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Political instability has been a mainstay in Libya since the Italian occupation in 1911. In the intervening years, the shifting political landscape has had an undeniable influence on the presence of English in the country. In this paper, I argue that Libya presents an ideal case study for Kachru's Concentric Circles of English, where 'linguistic ammunition' (Kachru, 1986: 121) is used to manipulate and control the masses and spread anti‐Western sentiment in this expanding circle country. To provide a much‐needed socio‐historical context for a country whose English language and linguistic history remains understudied (Hillman et al., 2020), this paper touches on key events in Libya's political history that have influenced the status of English and language use; from the Italian colonization, to Qaddafi's decade‐long ban of English, to the 2011 Revolution, and beyond. This paper is divided into six sections: (1) critical approaches to language policy (Tollefson, 1991) and Foucault's governmentality approach (1991); (2) demographic and geographic description of Libya; (3) historical and political overview; (4) educational language policy and the development of the education system; (5) English language policy in Libya (the ban on use of English in 1986 following the 1969 coup that brought Qaddafi to power and the reintroduction of English in the mid‐1990s); and will conclude with (6) English language in post‐Qaddafi Libya. Understanding these key moments in Libyan political history will provide the context needed to understand how a generation of Libyans found themselves without the linguistic skills necessary to compete in the global economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is interested in the role and function of memories in United Nations Security Council debates about humanitarian intervention. It posits that historical experiences and their lessons serve as interpretative devices for the abstract international norms and principles under discussion. The paper speaks of 'international memories' where the meaning and lessons derived from the past coalesce among a group of states. Empirically, its case study explores how the memories of totalitarianism/fascism and colonialism were employed in United Nations (UN) representatives' verbal pleas to intervene in Libya and Syria after the Arab Spring. It finds that those who supported or opposed humanitarian intervention held different interpretations of these memories and their lessons. In each case, however, memories provided essential normative guidance to states when it came to implementing the abstract international principles, norms, and rights that underlie humanitarian intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade a series of events including the outbreak of the Syrian war, drought and tireless insurgencies in sub-Saharan Africa triggered the largest wave of displacement ever seen through and around the Mediterranean. The majority of those bound to Europe through the Mediterranean are smuggled by criminal networks. The proliferation of Trafficking and Smuggling of Human Beings (TSHB) between the Sahel and the Libyan shores feeds into the evolving threats of terrorism, crime and insecurity in the Sahel, West Africa and Europe. This paper explores the involvement of armed groups in TSHB in the Central Sahel and Libya. The author argues that the involvement of armed actors in the TSHB in the Central Sahel and Libya is not uniform and not systematically used for terrorism financing. Criminal networks and armed groups leverage opportunities created by conflict to generate profit and project power. They operate in convergent spaces benefitting from state fragility, and shared social networks. The link between terrorism and migrant smuggling and trafficking, if found, remains localized benefitting individuals rather than organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to study recent approaches to peacemaking, particularly by Turkey and Russia, in a changing world and their implications for UN-led peace processes. The authors analyze the factors that allow parallel processes to UN mediation to emerge and discuss their influence. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents two in-depth case studies of mediation in Syria and Libya, where the UN, as well as Russia and Turkey, were actively involved in peacemaking. Findings: The authors find that parallel processes to UN mediation emerge if the UN process does not show progress toward a negotiated settlement and other third parties have leverage over the conflict parties. However, whether these parallel processes pose a fundamental challenge to the UN-led process depends on how sustained the third parties' leverage over the conflict parties is. If it lasts, it puts the UN in a difficult position to either participate in the parallel process and contain it but thereby also legitimizing it, or to abstain from participating but thereby risking to lose control over the mediation process. Research limitations/implications: Analyzing different approaches to mediation helps to better understand current dynamics of multiparty mediation, including an increased questioning of the effectiveness of UN mediation, and provides insights on how the UN may adapt to keep its relevance in a changing world. Originality/value: The paper is based on original first-hand data gathered between 2018 and 2022 through more than 50 interviews with UN officials, negotiation team members, political and civil society actors from Syria and Libya, (former) state officials and experts from Russia and Turkey, as well as external observers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on qualitative data from the civil wars in Syria and Libya since 2011, this paper seeks to build a better understanding of immobility and of displacement trajectories within conflict countries and towards neighbouring countries. The paper shows that different types of violent experiences—personal threats, generalized violence, an increasing hopelessness relating to the absence of violence in the future—trigger different exit movements across internal and external borders. Second, the analysis demonstrates that migration decisions in civil war contexts are complex processes with people balancing between strategies of how to avoid violence with strategies of how to realize broader life aspirations related to family, love, work and political change. Life aspirations often play a more important role once people move out of a situation of immediate danger and in later phases of trajectories and influence (im)mobility patterns in three different directions: stay, move (on) or return. Life aspirations, especially related to political change, outweigh perceptions of violence in some cases. Financial vulnerability can force people to stay in or return to violent contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise generated by air traffic is one of the leading problems in urban areas in the world. That is why the measures for reducing the noise generated by air traffic are today the subject of constant improvement, extensive research, and standardization. Monitoring and predicting air traffic noise levels represent an important factor in quality control and noise management. In order to reduce the noise level in the vicinity of Mitiga International Airport (Tripoli) in Libya, the aim of this paper is to assess the noise emission levels before and after the introduction of certain measures to reduce airborne noise, as well as to predict the noise level at the analyzed area. The method of interpolation in the Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to graphically represent the spatial distribution of noise emissions in the study area, and by applying zonal statistics deviations from the allowable values for each control grid were calculated. The obtained results showed that the application of certain measures has a great impact on reducing noise levels on controlled grids. Finally, the reliability of noise level prediction was successfully assessed using the artificial neural network (ANN) method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the constitutive impact of the 'international' on the sociopolitical transformations in Syria and Libya through the lens of the theory of Uneven and Combined Development (UCD). The conventional and numerous critical analyses of Syrian and Libyan sociopolitical change suffer from a Eurocentric and stagist understanding of development. This paper argues that development problems can be better conceptualized with an interactive framework made possible by the UCD theory. In this context, we focus on how the expansion and consolidation of capitalism through the dynamics of UCD have concretely shaped the process of sociopolitical transformation in Syria and Libya to shed light on how the international and the local have articulated to produce the socioeconomic and political outcomes in these two states. We conclude by arguing that the theory of UCD provides an alternative conceptualization in explaining the specific development trajectories in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the phenomenon of state failure in general, and the Libyan state in particular, by studying the legacy left by Gaddafi regime and its impact on the institutions, which are believed to have become more fragile during his rule. The study discusses how the historical legacy of the Gaddafi regime played a role in the failure of the Libyan state after 2011, and assumes that personal authoritarian regimes such as the Gaddafi regime are the most harmful to state institutions. Given the inability of the ruling elite to restrict the behaviors and decisions of the authoritarian leader, which often aim to prevent the existence of any real institutions that might limit his ability to exercise power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rock-cut tombs of Cyrene's Northern Necropolis have survived to the present day in a pitifully ruinous state because of the looting that has taken place since antiquity and because of their frequent re-use as dwellings or stables. An important archive of typewritten reports, photographs, sketches, and correspondence pertaining to this necropolis is preserved principally in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and documents the first officially-sanctioned archaeological excavation at Cyrene. This was conducted by an American archaeological mission lead by Richard Norton from October 1910 to the end of April 1911 and was jointly sponsored by the Archaeological Institute of America and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The documents, particularly those that chronicle the excavation of four tombs and their associated finds, represent an important resource for our understanding of the history of the exploration of this necropolis. They not only offer information on individual monuments, but they also illustrate the typological range of artefacts selected for funerary ritual from the late Classical period into the second century AD, but principally during the Hellenistic period. Additionally, the documents reveal particular funerary practices, such as the successive re-use of tombs that took place at least from the late Hellenistic period onwards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the formation of the modern Libyan state and the political, economic, and social transformations that accompanied it, from its independence in 1951 up to the period just before the disintegration of the state and its institutions due to the repercussions of the 2011 uprising. It focuses on the role played by the choices made by the ruling national elites in shaping the modern Libyan state during the two political regimes that governed Libya before the 2011 uprising: the Senussi Kingdom (1951-1969) and the Jamahiriya State (1969-2011). This study aims to test a fundamental hypothesis that the current crisis facing the Libyan state is deeply rooted in the manner in which the modern Libyan state was formed. This process was characterized by the inherent contradiction arising from the imposition of a modern nation-state on Libyan society through colonialism and a long historical trend of weakening the state’s institutional structure at the hands of the ruling political elites within both the monarchy and the Jamahiriya state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than a decade since the outbreak of the revolution in 2011, Libya remains mired in a political crisis and institutionally fragmented, having been the scene of two civil wars. This paper looks at the interrelationship between the national and international dimensions of the conflict to illustrate how the various rival political elites project an image of the country to the outside world (branding) in order to boost their national and international legitimacy, obtain material support and strengthen their bargaining position in the peace processes. To that end, it studies the discourses of the Libyan political elites in three periods: the first Libyan civil war (2011) and the transition phase, the second civil war (2014-2020) and the failed attempt to hold presidential elections in 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the conditions that lead to heightened trust in the military in non-democracies through an empirical study of post-2011 Libya. Drawing on the political science and sociology literatures on institutional trust in non-democratic contexts, we develop hypotheses linking public trust in the military to personal safety, political interest, Islamist orientation, trust in institutions, regionalism, and support for democracy. Using survey data collected by the Arab Barometer between 2014 and 2019, we empirically test these hypotheses. Our findings reveal a confluence of factors driving trust in the military in Libya, including regional, generational, educational, and class divides. Being older, male, and from the East contribute positively to trust in the military as well as perceived personal safety, trust in government, interest in politics, and support for democracy. On the other hand, an Islamist orientation, education and income are negatively correlated. These results allow us to speculate about the drivers of trust in the military. In particular, the positive impact of personal safety and support for democracy could reflect the public's perception of the army as responsible for ensuring safety and protecting a nation in turmoil. The role of interest in politics could be attributed to the charged context of politics and security after the 2014 elections. Notably, regional exceptionalism in the East could be related to the role and behaviour of the eastern-based, self-proclaimed Libyan National Army. Our paper contributes to the limited empirical research on trust in the military in non-democracies, backsliding in conflict countries, and political attitudes in Libya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generating electricity from renewable energy instead of fossil fuels brings great benefits to the environment and sustainable development. Thus, assessing the potential of wind and solar energy in agricultural coastal areas can identify sustainable energy solutions for meeting energy demand and producing fresh water for agricultural applications and domestic use. However, it is difficult to accurately assess the wind and solar energy potential in Libya due to the civil war, lack of measured data, and its limited availability. Consequently, this concise work is unique because it is the first to use daily measurement data from Az-Zāwiyah, Libya, for evaluating wind and solar energy based on one year of measured data for 2022. Moreover, the present study aims to investigate the potential of wind and solar energy as promising renewable sources for meeting energy demand in coastal agricultural regions in Libya using multiple datasets for the first time. In this paper, five satellite products (TerraClimate, ERA5, ERA5-Land, MERRA-2, and CFSR) were assessed and compared against measured data for January 2022–December 2022 to understand their suitability, accuracy, and reliability. The results showed that CFSR and ERA5-Land demonstrate the most favorable performance for assessing the wind resource, while all satellite products can be utilized for preliminary solar resource assessment. Then, the assessment of wind and solar resources was evaluated in five agricultural coastal regions (Aljmail, Az-Zāwiyah, Castelverde, Msallatah, and Sabratah) based on the best satellite product for the period of 2000–2022. Furthermore, the performance of the wind and solar power systems was investigated for typical farms, which were chosen to estimate the required energy demand according to daily electrical consumption. The results show that the positive outcomes of implementing these systems were highlighted, with an emphasis on their potential benefits to the entire Libyan agricultural sector. Accordingly, scaling up and generalizing the proposed systems and generalizing them to include all farms in Libya could have a significant impact on national electricity generation, mitigate greenhouse gases, and contribute to the development of the agricultural sector and the country's economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study area is the city of Zintan, in northwestern Libya, which has grown over the past 30 years. Its current population is roughly 30,000. Although the city is in part commercial, most of the population engages in agriculture and primarily grows cereal crops (wheat and barley). The demand of the growing city for agricultural products has increased, intensifying the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides. Consequently, concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTE) in the soil have increased. To assess the soil quality (to provide a snapshot of the condition of the soil), systematic sampling was undertaken across a grid of about 2 km × 2 km. The main objective was to determine the chemical and mineral composition of the area of interest, keeping in mind the geological footprint of the terrain. The geologic framework itself is not conducive to elevated concentrations of elements like U, Th, Mo, As, Hg, Pb, and Cr. Therefore, metal concentrations greater than the amounts in the Earth's crust are most likely of anthropogenic origin. A total of 143 samples were collected and chemical analyses were performed using a Thermo Fisher Scientific Niton XL3t GOLDD+ XRF analyzer for the following elements: Mo, Zr, Sr, U, Rb, Th, Pb, Au, Se, As, Hg, Zn, W, Cu, Ni, Co, Fe, Mn, Cr, V, Ti, Sc, Ca, K, S, Ba, Cs, Te, Sb, Sn, Cd, Pd, and Ag. This paper provides examples of elevated concentrations, potentially harmful to the environment, such as those of the following: sulfur of unknown origin (two to three times higher than the Earth's crust average); arsenic, given that there are no related natural phenomena (all the samples measured displayed concentrations higher than those found in the Earth's crust); mercury (concentrations much higher than permissible levels); cesium (additional investigations required to determine the origin); molybdenum; and uranium likely resulting from the use of superphosphates (concentrations nearly always significantly higher than those in the Earth's crust). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooperation between supply chain partners in the oil industry is essential, especially when oil prices suffer from fluctuations that affect the profitability of each party. An essential task in oil field development projects is to create an optimum agreement between the national oil company and the international oil company to guarantee agreement optimization. In this paper, the national oil company is the first party (FP) and the international oil company is the second party (SP). The paper's purpose is to investigate the use of game theory to obtain the best agreement between the FP and SP in order to enhance the cooperation and reduce conflict. In this paper, Nash and Maxi-min solutions have been applied for the first time in a special type of petroleum agreement, called exploration and production sharing agreements (EPSA). This is conducted for a case study in Libya. The study considers nine negotiation factors (issues) in the EPSA, which are the share percent, the four "A" factors, and the four "B" factors, which are usually affected by the fluctuations of oil prices; and the study investigates their effect on the total payoff function, the net present value (NPV), and internal rate of return (IRR) for both parties. The Maxi-min solution has shown an improvement in the NPV and IRR of the SP, where NPV increased from USD 148 million to USD 195 million, and IRR from 15.65% to 17.01%. The Nash solution has shown a little more improvement than the Maxi-min solution in the NPV and IRR for the SP, where the NPV and IRR have increased from USD 148 million to USD 222 million and from 15.65% to 17.94%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, closer Turkish-Russian relations have captured the attention of both academics and policymakers, but also seem rather paradoxical as the two countries find themselves on opposite sides of conflicts in Syria, Libya, and the Caucuses. This paper evaluates how effective neo-realist (structural) and ideational (constructivist) theories of international relations are in explaining the Turkish-Russian relationship. Ultimately, this paper finds more merit in accounts grounded in neo-realism that can capture aspects of both cooperation and conflict/competition in the relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The short- and long-term volatility of oil and gas prices has a wide-ranging impact on both parties of petroleum contractual agreements, thus affecting the profitability of the project at any stage. Therefore, the government (first party) and the international oil company (second party) set the parameters of their contracts in a way that reduces the uncertainty. The effect of price fluctuations on economic indicators is investigated in this paper. The Taguchi method is used for the first time to find the best-agreement parameters, which are the "A" and "B" factors, in the standard Libyan agreement. There are four "A" components from "A1" to "A4", and four "B" components from "B1" to "B4". The purpose is to reduce the variability in the response variables, which are the company take (the percent of net cash flow for the international company) and average value of the second-party percent share of production (ASPS). The noise factors considered in this paper are oil, liquefied hydrocarbon byproduct (LHP), and gas prices. The method was applied to a case study of oil field development in Libya. The results showed that "A3" and "A4" were the most important control factors that affect the ASPS, while "B2" and "B3" are the most important factors affecting the company take. To obtain robust results, the most important factors to reduce variability were also determined. The effect of control parameters on the average NPV may be worth more than USD 22 MM in the 1-billion-barrel oilfield case study. The results showed that, for a given combination of "A" and "B" factors with a certain company take, the mean absolute deviation (MAD) of the NPV of the second party was reduced by 18% if the optimal combinations of the levels were used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic safety is an area of great importance, since there are many traffic accidents every day in which a significant number of people are killed. Defining certain strategies and identifying potentially the most dangerous towns and cities regarding this area are, on the one hand, a necessity, and, on the other hand, a challenge. In this paper, integrated Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) model for ranking cities in Libya from the aspect of traffic safety has been proposed. The model implies a set of 8 criteria on the basis of which 5 decision-makers rated the 10 most deprived cities in Libya. The Full Consistency Model (FUCOM) in combination with the rough Dombi aggregator is used to determine the significance of the criteria. The Rough Simple Additive Weighting (R-SAW) method is used to rank the alternatives. The rough Dombi aggregator is also used for averaging in group decision-making while evaluating the alternatives. The stability of the model and the obtained results has been verified by the sensitivity analysis, which implies a 2-phase procedure. In the 1st phase, rough Additive Ratio Assessment (R-ARAS), Rough Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (R-WASPAS), Rough Complex Proportional Assessment (R-COPRAS) and Rough Multi-Attributive Border Approximation-area Comparison (R-MABAC) methods are applied. The 2nd phase implies changing the parameter ρ in the procedure of rough Dombi aggregator, while the 3rd phase includes the calculation of Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient (SCC) that shows a high correlation of ranks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines Russia's actions in Libya in the context of its pursuit of great power status. Drawing on a theoretical framework of Social Identity Theory, which had been developed and popularized in IR by the scholars Larson and Shevchenko, the article argues that Russia's Libya policy consists of two strategies. First, it pursues social creativity through versatile diplomacy, which has positioned it as an invaluable mediator. Moreover, Russia relies also on social competition by supporting Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar. While these strategies raised Russia's profile, the ultimate success of status-seeking strategies depends on the recognition by the higher-status holders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anecdotal evidence suggests growing numbers of migrants intercepted at sea – referred to by the Tunisian coastguard as les rescapés (the rescued) – return to Libya via smuggling. In this article I empirically document the experiences of "rescued" migrant mothers who consider and/or purposely re-engage in irregular, high-risk returns involving crossing the Tunisian border back into Libya. Employing a feminist ethnographic approach, this paper explores how undocumented motherhood is experienced and shaped in the context of EU-sponsored counter-smuggling and border enforcement. Building on fieldwork in Medénine, in southern Tunisia, I also examine the considerations of migrant mothers "stuck on the move" concerning clandestine navigation and redirection in the complicated temporal and spatial context created by international organizations and EU-sponsored forms of "protection." I argue that border enforcement and counter-smuggling policies not only impact everyday life and mobility for undocumented mothers and their children but, as gendered practices, also trap and confine migrant mothers and their children in a cycle of protracted vulnerability, indefinite waiting, and uncertainty in which opting to travel with smugglers becomes the best bet and last resort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was inspired by a contemporary trend in architecture, which is the interest of passive and low energy applications in buildings. Where a natural cross ventilation can be a promising passive solution for summer thermal comfort in buildings especially in hot country like Libya. It takes advantage of the night temperature of the air to cool the walls at the buildings, although this technique is well-known in hot climate, its use in new buildings requires being able to predict the quantity of heat that can be dissipated. There is indeed a lack of experimental and research data either to build design rules for engineers or to validate numerical code dedicated to the design. This paper concentrates on the area of cross ventilation and Highlights the opportunity of using this passive low energy cooling method here in Libya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper takes a cursory and insightful examination of the socio-economic implications of the illegal migration to and from Libya. It aims to provide an interrogation of the underlying causes and exacerbation of the development, its transformation to new forms of slavery and source of income for certain criminal elements, the role of the EU, and how it affects Nigerians and other sub-Saharan African citizens. The paper recommends that the European Union, Nigeria’s federal government, and other sub-Saharan African leadership should endeavor to man their borders very strategically and engage with the Libyan authorities effectively to reduce the illegal migration. Finally, the work recommends that the United Nations Commission for Refugees, International Organization on Migration, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and importantly, more stable governments of the Middle East, especially Turkey and Egypt should intervene in the process to curtail further conflicts in Libya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the hydrodynamics on the western coast of Libya. The investigated area, which is a part of the Mediterranean Sea, is one of the most critical and active coastal regions in the country. A 2DH process-based model for flow based on the Delft3D modelling system from Deltares is constructed for the study area. Extensive field data concerning the tidal constituents were used. The flow model that is necessary to understand the hydrodynamics of the area was calibrated and validated using field measurements. In this paper, only the water levels and tidal components for the astronomical tide are presented. Calibration and validation of the numerical flow model show that the results of the water level represent the field conditions well. The present study gives insight into the basic hydrodynamic processes of the investigated area. It should help designers and the decision-makers maintain the region for any other economic and social activities. The flow model for the investigated area can be also coupled with any other models like wave, sediment transport, morphodynamic and water quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There has been a global increase in the prevalence of common mental disorders (CMD), particularly in conflict hotspots. The limited amount of resources is one of the key barriers to effective treatment within Low- and Middle-income countries (LAMICs). The lack of service provision for mental health disorders in LAMICs has resulted in limited opportunities to conduct mental health research. Libya is a North African country that has suffered from ongoing conflict with the current political unrest in Libya further impacting the mental health of the population. Main text: The aim of this review is to conduct a synthesis of evidence regarding the estimated prevalence and associated risk factors of CMD in Libya. A search was completed in the academic databases; PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, PsychINFO, CINHAL, and the Institute for Development, Research, Advocacy and Applied Care (IDRAAC) from inception to March 2020. Only studies that investigated prevalence and associated risk factors of CMD in Libya were included. A total of 219 studies were identified of which 15 met the inclusion criteria for the review. There were (n = 3) papers investigated the prevalence of depression, (n = 4) studies were focused on stress-related disorders and the remaining papers looked at both anxiety and depression. Statistically, sample sizes of the included studies ranged from (n = 41–13,031) for the prevalence studies (mean = 1188.6, median = 233). Conclusion: The status of Libya as a conflict hotspot has led to a reduced level of epidemiological data on mental health, with a vital need to conduct research in CMD. Libya requires better clinical governance which can allow for more scientific research into CMD and enabling the Libyan government to develop evidence-based policy initiatives for CMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on a reassessment of the emergence of herding in Africa seen from the Tadrart Acacus and neighbouring regions in the Libyan central Sahara. The paper examines whether the presence of wild animals in the Early Holocene 'green' Sahara could have represented a 'disease challenge' to the spread of domestic livestock, as proposed for sub-Saharan Africa. Analysis of the zooarchaeological record and Saharan rock art highlights this potential threat also in North Africa, where it has hitherto been disregarded. Old and new data from the study area in SW Libya, with a focus on Takarkori rock shelter, highlight the presence of herding activity at a very early stage. Direct dating on bones of sheep/goat and cattle secures this chronology, providing evidence of a rapid ingression of small groups of herders who crossed Africa's north-eastern quadrant around ~ 8300 years cal BP. This rapidity defies the 'disease challenge' hypothesis and suggests alternative scenarios. In the central Sahara, the cultural complexity of local Early Holocene hunter-gatherers and their delayed return system of resource exploitation could have facilitated the incorporation of new practices, including the herding of small numbers of domestic animals. The societal implications of the transition from hunting and gathering to herding are archaeologically better visible in the funerary record and in rock art. By contrast, both material culture and the subsistence basis seem to demonstrate continuity with the former foraging groups' phase. Taken together, the Saharan evidence suggests a punctuated process of acculturation for the inception of food production in North Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical features of rotavirus gastroenteritis vary from mild to severe and the prevalence of the disease is high in Eastern Mediterranean Region. The aim of this systematic review is to create solid evidence for the prevalence and clinical features of rotavirus among children under five years in Eastern Mediterranean Region. Methods: Several databases have been searched: MEDLINE, PubMed, ScienceDirect, google scholar and the Cochrane Library. In addition, the authors searched relevant organizations websites and, they went through grey literature search. A total of 3220 articles have principally traced. After excluding the irrelevant, ineligible, duplicated and very low-quality papers, only 10 studies were included in this review. Results: The highest prevalence rate of rotavirus in the Eastern Mediterranean Region countries was reported from Egypt by 76.9%1 followed by Bahrain by 44.8%2 then Jordan by 39.9%3 and it was less prevalent in Saudi Arabia and Sudan by 10% and 16% respectively4,5. Diarrhea, vomiting and fever were reported in high rates in most countries1-10, and in low rate in Saudi Arabia1. Dehydration was reported in Libya by 93.5%6, Bahrain by 95.3%2, Yemen by 59%10 and Egypt by 56%1. Conclusion: The prevalence of rotavirus in Eastern Mediterranean Region countries was ranged between 10% in Saudi Arabia to 76.9% in Egypt. Diarrhea, vomiting, and fever were more prevalent in many countries of the region while dehydration was mainly reported in Libya, Bahrain, and Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was inspired by a contemporary trend in architecture, which is the interest of passive and low energy applications in buildings. Where a natural cross ventilation can be a promising passive solution for summer thermal comfort in buildings especially in hot country like Libya. It takes advantage of the night temperature of the air to cool the walls at the buildings, although this technique is well-known in hot climate, its use in new buildings requires being able to predict the quantity of heat that can be dissipated. There is indeed a lack of experimental and research data either to build design rules for engineers or to validate numerical code dedicated to the design. This paper concentrates on the area of cross ventilation and Highlights the opportunity of using this passive low energy cooling method here in Libya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses uses and misuses of EU border management models and strategies in the framework of crisis response interventions in the Southern and Eastern neighbourhoods. It focuses especially on Libya and Ukraine, cases which dramatically stand out as the conflicts at the gates of Europe. The deployment of border management instruments appears to follow different trajectories in the two countries, diverging in terms of both design and implementation. By relying on collaborative research materials resulting from extensive fieldwork, the paper argues that the differentiation of EU's interventions across the ENP countries can be explained as the result of growing political and institutional fragmentation in the EU, the replacement of the "transformative power"-mantra with new stabilization templates and weak strategic consistency among member states, each conveying different security identities and interests vis-à-vis EU's external actions and sectors. Primary data, collected between 2016 and 2018, does not point to an increase in conflict-sensitivity, context-specificity and local ownership, they rather reveal the crisis of the EU´s liberal project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the past few decades, the increased perception of migration as an issue in Europe resulted in the development of the externalisation of the EU's migration governance to third countries. EU-Turkey and EU-Libya cooperation frameworks on migration have in this perspective been established in the wake of the 2015 migration crisis and triggered major controversies. The agreements received fierce contestation from non-governmental and international actors, highlighting the poor protection of human rights through this management. This paper analyses the dynamics of politicisation of EU-Turkey and EU-Libya agreements on migration in domestic political discourse. A qualitative comparison between German, French and Polish parliamentary debates constitutes the main empirical basis of this research. The analysis focuses on the different patterns of politicisation with emphasis on contesting arguments. This paper examines members of parliaments' stances on EU-Turkey and EU-Libya cooperation focusing on humanitarian and securitisation frames. Results demonstrate an uneven process of politicisation in national parliaments dependent on the robustness of parliamentary majority and political parties' issue positions. Overall, the analysis of discourse on the two agreements clearly illustrates the prioritisation of security over human rights when it comes to migration management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the role of the Libyan Coastal Highway across history: originally built by fascist Italy during colonisation, in the postcolonial era Libya demanded Italy commit to the construction of a new motorway as part of the reparation process for its crimes. Only in 2008 was an agreement reached. Through it, Italy used the promise to build a new road as a bargaining‐chip to secure Qaddafi's cooperation in containing migrant mobility across the Mediterranean. This paper explores the different ways in which the Libyan road has endured as a space and a tool of power by tracing historical and political continuities across time, from colonisation to demands for postcolonial reparations and migration governance. Drawing inspiration from the notion of "coloniality", the paper investigates the colonial continuum expressed by the Italian/Libyan reparation process, and seeks to posit alternative pathways towards the unresolved question of postcolonial justice around the Mediterranean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A double-sided solar cell (a bifacial photovoltaic (PV) cell arrangement) consisting of two back-to-back silicon photovoltaic cells is examined in this paper, and compared with a Monofacial cell. It was installed on a two-axis solar tracker. Temperature and radiation were monitored on sunny noonday in El-Marg city, Libya. The purpose of this investigation is to demonstrate the generation and matching of bifacial solar cells made by back-stacking two monoclinic solar cells. The face in the front accepts direct solar radiation, while the face in the back accepts indirect solar radiation that is reproduced from the ground, clouds, and surrounding buildings. The chief focus is on determining how ambient temperature affects the performance of bifacial photovoltaic panels. On two hot summer days in Al-Marg city, important photovoltaic parameters of the binary system (short-circuit photocurrent density, open circuit photovoltaic voltage, maximum power conversion efficiency) was verified. The PV performance of each individual cell shows remarkable variability with the movement of the tracer to the effect of radiation and the surface temperature of each cell. The results showed that the back cell performs better than the front cell. Although the back cell was exposed to fewer illuminations, it provided the front with higher power conversion efficiency than the front cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since ancient times, courtyards have played a vital role in architecture, particularly in domestic architecture. Over time, the existence of vernacular architecture has made beauty and harmony; these have always been important components of traditional Libyan architecture. Studying traditional vernacular architecture is key to maintaining vernacular architecture knowledge; this is because these principles, such as modular design, geometry, and proportions, are detectable characteristics of the tradition. Architecturally, proportion is an aspiration of the implementation of design grammar that encloses shapes of structure. A good impression upon the beholders builds in relation to different elements of space, such as a scale of geometric shapes, patterns, organisation, and the hierarchy of space relationships, to achieve aesthetic dimensions, in part and as a whole. In this article, the study searches for a modular, or proportion, that rules the geometric design of traditional houses in Libya. This is conducted through examining the geometry of typical traditional houses and the golden section method to find if a certain proportional relationship existed. From this perspective, the vision relied on studying the form suitability; in addition, it involved an analysis of the elevation as well as the interior courtyard proportion in relation to the building area. The outcome of this research is to find the aesthetic values that could generate a good design of domestic architecture; and to prove whether they are a perfect match with the proportion system and modular design used in traditional houses. The study employs the quantitative method, which includes archival documents, direct observation, and on-site documentation. The study involved an in-depth examination of the proportioning and geometrical principles used in traditional houses and courtyards. Their respective roles in creating harmony and beauty are discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From luxury spice to medical cure-all, silphium was a product coveted throughout the ancient world and occupied an essential place in the export economy of ancient Cyrene. The mysterious extinction of the silphium plant in the 1st century CE leaves us with little evidence as to the exact nature of this important agricultural product. In this paper, an historical background on the kingdom of Cyrene is provided, evidence for the nature of the silphium plant is reviewed, how and why it was consumed and traded is discussed. Possible causes of extinction are considered in the context of plant genetics, biometrics, and soil geochemistry. Next, we demonstrate how modern medical studies conducted on possible living relatives can inform us about claims made by ancient authors as to the medical uses of the silphium plant, including its use as a contraceptive and abortifacient. Finally, methods for recovering silphium are explored. We show how underwater archaeology and the search for ancient shipwrecks off the northern coast of Libya may offer our best chance for the recovery of botanical remains of ancient silphium, and how ancient DNA may be able to establish the genetic makeup of this elusive plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on interviews with young Libyan professionals carried out between 2017 and 2018, this paper examines their role as agenda-setters in international organizations operating in their country since 2011. The growing foreign demand for local expertise after the fall of the old regime was met mostly by the young activists who had helped organize the 2011 uprisings. For foreign organizations, Libyan youth have come to embody brokers, fixers, go-betweens, and persons-in-between, becoming key supporting actors in international project implementation. Despite the opportunities seemingly afforded by the collapse of the old regime, this paper shows that Libyan youth, torn between desires for political change and professional advancement, have struggled to influence the agendas of international organizations, leading to feelings of disenfranchisement. The transformative capacity of international projects is thus often limited by this new class of young, globalized elites who are disengaged from the local needs and realities facing Libyan civil society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the relationships between the Libyan state and society, and the ways in which these dynamics affected the subsequent civil wars in 2011 and onwards. Beyond the commonly-studied impact of oil and state rentierism, this paper demonstrates that the enduring centralization of the state, Gaddafi's dystopian governance system, the socio-economic and political cultures pre-2011, and the interplay between local systems of legitimacy and central authority have played an underappreciated role in the contemporary Libyan landscape. The continuities and discontinuities of order that defined and characterized the Libyan state before and after 2011 are thus dissected. An exploration of the appositeness of Eurocentric theories of statehood to the Libyan landscape unveils the pillars of legitimacy that defined Libyan statehood pre-Gaddafi. This sheds light both on how the Gaddafi regime sought to control society by often manipulating these pillars and on the ways in which Libyan society either directly and indirectly resisted his rule or rested in complacency. This covert resistance, which turned overt, widespread, and violent in 2011, paved the way for a discursive mutation of "tribalism." This notion morphed from one of a group behavioral binding mechanism tied to blood lineage into one underpinned by notions of solidarity that override kinship. This analysis in turn elucidates the precarity of the Libyan state and explains the subsequent turmoil in the country post-2011, characterized notably by the emergence of armed non-state actors. A key discontinuity identified is in the realm of foreign influencers that have exploited long-standing domestic grievances and weaponized Libya's traditional pillars of legitimacy, thus tearing at its society's social fabric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may have a potentially serious effect on mental health and increase the risk of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorders in people. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of psychological illness and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Libyan population's mental health. Method: A cross-sectional survey, conducted in both online and paper modes and consisting of five sections, was completed in more than 30 cities and towns across Libya. The first section consisted of questions on basic demographic characteristics. The second section contained a survey related to the lockdown status, activities, related stress levels, and quarantine. The third section comprised the self-administered 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The fourth section contained the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and the fifth section contained the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). Result: Of the 31,557 respondents, 4,280 (13.6%) reported severe depressive symptoms, with a mean [standard deviation (SD)] PHQ-9 score of 8.32 (5.44); 1,767 (5.6%) reported severe anxiety symptoms, with a mean (SD) GAD-7 score of 6 (4.6); and 6,245 (19.8%) of the respondents reported post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with a mean (SD) score of 15.3 (18.85). In multivariate analysis, young age, being female, unmarried, educated, or victims of domestic violence or abuse, work suspension during the pandemic, and having increased workload, financial issues, suicidal thoughts, or a family member with or hospitalized due to COVID-19 were significantly associated with a high likelihood of depressive and anxiety symptoms, as well as PTSD. Internal displacement due to civil war was also associated with PTSD. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to analyze the psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and civil war in Libya. Further study on the development of strategies and interventions aimed at reducing the mental disease burden on the Libyan population is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of mobility patterns in prehistoric communities is crucial for the understanding of their social and economic strategies. Though factors such as economics, environment, and cultural choices are strictly related to mobility, it has been demonstrated how anticipated mobility is pivotal in generating different aspects of site structure and spatial organization. Considering the stone structures uncovered at Takarkori rock shelter (southwestern Libya, central Sahara), we performed morphometrical and spatial analysis to provide appropriate indicators of mobility patterns, site structure, and activity areas among hunter-gatherers and pastoral groups that inhabited the shelter during the Early and Middle Holocene. We recognized year-round semisedentary patterns and shorter seasonal occupations, based on the number, size, typology, and topography of stone structures. The paper discusses how, through the analysis of stone structures, it is possible to recognize mobility patterns in the archaeological record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes a conceptual and empirical reflection on the relationship between human smuggling, trafficking and kidnapping, and extortion in Libya. It is based on qualitative interview data with Eritrean asylum seekers in Italy. Different tribal regimes control separate territories in Libya, which leads to different experiences for migrants depending on which territory they enter, such as Eritreans entering in the southeast Toubou controlled territory. We put forth that the kidnapping and extortion experienced by Eritreans in Libya is neither trafficking, nor smuggling, but a crime against humanity orchestrated by an organized criminal network. The paper details this argument and discusses the implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to promote the sustainable utilization of locally available, environmentally friendly resources, making a substantial contribution to both mitigating global warming and fulfilling future energy needs. Hybrid renewable energy systems have demonstrated superior stability and reliability compared to single-source systems, all while operating at minimal costs. This paper provides an overview of various hybrid renewable energy systems employed for electricity generation. It underscores that in hot regions, despite high solar radiation, solar PV systems experience reduced electrical yield due to elevated solar cell temperatures beyond the recommended range, especially in summer. In such areas, leveraging solar thermal applications and abundant biomass energy from extensive agricultural activities is preferable. What sets this study apart is its innovative approach: replacing conventional hybrid systems, like PV, wind, diesel generators, and batteries, with a Stirling engine powered by dish solar concentrators, which offer high efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The proposed Hybrid Renewable Energy System (HRES), consisting of a parabolic dish solar concentrator and Biomass Digester (PDSC/BG), transforms challenges into opportunities. It provides the community with a sustainable source of electricity, heating, and cooking gas, simultaneously addressing the region's waste management issues. The system is evaluated at Brack City, Libya, and comprises a 36,560 m3 biomass digester that produces 27 Mm3 annually, a 1230 kW Stirling generator, and a 6006 m2 PDSC collector area. The system will add 5,670,534 kWh of energy to the grid yearly, with a peak load capacity of 1230 kWh and a coverage of 5,892,666 kWh. The system's technical and economical viability is evaluated using SAM software. The project has a 20.04-year payback period, an estimated capital cost of $12,365,896, and an LCOE of $0.075/kWh. Annual CO 2 emissions will be reduced by 7.8 kton as a result of the project. • Introduce a novel off-grid hybrid system design. • Substitute storage with a more reliable, cost-effective biomass gasification source. • Utilize a single Stirling engine for both technologies to reduce capital investment and lower LCOE. • Evaluate the energy, economic, and environmental effects of the proposed system. • Assess biomass impact on different sizes of hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper we report the first record of the Brassy Chub Kyphosus vaigiensis (Quoy and Giamard, 1825) from the Mediterranean coast of Libya. It is assumed that this species arrived into the Mediterranean from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal. We stress the need of taxonomic study on the genus Kyphosus in the Mediterranean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Paper is designed to present an overview on the state of art on new and emerging education and training approaches and methodologies to meet the sustainable development demands at global, regional, national, and local levels. It demonstrates that how crisis-ridden Libya is planning the vital role for effective education and training in chemical, biological, environmental science and engineering education using best practice blended learning approaches envisaged in United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development (UNCSD) Rio+20 Future We Want 2012 Report, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) 2015-30, 17 goals and 169 targets and Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) that help play in leveling the varied content knowledge, expertise and experience of professionals. It highlights a strategy and plan of action to meet the challenges of change and development in education and training required to develop the vital skills and experience of sustainable development professionals needed to perform their more sophisticated jobs with greater responsibility and accountability. Eventually, it provides a framework approach using outcomes, output, baseline, targets, performance indicators, and activities to design a wide range of formal education and training in chemical, biological, environmental protection science and engineering fields using new and emerging technologies for the enhancement of sustainable livelihood in Libya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) has been a key political and military actor in the Middle East and in North Africa. Although it is currently in retreat, it has conquered, controlled, and ruled areas of Syria, Iraq, and Libya. This essay outlines threats posed by ISIS in Libya and in North Africa. The analysis is divided into three sections. The first section takes into account the hybrid military nature of ISIS. The notion of hybrid warfare describes the way in which non-state actors fight: a mix of traditional infantry tactics using modern weapons; guerrilla operations; and terrorism. The second section focuses on Libya. Over the summer of 2014, Libya collapsed into civil war between duelling governments. This turmoil offered ISIS an opening to set up a bridgehead along the Libyan coast. The role of ISIS is analysed in the context of Libyan political and security chaos, underlining both ISIS's role in the conflict and ISIS's operations in Sirte. The third section takes into account ISIS's operations in the North Africa between 2015 and 2016. The group has proved to be resilient; although the loss of its North African capital was a strategic blow, this has not removed ISIS's ability to execute small-unit raids, and bombings. In conclusion, the paper aims to demonstrate both the hybrid nature of ISIS, which affects various military and political approaches and allows ISIS to withstand classic counterterrorism operations. It also considers ISIS's ability to operate across borders and to exploit local instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to develop the study of remote warfare's constitutive "remoteness." It proposes a novel definition of remoteness as the degree of the American public's socio-psychological detachment from the realities of political violence fought at a physical distance from the continental United States, as mediated through spectatorship of the use of military force. The remoteness of remote warfare has physical, psychological, and social properties. We argue that it exists on a continuum subject to change over time and should not be approached as a fixed condition measured solely by the physical distance separating combatants involved in armed fighting or as the use of various weapons technologies. The numerous dynamics associated with the remoteness of remote warfare are illustrated through an examination of American military intervention in Libya during Obama's presidency. From the height of the 2011 NATO intervention in the country onwards, US military operations in Libya became more "remote" for the American public. Whilst other contextual factors contributed toward this outcome, we argue that the diminished spectacle surrounding the 2016 Operation Odyssey Lightning helps explain the American public's increasing remoteness from military intervention in Libya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much work on recent unauthorized migration via Libya to Europe – often framed as a migration 'crisis' – is focused on linear movement, isolated snapshots and points of arrival on European shores. Migrants' experiences along their journeys and prior to arriving in Europe, important for their future mobilities, are neglected. By highlighting multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork in Libya and Malta, this paper calls for an analytical focus on immobilities along the journey, so as to develop a more nuanced account of the lived experiences of mobile life. Immobility retrieves situations and relations erased by linear accounts of migration. When looked at in comparative terms through the journey, immobility reveals the variegated forces that shape mobile life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive alien species (IAS) negatively impact the environment and undermine human well-being, often resulting in considerable economic costs. The Mediterranean basin is a culturally, socially and economically diverse region, harbouring many IAS that threaten economic and societal integrity in multiple ways. This paper is the first attempt to collectively quantify the reported economic costs of IAS in the Mediterranean basin, across a range of taxonomic, temporal and spatial descriptors. We identify correlates of costs from invasion damages and management expenditures among key socioeconomic variables, and determine network structures that link countries and invasive taxonomic groups. The total reported invasion costs in the Mediterranean basin amounted to $27.3 billion, or $3.6 billion when only realised costs were considered, and were found to have occurred over the last three decades. Our understanding of costs of invasions in the Mediterranean was largely limited to a few, primarily western European countries and to terrestrial ecosystems, despite the known presence of numerous high-impact aquatic invasive taxa. The vast majority of costs were attributed to damages or losses from invasions ($25.2 billion) and were mostly driven by France, Spain and to a lesser extent Italy and Libya, with significantly fewer costs attributed to management expenditure ($1.7 billion). Overall, invasion costs increased through time, with average annual costs between 1990 and 2017 estimated at $975.5 million. The lack of information from a large proportion of Mediterranean countries, reflected in the spatial and taxonomic connectivity analysis and the relationship of costs with socioeconomic variables, highlights the limits of the available data and the research effort needed to improve a collective understanding of the different facets of the costs of biological invasions. Our analysis of the reported costs associated with invasions in the Mediterranean sheds light on key knowledge gaps and provides a baseline for a Mediterranean-centric approach towards building policies and designing coordinated responses. In turn, these could help reach socially desirable outcomes and efficient use of resources invested in invasive species research and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to discussions on humanitarian advocacy. The European migration regime as constituted by the Dublin regulation, the EU‐Turkey deal and border deals with Libya among others, contributes to generating migration pressure points where migrants find themselves stuck and in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. Assistance and protection at these sites, inasmuch as they are available, are provided by a makeshift humanitarian arena of volunteer organizations, activists, national social welfare agencies, human rights organizations, international humanitarian organizations and UN agencies. Drawing on interviews and field research, this article analyses the relations between, and advocacy practices of, various actors within humanitarian arenas in three settings: Calais (France), Lesbos (Greece) and Libya. The article reveals how many humanitarians at these pressure points feel disempowered in the scope of their action beyond the provision of limited services, and abandoned by established agencies, especially the UNHCR. They feel that humanitarian principles are not enough to guide their actions in these cases. Emerging advocacy practices at these sites suggest that web‐based humanitarian advocacy based on actor complementarity may be a way forward, making advocacy more effective and contributing to better motivate aid workers who feel disempowered in these contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal solid waste logistics management is necessary to take care of the growing stream of waste and the need to act on this issue through an effective logistics management system. Logistical operations include collection, transportation, handling and intermediate storage in addition the final disposal. Many developing countries are still struggling to provide these services. There is no doubt that many obstacles and challenges stand against its adequate management. This paper aims to clarify the most important challenges and logistical obstacles in managing municipal solid waste in Libya, and concluded that all stages of this administration face fundamental challenges, starts from the obsolescence of the mechanisms used and poor collection processes and the lack of intermediate collection points, which most of them have been closed, because they are open temporary dumps, and ends of the far final dumps and their non-conformity with specifications. The local authorities are responsible to give this issue the right attention because of the environmental impact it represents, in addition to the associated direct and indirect costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Italian/Italophone Jewish community is amongst those that suffered from the Holocaust and other traumas. Drawing on the work of thinkers of trauma theory such as Dori Laub and Cathy Caruth, this paper aims to add to the current discourse on literary production by Italian/Italophone Jews by analyzing the trauma of the Italian Jewish community in postcolonial Libya, a topic often neglected by scholars. In 1967, the long-established Jewish community in Libya was forced to leave, abandoning all its property and economic funds. Victor Magiar, a Sephardic Jew born in Libya in 1957, was among those who -- like all Jews who lived in Arabic lands -- experienced trauma due to a myriad of factors, such as pogroms and the fact that he had no passport and true nationality. Through Magiar's novel E venne la notte: Ebrei in un paese arabo (2003), this paper examines the trauma of the "fear-induced exodus" to Italy on the writer and his community. Moreover, a continuous dialogue with the author informs the analysis of the trauma involved in his story and the Sephardi community history, which also includes the elucidation of Jewish identity in postcolonial Libya. This paper highlights the details of history and stories that go beyond the novel itself, illuminating a nearly unknown facet of Italian history and of the country's current multilingual and multicultural society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that may impact on the acceptance of the e-book amongst mathematics and statistics (MAS) students at higher education institutions in Libya. Design/methodology/approach - A theoretical model has been developed based on the technology acceptance model (TAM). The factors divided into three groups: intrinsic variables represent the first group of factors that are related to the user or the potential users itself, such as Self-Efficacy and Resistance to Change. Second, extrinsic variables include all the factors that reflect the characteristics of the e-book and the infrastructure for universities, which are Mobility (M), Facilities (F) and Library Service Quality (LS). TAM constructs from Perceived Ease Of Use (PEOU), Perceived Usefulness (PU), Attitude (AU) and Behaviour Intention (BI) represent the last group. Data relating to the constructs were collected through a self-administered survey in 2014. The developed model was measured and tested by structural equation modelling using AMOS (22.0). Findings - The result confirmed that the structural model fits the data well. According to the results, TAM constructs have a significant impact on the acceptance of e-book among MAS students at universities in Libya. In addition, the intrinsic variables play the important role to predict students' BI. Although the extrinsic variables were less important, Facilities was the strong factor in this group. Originality/value - The adoption of e-book amongst higher education students in Libya is still quite low. Hence, identifying the factors that may contribute to e-book adoption is crucial. The contribution of this paper is to determine the factors that effect on the acceptance of e-book amongst MAS students at higher education institutions in Libya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]