Tunisia
New government might be short-lived
TUNIS — Lawmakers in Tunisia were voting on a new government Friday, but only the moderate Islamist party that finished first in an October election said it would support the Cabinet proposed by its designated prime minister.
Tunisia has been in a state of political deadlock since the Oct. 6 parliamentary election, in which the Ennahda party won the most votes but only 53 of the 217 seats.
Prime Minister-designate Habib Jemli formed a government last week made up of independent figures. Jemli said the ministers he selected were best-positioned to get through needed reforms after nine years of socioeconomic difficulties.
Cuba
US bans charter flights
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to 9 cities on island
HAVANA — The Trump administration is banning charter flights to Cuban cities besides Havana in a new tightening of U.S. restrictions on the island.
In October, the administration banned commercial flights to cities outside the capital.
The State Department said in a press release Friday that charter operators would have 60 days to wind down their flights to Santiago, Holguin and seven other cities across the island, and put a new restriction on the number of charter flights to Havana’s Jose Martí International Airport.
The new restriction leaves both leisure travelers and Cuban-Americans without an easy way to travel to destinations outside the Cuban capital. Driving from Havana to eastern Cuba can take more than 12 hours on poorly maintained and often dangerous roads.
South Korea
Birthday wishes to Kim conveyed
SEOUL — South Korea said Friday it conveyed a message by President Trump to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wishing him a happy birthday, which is believed to be Jan. 8.
Returning from a visit to Washington on Friday, Chung Eui-yong, South Korea’s presidential national security director, told reporters that Trump requested Seoul to deliver the message to Kim during a meeting at the White House this week.
Chung didn’t disclose what the message specifically said, but said Seoul sent it to Pyongyang on Thursday through “proper means.”
Greece
13 hurt in crash of car packed with migrants
THESSALONIKI — A car carrying migrants who had crossed into Greece from neighboring Turkey crashed into another vehicle during a high-speed chase across the north of the country early Friday, leaving 13 people injured, police said.
The car, with 12 people inside, failed to stop for a check on the main highway near the northern town of Kavala just after midnight, police said.
The ensuing police chase ended in the city of Thessaloniki about 90 miles away, when the vehicle ran a series of red lights and crashed into a passing car.
Wire services