Libya’s Saleh, Mishri to Meet Soon

 A previous parliament session in Libya. (House of Representatives)
A previous parliament session in Libya. (House of Representatives)
TT

Libya’s Saleh, Mishri to Meet Soon

 A previous parliament session in Libya. (House of Representatives)
A previous parliament session in Libya. (House of Representatives)

Speaker of Libya’s House of Representatives (HoR) Aguila Saleh is preparing to hold a new round of Turkish-mediated talks with the Chairman of the High Council of State (HCS), Khalid al-Mishri, in an attempt to resolve the outstanding differences over the “constitutional basis” for the postponed presidential and parliamentary elections.

The parliament resumed its meetings on Monday at its headquarters in Benghazi, east of Libya, amid a surprise absence of its speaker.

Parliamentary sources said in a press statement that Saleh, who is preparing to visit Türkiye again to meet with Mishri, is currently in Cairo.

Parliament spokesman Abdullah Blehaq announced in a briefed statement the start of the session, chaired by its first deputy speaker, Fawzi al-Noueiri, to discuss a number of draft laws included in its agenda. The session also tackled the bill on salaries.

Mishri and Saleh had agreed in Rabat in October on the implementation of the article on sovereign posts, addressed in the Bouznika agreement, before the end of the year.

They also agreed on the resumption of dialogue with the aim of holding presidential and parliamentary elections with the agreement of the parliament and High Council of State.



US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
TT

US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)

The United States is deferring the removal of certain Lebanese citizens from the country, President Joe Biden said on Friday, citing humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon amid tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

The deferred designation, which lasts 18 months, allows Lebanese citizens to remain in the country with the right to work, according to a memorandum Biden sent to the Department of Homeland Security.

"Humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon have significantly deteriorated due to tensions between Hezbollah and Israel," Biden said in the memo.

"While I remain focused on de-escalating the situation and improving humanitarian conditions, many civilians remain in danger; therefore, I am directing the deferral of removal of certain Lebanese nationals who are present in the United States."

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have been trading fire since Hezbollah announced a "support front" with Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on Oct. 7, triggering Israel's military assault in Gaza.

The fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters, according to a Reuters tally, and led to levels of destruction in Lebanese border towns and villages not seen since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.

On the Israeli side, 10 Israeli civilians, a foreign agricultural worker and 20 Israeli soldiers have been killed. Tens of thousands have been evacuated from both sides of the border.