The company said in a statement that it will operate one flight per week to the international airport, which is located about eight kilometres from the capital of Tripoli. The company might operate more weekly flights to Mitiga based on demand, added the statement. Meanwhile, CEO of EgyptAir Cargo Jaser Hussein said plans are underway to increase the number of regular and charter flights to various destinations in Libya, such as Benghazi and Misrata, in coordination with the Libyan side. “This comes as part of the company’s plan to expand its air cargo network,” Hussein explained. According to recent figures released by the General Organization for Export & Import Control, Libya tops all African markets for Egyptian exports, with a total value of $317 million annually.

Further to the UNDP and Libya’s Ministry of Planning and Ministry of Local Government launching the Local Peacebuilding and Resilience programme in southern Libya on 10 May, the Director of the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Planning, Taher Al-Baour, provided further details on the project. Speaking exclusively to Libya Herald, he explained that the programme aims to build local peace and recovery for the residents of the south to benefit and improve services for nearly 400,000 Libyan citizens. Al-Baour said this programme is important to solve some of the ongoing crises in southern Libya, especially the areas that have witnessed multiple conflicts and unrest and neglect over the past decades. It is worth noting that the UNDP is working to establish sustainable peace and strengthen the local economy in southern Libya by supporting the authorities to provide basic services and create job opportunities for youth and women. UNDP launches Local Peacebuilding and Resilience programme in southern Libya (libyaherald.com)

The eastern-based Libyan House of Representatives (parliament) has suspended Prime Minister-designate Fathi Bashagha after more than a year of his appointment. “The House of Representatives voted by majority to suspend Prime Minister Fathi Bashagha, refer him for investigation, and assign Finance Minister Osama Hammad to run the duties of Prime Minister, in addition to his duties as Finance Minister,” said Abdullah Blehig, the parliament spokesman, on Tuesday. In February 2022, the parliament appointed Bashagha, the former Interior Minister, as the Prime Minister to replace Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah, Xinhua news agency reported. But Dbeibah refused to hand over the power to Bashagha, citing that he would only hand over office to an elected government. Libya failed to hold general elections in December 2021 as previously scheduled due to disagreements over election laws among the Libyan parties.

Updated at 11am with Muscat Facebook statementJoseph Muscat has denied wrongdoing in the wake of revelations that show how a company he worked for just after resigning from prime minister was linked to the hospitals concessionaire. VGH was the company awarded a lucrative hospitals concession by the Maltese government in 2015. The deal was described by the Auditor General as pre-arranged and pointing towards collusion by the investors and government officials. “I do not fear arrest… this is a frame-up,” Muscat insisted. READ ALSO: Joseph Muscat netted payments from Swiss firm formerly called VGH EuropeA concerted attackTaking to Facebook, Muscat called the reports a “concerted attack” by the “usual suspects”.

CAIRO – 17 May 2023: Italy’s Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto said his country is keen to enhance the horizons of military cooperation with Egypt during the coming period, a statement by the Egyptian Armed Forces’ spokesman said. In a meeting with Egyptian Minister of Defense and Military Production Mohamed Zaki on Wednesday, Crosetto extended deep appreciation for the efforts of the Egyptian Armed Forces in all fields. The Egyptian defense minister also affirmed the consensus of the two countries’ visions on supporting security and stability in the region. The meeting discussed regional and international issues as well as issues of mutual concern between Egypt and Italy in light of the military cooperation and trade exchange between their armed forces. The two sides also agreed on continuing developing the ongoing military cooperation between Egypt and Italy and expressed keenness on enhancing the historic and firm relations between the two countries.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met Libyan counterpart Najla Mangoush in Jeddah on Wednesday. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the ministerial preparatory meeting for the 32nd Arab Summit. The two sides reviewed ways to enhance relations and exchanged views on the issues raised by the agenda of the preparatory meeting. The draft agenda of the Arab Summit was discussed at the ministerial preparatory meeting and draft decisions to be adopted were examined. The summit will be held on May 19.

CAIRO - 17 May 2023: Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto lauded the key role played by Egypt in maintaining stability in the Middle East and Mediterranean Sea regions. This came during President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's meeting with the Italian minister in the presence of Egyptian Defense Minister Mohamed Zaki, Italian Chief of Defense Staff Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone and Italian Ambassador in Cairo Michele Quaroni. The meeting underlined the importance of unifying efforts to promote mechanisms for confronting trans-border challenges. The Italian side lauded the effective efforts exerted by Egypt in this regard, the spokesman said. The spokesman added that the meeting tackled means of enhancing military cooperation.

In the midst of the forever ongoing migrant crisis debate, a young student Mariah Debattista has emerged as a vocal advocate for compassion, cultural respect, and humanitarian aid. Invited together with three other students, Mariah, a St Aloysius first-year student encapsulating her profound sense of empathy. "I want us to help them, I don't want the Mediterranean Sea, as they say, to be the cemetery of immigrants," Mariah said. Meanwhile, Junior College student Jake Muscat spoke of the complexities of integration, cultural differences, and the importance of international cooperation in addressing such crises. Jake, who is JC Student Council President agreed with host Saviour Balzan that Malta should help immigrants integrate better into society.

Facilities Security AuthorityThe Libyan private security market has recently undergone significant changes, leading to the deregistration of some companies due to non-compliance with the latest regulations. Expertise Consultancy Libya has been registered and verified with the FSA soon after they opened their offices back in October 2022. To this end, Expertise Consultancy has taken steps to validate its FSA registration and maintain full compliance with Libyan authorities. About Expertise Consultancy LibyaExpertise Consultancy is a premier Libya-based provider of private security services, specializing in safeguarding clients and their assets in challenging environments. With a strong focus on compliance, professionalism, and adaptability, Expertise Consultancy delivers tailored security solutions to meet each client's unique needs.

TRIPOLI: Libya´s parliament, in the east of the divided country, on Tuesday suspended Fathi Bashagha as head of an administration challenging the authority of the country´s western-based prime minister. Parliament also announced an investigation into Bashagha. The chamber, backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar, had picked Bashagha in February last year to lead a government to replace that of Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, who sits in Tripoli. “The House of Representatives voted unanimously to suspend the chief of government Fathi Bashagha and open an investigation against him,” said the House spokesman Abdullah Bliheg after a closed-door meeting in Benghazi. Deputies assigned the administration´s finance minister, Oussama Hamad, to act as prime minister while the investigation takes place, Bliheg said.

A man with past convictions for violent crimes has once again been jailed, this time for stealing items from a parked car and slightly injuring the woman who owned it. When the woman confronted the thief, he had assaulted her and then fled. Al Maghrbi had been released from prison just months before committing this offence, after serving a sentence for a violent robbery in which he had also held a woman against her will and injured her. Wadea Al Maghrbi was charged the next day, on March 9. In addition to the four-year prison sentence, the court also issued a three-year restraining order in favour of the victim.

Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush said Kuwait has been supporting stability and security in Libya, out of the deep-rooted ties between the two countries and their peoples. She met Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Al-Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, saying that exchanging visits between officials of the two countries deepen the distinguished ties. The Libyan top diplomat said several dossiers of common concern have been discussed during her visit to Kuwait. She voiced her pride for Kuwait’s political and humanitarian stances on Arab, regional and international dossiers.

Libya's east-based parliament, which appointed Fathi Bashaga as Prime Minister parallel to Tripoli's Government of National Unity (GNU) in February 2022, today withdrew confidence in him in another controversial vote. MPs appointed Osama Hammad, the current Finance Minister in the parallel government, as the new head of government to tackle Abdelhamid Dbeiba's power in the capital, which keeps the country divided into two administrations. The parliament, based in the eastern part of Libya controlled by Marshal Khalifa Haftar, was last elected in 2014 and has since been chaired by Aguila Saleh. In February 2022 it appointed Bashaga as Prime Minister alongside Abdulhamid Dbeiba, the last consensual transitional executive that was to have held elections in December 2021, which were postponed indefinitely. Dbeiba has continued to represent Libya on international trips, while Bashaga, who appeared to have some support at the beginning of his appointment and tried unsuccessfully to take control of Tripoli, gradually lost visibility.

Yet CT asked four Arab Christian leaders with deep roots in the region to make an attempt. Yet each represents a space on the spectrum of strategies on how to best live as a Christian in a Muslim society. The history of the Middle East demonstrates that Muslims, Christians, and Jews all belong existentially, historically, culturally, anthropologically, sociologically, and religiously to the same life setting. We do what we can within this space to faithfully live out our Christian mission, engaging in indirect evangelization. We pray this demonstrates not only our clear intention to live in peace, but also the truth and substance of our Christian faith.

Libya's parliament has suspended its appointed prime minister, Fathi Bashagha, and referred him to an investigation, parliament Speaker Abdullah Bliheg says. Parliament appointed Finance Minister Osama Hammad as acting prime minister. Before the parliament session, Bashagha tried to delegate his powers to his deputy. In February last year, the eastern-based parliament appointed Bashagha as the new head of government even though Abdul-Hamid Dbeibeh holds this office. Since then, Bashagha tried and failed to enter Tripoli and his cabinet has been based in the city of Sirte.