News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Explosion in Istanbul tourist area

Turkish authorities say at least 10 people have been killed and 15 injured in an explosion in Istanbul. The attack took place in the main tourist district of Sultanahmet. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said a suicide bomber with links to Syria is believed to be behind the attack. Erdogan, in a televised address, said both Turks and foreigners are among the dead Turkish media are reporting that German, Peruvian and Norwegian tourists have been injured.

Aid reaches Madaya residents

A United Nations aid convoy has begun distributing food and medical aid in the Syrian city of Madaya, which has been under siege by government forces for months. Aid workers entering the rebel-held city have confirmed reports of severe malnutrition and starvation. Officials say around 400 people need to be urgently evacuated from Madaya if they are to survive. Abdulaziz Almashi is from the Syrian solidarity movement: “I spoke to a father of five kids in Madaya and he said, we don’t have any food. I said, I hear you are eating grass. He said, yes, we are eating grass. We don’t have grass anymore.” Two towns in northern Syria under siege by rebel fighters are also receiving aid under the deal. The UN says millions of Syrians across the country are desperately in need of food and medicines, and aid agencies are being denied access.

Far right riot in Leipzig

Police in the German city of Leipzig say over 200 right wing extremists rioted last night, vandalising buildings and cars. The unrest followed a demonstration by the anti-immigrant PEGIDA movement.

Kuwait sentences two to death

A court in Kuwait has sentenced to death two men accused of spying for Iran and the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hisbollah. One of the men was a Kuwaiti and the other an Iranian convicted in absentia.

Taliban release hostage

The Taliban in Afghanistan have freed a Canadian hostage captured more than five years ago. Qatar brokered the deal. The man had been accused of spying but said he was a tourist.

Venezuela in political turmoil

Venezuela's Supreme Court has ruled all actions of the opposition- dominated National Assembly as void unless it removes three banned MPs accused of election irregularities. Opponents of the socialist revolution launched by the late president Hugo Chavez took control of congress for the first time in 17 years last week.

China charges human rights lawyers

In China, seven human rights lawyers missing since July have been a formally rested and charged with subversion. They are among more than 140 defence lawyers taken into custody last year and held in secret detention.

The weather

Cloudy with scattered showers in the west. Sunnier in the east and south. Top temps 2 to 13 degrees.

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