Seven UN agencies on Wednesday called for a ceasefire in Libya to try to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
They said the international community “must not turn a blind eye to the conflict” in Libya, where 64 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed.
The heads of the agencies said the confirmed cases included three deaths and were reported in different parts of Libya, showing that “the risk of further escalation of the outbreak is very high".
They said the conflict was having a “catastrophic effect on civilians, including migrants and refugees, across the country”.
The leaders backed the call by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres for a global ceasefire to tackle the pandemic.
The agencies asked donors to “continue to show their generosity and stand by the people of Libya in their quest for peace and in this moment of great need”.
Libya has been in turmoil since 2011, when long-time dictator Muammar Qaddafi was toppled. The country has been split between rival administrations in the east and the west.
The signatories to the statement included UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock, refugee head Filippo Grandi and World Health Organisation director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The others were Unicef executive director Henrietta Fore, UN Population Fund executive director Natalia Kanem, World Food Programme executive director David Beasley, and International Organisation for Migration director general Antonio Vitorino.
They said the situation for many migrants and refugees “is especially alarming,” with more than 3,200 people intercepted at sea since January having been returned to Libya.
The UN has repeatedly said the country is not safe and they should not be returned to detention.
“Many end up in one of the 11 official detention centres,” they said. “Others are taken to facilities or unofficial detention centres to which the humanitarian community does not have access.”
The agencies said the UN has verified 113 cases of “grave violations” in Libya over the past year.
Since January, they said, “at least 15 attacks have damaged health facilities and ambulances, and injured healthcare workers”.
As a result of the coronavirus spreading, most cities in Libya “are facing shortages of basic food items coupled with an increase in prices", the agencies said.
They urged continued support for food availability, “so that this health crisis does not worsen by becoming a food crisis".
The agencies also urged protection for water supplies, which have been damaged during fighting. Water is crucial for basic virus prevention measures including hand washing.
Humanitarian groups reported 851 incidents in which their personnel and aid were prevented from entering Libya or moving within the country.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
WORLD CUP FINAL
England v South Africa
Yokohama International Stadium, Tokyo
Saturday, kick-off 1pm (UAE)
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
LUKA CHUPPI
Director: Laxman Utekar
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Cinema
Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Kriti Sanon, Pankaj Tripathi, Vinay Pathak, Aparshakti Khurana
Rating: 3/5
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
