Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan this afternoon lost a confidence vote in parliament and will be replaced temporarily by the defence minister, parliament's spokesman Omar Hmeidan said.

Deputies scheduled the vote after rebels in eastern Libya said a tanker loaded with oil from a port under their control escaped the navy and moved into international waters.

Mr Zeidan visited Malta twice and had signed an agreement to sell oil to Malta as preferential rates once production levels in Libya were sufficient.

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