Libya and Italy to Resume Flights

Head of Libya's Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah and Italy's visiting Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shake hands as they exchange a commemorative plaque during the inauguration of the 30th session of the Libyan-Italian Business Forum at the Tripoli Exhibition Center in Tripoli on October 29, 2024. (AFP)
Head of Libya's Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah and Italy's visiting Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shake hands as they exchange a commemorative plaque during the inauguration of the 30th session of the Libyan-Italian Business Forum at the Tripoli Exhibition Center in Tripoli on October 29, 2024. (AFP)
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Libya and Italy to Resume Flights

Head of Libya's Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah and Italy's visiting Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shake hands as they exchange a commemorative plaque during the inauguration of the 30th session of the Libyan-Italian Business Forum at the Tripoli Exhibition Center in Tripoli on October 29, 2024. (AFP)
Head of Libya's Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah and Italy's visiting Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shake hands as they exchange a commemorative plaque during the inauguration of the 30th session of the Libyan-Italian Business Forum at the Tripoli Exhibition Center in Tripoli on October 29, 2024. (AFP)

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Tuesday that flights with Libya will resume next year.

Italy’s national carrier ITA Airways will resume the flights in early 2025, she revealed during a visit to Libya - her fourth in 18 months.

Along with head of the Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, she took part in the opening of the 30th session of the Libyan-Italian Business Forum in the capital Tripoli.

Speaking at the event, she said relations with Libya were a “priority” and that they haven’t reached their highest levels yet.

She stressed that her government was seeking to restore some cooperation projects that were signed with Libya years ago and that it wanted to explore more opportunities for cooperation.

For his part, Dbeibah underscored the importance of bolstering the fruitful bilateral cooperation with Italy, noting that relations have witnessed great development in recent months.

He confirmed that Italy will resume flights to Libya next year.

He also expressed his delight with what he called positive progress in reviving the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation that has been suspended for 14 years.

The GNU and Italian government signed seven agreements on the sidelines of the Libyan-Italian Business Forum covering trade, civil aviation, finance and health.

Meloni said Italy will remain committed to supporting Libya achieve sustainable economic development.

She noted that trade between Italy and Libya doubled in the past two years, adding that her fourth visit to Tripoli is important in developing relations between the two countries and reaching higher levels of partnership in all fields.

Several Libyan and Italian companies are taking part in the Tripoli forum to bolster trade between them.



UN Peacekeeping Mission in South Lebanon Has Recorded over 30 Incidents Resulting in Damage

A Lebanese army soldier stands near UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles in Marjayoun, near the border with Israel, amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, southern Lebanon October 29, 2024. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher
A Lebanese army soldier stands near UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles in Marjayoun, near the border with Israel, amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, southern Lebanon October 29, 2024. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher
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UN Peacekeeping Mission in South Lebanon Has Recorded over 30 Incidents Resulting in Damage

A Lebanese army soldier stands near UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles in Marjayoun, near the border with Israel, amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, southern Lebanon October 29, 2024. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher
A Lebanese army soldier stands near UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles in Marjayoun, near the border with Israel, amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, southern Lebanon October 29, 2024. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher

The UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon says it has recorded over 30 incidents resulting in damage to UN property or premises or injuring peacekeepers
Andrea Tenenti, spokesman for the mission known as UNIFIL, told a video press conference from Beirut Wednesday that it attributed about 20 of the incidents to Israeli military fire or actions, “with seven being clearly deliberate.”
In an incident Tuesday, he said, a rocket likely fired by Hezbollah or an affiliated group hit UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqura, setting a workshop on fire, with some peacekeepers suffering minor injuries, according to The Associated Press.
The origin of the fire couldn’t be determined for about a dozen incidents, he said.
“What has been very concerning are incidents where peacekeepers performing their monitoring tasks, as well as our cameras, lighting and entire watch towners, have been deliberately targeted,” Tenenti said.
He stressed that the actions of both Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters are putting peacekeepers in danger, whether through deliberate acts or crossfire.
“Despite a very tense situation, UNIFIL continues to stay in contact with Lebanese and Israeli authorities urging de-escalation,” he said.
Even with the dramatic surge in exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah in the past few weeks, Tenenti said UNIFIL has also been working hard behind the scenes to coordinate the delivery of humanitarian aid by UN agencies and their local partners.