Former Algerian leader dies

Former Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has died, two years after he stepped down under pressure from mass protests and the army. He was 84. Bouteflika, a veteran of Algeria's war for independence, had ruled the North African country for two decades before his resignation in April 2019 after street demonstrations rejecting his plan to seek a fifth term. CNN reports that he had rarely been seen in public before his departure following a stroke in 2013. After Bouteflika's resignation, the authorities launched unprecedented investigations into corruption, leading to the imprisonment of several senior officials. These included Bouteflika's powerful brother and adviser, Said, who has been jailed for 15 years on charges of plotting against the state.