Air Italy flight to Tripoli that was cancelled yesterday has been cancelled again today. For now. It is still considered too dangerous for the airline to accept the risk of going in. So why and how did the Amman flight get there? Is it a matter of constantly changing security scenarios or different risk management strategies? - Cdn charter from Rome to #Tripoli cancelled yesterday is cancelled again 2day by Air Italy. For now. Amman flight was fine, due @ 1335localby adriearsenault via twitter 2/25/2011 11:38:19 AM
- Clear as mud.
The company that chartered the Amman flight to Tripoli, Skylink, is standing at the arrivals board also looking for the flight. He too thought it would be here by now. His confusion gets added to that of Cdn government and embassy officials and us journalists. He made a few calls and it now seems that it did leave Tripoli and arrived in Amman but has been sitting there for a while. Likely it will now arrive in Rome by late afternoon. IF...IF it leaves soon. He is still waiting for a list of the nationals on board. More when we know it.
JAV 3276. That's the flight. We'll be waiting. - And just when it was starting to make sense
Cdn government just sent out a notice saying the Amman flight left empty from Tripoli. It says there were no Canadians on board and none at the airport at the time. It also says there were no other citizens from like minded countries who needed the flight.
The charter representative seems puzzled by that. He is not alone. - Cdn gov't now says no Cdns were on flight out of Tripoli . Spokesman says flight bound for Amman & Rome was emptyby cbcalerts via twitter 2/25/2011 1:22:22 PM
- Charter rep tells CBC news of empty plane is puzzling . Cdn gov't has also said no Cdns in airport when plane leftby cbcalerts via twitter 2/25/2011 1:22:23 PM
- Confusion over Canadian airlift out of Libya
The status of Canadians who may be stranded in Libya is unclear as there are conflicting reports over Ottawa's success in airlifting any of them out of the troubled country. - Latest
Charter company just told us the flight from Amman to Tripoli is maybe ten minutes away from leaving Amman. Who is there to pick up, how many, where the flight will go is all uncertain at this point....as is a clear explanation of why last night's plane left empty and how that was received. Aside from saying there were no Canadians or citizens from like minded countries at the airport at the time, Canadian officials also maintain time was short on the ground overnight and the plane couldn't linger. - The flight from Amman is wheels up and will arrive in Tripoli at 1845GMT. If the passengers are waiting they could load the plane within an hour or so and then will decide whether to come HERE to Rome or back to Amman. The flight has capacity for 168 passengers. As always with this, plans could change. And probably will. How many will board, from which countries? All uncertain.
- Cdn charter plane circling #Tripoli airport and due to land shortly. Only then will we know how many if any Cdns are ready to board.by adriearsenault via twitter 2/25/2011 8:28:16 PM
- Cdn charter still circling
The cdn charter expected to land in Tripoli well over 2 hours ago is still circling. There are reportedly huge difficulties on the ground. It does have enough fuel to go back to Amman if need be. They are still hoping to get in soon. - Cdn plane being loaded in Tripoli now. Serious congestion at airport. The charter was urged to get as many ppl on as possible asap.by adriearsenault via twitter 2/25/2011 10:47:19 PM
- Cda's C17 did retrieve some Cdns from #libya but the civilian charter company tells us the 2nd charter returned empty again. Not sure why.by adriearsenault via twitter 2/26/2011 4:17:06 PM
Ras ajdir. Tunisian border with Libya
Egyptian labourers who just fled Libya wait for food from Tunisian volunteers (Adrienne Arsenault/CBC news)
Border Fatigue
Some who crossed into Tunisia face several days, maybe more without anywhere to stay and not much to eat.
Lineup 4 food inside Tunisian border w #Libya. Not enough of it. Tunisian citizens struggle 2 help. yfrog.com
by adriearsenault via twitter 2/27/2011 4:39:34 PM- Libya rebels seize key city
Forces opposed to Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi have seized control of the key Libyan city of Zawiya, only 50 kilometres from Tripoli, the capital, according to reports. - VIDEO: Aaron Saltzman's report on Canada's ongoing evacuation efforts in Libya. WATCH: www.cbc.ca
- Moammar Gadhafi remained defiant Sunday, blaming outside forces for the uprising in Libya and promising to crush the opposition, Reuters is reporting.
www.cbc.ca - PM Harper to make Libya statement at 7 p.m. ET . PM spoke to Germany's Merkel about sanctions #cdnpoli #libyaby cbcalerts via twitter 2/27/2011 9:32:03 PM
- VIDEO: CBC's Carolyn Dunn reports the latest news from Benghazi, Libya, which has fallen to anti-Gadhafi forces. WATCH: www.cbc.ca
- Lockerbie bomber forced Gadhafi to secure release: report . Bomber threatened to expose #Gadhafi role in bombing #libyaby cbcalerts via twitter 2/27/2011 10:20:17 PM
- VIDEO: CBC's Adrienne Arsenault reports from near the Libya-Tunisia border, where tens of thousands of people are trying to flee. WATCH: www.cbc.ca
A sandstorm kicks up at a transit camp for people fleeing Libya near the Tunisian Libyan border. They didn't need this too. (Adrienne Arsenault/CBC News)
Those waiting outside the rope at the transit camp near the Tunisian border prefer, according to the army at least, to stay as close to the border as possible to better their chances of getting on a bus. (Adrienne Arsenault/CBC news)
- U.S. repositions military around Libya
The U.S. military is repositioning its naval and air forces around Libya to provide "flexibility once decisions are made," a Pentagon spokesman said. - VIDEO: The UN says about 100,000 migrant workers and other refugees have fled Libya in the past week, and Tunisia can't cope with the influx much longer. WATCH: www.cbc.ca
- White House says Gadhafi 'delusional' in TV interview . Gadhafi told ABC News that his people love him. #Libyaby cbcalerts via twitter 2/28/2011 9:16:20 PM
- Gadhafi denies air force bombed protesters: ABC News . Libyan leader laughs when asked if he will step down. #Libyaby cbcalerts via twitter 2/28/2011 9:16:37 PM
- U.S. treasury says U.S. has frozen \$30B in Libyan assets . Assets frozen since Obama imposed sanctions last week.#Libyaby cbcalerts via twitter 2/28/2011 9:16:47 PM
- VIDEO: The Secretary-General of the United Nations talks with the U.S. president about ways to break the impasse in Libya. WATCH: www.cbc.ca
- Canadian firms can stay in Libya: Baird
Strict financial sanctions against Libya won't stop Canadian companies from operating in the country, government House leader John Baird says. - Harper speaks to Obama about Libyan sanctions, evacuation . 289 Canadians evacuated from Libya: PMO. #Libyaby cbcalerts via twitter 2/28/2011 10:45:51 PM
- VIDEO: Government tables in the House of Commons strict sanctions against Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, his five children and top 10 associates. WATCH: www.cbc.ca
- 'My people love me': Gadhafi
The U.S. began moving air and naval forces closer to Libya Monday even as embattled leader Moammar Gadhafi insisted to reporters that Libyans love him and would lay down their lives for him.
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