Libya has seen dramatic changes in the course of its years-long civil war in the past few days. Most importantly, there appears to be the glimmer of a political solution that could steer the country into a new direction.
Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army, based in eastern Libya, launched an offensive last April to retake Tripoli and unite the country. After intense fighting, Mr Haftar withdrew his forces from Tripoli, in a move that the Government of National Accord, led by Prime Minister Fayez Al Sarraj, and its foreign backers, primarily Turkey, took as a sign of victory. However, it is just another chapter in this bloody war that will not end without a political resolution. Field Marshal Haftar still has the strength to defend the west, which means more bloodshed.
In an attempt to pave the way for a political solution, neighbouring Egypt, which has backed Mr Haftar, drafted a truce deal on Saturday to move forward after years of bloody stalemate. Russia, the UK, France and the UAE have supported the deal, with Mr Haftar agreeing to a unilateral ceasefire. The Cairo Declaration calls for leaders on all sides to convene and share power in the oil-rich country while a new constitution is drafted. It also stipulates that a ceasefire begin on June 15, militias are disarmed and all foreign mercenaries withdraw from Libya. It is of paramount importance to heed the call of Egypt - and the UN - for a ceasefire.
If anything, the past 14 months have proven that no military solution can end Libya’s troubles. In the words of Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, the international community cannot accept continued fighting. “The only solution,” he tweeted “is a political deal that includes all warring sides”.
Instead of recognising that reality, the GNA is gearing up for further clashes. Mr Al Sarraj vowed to “eliminate the enemy” as he visited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara last week. Turkey remains convinced that a military approach can help strengthen its position and increase its leverage in Libya and beyond. Backed by Turkish firepower and Turkish-paid Syrian mercenaries, the GNA is now moving eastwards towards the coastal city of Sirte, a major metropolitan area.
Sirte is a symbolic and strategic stronghold. The hometown of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi is located halfway between Tripoli and Benghazi. Once the heart of his loyalist base, it is also the place where he was eventually tortured and killed.
Sirte suffered intense bombardment by Nato forces in support of a popular revolt in 2011, and was later occupied by ISIS, in May 2015. The city was seized by the GNA in late 2016, before being retaken by the LNA earlier this year. The GNA refuses to hold talks or begin a ceasefire before it can reassert control over Sirte.
Like many in Libya, the people of Sirte have been displaced, killed and brutalised for years, only to be used as a bargaining chip by foreign-backed Islamists. Over 60,000 civilian lives are at stake.
It is now clear that, for the GNA, Turkey’s agenda in Libya is more important than stability and peace. Ankara’s support of the GNA falls within its plan to further the reach of Islamists in the region and to profit from the damage and instability they cause. Last November, Mr Al Sarraj and Mr Erdogan signed a military pact offering Turkish armed support to the GNA while a maritime agreement gave Ankara control of gas-rich areas in the Mediterranean disputed by Cyprus, Egypt and Greece.
Libya's struggle for freedom and opportunity, which began with the 2011 uprising, is no longer centred on the aspirations of Libyans
This barter led to a flood of Turkish mercenaries into Libya to fight alongside the GNA. Among the foreign fighters are disenfranchised youth recruited in Syria. In response, foreign fighters have joined the fray on the side of Mr Haftar.
Libya’s struggle for freedom and opportunity, which began with the 2011 uprising, is no longer centred on the aspirations of Libyans. Rather, it has been hijacked into a struggle for power with geopolitical implications and little regard for civilian lives.
Several ceasefire attempts have failed in the past, and with every failure the country descends into more violence and finds itself further away from a political solution. If it is truly a “national accord” that the GNA desires, then it is high time that it puts Libyan lives above its own agenda and that of its foreign backers, who are holding peace hostage.
Reading List
Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:
Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung
How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever
Mindful Eating by Dr Jan Bays
How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20OneOrder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20March%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tamer%20Amer%20and%20Karim%20Maurice%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cairo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E82%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Series%20A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
INFO
The five pillars of Islam
Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
%3Cp%3EAverage%20amount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20at%20DIC%20factory%20every%20month%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EApproximately%20106%2C000%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAmount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20from%201%20litre%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%20%3Cstrong%3E920ml%20(92%25)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETime%20required%20for%20one%20full%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%20used%20cooking%20oil%20to%20biofuel%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EOne%20day%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEnergy%20requirements%20for%20one%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%201%2C000%20litres%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%96%AA%20Electricity%20-%201.1904%20units%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Water-%2031%20litres%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Diesel%20%E2%80%93%2026.275%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
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- Keep an open mind
The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
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Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
RESULT
Wolves 1 (Traore 67')
Tottenham 2 (Moura 8', Vertonghen 90 1')
Man of the Match: Adama Traore (Wolves)
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