An official at the National Center for Disease Control, Ibrahim Al-Deghis, has confirmed that the center has not recorded any cases of the new variant of the Coronavirus, as the latest warnings come within the framework of precautionary measures. Al-Deghis, a member of the NCDC scientific committee, added that many of the tests they received came out as regular flu, which does not represent a danger to the public. Regarding the suspension of studies by some education observers in the regions, he said the center understands their concern but ensured that the epidemiological situation in the country is stable. Al-Deghis explained that the NCDC's policy is to encourage the public, especially elderly people, to get vaccinated against seasonal influenza.

The U.N. Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has welcomed the joint declaration announced in Cairo today by Speaker of Libya’s House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh, and chairman of the High Council of State, Khaled Al-Mishri, which they agreed on drawing a “clear and specified” roadmap later in order to hold the long-awaited elections. The U.N. Mission said it “strongly encourages the two chambers to now swiftly reach a complete and final agreement including on the contentious issues to finalize the steps required to take the country to inclusive national elections within a specific timeframe.”“UNSMIL reiterates the obligations of political leaders in Libya to demonstrate a genuine & continuous commitment towards achieving a lasting peace by building on previous agreements of the HoR & HCS aimed at resolving the political crisis through elections as soon as possible”. The mission point out that a compromise by Libya’s warring parties is “urgently needed to establish a clear pathway to elections with a specific timeline to open a new era for Libya, its neighbours and the region.”“UNSMIL, in line with its mandate, remains ready to support genuine initiatives aimed at achieving a national consensus towards a Libyan-Libyan solution and to the protracted political crisis,” it concluded.

Speaker of Libya’s House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh, and chairman of the High Council of State, Khaled Al-Mishri, achieved a breakthrough in today’s negotiations in Cairo over the constitutional basis for elections, which “leaves no reason to delay setting an early date for parliamentary and presidential elections,” according to the United States. The U.S. Embassy in Libya released a statement on behalf of Ambassador Richard Norland after Saleh and Al-Mishri agreed on several key points pertaining the constitutional basis for elections. “The conclusion of discussions between the leaders of the HoR and HSC today in Cairo leaves no reason to delay setting an early date for parliamentary and presidential elections,” Norland reportedly stated. ” We share the desire of all Libyans to see Libyan leaders adopt the necessary measures as quickly as possible allowing HNEC to proceed [with] setting the electoral process in motion,” he added. “We express our appreciation to the Government of Egypt for facilitating this important milestone.”

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CAIRO – 5 January 2022: Libyan leaders held talks in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on Wednesday, during which they agreed on drawing a “clear and specified” roadmap later in order to hold the long-awaited elections. The declaration paid tribute to the Egyptian leadership and people for hosting and preparing the suitable climate for the Constitutional Track talks, which resulted in this agreement. The Libyan House and Council also thanked all local and international parties, especially the United Nations, for the support they have provided to Libya. Road to electionsThis has led the Libyan house to select a new government under Fathi Bashagha, a step that Egypt has supported. Egypt has hosted rounds of talks within the framework of the UN-sponsored Libyan constitutional track meetings between delegations from the East-based Parliament and the High Council of State.

A national consultative meeting between Libyan political and Islamist figures was held yesterday at the Elite World Grand Hotel in Istanbul in Istanbul, Italian news agency Nova reports. Citing unnamed Libyan sources, Nova stated that the meeting was organized by Ali al-Sallabi, a Libyan Islamist politician known for his close ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, under sponsorship from Qatar. Also present on the guest list was Faisal Gergab, former chairman of the Libyan Post Telecommunications and Information Technology Company (LPTIC). According to Nova, Mohammed Augila, political coordinator of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, was invited by the organizer but declined to attend the meeting. Nova did not report on the subject of talks at the Qatar-sponsored meeting.

Speaker of Libya’s House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh, and chairman of the High Council of State (HCS), Khaled Al-Mishri, have agreed to hold another round of talks in Tobruk “in the coming days” after achieving a breakthrough in today’s negotiations in Cairo over the constitutional basis for elections in the country, announced a member of the HCS. Belkassem Qzit, who was also part of the HCS delegation that accompanied Al-Mishri to Cairo, expects the House and the Council to vote on the constitutional document that was announced today in Cairo “to become effective.”He also expressed assurances about the elections plan that both Saleh and Al-Mishri have been working on. “The road map that the leaders of the House and the Council announced today in Cairo will be clear and detailed regarding the timing, mechanisms and procedures of the elections,” explained Qzit. “The road map will be a time map with specific regulations that include all procedures and laws related to the electoral process,” he added. The HCS member also revealed that there are two points of contention remain to be resolved between the House and the Council, which are permitting military personnel and dual nationals to run for public office.

European Union (EU) regulators have hit Meta Platforms with a massive fine for violating advert policies, the New York Times reported on Monday. Most tech firms also use EU regulations in their global policies to streamline policies, the report said. In May 2021, the Irish Data Protection Commission ruled it would possibly block data flows between the bloc and the US, suspending Meta’s data transfer requests temporarily. The agreement comes after the months-long impasse over EU data privacy rights. He also stated in a previous interview its intentions to protect metaverse users and deepen cooperation with global ethics committees.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah has vowed that his government will strive to preserve the country’s unity and avoid war or armed conflict.Dbeibah made his remarks during a graduation ceremony for 306 police officers from the police academy in the western town of Aziziya, which is located some 46 km south of the capital Tripoli, reports Xinhua news agency.”We work together to protect Libya, its unity and we reject any return to war,” Dbeibah said in a speech during the celebration.Acting Interior Minister Emad al-Tarabelsi vowed to make more efforts to develop the interior ministry and impose security in all of Libya.”I would like to assure all the Libyans that the Interior Ministry, under the instructions from the Prime Minister, will be subject to great development in all of Libya,” al-Tarabelsi said in a speech at the celebration.He also said the Ministry would secure all the development projects the government will implement this year in Libya.Because of the state of political division and chaos in Libya since the fall of late dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, authorities have been struggling to impose security in the country, as many armed groups operate independently.

Instability fuels North Africa’s illegal tobacco trade2023-01-05The trafficking of tobacco is a multibillion-dollar business worldwide. The volumes of contraband trafficked into North Africa are staggering. Traffickers use two main methods to smuggle cigarettes to and within North Africa. The Balkans play a significant role in smuggling cigarettes to North Africa. In the present situation though, cigarette smuggling is likely to remain a major headache for North Africa, the Balkans and South-Eastern Europe.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday that 1,088 migrants were rescued and returned to Libya in the past week. “In the period of 25-31 December 2022, 1,088 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya,” the IOM said in a statement. The rescued migrants included 1,241 women and 776 children, it added. In 2022, a total of 24,684 migrants were rescued and returned to Libya, the IOM revealed, adding 525 migrants died and 848 others went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route. Rescued migrants usually end up inside overcrowded reception centers across Libya, despite repeated international calls to close those centers and release the migrants.

Libyan state expenditure in 2022 amounted to LD 127.9 billion, an increase of LD 42 billion on 2021, in which the total expenditure had amounted to LD 85.5 billion, according to statistics published by the Tripoli Central Bank of Libya (CBL) today. The first chapter (salaries) of the unofficial budget saw a jump in expenditure on salaries to LD 47 billion dinars for 2022, compared to LD 33 billion the previous year. An increase of state-sector salaries accounts for most of this. Oil revenues achieved a slight improvement to LD 105.5 billion compared to LD 103.4 billion last year. This s partly to increased world crude oil prices, increased and stable oil production in Libya and the lack of political or industrial strikes or wars.

A group of British ex-military personnel led by Jack Mann, one of Prince Harry’s closest friends, was intercepted by police while trying to board a plane to Libya last month, it has emerged. The Maltese Police confirmed that officers spoke to the group of 16 on December 10, amid concerns that the individuals were private military contractors. Libya has been mired by conflict since the Arab Spring of 2011 and the death of dictator Muammar Gaddafi later that year. No further action was required.”The Sanctions Monitoring Board falls under the responsibility of the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, which has been approached for comment. Mr Mann’s party stated they were only visiting Libya to provide medical training, which is permitted under UN guidelines.

In November, Libya’s crude oil production averaged 1.133 million bpd, the latest OPEC monthly report for December showed last month. ADVERTISEMENTThis year, Libyan oil production could reach 1.3 million bpd, after averaging 1.12 million bpd in 2022, according to the African Energy Chamber. ADVERTISEMENTLibya’s oil production recovered after the country resumed oil exports in July. The force majeure severely crippled Libya’s oil exports following weeks of protests and closures amid the new rift in Libya’s political class over who should be governing the country. A stable Libya and fresh projects could see that output grow to 7.25 million bpd by 2030, according to the African Energy Chamber.

Libya's total oil revenues reached 105.5 billion Libyan dinars ($22.01 billion) in 2022 compared with 103.4 billion libyan dinars in 2021, the central bank said on Wednesday. ($1 = 4.7940 Libyan dinars)(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)