“President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Tuesday relieved Prime Minister Abdelmadjid Tebboune of his duties and appointed Ahmed Ouyahia”, the president’s chief of staff, in his place, the presidency said in a statement carried by the official APS news agency.

Bouteflika’s National Liberation Front (FLN) and the Rally for National Democracy (RND) led by Ouyahia together enjoy an absolute majority in parliament after winning re-election on May 4.

In a surprise move three weeks after the vote, the president named Tebboune, who had been housing minister, to the post of prime minister in place of Bouteflika’s ally Abdelmalek Sellal.

According to a government source who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, 71-year-old Tebboune was dismissed because his “vision was not in line” with the president.

The source also cited communication problems between the men.

The sacking comes days after reports that Bouteflika had sent a strongly worded letter to the premier, demanding he adjust his policies and criticising a decision to restrict imports of many products.

But political analyst Rachid Tlemcani said Tebboune had been seeking to appease “certain oligarchs who belong to the presidential faction” and was the victim of a struggle in the leadership.

The May 4 poll was marred by low turnout amid voter disillusionment over what many see as broken government promises and a political system tainted by corruption.

The North African country weathered the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings with massive spending on wages and subsidies that depleted government coffers.

But a 2014 slump in crude oil prices forced the government to raise taxes and mothball many public projects.

Today, in a country of 40 million where half the population is under 30, one young person in three is unemployed.

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Source: AFP

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The father posted a picture of himself holding the baby out of a window in a high-rise building with the caption: “1,000 likes or I will drop him.”

It prompted other social media users to demand his arrest for child abuse.

He was charged with endangering the baby’s safety following his arrest on Sunday, police said.

The unnamed man dangled the child out of the 15th-floor window of an apartment block in the capital, Algiers, news site Al Arabiya reported.

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Source: BBC

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The Desert Foxes were one of the pre-tournament favourites but were knocked out of the finals on Monday after failing to win a game in Gabon.

“For the good of all I decided to quit even though I do it with heartache,” Leekens told the Algerian Football Federation website.

“I wish all the success in the world to the national side.”

The 67-year-old Belgian was appointed to the role only in October, for what was his second spell in charge following a four-month stint in 2003.

He had been expected to take Algeria deep into the latter stages at least in Gabon, coaching a side that contains BBC and Caf African Footballer of the Year Riyad Mahrez and his Leicester team-mate Islam Slimani, Porto’s Yacine Brahimi and Napoli’s Faouzi Ghoulam.

But the team underperformed at the tournament, beginning their Group B matches with a shock 2-2 draw with Zimbabwe – in which they scored an 82nd-minute goal by Mahrez to rescue a point.

That was followed by a 2-1 defeat by their north African Neighbours Tunisia, which left them needing to beat Senegal in their final match on Monday to have any chance of making it to the quarter-finals.

But they were held 2-2 by a reserve Senegal side, who had already won the group before the match, and suffered an embarrassing elimination.

Algeria are also struggling to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

They are bottom of Group B – which also contains Nigeria, Cameroon and Zambia – after two matches, having drawn one and lost one.

Only the group winners go through and they already trail Nigeria by five points.

“Given the pressure on the federation and the national team, I preferred to end my contract out of friendship for the president of the FAF (Algerian Football Federation) who deserves respect,” Leekens added.

Leekens was Algeria’s third coach in a year, following on from Milovan Rajevac and Christian Gourcuff.
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By: BBC

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They were held to a 2-2 draw by Group B winners Senegal in a match they had to win to have any chance of avoiding an embarrassing early exit.

Islam Slimani scored both their goals, a two-yard volley and a scuffed effort that wrong-footed Algeria’s goalkeeper.

But Senegal twice equalised, Papakouly Diop and then Moussa Sow both firing in efforts from the edge of the area.

Algeria went into the tournament as one of the favourites for the trophy but leave with their reputation damaged by three underwhelming performances.

After being held to a shock draw by Zimbabwe in their opener and then beaten by neighbours Tunisia, who booked their quarter-finals with a 4-2 win over Zimbabwe on Monday, Algeria have had a tournament to forget.

Their misery was compounded at the last by the fact they were held by Senegal’s second-string side, which featured 10 changes from their last game.

Senegal coach Aliou Cisse had taken the opportunity to rest his first-choice players given the Teranga Lions had already won the group ahead of their final fixture.

And Cisse will be pleased by the resilience of his reserves who fought back to hold their own against a full-strength Algeria and ensure Senegal ended the group stage unbeaten.

Algeria might have signed off with a win but Slimani missed a chance to grab his hat-trick and a modicum of consolation when he shot wide when clean though.

Senegal will play Cameroon in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

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Source: BBC

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The Carthage Eagles were held in check by the visiting West Africans and had to wait for almost an hour to break the deadlock.

Central defender Abdennour headed home from Ali Maaloul’s corner on 58 minutes before German-born Ben-Hatira sealed victory with the second goal on 80 minutes. Ben-Hatira was at the receiving end of a long pass from Hamza Lahmar, and let in a spectacular shot from his left that beat Guinea goalie Naby Yattara.

Tunisia trail DR Congo who beat Libya 4-0 in the other Group A match with lesser goals despite both having three points apiece.

Elsewhere in Blida, visiting Cameroon came from behind to snatch a vital point off Algeria in their Group B fixture.

‘Les Fennecs’ took the lead after only seven minutes through El Arabi Soudani who notched home from close range.

The Indomitable Lions responded through captain Benjamin Mounkandjo on 24 minutes with a shot through the legs of Algeria goalie Rais M’Bolhi, after Edgar Salli put him through.

However, Cameroon had goalkeeper Joseph Ondoa to thank for keeping the scoreline intact after Islam Slimani early in the second half and Adlanre Guediora six minutes from time.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles sit at the top of Group B after beating Zambia 2-1 away in Ndola. Cameroon and Algeria follow in that order with a point each with Zambia at the depth with no point.

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Source: CAF

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