BBC news.

Campaigning is drawing to a close ahead of the first round of voting in France's presidential election. The final day was overshadowed by the Islamist attack in Paris on Thursday which prompted some candidates to cancel their final appearances, but all addressed the issue of national security. The National Front's Marine Le Pen called for border closures and expulsions which prompted the Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve to accuse her of trying to make political capital from the death of a policeman.

The Pentagon says US troops have targeted and killed a close associate of the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a commando raid in Syria. A spokesman said Abdurakhmon al-Uzbeki was killed earlier this month.He said al-Uzbeki had been involved in plotting the New Year’s eve attack on a night club in Istanbul in which at least 39 people died.

Officials in northern Afghanistan say more than 70 Afghan soldiers have been killed in a Taliban attack of a military base outside the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif. Fighting continued late into the day and officials said the expected number of dead to rise. The attack has targeted the mosque and dining facilities of the camp.

Chinese police have arrested 10 people accused of manufacturing counterfeit skin clean products. The group was found with more than 3 million dollars' worth of makeup which they sold online as well known luxury foreign cosmetic labels.

At least 11 people have been killed in another night of looting violence in Venezuela at the end of two-days' of protests against the socialist government of Nicolas Maduro.

Emergency services in South Africa say at least 19 school children were killed when their minibus collided with a truck. The accident happened near the capital Pretoria. Police say it's not yet clear how the crush happened.

BBC news.