Briefly

LIBYA

UN-backed govt refuses cease-fire

Libya's United Nations-backed government on Thursday rejected stopping all military operations in Libya, following the east-based militias' announcement of a humanitarian truce during the holy month of Ramadan. It accused the militias of continuously attacking civilians, despite previous truces both parties agreed to. On Wednesday, the eastern-based forces announced cessation of military action in Libya during Ramadan, threatening to attack the UN-backed government's forces in case they breached the truce. Despite repeated international calls for truce, the conflict continued in and around the capital Tripoli.

UNITED STATES

NASA goes private for astronaut landers

NASA is turning to private industry for the first lunar landers for astronauts in a half-century, with three competing, quite contrasting versions. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced on Thursday that the three companies that will develop, build and fly lunar landers, with the goal of returning astronauts to the moon in 2024 and ultimately on to Mars. The companies are SpaceX in Hawthorne, California, led by Elon Musk; Blue Origin in Kent, Washington, founded by Amazon's Jeff Bezos; and Dynetics, a Huntsville, Alabama, subsidiary of Leidos. Altogether, the contracts for the initial 10-month period total $967 million.

Xinhua - Agencies