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Libyan Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Libyan Express
Libya's troubled GNU is not going just yet, further clashes are likely
Protesters gathered in Martyrs' Square in Tripoli, to demonstrate against the Government of National Unity led by Abdel Hamid Dbeibah, on May 30, 2025. AFP Tripoli's Government of National Unity (GNU), led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, is under immense strain, but it would be premature to consider it finished. Despite mounting unrest, the GNU remains entrenched, deploying every tool at its disposal—from subtle propaganda and financial incentives to leveraging armed militias—to maintain control. The turmoil of mid-May may have dealt the most serious blow yet to what many see as Libya's most corrupt and dysfunctional government since the fall of Gaddafi. This post-Gaddafi regime—born from NATO's 2011 intervention, the largest war coalition of the modern era—was sold as a mission of liberation, security, and prosperity, but instead plunged the country into more than a decade of chaos, lawlessness, and foreign interference unlike anything seen since Libya's independence over 70 years ago. Late in the afternoon of May 12, reports began circulating that Abdulghani Al-Kikli—better known as 'Ghneiwa'—had been killed by the 444th Brigade at a military barracks in southern Tripoli. He had reportedly been lured to his death under the guise of a reconciliation meeting, intended to ease tensions that had been simmering around the capital for weeks. News of his death spread rapidly across social media and independent outlets, while government-linked media remained silent for two days before issuing vague, distorted reports. The government made no official comment until after fighting had already erupted across Tripoli's streets. A short time after Ghneiwa's death was confirmed, fighting erupted across the capital. It was concentrated initially on the densely populated southern district of Abu Salim, where he had operated with near-total impunity for years. His grip on the area long predated his 2021 appointment as head of the government-sanctioned Stability Support Apparatus (SSA) by then Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. By midnight on 12 May, the clashes had spread across nearly every major neighbourhood of Tripoli—from Sarraj in the west to the outskirts of Tajura in the east, including the city center. When a fragile truce finally brought calm to Tripoli, unofficial figures reported eight civilian deaths, over a hundred injuries, and widespread destruction of both public and private property across the city. For all the chaos, it appeared the GNU had once again survived, emerging from one of the most threatening confrontations in its four-year history of lurching from one crisis to the next. However that proved to be a mirage. On 16 May, fed up with militia infighting, collapsing services, and a host of grievances, protesters poured into the streets of Tripoli in a rare public outburst—united by a single demand: Dbeibah and his government must go. Under mounting pressure and fear, three ministers resigned, while the Tobruk-based House of Representatives (HoR) Parliament announced it would begin the process of replacing both the prime minister and his GNU administration. Meanwhile, the Tripoli-based High Council of State accused Dbeibah of losing public trust and openly called for his resignation. Dbeibah's 18 May televised address was widely derided. Framing the violence as an effort to rid the capital of militias, the prime minister attempted to deflect blame. But many reminded him that he had empowered Ghneiwa himself—appointing him as head of the Stability Support Apparatus (SSA) and granting his militia $132 million in 2022 alone. Rather than calm tensions, Dbeibah's words sparked ridicule and disbelief. Accusations that demonstrators were paid agitators only deepened public anger. The rare wave of public demonstrations has largely subsided, settling into a quieter pattern of weekly protests held every Friday night—for now, at least. Several factors contributed to the lull, including the Eid al-Adha holidays and a rush to banks amid an unusual window of cash availability. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives (HoR) proceeded with hearings for 14 self-nominated candidates—all men—vying to replace Dbeibah as prime minister. But the process has since stalled, with little expectation that any of the contenders will be chosen. Concerns over a lack of UN and international recognition appear to have convinced the chamber to pause its plans—for the time being. In the background, the UN mission in Libya quietly released an advisory report prepared by its hand-picked committee, outlining four potential roadmaps to end the country's drawn-out transitional phase and pave the way for elections. All four proposals converge on one key recommendation: the GNU must be replaced by a new government tasked solely with organizing national elections within a fresh 24-month transitional period—arguably too long for a country in crisis, but perhaps the most realistic option under current conditions. UN envoy Hanna Tetteh is expected to brief the Security Council on 24 June, likely seeking its endorsement of the advisory committee's recommendations—without committing to any single option. The approach would give her the flexibility to shape a roadmap she deems most viable. Meanwhile, the GNU may be weakened, but it's far from finished. Dbeibah, backed by well-armed Misrata militias, is unlikely to step aside quietly—raising the spectre of a new, potentially more destructive round of conflict in an already battered Tripoli. Dbeibah and the GNU aren't going anywhere anytime soon. The militias still hold sway in the capital, public funds will continue to be squandered, and the prospect of a new government remains distant at best. As one Western diplomat, speaking anonymously, put it bluntly: 'No one wants to be seen as endorsing a failed state—but no one's willing to fix it either.'
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
GHMC plans tribunal to tackle issue of unauthorised constructions
Hyderabad: The state govt has decided to set up a municipal tribunal for speedy disposal of cases pertaining to unauthorised constructions, in the wake of a surge in illegal construction activities throughout the city. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The move assumes significance in view of the nearly 2.5 lakh writ petitions pertaining to illegal constructions filed in the high court in the past five years. Earlier, the high court sought a clarification from the civic body regarding the increasing number of illegal constructions, and instructed authorities to take stringent measures to tackle the problem. 'A letter has been addressed to the high court for nomination of judges for the post of chairperson of the tribunal. The tribunal is going to be set up by the end of this month. This judicial tribunal will operate independently, handling all the subjects entrusted to them in the GHMC Act,' a top official in the municipal administration & urban development (MAUD) department told TOI. As per Telangana Municipal Building Tribunal Rules, 2017, a provision was made in the GHMC Act, 1955 for the constitution of a judicial system. The tribunal will consist of a chairperson and up to eight members, as determined by the state govt. The members will consist of judicial members and technical members. The chairperson can constitute one or more benches, with each bench comprising at least two members, one of whom will be a judicial member and the other a technical member. The chairperson or a judicial member will be a serving or former district judge, while the technical member will be a serving or former officer at the level of director in Telangana Town Planning Service. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 50% of complaints related to town planning In fact, the GHMC has been witnessing nearly 50% of grievances on unauthorised constructions during the Prajavani programme held every Monday. The civic body has terminated 27 engineers working on an outsourcing basis in town planning from service due to their alleged involvement in corrupt practices.
News18
23-05-2025
- News18
Madhya Pradesh 'Snakebite Scam': ₹11 Crore Paid To Fake Victims, 21 Arrested
Last Updated: Over Rs 11 crore was siphoned off in Madhya Pradesh by faking snakebite deaths, with officials issuing bogus certificates and compensations in the names of the living. More than Rs 11 crore were paid fraudulently as compensation in Madhya Pradesh by declaring alive or non-existing people as dead from a snakebite, an official investigation has found. As many as 21 persons have been arrested for the scam that unfolded between 2019 and 2022, officials told PTI Videos. Scamsters exploited the government rule under which a compensation of Rs 4 lakh is paid to the victims of natural calamities which include snakebites. '279 fictitious names were used for withdrawing money from the treasury for paying compensation to snakebite victims in connivance with officials. The amount was sanctioned without checking death certificates, police verification reports and post-mortem reports," Joint Director (Budget and Accounts Department) of Jabalpur division Rohit Singh Kaushal told PTI Videos earlier this week. Sachin Dahayat, an assistant grade-3 employee, was the key conspirator who in connivance with other officials allegedly manipulated the government's Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) and withdrew money, he said. 'During our probe, it was found that those declared dead (due to a snakebite) on paper were actually alive. Also, there were many fictitious names on the list of dead persons," said Kaushal. A total of Rs 11.26 crore were transferred to 46 accounts fraudulently, said Keolari police station in-charge S S Ram Tekkar, adding that 21 persons have been arrested. 'The main accused Sachin Dahayat is already in custody and efforts are on to arrest 25 more suspects," he told PTI Videos. In some cases, Kaushal said, multiple death certificates were issued in the same name for claiming compensation. But a PTI Videos team found him very much alive at Malari village in Seoni district. 'I had heard that such a scam was happening in Keolari tehsil. Now that you have come here, I've learnt that I have been declared dead and money has been withdrawn in my name. But nothing has happened to me," Baghel told the PTI Videos team. 'The government must take strict action against corrupt officers so that such things do not take place in the future," he said. Even Baghel's family members were shocked to learn that someone used his name to claim compensation. 'Yes, he lives here," said Durven Singh Baghel, Sant Kumar's uncle. 'He is my nephew, and he did not die from snakebite. He is alive, and his current age is 75," Durven Singh added. While Baghel exists but was declared dead on official records, `Dwarka Bai, resident of Bichhua Raiyat village' apparently never existed, yet multiple death certificates were issued in her name, the probe found. 'In her name, Rs 4 lakh were withdrawn 28 times," said an official. Keshuram Ghazal (59), a resident of Bichhua Raiyat, told PTI Videos, 'No, there is no woman by that name in this village. Nor is there any report about a snake having bitten that woman….if she doesn't live here, how would we know about her? 'This is the first time I am hearing about a woman by this name, from you," he added. Sarpanch Arjun Rai confirmed this. 'There is no woman here by that name….No such snakebite incident has taken place," he asserted. Similarly, there are `Shri Ram' and `Ram Prasad' in whose names fake death certificates were issued. `Vishnu Prasad', a resident of Suktara village, died due to a snakebite and compensation was paid, as per official records. Except that local villagers have never heard of any such person. 'No, there is no one named Vishnu Prasad in our gram panchayat area who died from a snakebite," said Pritam Singh, a local resident. 'This is a scam. We have been learning through the media over the past four years that a huge scam is taking place in our Keolari tehsil," he said. First Published: News india Madhya Pradesh 'Snakebite Scam': ₹11 Crore Paid To Fake Victims, 21 Arrested
Chicago Tribune
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
NJ cover band canceled after Springsteen's anti-Trump comments
After Bruce Springsteen kicked off his European tour last week with comments calling President Trump corrupt and incompetent, he was warned by the Commander-in-Chief that there could be consequences for the 'Born in the USA' singer back home. However, it's a New Jersey tribute band that makes money covering Springsteen songs that appears to be bearing the brunt of the Boss's actions. Riv's Toms River Hub planned to host the cover band No Surrender on May 30, but the show was reportedly 86ed after management expressed concerns that Springsteen's comments have made his music radioactive to their clientele. On Thursday, bandleader Brad Hobicorn told NJ Advance Media that he started getting messages from bar owner Tony Rivoli indicating he was getting cold feet about the upcoming gig. He said the nine-piece band was told on Sunday the show was 'too risky at the moment,' and that their $2,500 payday would be nixed. 'Because Bruce can't keep his mouth shut we're screwed,' Rivoli texted Hobicorn. The skittish bar owner also texted the band's bass player his regrets that the Springsteen-themed show wasn't happening. 'Toms River is red and won't stand for [Springsteen's] bulls–t,' Rivoli wrote. According to texts obtained by NJ Advance Media, Rivoli said he'd change his mind if No Surrender could convince him that they could draw at least 75 fans to the show. The band ultimately decided not to move forward. Hobicorn conceded 'there was definitely a safety concern' and said it's best the concert isn't happening due to their negative feelings on the situation. The band will instead perform at Headliner Oasis in Neptune Township on May 30. As the Boss began the last leg of his Land of Hope and Dreams tour, he told fans in Manchester that Trump is leading the U.S. to a dark place. 'The America I love, the America I've written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration,' he said on May 14. The president responded on Truth Social by calling Springsteen a 'prune' and warning him that insulting a U.S. leader abroad could mean trouble for the 75-year-old rocker when he gets home. 'We'll all see how it goes for him!' Trump tweeted.
India Today
23-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Telangana now ATM for Scamgress: KTR slams Revanth Reddy in National Herald case
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President KT Rama Rao on Friday took a swipe at Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy after the latter's name appeared on a chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the National Herald a post on X, KTR accused Reddy of turning Telangana into an 'ATM of the Congress party' and claimed that central agencies had now corroborated what the BRS had been alleging for months, that the state's governance under the Congress was marked by 'corruption and commission deals'.advertisement'The ED has officially exposed Telangana's bagman. Revanth Reddy has been caught influencing donors with political promises. He built a corrupt empire even before taking office. Since becoming Chief Minister, he has expanded it into a multi-thousand crore scam,' said KTR. The ED chargesheet names several individuals, including Revanth Reddy, late Congress leader Ahmed Patel, and Pawan Bansal, in connection with alleged donations to Young Indian Pvt Ltd. However, none of them have been named as accused in the to the development, KTR called it a moment of reckoning. 'Telangana has become an ATM for Scamgress and it's now been corroborated by agencies,' he also questioned the silence of the BJP-led Centre. 'Will the NDA Government act this time or pardon Revanth Reddy as they've done in the Amrut Scam, RR Tax, and Civil Supplies scam?' KTR
