Libyan rebels take most of Tripoli, but fighting continues outside Qaddafi compound; Obama declares rebel leaders "legitimate", but where's Qaddafi?; Biden insists US securities are "safe"; Some charges against Strauss-Kahn to be dropped; Rockets attacks continue on Gaza border; Indian PM talks of reform as hinger strike continues; and more
Top of the Agenda: Libyan Rebels Push Through to Tripoli
Libyan rebel fighters gained control over most of the capital of Tripoli overnight. But clashes erupted (al-Jazeera) outside the compound of Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi, as government loyalists resisted the rebels with tanks and artillery fire.
Still, the rebel National Transitional Council announced that Qaddafi's presidential guard (NYT) had surrendered and that the majority of Tripoli was under rebel control. Two of the leader's sons were arrested, though Qaddafi remains at large (BBC).
After the rebels entered central Tripoli, waves of celebration (GlobalPost) broke out in the capital's Green Square, most recently the site of nightly pro-Qaddafi demonstrations.
US President Barack Obama issued a statement affirming the rebel leadership as the "legitimate" (WSJ) governing authority in Libya.
Analysis
Public disorder and instability in Libya could emerge if the Qaddafi regime falls. The United States should support a stabilization effort, says a CFR report by Johns Hopkins' Daniel Serwer.
Obama may need to reconsider his assertion that there would not be any US boots on the ground in Libya; leadership is hard to assert absent participation, writes CFR President Richard Haass in this Financial Times op-ed.
The regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is undoubtedly worried by the imminent collapse of the Qaddafi regime, which will shift attention back to Damascus, writes CFR's Elliott Abrams.
As the Qaddafi regime teeters, Libyan rebels take control of the capital city, sparking celebrations across the country, shows this Foreign Policy slideshow.
PACIFIC RIM
Biden Assures China over US Debt
On the last day of a four-day state visit to China, US Vice President Joseph Biden told students at Sichuan University that China's $1.7 trillion in US Treasury securities is "safe" (WashPost) and that the United States remains the best place in the world to invest.
Analysts say both the United States and China will have to restructure their economies to lessen global imbalances and strengthen recovery, explains this CFR Analysis Brief.
MALAYSIA: Appearing before Malaysia's High Court in Kuala Lumpur, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim denied accusations (BBC) he had sodomized a former male aide, calling the charges politically motivated. If convicted, Ibrahim could face twenty years in prison.
ELSEWHERE:
Charges against Strauss-Kahn to be dropped
Hamas claims ceasefire negotiated in Gaza
Indian PM now open to corruption reform
This is an excerpt of the CFR.org Daily News Brief. The full version is available on CFR.org.