Columns Features Opinions

Social Media in North Africa: a ‘Double-Edged Weapon’

How important has been the role that social media have played in the Arab Spring uprisings and the subsequent democratic transformation affecting the North African region? This is a question that has been hotly contested in both policy-making and academic circles essentially ever since a Tunisian fruit vendor’s act of self-immolation swiftly wreaked havoc with […]

Business Energy

Libya: Oil Minister prepares industrial reform

The head of Libya’s oil ministry Abdelbari al-Arusi is planning to set up two separate institutions which will be responsible for the exploration and production activities on one hand and the other will be taking care of the refinery but they will all be under the ministry. According to reports, Benghazi will host the body […]

Headlines Libya

Libya Celebrates Revolution First Anniversary, Rebels Refuse to Lay Down Arms

Libya celebrated on Tuesday the first anniversary of the revolution that put an end to Moammar Khaddafi’s decades long dictatorship but even so the country is not totally pacified as evidenced by the recent clashes in Bani Walid that opposed pro-government forces to anti-revolutionaries and loyalists to Khaddafi. Bani Walid, one of the final bastions […]

Headlines Libya

Libyans willingly disarm themselves

Results of a campaign to collect arms and ammunitions from civilians is considered to be encouraging after hundreds of them handed over their weapons to national army troops stationed in Tripoli, Benghazi, Zintan and Yefrin. The action is in line with the government’s ambitions to curb the level of insecurity in the country after an […]

Headlines Libya

U.S. Report: Al Qaeda Behind Attack against US Consulate in Libya

Militants of Al Qaeda branch in North Africa were involved in the deadly attack that targeted America’s consulate in Libya, says U.S. intelligence agencies in their preliminary assessment of the assault that left four American diplomats dead, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens. The report confirms the link and participation of the operatives of Al Qaeda […]

Egypt Features Headlines Libya

US ambassador killed in attack on consulate in Benghazi

The US ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, and three other embassy staff members were killed on Tuesday during an attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libyan and US official sources have confirmed. The US ambassador was visiting the Libyan Eastern city, when the US consulate was attacked and burnt down by angry demonstrators who […]