Forces loyal to Muammar Qaddafi recaptured Zawiyah yesterday, residents said, after a fierce attack on what had been the rebel-held city closest to Tripoli.
Libyan state television showed footage of Col Qaddafi's supporters waving flags in what it said was a celebratory march in Zawiyah and a rebel fighter told Reuters that pro-Qaddafi forces had driven rebels from their stronghold in the central square.
A Sky News correspondent in Zawiya showed rebel-controlled tanks and vehicles mounted with machine guns, in the city's main square, and said pro-Qaddafi forces at the city's edge were fire constantly at moving vehicles, including ambulances.
Forces loyal to the Libyan leader have been fighting rebels in the east as well as in a handful of towns close to Tripoli, where he has total control.
A doctor confirmed the Reuters report and said the death toll in the day's fighting was at least 40 and probably many more.
"We have pulled back and they are inside the square but we will attack them again and have it back," the rebel fighter said in a telephone conversation.
"We will do that tonight. This is not the end."
The doctor said many dead lay in the streets, including old people, women and children. Al Jazeera television said several members of Colonel Qaddafi's forces were also killed, including a general and a colonel.
The counter-offensive by Colonel Qaddafi, almost three weeks after an uprising began against him in eastern Libya, has halted the rebels' advance in the east and left other rebels stranded in Zawiyah and another western city, Misrata.
A high-ranking member of the Libyan military flew to Cairo yesterday with a message for Egyptian army officials from Colonel Qaddafi. In Cairo, a Egyptian army official told the Associated Press that Maj. Gen Abdul-Rahman bin Ali al-Saiid al-Zawi, the head of Libya's logistics and supply authority, was asking to meet Egypt's military rulers.
There have been no public contacts between the Libyan regime and Egypt's generals since the Libyan uprising began on February 15.
At the same time, the Libyan government appeared to be putting out feelers towards western governments which have tried to isolate Col Qaddafi.
Libyan government emissaries appeared to have flown to Brussels to talk to European Union and Nato officials meeting today and tomorrow, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said, suggesting that the whole situation was very fluid.
Portugal's foreign minister was expected to meet another government official from Tripoli, the Lusa news agency said.
Meanwhile rebels in the east faced a fresh barrage of artillery fire on their desert front line outside the oil port of Ras Lanuf.
Dr Gebril Hewadi of the Benghazi medical management committee told Reuters television at least 400 people had been killed in eastern Libya since clashes began there on February 17, with many corpses yet to be recovered from bombing sites.
The eastern rebels renewed an appeal for outside powers to impose a no-fly zone to at least shield them from air attacks.
The US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, made it clear imposing a no-fly zone is a matter for the United Nations and should not be a US-led initiative.
The White House said, however, it believed a UN arms embargo on Libya contained the flexibility to allow the rebels to be armed if such a decision were made.
Col Qaddafi's successes have left Western powers struggling to come up with a plan to support the rebels without becoming ensnared in the conflict.
US President Barack Obama's advisers were meeting yesterday to outline what steps are realistic and possible to pressure Col Qaddafi to halt the violence and give up power.
They planned to examine the ramifications of a no-fly zone over Libya and other military options, US officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Britain and France are pushing for the UN to create a no-fly zone over the country, but there would be political difficulties.
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
A QUIET PLACE
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Djimon Hounsou
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Rating: 4/5
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight Championship AJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v tba
Company profile
Company name: Fasset
Started: 2019
Founders: Mohammad Raafi Hossain, Daniel Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $2.45 million
Current number of staff: 86
Investment stage: Pre-series B
Investors: Investcorp, Liberty City Ventures, Fatima Gobi Ventures, Primal Capital, Wealthwell Ventures, FHS Capital, VN2 Capital, local family offices
The specs: 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman
Price, base / as tested Dh222,500 / Dh296,870
Engine 2.0L, flat four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed PDK
Power 300hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque 380hp @ 1,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.9L / 100km
Five personal finance podcasts from The National
To help you get started, tune into these Pocketful of Dirham episodes
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Balance is essential to happiness, health and wealth
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What is a portfolio stress test?
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What are NFTs and why are auction houses interested?
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How gamers are getting rich by earning cryptocurrencies
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Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 285bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: TBA
On sale: Q2, 2020
Super Saturday race card
4pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 | US$350,000 | (Dirt) | 1,200m
4.35pm: Al Bastakiya Listed | $300,000 | (D) | 1,900m
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 | $350,000 | (Turf) | 1,200m
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 | $350,000 | (D) | 1,600m
6.20pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 | $300,000 | (T) | 2,410m
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 | $600,000 | (D) | 2,000m
7.30pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 | $400,000 | (T) | 1,800m
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
TWISTERS
Director:+Lee+Isaac+Chung
Starring:+Glen+Powell,+Daisy+Edgar-Jones,+Anthony+Ramos
Rating:+2.5/5
Afcon 2019
SEMI-FINALS
Senegal v Tunisia, 8pm
Algeria v Nigeria, 11pm
Matches are live on BeIN Sports
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.
"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."