Following Libya’s brutal civil war, and NATO intervention that ousted dictator Moammar Gaddafi in 2011, the North African country has settled into an uneasy peace. Since an internationally brokered ceasefire in 2020, Abdul al-Dbeibeh, the nation’s prime minister who controls the capitol of Tripoli has battled General Khalifa Haftar, who rules over eastern Libya, for influence over key institutions like the Central Bank and the National Oil Corporation, through which most of Libya’s oil revenue flows.
(“A New Crisis May Plunge Libya Back Into Chaos,” Washington Post, Sept. 12, 2024; “The Fall of Libya’s Central Banker Triggers a New Struggle,” Economist, Sept. 5, 2024)
Last winter, Florida construction worker Alexander Lightner sent off a message on his mobile phone declaring his intention to commit mass murder via the Telegram social media platform. Lightner used language popular with a new generation of Neo-Nazis who call themselves accelerationists.
(“Project 2025 and its Plans for Public Lands,” Barn Raiser, Sept. 9, 2024)
Vice President Kamala Harris has raised over $540 million in campaign cash since entering the race for the White House, and has a big cash advantage over GOP candidate Donald Trump. While congressional candidates and Democratic fundraising committees have enjoyed a huge fundraising surge, Republicans still enjoy an advantage in election campaigns for control of state legislative bodies. The GOP still controls the majority of state legislatures, giving them more power over those states’ budgets, election laws, gerrymandering, and abortion policies.
(“Environmental Groups Challenge New Rules on Toxic Air Pollution from Plastic and Chemical Plants,” Guardian, Sept. 17, 2024)
