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Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah inaugurated the 2026 Youth Summer Season on Saturday at the Andalus Corniche in Tripoli.

He was joined by Minister of Youth Haitham al-Zahaf, Head of the Executive Team for Presidential Initiatives and Strategic Projects Mustafa al-Manea, and Chairman of the Youth Hostels Association Al-Shaibani Abdullah.

Dbeibah toured the season’s facilities and reviewed its preparations, programs, and activities. The event brings together more than 250 organizations and around 3,000 young men and women, and features over 200 emerging projects aimed at supporting small and medium-sized youth enterprises and promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.

The Prime Minister praised the diversity of the programs, stressing the government’s continued support for the youth sector and its commitment to expanding initiatives that boost young people’s participation, creativity, and skills.

The season runs for a full month, offering recreational, community, and cultural activities for families and young people across the capital.

BENGHAZI – A body believed to be that of Italian kitesurfer Mimmo Piepoli washed ashore on a beach east of Benghazi, more than two months after he went missing in the waters off southern Italy.

The remains, described as a skeleton in a wetsuit, were recovered by volunteers from the Libyan Red Crescent’s Tokra branch and transported in coordination with local authorities. The body was handed over to the relevant authorities to complete legal procedures and conduct DNA testing to confirm the identity.

Piepoli’s disappearance prompted an extensive search by the Italian Coast Guard, which deployed a helicopter and divers to cover a wide area. The search later expanded to include authorities in Greece and Albania.

An experienced kiteboarder from Erchie on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, Piepoli leaves behind a wife and two children.

The Red Crescent said the recovery was carried out according to established humanitarian procedures that preserve human dignity, regardless of nationality, race, or religion. The organization praised its Tokra volunteers for their swift and professional response

Libya has been ranked 138th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), dropping one place from 137th in 2025.

The index gives each country a score from 0 to 100, with 100 being the best. Libya scored 40.34 overall, based on five indicators: political context (46.46), economic context (42.46), legal framework (46.32), social context (28.20), and the safety of journalists (38.25). Libya’s weakest areas were the social and security indicators.

The report explains how Libya reached this point. Under Muammar Gaddafi, press freedom was almost non-existent. Since his death in 2011, the country has been stuck in crisis and its media has suffered badly. Most media outlets and journalists have fled, and those who stayed work under the protection of one of the warring sides. Foreign journalists can no longer cover Libya, making the country an “information black hole.”

Despite the 2020 ceasefire, Libya remains split between rival governments in the east and west. Media outlets have taken sides, so journalists must follow the political line of their employers, which spreads disinformation. Young Libyans turn to social media instead, but it has become a space for hate speech and radicalization.

The legal situation makes things worse. No law guarantees freedom of expression, access to information, or journalists’ safety. Some press laws are more than 50 years old, and press offenses can lead to prison. The Anti-Cybercrime Law No. 5-2022 extended these restrictions to the internet, pushing journalists into heavy self-censorship.

Money is also a problem. Private media depend on advertising from businessmen tied to politicians, which weakens their independence. Journalists have no job security and can be fired at any time.

For years, journalists have faced threats, violence, and harassment, usually with total impunity, although the situation has improved somewhat since 2021. Armed factions linked to the authorities have spread fear among journalists and weakened media independence.

Tripoli | Thursday, July 2, 2026

The Head of the Passport, Nationality, and Foreigners Affairs Authority met with the Director of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with an advisor from the Office of the Minister of State for Prime Ministerial and Cabinet Affairs. The meeting took place at the Authority’s headquarters in the Salah al-Din area.

The two sides discussed ways to improve cooperation and find solutions to problems facing embassies and diplomatic missions in the country.

They also reviewed procedures for the entry and exit of diplomatic staff, and looked at ways to improve the system for issuing electronic protocol visas, in line with legal and protocol standards.