News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Terror warnings follow deadly Paris attacks

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has warned that new terror attacks are being planned in France and other European countries, following a series of gun and suicide attacks in Paris on Friday that left 129 people dead. A huge manhunt is underway for those alleged to have carried out the killings and their accomplices, with 23 people arrested across France so far. Police have named 26 year old Belgian born Salah Abdelslam as a key suspect. One of his brothers is believed to have been killed in the attacks, and another brother arrested. Prosecutors say another attacker, who blew himself up near the Stade de France, was carrying a Syrian passport, and was registered as entering Greece with refugees in early October. French warplanes have carried out major airstrikes in the Syrian city of Raqqa, the stronghold of the so called Islamic State militant group, which has claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said his country would respond forcefully to any acts of aggression. “France has always said that if it is threatened or attacked by IS we have the right to self-defence. We have hit IS in the past and we have done it again. Raqqa, as you know, is the stronghold of Islamic State, the centre of its command structure. We can’t stand by and be attacked so viciously without a military response.” A minute of silence has been held across Europe today for all those killed in the Paris attacks.

Fight against terrorism dominates G20 summit

The terror attacks in Paris have overshadowed a meeting of G20 leaders in the Turkish city of Antalya. US president Barak Obama held talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit yesterday, urging the Russian leader to focus efforts in Syria on defeating the Islamic State militant group. British Prime Minister David Cameron says he put forward a similar view during his discussions with Putin. “There is one thing we agree about, which is that we’d be safer in Russia, we’d be safer in Britain if we degrade and destroy ISIL, and that is what we should be focussing on.”

Israeli soldiers kill 2 Palestinians in West Bank

Two Palestinians have reportedly been killed and three others wounded in clashes with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank. The Israeli military says it came under attack at a refugee camp near the city of Ramallah, during an operation to demolish the home of a Palestinian, accused of killing an Israeli earlier this year. More than 90 people have been killed in a surge of violence in the region since October.

UN head reported to be heading to North Korea

South Korea's Yonhap news agency is reporting that UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is set to visit North Korea later this week. The visit, which has not been officially confirmed, would be the first by a UN head to North Korea in more than 20 years.

The weather

Generally sunny conditions have been forecast for this afternoon, with fog lifting in the south. Top temperatures will range from 13 to 21 degrees.

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