Chad
Huge news out of Chad has sent the nation into shock. Longtime President Idriss Deby was killed during a visit to the frontlines of his country’s war with a rebel group, the military announced. Deby, in power since a rebellion in 1990, had been named winner of a presidential election just yesterday.
Al Jazeera rightly leading with this. A sitting head of state being killed in this manner should be the biggest international news story of the day.
“The army said ‘free and transparent’ elections will take place after the transition period. Calling for calm, it also announced a 6pm curfew and shut the country’s borders, while suspending the constitution and dissolving the National Assembly.”
With reports of tension in the capital N’Djamena, this is one to watch.
Russia
Worries are mounting over the health of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. He has been on hunger strike for three weeks, his condition is believed to be deteriorating quickly and his lawyers say he is not receiving adequate medical attention.
More detail in this Euronews write-up.
Pakistan
Prominent Pakistani journalist Absar Alam has been shot and wounded near his home in Islamabad - an incident that will worry press freedom advocates in a country in which journalists have been coming under growing pressure from the government.
** Journalism is not a crime **
Good detail in this New York Times piece.