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Athens-basedMETKA EPC has signed a $380 million contract with east Libya-based the General Authority for Electricity and Renewable Energy of the Interim Government to construct a power plant in Tobruk.

METKAsaid the agreement was reached in Athens on 25 January 2017.

The project, with total output of more than 500MW, includes the supply and installation of 3 General Electric GT13E2 gas turbines in open cycle configuration, together with all associated balance of plant equipment and a 220/66kV substation. METKAsaid in a press release on Friday.

It added that the contract is subject to final approval from the Interim Government, and will only become effective upon opening of an irrevocable letter of credit confirmed by 1st class international bank.

The project will be carried out on a fast track schedule so that the first gas turbine will be ready to connect to the grid within 9 months from commencement, and the second and third gas turbines will be ready for connection within 10 and 11 months respectively.

The power plant would be METKAs first major project in Libya.

METKA is a leading international contractor and industrial manufacturing company. It is a member of the Mytilineos Group, the leading independent energy producer in Greece.

Libya has been plunged into chronic poweroutages that affected most of the countrys cities and towns where blackouts last for several hours on a daily basis.

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Greece to construct power plant in east Libya - The Libya Observer

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Afriqiyah Airways said it had opened a new flights route as part of its (Charter Flights) to Malta from Misrata and Labreg airports starting this February. Flights from Misrata will be on Sunday-Wednesday (two-ways) and from Labreg will be on Tuesday Thursday (two-ways.)

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Fuel and Gas Crisis Committee ordered the gas stations to prohibit people from filling fuel in gallons after a car was exploded at a gas station in Arada area in Tripoli on Saturday. This new order cancels previous ones that allowed the action to let people have fuel due to long hours of power outage over the last period.

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Zliten hosted a meeting to discuss the reasons behind the outbreak of leishmaniosis in the city and its suburbs and eventually outlined a mechanism for fighting the disease on the local level with the cooperation of Zliten Public Services Company under the supervision of the environmental services office in the city. The training is done by the leishmaniosis combat committee of the national council for diseases control.

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GECOL said three oil vessels laden with light fuel for Al-Khalij (Sirte) Al-Akhums, and Al-Zawiya power plants arrived Sunday aiming at reactivating those stations and hoping that it would help increase the network output to reach 5500 megawatts in the coming days and thus decreasing the hours of outage.

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Tarhouna businessmen said at the end of their gathering Tarhouna Calls For You that they will startforming an investment fund to support investment projects worth 100 million dinars. The gathering also recommended forming a committee to coordinate between the businessmen who want to invest into building Tarhouna airport and the citys municipality.

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The journalist, Ali Al-Rajhi arrived in Tripoli on Saturday after eight months of detention by pro-Haftar armed groups, who arrested him in Al-Nafoura oilfields airport of Al-Khalij Al-Arabi Oil Company in eastern Libya on counts of terrorism. Al-Rajhi was a reporter for Al-Nabaa TV and Panorama TV in Benghazi in the last two years.

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The National Mobile Force leadership said on Saturday that it is not legally or morally responsible for any act that has been done in Tripoli or outside of it during 2016 and 2017, as it had never appointed anyone to conduct a security or a military action at that period, except for taking part in Al-Bunyan Al-Marsoos operation in Sirte. Thus, the force disowns the acts done in tis name in Hay Al-Andalus, Ghout Al-Shaal and Al-Siyahiya in Tripoli.

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The spokesman of Al-Bunyan Al-Marsoos, Mohammed Al-Ghasri, said the command of the operation will send a delegation to Algeria to inform the Algerian military command about the details of the liberation of Sirte from IS militants as well as about the identity of the operation and what it is made up from so that it wipes out any doubts about the operation harbored by Algeria. He said this would be a step before the operation asks Algeria to support it on all levels.

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Garabulli municipality called on the government authorities to interfere as fast as possible and order a probe into the deadly clashes that took place in the district Saturday night. At least nine people were killed and some others injured in violent clashes Saturday night between Grabulli residents and an armed group from Tarhouna security operation room.

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The commander of the Third Force that is securing the south, Jamal Al-Treiki, said the security situation in the region has improved adding that fuel is arriving consistently to the Sabha fuel depots. He said that Tamnahent airport is about to be reopened this week and electric power had returned in the entire southern region, saying the region is gearing up for stability.

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The Presidential Council-appointed CEO of the GECOL, Abdelmajid Hamza, said that the agreement with the Turkish company Anka has been resumed so that the company would resume work at Ubari gas power plant starting this February.

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News Roundup - Sun, Jan 29, 2017 - The Libya Observer

BERLIN Europe should work with Libya to control illegal migration, but cannot sign a deal similar to that reached with Turkey last year until political stability is restored in the North African country, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday.

Merkel said it was important to work with Libya given that more than 4,000 migrants had died in the Mediterranean while en route from Libya to Italy.

"At the moment we cannot sign an agreement like that concluded with Turkey," she said in a video podcast, adding that such an accord would only be possible when "the political situation has improved, when the unity government is really a unity government and has control over the entire country, and we can talk about human rights issues, standards and other issues."

Libya sank into chaos following the 2011 overthrow of veteran ruler Muammar Gaddafi, and the new U.N.-backed government in Tripoli exercises no control over its territory.

The sea crossing from Libya to Italy, operated by people-smugglers based in the North African country, is now the main route for migrants bound for Europe.

A record 181,000 mainly African boat migrants reached Italy last year, taking the total number of arrivals in the past three years to more than half a million.

European Union leaders, who will meet in Malta next week, are looking at new proposals to handle asylum seekers after more than a year of wrangling over the issue that has undermined the bloc's unity.

EU interior ministers on Thursday already pushed ahead with plans to finance camps in Africa, where the U.N. refugee agency and aid groups would process migrants to prevent them from trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Gernot Heller; Editing by Helen Popper)

GENEVA The United Nations refugee agency and International Organization for Migration (IOM) called on the Trump administration on Saturday to continue offering asylum to people fleeing war and persecution, saying its resettlement program was vital.

BEIRUT Several Syrian Islamist factions including al Qaeda's former branch in the country said on Saturday they were joining forces, as clashes between jihadists and more moderate rebels raged on in northwestern areas.

ANKARA British Prime Minister Theresa May on Saturday signed a $125 million defense equipment deal with Turkey and promised to push for more trade between the NATO allies, but cautioned Ankara on human rights following last year's failed coup.

See more here:
Merkel says migrant deal with Libya needed, but not possible yet - Reuters

Washington, DC - infoZine - On July 26, 2014, the U.S. Embassy suspended all embassy operations in Libya and relocated staff outside of the country because of violence between Libyan militias. The U.S. Embassy in Tripoli remains closed, and the security situation in Libya remains unpredictable and unstable. U.S. citizens in Libya should make contingency emergency plans and maintain situational awareness at all times.

This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning issued on June 9, 2016. [infoZine]

On July 26, 2014 the U.S. Embassy suspended operations in Libya. The Department of State has extremely limited capacity to assist U.S. citizens in Libya.

Recent worldwide terrorism alerts, including the Department of States Worldwide Caution, have stated that extremist groups continue to plan terrorist attacks against U.S. interests in the Middle East region, including Libya.

Tripoli and other cities have witnessed fighting between armed groups and government forces as well as terrorist attacks. Hotels frequented by westerners have been caught in the crossfire. Militia controlled checkpoints are common. Militia groups sometimes detain travelers for arbitrary reasons, do not grant detainees access to a lawyer or legal process, and do not allow detainees to inform others of their status. U.S. citizens should carry proof of citizenship and valid immigration status at all times but be aware that these documents do not guarantee fair treatment. The Department of State has extremely limited capacity to assist U.S. citizens who are detained in Libya.

Most international airports are closed, and flights out of operational airports are sporadic and may be cancelled without warning. On December 23, 2016 an airplane traveling from Sabha to Tripoli was hijacked and diverted to Malta by armed men threatening to blow up the plane. The U.S. government is very concerned about the targeting of commercial transportation in Libya, and prohibits U.S. commercial aviation operations within Libyan airspace. Due to risks to civil aviation operating within or in the vicinity of Libya, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR). For further background information regarding FAA flight advisories and prohibitions for U.S. civil aviation, U.S. citizens should consult Federal Aviation Administrations Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices.

Seaports and roads can also close with little or no warning. Violence in Libya against civilian commercial interests raises serious concerns about the safety of maritime vessels and their crews. The Libyan National Army (LNA) announced on January 7, 2015 that all vessels in Libyan waters require LNA approval for transit, following the January 4, 2015 bombing of a Greek-operated oil tanker that killed two crewmen near Derna, Libya. Vessels are advised to proceed with extreme caution when approaching all Libyan oil terminals and ports. Mariners planning travel to Libya should check for U.S. maritime advisories and alerts. Updates may also be posted to the U.S. Coast Guard homeport website, and the NGA broadcast warnings website (select broadcast warnings) advisories.

Violent extremist activity in Libya remains high, and extremist groups have made threats against U.S. government officials, citizens, and interests. Threats against U.S. citizens may include murder or kidnapping. ISIL claimed responsibility for two vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices in Tripoli in September 2016.

U.S. citizens should avoid areas of demonstrations and exercise caution if in the vicinity of any large gatherings or protests, as even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. Crime levels in Libya remain high, including the threat of kidnapping for ransom.

If travel in the desert or border regions of Libya is critically necessary, exercise caution and comply with local regulations. Terrorist organizations, including Islamic State-affiliated groups and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, continue to threaten the region. Recent terrorist attacks have occurred in the border region, where extremists have kidnapped Westerners, most recently two Italians and a Canadian citizen in September 2016. Please note the travel warnings and alerts for neighboring countries, Algeria, Tunisia, Chad, Niger, and Sudan.

Related Information

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Libya Travel Warning - Kansas City infoZine

Brazzaville The African Summit on Libya began Friday in Brazzaville, the capital of Congo with participation of the Vice - President of the Republic, Hassabo Mohamed Abdul-Rahman.

The delegation accompanying the Vice - President of the Republic at the summit includes the State Foreign Minister, Kamal Ismail, and a number of officials concerned with the Libyan and the African Union issues.

The Chadian President and current chairman of the African Union, Idris Deby, said that the summit is aimed for reaching a solution for the Libyan crisis.

He indicated that the presence of terrorist movements, including the Islamic State (IS) organization, has complicated the Libyan crisis, adding that the impacts of the Libyan crisis has reached the neighbors of Libya and the Sahel and Sahara countries.

Dr. said that solution of crisis in Libya remains responsibility of the Libyans themselves in the first place, stressing that the Libyans disputing parties shall give concessions for achieving a solution for the crisis.

He said that the military solution will never lead to solution of the Libyan crisis, stressing that any solution shall take into account the unity and integrity of the Libyan territories.

He said that the task of his high-level committee is to achieve agreement of all the Libyan parties, saying that the agreement reached by the Libyans in the year 2015 has paved the way for solution of the crisis.

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African Summit in Libya Begins With Sudan Participation - AllAfrica.com