Abe's ruling bloc set to win majority Afp, 7<>ky<»

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition is on course to grab a solid majority in Japan's upper house elections this month and cement his premiership, local media reported yesterday. Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner Komeito are forecast to win more than 63 seats, or a majority of the 124 seats contested in the July 21 election, Kyodo News said in its opinion poll. The ruling parties "stand a good chance of reaching 77," said Kyodo, which conducted the poll on Thursday and Friday.

'IS attack'killed 7 in Mozambique AFP, Maputo

Seven people including a policeman were killed in northern Mozambique this week in a jihadist attack claimed by the Islamic State group, local sources said yesterday. The attack on Wednesday evening occurred in Lidj ungo village in the Nangade district, a local source based in Mozambique's northern Cabo Delgado province told AFP. One policeman and six civilians were killed in the attack, including two children.

UNSC calls for Libya truce as toll hits 1000 Afp, Tripoli

The UN Security Council called Friday for a ceasefire in Libya as the death toll from a three-month offensive on Tripoli reached 1,000, including scores killed in an air strike that hit a detention centre for migrants. The council condemned the late Tuesday attack on the Tajoura detention camp east of Tripoli that killed 53 and "stressed the need for all parties to urgently de-escalate the situation and to commit to a ceasefire", said a joint statement.