Reuters, Cairo
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday he will run for a second term in office in an election in March, which the former military commander is widely expected to win.
Sisi’s rule has brought some stability to the country, but critics say his popularity has been eroded by tough economic reforms that have hit people’s livelihood’s hard and by a crackdown on dissidents.
Gaza family executes its member
AFP, Gaza City
A family in Gaza “executed” one of its own members Friday for passing on information to Israel that led to the deaths of three Hamas militants, Palestinian sources said.
Hamas, which rules the territory, held Ahmad Said Barhoum for several months without trial before handing him over to the family, several of whose members belong to the Islamist movement.
Cuba, US hold talks on law enforcement
Reuters, Havana
Cuban and U.S. officials concluded on Friday a week of talks on law enforcement cooperation in Washington with a meeting on the combat against illicit drug trafficking, at a time of heightened tensions between the old Cold War foes.
The talks show the countries continue to cooperate in some areas despite Republican U.S. President Donald Trump having a tougher stance on the Communist-run island than his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama, as well as an ongoing crisis over alleged health attacks on U.S. diplomats in Havana.
7 Niger troops killed in Boko Haram attack
AFP, Niamey
At least seven Niger soldiers were killed and more than a dozen others wounded this week in an attack by suspected Boko Haram militants in the country’s southeast, the government said on Friday.
“The provisional toll for the cowardly terror attack on Wednesday night in Toummour is seven dead, seventeen wounded and one soldier missing,” said a cabinet statement.
Eleven killed in Turkey bus crash
AFP, Istanbul
Eleven people were killed and 46 injured when an Turkish intercity bus taking families bound for a half-term skiing trip crashed into trees while travelling on a motorway, local officials said.
The bus, which was making an overnight journey from the capital Ankara to the western city of Bursa, crashed in the region of Eskisehir amid good road conditions, Eskisehir governor Ozdemir Cakacak was quoted as saying by the Dogan news agency.
Five killed in arson attack on Seoul motel
AFP, Seoul
Five people were killed and four others were hospitalised Saturday in an arson attack on a motel in downtown Seoul, police said.
A 53-year-old man who said he started the blaze was arrested.
