Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, Jan. 17

At least eight security personnel were killed and three others injured in an attack on a checkpoint in Egypt's New Valley Governorate, some 600 km south of Cairo, according to a statement of Egypt's Health Ministry.

The armed forces have reached the scene and killed two attackers while in chase of others, the statement said. (Egypt-Attack-Checkpoint)

- - - -

MEXICO CITY -- At least five people were killed and another 15 injured early Monday after one or more assailants opened fire on a nightclub in Mexico's famed Caribbean resort of Playa del Carmen.

The Blue Parrot nightclub is one of the best-known nightspots in Playa, a popular beach destination located just 45 minutes south of Cancun. (Mexico-Nightclub-Blue Parrot)

- - - -

ISTANBUL -- Istanbul police on Monday night captured the gunman who launched a shooting spree at a nightclub in the city on New Year's Day, killing 39 people, local media reported.

The gunman, who has been on the run for 17 days, was caught unharmed at the apartment of a friend in the district of Esenyurt in a police operation, the Hurriyet daily said. (Istanbul-Nightclub-Gunman)

- - - -

LONDON -- A snap election for the devolved Northern Ireland parliament was called Monday night in the latest twist to a major rift between the two main parties, the Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

Power-sharing governance in the once troubled province of Britain collapsed after the assembly's deputy leader Martin McGuinness of the republican Sinn Fein party quit. (Northern Ireland-DUP-Britain)

- - - -

SOFIA -- An Italian military transport C-27J Spartan aircraft made an emergency landing at Sofia Airport on Monday after a failure of one of its two engines, the airport said.

Only a few people were on board, and everything has been completed successfully, according to the press office of the airport.(Italy-Aircraft-Sofia) Endi