Libyans commute on a highway in the capital Tripoli, on February 3, 2020. AFP
Libyans commute on a highway in the capital Tripoli, on February 3, 2020. AFP
Libyans commute on a highway in the capital Tripoli, on February 3, 2020. AFP
Libyans commute on a highway in the capital Tripoli, on February 3, 2020. AFP

Artillery shells fall on centre of Libya's Tripoli


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Artillery shells on Tuesday hit the centre of the Libyan capital Tripoli, which eastern forces have been trying to take in a near year-long war, residents said.

The Libyan National army (LNA) faction of Khalifa Haftar moved on Tripoli held by the internationally recognised government in April, failing to breach defences in southern suburbs.

Shells landed late on Tuesday at the central Nouflin and Souq Al Jumaa districts, which had been mostly spared so far from the conflict, a Reuters reporter said.

Parts of the capital were affected by power cuts, a frequent occurrence in the city.

Authorities didn't immediately provide details of casualties from the attack.

Libya's civil war has displaced some 150,000 people, according to the United Nations.

Turkey to come to the aid of Fayez Al Serra, Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord of Libya, by sending troops to the capital. Up to 2,000 fighters from Syria’s civil war have also joined the battle to defend the capital, a UN official said last month.

Both sides held ceasefire talks last week in Geneva but have repeatedly blamed each other for daily violations of a shaky truce declared a month a go.

Economic fallout continues from the shutdown of the country's vital oil fields, with losses surpassing $1.3 billion, the national oil corporation announced on Tuesday.

The latest contest over oil assets in Libya started last month, when powerful tribes loyal Mr Haftar, seized large export terminals and choked off major pipelines. The move came just days before Germany hosted a high-profile international summit aimed at ending end Libya’s long-running conflict.

The Tripoli government controls only a shrinking corner of the country’s west. But it enjoys a different advantage: its control over Libya’s Central Bank, which holds the country’s oil revenue.

The opaque finances of the bank has drawn sharp criticism. Mr Haftar’s forces accuse the bank of diverting oil assets to pay Syrian mercenaries to defend the capital. The oil corporation has also called repeatedly for increased transparency.

The tug-of-war over Libya’s oil revenues has been going on for years, but recent losses are dramatic. The national corporation said current production, which has collapsed to roughly 183,000 barrels a day from about 1.2 million, is at the lowest point since the 2011 uprising that ousted and killed long-time dictator Muammar Qaddafi.

The corporation reiterated its warning that the blockade is quickly depleting fuel that supplies Libyan power stations. The tribal groups closed yet another pipeline over the weekend, exacerbating a looming fuel crisis, the statement added.

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Country-size land deals

US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:

Louisiana Purchase

If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.

Florida Purchase Treaty

The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty. 

Alaska purchase

America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of  Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".

The Philippines

At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million. 

US Virgin Islands

It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.

Gwadar

The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees. 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

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