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| Tunisia President Beji Caid Essebsi has 'severe health crisis' | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi is in hospital after suffering a "severe health crisis", officials say. | Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi is in hospital after suffering a "severe health crisis", officials say. |
| They gave no further details. Mr Essebsi - who at 92 is the world's oldest sitting president - was also treated in hospital last week. | They gave no further details. Mr Essebsi - who at 92 is the world's oldest sitting president - was also treated in hospital last week. |
| PM Youssef Chahed said Mr Essebsi was receiving all the attention he needed and people should stop spreading "fake news" about his condition. | PM Youssef Chahed said Mr Essebsi was receiving all the attention he needed and people should stop spreading "fake news" about his condition. |
| There had been reports that the president had died. | There had been reports that the president had died. |
| Mr Chahed said in a Facebook post (in Arabic) that he had visited the president in hospital. | Mr Chahed said in a Facebook post (in Arabic) that he had visited the president in hospital. |
| Mr Essebsi won Tunisia's first free elections in 2014 following Arab uprisings across the region. | Mr Essebsi won Tunisia's first free elections in 2014 following Arab uprisings across the region. |
| Earlier this year, he announced he would not stand in elections expected in November, saying someone younger should take charge. | Earlier this year, he announced he would not stand in elections expected in November, saying someone younger should take charge. |
| Former Tunisian President Zine el-Abedine Ben Ali was ousted in 2011 after 23 years in office. | Former Tunisian President Zine el-Abedine Ben Ali was ousted in 2011 after 23 years in office. |
| Since then, Tunisia has won praise as the only democracy to emerge from the revolutions of the so-called Arab spring. | Since then, Tunisia has won praise as the only democracy to emerge from the revolutions of the so-called Arab spring. |
| However, in recent years the country has suffered attacks by Islamists and economic problems, with unemployment a persistent issue. | However, in recent years the country has suffered attacks by Islamists and economic problems, with unemployment a persistent issue. |
| Earlier on Thursday there were two suicide bomb attacks on security forces in the capital, Tunis. | |
| The interior ministry said one targeted a police patrol on one of the city's main streets. One officer was killed and another wounded along with three civilians. | |
| The second bombing - in another neighbourhood - injured four people at the gates of a national guard base. | |
| It's not yet clear who was behind the attacks. |