NEWS FLASH

Journalists Freed From Tripoli Hotel As Colleagues Kidnapped in Zawiya | In yet another sign that the situation in Libya remains chaotic, the Italian foreign ministry reported that four Italian journalists were kidnapped in the city of Zawiya on the same day that Col. Muammar Qaddafi loyalists released 30 foreign journalists held captive since the weekend at a Tripoli hotel known for hosting internationals. Speaking about the journalists trapped at the Rixos hotel, the Committee to Protect Journalists recently released a statement. “All sides in the conflict have an obligation to avoid harming journalists and to respect their status under international law as civilians,” said the group’s deputy director Robert Mahoney.