TURKEY: Two people were shot dead while trying to attack a courthouse in Istanbul today, Ankara said.

The man and woman were killed during an “attempt to attack” a security checkpoint at the Caglayan courthouse, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted on social media.

Six people were injured in the incident, including three police officers. “I congratulate our heroic police officers. I wish a speedy recovery to our injured,” the minister said.

NICARAGUA: Managua plans to build more than 7,670 homes this year, authorities said today.

Institute of Urban and Rural Housing co-director Gabriela Palacios said the Sandinista government would fully subsidise the new homes for families in extreme poverty and the programme will be developed in co-ordination with municipal mayors.

AFRICAN UNION: A high-level committee of the African Union on Libya today called for an end to foreign interference in the north African nation.

The committee, which met in Kintele, in the Congo on Monday, said foreign interference could endanger the fundamental interests of the people and their legitimate aspirations for stability, peace, prosperity and development.

UNITED NATIONS: The UN said today that it aimed to end female genital mutilation before 2030 and labelled the practice a violation of human rights.

The announcement on the UN World Day of Zero Tolerance against FGM also called for an increase in investment in survivor-led movements against the practice, mainly concentrated in about 30 countries in the Middle East and Asia (India, Indonesia, Iraq and Pakistan) and small communities in Latin America.