This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com.

US officials meet with representatives of Libya’s Gaddafi

Pro-government demonstrators express their support for Libyan leader al-Gaddafi

The US State Department has confirmed that US officials have held face to face talks with representatives of Muammar al-Gaddafi, but denies that the talks were negotiations. The US said that the only purpose of the meeting was to reiterate its demand that Gaddafi step down. BBC

Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi scorned Nato’s demands in a boominb voice, and said that he would die for the Libyan people:

“They said Al Gaddafi will go to Honolulu. This is funny: to leave the graves of my ancestors and my people? Are you serious? … [I will] Never leave this land sprinkled with the blood of my ancestors who fought Italian and British colonialists.

These rats have taken our people hostage in Benghazi, Misurata and the western mountains, using them as human shields. Five million armed Libyans will march on them and liberate the occupied towns as soon as the order is given.

“After we gave our children as martyrs, we can’t backtrack, or surrender or give up or move an inch. Rest assured in your tombs, our martyrs, we will not betray you ever.”

Tripoli Post

Russia criticizes the West’s backing of Libyan rebels

Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the U.S. and other Western nations that have recognized the rebel National Transitional Council as Libya’s government, saying that they were taking sides in a civil war. Reuters

Russia asks U.S. to cancel Cold War anti-Communism law

Public Law 86-90, signed into law in 1959 by U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower, states that “since 1918 the imperialistic and aggressive policies of Russian communism have resulted in the creation of a vast empire which poses a dire threat to the security of the United States and of all the free people of the world.” Moscow criticized the U.S. for retaining this law. “It has long been clear that provisions of this law do not correspond to modern reality,” the Foreign Ministry said, adding that the document goes against the “positive trend” in the development of Russian-U.S. relations. Ria Novosti

Canada worries about commemorating the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a minor non-crisis war for the United States (although the White House burned down, and Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner during the war), but it was a major war for Canada, establishing it as a separate country, apart from the United States. Nonetheless, Canadian officials are worried about how Canada should commemorate the 200th anniversary of the war, in which Canada repelled an invasion by the United States, who is now Canada’s closest ally and most valued trading partner. Globe & Mail

East Africa’s drought and famine – worst in a generation

Somali refugees are flooding camps in Ethiopia and Kenya at a rate of more than 3,000 new arrivals per day. Several seasons of drought has killed livestock and dried up crops in Somalia. Aid agencies can’t get into Somalia because of the war. The next rains are not expected until October, and harvests are many months away. Millions of people are at risk of malnutrition and starvation. Catholic Online

Senior adviser to Afghan president Karzai shot and killed

The bad news from the war in Afghanistan just keeps piling on. Jan Mohammed Khan, a senior adviser to president Hamid Karzi, was shot dead in his home on Sunday. The killing occurred less than a week after Karzai’s half-brother, another powerful government official, was murdered by his own bodyguard. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that they were targeting “traitors in their houses.” Bloomberg

Israel requests bids for hundreds of West Bank settlements

The Israeli housing ministry said Monday it is inviting developers to bid for the construction of 336 housing units in two Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has refused to negotiate with Israel while it builds West Bank settlements. VOA

Israel prepares to intercept French yacht headed for Gaza

While most of the ships in “Freedom Flotilla II” are grounded in Greece, prevented from leaving to challenge Israel’s blockage of Gaza, the French yacht Dignite-Al Karame set sail for Gaza on Sunday, after previously declaring that its destination was Alexandria, Egypt. Israeli defense sources said that the French yacht, which has 10 activists and 3 crew members on board, will be prevented from reaching Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces know that an al-Jazeera crew is on the boat and will make an effort not to provide the Palestinians with pictures of “Israeli aggression.” Haaretz