Libya

Some 300 migrants are believed to have died after a total of four smugglers’ vessels — described a rubber dinghies — overturned in rough waters in a sea region surrounding the central Mediterranean isle of Lampedusa.

UNHCR has confirmed the deaths of 232 people.

An Egyptian court on Feb. 2 confirmed death sentences against 183 men convicted of killing 13 police officers in a town near Cairo in August 2013.
      
In December the court had issued its preliminary verdict against 188 defendants in a mass trial, of which two were acquitted on Monday while one was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
      

Security black holes around Turkey are getting bigger, yet the government is not vocalizing the threat is becoming more serious, warns an analyst. 'Being Muslim will not protect Turkey from radicalism,' says security expert Mete Yarar.

Turkey held talks with Algeria on the crisis in Libya as part of efforts made by Algeria to convince rival parties in the restive Arab country to sit down at the negotiation table, according to an Algerian diplomatic source.

The five-member crew of a Maltese tanker vessel, including two Bulgarian nationals, has been arrested in Libya for alleged smuggling of oil products.

The Moldova-flagged ship, Sunoil I, and its crew were detained in Tripoli on 3 January, Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The army of Libya's internationally recognized government announced on Jan. 18 that it would cease fire, two days after an Islamist-backed militia alliance announced a truce.
      
"We declare a ceasefire from midnight (2200 GMT) Sunday," said the army said, stressing however that it would continue to pursue "terrorists", as UN-brokered peace talks resume in Geneva next week.

BELGRADE - Libyan Ambassador to Belgrade Shradi Tajouri has hosted a reception to mark Libya's Independence Day, and the event was also attended by Serbian Parliament Speaker Maja Gojkovic.

Turkey has expressed concerns about the escalating violence and political unrest in Libya as its special envoy will head to the northern African country in the upcoming days amid threats to Turkish aircrafts.

Defense Minister ?smet Y?lmaz has reiterated Turkey?s support for Libya?s ?elected Parliament,? while arguing that Turkey supports the territorial integrity of the country, which has been riven with divisions since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has warned Turkish citizens in Libya to evacuate the country ?immediately? through a statement released late on Jan. 7.      

?Because of the conflict and the airstrikes in Libya recently, we are suggesting that our citizens leave the country immediately,? the statement said.