Libya’s parliament speaker announces run for president

By RAMI MUSA
Associated Press

BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — Libya’s influential speaker of parliament has announced that he will be running for president, making him the latest candidate to join the race for the country’s highest office after years of war. The 77-year-old Aguila Saleh has led the country’s House of Representatives since 2014 and he announced his candidacy for the presidency in a video statement late Wednesday. The elections are supposed to be held Dec. 24, but face growing uncertainty after two controversial candidates declared they are running. In the past week, a son of the country’s late dictator Moammar Gadhafi and powerful military commander Khalifa Hifter have submitted their bids to run.