The Head of the Presidential Council Fayez Al-Sirraj met Saturday with the Chairman of the National Oil Corporation Mustafa Sanallah and the Governor of the Central Bank Al-Siddiq Al-Kabeer to review financial support to fund the NOC to be able to boost output and carry out oil services and other related works. The media office of Al-Sirraj added that such support will increase oil production rates and thus enhance Libya’s economic status and decrease the deficit. It also indicated that the step would end cash shortages and back up the Libyan dinar.

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Protesters took to the Libyan capital’s martyrs square on Friday upon the call of the civil societies and Palestinian community in the country in condemnation and rejection of the Trump announcement that recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. People held slogans decrying the decision saying it is a flagrant violation of the Palestinians and Muslims’ rights across the world, likewise, all Friday speeches at the mosques were all focusing on the duty of Muslims toward the protection of Jerusalem as “our capital.” Trumps announced Jerusalem as capital of Israel and said their embassy will relocate to it in six months.

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The Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed Sayala said they have taken the needed measures to take Libya off the list of countries banned from obtaining US visas for their nationals as per Trump’s latest order. In a meeting with the US National Security Official Eleni Duke, Sayala said the US should rethink the decision as it affects Libyans in general and those who live in the US in particular. US Supreme Court passed Trump’s travel ban that prevents nationals of six Muslim countries from entering the US.

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The UK ambassador to Libya Peter Millett said his country supports the Libyan Political Agreement even after December 17, adding that the UK is trying to urge the international community to support the LPA’s institutions until an agreement is reached regarding the points of conflict among Libyan parties. He added in a meeting with HoR and HCS members in Mistrata on Wednesday that economic reform is needed in Libya, saying they support the UN envoy efforts in bringing HoR and HCS to an agreement on the amendments to the LPA.

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The Administrative Control Authority (ACA) called on Libya’s state institutions to ban dual citizenship nationals from occupying a sovereign post in Libya. The ACA’s media Director Ayman Al-Jalidi said that Libyan laws say the sovereign posts’ occupants must be Libyan, adding that recently there had been some violations at the state institutions of work laws that were issued by the ACA in 2013. “We have found that dual nationals were occupying sovereign posts in Libyan state institutions.” He added.

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Libyan coastguards rescued a number of Arab illegal immigrants off Tripoli shores. The Anti-Illegal Immigration Department said on Friday on Facebook that immigrants from Morocco, Algeria, Syria, and Egypt were received at the Treeq Al-Sikka headquarters in Tripoli, adding that they were all given the needed assistance in cooperation with the UNHCR.

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Russia plans to propose a peace congress in Libya to end the six-year conflict similar to talks that will be held in Syria, Russian Foreign Ministry and parliament’s lead negotiator on Libya Lev Dengov has told Russia’s Izvestiya newspaper. He added on Friday that: “Russia’s Syria initiative was positively assessed in Italy several days ago. They called it an unparalleled format of dialogue. So why not apply it to Libya after we have established contacts with all parties to the conflict. We will use it.” The newspaper also reported Presidential Council reliable sources as saying that both sides could welcome Russia’s proposals as they started to negotiate a solution for the country’s conflict.

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“I want to repeat the Tunisian solution of the crisis in the Libyan dilemma.” Said the UN envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame, who was part of the solution in Tunisia three years ago. Salame told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat Friday that he aims to have Libyan parties sign consent to the upcoming results of the elections as happened with the Tunisian parties in 2014. “I am contacting all Libyan parties even those loyal to Gaddafi’s regime because the solution in Libya is tied to the constitution, national reconciliation and elections.” He added.

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Morocco said Friday that it returned 235 nationals who were stranded in Libya’s Zuwara city after tens of their relatives had organized demonstrations in Rabat calling on authorities to help return the 700 Moroccans who are estimated to be stranded in Libya. Likewise, the immigrants themselves entered earlier a hunger strike in a bid to send a message to their county so that they can be returned from Libya. In August, Morocco retuned 190 nationals from Libya.

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