Two years and five days from now the curtain will rise in Mexico City on the biggest and most inclusive World Cup that football has ever staged. Libya national team coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic. “We’re all happy with the fact Africa has now got, effectively, nine-and-a-half places at World Cup 2026,” Micho tells The National. The first set of World Cup assignments kept the dream nourished, not least a stirring comeback to draw with Cameroon in Benghazi. “It could be judged as meaning less space for young Libyan players,” acknowledges Micho.

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By EDITH M. LEDERERDeep divisions especially among the world’s most powerful nations have significantly undermined what the United Nations can do to help nations move from conflict to peace, the U.N. peacekeeping chief said. Twenty years ago, Lacroix said, a united international community pushed in the same direction as the United Nations to restore peace to East Timor, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Cambodia. Today, there are about 80,000 military and civilians in 11 peacekeeping operations. He warned that these divisions are undermining the cornerstone of the United Nations – having all countries work together to solve global challenges. The United Nations has no standing military force, and its peacekeepers who wear distinctive blue berets or helmets are contributed by member nations.

The reactivation of regular maritime connections between Italy and Benghazi, the main city in eastern Libya, is expected starting from June 12th. The consul general of Italy said it, Francesco Saverio De Luigi, in his speech during the celebrations of the 78th Italian Republic Day. Last June 2, in fact, De Luigi hosted "numerous guests and representatives of the Italian community" at the consulate, the Italian embassy in Libya reports on X. Consul De Luigi announced in his speech the reactivation of regular maritime connections between Italy and Benghazi from 12 June by the Messina Line, of which some representatives were present at the event. Read also other news on Nova NewsClick here and receive updates on WhatsAppFollow us on the social channels of Nova News on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Telegram

‎The Attorney General’s Office reported yesterday that its Public Prosecutor ordered the detention of the Chairman and the CEO of the National Development and Investment Company for US$ 2.842 million contract fraud. The fraud involved a contract with a foreign company specialized in the field of construction implementing the Southern Ghiran Project. The investigator inferred that the rules governing the management of the company’s funds were violated by deliberately disbursing US$ 2.842 million for the benefit of the contracting without the latter carrying out all the contracted works. This, the Attorney General’s Office reported, was deemed to cause serious damage to public funds. The accused were thus put in pretrial detention pending investigation.‎

Libya’s Tripoli based Foreign Ministry reported yesterday that Poland is preparing to reopen its embassy in Tripoli. The announcement followed the arrival of a delegation from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Mr. Jacek Todorewicz, Director of the Africa and Middle East Department in Tripoli yesterday. The delegation was received by Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, Mohammed Khalil Issa. The Libyan Foreign Ministry reported that the visit of the Polish delegation comes to make the necessary arrangements for the reopening of the Polish embassy to operate from the capital Tripoli and resume its activities, including the consular section to grant the necessary visas to Libyan citizens. He also explained that the Tripoli government had taken, within its foreign policy, an approach to urging countries to return their diplomatic embassies to work from within Tripoli and to provide all facilities and assistance.

Now, it’s finally set to return to Libya, where it was looted during British occupation in World War II, according to the Cleveland Museum of Art. The museum, which has held the piece since 1991, announced the planned return in a Monday news release. “Based on new information provided by the Department of Antiquities and research undertaken at the CMA, the museum voluntarily recognizes the statue as the property of Libya,” the news release read. The statue then ended up at the Ptolemais Museum in Libya, which was destroyed during the British occupation of the area. The statue spent the decades between 1966 and 1991 in the private collection of New York art collectors Lawrence and Barbara Fleischman and was donated to the museum in 1991.

The waterfront of Benghazi, in northeastern Libya, in March 2024. According to the Nicaraguan television channel 100% Noticias, 367 passengers of Indian nationality were on board. On May 23, the same aircraft made the same flight with 298 Indians. According to the data he has collected, 1,145 charter flights have landed in Managua since May 2023, coming mainly from Latin America but also from Casablanca, Morocco, and – recently – from Benghazi. Exiles from Asia, most of whom arrive by air, have turned to Libyan airports, which have become hubs for smuggling networks.

Drug trafficking suspect Elmushraty, better known as Lilu King, was arraigned on Monday in connection with an altercation he had with the police on Friday night at the Fight Island venue. Police Inspectors Francesca Calleja and Joseph Mallia charged the man with breaching two sets of bail conditions, threatening police officers, disobeying their orders and breaching the peace. Inspector Mallia explained that Elmushraty had court authorisation to be outdoors outside of his curfew hours specifically for June 1, the date when the incident had occurred. The prosecution did not insist on Elmushraty’s re-arrest and agreed with the defence’s submissions that only a portion of his bail money be forfeited. The court refused to allow 12 months for Elmushraty to deposit his bail money, granting him 6 months to do so, instead.

Chinese company PowerChina and a Portuguese design firm held an extensive meeting to discuss the necessary preparations ahead of the launch of the Elmreisa Free Zone (EFZ) project after a field visit to the site.‎The visit comes as part of the two companies’ tour of various projects in eastern Libya. ‎Upon completion of the EFZ site inspection, the two companies embarked on the task of surveying the area and preparing the necessary engineering studies and designs for the project, which comes in accordance with the plan of the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund to launch the second phase in the city of Greater Benghazi.‎Chinese and Portuguese companies arrive in Benghazi to inspect Benina Airport project (libyaherald.com)Ports and Maritime Transport Authority and Elmreisa Free Zone agree to activate free zone through temporary dry port (libyaherald.com)Benghazi Elmreisa Free Zone to Africa transit trade road approved in principle by Transport Ministry | (libyaherald.com)Benghazi Elmreisa Free Zone to Africa transit trade road approved in principle by Transport Ministry | (libyaherald.com)NOC discusses investment in Elmreisa and Kufra Free zones | (libyaherald.com)Activation and development of Benghazi’s Elmreisa Free Zone discussed by Libyan government | (libyaherald.com)Elmreisa Free Zone (efz.com.ly)Elmreisa Benghazi Free Zone to invite foreign investors early 2018 | (libyaherald.com)Benghazi Free Zone project moves forward | (libyaherald.com)Government looks at reactivating Benghazi free-trade zone project | (libyaherald.com)

The Kremlin has a documented history of sending counterfeit currency to Libyan National Army (LNA) leader Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. It urged banks to exercise due diligence to prevent counterfeit currency from being passed and it published a presentation that showed the minute differences between legitimate and counterfeit 50-dinar prints. Another billion dinars was delivered to the east in 2016, according to the Libya Herald. As with the current crop of counterfeit cash, the previous fake Libyan dinar bills looked almost identical to official bills. The primary purpose of the counterfeit currency was to “fund the war on Tripoli,” Al Jadeed told Al-Jazeera.

‎The ‎Tripoli based Libyan Prime Minister inaugurated the first China-Libya Economic Forum in ‎Peking last Friday 31 May, under the slogan “Libya, China Partners in Development and Reconstruction” in the presence of 84 Chinese companies operating in various fields. Directors of government executive agencies, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy for Commercial Affairs Suhail Abu Shiha, Director General of the National Council for Economic and Social Development, the Libyan Embassy in China, and Director of the Asia Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended on the Libyan side.‎‎23,000 Chinese workers in Libya currentlyIn his speech, Aldabaiba stressed China’s role in the reconstruction witnessed by Libya, and the need to focus on resuming stalled projects, contracting them with Chinese companies, and considering them the first stage of joint cooperation. He pointed out that there are more than 23,000 Chinese workers in Libya currently, after their number was only 5,000 during the past years.‎‎Abu Shiha also gave a presentation in which he explained the volume of trade exchanged between the two countries, the economic and investment opportunities available to leading companies, as well as the growth indicators witnessed by Libya, according to the reports of the International Monetary Fund in recent years.‎The directors of the executive agencies also presented the targeted development projects within the government’s plan for the ‘‘Return of Life’’, and a technical and financial analysis of the projects contracted with Chinese companies, and implementation priorities.‎On the other hand, several Chinese companies presented technical presentations showing their fields of work, and similar projects in several countries around the world.‎Need to continue communicationsOne of the most important recommendations of the forum was the need to continue communication between Libya and China, politically and technically, to address the difficulties and problems facing the full return of Chinese companies, and to agree to hold the second forum in the capital Tripoli next October.‎‎Return of Chinese companies, return of the Embassy to TripoliDuring his political meetings with Chinese officials, Aldabaiba discussed the return of Chinese companies to work in Libya, overcoming the difficulties they face, the return of the Chinese embassy to work in Tripoli‎, and activating the commercial department to assume the role of coordination and communication with the relevant Libyan ministries.‎

The Security Council has decided to renew measures designed to implement the arms embargo against Libya for another year, the UN said in a statement. The measures include authorizing Member States — acting nationally or through regional organizations — to inspect vessels on the high seas off Libya’s coast believed to be in violation of the arms embargo imposed on that country. Adopting Resolution 2733 (2024) by a recorded vote of 9 in favor to none against, with 6 abstentions, the Council extended the authorizations set out in its Resolution 2684 (2023) for a further 12 months, the statement said late Friday.

FIFA WC Qualifier: India to face Kuwait at Kolkata’s Salt Lake stadiumA spot in the third round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and direct qualification for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 is on the line. By ANI Published Date - 2 June 2024, 04:00 PMKolkata: India’s all-important FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Kuwait is inching closer with every day. For a simple reason – a spot in the third round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers as well as direct qualification for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 is on the line. In fact, India has not lost a match at Kolkata’s iconic stadium since a 0-3 defeat to Saudi Arabia in the Asian Cup Qualifiers in August 2006. In November, a Manvir Singh strike helped India eke out a 1-0 win in Kuwait City in the first matchday of the World Cup Qualifiers.

2024 BAL Coach of the YearRivers Hoopers head coach Odaudu Ogoh led his team to a third–place finish with a 6–3 record duringthe Sahara Conference group phase in Dakar, Senegal, and the Playoffs. 2024 BAL Sportsmanship AwardRivers Hoopers point guard Will Perry received The Manute Bol Trophy for exemplifying the ideals ofsportsmanship and camaraderie. Perry was also named to the 2024 All–BAL First Team. Ndour waspresented with the 2024 BAL Ubuntu Trophy during an on–court ceremony on May 25 in conjunctionwith Africa Day. Fans can follow the BAL (@theBAL) onFacebook, Instagram, Threads, X, and YouTube and register their interest in receiving more informationat BAL.NBA.com.