The UN Envoy to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily, told Security Council members on Monday that unwilling officials "clinging to their seats" must not be allowed to fail the people of Libya and put the region at risk of further chaos. Bathily said that Libya has established a constitutional and legal framework for holding elections deemed executable by the HNEC. However, he emphasized that implementing these laws requires all concerned parties' sincere and genuine commitment. In his remarks, the UN envoy described the positions of some Libyan leaders as procrastinating, emphasizing that forming a unified government that can lead the country to elections requires a consensus among all parties. He expressed optimism that the climate in the country "is ripe for a new political deal" and a new dispensation for a brighter future.

“These chosen actors have the capacity to either reach consensus and advance the political process or prolong the stalemate and prevent Libya from holding peaceful elections. Libyan National Army commander Khalifa Haftar is ready for dialogue but has conditioned the Government of National Unity’s participation to the inclusion of the House of Representatives-appointed Government. A thriving civic space is critical for the political process. He added, “The political process must remain the primary and only option for establishing security and stability”, meaning committing to dialogue to resolve differences. Security, political and humanitarian tracks must be paralleled with focusing on economic and development paths, which are essential for long-term stability.

Hughes Network Systems has introduced new high-speed satellite internet plans using capacity from its recently launched Jupiter-3 satellite. The company now offers new plans with speeds up to 100 Mbps, and all plans include unlimited data. This is a milestone for Hughes as the company was maxed out on capacity for its fleet before Jupiter 3 launched in July. Hughes said these new plans and speeds are a “fundamental reinvention” of what satellite internet can be. “The new Hughesnet is designed to enable these applications with fast speeds, unlimited data and new low-latency Fusion plans.

During his latest routine briefing on Libya to the UN Security Council on 18 December, UNSMIL head and SRSG Abdoulaye Bathily said ‘‘One group of unwilling officials clinging to their seats must not be allowed to fail the people of Libya and put the region at the risk of further chaos’’. Libyan National Army Commander Khalifa Haftar is ready for dialogue, but has conditioned the GNU participation to the inclusion of the HoR-appointed Government. Also, collective expulsions of migrants and refugees into Libya and from Libya to neighbouring countries continue with conditions in detention centres becoming increasingly dire. One group of unwilling officials clinging to their seats must not be allowed to fail the people of Libya and put the region at the risk of further chaos. remarks by SRSG Abdoulaye Bathily to the Security Council – 18 December 2023 | UNSMIL (unmissions.org)

FILE - In this undated handout file image provided by Greece's coast guard on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, scores of people sit on a battered fishing boat that later capsized and sank off southern Greece. The international rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch allege on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, that Greek authorities have failed to properly investigate allegations by some survivors that the rescue mission had been mishandled.

Assistant Secretary General and Head of the Media and Communication Sector of the Arab League Ambassador Rashid Khattabi said in a statement that at the top of the agenda of Arab media was the continued support for the Palestinian cause. The discussions will focus on examining the best ways to activate the Arab media action plan, with the Palestinian issue at its core, as the role of media confronts terrorism and rejecting violence and hatred, he added. During the meetings, proposals to advance environmental and educational media will also be studied, as well as enhancing the position of women in the media, encouraging quality and developing capabilities, including artificial intelligence techniques. The procedures for establishing the Arab Institute for Peace Journalism in Libya will also be completed and the General Secretariat's proposal regarding developing the Arab media code of honor will be discussed, to respect the rules of pluralism and transparency in accordance with recognized standards, Khattabi indicated. The Executive Office of the Council of Arab Information Ministers includes in its membership Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Algeria, Bahrain, Libya, Egypt, Morocco, and Palestine.

The National Oil Corporation (NOC), Libya’s state oil company, has announced that oil production reached 1,219 million barrels per day, to which 56 thousand barrels of condensate are added, on Sunday 17 December. Domestic gas consumption amounted to 1.96 billion cubic feet of natural gas, of which at least 882 million cubic meters of gas went to the country’s General Electricity Company

The Attorney General’s Office announced on 7 December that the Tripoli Criminal Court issued a ruling convicting two officials at Al-Shwerif Rural Hospital of corruption. They had created official documents that contradicted the truth indicating the receipt of the equipment and supplies subject to the contract. Tripoli Criminal Court imposed a four-year prison sentence on them. The court also convicted two employees of the Ministry of Health. They were fined one thousand dinars.

The stalemate has been driving the country's political, security and economic instability, including contributing to the scale of destruction and tragic loss of life caused by Storm Daniel in Derna and surrounding areas in September. Preconditions by some actors"I am pleased to report that none of the institutional players outrightly rejected my invitation," Mr. Bathily added, explaining that some set out conditions for their participation. Abdoulaye Bathily, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya briefs the Security Council on the situation in the country. "This not only infringes their fundamental rights but also erodes the rule of law in Libya and further reduces public trust in the justice system and political process," Mr. Bathily said. "I reiterate that a thriving civic space where Libyans engage through dialogue, dissent, and mutual understanding is critical for the political process," he added.

Satellite startup Lynk Global, which has proven satellite-to-cell technology, plans to go public through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger with Alex Rodriguez’s SPAC, Slam Corp.Lynk and Slam Corp. announced Monday they have signed a non-binding letter of intent for a potential business combination. Monday’s announcement is a splashy return of the space SPAC with baseball star Rodriguez, known as A-Rod, looking to invest in space. Lynk Global CEO Charles Miller said in a statement that being a public company will give Lynk greater access to capital to bring satellite direct-to-device services to more people. The Slam Corp. blank check company went public in February 2021. The Slam SPAC is currently facing a deadline to complete a merger on or before Feb. 25, 2024.

Sidus Space will execute a reverse stock split on Tuesday to raise its share price, after receiving approval from its stockholders. The company will reverse split its stock so that every 100 shares of issued and outstanding common stock will be exchanged for 1 share of common stock. Sidus said in a Dec. 18 announcement that immediately after the reverse stock split, the company will have approximately 778,679 shares of Class A common stock issued and outstanding. A number of space companies that are publicly traded have used reverse stock splits to raise their share price, including Spire Global, Momentus, and Astra. Sidus Space is preparing to launch its first multi-mission LizzieSat satellite on the SpaceX Transporter-10 mission in the first quarter of 2024.

CAIRO (AP) — A boat carrying dozens of migrants trying to reach Europe capsized off the coast of Libya, leaving more than 60 people dead, including women and children, the U.N. migration agency said. The shipwreck, which took place overnight between Thursday and Friday, was the latest tragedy in this part of the Mediterranean Sea, a key but dangerous route for migrants seeking a better life in Europe. Thousands have died, according to officials. The U.N.’s International Organization for Migration said in a statement late Saturday that the boat was carrying 86 migrants when strong waves swamped it off the town of Zuwara on Libya’s western coast and that 61 migrants drowned, according to survivors. A spokesman for the Libyan coast guard was not immediately available for comment.

The Director of the Media Office at the Tripoli based Libyan Ministry of Oil and Gas, Ahmed Al-Tarhouni, told Libya Herald, that talk of the National Oil Corporation’s (NOC) intention to contract with a coalition of Eni / Adnoc /Total and grant them a 40 percent share of production is a legal violation that should be alerted to. Al-Tarhouni was referring to the statement made by the head of the Arabian Gulf Oil Company (AGOCO) to a local media outlet on 11 December. Disturbs balance of current contractsThe Ministry of Oil and Gas considers granting this quota very high and unprecedented compared to the quotas currently in effect in Libya, confirmed Al-Tarhouni, and said it disturbs the balance of oil contracts in Libya. NOC requires government approvalAl-Tarhouni pointed out that the Ministry of Oil was certain that this high share came as a result of not following the oil contractual arrangements in force in Libya, as the NOC chose to negotiate with a single source contractor, which is the Eni coalition, which is a procedure that violates the contractual legislation in force in Libya, as it requires obtaining the approval of the Ministry of Oil and Gas and the government for unilateral negotiation before starting it. The Ministry of Oil believes, Al-Tarhouni continued, that the NOC could have obtained a higher share in production if it had offered this field in an open and transparent international bid, and that it would have been the best test of the acceptability of international companies to work in Libya.

The Director of the Media Office at the Ministry of Transport, Siraj Al-Hamal, confirmed in an exclusive interview with Libya Herald Sunday that an air services transportation agreement was signed at the Transport Ministry’s Tripoli headquarters in the presence of the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport for Air Transport Affairs, Khaled Swesi, and representatives of the Italian Presidency, the Italian Foreign Ministry, and the Italian Airlines Company. A memorandum of cooperation between the head of the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority Mohamed Shalibek, and the head of the Italian Civil Aviation Authority, was also signed. In a related context, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport for Air Transport Affairs, Khaled Swesi, revealed that concluding this agreement with the memorandum of understanding between the civil aviation authorities in Libya and Italy comes in order to enhance technical cooperation in the field of civil aviation security and safety to achieve an increase in the number of flights and air operators. According to Swesi, the memorandum of understanding aims to develop cooperation in the field of civil aviation and air transport and encourage airlines in the two countries to operate charter and regular flights. This, especially after the Libyan aviation authorities committed to all procedures related to the implementation of international controls and standards for civil aviation safety at Libyan airports.

Your username or password is invalid. Please try again . username and/or password required. Your subscription has expired. The page you requested has generated an unexpected error.