The former Egyptian president, 84-year-old Hosni Mubarak, has reportedly had a heart attack after being sentenced to a life term in prison. The security offices reported that ex-leader suffered a “health crisis” while being taken to Tara security prison in Cairo from the trial. The diagnosis has not been officially confirmed yet. Mubarak has been charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with the killing of 225 anti-government demonstrators and wounding of more than 1,800 in January last year. The defense lawyer said he will appeal life sentence.
British, US forces rescue abducted aid workers in Afghanistan
Four aid workers, including a British woman, a Kenyan and two Afghans, have been rescued by American and British special forces in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province. The group, employed by Swiss-based Medair, were kidnapped by militants on May 22 and held for ransom and the release of a local criminal leader.
China to lift nuclear power moratorium
Beijing has finalized revamping of its nuclear safety standards and inspecting power plants. It may soon give the green light to projects currently in construction or under consideration. China put development of its nuclear power industry on hold after the Fukushima disaster in Japan.
Mubarak to appeal life sentence
The former Egyptian president is to appeal the court’s ruling, which sentenced him to life for complicity in the mass killings of opposition demonstrators in 2011, Hosni Mubarak’s defense team said.
At least 1 dead in Lebanon clashes over Syrian conflict
At least one person was killed and five wounded overnight after violent clashes between pro and anti-Syrian groups in the northern Lebanese city Tripoli, unnamed officials told AP. The Lebanese population is split in their attitude to the ongoing crisis in neighboring Syria along sectarian lines. Last month eight people died in Tripoli in similar clashes.
Baghdad violence claims two more lives
Two people have been killed and two wounded in an outbreak of violence in the Iraqi capital on Friday. There were two incidents in the city – a drive-by shooting and a roadside bomb. This is the second wave of deadly attacks in Baghdad in the last 24 hours. The previous attack claimed at least 14 lives and left 55 wounded.
Putin backs Timoshenko’s gas contracts with Russia, invites her for treatment
Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed the gas contracts that Ukraine's former PM Yulia Timoshenko signed with Russia while in office. At a Friday news conference in Paris, where he spoke with his French counterpart Francois Hollande, Putin said he had no doubt in the legal side of the contracts. "Our lawyers have closely studied them from the standpoint of international law. We never sign contracts that run counter to the internal laws of our counter-agents," he said. Putin also confirmed the invitation to bring Timoshenko to Russia for treatment. Asked about calls for boycotting the European soccer cup finals in Ukraine, Putin said it would be unnecessary and would contradict the principles of the Olympic movement.
Extradition of Gaddafi’s son postponed
Saif al-Islam, the son of late Libyan ex-leader Muammar Gaddafi, can stay in detention in Libya while the International Criminal Court is deciding whether it has the jurisdiction to try him – the court ruled on Friday according to Reuters. The prosecutors in The Hague issued a warrant for Saif al-Islam last June, accusing him of the involvement in the killing of protesters during last year’s uprising against the Gaddafi regime. Libyan authorities have strongly resisted handing him over to the ICC, insisting that he should be tried at home. In May, Libya filed a legal challenge contesting the ICC's right to try the case.
Israel launched airstrike on Gaza after border clash
Israel has launched an airstrike on Gaza after a border clash in which a Palestinian militant killed an Israeli soldier. A rocket landed in a residential area and wounded four passengers in a single vehicle, two critically. It comes after several months of relative calm along the Gaza border.
Egyptians protest against presidential candidate
Thousands took to the streets of Egyptian cities on Friday to protest against a presidential candidate who was part of the pre-revolution Mubarak regime. They want Ahmed Shafiq to be barred from the race for the country's top job. He will be in the second round runoff against the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Mursi. The protest comes just a day after Egypt’s controversial decades-long emergency law expired.
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