Moammar Gadhafi takes to the airwaves from an unknown
location to call on residents to "free
Tripoli
,"
a day after rebels capture his stronghold in the Libyan capital. Libyan rebels
offer $1.65 million reward for the longtime leader --dead or alive.
ON THE GROUND:
Forces loyal to Gadhafi attack several locations in
central
Tripoli
, including Gadhafi's stronghold, now mostly in rebel hands. Fighting
also continues on the outskirts of
Tripoli
,
where explosions are heard.
ON THE DIPLOMATIC FRONT:
European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization
officials start talks on giving aid and unfreezing key Libyan assets in
overseas banks, but they say it is too early to declare victory in
Libya
.
Members of NATO are already jostling for influence in post-conflict
Libya
.
Turkey
reveals it has been bankrolling the Libyan rebel leadership over the
past month.
China
appears closer to accepting a rebel takeover of
Libya
,
praising the rebel leadership group and saying it hopes the "new
regime" will help restore stability in the North African nation. But
Russia
calls for talks to end the fighting.
The Contact Group on
Libya
meets in
Istanbul
Thursday and a senior rebel official is expected to attend.
OIL MARKETS:
Confident
of victory, rebel leaders say they will honor contracts between foreign
companies and Gadhafi's regime.
With opposition forces now in control of much of
Libya
's oil
fields, refineries and export terminals, Libyan crude could return to world
markets much faster than forecast--an event that would have big implications
for oil prices.
But analysts say the spread between Brent and Nymex crudes could move around
the $22-to-$25-a-barrel zone for a couple of weeks, until the situation
stabilizes.
Oil futures rose slightly, but traders remained hesitant to lay big bets while
the situation in
Libya
remained fluid.
Italy
's
energy major Eni SpA says it has been in constant contact with the rebels and
is working to ensure that all its plants in
Libya
can
be reopened. Spanish oil firm Repsol YPF SA says it hasn't been able to verify
the state of its facilities in
Libya
.