Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was re-elected to a second term of office in a landslide victory, the Interior Ministry announced.

Sri Lankan and Tamil Tiger rebel negotiators will begin a third round of peace talks today amid fears that a brewing political crisis at home may affect the island’s best chance for peace in nearly two decades.

Algerian Prime Minister Ali Benflis’ power National Liberation Front has been declared winner of the country’s recent general election.

Forty Algerian soldiers have been killed during clashes with Islamic militants, in one of the bloodiest attacks on the armed forces since the start of a nine-year insurgency today.