CAIRO (AP) — A court in the Libyan capital sentenced three people to harsh prison terms on charges of human trafficking, in a first such ruling in a North African nation where migrants are routinely mistreated. The Criminal Court of Tripoli convicted the three of human trafficking, detaining, and torturing migrants, and extorting their families to pay ransom to release their relatives, according to a statement Friday by the office of Libya’s chief processor. The court sentenced one of the convicted to life in prison, while the other two received a 20-year term each, the statement said. Human traffickers have benefited from the instability in Libya and smuggled migrants through the country’s lengthy border with six nations. U.N.-backed human rights experts said in March there was evidence that crimes against humanity have been committed against Libyans and migrants in in Libya, including women being forced into sexual slavery.

A Tripoli court has imposed heavy prison terms on three people convicted of human trafficking from Libya, a key North African departure point for migrants seeking a better life in Europe. They are the first convictions in Libya in human trafficking cases. The court found the three guilty of “trafficking in human beings” and having “detained and tortured” illegal migrants and extorted their relatives to pay ransoms to free them, the statement said. Libya was plunged into years of chaos after a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed strongman Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, helping to turn the country into a fertile ground for human trafficking. In a March report, a United Nations fact-finding mission on human rights in Libya found that some migrants trapped there had been subject to sexual slavery — a crime against humanity.

LOS ANGELES — California’s governor announced Friday that he won’t ask the state Supreme Court to block parole for Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten, paving the way for her release after serving 53 years in prison for two infamous murders. Van Houten and other Manson followers killed the LaBiancas in their home in August 1969, smearing their blood on the walls after. Van Houten later described holding Rosemary LaBianca down with a pillowcase over her head as others stabbed her, before herself stabbing the woman more than a dozen times. Van Houten did not participate in the Tate killings. Photos: Cult killer Charles Manson, who died after almost a half-century in prison, through the years Obit Charles Manson Obit Charles Manson Obit Charles Manson Obit Charles Manson Obit Charles Manson Obit Charles Manson Obit Charles Manson Obit Charles Manson Obit Charles Manson Obit Charles Manson

Today, despite the recent production and export cuts by Russia and Saudi Arabia, the outlook for oil markets remains unmistakably bearish. A combination of global economic indicators, well-supplied oil markets, and the resurgence of the trade war can all be read as bearish for oil markets going forward. Global Economic IndicatorsWhen examining global economic indicators, it becomes apparent that most of them are either in decline or headed in a downward direction. These ongoing trade tensions contribute to the bearish sentiment in oil markets. Considering these factors, the writer believes that oil prices will likely touch the lower 60s before the end of 2023.

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A British couple who spent £13 million on property deals, money that was meant to train Libyan pilots, have been ordered to pay it back by a UK court. Tevfik and Sera Jane Sekerci ran an education consultancy, Prime Education, which won a contract with Libya to provide training for up to 250 pilots, engineers and other specialists. PE Turkey owns land on which buildings were built on two sites in the Bagcilar district of Istanbul, the judgment said. EACS alleged they “conspired and combined” with Prime Education, each other, PE Turkey and York Property to “use unlawful means, including the misappropriation of moneys with intent to defraud” them. The couple claimed in their defence that they obtained verbal permission from EASC’s chief executive at the time, Jamil Shubana, who had signed the deal, to transfer funds to PE Turkey.

Currently, Eni produces gas at the Wafa and Bahr Essalam fields operated by Mellitah Oil & Gas, a joint venture with NOC. In 2022, Eni produced 207 Bcf of gas in Libya, up by 4.5% from 2021 levels, according to the company's website. Oun said he is concerned "to a certain extent" about the threats impacting the country's 1.2 million b/d production. Libya, which is exempt from OPEC+ quotas, pumped 1.15 million b/d in May, according to the latest Platts survey. Libya may be able to raise its crude production capacity to 1.4 million-1.5 million b/d in 2024 as part of plans to hit 2 million b/d in the medium-term, Oun added.

The European Commission says there is a clear indication that the Libyan coast guard, which it subsidises, is infiltrated by criminal groups. The statement on Thursday (6 July) from EU commissioner for migration, Ylva Johansson, follows the recent EU handover over of patrol boats to the Libyan coast guard. On 22 June, the European Commission along with Italian authorities gave the Libyan coast guard two patrol boats. The Libyan coast guard are estimated to have intercepted and returned to Libya 120,000 people since 2017. And a UN fact-finding mission, earlier this year, linked the Libyan coast guard to crimes against humanity.

Libyan Oil and Natural Gas Minister Mohamed Aoun said that Turkish companies are the top choice for seismic research in Libya. "Due to the geographical proximity Türkiye has and the experience that Turkish companies have in the field of seismic research, priority will be given to Turkish firms,” Aoun told Anadolu. - Libya’s oil productionAoun said Libya was excluded from the "decision to reduce oil production" taken by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) last year. He said: “Libya cannot reduce oil production due to its economic conditions.”“Oil production in the country has stabilized since July 2022, and crude oil production has reached an average of 1.2 million barrels per day,” he added. Aoun also stated that according to research, Libya is the 5th country in the world in terms of shale oil and natural gas wealth.

Indian Muslims are an integral part of the diverse fabric of Indian society, and they lead lives of dignity and respect. - Advertisement -It is vital to recognize that Indian Muslims are not a minority but the second-largest majority in the country. Contrary to Obama’s misguided comments, Indian Muslims have the right to vote, hold public office, and contribute to the nation’s progress. Indian Muslims do not need a self-proclaimed savior like Barack Obama. While acknowledging the challenges faced by some, Indian Muslims are fully capable of addressing and resolving them without external interference.

Twenty-two migrants from sub-Saharan countries in Africa also were detained for questioning in connection with crimes in the area, Masmoudi said Wednesday. Videos posted on social media showed crowds of local men in Sfax attempting to knock down doors and set fire to a building in what appeared to be an attempt to chase Black migrants out. Migrants reported being taken to an isolated beach near Libya's border with armed men from both countries on each side. More migrants were taken from their homes in Sfax in the middle of the night in the following days, he claimed. The man spoke to the AP Wednesday and Thursday surrounded by other Black migrants, including women and small children.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th July, 2023) The number of migrants using the route from Libya to come the European Union has grown by 600-700% in 2023, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said on Thursday. "(It is) on this route that this vessel (with hundreds of migrants that sank off the coast of Greece in June) used, leaving from the eastern part of Libya, on this big unseaworthy fishing vessel with many hundred people on board. On June 14, a fishing boat carrying migrants capsized in international waters 47 nautical miles southwest of the Greek town of Pylos. The boat was heading from the Tobruk area in eastern Libya to Italy. The International Organization for Migration said the boat was carrying at least 400 migrants, while the survivors estimated that 700 migrants had been on board.

Tax experts weigh in on how to get clients thinking about what they need to do before the end of the year — and what they can do to make the next year more tax-efficient. CPE Credit InformationSubject Area: TBDCourse Level: OverviewInstructional Method: Group Internet BasedPrerequisites: NoneAdvanced Preparation: None

Libya’s revenues from crude oil in the first half of the year fell to $6.95 billion (33.4 billion Libyan dinars)—down from 37.3 billion dinars in H1 2022, according to a Thursday statement from Libya’s central bank. Libya’s crude oil production in the first part of this year is higher than it was during the same period last year. In Q1 2023, Libya’s crude oil production averaged 1.157 million bpd, according to OPEC’s secondary sources, rising only slightly to average 1.169 million bpd by May of this year. This is an increase on 2022, when 1st quarter production averaged 1.063 million bpd, with May 2022 production averaging just .707 million bpd. But Brent crude oil prices are down nearly $30 per barrel from May 2022 to May 2023.

Four days after Wagner group mercenaries marched on Moscow, a Russian envoy flew into Benghazi to meet a worried warlord. “For the moment, it looks like Wagner’s operations are on hold. Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, last week reassured allies in Africa that Wagner group fighters deployed to the continent would not be withdrawn. Just four months ago, Wagner was mounting recruitment campaigns specifically for African operations, as evidence suggested deployments were being reinforced in CAR, Mali and elsewhere. Wagner’s operations have always been closely aligned with Russia’s longer-term foreign policy objectives, analysts point out.