Page 6 - aruba-today-20220303

A6 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 3 March 2022
Libyan lawmakers approve new govt, fueling tensions

By RAMI MUSA and SAMY "Now the question is wheth-
MAGDY er this contrived alliance will
Associated Press be enough for Bashagha
BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — and his ministers to impose
Libyan lawmakers con- themselves in Tripoli and
firmed a new transitional rule," said Jalel Harchaoui,
government Tuesday, a a researcher specializing
move that is likely to lead in Libya. "It is not clear at
to parallel administrations all that Turkey and, impor-
and fuel mounting tensions tantly, Misrata's main forces
in a country that has been will let that happen right
mired in conflict for the away."
past decade. Embattled Prime Minister
Prime Minister-designate Abdul Hamid Dbeibah,
Fathi Bashagha submitted who like Bashagha hails
his Cabinet to the east- from Misrata, remined de-
based House of Represen- fiant Tuesday against re-
tatives, where 92 of 101 placing his government.
lawmakers in attendance In a statement, Dbeibah's
approved it in a vote government called Tues-
broadcast live from the city day's confirmation a "new
of Tobruk. farce" and accused the
The new government in- Fathi Bashagha holds a news conference after east-based lawmakers named Bashagha to re- parliament's leadership of
cludes three deputy prime place then Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah as head of a new interim government, in Tripoli, "messing with the security
ministers, 29 ministers and Libya, Feb. 10, 2022. and stability of Libyans."
six ministers of state. There Associated Press Dbeibah has repeatedly
are only two women in the said his government will
Cabinet, overseeing the Union, Hafez Qadour, was fighting could return after has been achieved since hand over power only to
Ministry of Culture and Arts named foreign minister. more than a year and a the October 2020 cease- an elected government.
and holding the position of The appointment of half of relative calm. fire agreement. He has proposed a four-
State Minister for Women Bashagha last month, a U.N. spokesman Stephane Bashagha has formed an point plan to hold a simul-
Affairs. powerful former interior Dujarric said the United Na- alliance with powerful east- taneous parliamentary
Bashagha appointed Ah- minister from the western tions is closely watching the based commander Khal- vote and referendum on
meid Houma, the second city of Misrata, is part of a developments, saying "the ifa Hifter, who welcomed constitutional amendments
deputy speaker of the par- roadmap that also involves ongoing political legislative Bashagha's appointment late in June. That would be
liament, to lead the Ministry constitutional amendments process" must be transpar- as prime minister earlier this followed by a presidential
of Defense, and Brig. Es- and sets the date for elec- ent "and adhere to estab- month. That alliance has election after the new par-
sam Abu Zreiba, from the tions within 14 months. lished rules and agree- caused concerns among liament crafts a permanent
western city of Zawiya, as The move deepened divi- ments." He also stressed the anti-Hifter factions in west- constitution. He did not of-
interior minister. Former am- sions among Libyan fac- importance of maintaining ern Libya and their main fer a time frame for the
bassador to the European tions and raised fears that the "calm and stability" that foreign backer, Turkey. presidential election.q

Nearly 500 migrants push into Spanish North African enclave

dio station Cadena COPE the capacity to host 480 tered.
she was surprised over 2,000 people. It was the greatest number
people had attempted the The local Spanish govern- of entries in one attempt on
crossing, one of the highest ment office issued a state- the city's records, the Span-
numbers on record. ment saying that Moroc- ish government's delega-
Everything happened "re- can border guards had tion in Melilla said.
ally fast," Moh said. been overwhelmed by "the It said 36 people, including
People fleeing poverty or great violence" when at 20 migrants and 16 Spanish
violence wait for weeks or least 2,500 people tried to Civil Guard officers were
even months in the vicin- break in to Melilla at 9.30 treated for minor injuries.
ity of Melilla and Ceuta, a.m. Thousands, including hun-
another Spanish territory It said people in the group dreds of unaccompanied
on the North Africa coast, carried hooks and sticks children, crossed into Ceu-
waiting for the best op- and threw stones at the ta last year as Moroccan
portunity to surprise police guards. They also had authorities dropped their
agents on both sides of the screws attached to their vigilance of the shared bor-
Migrants arrive at a holding centre after crossing the fences
separating the Spanish enclave of Melilla from Morocco, in Me- border. If they succeed, shoes, which migrants of- der. The reduced border
lilla, Spain, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. they try to continue on to ten use to climb the 6-me- security took place amid
Associated Press the Spanish mainland and ter (20-foot) double fence a diplomatic row between
other parts of continental that encircles the city of Spain and Morocco over
By ARITZ PARRA in the North African city Europe. 85,000. the future of Western Saha-
MADRID (AP) — A record said. Dozens were injured, COPE posted videos on- Security forces "neutralized ra, a territory annexed by
number of 491 migrants including border patrol line showing jubilant men a great part of the numer- Rabat in the 1970s.
crossed the fences sepa- agents. celebrating, some of them ous group of the people Moroccan border guards
rating the Spanish enclave The Spanish government covered in blood, as their who have tried to enter our tried to stop people from
of Melilla from Morocco representative in Melilla, made their way to a mi- city," the statement said, crossing over to Melilla on
Wednesday, authorities Sabrina Moh, told local ra- grant center in Melilla with adding that 491 had en- Wednesday, Moh said.q