Bribes probe sears EU Parliament

UN chief Ban ki-moon has urged swift action to deal with the crisis engulfing Libya.
The United Nations Secretary-General’s call came as the global body’s 15 member Security Council met in New York to discuss a draft resolution. That could be agreed as early as today and include an arms embargo, sanctions and legal action against Libya’s most senior leaders.
“It is time for the Security Council to consider concrete action. The hours and the days ahead will be decisive for Libyans and their country with equally important implications for the wider region,” the UN chief said.
With world powers struggling to stop Muammar Gaddafi lashing out at the Libyan people, President Barack Obama announced the US’ own sanctions against the North African regime.
Obama signed an order blocking transactions related to Libya, and other measures aimed at isolating the senior figures of the Libyan regime.
Condemning the violence, Obama said, ‘‘Muammar Gaddafi’s government has violated international norms and common decency and must be held accountable”
The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will also travel to Geneva early next week to address the Human Rights Council, as pressure mounts to bring international criminal proceedings against the Gaddafi regime. Earlier, in the US capital Washington protesters hauled down the Libyan flag and replaced it with one from the pre-Gaddafi era.