News & Comment
 The following news headlines are selected breaking news stories about Libya and the Libyan business arena, which are collected daily from a variety of sources.
If you click on "Read More" for a headline marked "External Article" you will be taken to the source of that story. For all other articles, which can be read on the LBBC website, we welcome your comments and opinions.
EU approves civilian mission to help Libya tighten border security [MEO]
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22nd May 13: BRUSSELS - EU leaders agreed Wednesday to send a civilian border assistance mission to Libya which should begin operations next month.
Cabinet shake-up begins in Libya under new law [Washington Post]
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22nd May 13: Libya’s prime minister has nominated a new interior minister to fill the first spot vacated in his Cabinet, a consequence of the new law that bars officials who had served under late dictator Moammar Gadhafi from holding public office.
Blockade at giant Elephant oilfield “planned” [Libya Herald]
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22nd May 13: Guards at one of Libya’s biggest oil fields say they plan to mount a blockade as of Sunday in protest at non-payment of salary and other demands.
Libya forces arrest armed group, seize anti-tank mines [AFP]
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22nd May 13: Libyan army Special Forces have arrested an armed group in the eastern city of Benghazi in possession of hundreds of anti-tank mines and material for making explosives, the LANA news agency reported today (Wednesday).
Libya to seek renewed credit rating: Central Bank Governor Elkaber [Libya Herald]
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21st May 13: Libya is considering re-establishing its presence in capital markets as a borrower according to reports that it is seeking to renew its credit rating are correct.
Standard and Poor’s has been asked to provide a new assessment of the country’s creditworthiness, Bloomberg has said. Before it and other credit agencies withdrew their credit ratings altogether in the Spring of 2011, S&P had slashed its assessment of Libyan risk five levels from a- to bb.
Central Bank signs Islamic finance training deal with Malaysian university [Libya Herald]
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20th May 13: The Central Bank of Libya has signed a cooperation agreement in Kuala Lumpur with the International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF) to ensure support in developing Sharia-compliant programmes at the bank.
Electricity Minister confirms that power generators will be in place by 21st July [Libya Herald]
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20th May 13: Electricity Minister Ali Muhairiq confirmed to Libya Herald that most power cuts should be over very soon. Replying to a question at Sunday's Prime Ministerial press conference, Muhairiq said that some generators had already arrived at Misurata port and that others were on the way.
Hogg Robinson signs partner agency in Libya [Travel Weekly]
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20th May 13: Tripoli Sail Travel has been appointed as Hogg Robinson Group’s new partner in Libya. The company will support the travel management company’s clients around the world with local and regional expertise.
Exhibition on studying English in the UK [Libya Herald]
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20th May 13: An exhibition on English language study in the UK is being is being held at the Mahari Radisson Blu hotel on Tuesday and Wednesday, for prospective students, businesses and education centres.
Kuwait's Kharafi group wins $930 million from Libya [Reuters]
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20th May 13: Libya will have to pay Kuwait's Kharafi group $930 million (£611 million) in damages for former leader Muammar Gaddafi's cancelling of the construction of a vacation resort, Kuwaiti newspapers reported today (Monday).
It’s time to engage Libya, not retreat [Gulfnews.com]
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20th May 13: Disheartened by the lack of US assistance, there is gnawing disenchantment with the pace of progress and even hints of nostalgia for the old order
Zeidan again refutes accusations of Qatar interference [Libya Herald]
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20th May 13: The Prime Minister has again denied that Qatar has had any role in Libya’s present political instability.
”I investigated this issue personally and I had discovered that Qatar was not involved in any kind of intervention in Libya to destabilise security,” Ali Zeidan said at a press conference Sunday in the Prime Ministry.
Blast Damages School in Benghazi [Naharnet]
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17th May 13: An explosion inside a school in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi caused damage but no injuries on Friday, the Muslim weekend when the facility was empty, the state-run news agency Lana reported.
Tribes Keep Uneasy Peace in Southern Libya [IPS]
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17th May 13: Kaltoum Saleh, 18, is elated to graduate from her overcrowded high-school in the remote Saharan town of Ubari, near the Algerian border.
Saleh, a member of Ubari’s indigenous Tebu tribe, says that for decades under former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan Tebu suffered from state-sanctioned discrimination, which stemmed in part from the failure of the semi-nomadic tribe to register under Libya’s 1954 citizenship law.
Libya and Italy to boost tourism ties [Libya Herald]
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16th May 13: The complex process of issuing of visas for travel between Libya and Italy may be simplified as a result of talks in Tripoli today.
The Libyan Minister of Tourism, Ikram Basha Imam, met the Italian ambassador in Tripoli, Giuseppe Grimaldi, about joint cooperation between the two countries in the field of tourism.
Water set to return to all Tripoli today but power cuts continue [Libya Herald]
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16th May 13: The Great Man-made River Western Region authority announced that water has started to be pumped as normal to Tripoli from as early as last night.
The Authority had informed the public that “sabotage” committed by “a citizen” had caused a massive leak that sent a jet of water into the air at pumping station number T13 on the main line supplying Tripoli.
Comtec International sets up base in Tripoli [Times of Malta]
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16th May 13: Following a market analysis and years of providing services from Malta Comtec International has set up a base in Tripoli, Libya.
Austria to send 5 police officers to Libya [KUNA]
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16th May 13: Austria is planning to send five police officers to Libya as part of an EU border mission.
Libya is Safe: GNC deputy [Libya Herald]
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15th May 13: Despite the recent unrest in Tripoli and Benghazi, the Deputy President of the GNC, Juma Ateega, said today that the country was not in danger.
Stop Libya's Counter Revolution [Huff Post BLOG]
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15th May 13: It is often said that the great questions of our time will not be settled by speeches and votes, but by iron and blood. It is a maxim that certainly rings true for the question of Libya's democratic future. With the world's attention fixated across the Mediterranean on the spiraling Syrian conflict, the efforts of Libya's elected leaders to rehabilitate their nation have been stung by the poisonous barb of militia power-politics.
Rumours of RPG attack on Mangoush HQ denied [Libya Herald]
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15th May 13: Rumours that the headquarters of the General Chief of Staff, Major-General Yousef Mangoush, sustained an attack by a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) have today been denied.
Oil Exports Halted Again at Libya's Zueitina Port [The Maritime Executive]
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15th May 13: Oil exports from Libya's eastern port of Zueitina have been halted for the second time this year after protesters stormed the terminal and forced workers from their positions, three industry sources said on Wednesday.
US moving 200 marines to Sicily for Libya protection [The Telegraph]
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15th May 13: Italy has announced the United States was transferring 200 marines and two planes to its base at Sigonella in Sicily to deploy in Libya in case US diplomats come under attack as they did last year.
Clashes in Benghazi [Libya Herald]
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15th May 13: There were clashes last night in Benghazi between the forces of the Joint Security Room and some assailants who tried to release a captured prisoner from one of the city’s police stations.
Libya Bank Lending Paralyzed Amid Interest Ban: Islamic Finance [Bloomberg]
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15th May 13: Ali Gumma finally saved enough money to buy a plot of land near Tripoli and was planning to build a family home when he hit a brick wall: He couldn’t find a Libyan bank willing to lend him the money.
“I can’t afford to build it on my own,” the 52-year-old university professor said in an interview in the capital. “Traditional banks are barred from offering loans because they aren't Islamic. But no alternatives have been introduced.”
LD 50 billion investment needed in Libya’s hydrocarbon sector – NOC head [Libya Herald]
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14th May 13: A conference was held at the Radisson hotel Tripoli today by the Ministry of Oil and the National Oil Corporation (NOC) on the possibility of private sector financing of Libya’s hydrocarbon sector.
Benghazi blast an 'accident', Libya ministers say [BBC News]
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14th May 13: A blast outside a hospital in the Libyan city of Benghazi on Monday might have been an accident, ministers say. The government initially said that a car bomb exploded in a "terrorist act" that killed three people.
Libya deadly car bomb near Benghazi hospital [BBC News]
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14th May 13: A car bomb explosion near a hospital in the Libyan city of Benghazi has killed several people, officials say. The death toll is unclear. Local officials initially said nine people had been killed. A hospital spokesman later said three bodies had been found.
Zeidan praises Qatar [Libya Herald]
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12th May 13: The Prime Minister Ali Zeidan has moved to counter public criticism of Qatar following accusations by protestors and in the press and social media that the Gulf state has been interfering in Libya’s internal affairs.
Libyan government employees return to work after nearly 2 weeks of militia protests [AP]
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12th May 13: Officials at two Libyan government ministries returned to work Sunday after nearly two weeks of protests by militia fighters, who blocked the entrances to the buildings.
After Qaddafi's 'socialism,' Libya tries to untangle who owns what [CS Monitor]
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12th May 13: Brandishing a yellowing piece of paper dating back to the period when Libya was an Italian colony, Haitham Mokhtar Horria nervously proclaims his family’s claim to 2.7 acres of the capital’s best real estate – across the street from the office of Libya’s prime minister.
BP withdraws some Libya staff over security concerns [BBC News]
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12th May 13: Oil giant BP has withdrawn some non-essential staff from operations in Libya following UK government advice about uncertainty in the country.
Breakthrough housing deal agreed by Government and Chinese company [Libya Herald]
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12th May 13: The Ministry of Housing and the Beijing-based China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) signed an agreement in Benghazi today to resume work on 20,000 housing units in the city. The buildings are in the Gwarsha and Khadra districts.
ASEAN ambassadors in Benghazi [Libya Herald]
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12th May 13: Benghazi is looking to build up business ties with South East Asia in its bid to become Libya’s de facto commercial capital. An agreement was made yesterday with a number of ambassadors from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to form a working group to promote commercial and industrial links.
Opinion: To Isolate or Not to Isolate – that is the question [Niz Ben-Essa]
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12th May 13: Over the last few days I’ve found people constantly asking me about the Isolation Law. Over coffee, at weddings, after football matches or over dinner, people ask “are you for or against?”
Libya investment conference in London postponed because of crisis [Libya Herald]
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10th May 13: The FDI conference due to take place in London on 29-30 May has been postponed because of the current political crisis in the country.
British Embassy Withdraws Staff In Libya [Sky News]
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10th May 13: The British Embassy has withdrawn a number of staff in the Libyan capital Tripoli on security grounds.
FROZEN food specialist ICELAND going down a storm...in LIBYA [The Sun]
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10th May 13: The supermarket plans to branch out across the Middle East after the success of a store in the country’s war-torn capital, Tripoli.
A FACEBOOK page in Libya is plugging best-sellers such as Iceland deep pan four cheese pizza, strawberry cheesecake and American style southern fried chips. It has over 45,000 “likes”.
Opportunities and risks in Libyan infrastructure growth [Times of Malta]
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9th May 13: Mohammed Bouazizi, a young unemployed graduate, started off a dramatic chain of events when he began to sell vegetables from a market stall in Tunis on December 17, 2010. When police seized his stall, he set fire to himself in protest and kick-started the Tunisian revolution. Tunisia was rapidly followed by the eruption of popular unrest in Tahrir Square in Egypt, and within a month, the first street protests in Benghazi were taking place. A few months later, the Arab Spring changed the political landscape of North Africa.
Irish teachers who fled Libyan uprising demand unpaid salaries of €200,000 [Libya Herald]
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9th May 13: A group of 17 teachers from Ireland who are owed salaries totalling up to €200,000 by a school in Libya has criticised the Irish Government for continuing to facilitate the Leaving Certificate curriculum at the school.
Militiamen still besieging the ministries [Libya Herald]
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9th May 13: Reports that militiamen who have been besieging the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice for over a week had last night withdrawn and gone home are premature. They were again at the ministries today, preventing employees from resuming work.
Gaddafi cases are Libya's 'Nuremberg moment': ICC prosecutor [timeslive.co.za]
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9th May 13: Libya's handling of the family and followers of late dictator Muammar Gaddafi could become a "Nuremberg moment" in legal history, the International Criminal Court chief prosecutor said.
Libya govt reshuffle imminent, says PM [News 24]
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9th May 13: Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan announced on Wednesday a cabinet reshuffle "in the coming days," against the backdrop of the country's latest political crisis, sparked by former rebels besieging two ministries.
Libya defence minister cancels resignation [Aljazeera]
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7th May 13: Libya's prime minister has convinced the defence minister not to resign, just hours after Mohammed al-Baragthi said he was quitting in protest against the siege of two government ministries by armed groups, the premier's spokeswoman said.
Libya defense minister quits over siege of ministries by gunmen [Reuters]
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7th May 13: Libya's defense minister resigned on Tuesday in protest at a siege by gunmen of two government ministries that he denounced as an assault on democracy almost two years after the fall of dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
Government officially denies any Ministerial resignations [Libya Herald]
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7th May 13: Ali Zeidan’s government has been forced into issuing a press statement this morning denying the resignations of any of its Ministers. Reports that four key ministers in the government had resigned have been circulating on the internet and on some media outlets.
LITC signs contract with French manufacturer Alcatel [Libya Herald]
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7th May 13: The Libya International Telecommunications Company (LITC) signed a contract with French manufacturer Alcatel Libya for the installation of new switches for international calls to cover the Benghazi-Derna region.
RLTT selects Eutelsat’s KA-SAT to accelerate wireless Internet in Libya [Libya Herald]
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7th May 13: Rawafed Libya for Telecommunications & Technology (RLTT), a leading private sector Internet Service Provider in Libya, has sealed a multi-year agreement with Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) for capacity on the KA-SAT satellite to support IP trunking services to its new wireless broadband network in Libya.
Foreign Ministry blockaded again despite passing of Political Isolation Law [Libya Herald]
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6th May 13: Despite the passing of the Political Isolation Law yesterday, militiamen have again blockaded the ministry of Foreign Affairs today, partially closing a road.
Yesterday, outside the Foreign Ministry, the gun-mounted technicals were not obviously present and protestors told the Libya Herald that they had started leaving at 9 am.
Opinion: My 2 Cents: Economic recovery in Libya – Thoughts about social and economic reintegration of armed groups [Hafed Al-Ghwell]
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6th May 13: Given recent headlines, no one can now deny that Libya has been undergoing a complex transition that is hampered by the proliferation of armed groups with a multiplicity of political, economic, religious, regional, and ideological goals and objectives.
Libya parliament bans Gaddafi-era officials [BBC News]
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5th May 13: Libya's parliament has passed a law banning officials from the Gaddafi era from holding political office. The vote in the General National Congress (GNC) came a week after militias backing the law began besieging the ministries of justice and foreign affairs.
Emergency aid flown to flood victims in the south-east [Libya Herald]
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3rd May 13: Emergency supplies, including tents, mattresses and food, have been flown to the south-east of the country, after flooding damaged properties and forced hundreds of people to flee their homes.
Army deploys around Libya capital amid sieges [AFP]
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3rd May 13: Libya's army took up positions Friday at strategic sites around the capital, where militias have besieged state institutions for the past week, an AFP journalist reported.
Libya stands up to illegal border activity [Egypt Daily News]
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3rd May 13: Libyan authorities have taken measures against Egyptians who have recently illegally entered Libyan territories by capturing two boats on Thursday and deporting over 100 people.
Anti-militia protest attacked in Libya [Miami Herald]
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3rd May 13: Hundreds of Libyan pro-democracy advocates marched in Tripoli on Friday, denouncing militias' recent blockade of government buildings and coming under attack briefly by supporters of the armed groups, in the latest sign of the turmoil that threatens the country's first elected authorities.
Seif ‘being looked after, could be tried fairly within Libya’ [Arab News]
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3rd May 13: ZINTAN: Seif Al-Islam, son of deposed Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, appeared in court yesterday in the town of Zintan, where he had been held since his capture by former rebels in November 2011.
“We won’t use these weapons”: militiamen at Justice Ministry siege [Libya Herald]
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1st May 13: Militiamen who are besieging the Ministry of Justice demanding that the Political Isolation Law be passed say that they will not fire the guns they used to shut the ministry.
Libya: Three Sought for Questioning in Benghazi Attack [NY Times]
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1st May 13: The F.B.I. on Wednesday released photos of three men whom investigators want to question in connection with the attacks on a United States diplomatic mission and C.I.A. outpost in Benghazi, Libya, last September. A statement by the bureau said the three “were on the grounds of the United States Special Mission when it was attacked.” Four people — including the United States ambassador to Libya — died in the attacks.
Jebel Nafusa fighting smashes power lines – Tripoli supplies cut [Libya Herald]
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1st May 13: There have been power cuts today in Tripoli after clashes in the Jebel Nafusa destroyed transmission lines taking power to the capital.
170 escape from prison in southern Libya [Xinhua]
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1st May 13: Some 170 prisoners escaped on Tuesday from a prison in Libya's Sebha, some 800 km south of the capital of Tripoli, local official told Xinhua.
Libya aims to end fuel subsidies in 3 years: Minister [The Peninsula Qatar]
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30th Apr 13: Libya will join its neighbours in tackling sensitive fuel market reforms and plans to do away with all subsidies within three years, Oil Minister Abdelbari Al Arusi said.
Backlash begins against militiamen in Tripoli [Libya Herald]
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30th Apr 13: In a move against the actions of militiamen who have blockaded and attacked four government ministries in support of the controversial Political Isolation Law, protestors gathered this evening in Tripoli’s Algeria Square. They vow to remain there until law and order is re-established in the country.
Coffin march from Suq Al Juma to Congress backs Political Isolation Law [Libya Herald]
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30th Apr 13: Over a thousand demonstrators arrived this afternoon outside the Congress conference hall with coffins, in a symbolic gesture designed to persuade Congress to pass the Political Isolation Law unamended. The law would result in thousands of Qaddafi-regime officials barred from holding office.
Libya gunmen surround justice ministry in Tripoli [BBC]
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30th Apr 13: The offices of the Libyan justice ministry in Tripoli have been surrounded by armed men demanding the expulsion of officials who worked for the government during the Gaddafi era.
Libyan foreign ministry still under siege [News 24]
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29th Apr 13: Tripoli - Dozens of gunmen kept Libya's foreign ministry under siege for a second day on Monday, as violence spread when police officers firing their guns in the air stormed the interior ministry demanding higher wages.
Interior Minister Shuwail has not resigned – Zeidan [Libya Herald]
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29th Apr 13: Asked about rumours that Interior Minister Ashour Shuwail had resigned due to the French embassy bomb and the poor security situation in Libya, Prime Minister Ali Zeidan categorically denied it.
GNC lays blame for delay in implementing Political Isolation law on political groups [Libya Herald]
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29th Apr 13: Speaking at yesterday’s press conference at the Prime Minister’s office, Deputy Head of the GNC Salah Makhzoum confirmed that the GNC had met on Thursday with Prime Minister Ali Zeidan and the “relevant” ministers on Sunday morning.
After Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry and Wataniya TV station besieged [Libya Herald]
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28th Apr 13: Following the blockade of the Foreign Ministry earlier today, militiamen blockaded the Interior Ministry and Al Wataniya TV.
The forces – mostly from from Misrata but also from Suq Al-Juma, Tajoura, Sabratha, Zawyia as well as Benghazi and other towns – say they will stay until Congress passes the Political Isolation Law.
Libya: gunmen surround Tripoli foreign ministry [BBC]
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28th Apr 13: Men in pick-up trucks bristling with anti-aircraft guns have blocked off Libya's foreign ministry, demanding a jobs ban on Gaddafi-era officials.
Libya faces growing Islamist threat [Guardian]
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28th Apr 13: Diplomats are warning of growing Islamist violence against western targets in Libya as blow-back from the war in Mali, following last week's attack on the French embassy in Tripoli.
Libya to help ease Egypt crisis with $1.2b oil deal [Reuters]
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28th Apr 13: Libya will soon start shipping oil to neighboring Egypt on soft credit terms, two senior Libyan officials said, as Cairo struggles to pay for energy imports and avoid fuel shortages.
Muscat and Libya to boost ties [Oman Tribune]
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28th Apr 13: MUSCAT The Sultanate and Libya held discussions at the Council of Ministers headquarters on Sunday. The Omani side was led by HH Sayyid Fahd Bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, while the Libyan side was led by Dr Mohammed Bin Yousef Al Magariaf, Chairman of the Libyan National Congress.
Zeidan warns of “no Schengen visas” [Libya Herald]
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28th Apr 13: Libyan PM Ali Zeidan warned that Libyans must get their house in order if they are not to frighten foreigners and embassies away.
Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemns 'terrorism' in Libya [UPI]
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25th Apr 13: JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia: The principles of Islam forbid terrorism in any manifestation, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation said in condemning attacks in Libya this week.
Libya: Kufra smuggling barrier almost completed [Libya Herald]
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25th Apr 13: The Sand Dam, a 175 kilometre ditch and bank that surrounds Kufra is nearing completion.
It is claimed that that barrier will stop smugglers from entering the town, which has the authorities say has been used a staging post for human and drugs traffickers as well as the illegal shipment of commodities and fuel.
Sir Dominic Asquith to lead LBBC mission to Tripoli and Misurata, May 2013 [LBBC]
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24th Apr 13: The Libyan British Business Council (LBBC), the leading trade association and membership organisation serving the UK-Libyan business community, is delighted to announce that former British Ambassador to Libya, The Hon Sir Dominic Asquith, KCMG will be mission leader of the forthcoming LBBC Business Delegation to Tripoli and Misurata, May 12–16 2013.
French Embassy Attack in Tripoli, Challenges Libya’s Security [North Africa Post]
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24th Apr 13: The terrorist bombing that hit lately French embassy in Tripoli has tested the Libyan security apparatus and showed its vulnerability as the North African country is experiencing a turbulent and shaky transition after years of autocratic rule under Gadhafi regime.
Libya dismisses rumours of requests for NATO intervention [Middle East Monitor]
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23rd Apr 13: Libyan Prime Minister, Ali Zaidan, has dismissed rumours about NATO intervention in Libya. "This is biased and conspiratorial propaganda circulated to ruin the work of the government," he said.
French embassy in Libya hit by 'car bomb' in Tripoli [BBC]
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23rd Apr 13: An apparent car bomb has exploded outside the French embassy in the Libyan capital Tripoli, wounding two French guards and causing major damage.
Total aims to start exploring in offshore Libya in May [The New Age]
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22nd Apr 13: France's Total said it aimed to start offshore exploratory drilling in Libya next month for gas, in a further sign the OPEC member's energy industry is returning to normal after the 2011 war.
Libya on shaky ground as insurgency rises [Zawya.com]
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22nd Apr 13: Libya's economic figures are the envy of the world, but the country teeters on the edge of dysfunction. The country's real GDP leaped off the charts with a 104.5% growth last year, and is estimated to register a 20.2% growth this year and a further 10.1% in 2014, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Libya journalist detained for 4 months out on bail [Arab News]
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22nd Apr 13: A Libyan journalist detained for four months in prison charged with insulting the judiciary was released yesterday on bail, his lawyer told AFP.
“Amara Abdullah Al-Khitabi was released at the end of a hearing on Sunday upon the payment of 500 dinars ($ 390) and confiscation of his passport, and is now with his people,” said Ramadan Salem.
Ukrainian MENA envoy on Libya visit [Libya Herald]
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21st Apr 13: There are plans for Ukrainian specialists to help set up a new opthalmic hospital in Tripoli.
These were discussed today at a meeting between Prime Minister Ali Zeidan and GNC President Mohamed Magarief in a meeting with Ukrainian Middle East and North Africa envoy Hanadi Latte.
Top aide of Gadhafi to face trial in Egypt after resisting arrest in blow to Libya’s request [AP]
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21st Apr 13: CAIRO — A cousin and one-time top aid of former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi will face trial in Egypt on charges of attempted murder.
Libya Moves Ahead with Reconciliation in South [Tripoli Post]
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21st Apr 13: Reconciliation efforts in Libya brought results Saturday when Tabu and Awlad Suliamn tribes among others signed a reconciliation accord in Tripoli at a ceremony that was attended by the President of the National Congress, the Prime Minister, tribal leaders, Libyan dignitaries, ministers and foreign diplomats.
Where next for LAIP and its $5 billion assets? [Libya Herald]
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20th Apr 13: Ahmed Kashadah has an interesting memento of the organisational wreckage he and his team found when they moved into the headquarters of the Libyan Arab Investment Portfolio in Tripoli in September 2011.
Libya’s massive rebuilding efforts to sustain double-digit growth in 2013: Barasi [Libya Herald]
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20th Apr 13: Libya’s massive rebuilding efforts, driven by large-scale investments on new projects, would ensure double-digit growth in 2013, Deputy Prime Minister Awad Barasi said at a press conference on Thursday in Dubai announcing the launch of Libya Projects 2013.
Libya to build 11 stadiums for 2017 Africa Cup of Nations [BBC]
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18th Apr 13: Libya plans to invest 400 million dinars ($314 million) on building stadiums this year as it prepares to host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, the deputy prime minister said.
Opening the door to UK-Libyan university partnerships [Libya Herald]
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18th Apr 13: As the three-day trade visit by British universities drew to a close yesterday, both Libyan representatives and the UK delegates were unanimous in seeing higher education partnerships as the way forward.
Libya participates in Arabsat’s General Assembly Meeting [Libya Herald]
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18th Apr 13: The 36th Arab Satellite Communications Organization’s (Arabsat) Board of Directors and General Assembly Meetings were held in Doha on 7 April through to 10 April. Libya, represented by the Minister of Communications and Information, Osama Siala, was keen to partake after the country’s absence from last year’s Beirut meetings.
Libya probe into pipelines blast points to sabotage [Reuters]
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18th Apr 13: A probe into an April 2 blast on pipelines to the Libyan oil port of Zueitina points to sabotage, industry sources said.
Libya could have been like Dubai – Deputy PM [Arabian Business]
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18th Apr 13: Modern day Libya’s infrastructure would have rivalled that of Gulf states the UAE and Qatar if it was not for Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s “years of destruction”, the country’s deputy prime minister said today (Thursday).
Government agrees to send Thuwar to study abroad [Libya Herald]
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17th Apr 13: The Libyan government agreed on Monday that 18,000 former revolutionaries who have university degrees should be sent to universities abroad to gain masters and doctoral degrees.
Libyan parliament criminalises arbitrary arrests [APA]
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17th Apr 13: Libya's General National Congress has approved a law criminalizing arbitrary arrests as well as torture and abduction, the justice minister said on Wednesday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.
The IMF and the vexing issue of reforming subsidies: ramifications for Libya [Libya Herald]
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17th Apr 13: The IMF report based on a 22 country-case study of energy subsidy reform concludes that though aimed at protecting the consumer, such subsidies aggravate fiscal imbalances or crowd out priority public spending and depress private investment.
Lawyers for Justice in Libya Condemns the GNC’s Amendments to Libya’s Constitutional Declaration [LFJL]
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17th Apr 13: On 9 April 2013, the General National Congress (GNC) made several critical amendments to Libya’s interim Constitutional Declaration that affect the law making and law reviewing processes of prospective laws intended to isolate persons from holding positions in government. Lawyers for Justice in Libya (LFJL) strongly condemns these amendments as violations to Libya’s Constitutional Declaration, international treaties, and the fundamental principles of both human rights and the rule of law.
John Kerry says US chasing leads in Benghazi attack [AP]
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17th Apr 13: WASHINGTON - Seven months after the attack on a US diplomatic mission in Libya, the Obama administration on Wednesday insisted that it was making progress in holding accountable those responsible for killing Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.
Trial by Error: Justice in Post-Qadhafi Libya [International Crisis Group]
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17th Apr 13: Trial by Error: Justice in Post-Qadhafi Libya, the latest report from the International Crisis Group, analyses the ills plaguing the judicial system in Libya. Well over a year after Qadhafi’s regime was ousted, some armed groups continue to run prisons and enforce their own forms of justice, while others resort to violence to achieve political or criminal aims. All this triggers more grievances, further undermining confidence in the state.
Old disputes are thriving in Libya [Gulf Times]
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17th Apr 13: The prized scion of Muammar Gaddafi is a prisoner of tribesmen in these mountains of scrub and ocher rock of Zintan, Libya.
The rebels who captured him after the 2011 civil war that toppled his father have refused to turn him over to the central government in Tripoli or the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. The militiamen patrolling hillsides of winding roads and scattered bunkers want Seif Islam Gaddafi tried in a rural courtroom.
Libya eyes growth through oil despite shaky security [Reuters]
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16th Apr 13: Libya's economy minister expects growth of 3 per cent this year, driven by a resurgence in oil production achieved despite security so precarious that government departments like his must be protected by pick-up trucks bristling with weapons.
Escalating Violence Holds Back Libya's Oil and Gas Sector [Rigzone]
Inhouse Article. Commenting Enabled.
16th Apr 13: Two years on from the revolution that ousted dictator Muammar Gaddafi and his regime, Libya is still suffering from violence that is threatening to hold back the country's oil and gas sector from returning to pre-war levels of production.
If Gulf shuts the door, Libya beckons Indians [thehindu.com]
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16th Apr 13: As job opportunities shrink in the Gulf there is one country nearby — Libya — which seems to be welcoming skilled Indians, if meetings between the visiting Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed and the top leadership in Tripoli are any indication.
Friday rallies called throughout the country in support of Libya’s transition [Libya Herald]
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16th Apr 13: A nation-wide appeal to stand for a united Libya has been launched by a group of independent activists and others from civil society organisations. The event planned for 19 April, Friday, plans to show to the outside world that Libyans are in favour of unity, transitional justice and national reconciliation, a Libya that says ‘Yes’ to moving beyond the fighting, past the collective punishments, past the corruption and past jungle law.
Libya's 'complicated relationship' with alcohol [Open Democracy]
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16th Apr 13: Is the answer better law enforcement so Libyans are dissuaded from illegally consuming potentially poisoned alcohol, or should the Libyan government consider legalising alcohol so that those who choose to drink can do so safely?
Jailed Libya journalist in hospital after hunger strike [globalpost.com]
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15th Apr 13: A Libyan journalist held in prison for four months charged with insulting the judiciary has been hospitalised after going on hunger strike, his lawyer said on Monday.
Libya militants deny Islamic militia leader linked to Benghazi attack on US consulate shot [AP]
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15th Apr 13: Members of a disbanded Islamic extremist militia are denying claims that the commander of the group has been shot. The group is suspected of involvement in an attack in Benghazi that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans last September.
Impressive turnout for the third international women’s event [Libya Herald]
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15th Apr 13: The third International Women in Libya (IWiL) event, held at Tripoli’s Al Waddan Hotel on Saturday, attracted over 150 women from countries across the globe, who are all living and working in Libya.
Is Libya’s Energy Future Green? [Geopolitical Monitor]
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14th Apr 13: A few years back, an article appeared in the Tripoli Post outlining Libya’s energy prospects for Europe. What made the article different, however, was its focus on solar power rather than oil as the Libyan asset appealing to European clients across the sea.
Libya-Tunisia oil deal moves ahead [Libya Herald]
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14th Apr 13: Moves to supply Tunisia with Libyan crude oil as well as oil products have taken a further step forward with agreement on Friday to set up a joint committee to oversee the plans. Approval was given by Oil and Gas Minister Abdulbari Arusi and Tunisian Minister of Industry Mehdi Juma at a meeting in Tunisia.
Head of Libya's Islamic extremist militia suspected in attack on US ambassador has been shot [FoxNews.com]
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14th Apr 13: A security official says the leader of an Islamic extremist militia in Libya suspected of involvement in the attack in Benghazi that killed the U.S. ambassador has been shot.
Afriqiyah blunder could threaten lifting of EU flight ban [Libya Herald]
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14th Apr 13: A documentation error that saw an Afriqiyah flight from Benghazi to Paris on Friday refused permission to land could threaten the lifting of the airline’s EU airspace ban.
Libya coast guard rescues 89 immigrants from drifting boat [nation.co.ke]
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14th Apr 13: Libya's coastguard rescued 89 illegal immigrants off the western port of Zawiya after their boat broke down and five of them died, a naval official told Lana news agency on Saturday.
Lockerbie bombing: Witnesses evade police in Libya [Scotsman.com]
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14th Apr 13: THE new investigation into the Lockerbie bombing appears to be stalling after Scottish police officers failed to gain access to key suspects in Libya, Scotland on Sunday can reveal.
Libya arrests 20 after attack on southern police compound [Reuters]
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13th Apr 13: Libyan authorities have arrested 20 people after an attack on a police vehicle compound in the desert south in which one person was killed, the army chief said on Saturday.
Prosthetics and scholarships boost Indian-Libyan ties {Libya Herald]
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12th Apr 13: The Indian ambassador to Libya, Anil Trigunayat, last night, Thursday, spoke of the growing relations between Libya and India.
Libya targets 20% renewable energy by 2020 [PVTech]
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12th Apr 13: Libya is aiming to generate 20% of its power from renewable sources by 2020, according to Reuters.
Libya frees S. Korean man held for spreading Christianity [yonhap news]
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12th Apr 13: Libya has released a South Korean man two months after he was detained for allegedly being involved in Christian missionary work in the Libyan city of Benghazi, a Seoul official said Friday.
Libyan desert rich in renewable energy export potential [ANSAmed]
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11th Apr 13: Libya holds great potential for the export of solar and wind energy, said Libyan Minister for Electricity and Renewable Energy Ali Mohamed Mihirig on Thursday in Brussels. He was speaking as part of a European Parliament meeting on energy alongside the Union for the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly. Mirihig said that the Libyan desert held enough renewable energy potential to meet all of Europe's energy requirements and stressed the country's desire to cooperate with other nations.
Libya 'grants Egypt $2 bn interest-free loan' [AFP]
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11th Apr 13: Libya has granted an interest-free loan of $2 billion to cash-strapped Egypt to help it battle its economic crisis, local media reported on Thursday, citing an Egyptian finance ministry official.
Libya says won't allow foreign security at its oilfields [Reuters]
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10th Apr 13: Libya will not allow any foreign security presence at its oilfields, the head of the state energy firm, the National Oil Corporation (NOC) said, even though many international firms active in the country are still wary about post-war violence.
Libyan weapons spread at ‘alarming rate’ [arabnews.com]
Inhouse Article. Commenting Enabled.
10th Apr 13: UNITED NATIONS: Libyan weapons are spreading at “an alarming rate” to new territory in west Africa and the eastern Mediterranean, a UN panel said on Tuesday.
Libya: Detained Journalist's Wife Asks Why Publishing Articles Has 'Become So Dangerous in Libya' [allafrica.com]
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10th Apr 13: The wife of a hunger-striking Libyan journalist has told Amnesty International of her disbelief that her husband has been imprisoned and denied bail for 'offending' the judiciary under an al-Gaddafi-era law.
Benghazi residents wish for security [Magharebia]
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10th Apr 13: Security in Libya continues to be one of the greatest challenges for the post-Kadhafi government. Several militias have thus far refused to submit to state legitimacy. Those that did accept to submit to the new government, appear to have only done so nominally.
Integrity Commission disbars Congressman Abdurrahman Al-Shater [Libya Herald]
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10th Apr 13: Congressman Abdurrahman Al-Shater has been disbarred by the Integrity Commission. In a statement today, Wednesday, it said that Shater, who represents Tripoli’s Hay Al-Andalous district, had failed to meet its standards and that Congress had been notified of the decision.
Fresh violence flares in Kufra [Libya Herald]
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10th Apr 13: Fresh violence has broken out on the south-eastern town of Kufra, scene earlier last year of heavy communal fighting between its Zway and Tebu residents. Two people are reported to have been killed and a number of others wounded in three days of mortar firing and shooting.
Libyan and foreign firms eye post-war trade [arabianbusiness.com]
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10th Apr 13: Handing out plastic tea spoons of golden honey, Milad Ahmed Ajaj hopes his local produce will win over curious onlookers hovering around his stand at a commercial fair in Tripoli.
Sudan and Libya discuss mineral exploration [Libya Herald]
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8th Apr 13: Sudan’s State Minister of Oil Faisal Hamad Abdala flew in to Tripoli on Sunday for talks on joint oil and mineral exploration and development with Libya. The visit follows agreement signed on 14 March between Libya, Sudan and Egypt to explore for minerals in Jebel Uweinat, the mountain area that straddles the three countries’ borders.
World Bank Supports Libya in Building the Institutions of its New State [4-traders.com]
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8th Apr 13: The World Bank Group is closely engaged with the new authorities in Libya to support the country's transition to a stable and prosperous future using the energy of its young people and its natural endowments to the benefit of its citizens.
Ousted head of Libyan Investment Authority speaks out [FT.com]
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8th Apr 13: To read the fuill story go to: http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2013/04/08/ousted-head-of-libyan-investment-authority-speaks-out/#axzz2Pt1Lxcuf
Tecnotree, Lap GreenN settle dispute, extend contract [telecompaper.com]
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8th Apr 13: Telecommunications and IT systems provider Tecnotree and Libya-based operator Lap GreenN have agreed to renew their strategic partnership and resolved their disputes related to past dues as previously reported in the financial statements of Tecnotree.
Libya PM says abducted aide's whereabouts unknown [Reuters]
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8th Apr 13: Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan said the whereabouts of his top aide were still unknown more than a week after he was grabbed from his car on the outskirts of Tripoli by unknown assailants.
Turkey ready to support Libya in transition [world bulletin]
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8th Apr 13: Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay met President of Libya Muhammad Youssuf al Mugarief and Prime Minister Ali Zeidan in Tripoli yesterday.
Arab Spring – what does the West expect after two years? [TransConflict]
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8th Apr 13: The Arab Spring could not be avoided; the old geopolitics of the region is permanently changed. Hence we must begin re-imagining the moral map of the Middle East, considering that we are at the beginning of a new era; one in which the problems that the new political institutions have to deal with are enormous.
US Ambassador to Libya: Who Is Deborah Jones? [AllGov.com]
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7th Apr 13: Six months after the murder of U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens in Benghazi, Libya, President Barack Obama has nominated career diplomat and Middle East expert Deborah K. Jones to succeed Stevens in Tripoli.
South Korean firms ready to restart more contracts [Libya Herald]
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7th Apr 13: The South Korean ambassador to Libya, Lee Jong Kook, has told the Chairman of the GNC’s Committee for Communication and Transportation, Mohamed Lamari, that more Korean companies are ready to return to Libya and resume their contracts.
Report: Blair told Libya was larger WMD threat than Iraq [ITV.com]
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7th Apr 13: Tony Blair accepted that Libya posed a far greater threat through weapons of mass destruction (WMD) than Iraq a year before the 2003 invasion, The Independent on Sunday has reported.
Libya's future looks bleak as media focus turns elsewhere [The Independent]
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7th Apr 13: The second anniversary of Nato's intervention on the side of the Libyan rebels and against Muammar Gaddafi passed with scarcely a mention by foreign governments and media who were so concerned about the security and human rights of the Libyan people in 2011. This should be no surprise, since Libya today is visibly falling apart as a country and Libyans are at the mercy of militiamen who prey on those whom they formerly claimed to protect.
Expert Group Establishes Libya’s 'First' Economic Think Tank [dailymarkets.com]
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7th Apr 13: During the first official anniversary of Libya’s independence, the need for activating real change in Libya, brought together some of the country’s most successful businessmen under one roof with the aim of drawing up concrete plans to grow Libya’s private sector, and foster young entrepreneurs to develop a thriving high-growth economy that can lead Libya forward and end over-dependence on oil as the only source of revenue.
Kuwait telco Zain keen on Libya market-chairman [Reuters]
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7th Apr 13: Kuwait's No.1 telecom operator Zain is keen on entering Libya's market, the former monopoly's chairman said on Sunday. Zain currently operates in about eight countries including Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. But it sold assets in about 15 African countries to India's Bharti Airtel for $9 billion in 2010 and entering Libya would mark a return to foreign expansion for the Kuwaiti firm.
MoneyGram Expands Business in Libya [Tripoli Post]
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6th Apr 13: Following his visit to Libya for a few days during which he took part in promotional events, Mr. Richard Meredith, Senior Regional Director for the Middle East, says the MoneyGram team is very excited to be in the country where business opportunities are abundant. Contrary to some media reports, Meredith says everyone is moving around the city of Tripoli with ease.
Opinion: The unwarranted international demonising of Libya and Benghazi [Libya Herald]
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5th Apr 13: British security analyst Richard Galustian takes issue with the way Libya is being portrayed in the international media and by some foreign governments.
United Kingdom, Libya review cooperation on border security [Afriquejet]
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5th Apr 13: Cooperation on border security - Cooperation between Libya and the United Kingdom on border security was at the heart of discussions on Thursday between the Libyan minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Mohamed Abdel Aziz and the British minister for international security strategy, Andrew Murisson.
Militants storm hospital lab [Libya Herald]
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5th Apr 13: A group of 25 militiamen, reported to be members of Ansar Al-Sharia, forced their way into the laboratory testing centre of Benghazi Medical Centre (BMC) yesterday morning, Thursday. They claimed that there were out of date materials on the premises.
Malta working to strengthen commercial ties with Libya [Times of Malta]
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5th Apr 13: The Malta government will be doing its utmost to strengthen commercial relations between Malta and Libya, Foreign Minister George Vella said today.
Libya’s fight for the rule of law [foreign policy]
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5th Apr 13: On Sunday, March 31, armed gunmen stormed Libya's Ministry of Justice. The gunmen (reportedly militia members under the Supreme Security Committee) threw Justice Minister Salah Marghani and his staff out of the building in protest over recent televised remarks the minister made during an interview with Libya AhrarTV.
Senator McCain – no troops on the ground in Libya [Libya Herald]
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4th Apr 13: Republican Arizona senator John McCain visiting Tripoli today said that there was no truth in the rumour that foreign troops were going to be on the ground in Libya to help in its security drive.
Gunmen attack Tripoli police station, release detainees [Reuters]
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4th Apr 13: Masked gunmen attacked a police station in the Libyan capital on Thursday, tying the hands of four officers on duty and releasing three detainees, security sources said.
GNC stalemate on process for selecting “Committee of 60″ [Libya Herald]
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4th Apr 13: The General National Council’s (GNC) official spokesperson, Omar Hamaidan, confirmed at a press conference Tuesday that the GNC has been unable to reach agreement on the ‘constitutional amendment’ regarding the process by which the so called “Committee of Sixty” is chosen.
Medelec conference held in Tripoli [Libya Herald]
Inhouse Article. Commenting Enabled.
4th Apr 13: The General Electric Company of Libya (GECOL) hosted Medelec’s 21st Annual Conference in Tripoli yesterday. GECOL is the power generating/distributing organization in Libya.
Egypt court rules against extradition of top aide of Libya’s Gadhafi [Washington Post]
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3rd Apr 13: CAIRO — An Egyptian court ruled Wednesday against the extradition to Libya of a former close aide of ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
Government officials attend opening of Tripoli International Fair [Libya Herald]
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3rd Apr 13: The President of the General National Congress (GNC), Mohamed Magariaf, presided over the 41st annual Tripoli International Fair (TIF) ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday, Tuesday.
UK Security Minister in talks with head of Libyan navy [Libya Herald]
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3rd Apr 13: The UK’s Minister for International Security Strategy Andrew Murrison met today with the Chief of Staff of the Libyan Navy, Commodore Hassan Boushnak to discuss naval cooperation.
Violence thwarts aid efforts in Libya [UPI]
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3rd Apr 13: TRIPOLI, Libya -- Humanitarian relief operations are complicated by fighting in Libya, an International Committee of the Red Cross volunteer said.
Libya Vows to Review Ras Lanuf Contract After Protest, NOC Says [Bloomberg]
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2nd Apr 13: Libya pledged to review a management contract with an Emirati partner at the Ras Lanuf refining complex following a workers’ protest, according to the state-run National Oil Corp.
Libyan Airlines targets half of all international flights for 2014 [Libya Herald]
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2nd Apr 13: Libyan Airlines is hoping to bag 50 percent of Libya’s international flights in 2014 by carrying a planned 1.5 million passengers.
Libyan government condemns attack on Justice ministry [Afriquejet.com]
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2nd Apr 13: The Libyan government has condemned Sunday afternoon's attack on the Libyan Justice Ministry, based in the capital city of Tripoli.
Dubai School to Train 300 Libyan Government Leaders [Tripoli Post]
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1st Apr 13: In order to support Libya in restructuring its public sector, Dubai School of Government (DSG) has launched a training programme for senior leaders in the Libyan government and will train 300 select participants identified by the Libyan government in fields of management and leadership.
Release jailed newspaper editor says press NGO [Libya Herald]
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1st Apr 13: Reporters Without Borders (RWB) has added its voice to calls for the release of newspaper editor Amara Hassan Al-Khatabi, who has been in prison for over three months.
Libya Wants Big Business Deals With Serbia says al-Sharif [inserbia.info]
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1st Apr 13: Libyan Deputy Defence Minister Khalid al-Sharif has said that his country is interested in big business deals with Serbia, including training of military personnel in Serbian military institutions.
Turkish Flour Exporters at 41st Tripoli International Fair [Libya Herald]
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1st Apr 13: Turkish flour exporters, led by the Turkish Flours, Yeast and Ingredients Promotion Group, will be exhibiting at the 41st Tripoli International Fair starting in the Libyan capital tomorrow (Tuesday) until April 6th. This is part of their efforts to promote the “high quality, healthy and affordable world leading Turkish wheat flour” to the consumers of Libya.
Pakistani job seekers 'swindled in Libya' [Express Tribune, Pakistan]
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1st Apr 13: Pakistan says it will take up with the Libyan diplomatic mission the issue of Pakistani job seekers tricked by recruitment companies in Libya and Pakistan.
The Pakistan embassy in Tripoli recently unearthed an issue where Libyan and Pakistani recruitment firms cheated thousands of Pakistani job seekers, where they were not given jobs – as promised by the racketeers – since authorities gave them the status of illegal emigrants. Some Libyan embassy staffers were also allegedly involved in the visa racket.
Adviser to Libyan PM seized in Tripoli [Reuters]
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1st Apr 13: An adviser to Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was grabbed from his car by unknown assailants on the outskirts of Tripoli on Sunday evening, a government source said.
Libyans must earn their living – Zeidan [Libya Herald]
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1st Apr 13: Reminded by the press that the 17th February Revolution was partially in demand for better economic conditions and asked what had his government done in this regard, Zeidan replied at Sunday's press conference that his government wanted to improve living standards.
Gulf bankers eye Libya [The National]
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30th Mar 13: Every other week, Tarek Al Husseini boards a flight to Libya. He is one of many UAE-based bankers in a rush to identify opportunities for development, a year and a half after Muammar Qaddafi was toppled. Mr Al Husseini has been at the helm of expanding Mubasher Financial Services's operations in Tripoli.
Two killed in attack on Libyan military camp [Reuters]
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30th Mar 13: Two Libyan military officers were killed and three soldiers injured when unknown assailants forced their way into a military camp in the desert south, an army spokesman said on Saturday.
Russia's Tatneft staff return to Libya [steelguru.com]
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30th Mar 13: Russian oil company Tatneft said on Thursday that staff have returned to Libya for the first time since the energy-rich North African country was convulsed by a violent uprising.
Libya: Ensure Due Process for Extradited Libyans [HRW.org]
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30th Mar 13: Libya should ensure that two Libyans with ties to the previous government of Muammar Gaddafi who were extradited from Egypt on March 26, 2013, are treated humanely and granted their full due process rights. Libya should grant humanitarian and human rights organizations access to them to monitor their detention conditions and treatment and respect for their basic rights as detainees – including giving them access to a lawyer and promptly taking them before a judge.
Illegal militias thrown out of Tripoli buildings [Libya Herald]
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30th Mar 13: Libyan joint security forces have now cleared 36 buildings in Tripoli that were being used as headquarters by illegal battalions.
The emptying of the buildings follows the GNC’s decision number 127, to cleanse Tripoli of illegal armed militias. This is being done by the joint security forces, a collaboration between the Ministry of Interior and Defence.
Zeidan holds sideline meetings with Arab leaders in Doha [Libya Herald]
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27th Mar 13: The Prime Minister Ali Zeidan met today, Wednesday, with a number of Qatari leaders to look at ways of bolstering relations as well as to discuss regional developments and the situation in Libya.
Work on recovering Libya's stolen assets assessed [Libya Herald]
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27th Mar 13: A delegation from the World Bank’s and the UN’s joint programme StAR (Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative) met today, Wednesday, with the Deputy Foreign Minister, Abdulrzaq Ghraidi, to assess steps taken so far to track down and return Libyan assets smuggled abroad.
Libya Expels Growing Number of Chadian Migrants [VOA]
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27th Mar 13: GENEVA — The International Organization for Migration is expressing concern about the growing number of Chadian migrants being expelled from Libya. The Geneva-based IOM reports more than 1,000 vulnerable Chadian migrants have arrived at the northern Chadian town of Faya since January.
RIBA helps set up equivalent in Libya [bdonline.co.uk]
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27th Mar 13: Senior officials from the RIBA were this week out in Tripoli helping to found Libya’s own version of the professional body.
As well as establishing the Libyan Institute of Architects (LIA), the small team from the RIBA and Cullinan Studio, which has previously worked in the north African country, met key figures in the government, architectural education and the construction industry.
Libyan delegation to attend World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings [Libya Herald]
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27th Mar 13: Ahead of the Spring meetings next month of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington DC, Finance Minister Abdul Karim Al-Kilani, meet with US Chargé d’Affaires William Roebuck in Tripoli yesterday, Tuesday.
ZWT wins oil-camp replacement RO plant order in Libya [desalination.biz]
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27th Mar 13: Three turnkey reverse-osmosis (RO) water treatment plants are to be provided by Zulal Water Technology (ZWT) for the Gialo, Waha and Essider oil camps operated in Libya by Waha Oil Company.
Fresh assassination attempt in Benghazi [Libya Herald]
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26th Mar 13: Benghazi was the scene of another assassination bid today, Tuesday, when an unknown assailant attempted to kill a senior member of the Thunderbolt special forces. The would-be killer shot up to 30 rounds from a Kalashnikov semi-automatic riffle at Colonel Khaled Oraibi outside his house the city’s Al-Kish district. He was injured in the legs and is now in hospital.
Political Polarisation Continues to Hinder Libya’s Democratic Transition [libya.tv]
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26th Mar 13: Libya’s democratic transition was never going to be an easy ride. The country lacked any political or institutional structure for more than 40 years of tyrannical dictatorship, where the whole system was built around the person of Gaddafi and his inner circle.
Is Libya transferring $2 billion to help Egypt? [Libya Herald]
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26th Mar 13: Confusion surrounds claims that Libya is to transfer $2 billion to Egypt to help its stricken economy. The GNC today denied reports that the Egyptian Central Bank would receive the money but other sources have claimed the payment is imminent.
Egypt extradites two Gaddafi regime figures to Libya [Reuters]
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26th Mar 13: Egypt extradited two members of the regime of ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi to Libya on Tuesday but did not hand over a third for reasons including his claim to Egyptian citizenship, officials said.
Libya to increase oil production [Afriquejet.com]
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26th Mar 13: After raising its oil production to its pre-revolution level of 1.6 million barrels per day, Libya is determined to do better if the necessary conditions are met, Libya's Oil and Gas Minister Abdel Al-Bari Al-Arsi said Sunday.
Egypt plans cargo convoys to Libya [Libya Herald]
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25th Mar 13: Egypt plans to organise goods trucks bound for Libya into convoys accompanied by the army and police to ensure safe passage to the border, according to an Egyptian government source.
Imam Moussa al-Sadr was murdered in Libya, report [yalibnan.com]
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25th Mar 13: The Shiite Imam Moussa Al-Sadr who went missing during his visit to Libya in 1978 was killed by the regime of Moammar Gaddafi according to a report by Now Lebanon. This revelation could spell the end of the controversy on the spiritual leader’s mysterious disappearance in Libya.
Libya denies depositing $2 bn in Egypt's central bank [Ahram Online]
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25th Mar 13: Libya’s General National Congress (GNC) denied reports that Egypt’s Central Bank (CBE) would receive a deposit of $2 billion from the Libyan government.
Unemployment at 15%: Libyan government official [Libya Herald]
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25th Mar 13: Unemployment in Libya is 15 percent, according to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour and Rehabilitation, Rabia Ammar.
African militants may force foreign oil firms to use remote control [Reuters]
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25th Mar 13: Rising Islamist violence is forcing international oil firms to look hard at exposure across swathes of Africa and weigh whether to operate remotely for fear expatriate staff may be targeted.
Strike halts some drilling at Libya's Jallo field [Reuters]
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25th Mar 13: A truck drivers' strike has halted some drilling at an oilfield of Libya's Waha Oil, a union source said today (Monday), the latest a number of disruptions to the industry that provides the lion's share of Libya's income.
Protesters, militiamen end siege of Libyan prime minister’s office [Washington Post]
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25th Mar 13: About 200 militiamen and protesters demanding the resignation of Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan have ended their day-long siege of his office, a group leader said today (Monday), easing fears of renewed unrest and challenges to the country’s parliament and government.
Supply and demand: the paradox of private security companies in Libya [Open Democracy]
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25th Mar 13: It is common knowledge that Libya's transition from dictatorship through revolution to fledgling democracy has not been an easy one. Libya held its first free general elections in July 2012, but since then the government of Prime Minister Ali Zeidan has faced many challenges, the biggest of which has been the current instability which is plaguing parts of the country. The state is weak and has struggled to reign in autonomous militias who are unwilling to relinquish their power to Libya's national army and police force. This is a concern for many international organisations looking to invest in the new Libya, especially for oil companies working in remote locations in the desert.
Government reports steady national security progress to GNC [Libya Herald]
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25th Mar 13: Answering questions yesterday, Sunday, at the GNC, Interior Minister Ashour Shuwail stated that the security situation was improving generally in the southern military zone extending from Ghadames to Kufra.
West wary of dangers lurking behind Libya’s boom [Daily Star Lebanon]
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25th Mar 13: Along several kilometres of the main thoroughfare of the up-scale Tripoli district of Gargaresh, the magic of capitalism is at work. What were dilapidated shops even a few months ago have undergone makeovers with bright new façades and contemporary shop fittings.
Libya to give Egypt US$2 bn; Egypt to extradite ex-officials [Egypt Independent]
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24th Mar 13: Libya is in the process of giving Egypt US$2 billion to support its economy, the new Libyan ambassador to Cairo, Mohamed Fayez Gibril, told the Turkish news agency Anadolu. The money would be a deposit to the Central Bank of Egypt.
Zeidan fields questions in busy GNC session [Libya Herald]
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24th Mar 13: Prime Minister Ali Zeidan and members of his government were called before the GNC to answer questions today (Sunday) in a session broadcast live by TV stations. The session, unlike the previous one of a few months ago, was notable for its decorum and civil manner. The Prime Minister and his Ministers took turns to answer questions.
Libyan government denies PM's car knocked down demonstrator [Afriquejet.com]
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24th Mar 13: The Libyan government has denied media reports that a demonstrator outside the office of Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was knocked down by his vehicle last Wednesday.
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