Libya’s Parliament on Wednesday approved a new unity government, sparking hope of an end to more than six years of civil war.
MPs at the House of Representatives voted 132 to two to endorse the Cabinet of the new Government of National Unity, formed after months of often tortuous negotiations.
Prime Minister-designate Abdul Hamid Dbeibah hopes his new Cabinet can unite the country after a decade of war and chaos.
“Through this vote, it became clear that the Libyans are one unit," he said.
To win unity amid a politically fractured country, Mr Dbeibah, a 61-year-old businessman from the western town of Misrata, eschewed many of the country’s political heavyweights, opting for figures who have previously had a low political profile.
The GNU includes Libya’s first female foreign minister, Najlaa Al Mankoush, a prominent human rights activist and lawyer who campaigned in the past for national reconciliation.
She is one of five women in the Cabinet, including the justice and culture ministers.
The GNU is due to replace two rival governments, one in the west, another in the east. It has two key missions: maintain the ceasefire and shepherd the country through to elections in December when voters will choose a permanent government.
The UN Support Mission in Libya, which engineered the creation of the GNU, congratulated parliament, saying “Libya has now a genuine opportunity to move forward”.
“This is a historic day for the House of Representatives," said Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh, who led the debate on endorsing the GNU.
The process of creating the GNU has been long and controversial.
The UN mission took the lead and last October chose 75 Libyan leaders to form the Libya Political Dialogue Forum.
Four months of often tense debate followed, in Geneva and Tunis, ending with the forum choosing Mr Dbeibah and a three-member presidency council to lead the GNU.
The forum’s negotiations were tainted with reports of corruption, after the leak of a report by the UN’s Panel of Experts that said bribes were offered to three members.
Among the challenges Mr Dbeibah faces are the limits on his power.
Parliament has not yet passed a constitutional amendment clarifying the GNU’s powers, and neither side’s armed forces have yet indicated whether they will follow GNU orders.
Aware of the difficulty in trying to control rival armies, now drawn up along a ceasefire line in the centre of the country, Mr Dbeibah said he delayed naming a defence minister.
Several states welcomed the GNU.
“Congratulations on the formation of an interim unity government to set the stage for elections in December," said the US ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland.
The UAE congratulated the new Libyan government for its "historic achievement" and wished the Cabinet "success in performing their duties and responsibilities to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Libyan people".
The December elections are intended to usher in a permanent government for Libya, and one of the hurdles Mr Dbeibah's government must cross is overseeing the creation of a permanent constitution before the vote.
Analysts said the GNU must work to keep consensus among Libya’s myriad groups and resist the temptation to spend big to win political support.
“Big milestone: Dbeibah’s GNU has been endorsed by the House of Representatives,” Tim Eaton, senior research fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, wrote on Twitter.
"The product of much negotiation and bargaining, the GNU will have to tread lightly to keep its unwieldy alliance together.
"Can it now unite divided institutions and deliver elections? Or will it simply function as an ATM?"
The creation of the GNU is the latest step by UN mission to calm tension in the country.
Last year it negotiated a ceasefire that has held fast since it was signed in October.
Its mediation also saw the Central Bank of Libya reunite, after having separate operations in eastern and western Libya.
The civil war broke out in 2014 and it caused thousands of deaths and brought the economy to its knees.
Tripoli, the capital, is controlled by several powerful militias and its residents endure frequent power and water cuts and currency shortages.
One sign of easing tensions came on Tuesday when the first civilian flight in six years took off between Benghazi and Misrata.
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Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes
Cheat’s nigiri
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Easy omurice
This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.
Deconstructed sushi salad platter
This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side.
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Japan
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Canada
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,470,000 (est)
Engine 6.9-litre twin-turbo W12
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 626bhp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,350rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.0L / 100km
If you go
- The nearest international airport to the start of the Chuysky Trakt is in Novosibirsk. Emirates (www.emirates.com) offer codeshare flights with S7 Airlines (www.s7.ru) via Moscow for US$5,300 (Dh19,467) return including taxes. Cheaper flights are available on Flydubai and Air Astana or Aeroflot combination, flying via Astana in Kazakhstan or Moscow. Economy class tickets are available for US$650 (Dh2,400).
- The Double Tree by Hilton in Novosibirsk ( 7 383 2230100,) has double rooms from US$60 (Dh220). You can rent cabins at camp grounds or rooms in guesthouses in the towns for around US$25 (Dh90).
- The transport Minibuses run along the Chuysky Trakt but if you want to stop for sightseeing, hire a taxi from Gorno-Altaisk for about US$100 (Dh360) a day. Take a Russian phrasebook or download a translation app. Tour companies such as Altair-Tour ( 7 383 2125115 ) offer hiking and adventure packages.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
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- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
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Transmission: two-speed
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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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
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
