The storm departed the country in the early hours, travelling west over the South China Sea
weather3 hours ago
Whatever the Libyan regime’s motivation in scrapping its antiquated nuclear programme, it certainly helped it in reaching out to the West, especially US. Several Western leaders —from Tony Blair to Jacques Chirac to Silvio Berlusconi — and US lawmakers have since undertaken trips to Libya. President Moammar Gaddafi lost no time in reciprocating by visiting Europe.
This is why the State Department’s move to keep the North African nation on its list is intriguing. But looked closely, it makes sense. Although Gaddafi’s Libya has made dramatic progress on improving its ties with the West, which led to several Western companies landing billions of dollars of contracts in oil exploration and refineries, it has yet to improve the situation at home. As in other so-called Arab republics, Gaddafi’s Libya remains a single-party state with little or no freedom for other parties.
The entire opposition —both Islamists and secular groups —remains outside the country either in the West or neighbouring states. Goes without saying that in the absence of democracy, there are no democratic institutions and no free Press in the country. Human rights are routinely abused by the state. Without addressing concerns on these fronts, Libya can never hope to normalise its relations with the rest of the world.
The storm departed the country in the early hours, travelling west over the South China Sea
weather3 hours ago
Skies are forecast to be partly cloudy in general and cloudy at times
weather3 hours ago
Reflecting on his milestone, K.P. Mohammed is grateful for the opportunities the country has provided
uae5 hours ago
Will this asteroid pose any threat to our home planet? Here's what experts say
space5 hours ago
It will require participants to download an app and register before completing 50 challenges throughout the month of November
uae5 hours ago
Indian residents in the UAE share their tips for an eco-friendly celebration
lifestyle5 hours ago
Add a dash of sweet to your festivities with our round-up of homemade desserts
food5 hours ago
Fireworks, food, family and fun are on the menu
lifestyle5 hours ago