Libya raise ban on religious parties as voters register

Libya's National Transitional Council has lifted a ban on religious parties taking part in June's election.

At the same time the NTC announced a clampdown on Libyans loyal to the country's former leader, Muammar Gaddafi. Public praise of Gaddafi or his regime will now be an offence.
The election will choose members of a new General National Congress.
Registration centres opened throughout the country on 1 May, and voters have two weeks in which to register.

Libya ex-Minister Shukri Ghanem was found dead in Danube River

The body of Libya's former Oil Minister Shukri Ghanem has been found in the Danube River, Austrian police say.

A spokesman said there were no signs of violence to Mr Ghanem's body, which was in the river that flows through Vienna.
The former prime minister, 69, worked as a consultant for a Vienna-based company. He apparently left his home early on Sunday, police said.
Mr Ghanem defected from Libya as the country was engulfed in the uprising against Col Muammar Gaddafi last year.

Jack Straw faces legal action over 'rendition'

A Libyan military commander is taking legal action against Jack Straw, to find out if the ex-foreign secretary signed papers allowing his rendition.

Abdel Hakim Belhadj claims CIA agents took him from Thailand to Gaddafi-led Libya, via UK-controlled Diego Garcia.
His lawyers have served papers on Mr Straw after the Sunday Times reported claims that he allowed this to happen.
UK ministers have denied any complicity in rendition or torture and Mr Straw did not comment further.
He said he could not do so because of the ongoing police investigation into the UK's alleged role in illegal rendition.
Earlier this month, the BBC revealed that the UK government had approved the rendition of Mr Belhadj and his wife - Fatima Bouchar - to Col Muammar Gaddafi's regime, though it was unclear at what level.
On 15 April, the Sunday Times published an article, which quoted sources as alleging Mr Straw had personally authorised Mr Belhadj's rendition to Libya.
On Tuesday, Mr Belhadj's lawyers - Leigh Day & Co - served papers on Mr Straw, referencing the article and seeking his response to allegations that he was complicit in torture and misfeasance in public office.
The civil action is against Mr Straw personally - Mr Belhadj's lawyers believe it is the first time legal action of this kind has been taken against a former foreign secretary.
Mr Belhadj and his wife allege Mr Straw was complicit in the "torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, batteries and assaults" which they say were perpetrated on them by Thai and US agents, as well as the Libyan authorities.
They are seeking damages from Mr Straw for the trauma involved.
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ICC prosecutor in Libya for Saif al-Islam Gaddafi case

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has arrived in Libya to discuss the case of Saif al-Islam, son of former leader Col Muammar Gaddafi.

Libya's interim government has refused to hand over Saif al-Islam for trial in the Netherlands - seat of the ICC.
Saif al-Islam, who was captured last November, has been indicted by the ICC for crimes against humanity.
Libya has insisted he should be tried by a Libyan court.
The BBC's correspondent in Tripoli, Jon Donnison, says the Libyan administration will be keen to show Luis Moreno Ocampo that it is capable of trying the country's most high profile prisoner.
'Deal close' The country's justice ministry says a deal is close to being reached where the former dictator's son would be tried in Libya, but with supervision from the ICC.
Mr Gaddafi is still being held in western Libya by the militia group that captured him as he tried to flee the country.
The group has given no indication of when they might hand him over to the Libyan government.
Set up in 2002, the ICC made its first successful conviction last month, when Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga was found guilty of recruiting child soldiers.

Gaddafi son Saif al-Islam 'may be tried in Libya'

The International Criminal Court could soon drop its demand that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi be transferred to the Hague for trial, officials have told the BBC.

They say the son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi could be tried inside Libya but under ICC supervision.

The argument over who should try him has been going on ever since his capture in November last year.

The ICC has indicted him for crimes against humanity, but Libya insists he be tried on its soil.

The Libyan justice ministry says a deal is being finalised under which Mr Gaddafi would be tried in Libya but with security and legal supervision provided by the international court.

The BBC's Jon Donnison, in the Libyan capital Tripoli, has been told by a Western official with good knowledge of the case that a deal is close to being agreed.

But the official warned it could be months before any trial might begin.

'Ground-breaking'

Describing the suggested arrangement as ground-breaking for the ICC, the official acknowledged concerns that 39-year-old Saif al-Islam could face the death penalty in Libya.

But he added that the court could accept a death sentence if the trial was fair and transparent, and there was an adequate appeals process.

The ICC's chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo is due to visit Libya this week.

The Libyan authorities have been refusing to hand Mr Gaddafi over to the ICC.

Human rights groups have argued that the Libyan justice system is not capable of dealing with such a high-profile case.

A lawyer involved in the case has described that view as patronising and colonial.

He told the BBC that the ICC should only try cases in which the country concerned was unwilling or unable to conduct its own trial.

Mr Gaddafi is currently being held by a militia in the Zintan region of Libya. He was once expected to succeed his father, Libya's late leader, Col Muammar Gaddafi.

The group has given no indication of when they will hand him over to the Libyan government.

Set up in 2002, the ICC made its first successful conviction last month, when Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga was found guilty of recruiting child soldiers.

Libya enter Fifa rankings top 50

Libya have broken into the top 50 of the Fifa world rankings for the first time.

The Mediterranean Knights were given a ranking of 46, just two months after their first appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations since 1982.

Ivory Coast remain the top-ranked African side, unchanged in 15th place, while Ghana move up one spot to 22nd.

Algeria, Mali, Nations Cup winners Zambia, and Gabon complete the African representation in the top 50.

The Libyans move up nine positions from their previous ranking, as do Egypt, who are up to 55th in the world and eighth on the continent.

Tunisia and Nigeria complete the top 10-ranked African sides overall.

Libya exited the Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon at the group stage, but earned a creditable 2-1 win over Senegal and a 2-2 draw against eventual winners Zambia .

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Ukraine seeks Libya 'mercenaries' release

Ukraine has said it is doing all it can to secure the extradition from Libya of 19 of its citizens accused of being pro-Gaddafi mercenaries.

The group, which also includes three Belarusians and two Russians, was formally charged on Monday, eight months after they were detained.

The 24 accused insist they were working as oil industry contractors.

One of the Russians has told the BBC that their release could already have been secured through diplomacy.

In a phone interview, Aleksandr Shadrov, 59, told the BBC Russian Service that they had all been in Libya purely to service oil rigging equipment and that a good lawyer would "easily refute the case".

They deny the charges of preparing land-to-air missile launchers to shoot down planes taking part in the Nato-led mission to protect Libyan civilians.

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