Sport and other news

A 27-year-old man arrested on suspicion of attempting to carrying out a terror attack in Westminster has been named as Khalid Mohamed Omar Ali. He is understood to be a British national from Tottenham, north London, who was born overseas. The attack was foiled on Thursday afternoon after armed police swooped on the man, who was allegedly armed with two knives, near the Houses of Parliament. Officers were lying in wait for the suspect, whose movements were being tracked by a joint police and MI5 operation as he travelled into central London. They arrested him close to Westminster underground station. The scene where the man was arrested is metres away from where Khalid Masood launched his attacks on Westminster Bridge and the parliamentary estate five weeks ago, leaving five people dead, including himself. Masood used a vehicle to mow down pedestrians before stabbing a police officer to death with a knife.

Formula One frontrunner Sebastian Vettel led a Ferrari one-two in Russian Grand Prix practice on Friday with the resurgent Italian team appearing to have a clear edge over champions Mercedes. The German four-times world champion enjoyed the afternoon sunshine with a best lap of one minute 34.120 seconds -- 0.263 quicker than team mate Kimi Raikkonen and 0.709 clear of Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton. Raikkonen had been fastest in the morning. Valtteri Bottas, a close second in opening practice, was third in the afternoon for Mercedes and 0.670 off Vettel's pace, while team mate Hamilton was fourth. Vettel leads Hamilton by seven points after winning two of three races this season. The Briton won in China. Sochi's street circuit, winding around the landmark venues of the 2014 Olympic Park, has favoured Mercedes since its debut three years ago with the champions leading every lap of every race there. Triple champion Hamilton won in 2014 and 2015 with now-retired team mate Nico

As Britain prepares to negotiate its EU departure, a number of banks are likely to decide within two months where to set up new continental bases to make sure they can keep serving clients in the bloc after Brexit. The European Central Bank said it will host a meeting of banks on May 4 at its offices in Frankfurt. It will spell out in detail what those moving some of their operations out of London must do to apply successfully for a licence. Talks with financial authorities have been underway for several months but the banks are expected to make up their minds imminently on where to move staff and operations. "We are in the hot phase. In the next six to eight weeks there will be a series of decisions," Felix Hufeld, head of Germany's Bafin financial regulator, told Reuters. Ireland's central bank will hold a similar gathering next month to advise groups considering a move to Dublin, which along with Frankfurt, Paris and other centres is competing to offer the bank

An African court has rejected Hissène Habré’s appeal against his conviction for crimes against humanity, which followed a decades-long fight for justice for his victims. The former president of Chad was acquitted of a rape charge, but all the other charges against him – including torture and murder – were upheld. Last year, Habré was sentenced to life in prison in Dakar, Senegal, for ordering the wrongful arrest, torture and killing of Chadian citizens throughout his tenure as president in the 1980s. He was made to listen in court as 90 witnesses testified that he had thrown thousands of people into secret jails, where they had been tortured, executed or forced to endure horrific prison conditions. Chad dictator Hissène Habré appeals against war crimes conviction Read more “I have been fighting for this day since I walked out of prison more than 26 years ago. Today, I finally feel free,” said Souleymane Guengueng, who almost died in one of Habré’s jails and swore he would fight f

China warned on Friday that the situation with North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs is at a "critical point" and said dialogue and negotiations are the only "practical" way to end tensions. Speaking at the United Nations before a Security Council meeting on North Korea - to be chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson - China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi pledged that Beijing would fully implement all U.N. sanctions on North Korea. "Due to the recent efforts by the DPRK (North Korea) to accelerate missile and nuclear development, China agrees to the international community to step up efforts of non-proliferation," Wang told reporters.

Brazilian cities went into partial shutdown on Friday as the country observed its first general strike in more than two decades. Millions of workers, including public transport staff, bankers and teachers, have been urged to take part by trade unions and social groups. Protesters are taking a stand against the president's proposed pension reforms. President Michel Temer says the changes are needed to overcome a recession. "It is going to be the biggest strike in the history of Brazil," said Paulo Pereira da Silva, the president of trade union group, Forca Sindical. Demonstrations are taking place across the country, with organisers saying they would focus attention on disrupting cities rather than small towns and rural communities.

France's far-right National Front (FN) has replaced its leader for the second time in three days after a row erupted about Holocaust denial. Jean-François Jalkh had been named as the interim president on Tuesday after Marine Le Pen stepped aside to fight for the French presidency. Mr Jalkh denies claims that in past remarks he questioned the reality of Nazi gas chambers. He is being replaced by Steeve Briois, one of the party's MEPs. Like Mr Jalkh, Mr Briois is also one of the party's five vice-presidents. He is mayor of the National Front-run town of Henin-Beaumont in northern France. "Mr Briois will take over the interim leadership and there'll be no more talk about it," fellow FN vice-president Louis Aliot - who is also Ms Le Pen's partner - told BFMTV news channel. It is an unwelcome development for Ms Le Pen, who has worked hard to distance her party from its anti-Semitic roots - expelling her father from the party he founded over his comments that th

US lawmakers are racing to debate legislation that will avert a feared government shutdown. The stop-gap bill would allow Congress an extra week to reach a deal to fund the government to the end of September. The legislation will first be debated in the House of Representatives on Friday, just hours before a deadline for funding federal agencies expires. Republicans have been forced to make several concessions, the latest on funding for so-called Obamacare. If the bill passes the House, as expected, the Senate will take it up and, if it continues its passage, it will be sent to President Donald Trump to be signed into law. There are no known obstacles to the bill's passage, but Mr Trump told Reuters on Thursday: "We'll see what happens". "If there's closure, there's closure," he said. "If there's a shutdown, it's the Democrats' fault. Not our fault." The Republican-controlled Congress wants to avoid a government shutdown, which

Bayern Munich have activated a clause to make winger Kingsley Coman's transfer from Juventus permanent at the end of the season, the German club said in a statement. The 20-year-old France international, who joined Bayern on a two-year loan deal in 2015, will sign a contract until 2020. "He is a player with huge potential," Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said. "We're convinced that he will be of great help to us in the coming years. "He is a very young player who already plays regularly for the French national team and who has gathered experience at the European Championship." Coman, a former Paris St Germain player, has scored eight goals in 58 games for Bayern. (Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday a major conflict with North Korea is possible in the standoff over its nuclear and missile programs, but he would prefer a diplomatic outcome to the dispute. "There is a chance that we could end up having a major, major conflict with North Korea. Absolutely," Trump told Reuters in an Oval Office interview ahead of his 100th day in office on Saturday. Nonetheless, Trump said he wanted to peacefully resolve a crisis that has bedevilled multiple U.S. presidents, a path that he and his administration are emphasizing by preparing a variety of new economic sanctions while not taking the military option off the table. "We'd love to solve things diplomatically but it's very difficult," he said. In other highlights of the 42-minute interview, Trump was cool to speaking again with Taiwan's president after an earlier telephone call with her angered China. He also said he wants South Korea to pay the cost of the

Pope Francis arrives in Cairo on Friday hoping to mend ties with Islamic religious leaders just as Egypt's ancient Christian community faces unprecedented pressure from Islamic State militants who have threatened to wipe it out. In an address to the Egyptian people this week, Francis spoke of his hope that his visit would help bring peace and encourage dialogue and reconciliation with the Islamic world. But it comes at a painful time for Egypt's Copts, the Middle East's largest Christian community, three weeks after Islamic State suicide bombers killed 45 people in twin church bombings. Those attacks followed a cathedral bombing that killed 28 people in December and a spree of murders that has forced hundreds of Christians to flee North Sinai, where the group is most active. Islamic State attacks and sectarian wars in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere are devastating Christian populations and jeopardising their future in the Middle East, the birthplace of Jesus and home to the

OTTAWA -- Erik Karlsson scored off a shot from the goal line with 4:11 left in the third period, and Craig Anderson made 34 saves to help the Ottawa Senators defeat the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday."That's what the great players do, they come up with stuff at the right time and they can take the pressure," Senators coach Guy Boucher said of Karlsson. "I don't think you should ever get used to that, and our fans should appreciate what we have here. It's more than a star right now, and that's what I think is unbelievable. He's a skilled player that became a star and now he's a winner. He's inspired our group with all year long." Karlsson's initial shot hit Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh, but the puck came back to him. His second attempt went in off of goalie Henrik Lundqvist's head after the shot missed McDonagh, Rangers center Derek Stepan and Senators

After letting a two-goal lead slip way, the Pittsburgh Penguins again used their speed to make the most of an opportunity. Nick Bonino scored the tiebreaking goal with 7:24 remaining in the third period to give the Penguins a 3-2 win against the Washington Capitals in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at Verizon Center on Thursday. "To steal a game in their rink and kind of effectively get home ice back in the series, I think that's huge, and we'll try to see if we can take Game 2," Bonino said.

The New Zealand classifications body has created a new category of censorship for controversial Netflix drama 13 Reasons Why, after complaints from mental health bodies that it glorified suicide and could prompt copycats. New Zealand has the highest rate of teenage suicide in the OECD, with an average of two young people taking their own life each week. On Thursday the New Zealand Office of Film and Literature created a new censorship category RP18 to address concerns over the series, issuing an immediate restriction on the show to those aged under 18, unless accompanied by an adult. Netflix's 13 Reasons Why and the trouble with dramatising suicide Read more The authority said the existing classification distinctions were not considered adequate, as 16- and 17-year-olds were a prime age-group for teen suicide. The series, which was released in New Zealand at the end of March, chronicles the sexual assault and suicide of Hannah Baker, who records an extended suicide note throu

Haydée Gastelú was among the first to arrive. “We were absolutely terrified,” she recalls. On the afternoon of 30 April 1977, 14 courageous women set aside fear – and the their families’ warnings – and left their homes to confront the dictatorship that had stolen their children. That day marked the first weekly march by the mothers of Argentina’s “disappeared” against the military commanders who had planned the systematic murder of thousands. Blaming the victims: dictatorship denialism is on the rise in Argentina Read more Four decades on and 2,037 marches later, the mothers are still marching, though some of them are now confined to wheelchairs. The mothers’ white headscarves became a symbol of courage and the relentless battle for justice – and they have largely succeeded in their original aims: as of 2016, more than 1,000 of the dictatorship’s torturers and killers had been tried and 700 sentenced. But the mothers – most of them now in their late 80s – warn that the current e

Around 200 demonstrators, many wearing masks, broke through a police cordon and entered Macedonia’s parliament, attacking MPs in protest at the election of a new speaker despite a months-long deadlock in talks to form a new government. The protesters stormed parliament on Thursday night after the country’s opposition Social Democrat party and others representing Macedonia’s Albanian ethnic minority voted for a new speaker. Shouting and throwing chairs, the protesters attacked MPs, including the opposition leader, Zoran Zaev. Television footage showed Zaev bleeding from the forehead and other Social Democrat MPs surrounded by protesters waving national flags, shouting “traitors” and refusing to allow them to leave. Broken glass littered the floor and traces of blood were seen in hallways. Police later fired flash grenades in an attempt to disperse protesters outside the parliament and clear the way for the evacuation of politicians still in the building. In a televised address, the

One of China's best-known human rights lawyers has been given a three-year suspended jail term for subverting state power. Li Heping was sentenced in a closed-doors trial, Chinese state media said. He has defended other prominent lawyers, including Chen Guangcheng and Gao Zhisheng, as well as practitioners of the banned Falun Gong movement. Li was detained in 2015 as part of a wider government crackdown on dissent under President Xi Jinping. The lawyer's trial took place on 25 April in the Tianjin City Number Two Intermediate People's Court, and concerned state secrets, the court said on its Weibo social media account.

Police say they have foiled an active terror plot after a woman was shot during a raid on a house in Willesden, north-west London. The woman, in her 20s, was one of the subjects of the investigation and is in a serious but stable condition. A raid also took place in Kent, with six people arrested in total. Officers say the operation was not connected to an arrest near Parliament on Thursday, when a man was detained on suspicion on terror offences. Police said the house in Harlesden Road, Willesden, had been under observation At about 19:00 BST on Thursday, firearm officers entered the property. CS gas was sprayed and a woman was shot. A 16-year-old boy, and a man and woman, both aged 20, were arrested. A 43-year-old woman was arrested in Kent. Two further arrests were made in Willesden after a man and woman, both aged 28, returned to the property.

The Kentucky doctor dragged off a United Airlines flight from Chicago earlier this month has received a financial settlement from the airline. Lawyers for Dr David Dao, 69, say a condition of the payout is that the "amount remain confidential". United boss Oscar Munoz "said he was going to do the right thing and he has", Dr Dao's lawyers said. Dr Dao was violently removed by airline law enforcement officers after refusing to give up his seat to United staff. United Airlines incident: What went wrong? Video of the bleeding Vietnamese-American doctor went viral online and sparked international outrage. The airline had asked Dr Dao to leave his seat in order to allow four United staff members to get from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky. Media captionCrystal Dao Pepper: 'Horrified, shocked and sickened' He refused, saying he had patients to see the next day. Dr Dao's lawyer, Thomas Demetrio, said his client "has become the unintended champion for

Third seed Rafael Nadal remained on course for a 10th Barcelona Open title after reaching the quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Kevin Anderson on Thursday. World number one Andy Murray also advanced as he stepped up his recovery from an elbow injury by breezing past Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-4 6-4. It was Nadal’s 50th victory at the tournament and the Mallorcan never looked in danger against world number 66 Anderson, forcing 10 break points in the match. ADVERTISING Nadal, who broke the big-serving South African twice, said the rain throughout the morning in Catalonia meant the newly-renamed Rafa Nadal Court was moving slower than usual. He will be hoping for better weather when he takes on South Korean qualifier Hyeon Chung in the last eight on Friday. “They weren’t the best conditions for me. I much prefer it when the ball is doing more,” Nadal said. “It wasn’t easy. He’s a really tall player who hits the ball well in comfortable positions. I tried to make him take t

A Russian naval intelligence ship sank off Turkey's Black Sea coast on Thursday after colliding with a vessel carrying livestock and all 78 personnel on board the navy ship were evacuated, Turkish officials said. The rescued crew members of the Russian ship Liman were in good health after the collision with the Togo-flagged Youzarsif H, Turkey's Transport Minister Ahmed Arslan said. The incident took place in fog and low visibility 18 miles (29 km) from Kilyos village on the Black Sea coast just north of Istanbul. Turkish authorities dispatched a tugboat and three fast rescue vessels, the coastal safety authority said. leftright 2/2leftright

A man carrying knives near the Houses of Parliament has been wrestled to the ground by armed police and arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences. The man, thought to be 27, was detained as part of an intelligence-led operation on Parliament Street. A witness described seeing two knives on the ground, one of which he described as a large bread knife. The Metropolitan Police said there were no injuries. The suspect is in custody in a south London police station. A French tourist who saw the arrest said the suspect looked "very calm". Another witness said the man was not shouting, or acting aggressively. A police statement said: "The man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism. Knives have been recovered from him. "Detectives from the counter-terrorism command are continuing their investigation, and as a result of this arrest there is no immediate known threat

Russia's Vladimir Putin has called for the resumption of talks with North Korea as tensions on the peninsula continue to escalate. Speaking in Moscow, where he met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, he urged those involved to "refrain from using belligerent rhetoric". Mr Putin said both wanted to see "peaceful, constructive dialogue" between the opposing parties. Relations between North Korea and the US have plunged in recent weeks. North Korea crisis: Why now, what happened, what next? US steps up pressure on Pyongyang The two countries have traded angry words and threats as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un persists with missile tests, despite repeated warnings to stop. This week, the US announced it was set to activate a missile defence system in South Korea "within days", and tighten sanctions against the secretive state.

Two Americans were killed and a third was wounded in a raid in Afghanistan against Islamic State group militants, the Pentagon has confirmed. The military personnel died in combat in Nangarhar province, said Pentagon spokesman Capt Jeff Davis. Earlier this month American Army Staff Sgt Mark De Alencar, 37, was killed in the same province. It comes only days after US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis visited the country. The American soldiers were conducting an operation against IS Khorasan, an affiliate of the core Middle Eastern group. The operation was conducted in partnership with the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, the Pentagon said. "The fight against ISIS-K is important for the world, but sadly, it is not without sacrifice," said General John Nicholson, the commander of US forces in Afghanistan. "On behalf of all US forces and our coalition partners, I offer our deepest sympathies to the families, friends, and fellow service members of our fallen comrades,&

Ousmane Dembélé scored the winner as Borussia Dortmund booked their place in a fourth successive DFB-Pokal final with a thrilling 3-2 victory against the holders Bayern Munich. Marco Reus gave Dortmund a 19th-minute lead but Bayern were in control at half-time thanks to goals from Javi Martínez and Mats Hummels. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang brought Dortmund level on 69 minutes and soon after Dembélé stunned the home fans. Dortmund will be fancied to make it fourth time lucky after three final defeats when they meet Eintracht Frankfurt in Berlin on 27 May. Dortmund were heavily beaten in the recent Bundesliga meeting between the teams at the Allianz Arena but on this occasion they held off Bayern in the early stages and struck themselves with the help of a defensive mistake. Real Madrid thrash Deportivo 6-2 to keep pace with Barcelona Read more Martínez’s weak backpass to the goalkeeper Sven Ulreich – standing in for the injured Manuel Neuer – was cut out by Raphael Guerreiro, whose

A French tourist survived a rare shark attack in New Zealand on Thursday, suffering only moderate injuries, rescuers and locals said. The woman, aged in her 20s, was bodyboarding in the afternoon at Curio Bay in the South Island when the shark attacked her leg, St John Ambulance said. 'It's like Jaws': New Zealand town fears attack by great white sharks lured by cage divers Read more She was airlifted to Dunedin Hospital’s emergency department for treatment. Shark attacks are uncommon in New Zealand, the last fatality being a 47 year-old man who was attacked at popular tourist beach west of Auckland in 2013. Before that, there had not been a shark attack death since 1976. Nick Smart, who runs the Caitlin Surf School, said the woman was in the water with friends when the shark attacked “out of nowhere”. He said the woman was playing in the surf with her boyfriend and another French couple on a calm Thursday afternoon at Porpoise Bay when the shark attacked. He said

Venezuela says it will withdraw from the Organization of American States (OAS), accusing the US-based grouping of meddling in its internal affairs. The government made the announcement after the OAS voted to hold a meeting of foreign ministers to discuss the spiralling crisis in Venezuela. Neighbours have expressed concern at mounting unrest in the country. Violent protests against the government continued in the capital Caracas on Wednesday, with one protester killed. He was hit by a tear gas canister during clashes with police. Nearly 30 people have been killed since the wave of protests against President Nicolas Maduro began last month. Members of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) block the passage to a demonstration against the government of President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas (26 April 2017)Image copyrightEPA Image caption The security forces were faced with stone throwers and petrol bombs The wife of the opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, Lilian Tintori participates in the prote

A man who eluded capture in the forests of Pennsylvania for seven weeks after fatally shooting a police officer in 2014 has been sentenced to death. Eric Frein killed the officer outside a police barracks and wounded another. He was found guilty last week of murder and terrorism. On Wednesday the jury deliberated for five hours before returning a death sentence. Prosecutors said Frein killed Cpl Bryon Dickson because he wanted to start an uprising against the government. After committing the crime, Frein went on the run and was only captured after a lengthy manhunt - much of it in dense forestry in Pennsylvania's Poconos mountains - before officers found him hiding in an abandoned plane hangar.

ST. LOUIS -- Vernon Fiddler took advantage his opportunities Wednesday. Playing his first game of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Nashville Predators center scored the tiebreaking goal off a fortuitous bounce with 5:05 left in the third period for a 4-3 win against the St. Louis Blues in Game 1 of the Western Conference Second Round at Scottrade Center. "It was just a quick transition," Fiddler said. "I saw [Austin] Watson kind of get it in his feet outside and just tried to get to the net. He made a little flip pass and I just got a piece of it and just chipped it over the goalie. Lucky one." Jay Bouwmeester's failed clearing attempt went right to Watson, who sent a bouncing puck toward goalie Jake Allen. He tried to pokecheck it, missed, and Fiddler tapped it through Allen's legs.

ANAHEIM -- Adam Larsson scored twice in the third period, including the tiebreaking goal with 4:40 remaining, and the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Anaheim Ducks 5-3 in Game 1 of the Western Conference Second Round at Honda Center on Wednesday. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and three assists for the Oilers. Mark Letestu scored twice, and Cam Talbot made 33 saves. Game 2 of the best-of-7 series will be played at Honda Center on Friday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVA Sports, SN).

Syrian rebel and intelligence sources said Israel struck an arms supply hub on Thursday operated by the Lebanese Hezbollah group near Damascus airport where weapons from Tehran are regularly sent by commercial and military cargo planes. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is backed in the country's six-year civil war by Russia, Iran and regional Shi'ite militias including Hezbollah, which is a close ally of Tehran and a sworn enemy of Israel. Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz, speaking from the United States, where he has been meeting U.S. officials, to Israeli Army Radio: "I can confirm that the incident in Syria corresponds completely with Israel's policy to act to prevent Iran's smuggling of advanced weapons via Syria to Hezbollah in Iran. Naturally, I don't want to elaborate on this." "The prime minister has said that whenever we receive intelligence that indicated an intention to transfer advanced weapons to Hezbollah, we will act."

An Iraqi paramilitary force says it has recaptured the ancient city of Hatra, which is believed to have been destroyed by Islamic State militants. The Popular Mobilisation announced that its fighters had "liberated" the Unesco World Heritage-listed site "after fierce clashes with the enemy". The full extent of the damage to Hatra was not immediately clear from a grainy photograph published by the force. IS has bulldozed, blown up and looted pre-Islamic sites it deems idolatrous. Unesco has said the deliberate destruction of Iraq's cultural heritage constitutes a war crime.

The US is to tighten sanctions on North Korea and step up diplomatic moves aimed at pressuring the country to end its nuclear and missile programmes. President Donald Trump's strategy was announced after a special briefing for US senators. Earlier, the top US commander in the Pacific defended the deployment of an advanced missile defence system in South Korea. Tensions have risen amid fears the North is planning new weapons tests. "The United States seeks stability and the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," said a joint statement issued by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats. "We remain open to negotiations towards that goal. However, we remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies." Clarity is key for avoiding a spiralling crisis Why Beijing should lead on the North Korean crisis What can the outside world do about North Korea? North Korea's missile programme i

Toronto police have arrested a woman for mischief after she climbed a construction crane and became stranded. Authorities say they received a call alerting them to a person climbing the crane in downtown Toronto shortly after 03:00 local time (08:00 GMT). It took hours for the city's police and fire services to rescue the woman in a high-wire operation authorities called "technical and complex". Why she climbed the nearly 12-storey high structure remains a mystery. After what Toronto Fire Services District Chief Stephan Powell called "heavy deliberations" by various emergency service teams over how to rescue the woman, a high-angle specialist climber was brought in to rappel up the crane around 6am. "Help": Navy rescues stranded sailors Toddler rescues twin brother from fallen dresser Toronto firefighter Rob Wonfor had to slowly climb up the inside the crane and reach the woman, who had lowered herself on a block hanging from the structure. The precari

Turkey's police force has suspended more than 9,000 officers over alleged links to the US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen. It said the action had been taken on the grounds of national security. President Tayyip Erdogan accuses Mr Gulen of instigating a failed coup against him last July - a charge the cleric denies. Earlier, authorities detained more than 1,000 people in the latest operation against alleged Gulen supporters. The nationwide sweep was one of the largest such operations carried out in Turkey in months. Turkey under Erdogan: The full story Why did Turkey hold a referendum? Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said it had targeted a Gulen network "that infiltrated our police force, called 'secret imams'". He said more than "secret imams" had been detained and the operation was continuing. In the aftermath of the 15 July coup attempt, which was led by military officers, 40,000 people were arrested and 120,000 sacked or suspended. They includ

Former world number one Maria Sharapova made a winning comeback to the tour on Wednesday following her 15-month doping ban, beating Italian Roberta Vinci in straight sets in the first round of the Stuttgart Grand Prix. The 30-year-old Russian, three-time winner on Stuttgart's clay courts, received a controversial wild card for the German tournament, having had no ranking points after more than a year out following her suspension. She had a nervous start in front of a supportive crowd but quickly found her strokes and her trademark shrieks to power past the world number 36 7-5 6-3 and set up a second-round clash against fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova. "It's the best feeling in the world. To know I would be walking back into the arena was very special," Sharapova said in a courtside interview. "I was waiting for this moment for a long time." She added: "When I am on the court, because I have been doing it for so long, even though you are rusty and

Rafael Nadal saw off Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-1 6-2 on Wednesday to reach the last 16 of the Barcelona Open, while Andy Murray advanced after opponent Bernard Tomic withdrew. Playing on the newly renamed Rafa Nadal court at the Real Club de Tenis, the Spaniard made light work of his Brazilian opponent to set up a tie against South African Kevin Anderson on Thursday. The pair had met once before in the second round of the 2013 US Open, when Nadal won in straight sets, and his victory came nearly as easily here. Nadal broke Dutra Silva's first serve, taking advantage of a double fault and flexing his muscles in the first set. He lost his serve at the start of the second but quickly came back for the win, showing the form that led him to victory at the Monte Carlo Masters on Sunday. Nadal said: "I want to thank everyone who makes this tournament possible, a historic tournament and one of the best of the year. It makes me enormously proud that this court bears my name. It's

A French mother has been brought back to life by police officers, who performed CPR an hour after paramedics declared her dead. The unnamed woman, a long-time anorexia sufferer, was found collapsed by her 18-year-old daughter after an apparent heart-attack. Paramedics rushed to her home in Paris's 13th arrondissement but were unable to revive the 49-year-old. But police who came to write a report noticed movement in her stomach. Le Parisien reports that the ambulance team had declared her dead at 18:10 (16:10 GMT) and signed her death certificate. But the two police officers - who arrived an hour later to write a report into the cause of death - noticed the movement when they lifted the blanket covering the body.

A 21-year-old trekker from Taiwan has been rescued alive in the Himalayas, 47 days after he and his girlfriend went missing. A high-altitude search and rescue team found Liang Sheng Yueh in a canyon at around 2,600m (8,500ft) near Tipling village in Nepal's Dhading district. The body of his companion, 19-year-old Liu Chen Chun, was lying nearby. Mr Liang is being treated at Grandee International Hospital in Kathmandu and is said to be out of danger. Dr Sanjaya Karki, who is treating Mr Liang, told Surendra Phuyal of BBC Nepal: "He can speak slowly. He told me his girlfriend died three days ago. He doesn't have trauma injuries, but his body has injuries stemming from worm-bites." The trekker is said to have lost 30kg (4.5 stone) of weight since going missing seven weeks ago. The BBC has learned that the stricken pair were first sighted at 11:00 local time (05:15 GMT) by local people. A helicopter was immediately sent to the scene.

Jonathan Demme, the Oscar-winning director of The Silence of the Lambs, has died in New York at the age of 73. His publicist confirmed he died from complications from oesophageal cancer. Born in 1944, Demme's other features included Philadelphia, Something Wild and the Talking Heads documentary Stop Making Sense. British actress Thandie Newton, who worked with him on Beloved and The Truth About Charlie, said she was "deeply saddened" by his passing.

Nearly half of Russians want Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to quit, an opinion poll showed on Wednesday, suggesting corruption allegations levelled against him by political opponents have taken a toll. Opposition politician Alexei Navalny released a video last month accusing Medvedev of owning a sprawling portfolio of luxury homes and of amassing a fortune that outstripped his salary. It has been watched more than 20 million times on YouTube and helped spark recent protests across Russia. Medvedev, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated "nonsense", suggesting they were designed to stir up trouble ahead of a presidential election next year which Putin is expected to contest. On Wednesday, the Levada Center, a pollster which casts itself as independent, released the results of a survey showing that 52 percent of Russians did not trust Medvedev, up from 42 percent in March 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea. The same s

One of Europe’s leading human rights bodies has put Turkey back on a watchlist over “serious concerns” about democracy and human rights, putting pressure on the EU to reassess relations with Ankara. Erdoğan’s referendum victory spells the end of Turkey as we know it Yavuz Baydar Read more The parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe (Pace) voted to restart monitoring Turkey, a process it had relaxed in 2004 when it intended to pave the way for it to begin accession talks with the European Union. The Council of Europe, co-founded by Winston Churchill in 1949, is a separate body from the EU, but its decisions are closely watched in Brussels. EU foreign affairs ministers are due to discuss EU-Turkey relations on Friday for the first time since Recep Tayyip Erdoğan eked out a narrow victory in a referendum that granted him sweeping new powers as president. The unprecedented decision to reinstate monitoring of a Council of Europe member triggered a furious reaction from the Turk

President Donald Trump is to propose slashing the rate of corporation tax when he announces his tax plan later. White House officials say the centrepiece of Wednesday's announcement will be a sharp reduction in the business tax rate, from 35% to 15%. Economists say the tax cuts will add trillions of dollars to the deficit over the next decade. But Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said the tax plan "will pay for itself with economic growth". Also expected in the plan: some sort of repatriation tax, giving big companies an incentive to bring back money they hold overseas tax breaks for childcare expenses large increase to standard tax deduction a cut in individual rates, although few details expected yet more tax rate cuts for hedge funds, and other enterprises that pay taxes at individual rates Mr Trump's blueprint is not expected to include any proposals for raising new revenue. The much-discussed border tax that would put a tariff on imports - favoured by House

A MiG-31 fighter jet crashed in eastern Siberia on Wednesday, the TASS news agency cited the Defence Ministry as saying. The plane's two pilots managed to safely eject when the interceptor jet crashed in Buryatia, a sparsely populated region, and nobody was hurt. TASS cited the ministry as saying the plane had come down in a special training area.

French police have made 10 arrests in connection to the attacks on the Charlie Hebdo offices and a kosher supermarket in Paris in January 2015. Those held are suspected of supplying arms to Amedy Coulibaly, said French broadcaster BFMTV. He killed four people he took hostage inside the supermarket and separately a policewoman. Police have linked Coulibaly, who died in a shootout with police, with the attacks on the Charlie Hebdo offices in the days prior. He is said to have demanded the release of the Kouachi brothers who carried out the attack on the satirical magazine's offices.

French intelligence has concluded that forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad carried out a sarin nerve gas attack on April 4 in northern Syria and that Assad or members of his inner circle ordered the strike, a declassified report showed. The chemical weapons attack on the town of Khan Sheikhoun killed scores of people, according to a war monitor, Syrian opposition groups and Western countries. It prompted the United States to launch a cruise missile strike on a Syrian air base, its first deliberate assault on the Assad government in the six-year-old conflict. Assad has said in two media interviews since April 4 that the evidence of a poison gas attack was false and denied his government had ever used chemical weapons. The six-page French document - drawn up by France's military and foreign intelligence services and seen by said it reached its conclusion based on samples they had obtained from the impact strike on the ground, and a blood sample from a victim. "W

Strict British and US counter-terrorism laws are discouraging humanitarian organisations from delivering vital emergency assistance to millions of people facing starvation and fatal diseases in drought-hit Somalia. Senior humanitarian officials say the laws, which target any individual or organisation found to have materially assisted a terrorist group, exert a “chilling effect” on vital assistance in areas of Somalia controlled by Islamic militants from al-Shabaab, an al-Qaida affiliate. Drought took their animals and land – now hunger is taking Somalia's children Read more The worst drought for 40 years in the unstable east African country threatens 6 million people with famine. Most of the worst hit – around 2 million people – live in areas run by al-Shabaab. Humanitarian officials say it is almost impossible to guarantee that no aid will reach the extremists if they work there, and fear this means they will fall foul of the laws, exposing them to potential prosecution. “U

James Harden had 34 points and his supporting cast helped the Houston Rockets overcome a 47-point game by Russell Westbrook to get a 105-99 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. The Thunder head home a year after advancing to the Western Conference finals after Houston took this series 4-1. The Rockets used a 5-1 run, with all their points coming on free throws, to pull away from the Thunder and make it 98-91. Victor Oladipo threw a pass about 5 feet above Westbrook’s head and out of bounds on the next possession and Harden made a layup on the other end with about 3 minutes left. The Rockets began eating up the clock after that and Oklahoma City missed shot after shot that could have closed the gap. Houston couldn’t add to its lead though and the Thunder cut it to 4 points twice in the final seconds, with the second one coming on a basket by Alex Abrines. But Harden made two free throws both times they got close to

Kawhi Leonard had 28 points and the San Antonio Spurs rebounded from two discouraging road losses to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 116-103 on Tuesday night and take a 3-2 lead in their first-round series. San Antonio shot 14 for 28 on 3-point attempts, two off its postseason record, including 5-for-7 shooting by Patty Mills. Mills finished with 20 points and Tony Parker added 16. Mike Conley had 26 points and Marc Gasol added 17 for the Grizzlies, who have lost nine straight postseason games in San Antonio. With each team winning on its homecourt, Game 6 is Thursday night in Memphis. The Spurs went on an 11-0 run shortly after switching Leonard onto Conley defensively, holding the Grizzlies scoreless for 2:46 midway through the first quarter. But it was the few times either team had success defensively. San Antonio shot 53 percent from the field and Memphis shot 52 percent in a surprisingly explosive game between teams renowned for their defense. Conley had seven points during a 1

Gordon Hayward scored 27 points, Utah controlled the paint, and the Jazz beat the Los Angeles Clippers 96-92 on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in their first-round playoff series. Hayward returned after missing most of Utah’s win in Game 4 because of food poisoning that caused him to lose weight and energy. Chris Paul’s 3-pointer drew the Clippers within two with 5 seconds left. After George Hill hit two free throws, Paul struggled getting the ball under control near the sideline and couldn’t do anything as time expired. The Jazz made five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, including three by Rodney Hood, who finished with 16 points. Paul led the Clippers with 28 points and J.J. Redick added 26 with injured star Blake Griffin watching from the bench, his right foot encased in a black walking boot. The Jazz can clinch the series with a victory in Game 6 on Friday night in Salt Lake City. The Clippers rallied from an 11-point deficit early in the fourth to tie the game. They made

Police have arrested more than 1,000 people in an operation across Turkey against a movement blamed for last summer's failed coup. Raids were continuing as authorities targeted what was described as a secret structure within Turkey's police force. Turkey says a movement loyal to US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen organised the July 2016 plot to bring down President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Earlier this month the president won a referendum on boosting his powers. As a result of the narrow victory Mr Erdogan can become head of the executive, beefing up the largely ceremonial role of Turkey's president. Turkey under Erdogan Why did Turkey hold referendum? Turkey 'spied on pro-Gulen opponents in Germany' "1,009 covert 'imams' in 72 provinces have been taken into custody so far," Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu was reported as saying, calling it an important step for Turkey.

China has launched a new aircraft carrier in the latest sign of its growing military strength. It is the country's second aircraft carrier, after the Liaoning, and the first to be made domestically. The as-yet unnamed ship was transferred into the water in the north-eastern port of Dalian, state media said. It will reportedly be operational by 2020. It comes amid heated rhetoric between the US and North Korea and ongoing tensions in the South China Sea.China has had only one operational aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, which it bought from Ukraine and refitted. The US has deployed warships and a submarine to the Korean peninsula, prompting an angry reaction from North Korea. China has urged calm.

The US military has started installing a controversial missile defence system at a site in South Korea, amid high tensions over neighbouring North Korea's nuclear and missile ambitions. The Thaad system is designed to protect against threats from North Korea. Hundreds of local residents protested against the deployment, as vehicles carrying equipment arrived at the site in the south of the country. China argues Thaad will destabilise security in the region. The US has in recent days deployed warships and a submarine to the Korean peninsula, amid fears North Korea could be planning further missile or nuclear tests. The Trump administration, which has been urging China to rein in its ally, North Korea, is due to hold a classified briefing for senators on the situation at the White House later on Wednesday. What can the outside world do about N Korea? Why Beijing should lead on the North Korean crisis North Korea's missile programme The Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (Thaad)

Mexican foreign minister Luis Videgaray tore into the idea of building a border, calling it “unfriendly, “a hostile act” and “unlikely to fulfill the objectives” of stopping the flow of migrants and illegal merchandise into the United States. Appearing before the international relations commission in the lower house of Congress, Videgaray unleashed uncharacteristically tough talk on Donald Trump’s demand that Mexico pay for building a border, telling lawmakers that Mexico would not put a peso towards the construction costs. He also called plans for fencing off the frontier “an absolute waste of money” and said Mexico would pursue legal measures if its borders were infringed upon by the wall. “The wall is not part of any bilateral discussion nor should it be,” Videgaray said. “Under no scenario will we contribute economically to an action of this kind.” US may avoid government shutdown as Trump softens demand for border wall Read more The foreign minister’s comments come as the US

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/25/milo-yiannopoulos-event-shooting-couple-charged-seattle Prosecutors on Monday charged a couple in connection with a Seattle shooting during a demonstration over an appearance by the rightwing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos in January. Elizabeth Hokoana, 29, was charged with first-degree assault for shooting a 34-year-old protester in the abdomen. Her husband, Marc Hokoana, was charged with third-degree assault. Lawyers for the two said they acted in self-defense.oshua Dukes, 34, was critically injured in the 20 January shooting and had several surgeries before he was released from a hospital. The shooting happened outside a University of Washington auditorium where Yiannopoulos, a far-right commentator known for leading a hate campaign that resulted in a lifetime ban from Twitter, was appearing. In charging papers, King County prosecutors say “this shooting was not an impulsive act done in a moment of fear”. Instead, the two went to th

Robert Menard, mayor of the southern town of Beziers, is an ally of the anti-immigrant National Front party. On 1 September 2016, France's first day back at school, he tweeted that he was witnessing the "great replacement". The divisive term is used to describe the alleged eviction of France's white Christian population by migrants. On 5 September Menard said on LCI television: "In a class in the city centre of my town, 91% of the children are Muslims. Obviously, this is a problem. There are limits to tolerance."

The US has expressed "deep concern" at Turkish air strikes that killed about two dozen Kurdish fighters in Syria and Iraq. The US-backed Popular Protection Units (YPG), fighting against IS, said their positions were hit multiple times. Turkey regards the YPG as linked to outlawed Kurdish separatists. Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga, friendly to Turkey, also reportedly suffered fatalities. The Iraqi government condemned the strikes carried out on its territory. US state department spokesman Mark Toner said: "We are very concerned, deeply concerned that Turkey conducted air strikes earlier today in northern Syria as well as northern Iraq without proper co-ordination either with the United States or the broader global coalition to defeat IS." He added: "We have expressed those concerns to the government of Turkey directly." Iraqi government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi said: "The Iraqi government condemns and rejects the strikes carried out by Turkish aircraft on I

Turkey will not wait at Europe's door forever and is ready to walk away from EU accession talks if rising Islamophobia and hostility from some member states persist, President Tayyip Erdogan told Reuters in a wide-ranging interview on Tuesday. Speaking at the presidential palace less than two weeks after winning sweeping new powers in a referendum, a relaxed Erdogan said a decision by a leading European human rights body to put Turkey back on a watch list was "entirely political" and that Ankara did not recognise the move. The Strasbourg-based Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe said it put Turkey back on review over its crackdown on dissent since last year's coup attempt, rights violations, and concerns about Erdogan's increased grip on power. Turkey's relations with the EU soured further ahead of the referendum, when he accused Germany and the Netherlands of acting like Nazis by banning rallies by his supporters. "In Europe, things have

Normal service has been resumed. Chelsea checked the recent hint of a stagger and rediscovered the relentless, ruthless style which will surely yield them the Premier League title. Victory over an awkward Southampton side re-established a seven-point advantage at the top and steeled the leaders for the run-in. The pressure has been transferred to those closest in the pursuit. Over to you, Tottenham Hotspur. Eden Hazard clinches semi-final thriller for Chelsea against Tottenham Read more Antonio Conte wore a scowl for much of this match, pounding his technical area as ever and kicking everything from water bottles to kit bags in agitation whenever his players’ concentration lapsed, or at least until Diego Costa’s second half double had him skipping in delight on the touchline. Four wins from their final five fixtures will be enough to secure the title. It is hard to see them dropping another point at home, leaving the trips to Everton on Sunday and West Bromwich Albion on 12 May as t

Dale Earnhardt Jr, one of the biggest names in Nascar, has surprised the racing world by announcing he will retire at the end of the 2017 season. Finding America at the Daytona 500: why Nascar's decline is fake news Read more The decision was announced by Hendrick Motorsports, Earnhardt’s team, on Tuesday morning. The 42-year-old Earnhardt has called a press conference for later in the day to explain his decision. Earnhardt wrote on Twitter: “Press conference at 3pm to give me the opportunity to discuss the retirement news. Incredible to see the support today. #FinishStrong.” Earnhardt, a two-time Daytona 500 winner and the son of seven-time Nascar champion Dale Sr, has consistently been one of Nascar’s best-loved drivers, but has suffered multiple concussions over the past few years, and missed the final 18 races of last season after crashes in Michigan and Kentucky. He returned to racing this year with no lingering effects from the concussions, but admitted there were times

The Trump administration is considering barring passengers flying to the US from UK airports from taking laptops into the cabins, sources have told the Guardian. The proposed ban would be similar to one already imposed on travellers from several Middle Eastern countries. British officials understand that their US counterparts are looking at extending the ban – which prevents any electronic devices larger than a smartphone being taken as carry-on luggage – to flights from Europe. One Whitehall source suggested to the Guardian that although it was not certain that the ban would be extended to the UK, the US was considering doing so. The US government unexpectedly imposed the ban in late March for flights from 10 airports in the Middle East. Passengers must stow their devices in checked-in baggage on flights from the affected airports in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Israel's prime minister has cancelled talks with Germany's foreign minister after he refused to call off a meeting with Israeli human rights activists. Sigmar Gabriel had been due to meet Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Mr Netanyahu had warned he would not see Mr Gabriel if he met the groups Breaking the Silence and B'Tselem. Mr Netanyahu has accused the groups of trying to undermine the state, and the government has taken steps to try to stem their foreign sources of funding. The incident threatens to stoke diplomatic tensions between Israel and Germany, which are strong allies. Mr Gabriel had said it would be a "remarkable event, to put it mildly" if Mr Netanyahu went through with his threat. "Imagine if the Israeli prime minister... came to Germany and wanted to meet people critical of the government and we said that is not possible... That would be unthinkable," he told Germany's ZDF television.

Actor Tom Hardy apprehended a man who had allegedly stolen a motorbike in London, police have said. The Hollywood star stepped in after two teenagers on the bike crashed into a car in Richmond, south-west London, on Sunday afternoon. They ran off before one was was grabbed by the Mad Max and Taboo star and the other was arrested by a police officer. Two 16-year-olds have been arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, police said. Tom HardyImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES Image caption Tom Hardy recently starred in the BBC period thriller, Taboo Witness Arun Pullen told The Sun newspaper: "Tom must have been walking down the road. "He went off like a shot in pursuit and looked furious. "I asked Tom what happened and he told me he chased him through my back garden and caught him around the block - but the route was like an assault course." Tom Hardy Image caption Tom Hardy set hearts a-flutter on Facebook when he recently read the CBeebies bedtime story A Richmond

A Thai man filmed himself killing his baby daughter on Facebook Live, before taking his own life, Thai police say. The 21-year-old hanged his daughter, and then himself, at a deserted hotel in Phuket on Monday, reportedly after an argument with his wife. Facebook sent condolences to the family for the "appalling" incident and said that the content had now been removed. The company pledged a review of its processes after footage of a US killing stayed online for hours this month. The footage of the Thai killing had also been available on video sharing website YouTube, but the company took it down after the BBC alerted it to its presence.

Russian hackers are targeting the campaign of French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron, say security experts. Phishing emails, malware and fake net domains were all being used as attack techniques, said Feike Hacquebord, from security company Trend Micro. The attackers are believed to be part of the same group that targeted the US election. Russia has denied that it is behind attacks aimed at Mr Macron. Digital fingerprint In a report, Mr Hacquebord said the group behind the "aggressive" attacks was a collective of Russian hackers known widely as Fancy Bear, APT28 and Pawn Storm. He said the group was using an extensive arsenal of high-tech con tricks to grab the login names, passwords and other credentials of staff aiding Mr Macron's bid to be the next French president.

Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka was met with groans as she defended her father's attitude towards women at the G20 women's summit in Berlin. The First Daughter was taking part in a panel discussion about female entrepreneurs alongside German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and IMF chief Christine Lagarde. But the audience bristled at her praise for the US president. The event is part of the G20 women's summit. An audible groan went up as she told the room her father was a "tremendous champion of supporting families and enabling them to thrive". Mr Trump has been criticised over his attitude to women, especially after a tape of him making obscene remarks was released during the presidential campaign.

Sir Elton John has pulled out of a series of concerts in Las Vegas due to an “unusual bacterial infection” he contracted in South America, which left him in intensive care. The singer announced he was pulling out of the shows on Monday in a statement that explained that he spent two nights in intensive care and was released on 22 April after becoming ill on a flight to the UK from Chile. Elton John will help curate new vinyl subscription service Read more “During a recent, successful tour of South America, Elton contracted a harmful and unusual bacterial infection,” the statement read. “During his return flight home from Santiago, Chile he became violently ill. Upon returning to the UK, Elton’s doctors admitted him to hospital, where he underwent immediate treatment to remove the infection. After spending two nights in intensive care followed by an extended stay in hospital, Elton was released from hospital.”

An increasingly bitter dispute between Russia and the west over an inquiry into the recent chemical weapons attack that killed about 80 people in Syria has revealed the extent to which the two sides are unable to agree on basic facts – or even agree a process to ascertain the truth. The row has also brought into questions of future international support for the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the internationally respected multilateral body responsible for overseeing control of chemical weapons. OPCW leadership said Thursday it had found incontrovertible proof that sarin gas or a similar substance had been released, but did not reach a view on responsibility for its deployment. At the meeting in the Hague the OPCW executive rejected a Russian-led plan for an OPCW investigation to be restarted, prompting Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov to claim that the west was not interested in the truth of the incident – only in finding excuses to oust President Bashar al-A

A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.1 has struck off the west coast of Chile, rocking the capital Santiago and generating at least two significant aftershocks. No major damage was immediately apparent, according to an assessment by Chile’s emergency services. The Chilean Navy and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the quake was not expected to cause a tsunami. The quake was centered 22 miles (35 km) west of the coastal city of Valparaíso at a shallow depth of 6.2 miles (10 km) below the seabed, the US Geological Survey said. Chilean authorities initially ordered a preventative evacuation of the coastal area near Valparaiso, some 60 miles (97 km) west of Santiago, in case of a tsunami, but canceled it shortly afterward. Local residents reported panic on the streets of Valparaíso.

Brazilian police near the border with Paraguay have exchanged gunfire with members of a gang who carried out what Paraguayan officials are calling the robbery of the century. Three gang members were killed and two injured in the clash, police say. Earlier on Monday about 50 men moved into the Paraguayan city of Ciudad del Este, blew up the front of a private security firm, and fired on police. Unconfirmed reports suggest they could have stolen up to $40m (£31m; €37m). After the robbery, the gang created a diversion by burning cars and attacking the local police station.

Norm Powell scored a career playoff-high 25 points, Kyle Lowry had 16 points and 10 assists and the Toronto Raptors beat the Milwaukee Bucks 118-93 in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series on Monday night. Serge Ibaka scored 19 points and DeMar DeRozan had 18 for the Raptors, who can advance to face defending champion Cleveland in the second round with a victory in Game 6 at Milwaukee on Thursday night. Many in the sellout crowd of 20,251 rose to their feet and chanted `Raps in six’ in the final minute of the game. Toronto lost Game 6 on the road at Indiana in the first round and at Miami in the second round last year, rebounding to win Game 7 at home each time. They were eliminated in six games in the Eastern Conference Final against the Cavs, losing at home in the clincher. DeMarre Carroll scored 12 points as all five Raptors starters reached double figures. Cory Joseph had 10 points off the bench for Toronto.

Paul Millsap bounced back from a sluggish start to score 19 points, Dwight Howard had his best game of the postseason and the Atlanta Hawks pulled away from the Washington Wizards 111-101 Monday night to even the opening-round playoff series at 2-all. Howard, who was a non-factor through the first three games, had a double-double by halftime and finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds. The Hawks got double-figure scoring from seven players, including huge contributions off the bench from Kent Bazemore and Jose Calderon. Bradley Beal scored 32 points, bouncing back from a dismal performance in Game 3, and John Wall had another stellar performance with 22 points and 10 assists. But those two, as good as they were, couldn’t match a more balanced approach by the Hawks.

The state of Arkansas has executed two prisoners on death row after the US Supreme Court rejected their last-minute appeals. Jack Jones and Marcel Williams were both sentenced to death for rapes and murders committed in the 1990s. Arkansas controversially scheduled eight sudden executions when it found out its supply of a drug used in lethal injections expires in late April. It is the first double execution on the same day in the US for 17 years. The state's decision to plan eight executions in just 11 days was prompted by the realisation that its stockpile of midazolam - one of three drugs used together in lethal injections - would expire at the end of the month. Human rights groups, defence lawyers, and drug companies all objected to the decision. But on Thursday, Ledell Lee became the first person to be executed in Arkansas since 2005, after the US Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the scheduling of the executions and the Arkansas Supreme Court overturned a ruling blocking t

North Korea conducted a big live-fire exercise on Tuesday to mark the foundation of its military as a U.S. submarine docked in South Korea in a show of force amid growing concern over the North's nuclear and missile programmes. The port call by the USS Michigan came as a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group steamed towards Korean waters and as top envoys for North Korea policy from South Korea, Japan and the United States met in Tokyo. Fears have risen in recent weeks that North Korea would conduct another nuclear test or long-range missile launch in defiance of U.N. sanctions, perhaps on the Tuesday anniversary of the founding of its military. But instead of a nuclear test or big missile launch, North Korea deployed a large number of long-range artillery units in the region of Wonsan on its east coast for a live-fire drill, South Korea's military said. North Korea has an air base in Wonsan and missiles have also been tested there. "North Korea is conducting a large-scal

Syrian or Russian air strikes killed more than a dozen people and severely damaged a hospital in and around a town in rebel-held Idlib province on Tuesday, local medical workers and a monitoring group said. The attacks came as Syria's air force and Russian jets intensified their bombardment of Idlib, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. Idlib is an insurgent stronghold, one of the few large areas still under rebel control in the west of the country. Rebels and their families who have chosen to leave areas under government siege around Damascus in evacuation deals have headed for Idlib. A spokesman at the hospital in Kafr Takharim in Idlib told Reuters an air strike hit its courtyard killing 14 people, including patients. The Observatory said there were no deaths from the hospital strike, but that the bombardment had put it out of action. Separate air strikes southwest of Kafr Takharim killed at least 12 people including civilians and rebel fighters,

French cyclist Yoann Offredo says he suffered a broken nose in an assault by attackers who used a box cutter and baseball bat while on a training ride. The 30-year-old posted pictures of himself on his Facebook account with a bloodied face and an injury to his arm. Offredo, who rides for Belgian team Wanty, said the attack resulted in "a broken nose, a rib in a sorry state and bruises all over the body". He added: "But on top of the physical injuries, I'm above all shocked." Offredo, who said he was on a training ride with two friends, did not specify where the alleged assault took place and gave no other details about the attackers. "I'm not angry, I'm just sad to say that I hope my children don't take up this great sport that I love," he said. "You leave in the morning to go training but never know if you'll be coming back."

Serena Williams says Ilie Nastase's recent comments about her unborn child are "racist" and has given her backing to a full investigation. Nastase, a former world number one, was heard speculating whether Williams' child would be "chocolate with milk?" "It disappoints me to know we live in a society where people like Ilie Nastase can make such racist comments," Williams said in a statement. Williams, 35, is due to give birth to her first child in the autumn. "I have said it once and I'll say it again, this world has come so far but yet we have so much further to go," Williams added. "Yes, we have broken down so many barriers - however there are a plethora more to go. "This or anything else will not stop me from pouring love, light and positivity into everything that I do. I will continue to take a lead and stand up for what's right." The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has launched an investigation into

A teenager has appeared in court in Israel charged with threatening to blow up Jewish schools and community centres. Michael Ron David Kadar, 18, who has joint US-Israeli citizenship, allegedly used the internet to make hundreds of hoax calls in the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Prosecutors say he often used software to disguise his voice as a woman's. He is also accused of trying to extort money from a US senator. Israeli prosecutors say Mr Kadar made more than 2,000 threatening calls to schools, airports, police stations and hospitals over a two-year period. The charges against him were filed in Florida and Georgia, but the US justice ministry has said he will be tried in Israel. His motives remain unclear.