US aims to release up to $1.5 billion Libyan assets

The United States is seeking to release between $1 billion and $1.5 billion in frozen Libyan assets to the Libyan rebels' Transitional National Council, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said on Tuesday.

Nuland also said it was clear the Gaddafi regime has nearly collapsed and that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday about how the UN could give Libya humanitarian relief, security assistance if requested and support on matters such as constitution-writing. (Reuters)