Europe - Bangladesh Business News

German police probing 'Islamist link' to Dortmund blasts

BBN Desk — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 08:47:12 +0000

Windows were broken and tyres burst in the blasts

Berlin, Germany (BBN) - German police are investigating a possible Islamic extremist link to the bombing of the Borussia Dortmund football team's bus, German media say.
A letter found near the scene references the Berlin Christmas market attack and military operations in Syria, reports BBC.
It is not yet clear if the letter is genuine.
Player Marc Bartra underwent an operation after breaking a bone in his wrist.
No other players were hurt.
German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung said the letter, beginning with the phrase "in the name of Allah", mentioned Germany's use of Tornado jets in the coalition forces fighting so-called Islamic State (IS).
IS said it carried out the attack on a Christmas market in Berlin.
But it is possible the perpetrators are deliberately trying to mislead the investigation, Suddeutsche Zeitung reported, adding that an analysis of the letter by experts is under way.
Germany's federal prosecutor, which usually assumes responsibility for terror-related crime, has taken over the investigation.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Borussia Dortmund were on their way to their home Champions League quarter-final match against Monaco, when "three explosive charges had detonated", police said.
The incident was at Hoechsten, outside the city, at about 19:00 local time.
The first indications were that this was an "attack with serious explosives", they said.
Pictures from the scene showed the bus's windows broken and tyres burst in the blasts.
In a news conference, the head of Dortmund police said it was a targeted attack on the team.
Several reports said the explosives had been hidden in a hedge.
Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki told Swiss news outlet Blick that the bus had turned on to the main road when there was a loud noise.
The players ducked to the floor of the bus, not knowing if there would be any more, he said.
Along with player Marc Bartra, a police officer on a motorbike escorting the bus was also wounded.
"Marc Bartra underwent an operation on Tuesday night after breaking the radial bone in his arm and getting bits of debris lodged in his hand as a result of the bomb attack," his team said in a brief statement.
Captain Marcel Schmelzer added "we're all in shock" but their thoughts were with their injured colleague.
Fans already at the 80,000-capacity Signal Iduna Park were told to stay there until it was safe to leave.
The stadium was later evacuated safely and police thanked the fans for their co-operation.
WHO IS BEHIND THE ATTACK?
Despite the apparent claim of an Islamic motive, the attack does not have much in common with previous incidents of that type, the BBC's correspondent in Berlin, Damien McGuinness, said.
The explosives were not designed to cause maximum damage in a crowd, as in other attacks - or to target the stadium itself, which is several kilometres away from the site.
"One possibility could be that it was a German right-wing extremist attack," he said.
"This team, Borussia Dortmund, has been plagued recently with violent, far-right hooliganism. A recent clampdown on far right extremists has led to stadium bans, which then resulted to death threats in February for one manager," he adds.
The letter found at the scene is being authenticated, and police say it claims responsibility - but have not yet released details about its contents.
WHAT ABOUT THE MATCH?
The match was postponed until 18:45 local time (16:45 GMT) on Wednesday.
"As many officers as possible" would be deployed for tomorrow's rescheduled game, police said.
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said he was "deeply disturbed by the explosions".
"The decision taken to postpone the UEFA Champions League match between Borussia Dortmund and AS Monaco was the correct one since we must always prioritise the safety and security of all fans, team officials and players," he said.
Borussia Dortmund said the attitude within the team was "to play the match tomorrow for Marc".
The team's boss earlier said: "The whole team is in a state of shock, you can't get pictures like that out of your head.
"I hope the team will be in a position to be able to compete tomorrow on the pitch. In a crisis situation like this, Borussia pulls together.
HOW HAVE PEOPLE REACTED?
Monaco fans at the stadium were praised for their chants of support for Dortmund after news of the attack emerged.
Social media also carried offers from Dortmund residents to Monaco fans in need of a bed for the night on #bedforawayfans.
FC Barcelona, Bartra's former club, tweeted: "All of our support to @MarcBartra, @BVB and their fans."
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also tweeted his support, wishing Bartra a quick recovery.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino said the football organising body condemned the incident and wished Bartra a "speedy recovery".
One of the Dortmund players, Mathias Ginter, was involved in the Germany-France match that was targeted in the terror attacks in Paris on 13 November, 2015.
Another present in Paris, Andre Schurrle, was injured for the Monaco match.
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Russia bombing suspect 'from Kyrgyzstan'

BBN Desk — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 11:13:44 +0000

Emergency services tend to the wounded outside a St Petersburg metro station. Photo: BBC Video Grab

Moscow, Russia (BBN) - The man suspected of killing 14 people by bombing a St Petersburg train was a native of Kyrgyzstan who obtained Russian citizenship, the Central Asian country's security service has said.

Forty-nine people were injured in the explosion between two underground stations on Monday afternoon, reports BBC.

Kyrgyz officials named the suspect as Akbarzhon Jalilov, an ethnic Uzbek born in Osh in 1995.

There are conflicting reports as to whether he was a suicide bomber.

Kyrgyz state media said the country's security service was "maintaining contact with the Russian secret service for further investigation".

Russian investigators have given few details.

No group has said it was responsible.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, at a meeting with his Kyrgyz counterpart Erlan Abdyldayev, said the attack "once again shows the importance of stepping up joint efforts to combat this evil".

Authorities in St Petersburg have declared three days of mourning.

Russian Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said on Tuesday morning that the death toll had risen from 11 to 14 after three people died in hospital.

President Vladimir Putin, who was in St Petersburg - his home city - when the blast occurred, visited the scene on Monday evening and laid flowers at a makeshift shrine.

World leaders rallied behind Russia in condemning the blast.

The White House said President Donald Trump had spoken to Putin by phone and offered "full support" in bringing those responsible to justice.

"Both President Trump and President Putin agreed that terrorism must be decisively and quickly defeated," a statement said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel described the blast as a "barbaric act" and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Europe's thoughts were with the Russian people.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May said she had written to President Putin to offer her condolences.

"This shows the terrible terrorist threat that we are all facing," she added.

"I'm very clear, as the people of the UK were after the attack in London, that we will prevail.

The terrorists will not win."

Initial reports suggested there had been two explosions, one each at Sennaya Ploshchad and Tekhnologichesky Institut stations.

But the Russian National Anti-Terrorist Committee later confirmed there had been only one explosion, between the two stations, at about 14:30 local time (11:30 GMT).

Senior investigator Svetlana Petrenko told Russian media the train driver's decision to continue to the next station almost certainly helped save lives, as it allowed people to be rescued quickly.

Andrei Przhezdomsky, of the National Anti-Terrorist Committee, said the explosion was caused by "an unidentified explosive device".

The discovery of an explosive device at another station, Ploshchad Vosstaniya, also suggested a co-ordinated attack.

Interfax said the bomber was known to have links to radical Islam.

The news agency said he died in a suicide blast and was identified through his remains. But the president's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, would not comment on reports a suicide bomber was to blame.

Another agency, Tass, reported that a woman may also have been involved in the explosion.

Tuesday saw bomb alerts at the same metro station and the city's university.

St Petersburg's metro system, which is used by more than two million passengers every day, has not suffered previous attacks.

Several transport hubs in Russia have, however, been attacked. In 2010, 38 people died in a double suicide bombing on the Moscow metro.

And a year later, a bomb exploded on a high-speed train travelling between Moscow and St Petersburg, killing 27 and injuring another 130.

Both attacks were claimed by Islamist groups.

BBN/MS/SK

UK PM signs letter that will trigger Brexit

BBN Desk — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 08:36:10 +0000

London, UK (BBN) - Theresa May has signed the letter that will formally begin the UK's departure from the European Union.
Giving official notice under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, it will be delivered to European Council president Donald Tusk later, reports BBC.
In a statement in the Commons, the prime minister will then tell MPs this marks "the moment for the country to come together".
It follows June's referendum which resulted in a vote to leave the EU.
May's letter will be delivered at 12:30 BST on Wednesday by the British ambassador to the EU, Sir Tim Barrow.
The prime minister, who will chair a cabinet meeting in the morning, will then make a statement to MPs confirming the countdown to the UK's departure from the EU is under way.
She will promise to "represent every person in the whole United Kingdom" during the negotiations - including EU nationals, whose status after Brexit has yet to be settled.
"It is my fierce determination to get the right deal for every single person in this country," she will say.
"For, as we face the opportunities ahead of us on this momentous journey, our shared values, interests and ambitions can - and must - bring us together."
KEY EVENTS AND POSSIBLE TIMINGS
29 March, 2017 - UK triggers Article 50
29 April - EU summit of the 27 leaders (without the UK) to agree to give the European Commission a mandate to negotiate with the UK
May - European Commission to publish negotiating guidelines based on the mandate the EU leaders give it.
The EU might say something about possible parallel negotiation on a future EU-UK trade deal
May/June 2017 - Negotiations begin
23 April and 7 May - French presidential elections
24 September - German parliamentary elections
Autumn 2017 - The UK government is expected to introduce legislation to leave the EU and put all existing EU laws into British law - the Great Repeal Bill
October 2018 - Aim to complete negotiations
Between October 2018 and March 2019 - The Houses of Parliament, European Council and European Parliament vote on any deal
March 2019 - UK formally withdraws from the European Union (The Article 50 negotiations could be extended, but this is subject to the approval of the other 27 EU member states)
Attempting to move on from the divisions of June's referendum, Mrs May will add: "We are one great union of people and nations with a proud history and a bright future.
"And, now that the decision has been made to leave the EU, it is time to come together."
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said his party respected the decision to leave the EU and would hold the government to account "every step of the way".
He said: "Britain is going to change as a result.
The question is how."
Corbyn warned it would be "a national failure of historic proportions" if May does not secure protection for workers' rights.
On Tuesday night, the prime minister spoke by telephone to Tusk, EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Article 50 gives both sides two years to reach agreement, so unless both sides agree to extend the deadline for talks, the UK will leave on 29 March 2019.
Negotiations are expected to begin in mid-May.
The UK government says it wants to carry out both separation and trade talks at the same time, but EU chiefs say the two issues must be handled separately.
The UK has said it wants an "early agreement" to guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in the UK and those of British nationals living abroad.
Other issues which are likely to be discussed are things like cross-border security arrangements, the European Arrest Warrant, moving EU agencies which have their headquarters in the UK and the UK's contribution to pensions of EU civil servants - part of a wider "divorce bill" which some reports have suggested could run to £50bn.
UP FOR DISCUSSION
Trade: The UK will withdraw from the single market and seek a new customs arrangement and a free trade agreement with the EU
Expats: The government wants to secure an agreement with European countries "at the earliest opportunity" on the rights of EU nationals in the UK and Britons living in Europe
Brexit bill: The UK government has promised to honour its obligations as it leaves, but has brushed off claims these could run to £50bn
Northern Ireland border: Aiming for "as seamless and frictionless a border as possible between Northern Ireland and Ireland"
Sovereignty: Britain will leave the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice but seek to set up separate resolution mechanisms for things like trade disputes
Security: The UK government has said it wants to continue to cooperate on security and intelligence-sharing
Transitional deal: An interim arrangement may be needed before the final arrangements come into force
The Lib Dems claimed May was "pulling the trigger that will set in motion a chain of events which will change this country forever, and doing so without a proper plan", but the Leave Means Leave campaign congratulated her on sticking to her timetable of invoking Article 50 before the end of March.
"Unpatriotic, pro-EU fanatics will continue to try to derail or, at the very least, delay Brexit," the group's co-chairman, Richard Tice, warned.
The PM was forced to consult Parliament before invoking Article 50 after it lost a legal challenge in the Supreme Court, but it secured the backing of most MPs earlier this month.
On Thursday the government is expected to publish details of its "Great Repeal Bill", which aims to convert EU law into domestic legislation and repeal the European Communities Act, which says EU law is supreme to the UK's.
BBN/MS/SK

London attack: 7 arrests as police probe attacker's links

BBN Desk — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 09:42:52 +0000

London, UK (BBN) - Police investigating the deadliest terror attack in central London in 12 years have arrested seven people and searched six addresses, Britain's most senior counterterror police officer said Thursday.
Inquiries are continuing in London, Birmingham and other parts of the country, Mark Rowley said, reports CNN.
Rowley revised the number of dead down by one to three.
The victims were a police officer protecting Parliament, a woman in her mid-40s and a man in his mid-50s, Rowley said.
The attacker, who rammed a car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before attempting to storm the Houses of Parliament, was also shot dead at the scene.
Twenty-nine people were treated in hospital, seven of whom are still in a critical condition, Rowley said.
There were also a number of "walking wounded," he said.
Hundreds of detectives worked through the night, Rowley said, with their investigation focused on the attacker's motivation, preparation and associates.
"It is still our belief -- which continues to be borne out by our investigation -- that this attacker acted alone yesterday and was inspired by international terrorism," he said.
"To be explicit, at this stage, we have no specific information about further threats to the public."
A UK official told CNN the working theory was that the attack was ISIS "inspired or copycat", but the authorities were "still investigating."
He added, "Values and community cohesion are now most important -- this is kind of a test case."
A candlelit vigil will be held Thursday evening in Trafalgar Square, not far from Westminster, to show solidarity and remember the victims, the office of London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement.
"London is the greatest city in the world. We will never be cowed by terrorism.
We stand together, in the face of those who seek to harm us and destroy our way of life. We always have, and we always will," it said.
TOURISTS INJURED
Rowley told journalists late Wednesday that police believe the attack was an act of "Islamist-related terrorism," and indicated they knew the identity of the assailant but were not releasing his name.
Overnight, police in the city of Birmingham, in central England, raided an apartment, but it was not clear whether it was linked to the London attack.
When asked for information, local police referred CNN to London's Metropolitan Police.
The Met told CNN it would not comment for "operational reasons."
Only one of the victims has been publicly identified. Keith Palmer, a 15-year veteran of the London police force, was fatally stabbed on the grounds of Parliament before police killed his attacker.
A number of tourists were among 40 people hurt in the assault, including five South Koreans and three French high school students, according to officials from both countries. One Australian had been hospitalized, officials there said.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said one Chinese tourist was slightly injured.
It was the first mass-casualty terrorist attack in Britain since 2005, when 52 people and four attackers died in the July 7 bomb attacks on the London public transportation system.
British lawmakers are returning to Parliament Thursday, where many were trapped for hours as the police operation unfolded outside the previous day.
One member of the government, Tobias Ellwood, was lauded a hero after attempting to save the police offer, Keith Palmer, who later died.
HOW THE ATTACK UNFOLDED
The area around Westminster was teeming with people when the attack began at about 2:40 p.m. local time (10.40 a.m. ET) Wednesday.
Witnesses said the attacker drove his car along the sidewalk over Westminster Bridge, ramming into pedestrians as he went.
The vehicle hit a large number of people, including three police officers.
"The car then crashed near to Parliament and at least one man -- armed with a knife -- continued the attack, trying to enter Parliament," Rowley said. One of those who died was a woman, he added.
Parliament was placed on lockdown for several hours and lawmakers were forced to remain in the main debating chamber of the House of Commons.
In the early hours of Thursday, much of Westminster -- Britain's political heart -- was still cordoned off by police, with access blocked to Downing Street and police headquarters at Scotland Yard.
CONDEMNATION, CONDOLENCES
Prime Minister Theresa May described the attack as "sick and depraved.
" She said attempts to defeat through violence the values Parliament represents would be "doomed to failure."
"Tomorrow morning, Parliament will meet as normal.
We will come together as normal. And Londoners -- and others from around the world who have come here to visit this great City -- will get up and go about their day as normal," she said Wednesday.
"They will board their trains, they will leave their hotels, they will walk these streets, they will live their lives. And we will all move forward together.
Never giving in to terror. And never allowing the voices of hate and evil to drive us apart."
People echoed May's defiance online, sharing an image of the London Underground logo emblazoned with the words "We are not afraid."
Khan, the mayor, paid tribute to the emergency services and said: "My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones and to everyone who has been affected."
He announced extra armed officers would be deployed on the streets of the British capital. However, Rowley said there were no plans for military officers to provide extra protection at this stage.
World leaders expressed their condolences, with US President Donald Trump phoning the British Prime Minister to pledge US support in "responding to the attack."
"Spoke to UK Prime Minister Theresa May today to offer condolences on the terrorist attack in London.
She is strong and doing very well," he tweeted.
In New York, the NYPD stepped up security at "UK sensitive locations," including the British Consulate in midtown Manhattan, James Waters, the department's counterterrorism bureau chief said.
NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill said that it was routine to step up resources in this way during global terror events.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said security would be increased around the country's parliament building in Canberra.
He tweeted: "Australia stands in resolute solidarity with the people of Britain in war against terrorism.
Our heartfelt sympathies are with the victims."
WITNESSES REPORT CHAOTIC SCENES
Robyn Lyon, 34, from Rugby, said he was walking along Westminster Bridge when he saw the car plow through the crowd.
"I saw a car, the crunch of car, hitting the curb. I kind of thought the guy had maybe had a heart attack or something," he said.
"The accelerator suddenly picked up so you had that revving... It hit several people.
I jumped out the way into a road.
"I stood in shock and saw carnage around me and the car carrying on up the bridge."
Craig Meichan, 20, a student from Ormskirk near Liverpool, was on a field trip with around 15 others and had left Parliament just a moment before.
"It sounded like a car backfiring, police began shouting and they started cordoning off the area," he told CNN, adding that he believed his tutor was still locked inside.
BBN/MS/SK

Five dead and 40 injured in UK Parliament terror attack

BBN Desk — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 03:24:37 +0000

London, UK (BBN) - Five people have died and at least 40 were injured after an attacker drove a car along a pavement in Westminster, stabbed a policeman and was shot dead by police in the grounds of Parliament.
The dead officer has been named as PC Keith Palmer, 48, a husband and father, reports BBC.
PM Theresa May said the attack was "sick and depraved" and struck at values of liberty, democracy and freedom of speech.
The attacker has not been named by police.
Acting Deputy Commissioner and head of counter terrorism at the Metropolitan Police, Mark Rowley, said they think they know who he is and that he was inspired by international and Islamist-related terrorism, but gave no further details.
The attack unfolded at about 14.40 GMT when a single attacker drove a car along a pavement over Westminster Bridge, near the Houses of Parliament in central London, killing at least two people and injuring many more.
The car then crashed into railings outside the Houses of Parliament.
The attacker, armed with a knife, ran to Parliament where he was confronted by the police.
PC Palmer - who was not armed - was then stabbed and killed.
The attacker was shot dead by armed officers.
Rowley paid tribute to PC Palmer, saying: "He was someone who left for work today expecting to return home at the end of his shift, and he had every right to expect that would happen."
"Heartbroken" former colleague, Conservative MP James Cleverly, paid tribute to the "lovely man" he had known for 25 years.
The pair had served together in the Royal Artillery before PC Palmer became a policeman.
Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood - a former Army officer whose brother died in the Bali terrorist bombing in 2002 - attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation of Pc Palmer.
May said the attack was a "sick and depraved" attack on the heart of the capital. Such attempts to defeat UK values were "doomed to failure", she said.
She paid tribute to the "exceptional men and women" of the police force who responded to the attack, saying: "We will all move forward together, never giving in to terror and never allowing the voices of hate and evil to drive us apart."
The prime minister added: "The location of this attack was no accident.
"The terrorist chose to strike at the heart of our capital city where people of all nationalities, religions and cultures come together to celebrate the values of liberty, democracy and freedom of speech."
She is expected to make a statement in the Commons later.
The husband of murdered MP Jo Cox said the "name I will remember" from the Westminster attack was that of PC Keith Palmer - not the attacker.
London mayor Sadiq Khan said: "My message to those that want to harm us and destroy our way of life is: You won't succeed; you won't divide us; we won't be cowed by terrorists."
BBC Newsnight reported there was a suggestion the car used in the attack was hired from an address in Birmingham. However, this has not been confirmed.
IN LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
There will be more armed and unarmed officers on duty in London and across the country as a "precautionary measure"
The prime minister said the UK terror threat level would remain at severe - its second highest - meaning an attack is "highly likely"
Westminster underground station was shut and remained open for interchange only
Home Secretary Amber Rudd urged everyone to remain calm but be vigilant and if they see anything they are concerned about report it to the police
A group of French schoolchildren were on the bridge and three were injured
13 students from Edge Hill University in Lancashire were also caught up in the incident - two were taken to hospital and described as walking wounded; two others had minor injuries
People worried about family and friends can call the police casualty bureau on: 0800 056 0944 or 0207 158 0010. Anyone with images or footage of the incident is urged to send them to www.ukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk.
Eyewitness Rick Longley said: "We were just walking up to the station and there was a loud bang and a guy, someone, crashed a car and took some pedestrians out.
"They were just laying there and then the whole crowd just surged around the corner by the gates just opposite Big Ben.
"A guy came past my right shoulder with a big knife and just started plunging it into the policeman.
"I have never seen anything like that. I just can't believe what I just saw."
IN OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
MPs were locked in the House of Commons for more than four hours and business suspended
Around 1,000 people were taken to Westminster Abbey for safety and were then processed by police
The House of Commons and Lords will sit at their usual times on Thursday
The White House said May had spoken to President Donald Trump about the attack
The Eiffel tower went dark at midnight in homage to the London victims
London mayor Sadiq Khan praised citizens and emergency services for their "tremendous bravery" and said: "Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism."
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Orly airport: France launches terror investigation

BBN Desk — Sun, 19 Mar 2017 04:13:51 +0000

Orly, France (BBN) - French anti-terror prosecutors are investigating an attack at Paris's Orly airport by a gunman who was eventually shot dead by security forces.
Ziyed Ben Belgacem, 39, was killed on Saturday after he put a gun to a soldier's head saying he wanted to "die for Allah", officials say, reports BBC.
Earlier that day he had been involved in a shooting and then a carjacking.
Belgacem is described as having been radicalised in prison, and was on a police watch-list.
His criminal record included convictions for armed robbery and drugs offences, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins told reporters late on Saturday.
Intelligence agents searched his home in Garges-les-Gonesse for evidence of Islamist sympathies, but reportedly found nothing. However, traces of cocaine were discovered during the search.
The BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says the picture is building up of a man on the criminal fringes of society, who also consorted with Islamist radicals.
OPERATION SENTINEL
The attack comes at a sensitive time. France has presidential elections starting next month and remains under a state of emergency.
The soldiers at Orly were part of Operation Sentinel - involving thousands of soldiers deployed to provide back-up to the police after the Charlie Hebdo attack in January 2015 and the Paris attacks of November 2015.
THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
Early on Saturday morning, Belgacem was stopped at a checkpoint in Garges-les-Gonesse, north of Paris, where he lives.
He fired at police with a pellet gun before escaping in a car that was later found abandoned.
Police say he then stole a car at gunpoint from a woman at Vitry, south of Paris.
That car was later found at Orly airport.
Belgacem arrived at the airport and attacked the military patrol in the south terminal.
He tried to seize the servicewoman's automatic weapon, put his gun to her head and said: "I'm here to die for Allah. In any case people are going to die."
He was then shot dead by two other soldiers.
A copy of the Koran was found on his body, Molins added.
Orly - located 13km (8 miles) south of Paris - is the capital's second-largest airport.
Both the west and the south terminals were closed during the security operation. An estimated 3,000 passengers were evacuated.
Flights were suspended for several hours. Both terminals reopened later on Saturday and flight operations gradually resumed.
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Attacker killed at Paris Orly airport

BBN Desk — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 09:55:46 +0000

Paris, French (BBN) -A man has been shot dead after trying to seize a soldier's weapon at Orly airport in Paris, French officials say.
He was killed by the security forces after attacking a patrol in the airport's southern terminal, reports BBC.
The airport has now partially reopened after what the authorities described as an extremely serious incident.
The man, 39, was on a watch-list of radicalised individuals and had been involved in a shooting hours earlier in the north of Paris, police say.
He had a long criminal record including convictions for armed robbery, French media report.
THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
Early on Saturday morning the suspect was stopped at a checkpoint in northern Paris and fired at police with a pellet gun before escaping in a car that was later found abandoned in the southern suburbs.
He is then believed to have stolen another car at gunpoint from a woman which was later found at Orly airport.
At the airport 90 minutes later the man approached a military patrol.
He tried to seize a weapon from her "in an extremely violent attack", an army spokesman said.
She managed to keep hold of the gun, and two other soldiers opened fire on the attacker, killing him.
The attacker's motivation is not yet known.
His father and brother have been taken into police custody - which is standard procedure in suspected terror attacks.
A security operation has taken place at the airport with bomb disposal experts involved and a search for any possible accomplices.
Police say the attacker was not carrying any explosives. No-one else was seriously hurt in either incident.
TRAVEL DISRUPTION
Orly - located 13km (8 miles) south of Paris - is the capital's second largest airport.
Scores of passengers were unable to disembark from aircraft that landed at Orly during the security operation.
An estimated 3,000 passengers were evacuated
HOW THE ORLY AIRPORT ATTACK IS AFFECTING TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
   A total of 833 passenger flights were expected to arrive and depart from Orly airport on Saturday
   Police say that while the west terminal of the airport has reopened, the south terminal is likely to remain closed throughout Saturday and travellers should seek alternative arrangements
   A growing number of flights have been cancelled with long delays expected at the west terminal despite it reopening
   Some arrivals were hdiverted to Charles de Gaulle airport
TERRIFIED WITNESSES
Witnesses said the airport was evacuated soon after the shooting.
"We were sitting in Hall Three when all of a sudden people started running and telling us to run with them," Ellie Guttetter, 18, from the US said.
"The people running were passengers and flight attendants.
It was pretty chaotic and everyone was panicking - it was scary."
Another eyewitness, Meredith Dixon, described seeing panicked airline personnel, with no security or police personnel to usher people outside the airport complex.
"It was complete chaos," she told the BBC.
"There were no alarms. No overhead announcements. No organised evacuation. People just began running."
ATTACK COMES AT A DELICATE TIME
The soldiers were part of Operation Sentinel - involving thousands of soldiers deployed to provide back-up to the police after the Charlie Hebdo attack in January 2015 and the Paris attacks of November 2015.
France has presidential elections starting from next month and remains under a state of emergency following earlier attacks.
Presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to "the calm, control and professionalism'' of troops who responded to the attack.
BBN/MS/SK

Aid agencies launch East Africa appeal

BBN Desk — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 08:59:52 +0000

UK aid agencies launch a fundraising appeal to help millions of people facing hunger in East Africa

London, UK (BBN) - UK aid agencies have launched a fundraising appeal to help millions of people facing hunger in East Africa.
The Disasters Emergency Committee says at least 16 million people in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan need food, water and medical treatment, reports BBC
Drought and conflict are to blame for the crisis, says the DEC, which will broadcast an emergency appeal on the major television networks on Wednesday.
The government said it will match the first £5m donated by the public.
Last month, a famine was declared in parts of South Sudan, the first to be announced in any part of the world in six years.
The government and the United Nations reported that some 100,000 people are facing starvation, with a million more on the brink of famine.
A combination of civil war and an economic collapse have been blamed.
In Kenya, the country's president Uhuru Kenyatta declared its drought a national disaster and Kenya's Red Cross says 2.7 million people face starvation.
There is also a severe drought in Somalia and Ethiopia.
'DESPERATE FOR FOOD'
Saleh Saeed, chief executive of the DEC, an umbrella organisation which brings together 13 UK aid charities to deal with international crises, said hunger was "looming" across East Africa.
He said more than 800,000 children under five were severely malnourished.
"Without urgent treatment, they are at risk of starving to death," he said.
"We are hearing that families are so desperate for food that they are resorting to eating leaves to survive.
This is something no family should have to endure.
"Unless we act now the number of deaths will drastically increase."
International Development Secretary Priti Patel said UK aid has funded food, water and emergency healthcare in East Africa, but more support was "urgently needed to prevent a catastrophe".
She said the international community must follow the UK's lead "to save lives and stop the famine before it becomes a stain on our collective conscience".
"The world cannot afford to wait," she said.
BBN/MS/SK

EU workplace headscarf ban ruled legal

BBN Desk — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 10:02:32 +0000

Brussels, Belgium (BBN) - Employers are entitled to ban workers from the "visible wearing of any political, philosophical or religious sign" - including headscarves, Europe's top court has ruled.
But the ban must be based on internal company rules requiring all employees to "dress neutrally", said the European Court of Justice (ECJ), reports BBC.
It cannot be based on the wishes of a customer, it said.
It is the court's first decision on the issue of Islamic headscarves at work.
The ECJ's ruling was prompted by the case of a receptionist fired for wearing a headscarf to work at the company G4S in Belgium.
Belgium's court of cassation had referred the case to the EU's top court for clarification.
BBN/MS/SK

Brexit a factor in rates hold decision: US Fed

BBN Desk — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 20:41:25 +0000

Washington DC (BBN)- The US Federal Reserve has kept interest rates at between 0.25 per cent and 0.5 per cent in the face of an uncertain jobs market.
The possibility of Brexit was one of the factors that led the US Federal Reserve to keep interest rates on hold, Chair Janet Yellen said, according to BBC report.
The US central bank also said it expected a "slower path" for future rate rises.
It raised rates in December for the first time in nearly a decade.
On the 23 June UK referendum on whether to stay in the European Union, Ms Yellen said: "Clearly this is a very important decision for the United Kingdom and for Europe.
"It is a decision that could have consequences for economic and financial conditions in global financial markets.
"If it does so it could have consequences in turn for the US economic outlook that would be a factor in deciding on the appropriate path of policy," she added.
Fed policymakers did not reveal when rates might rise, but the door has been left open for an increase when they next meet at the end of July.
Chair Yellen added: "Proceeding cautiously and raising our interest-rate target will allow us to verify that economic growth will return to a moderate pace, that the labor market will strengthen further, and that inflation will continue to make progress toward our 2% objective."
The Fed said in a statement that the pace of improvement in the labour market had slowed. The bank added, however, that "economic activity will expand at a moderate pace and labour market indicators will strengthen" even with gradual rate increases.
The dollar fell against the euro and sterling, but Wall Street held on to earlier gains, with the S&P 500 up 0.3 per cent.
The Fed expected the unemployment rate to stand at 4.7 per cent by the end of this year, before falling to 4.6 per cent in 2017 and remain at that level in 2018.
In May, US job creation fell to its lowest level in more than five years, after faltering in April.
Ms Yellen said it was important not to overreact to one or two monthly readings.
"That said, we will be watching the job market carefully," she added.
'Dovish'
The Fed now expects the US economy to expand by only 2.0 per cent a year for the foreseeable future - slightly lower than the forecast in March.
Brian Jacobsen of Wells Fargo Funds Management said: "It's as dovish as the Fed can get without actually cutting rates."
Aaron Kohli of BMO Capital Markets agreed that the statement appeared "somewhat dovish", adding: "The market had expected them to moderate their tone a little bit given what's been going on and given the risk that we have in terms of Brexit."

BBN/SSR/AD