Obama announces Libya sanctions

US President Barack Obama signed an executive order blocking property and transactions related to the country.

Transactions involving assets of Muammar Gaddafi and some close associates were blocked.

Libya's UN envoy deserted him in dramatic scenes in New York.

On Friday, an anti-government demonstration in the Libyan capital Tripoli came under heavy gunfire. Around 1,000 protesters are thought to have been killed by troops attempting to quell the insurrection.

"The Libyan government's continued violation of human rights, brutalization of its people, and outrageous threats have rightly drawn the strong and broad condemnation of the international community," said Mr Obama in a statement late on Friday.

"These sanctions therefore target the Gaddafi government, while protecting the assets that belong to the people of Libya."

'Madman'

Witnesses reported the latest deaths and injuries as militiamen and government troops confronted protesters as they emerged from mosques following Friday prayers and started demonstrating in several areas of the city.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon: ''It is time for the Security Council to consider concrete action''

At the same time, Libyan state TV showed Colonel Gaddafi speaking from the Tripoli's old city ramparts, urging the crowd to arm themselves and defend the nation and its oil against the anti-Gaddafi elements who have taken control of large parts of the country.

"We shall destroy any aggression with popular will," he said. "With the armed people, when necessary we will open the weapons depots. So that all the Libyan people, all the Libyan tribes can be armed. Libya will become a red flame, a burning coal."

BBC