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8. April 2017, 21:58

Soldiers attacked at the Louvre in Paris

French anti-terror police have launched an investigation, after a man attacked a group of soldiers with a machete as he tried to enter the museum shop at the Louvre in Paris. Police say the man, who had shouted god is great in Arabic, was shot and seriously injured. It´s understood he was carrying two backpacks, but no explosives were found. The French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve says the incident appears to be terror related. The identity and nationality of the attacker is not yet known. Helene Conway is a member of the French senate: "The shop in the Louvre is a very crowded area and it´s a very symbolic place as well in Paris. So it is a way of getting at France but also having an international impact if this individual had not been stopped."

EU leaders meet in Malta

European Union leaders are holding a summit today in Malta, which is expected to be dominated by the migrant crisis. Yesterday Italy's Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni announced that he'd reached a deal with Libya aimed at stopping refugees and migrants from making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean.

US defence secretary visits Japan and South Korea

The American Defence Secretary James Mattis has reaffirmed the United States´ commitment to its mutual defence treaty with Japan. Mattis, who is meeting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, says the two countries are facing provocations by North Korea and other challenges. Speaking earlier at the end of a visit to South Korea, Mattis warned that any use of nuclear weapons by the North would be met with an "effective and overwhelming" response.

Fighting rages in eastern Ukraine

The US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has blamed Russia for the recent surge of violence in eastern Ukraine. Speaking at a special meeting of the UN Security Council, she also warned Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia will not be lifted until Moscow returns Crimea to Kiev. Ukrainian authorities and pro-Russian separatists are accusing each other of attacking frontline residential areas in eastern Ukraine, resulting in civilian casualties on both sides.

Mass protests continue in Romania

Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Bucharest and other Romanian cities for a third night, to protest against a government decree that will free dozens of officials jailed for corruption. Romania's Ombudsman Victor Ciorbea today launched a legal challenge against the decree at the Constitutional Court, following a plea from the country's general prosecutor.

The weather

A mix of sunshine and fog, with cloud and rain in the west. There´ll be lively Föhn winds. Top temperatures from 0 to 15.

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