IN just one week, Casey Heynes went from having one friend to 230,000.
The 16-year-old Sydney boy became a global Internet sensation after he was filmed picking up a bully in the schoolyard and throwing him to the ground after being repeatedly punched in the face for being "overweight''.
During an interview with A Current Affair , Casey said he had been bullied almost every day at school and even contemplated suicide a year ago when the taunts became too much.
"I started putting myself down and all the crap just kept piling on,'' he said.
"That's when I contemplated suicide.''
A Year 10 student at Chifley College, St Marys, Casey said he was being targeted by a new gang of Year Seven students last Monday when he was attacked by Ritchard Gale.
Standing up against the wall with nowhere to move, Casey was punched repeatedly by Ritchard until he snapped - lifting the Year Seven bully over his shoulders and throwing him to the ground.
The footage was captured by another student, who filmed the incident on his mobile phone and then posted it on YouTube.
Casey said his outburst was a "build-up'' of more than three years of being attacked verbally and physically by other students.
"They used to slap me on the back of the head and said I was a fatty and to lose some weight.
"I've been duct taped to a pole before as well. They target me because I don't retaliate.
"I've never reacted that way before but everything built up inside me for three years...I just had enough. All I wanted is for it to stop.''
His celebrity status peaked once again after his interview last night, with social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter - which have more than 230,000 followers - labelling him "a hero''.
One blogger, Wayne McCoy, said minutes after the television interview: "You have inspired alot of kids who have and are being bullied. you have changed lives. well done mate. hopefully the bullies will learn thier lesson.''
Others, like Aidan Blackley, said: "Good on ya!!! ur a legend''.
Casey said he had been overwhelmed by the amount of people who backed him after last week's footage went viral.
"I've never had so much support before,'' he said.
"Nobody touches me and teases me anymore.''
Both Casey and Ritchard were suspended by the school following the incident, as well as the student who filmed it on their mobile phone.
WESTERN nations have launched a military assault in support of rebels opposing Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The latest updates will be posted here as they come to hand.
8.08pm UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is urging the Libyan government to fully comply with last week's security council resolution. He says the UN is moving quickly and that the Libyan government's actions against civilians are:
"Totally unacceptable and strongly condemned. I am urging again that Libyan authorities fully comply with the UN security council's resolution...starting with the immediate cessation of hostility against civilians." - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
8.03pm This video from Russia Today shows the Libyan fighter jet shot down by coalition forces over the outskirts of Benghazi.
7.42pm A Libyan rebel smiles next to wrecked military vehicles belonging to Gaddifi's forces hit by French warplanes yesterday. Picture: AFP
LIBYA-UNREST-POLITICS
WIRE: A Libyan rebel smiles next to wrecked military vehicles belonging to Moammer Khaddafi forces hit by French warplanes on March 20, 2011. Dozens of Kadhafi military vehicles, including tanks, were destroyed in morning air strikes by the coalition west of Benghazi, as a semblance of normality returned with cars out on the road and street markets reopened in the rebel bastion. AFP PHOTO/PATRICK BAZ
"They're afraid to come out because when they do, he attacked them very, very severely. This is putting terror in all neighborhoods."
6.32pm US intelligence agencies fear retaliatory attacks from pro-Gaddafi forces as the embattled leader struggles to retain control of the country, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Spy agencies are watching for signs that a desperate Gaddafi, under attack from a coalition air assault, could resort to acts of terrorism against Western targets.
5.20pm The Federal Government warned this afternoon the intervention in Libya could last a long time.
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said it was important to see this week's initial bombardment as "phase one" in a multi-phase operation. "This will be a long process," Mr Rudd told ABC television.
4.30pm Pictures are emerging of the destruction caused after an administrative building was hit by a missile in the heart of Gaddafi's Bab Al Azizia compound in Tripoli. A soldier can be seen below surveying the damage caused after the missile struck.
Mideast Libya
A Libyan soldier surveys the damage to an administrative building hit by a missile in the heart of Gaddafi's Bab Al Azizia compound in Tripoli / AP
Source: AP
4.20pm British MPs will be given a vote on the country's involvement in the Libyan mission, following a debate promised by Prime Minister David Cameron, the Press Association reported.
Only a handful of MPs are expected to oppose the vote, although concerns may be raised about Britain being asked to provide ground troops.
Crude oil futures jumped 2 per cent this morning to above $US103 after UN-sanctioned aerial and naval strikes on military forces loyal to Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
2.52pm A Tripoli resident - who did not want to be named - recounts what it is like in the Libyan capital right now.
He describes a city full of tension and mistrust.
Several primary school teachers recount... stories of young pupils being questioned by school employees aligned to the regime's Revolutionary Committee Movement, which is being used to suppress dissent.
The conversations they have with these children, as young as eight years old, are along the lines of: "How are your parents? Are they sad about what's happening in the country? What have they been saying? What news channels are you watching at home?"
All, it seems, in an effort to establish whether the students have parents or relatives that are potentially opponents of the regime.
2.19pm The UK Defence Secretary Liam Fox has said making Colonel Gaddafi a target could "potentially be a possibility".
This admission contradicts statements from the Pentagon earlier which denied the missile which hit Gaddafi's compound was aimed at the leader himself, saying Gaddafi is "not on the targeting list".
Secretary Fox told the BBC "one of the problems we would have... is that you would have to take into account any civilian casualties that might result from that. At all times we are very careful to avoid that for its humanitarian reasons, but also for the propaganda reasons that it would provide for the regime itself."
1.36pm More details have emerged about the United States' plan to hand over command and control of the military operation in Libya, with speculation that Britain and France could take the lead role within days.
US Defence Secretary Roberts Gates said the US would not play a "preeminent role" in military action.
1.09pm A Libyan boy reacts while standing on top of a destroyed military vehicle belonging to the forces of Moammar Gadhafi in the outskirts of Benghazi, eastern Libya. Picture: AP
Mideast Libya
A Libyan boy reacts while standing on top of a destroyed military vehicle belonging to the forces of Moammar Gadhafi in the outskirts of Benghazi, eastern Libya, Sunday, March 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
Source: AP
1.02pm Supporters of Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi hold a poster of him in the heavily fortified military barracks and compound of Bab Al Azizia in Tripoli over night. Picture: AP
LIBYA UN RESOLUTION
epa02645576 Supporters of Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi hold a poster of him in the heavily fortified military barracks and compound of Bab Al Azizia in Tripoli, Libya, 20 March 2011. Several hundred supporters of the Libyan leader rallied outside his residence in the Tripoli suburbs in an apparent bid to protect it from French military jets, al Jazeera TV reported. EPA/MOHAMED MESSARA
Source: No Source
12.25pm Coalition officials have confirmed Gaddafi's compound was hit as a military target, and not an attempt on the leader's life.
The air strike against an administration building within Gaddafi's residence has destroyed the "command and control capability" of the leader, the official said.
12.16pm There are unconfirmed reports that Colonel Gaddafi's son is dead. Almanara Media reports Khamis Al Gaddafi has died from injuries sustained several days ago.
11.25am The US has said it expects to hand over control of military operations against Libya within days to either a UK-France coalition or NATO, reports the BBC.
Meanwhile, the Libyan government has called on people to march "peacefully" towards Bengahzi, according to BBC.
11.20am Mohamed Abdul Malek from Libya Watch, talking to the BBC, says the Libyan people would like to see Gaddafi in court, but "if given the choice between saving so many lives and seeing him dead, yes we would like to see him dead".
11.08am Journalists have been bussed to the site of the missile hit earlier that destroyed a building inside Gaddafi's residence.
The administrative building is about 50 metres from the tent where Gaddafi usually greets guests.
11.06am As suspected by coalition leaders, the ceasefire announced by Muammar Gaddafi's regime overnight "isn't true" or has been "immediately violated", says aide Tom Donilon, the national security aide to Barack Obama.
"So we'll continue to monitor Gaddafi's actions, not just his words, and continue our efforts to enforce the terms of the United Nations Security Council resolution 1973," he said.
10.50am Journalists have been shown new graves asproof of civilian deaths, reports Reuters. There were conflicting stories from mourners of how the victims died, and government minders refused to take the journalists to the sites of the bombings.
One of the victims was Ramadan al Zirgany but relatives gave reporters conflicting stories about his job, how he died and his age. Some said he was a taxi driver, others said he was unemployed.
Accounts of his death ranged from a wall collapsing on him after a bomb struck near Gaddafi's Tripoli headquarters to a cruise missile hitting his car.
10.44am The bombardment has continued for a second night, maintained by British forces, reports the BBC.
Tomohawk missiles were launched from a British sub in the Mediterranean Sea and targeted Libyan air defence systems.
10.34amIt would be "unwise" to try and kill Muammar Gadaffi, says US Defence Secretary Robert Gates.
Secretary Gates said the allied operation should stick to the parameters of the UN Security Council resolution.
He also expressed caution about providing direct support to rebel forces and referred to a long term "process" that could see Gaddafi toppled.
"I think this is basically going to have to be resolved by the Libyans themselves," he said. "Whether or not there is additional outside help for the rebels I think remains to be seen."
10.23amThe New York Times has a wrap of the major events so far. You can read the whole article here.
There is also an interactive map showing how the rebellion is unfolding in Libya.
NYTimes libya map
/New York Times
Source: news.com.au
10.15am NATO has failed to agree to a plan on enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya due to objections from Turkey, Sky News reports. The Turkish representative to NATO asked that they review the role NATO might play in the resolution, and argued the intervention "has changed the parameters for NATO as well", said a NATO diplomat.
However NATO did approve a military plan for the UN arms embargo.
9.53am AFP is reporting the explosion near Gadaffi's home earlier was a missile which has destroyed an administrative building within the leader's residence. There is no word if there were any casualties.
9.35am PBS has a guide to the Gadaffis. The graphic shows who's who in the powerful Libyan family. Take a look at it here.
9.27am Brent crude has jumped $2 to US$115.93 a barrel on military action against Libya.
9.15am Chris McGreal at the Guardian has described scenes of death and destruction in Libya as a result of the Western air strikes.
The dozen or so men clustered behind the last smouldering tank looked as if they had died while they slept.
Their blankets bore no burn marks so perhaps it was the force of blasts – powerful enough to rip the turrets off the Russian-made tanks and toss them 20 metres or more across the open field near Benghazi – that killed Muammar Gaddafi's soldiers.
Below: A Libyan rebel holds the rebellion flag as he stands over wrecked vehicles belonging to pro-Gadaffi forces. The vehicles were hit by French warplanes during an airstrike. Picture: AFP
Libyan rebel Benghazi
A Libyan rebel holds the rebellion flag as he stands over wrecked military vehicles belonging to Moammer Khaddafi forces hit by French warplanes on March 20, 2011. Dozens of Kadhafi military vehicles, including tanks, were destroyed in morning air strikes by the coalition west of Benghazi, as a semblance of normality returned with cars out on the road and street markets reopened in the rebel bastion.AFP PHOTO/PATRICK BAZ
Source: news.com.au
9.01am Dozens of foreign journalists were invited to a cemetery in Tripoli to cover the funerals of 26 people reportedly killed in overnight air strikes by Western forces, but by nightfall no bodies had arrived.
In a sea of regime supporters carrying portraits of the embattled strongman, men armed with AK-47s fired several rounds, women ululated and youths shouted "Jihad".
After more than two hours at the cemetery, journalists left in buses chartered by the authorities.
"Maybe tomorrow," said a member of the delegation escorting the journalists without further explanation.
In London, British Defence Secretary Liam Fox told the BBC "I spoke this morning to some of the leaders of the Arab countries who said that they might be involved and got a very warm response and I hope that that will become apparent."
Arab League member Qatar has already decided to deploy four planes to take part in the military operations.
8.06am A leading strategic expert has told ABC Radio this morning a no-fly zone over Libya might not stop attacks on civilians by the Gaddafi regime.
Hugh White, professor of strategic studies at the Australian National University, also said the recent criticisms from the Arab League - which initially supported the no-fly zone - will make the politics "pretty complicated".
Professor White said the no-fly zone by itself was never going to be sufficient to achieve the modest strategic objectives of a UN Security Council resolution.
"The Arabs have woken up and discovered they have supported not just something which is meant to stop Gaddafi flying his jets but something which is going to involve air attacks on land targets," he said.
7.59am Libyan people celebrate on a tank belonging to the forces of Moammar Gadhafi in the outskirts of Benghazi. The tanks were destroyed earlier by NATO planes. Picture: AP
Libya tank celebrate
Libyan people celebrate on a tank belonging to the forces of Moammar Gadhafi in the outskirts of Benghazi, eastern Libya. The tanks were destroyed earlier by NATO planes / AP
Source: news.com.au
7.41am There are reports of large explosions rocking Tripoli including one near Colonel Gaddafi's home. A column of smoke was seen rising from the area, and anti-aircraft fire rang out.
7.30am Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has told Sky News he would not trust the Libyan Government as far as he could throw them.
Mr Rudd was sceptical of the "ceasefire" called by the libyan government one hour before the UN resolution was adopted, and which was violated within 30 minutes.
7.25am Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez - who has historically been a close ally of Gaddafi - has condemned the "indiscriminate bombing" by the coalition forces, describing it as "imperial madness".
Mr Chavez made the comments during his weekly television and radio program.
He demanded the airstrikes be halted in Libya and echoed claims of civilian victims by its government, which said 48 people were killed.
Mr Chavez said African Union leaders were meeting in Mauritania to discuss the conflict.
"That's what must be done, and going there to talk with the parties in the conflict, but not launching bombs, more bombs, more death," Chavez said.
Mr Chavez said the U.S. is after Libya's oil, and warned President Barack Obama not to try any similar intervention in the South American country. "With Venezuela, don't even think about it, Mr. Obama," he said.
7.14am A briefing from the Pentagon says15 allied aircraft began hitting ground forces on the outskirts of Benghazi a short time ago. All aircraft have returned safely to home bases.
The briefing by Vice Admiral William Gourtney also reported the US has no indication of civilian casualties so far.
6.37am While Libya says it has ordered a ceasefire from 6am (AEDT) today, Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam reckons the whole crisis is just a "big misunderstanding". Branding the rebels gangsters and terrorists, he said the whole country was united against them.
5.42am "A sensible leader faced with the might of the US and NATO would just back off. But questions remain over Gaddafi's frame of mind" - Ian McPhedran looks at the options in Libya for the Herald Sun.
5.25am The top US military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, says the US is not going after Muammar Gaddafi.
"This is not about going after Gaddafi himself or attacking him at this particular point in time.
"It is about achieving these narrow and relatively limited objectives so that he stops killing his people and so that humanitarian support can be provided."
1:40am The head of the Arab League has criticised international strikes on Libya, saying they caused civilian deaths. The Arab League's support for a no-fly zone last week helped overcome reluctance in the West for action in Libya. Amr Moussa says the military operations have gone beyond what the Arab League backed.
(W)hat happened differs from the no-fly zone objectives...what we want is civilians' protection not shelling more civilians.
11:47pm Libyan officials have begun handing out weapons to more than a million of its citizens and will complete the operation "within hours," state news agencies reported today.
10:50pm Pope Benedict XVI called on military and political leaders to protect civilians caught up in the conflict in Libya that has escalated over the weekend.
I urgently appeal to political and military leaders to ensure the safety of [Libyan] citizens and guarantee access to humanitarian aid. I am following the events with great concern. I pray for those who are caught in the dramatic situation of this country [Libya].
10:41pm The initial part of an international operation to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya "has been successful'' and the Libyan government's offensive on Benghazi has been stopped, top US military commander Michael Mullen said "They are no longer marching on Benghazi," he added.
9:55pm Three US B-2 stealth bombers have dropped 40 bombs on a major Libyan airfield in an attempt to destroy much of the Libyan Air Force, CBS News reports. The television network also said that at the same time, US Air Force fighter jets conducted missions searching for Libyan ground forces to attack.
9:45pm Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi says all Libya's people have been armed and are ready to fight a "long war" to defeat foreign forces attacking his country, in a televised audio message.
We promise you a long, drawn-out war with no limits.
8:35pm Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said that western military raids on his country "amount to terrorism." Ghadafi, speaking on Libyan state radio, added that all of the country's people were now carrying weapons to defend the nation. "We will not leave our land and we will liberate it," he said.
8:19pm Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani has defended his country's participation in military operations in Libya, saying the aim was to "stop the bloodbath."
8:15pm Armed men have detained the crew of an Italian ship in the Libyan port of Tripoli, the Italian news agency ANSA reports. It said the crew of the ocean-going tug - eight Italians, two Indians and one Ukrainian - were detained as the ship disembarked Libyan workers. The armed men, one of whom identified himself as the harbour master, arrested the crew and prevented the ship from leaving, the agency added.
8:00pm Update on the coalition attacks on Libya:
US and British ships pound Libya with precision missiles
Targets are radars, communications centers and missile sites
American officials say damage is significant and substantial
US President Barack Obama says he doesn't want another war
7.22pm
OnlyOneLibya#Libya don't sit back, we have 2 rise together 2 get rid of Gaddafi ASAP, air strikes won't do that they only provide protection 4 civilians
6.32pm The BBC's Kevin Connolly in the city of Tobruk (on the border with Egypt) says Western aircraft will not be dispatched across Libya until the effectiveness of the missile attacks are known. Col.Gaddafi is also reportedly revising his strategy to cope with Western control of the air while consolidating his power on the ground, knowing that Operation Odyssey Dawn will not involve Western boots on Libyan ground.
6.18pm British military AWACS surveillance aircraft have landed at the Akrotiri British RAF airbase near Limassol. Britain has bombarded Libya with missiles from air and sea. Picture: AFP
British military AWACS surveillance aircraft
A British military AWACS surveillance aircraft lands in at the Akrotiri British RAF airbase near Limassol on March 20, 2011. Britain bombarded Libya with missiles from air and sea as multinational forces launched military action. Picture: AFP
Source: news.com.au
5.38pm Western aircraft from Canada, Denmark and Spain are expected to be in action today after arriving at Mediterranean bases. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe says the raids will continue until Col Gaddafi stops attacking civilians, withdraws his troops from areas they have penetrated, and allows Libyans to express their aspirations to democracy.
4.43pm Russia echoes China's sentiments, releasing a statement in which it called for a cease-fire in Libya as soon as possible, saying the authorisation of the use of force by the UN resolution had been "hastily adopted." The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement cited by CNN:
"We again urge all Libyan sides, as well as the participants of the military operation, to do everything they can to prevent the suffering of innocent civilians and to ensure a speedy cease-fire and an end to violence."
3.54pm Japan also backs the strike against Libya, though it chose to express its support in the most neutral language possible.
"The Japanese Government supports measures taken by UN member states under UN Security Council Resolution 1973," said a statement.
3.41pm Opposition Leader Tony Abbott supports the action against Libya but wants to see civilian casualties prevented. AAP reports:
"Obviously it's very important that any international action is very carefully calibrated to do the minimum of civilian damage," said Mr Abbott.
"But let's remember the damage that Colonel Gaddafi has done to his people over 40 years or more now.
"And let's remember the terrible vengeance that he will enact, that he would wreak on his own people, should this international action not be successful."
Earlier today Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd also threw his support behind the military strikes, while announcing a further $4 million in aid to assist those fleeing the crisis.
"This is a necessary and moral course of action against an individual who is a brutal, bloody dictator," he said.
3.32pmWhat is a Tomahawk missile? AFP tells us:
The 1.5-tonne missiles, which cost between $US600,000 and $US1.2 million each, can carry a 450-kilogram warhead and additional bomblets.
Over 300 Tomahawks were used in Operation Desert Storm alone, according to Raytheon Company which makes the weapons.
They also travel at speeds of up to 880km/h and can hit targets more than 2500km away. Read more here.
3.09pm The Western assault on Libya is an attempt to stop leader Muammar Gaddafi from attacking rebels in the east of the country – but it's not going to be an easy task.
John Nichol, a former air force pilot who served in the Gulf War and Bosnia, has an interesting article in The Guardian about his experiences in similar operations. His point is that rebels and non-rebels are hard to tell apart:
The no-fly zone in Bosnia prevented many fast-jet incursions; the helicopters were another matter. We would spot them disgorging troops that we knew would soon be entering a town to massacre civilians. Yet none were shot down because the issues of positive identification were legion – all sides were happy to disguise helicopters with Red Cross markings or UN logos. Who was willing to take the risk of killing civilians?
2.50pm China says it does not approve of the assault against Libya, but has stopped short of calling for a ceasefire.
"China has noted the latest developments in Libya and expresses regret over the military attacks on Libya," said a foreign ministry statement.
China did not block the UN resolution authorising the strikes, abstaining from the vote instead of using its veto.
2.13pm Since the attack was launched, photos from inside Libya have been scarce. The Western forces are taking plenty of shots of their efforts, though. Here's one showing French soldiers loading jet fighters with ammunition, distributed by AFP:
Libya assault
This handout picture released by ECPAD (The French Defence communication and audiovisual production agency) shows a soldier uses forlk-lift to load ammunition for French jet fighters in a Transal, a military transport plane at Avord military base, central France, on March 19, 2011, on a mission to overfly Libya following UN Security Council resolution. Picture: AFP
Source: AFP
1.50pm Need a reminder of where Libya is? It's here:
1.41pm Britain says its Tornado fighter jets fired an undisclosed number of Stormshadow missiles at Libyan targets in the "the longest range bombing mission conducted by the RAF since the Falklands conflict" almost thirty years ago.
1.36pm The story so far in numbers. Three countries have launched an assault on Libya – the US, Britain and France. At least 110 Tomahawk missiles have been fired into the country from the Mediterranean. Libya says at least 48 people have been killed.
If you need to catch up on how this all started, read here.
1.14pmChemical weapon threat or political scaremongering?The Washington Post is reporting on a stockpile of mustard gas which Gaddafi could use to "kill large numbers of his people".
US and European authorities have apparently been monitoring the stockpile by satellite, and "nothing untoward" has been seen so far.
The paper also said a mustard gas attack is "unlikely and would be difficult to carry out".
1.01pm The African Union has called for an "immediate stop" to the attacks. In recent years Gaddafi has heavily promoted African solidarity and played a role in the formation of the union.
12.53pm Another shot of the USS Barry launching Tomahawk missiles into Libya, as seen through night-vision goggles from another vessel nearby. Picture: US Navy / Getty
Missile strike against Libya
In this handout image provided by the US Navy, seen through night-vision lenses aboard amphibious transport dock theUSS Ponce, the USS Barry fires Tomahawk cruise missiles in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn March 19, 2011 Picture: US Navy / Getty
Source: Getty Images
12.17pm A superb story from Tripoli by Los Angeles Times reporter Borzou Daragahi gives a feeling of what it was like to be inside Gaddafi's compound when the attacks began:
Rap music slamming Al Jazeera and BBC's coverage of Libyan events blared from loudspeakers. Men and women danced and swayed to African and Arabian rhythms. A line of security officials formed to hold back the crowds as they pressed forward. Young men waved green flags denoting support for Gaddafi's Libya. A banner showed a crowd of men wearing green bandannas spraying pesticide on rats, the term Gaddafi uses to describe rebels in the east.
11.47amLibya says 48 people have been killed so far in the airstrikes.
11.38am The US has advised media organisations not to send journalists into Libya. It says all its officials have now left the country, and recommends US citizens leave as well.
10.34am Partial transcripts of Gaddafi's recent letters to world leaders have been released. In one to Barack Obama, he says he loves the American leader like a son:
To our son, the honourable Barack Hussein Obama,
As I have said before, even if, God forbid, there were a war between Libya and America, you would remain my son and I would still love you. I do not want to change the image I have of you. All of the Libyan people are with me, ready to die, even the women and children. We are fighting nothing other than al-Qaida in what they call the Islamic Maghreb. It's an armed group that is fighting from Libya to Mauritania and through Algeria and Mali... If you had found them taking over American cities by the force of arms, tell me what you would do?
7.32am The US has now joined military action against Libya. It will launch missile strikes but will not send in ground troops. The operation is named "Odyssey Dawn".
7.15am French war planes have destroyed armoured vehicles belonging to "pro-Gaddafi forces".
