On the Russia-Ukraine war front, Ukraine launched a drone attack on a military base in Russia housing Iranian flight instructors. Earlier this week, aided by US intelligence, Italian authorities intercepted a cargo ship suspected of bringing Russian weapons to General Khalifa Haftar in eastern Libya. Russia is arming Haftar in return for allowing Moscow to build a port on the Mediterranean coast, which would give it a base with Italy directly in its sites. Earlier this week, aided by US intelligence, Italian authorities intercepted a cargo ship suspected of bringing Russian weapons to General Khalifa Haftar in eastern Libya. Russia is arming Haftar in return for allowing Moscow to build a port on the Mediterranean coast, which would give it a base with Italy directly in its sites.

‎Libya is a step closer to exporting olive oil directly to Europe and the rest of the world. The ambassador revealed that a Libyan specialized team has successfully completed the accreditation of the Libyan laboratory in the sensory field and passed the selections conducted by the International ‎‎Olive Council successfully. This would pave the way for Libya to export its olive oil directly to the advanced world. The accreditation was received on the sidelines of the 119th session of the member states of the International Olive Oil Council (based in Madrid) which ended Tuesday 25 June in Madrid. | (libyaherald.com)Eighth Libyan Dates and Associated Industries exhibition opens in Tripoli | (libyaherald.com)‎

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Minerals for Production, Industrial Zones and General Affairs, Mustafa Al-Samo, inaugurated the Beta Polymer Factory for Chemical Industries in Misrata’s Kararem Industrial Zone today. ‎The Ministry of Industry and Minerals said this opening comes within the framework of its efforts to promote the industrial sector, encourage investment and provide new job opportunities. It said the Beta Polymer plant is one of the important industrial projects that are expected to contribute to achieving local economic growth and improving the level of industrial production in the country. The factory specializes in the production of a variety of chemical products that meet the needs of the local market, including paints and coatings of all kinds, building materials, paper, furniture, textiles, carpets, soil fixation in roads, concrete additives, in addition to uses in the field of printing and packaging.‎‎Project reflects investors’ confidence in local economic environmentDuring his opening speech, the Undersecretary expressed his optimism about the future of the industrial sector in Libya, noting that this project reflects investors’ confidence in the local economic environment. He stressed the Ministry of Industry and Minerals’ continuous support for industrial projects with the aim of achieving sustainable development.‎

Abdulhamid Dbeibah, Prime Minister of the interim Government of National Unity, assured Stephanie Koury, the Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs for Libya in the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), that he has issued the necessary decisions to financially support the Ministry of Interior and the High National Elections Commission. This support is aimed at ensuring the success of their mission to secure and organize municipal elections. During their meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tripoli, Dbeibah and Koury discussed bolstering both local and international efforts to facilitate successful municipal elections. Dbeibah emphasized that he has instructed all government institutions to cooperate with the High National Elections Commission. Earlier today, the High National Elections Commission announced the imminent opening of candidacies for municipal council elections.

Mohamed Aoun, the Minister of Oil and Gas in Libya’s interim Government of National Unity, has called on Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah to either restore his full authority in the ministry or formally dismiss him in accordance with existing national laws and regulations. Welcoming Aoun’s ReturnAoun highlighted that his return to the Ministry of Oil and Gas on May 28 was widely welcomed both domestically and internationally. Rejecting the Role of a Minister without a MinistryAoun also condemned actions by the acting head of the Ministry of Oil and Gas, describing them as obstructive and chaotic. These actions included issuing official stamps in the minister’s name, nullifying secondments and transfers of ministry staff, and relocating general directors’ offices from the ministry to the National Oil Corporation. Aoun pointed to his role in reclaiming 10.6 billion dinars owed by foreign oil companies as evidence of his effective leadership.

Months into the closure of Tunisia's main border crossing with Libya, a haven for smugglers, shops are shuttered and unemployment has soared in the already-marginalised desert region, merchants say. More than three months later, Tunisian merchants in towns like Ben Guerdane, around 30 kilometres (19 miles) west of the border, are suffering. Summertime tourism is also set for a blow as Libyans usually flock to Tunisia's island of Djerba, north of Ben Guerdane, Gzam added. Ben Guerdane hosts vast marketplaces of car and mechanical parts, household appliances and clothing, at times even supplying cities in the north. It remains unclear when the border crossing will reopen and the hardship in Ben Guerdane might ease.

CAIRO – 26 June 2024: Cairo hosted Wednesday the Egyptian-Yemeni Strategic Dialogue Session between the foreign ministers of both countries so as Minister Sameh Shokry expressed support to all efforts aimed at reaching a political settlement to the civil war crisis. The Egyptian minister similarly reiterated Egypt's backing to Yemen's unity, state institutions, independence and territorial integrity as well as to the Presidential Leadership Council as the legitimate ruling entity. The minister also expressed Egypt's readiness to cooperate with the Yemeni government on reconstruction, infrastructure development, human capacity-building, and provision of medical and food aid. He also noted that Egypt hosts large numbers of Yemenis who enjoy a lot of services. The two ministers equally discussed the updates of the civil wars in Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Libya, in addition to the Gaza War.

Peter Steinfeld | Senior Vice President - Safety Solutions | AlertMediaJoe Proulx became a member of J. J. Keller’s EHS Content team in 2023. Before joining J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., he worked in prominent roles in Peter Steinfeld is the Senior Vice President of Safety Solutions at AlertMedia and host of The Employee Safety Podcast, where each week, he interviews safety, security, business continuity, and disaster recovery experts from all over the world. Peter is a graduate of Middlebury College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics. He also earned his MBA from the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice University. Peter has been involved in the emergency communications industry for nearly 20 years, advising organizations of all sizes on matters related to employee safety, and is passionate about helping organizations protect their most valuable assets: their people.

TRIPOLI, June 25 (Xinhua) -- A total of 174 migrants were deported from Libya to Nigeria on Tuesday with the assistance of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), according to a Libyan official. Muhammad Baraida, an assistant for security affairs of the Libyan Illegal Immigration Control Department, told Xinhua that the repatriated migrants were mostly women "who tested positive for infectious and chronic diseases." The migrants were deported through IOM's Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) program, which facilitates the return of migrants stranded in Libya to their countries of origin. Baraida added that the deportation was carried out in coordination with the Nigerian embassy in Libya, noting that Libya has been collaborating with IOM to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of migrants in the country. According to IOM, the VHR program has helped more than 80,000 migrants return to their home countries voluntarily from Libya since 2015.

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The court ruled that in the absence of a law, Israel’s compulsory military service applies to the ultra-Orthodox like any other citizen. Under longstanding arrangements, ultra-Orthodox men have been exempt from the draft, which is compulsory for most Jewish men and women. During arguments, government lawyers told the court that forcing ultra-Orthodox men to enlist would “tear Israeli society apart.” There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu’s office. The court also ruled that state subsidies for seminaries where exempted ultra-Orthodox men study should remain suspended. Ultra-Orthodox men attend special seminaries that focus on religious studies, with little attention on secular topics like math, English or science.

Today marks the fourth day of the European and American campaign against Gadhafi’s forces in Libya. The U.N.-sanctioned military intervention was originally designed to establish a no-fly zone, but also seems geared to free up the rebels to take on the Libyan leader themselves. Here in the U.S., the politics of intervention are heating up. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are questioning President Obama about the goals of the mission and top Republicans are ramping up their criticisms. Guests:Liz Sly, Foreign Correspondent for the Washington Post, currently in Tripoli, LibyaDoyle McManus, Washington Columnist for the Los Angeles Times, covering national and international politicsSylvia Poggioli, NPR Senior Foreign Correspondent, reporting from Rome, ItalyGarrett Therolf, Los Angeles Times Reporter currently in Cairo, Egypt

TRIPOLI, June 24 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Monday said that 973 migrants were intercepted and returned off the coast of Libya in the past week. "From 16 to 22 June 2024, 973 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya," IOM said in a statement. The migrants include 44 women and 27 children, IOM said, adding that 12 bodies of migrants were recovered off the Libyan coast. So far this year, a total of 8,754 migrants have been intercepted, while 332 died and 528 others went missing off the Libyan coast, IOM said. In 2023, the total number of migrants being intercepted and returned stood at 17,190.

With American troops no longer welcome in Niger after a military coup, the U.S. is looking for new allies in the region, including Libya, the top official for Africa Command said Monday. Langley’s comments come after the Pentagon announced that the U.S. would withdraw its troops based in Niger. Before the slated withdrawal, the U.S. had roughly 1,000 troops and defense contractors in Niger at its two bases, Air Base 101 and Air Base 201. The Libya National Army, a force of around 25,000 fighters which controls large parts of east and south Libya. Shortly after officials in Niger demanded American troops out, its eastern neighbor, Chad, had the same request for U.S. troops based at Adji Kossei Air Base near N’Djamena.

Libya postpones the reopening of the main border crossing with Tunisia yet again, impacting a crucial route for both legitimate and illegitimate trade. "Armed groups from the city of Zuwara closed the main road leading to the Ras Jedir border crossing with Tunisia, causing the postponement of its reopening to traffic, which was scheduled for today," reported local media on Monday, 24 June. The Ras Jedir border area also witnessed the Tunisian authorities' dumping of hundreds of migrants last year in the Sahara, where at least twenty people, including women and children, died of thirst. "It is difficult to ascertain the reasons for the postponement of the opening of Ras Jedir. Following the March's violent outbreak, the Zuwara Military Chamber and Tripoli's Chief of General Staff reached an agreement and decided to form a Joint Force to secure the border crossing.