Washington, June 24
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is "seriously considering" leaving the capital Tripoli following a blistering series of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) air raids, the Wall Street Journal reported today, citing US officials.

US intelligence shows that the Libyan strongman "doesn't feel safe anymore" in the capital where he has ruled for over four decades, the Journal quoted a senior US national security official as saying.

However, officials told the Journal that they did not see the move as imminent and did not believe Gaddafi would leave the country, a key demand of Libyan rebels who have been battling his forces in a weeks-old stalemate.

Gaddafi is believed to have numerous safe houses and other facilities both within the capital and outside of it to which he might relocate.

The news comes as US President Barack Obama faces rising criticism from fellow Democrats and rival Republicans in Congress over his refusal to seek congressional authorisation for the three-month-old military operation.

The Obama administration has said approval under the 1973 War Powers Resolution is not required because US participation in the NATO-led air war does not rise to the level of "hostilities," a logic rejected by critics.

A senior US commander meanwhile said the NATO and Libya's African allies had not adequately planned for the aftermath of Gaddafi's possible fall. — AFP

Human Rights organisations have cast doubt on claims of mass rape and other abuses perpetrated by forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, which have NATO leaders, opposition groups and the media have produced a stream of stories since the start of the insurrection on February 15, claiming the Gaddafi regime has ordered mass rapes, used foreign mercenaries and employed helicopters against civilian protesters.

An investigation by Amnesty International has failed to find evidence for these human rights violations and in many cases has discredited or cast doubt on them. It also found indications that on several occasions the rebels in Benghazi appeared to have knowingly made false claims or manufactured evidence.

The findings by the investigators appear to be at odds with the views of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, who two weeks ago told a press conference that "we have information that there was a policy to rape in Libya those who were against the government. Apparently he (Colonel Gaddafi) used it to punish people." US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last week said she was "deeply concerned" that Gaddafi's troops were participating in widespread rape in Libya. "Rape, physical intimidation, sexual harassment, and even so-called 'virginity tests' have taken place in countries throughout the region," she said.

Donatella Rovera, senior crisis response adviser for Amnesty, who was in Libya for three months after the start of the uprising, says that “we have not found any evidence or a single victim of rape or a doctor who knew about somebody being raped". She stresses this does not prove that mass rape did not occur but there is no evidence to show that it did.

Liesel Gerntholtz, head of women’s rights at Human Rights Watch, which also investigated the charge of mass rape, said: "We have not been able to find evidence." In one instance two captured pro-Gaddafi soldiers presented to the international media by the rebels claimed their officers, and later themselves, had raped a family with four daughters.

Rovera says that when she and a colleague, both fluent in Arabic, interviewed the two detainees, one 17 years old and one 21, alone and in separate rooms, they changed their stories and gave differing accounts of what had happened.

Chicago, June 24
Exuding unflinching patriotism, an Indian-American here has created the world's largest Indian flag, weighing 250 kg, as a symbol of peace and harmony in the country.

The Tricolour, which stretches 153 by 102 feet, was created by entertainment businessman Monty Saiyed and has found place in Limca Book of Records in April this year. His creation will feature at the two-day Vibrant India event to be held here on July 16 and 17 with performances from Bollywood actors and singers.

“The flag is a message of peace and unity. This is an occasion of unity where everybody should stand together and support the cause of the flag and take the honour of it,” Saiyed, 35, said. It took 15 days for seven Porbandar tailors, recruited by Saiyed, to sew this cotton flag.

After the Vibrant India event, the flag will be flown back to Navsari in Gujarat and could be used in other events in different Indian states.

“Next year, the flag will be used for the same purpose of peace and unity in different states in India," Saiyed said. — PTI 

Beijing, June 24
No talking, no tweeting and no travel for a year --- these are some of the conditions of Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei’s release from more than two months in detention, underscoring Beijing’s efforts to muzzle dissent.

The comprehensive gag on Ai, who is not allowed to post anything on Twitter or accept interviews for a year, raises questions about the Chinese government’s repeated claims that his was purely an economic case.

“The key thing is these two conditions --- the media and the Internet,” a source close to the family said today.

Ai has freedom of movement within Beijing, but before he “goes out, he needs to report his whereabouts to them” for a year, the source said, but declined to elaborate who Ai needs to report to.

Prominent rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang said it was illegal for the government to restrict Ai from tweeting or accepting interviews. “A strong government that is ruled by law cannot impose conditions like these on its citizens,” Pu said.

“If there is indeed a criminal case, why isn’t there a mention of it? Up until now, there hasn’t been a notice of the case. This behaviour is illegal - it’s in violation of the United Nations conventions.”

Social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook are blocked in China, as authorities fear these websites could allow the government’s critics to organise. But many people, including dissidents, use virtual private networks to circumvent the restrictions.

Ai has 89,117 followers on Twitter and has tweeted 60,162 times -- the last occasion being on April 3, the day he was detained.

The Foreign Ministry said Ai remained under investigation for suspected crimes, suggesting the government would keep up the pressure to prevent him from speaking out.

Analysts say Ai’s release is far from a signal of a policy shift by the ruling Communist Party. Authorities have muzzled dissent with the secretive detentions of more than 130 lawyers and activists since February, amid fears that anti-authoritarian uprisings across the Arab world could trigger unrest. — Reuters