Libya's warring rival governments on Friday issued separate statements calling for a ceasefire that were immediately welcomed by neighbouring Egypt and the United Nations.
The statements were signed by Fayez Al Sarraj, head of the Government of National Accord based in the capital Tripoli, and Aguila Saleh, speaker of the eastern-based House of Representatives.
The GNA statement said Mr Al Sarraj "issued instructions to all military forces to immediately cease fire and [halt] all combat operations in all Libyan territories". It also called for parliamentary and presidential elections to be held in March.
The GNA and Mr Saleh both cited the spread of coronavirus as a reason for backing a ceasefire.
Both statements called for the demilitarisation of Sirte, a central coastal city controlled by forces aligned with the rival House of Representatives, and for a joint police force to be responsible for security there.
The GNA appealed for the lifting of a seven-month blockade on Libya's oil production and export facilities and for revenues from oil sales to be held in a special account and released only after a political deal was reached.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi welcomed the ceasefire declarations as an "important step" on the path to restoring stability in Libya.
"I welcome statements by Libya's presidential council and the House of Representatives calling for a ceasefire and halting military operations in all Libyan territory," Mr El Sisi said in a tweet.
The UN Support Mission in Libya also welcomed the statements, and called for the expulsion of all foreign forces and mercenaries in Libya.
A statement posted on Twitter from Stephanie Williams, the acting UN Secretary General's special representative for Libya, said the ceasefire proposals should be taken up quickly by the so-called "5+5" joint military commission set up under a plan agreed at a peace conference hosted by Germany in January.
The two initiatives "have created hope for forging a peaceful political solution to the longstanding Libyan crisis", she said.
German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Adebahr said that from first reports, the announcement “could be an important step”.
“We hope and expect that all actors in Libya can continue to agree on this constructive approach, go this constructive path, that would be in the interest of the people of Libya and peace there,” she said.
The announcements follow UN-mediated talks in Geneva this week and a phone call between the foreign ministers of Turkey and Russia, which have emerged as the main backers of the opposing sides in the conflict.
Libya was plunged into chaos when an uprising in 2011 that led to a Nato intervention toppled longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi, who was later killed. The country has since split between the east- and west-based administrations.
Turkey has been assisting GNA forces in their fight against the Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, which is aligned with the House of Representatives.
Turkey deployed Syrian militias -- including extreamist elements -- to back GNA militias,
There was no immediate comment to the ceasefire calls from the LNA, but Field Marshal Haftar had agreed to a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt in June that was rejected by the GNA.
More than a year ago Field Marshal Haftar's forces launched a mission against the GNA in Tripoli and the militias it employed to defend it.
LNA forces earlier this year withdrew to Sirte, the strategic gateway to Libya's main oil fields and export terminals, and to the key Al Jufra airbase to the south.
Egypt, which has supported the LNA's fight against extremist Libyan militias, had warned that it would intervene militarily if GNA forces attacked Sirte.
Powerful tribes in eastern Libya loyal to Field Marshal Haftar closed oil export terminals and choked off major pipelines at the start of the year in an effort to put pressure on the Tripoli-based government.
If the ceasefire takes hold, it may bolster negotiations to reopen the oil fields, which Field Marshal Haftar has conditioned on guarantees of a fairer distribution of crude revenues. Earlier this week, a Haftar-aligned group said it would allow exports of stored fuel to open up space for gas amid power cuts in the country.
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What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
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Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
THURSDAY'S FIXTURES
4pm Maratha Arabians v Northern Warriors
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Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Grubtech
Founders: Mohamed Al Fayed and Mohammed Hammedi
Launched: October 2019
Employees: 50
Financing stage: Seed round (raised $2 million)
Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
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Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
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Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
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Red Star Belgrade v Tottenham Hotspur, midnight (Thursday), UAE
The biog
Born: High Wycombe, England
Favourite vehicle: One with solid axels
Favourite camping spot: Anywhere I can get to.
Favourite road trip: My first trip to Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan. The desert they have over there is different and the language made it a bit more challenging.
Favourite spot in the UAE: Al Dhafra. It’s unique, natural, inaccessible, unspoilt.
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
