541 new cases of Coronavirus were registered in Libya, according to the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC).
The NCDC announced in a statement on its official Facebook page that 666 new recoveries had been registered, in addition to 9 deaths due to COVID-19.
According to the Center, the total amount of infections reached 76,006 cases, 28,151 of which remain active, however the number of people fully recovered increased to 46,793, while the number of fatalities reached 1,062.
U.S. Congress passed on Thursday the ‘Libya Stabilization Act’ in order to impose sanctions on foreign parties who undermine the peace and stability of Libya.
In a Tweet, US Congressman Ted Deutch said, “Today, the House passed my Libya Stabilization Act.”
“The law called on the United States to play a more active diplomatic role to resolve the conflict in order to support humanitarian aid, democratic governance, civil society, and future elections, and to improve financial management for the public sector in Libya, specifically the central bank and the National Oil Corporation,” he added.
‘The law will impose sanctions on those who support mercenary soldiers and militias, and violate the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations,” Deutch continued.
The Central Bank of Libya (CBL), in Tripoli, has denied Wednesday to Sada Economic Newspaper the news circulated on social media pages about granting Turkey 6 billion dollars as a loan.
It will be reminded that some social media pages reported that the Central Bank of Libya granted Turkey 6 billion dollars as a loan without interest, to help the Turkish Central Bank to withstand the increasing demand for the dollar and the continuous collapse of the Turkish lira.
Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) and France’s Total discussed NOC’s efforts to raise production capacity and increase production rates to the highest levels, as well as expanding investments of the French company in Libya as the OPEC member’s oil industry recovers.
In a virtual meeting with Total’s head of exploration and production in the Middle East and North Africa Stephane Michel, NOC chairman Mustafa Sunallah said Libya’s oil production has rapidly returned to previous rates as it reached 1.25 million barrels per day (bpd), a NOC statement said on Thursday.
Michel stressed Total’s readiness to provide support and cooperation, the statement said.
The National Oil Corporation (NOC) and Zallaf Libya Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Company held a meeting on Tuesday at the NOC’s headquarters in Tripoli, where they discussed a project for establishing a refinery in southern Libya.
The meeting also included participants through video links in Benghazi and Ras Lanuf.
The meeting witnessed presenting technical and financial details of the project to establish the South Refinery and discussing the importance of providing oil products (fuel) in the southern regions, which will decrease the suffering of people in those areas and provide for their fuel needs, NOC said in a statement.
NOC affirmed that it will continue to work on the implementation of this ‘‘vital project’’, despite all the current circumstances, including the establishment of a unit for extracting cooking gas.
The Libyan Businessman Rashid Sawan said during a televised interview for WTV channel and Tabadul Platform that the political conflict in Libya is a conflict for corrupt money, pointing out that the country’s economic system has not been changed because it serves as a “cash cow” that brings the money.
The businessman accused the state of granting the formal legislation to steal its money. For instance, the state legislated to give the trader a right that was not his, while it legislated to give “crumbs” to its citizens.
Sawan considered the money spent on fuel as the corrupt money that feeds wars, positions and meetings, stressing that the corrupt money is divided into two parts; First, the subsidies. Second, the price difference.
According to him, the political issue could be solved if the two aforementioned points would be addressed.
” If we unify the dual exchange rate, as well as substitute the subsidies, 80 % of the economic issues and 50 % of the power struggle, would be solved,” he said.
On Monday, the US Embassy in Libya welcomed the agreement reached during the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) to hold national elections on 24 December 2021.
In a statement, the Embassy said that holding elections will enable all Libyans to exercise their sovereign right to choose the country’s future leadership and direction.
It also applauded the sincere and ongoing efforts of the LPDF participants, as they seek consensus on how to improve governance and deliver services ahead of these elections.
For its part, the Head of the European Union’s Delegation to Libya, José Sabadell, stated on Tuesday that the agreement to hold elections in Libya is a clear path towards achieving a necessary change in the north African country.
On his Twitter account, Sabadell said: “Congratulations to the Libyan people on the progress of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF).” He added that the time has come for “everyone to put the interest of the country above their own and be ready to compromise to achieve the peace that the Libyans demand, and deserve.”
Prime Minister, Fayez Al-Sarraj, discussed on Tuesday with the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Libya means for supporting the displaced and the groups most affected by the war on Tripoli.
Al-Sarraj also reviewed with the UN official the progress made in the implementation of the 2020 Humanitarian Response Plan in Libya, which addresses, through coordination with municipalities and government agencies, vital areas of health, education, water and, sanitation in remote regions, according to the GNA statement.
The Public Prosecutor referred the Dean of Bani Walid municipality of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), Salem Nuwairi, to the Indictment Chamber of Southern Tripoli Court for corruption charges.
The referral was for charges with embezzlement, serious damage to public funds, and other charges.
The Libyan National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) registered 529 new cases of Coronavirus pandemic during the past 24 hours, in addition to 756 new recoveries and 12 deaths.
This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases in Libya to 75,465, including 28,285 active cases, 46,127 recoveries, and 1053 deaths, according to NCDC.
