International

SUPPORTERS of Mali’s coup leader dealt a fresh blow to a return to democratic rule by saying they had chosen him to head an interim government, defying a deal mediated by Ecowas leaders at the weekend.

Egypt looked set on Friday for a run-off presidential vote pitting Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Mursi against former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq, according to tallies by the Islamist group.

AFRICAN UNION and Somali troops are poised to achieve a breakthrough against Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab fighters as they close in on the insurgent base of Afgoye, a top UN official said Friday.

MR  FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, who took office earlier this month, flew into Kabul and is expected to spend only a few hours in Afghanistan, visiting French soldiers.

IRAN and world powers will meet in Moscow next month for more talks to try to solve a longstanding dispute about Iran’s nuclear energy programme, Catherine Ashton, the European Union foreign-policy chief, has said.

THE euro has hit near two-year lows, with analysts saying it may fall even further.

The international community has welcomed the announcement of the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan to resume talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, next week, under the auspices of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel.