Eeat Libyan force stops plane in campaign for south
A jet from Khalifa Haftar’s east Libyan military forces intercepted a civilian plane on Sunday as part of its push to control the oil-rich south of the riven nation, the faction said.
Sudanese security forces use tear gas to break up women’s protest
Sudanese security forces used tear gas on Sunday to break up a crowd of hundreds of people, mostly young women, demonstrating against the detention of women arrested at previous protests, witnesses said.
Zimbabwe teachers’ unions suspend national strike
Zimbabwean teachers have suspended a national strike seeking better pay, unions said on Sunday, but warned that they could walk out from their jobs again if the government did not meet their demands.
Germany’s SPD restores working-class appeal before regional votes
Germany’s centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) unveiled a position paper on Sunday that calls for more generous state allowances for the unemployed, children and pensioners, seeking to appeal to working class voters in four regional elections this year.
Orban offers financial incentives to boost Hungary’s birth rate
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced new tax and loan benefits for families on Sunday as part of his government’s efforts to increase the birth rate while holding a hard line against immigration.
U.S.-backed Syrian fighters advance in clashes with Islamic State: official
The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have seized ground from Islamic State in a fierce battle to capture its last enclave in eastern Syria, an SDF official said on Sunday.
Travel in China grows over Lunar New Year holiday: Xinhua
People in China made 415 million domestic trips during the Lunar New Year holiday, an increase of 7.6 percent from the same period last year, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday as the week-long break drew to a close.
Algeria’s President Bouteflika to seek fifth term: state news agency
Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said on Sunday he would seek a fifth term in a presidential election set for April 18, the state news agency APS reported on Sunday, putting an end to months of uncertainty caused by his poor health.
Pope denounces ‘scourge’ of human trafficking and slavery
Pope Francis urged governments on Sunday to take decisive action against the $150 billion-a-year human trafficking business and the plight of millions of modern-day slaves.
Madrid demonstrators reject government’s Catalonia policy
Tens of thousands of people waving Spain’s red-and-yellow flag demonstrated in Madrid on Sunday to oppose any concessions by the government to Catalan pro-independence parties and to call for early elections.
